This is another entry for the zaangels write-off. The theme is A Bump In The Road and it's about break ups or something like that. I actually wrote this story in my one shot series but i have rewritten the story a little to make it more dramatic. This is my second entry so i hope you will like it. Please feel free to tell me the flaws of this story.
Have you ever felt so confused and depressed in your life?
It's practically normal for the fact that people make mistakes in their life but what if that mistake is a pretty big one and there's no way in the world you can fix it because it's already being shattered into millions of tiny pieces. Pieces that has already been picked up by someone else.
That's how Troy Bolton felt.
He thought for that moment years ago that he had made the right decision to let her go. They are both from completely different worlds that just have no way of colliding whatsoever. He thought they are just better off as neighbours and friends but nothing more.
Gabriella Montez…
Whenever Troy hears that name, he couldn't help but smile. But now, the only thing he felt when someone said that name was guilt and heartbroken.
Troy and Gabriella have been dating since Troy had the guts to tell Gabriella how much he had fallen in love with her back in middle school. Gabriella was hesitant about her feeling towards Troy but in the end, she let him take her heart as she had taken Troy's. As neighbours, Troy and Gabriella had hung out every chance they got. They were practically inseparable. Nothing can prevent them from breaking up.
Or so they thought.
During freshmen year in high school, Troy instantly became the It Boy in school and girls, even those who are older than him, started to fall for the new hunk in school. Troy, still at that time, still had eyes on Gabriella and only Gabriella but one girl ruined it all. During high school, Gabriella became very busy with her extra-curricular which had caused them to grow apart. After one big fight and Gabriella missing Troy's big game, Troy decided that he was better off with someone who understood him and will support him all the way. He decided that he was better off with a cheerleader named Kate.
While dating Kate behind Gabriella's back, Gabriella's best friend, Taylor, found out and confronted Troy. She told Troy either he tells Gabriella or Taylor will. She also asked him on what's more important for him. At that time, basketball and his popularity only mattered. Not Gabriella.
The break-up wasn't easy at all. Troy tried his best to make the break-up as painless as possible but even he knows it's hard.
______
Troy knocked on Gabriella's balcony door waiting for her to open. A few seconds later, Gabriella opened the door with a wide smile on her face and quickly hugged Troy before he could say anything.
"Hey! What's up?" Gabriella asked after pulling out of the hug.
Troy felt as though he got a punch on his stomach. Gabriella didn't have a clue that Troy was about to break up with her. She looked so clueless, not knowing what's Troy's reason for the visit. Troy took a deep breath before answering her.
"Do you want to go for a walk? I want to talk to you about something," Troy said.
"Um, sure. Let's go," Gabriella replied.
While walking at the sidewalk, Gabriella held Troy's arm firmly. Troy was still trying to think of a way to tell Gabriella that he wanted a break up.
"I'm so glad you decided for a walk," she said. "I really think we do need to talk. I feel like I haven't talked to you for years-"
"Gabi, we're over," Troy blurted out.
Gabriella stopped at her tracks, "Wha-what?" Gabriella stammered. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry. There's someone else," Troy said not looking at Gabriella.
"Kate," Gabriella whispered.
"Yeah."
"Troy, don't do this. I'll be there for you. I won't miss another game. I'll be there for you cheering and-, "Gabriella begged.
"It's much more than that Gabriella, ok? I mean we're practically breaking apart already and we fight all the time! It's just hard for you and me. Things with Kate are just much easier," Troy explained. "But don't let me stop you from affecting you at all. You're Gabriella Montez. You're beautiful, strong, artistic and brilliant."
"If i am all those things you said then why aren't i good enough for you?" she asked.
Troy didn't answer her question. He didn't what to answer her anyways. She was right. Why wasn't she good enough for me anymore? He looked at Gabriella's expression. She was far from happy. Even far from sad. "I'm hoping that you'll find some way to forgive me," Troy said as he put his hand on Gabriella's shoulder but she quickly pushed it away.
"No Troy. In fact, I don't think I can forgive you at all," Gabriella said before running away back inside her house.
_____
That memory left a bitter taste in Troy's mouth. He totally regretted breaking up with Gabriella. Gabriella really took the break up hard. A day after that, Gabriella left a box of things, at the Bolton's front door, belonging to Troy that was left in her room. Even the stuff he gave Gabriella. Like the necklace he gave her on their first anniversary. He remembered how much Gabriella loved the necklace. Gabriella also left torn pictures of Troy inside the box. He didn't realize how many photos were taken when they were dating. Troy could tell by the amount of torn pictures in the box. It was clear sign that Gabriella didn't want to have anything to do with Troy ever again.
The starting of the school day wasn't easy either. Gabriella didn't even look at Troy at all. Worse, Gabriella started dating a new guy 3 weeks after their break-up. Gabriella started going out with the new British boy in school, Mason Briggs, who is practically her soul mate. From what Troy heard, Mason is as artistic as Gabriella. He likes reading, writing and painting. He also plays for the school's soccer team. Though soccer isn't quite Mason's athletic strategy, girls swoon over him over his artsy side.
Once for Valentines' Day, Mason surprise Gabriella by painting a beautiful portrait of her on an empty wall in school, which got paint over after someone (*coughs* Troy) tattles that Mason was vandalising on school grounds. Even with the large amount of trouble Mason has got into, he didn't got suspended nor expel from school and from Gabriella.
Troy got more and more jealous every time he saw Gabriella and Mason together and seeing Gabriella giggle to every word Mason said to her. It was horrible. Troy was usually the one that made Gabriella giggle and laugh.
As Troy thought his life couldn't felt any emptier, Gabriella had received a letter of admission to New York Academy of dramatic arts where she is accepted in the arts department for her work on paintings she made. Gabriella was given a full scholarship and will be required to move to New York. That was one thing that Troy wish hadn't been given. With Gabriella leaving Albuquerque, who is going to his best friend anymore?
Well Chad is his best friend but just isn't the same as Gabriella. Besides, he and Gabriella hadn't had a real conversation since their break-up.
He only has one day left to tell her the truth about how he always felt about her. Does he have the nerve to do it? Perhaps. Maybe.
On the day Gabriella was leaving, Troy looked out of his window to see Gabriella being driven off by her mother to go to the airport to catch her flight. Gabriella looked so excited and happy. Troy had expected her to look sad and depressed because she was leaving. He guessed Gabriella couldn't wait to get out of the state and be miles away from Troy. The guy that broke her heart.
After they drove off, Troy spotted something on the front lawn of the Montez household. From afar, he knew exactly what that was. Troy knew it was a sign. He took his keys and ran out of his house, not before grabbing the item at the lawn and chased after Gabriella to the airport.
Due to the horrible traffic to the airport, Troy was so late to catch up to Gabriella. When entering the airport, he spotted Gabriella's mother exiting.
"Mrs Montez! Has Gabriella boarded the plane already?" Troy asked.
"Not yet. She still has fifteen minutes left till boarding," Mrs Montez answered. "What are you doing here Troy?"
"I need to give her something," Troy explained. "And maybe tell her something that I'm not quite sure what," he added.
Mrs Montez gave Troy a confused look. After the break-up, Mrs Montez didn't even give Troy a glance in the morning when she was taking in the mail. Troy broke her daughter's heart badly. Mrs Montez never looked at Troy the same way again. Troy completely understood why.
"Well she's boarding flight number 41 if what you need to give or tell her is that important. Don't get into too much trouble," Mrs Montez said while walking away. Troy quickly ran to where Gabriella was boarding in light speed.
When running, he heard an announcement. "Flight to New York now boarding."
Troy ran extra fast, not caring that people were cursing him. Finally he arrived and saw Gabriella about to the give her ticket to the flight attendant.
"GABRIELLA!"
Upon hearing her name, Gabriella turned around to see Troy beading with sweat and his face all red.
"Troy? What are you doing here?"
"You dropped this," Troy said breathlessly while giving Gabriella the item.
It was a charm bracelet Gabriella's father made for her before he passed away. Troy remembered it being the only thing Gabriella remembered of her father. She loved it so much she never took it off.
"Thanks. It must have dropped off my wrist while getting into the car," Gabriella said.
"Nope. It dropped while you were heading for the car," he corrected her.
"How do you know that?" Gabriella asked confusingly.
"I..I was watching you leave since you didn't bothered saying goodbye to me," Troy explained.
"Troy, I didn't say goodbye to you because I didn't bothered. I didn't say goodbye to you because we haven't spoken in years in the break-up. Remember? It was the time you told me you were cheating on me with Kate?"
"Look, I said I was sorry!" Troy argued.
"Sorry isn't enough when you break one person's heart," Gabriella debated.
"Well we were breaking apart anyways. It was the right thing to do!" Troy debated back.
"No. The right thing to do was to fix it. Not ending it by a break up! Look, I have to go now. Hope you and Kate live a happy life with dead-end jobs and your 16 children," Gabriella said sarcastically.
Troy held Gabriella's wrist, "Wait. I'm not here to make a part two of our break-up."
"Then why are you here? Besides giving back my bracelet."
"Why? I don't even know."
"If you don't know then why didn't you just mail my bracelet instead of giving it face to face?"
"Because I need to tell you that I think I might still be in love you!" he blurted.
"Might still in love? What do you mean by might?" Gabriella asked.
"I don't know but I love you. I know I broke your heart into millions of tiny pieces but there's no doubt that I love you even all those years we were apart."
"We were only apart for 2 and a half years Troy," she reminded him.
"Well, it felt like two decades to me and it's far too long," he said.
"What about Kate? Didn't she keep you busy?"
"No, because she's not you."
Gabriella scoffed, "Save it for the soap opera, Troy. There's no director here to shoot this stupid scene. This is reality. You can't just come back and make sure everything will be fine. Some things in life aren't all that perfect so you will have to deal with it. Everyone needs a lesson in life."
"I already had it and I hated it and totally regretted it. Trust me. I will never make up something as serious as you."
Gabriella stared at Troy for a moment and then spoke, "You can't love me Troy. Mason loves me and I love him. You had your chance with me but you blew it."
"I don't think so. I don't think you love Mason as much as you love me. Heck, I don't think that you love Mason at all. You just needed him to fill up the space that I left so you could feel as though you're complete."
"Wow, almost three years apart and you became Shakespeare? Or did you started reading your mom's romance novels," Gabriella said sarcastically.
Troy kept a serious look on his face, "I'm serious Gabriella. I know you. I know that you're not really happy. Maybe you are on the outside but not on the inside."
Gabriella stayed silent. There was absolutely no doubt that Troy was right but she didn't want to admit it. This was not how Troy had imagined after telling Gabriella he loved her. He had expected kissing her passionately and then she would say that she loved him too and also reconsidering going to New York. It sounds selfish but Troy just didn't want to let her go. At least not yet.
Gabriella started to tear up. Then the flight attendant had announced a last call for Gabriella's flight. "I have to take my flight now. I'll see you whenever Troy. Thanks for the bracelet." And with that, she was gone.
Troy was devastated. No kiss goodbye or a hug saying she loved him as well. She just left him standing there. At that moment, Troy knew how much she meant the world to him. He will never give up to fight for his one true love. Even if it's the last thing he'll do.
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