Taking the Blame
A/N: Hey this is just a one shot I thought up and wanted to do. I've wrote this at 2am in the morning so please forgive me if there are any mistakes and it isn't that good It's now 3am so even though I've checked it through I may have missed something because I'm tired.Please R&R! Thanks!
Taking the Blame
17 year old Gabriella Montez walked into school on Monday morning with her best friends Sharpay Evans, Taylor Mckessie and Kelsi Neilson by her side along with their boyfriends, Zeke Baylor, Chad Danforth and Jason Cross also Sharpay's twin brother Ryan. The three girls had spent the weekend trying to be there for Gabriella and cheer her up. On Friday, not only Gabriella got a shock, but the whole entire school, when Gabriella's boyfriend of two years, Troy Bolton had broken up with her. Everyone believed the two were the perfect couple. Gabriella and everyone else knew Troy was going through a rough patch after he had discovered his mom had been cheating on his dad because he apparently never paid any attention to her and was more obsessed with basketball and Troy than he and Troy were in loving her. Troy's father had been heartbroken and taken the affair badly and was blaming himself which made Troy depressed seeing his father; his idol behave the way he was by locking himself away and keeping everyone else out. Troy didn't want to be with any of his old friends including Chad, Zeke and Jason because to Troy they were part of his past. He was with his new friends, who were known as the school rebels, Dom and Chris; the two were regularly caught causing damage to school property and were known to skip school as much as they could.
"Gabriella you have to forget about Troy Bolton. I know it's hard. Trust me I had to get over my Troy obsession when you came and I found it hard too but once I got used to it and accepted it I was fine." Sharpay advised her as Gabriella shook her head.
"You don't understand Sharpay. I really truly loved him and I tried to be there and he pushed me away. You have no idea how it made me feel. He's changed. He's no longer the Troy I feel in love with but a complete jerk now. Can you guys just please leave me alone." Gabriella ran off leaving her friends standing there knowing how much she was hurting all because of Troy.
Gabriella ran outside to the school fields when she bumped into someone causing them to catch her.
"I'm sorry." She mumbled tearfully as she looked up into a pair of stone cold blue eyes that once showed warmth and love when she looked into them.
"Stay out of my way loser." Troy hissed as he shoved to the side and walked off. Gabriella slid down the wall watching the person who was causing her all this pain just carry on like nothing had ever happened and made her feel as though she didn't exist anymore.
"Gabriella?" Gabriella looked up and saw Richard Moore, a close friend of hers, who was a lot like a brother to her. He was on the basketball team and she had gotten to know him pretty well when she hung around at practises watching Troy.
"Hey." He smiled at her as he sat down next to her.
"He's really is hurting you isn't he?" Gabriella nodded as Richard pulled her into a tight hug trying to offer her some kind of comfort. "He's a real idiot at the minute. Trust me I don't think you should be worrying so much about him and letting him do this to you. He will eventually realize what he lost in you because you're a great girl Gabs." Richard assured her as she wiped away her tears.
"I want to but it just hurts too much to forget him too." Gabriella told him as she looked down at her hands. "I just need to find a distraction for a while so I can let my heart try and at least mend some of its broken bits." Richard wrapped his arms back around her and held her close.
"How about you come with me to the end of year dance? Lisa (his girlfriend) is going away with her family so she can't go and I have no one else and at least that way you can keep your mind from your ex and show people you will still carry on." Gabriella nodded sadly.
"I guess since I don't have a date anymore and I do already have my dress." Richard laughed.
"I should have known you would already have your dress since the dance is next week and you aren't one to leave things to the last minute unlike Lisa." Gabriella shook her head and smiled slightly. "See you can still smile. I want to see that more ok." Gabriella giggled softly.
"Yeah. Thanks Rich." He stood up and offered her his hand as he pulled her back to his feet.
"Walk you to homeroom?" Richard offered as she linked arms with him. "Don't get mad at the others because I'm guessing that's why you were on your own too. They just want to help."
"I know but I need to do this myself without them telling me to just forget about Troy and get over it like that. It's the only way possible. It's the only way I know to do things. Alone." Gabriella explained as she bit her lip as they walked past Troy and his friends who completely ignored her. Troy had another girl pressed up against his locker in a steamy make-out session which made Gabriella feel sick and tears to fall. "I might as well go back to being an invisible no one because that's how I survived every other school I've been too. No one knowing who you were and no friends. At least that way you didn't have to worry about getting hurt by others and you only had to look after yourself." Gabriella admitted.
"Don't say that. If it weren't for you everyone in this school's life would still be just as hard and no one would try and get to know people with different interests. Whether you like it or not Miss Montez people know you for what happened and you won't ever be invisible here." Gabriella smiled as they walked into their homeroom where they joined the others for a few minutes before the bell rang and Ms Darbus appeared.
The next few days went by slowly for Gabriella. Every time she saw Troy he would just ignore her and any of his friends. It was Wednesday night and Gabriella was on her way back home from Taylor's when she heard people talking from by the school. Recognising the voices, Gabriella carefully snuck up to see what they were doing. Gabriella's jaw dropped when she saw Troy and his friends each holding a bottle of vodka and cans of spray paint in their hands as they drew on the walls to the gym.
"Come on. It's boring out here. We might as well go mess through some stuff inside." Gabriella heard Troy say while jangling some keys. Keeping at a safe distance, Gabriella watched as the three disappeared inside before hearing banging before moving closer to the door. As she reached it, it opened again and her eyes widened as she came face to face with Troy.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked angrily.
"Nothing. I heard a noise so I thought I would check it out. What are you doing? Why are you doing all this Troy? It isn't you." Gabriella looked at him with pleading eyes hoping for a miracle and that he would just wrap his arms around her and tell her he was sorry for being the way he was.
"This is me and if you don't like it then you can get lost. You better not tell anyone loser otherwise you will be sorry." Troy threatened as he walked back in and slammed the door behind him. Gabriella knew this wasn't the Troy she fell in love with and it seemed to be that guy had now gone and wasn't going to be returning which hurt. Walking home Gabriella couldn't stop thinking about Troy any their whole relationship and if Troy had actually ever truly wanted to be with her because from the way he was behaving Gabriella wasn't so sure anymore.
Arriving home, Gabriella told her mom she would be in her room if she needed her not wanting to really have to listen to her mom question about what happened between herself and Troy. Gabriella was upstairs in her room doing her homework when the doorbell went. Running downstairs she looked through the peep hole, opening the door seeing it was only Richard.
"Hey Rich what are you doing here?" Gabriella asked as Richard looked down sadly.
"I'm really sorry Gabs but I can't take you to the dance." Gabriella let out an 'o' but forced a smile. "Lisa has asked if I want to join her and her family on this vacation they are taking and I couldn't say no, Gabi. I'm really sorry."
"Nah it's ok. Don't worry about it. Just have a good time with Lisa." Gabriella told him as she hugged him before he walked off and she closed the door.
"Who was that mija?" Gabriella heard her mom call.
"Just Rich. He can't take me to the dance since he's going to be away." Gabriella answered. "I'll be in my room." Walking upstairs, Gabriella closed her door and sighed dejectedly. She had really been looking forward to going but knew it was just something that wasn't meant to happen for her.
The next morning, Gabriella had been walking towards her homeroom but stopped when she saw Taylor running towards her.
"Come on. We all have to get to the gym now." Taylor told her pulling her.
"Taylor what's going on?" Gabriella asked as the two walked into the gym where most of their year stood.
"No idea why we have to be in the gym but did you hear that someone used graffiti on the school walls round the back last night and broke into the gym locker rooms and bashed stuff up? Chad just told me to come find you because everyone is rounding everyone together for some reason in here." Gabriella nodded quietly knowing it was Troy who had done that but didn't want to drop him in that as they joined up with the others and sat down as principal Matsui and a very rough looking coach Bolton walked in.
"Ok everyone listen up." Principal Matsui started as everyone quietened down. "As many of you are probably aware by now last night some students decided to vandalize the school and cause damage to a lot of the gym equipment kept in the locker rooms. Since no one saw who did it and no one has owned up yet, unless they do the end of year dance is cancelled for everyone. So just think carefully if you can handle all the pressure of knowing the whole year is suffering because of your own stupidity. We know it was students from here from what was written on the walls so don't try and blame anyone else." He warned as everyone groaned. "You may all go back to class and the person has till end of school to hand themselves in."
"This is so not fair. Just because some losers decided it would be fun to colour some walls we all lose our dance when we have all worked so hard into getting it right and going out for our outfits." Sharpay exclaimed as everyone except Gabriella agreed.
"Gabi what is up with you because you don't seem mad?" Taylor asked as Gabriella sighed.
"I wasn't going to the dance anyway because I don't have a date." Gabriella told them.
"I thought you and Rich were going together?" Zeke commented as Gabriella shook her head.
"We were but Lisa asked him to go away with her and her family so he went which means I have no date." Gabriella explained. "I didn't really want to go either so it doesn't bother me." Gabriella lied.
"Well I doubt you would have missed out on anything really. At least you didn't have to worry about what you looked like in front of you boyfriend. That's one of the perks of being single." Sharpay pointed out as Gabriella smiled still unsure as to whether she should tell anyone about what she saw.
It was the end of the day and Troy and his friends still hadn't confessed and Gabriella knew they weren't about to. All day she had heard people complaining how it wasn't fair that they would miss the dance so Gabriella did the one thing she knew she had too.
Knocking on the door to the principal's office, Gabriella took a deep breath before he opened it.
"Miss Montez what can I do for you?" He asked opening the door for her to enter.
"I did it." Gabriella said as she looked at the shocked look on the principal's face. He told her to go take a seat while he called her mother since he needed her there too. Her mom arrived a few minutes later since today was her day off.
"Right Miss Montez you are claiming to have vandalized school property?" He asked and she nodded as her mom looked at her disappointingly. "Why? I mean it's hard to believe one of my top students and well behaved would do something like this."
"I was angry still. Troy broke up with me and I wanted to get back at him in some way and since he is always in the gym I decided that would be the best thing to do and then I saw some spray cans and thought I would do that too." Gabriella lied. She knew it wasn't the most convincing lie but she knew that it couldn't be questioned.
"You do know this means that you can't attend the school dance and I will have to suspend you?" Gabriella nodded knowing it wouldn't look good on her college application forms that she had been suspended. "If you could just wait outside one moment as I would like a word with your mother alone." Gabriella nodded as she walked out the room. "You really don't think that she could have done that do you?" He asked.
"No. There is no way she would have even considered that but then again I don't think she would have any reason to lie when she knows how important it is to stay out of trouble." Ms Montez explained as principal Matsui.
"I'll only suspend her for tomorrow since its Friday and she has never been in trouble before but I will keep asking around because I have a feeling she is covering for someone so if you do find out would you please let me know?" She nodded as she shook his hand and thanked him before walking out to Gabriella.
After walking out of the school with her mom the two left in silence not one word spoken. Gabriella ignored her mom's concerned looks when she got in and went straight to her room leaving her mom downstairs. Looking at the dress hanging on the door she walked over and picked it up knowing what she had just done had meant she was now ineligible to go. "Guess I wasn't meant to wear you at all."
Gabriella spent most of Friday locked up in her room and avoiding her mom who had stayed home. It was 3.30pm when there was a knock on her door. Looking up from the book she was reading she saw the gang standing there.
"Your mom told us what you did. Why did you do it Gabi? We all know it wasn't you." Chad asked as they sat down around her room.
"I know how much everyone wanted to go and since I wasn't going anyway I thought it would make sense to do it since I knew no one else was going to. I don't want to hear all about how I shouldn't have but it's done know so please just drop it." Everyone winced at the harsh tone in her voice.
"It was Troy who did it wasn't it?" Chad asked as it hit him and Gabriella refused to look at him. "Gabi you can't take the blame for him. You have to tell on him." Gabriella shook her head.
"He's going through a rough time and doesn't need this. Promise me you won't say anything. Promise me." They all promised before they left.
It was now Saturday evening and the time of the school dance. Right now Gabriella was curled up in her bed eating ice cream and watching romantic movies to keep her from thinking about the others. To Gabriella this is what she had grown up going through while she moved around. No school dances, no dates, no friends to keep her company on nights like these.
At the dance, the gang were glaring at Troy and every time they walked past him they would purposely bump into him. This time when Chad did Troy decided he had had enough and went to confront them.
"What the hell is your problem that you feel you need to bump me every time you walk past?!" Troy hissed as Sharpay slapped him.
"That was for my best friend." Zeke pulled her back behind him before she got chance to hit him again even thought that's all he felt like doing.
"I can't believe you can stand here knowing that you were the reason this dance was nearly cancelled and now our best friend is at home banned from coming and was suspended yesterday because she took the blame for you. You're pathetic Troy Bolton." Taylor shouted as Troy stood there shocked.
"Gabi took the blame? Why?" He asked as the others looked at him.
"She still loves you and she knew how much this meant to everyone else and because she had no date she decided she would do it. She may say she isn't bothered missing this but we all know she is and it's all because of you." Sharpay told him as they walked away from him leaving him feeling guilty as everything that had happened suddenly seemed to come down on him like a ton of bricks. Troy looked over and saw his dad and principal Matsui talking and knew what he had to do.
Gabriella was into her second tub of ice cream when she heard a tapping on her balcony door. Looking up she saw dropped her ice cream and spoon in her bed while her jaw dropped too. She quickly got out of bed after recovering from the shock and opened her door.
"What are you doing here?" Troy said nothing but walked into her room and closed her door as she walked back over to her bed.
"I'm sorry that you had to miss the dance because of me." Troy apologised as she looked at him surprised. Looking at him she noticed how genuine he looked. "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting, for ignoring you, for everything I have done. I'm sorry I pushed you away. I shouldn't have because now I know I've lost the only person I really love." Gabriella sat there in shock not knowing how to respond. "I told my dad and principal Matsui what we did so you won't get blamed."
"Thank you." Gabriella smiled.
"Let me guess second tub?" Gabriella grinned and nodded. "Come on since I'm not allowed back how about you let me help you finish it." Gabriella nodded as the two moved back so they were leaving up against the pillows and head board. "I really am sorry for being such a jerk."
"I know. Apology accepted." Gabriella told him.
"Good." Looking to the side Troy noticed the dress she had hanging on her closet doors. "Was that your dress?" Gabriella nodded. "You would have looked amazing in it."
"Well I am just going to take it back since I have no use for it." Troy looked at her.
"How about you let me take you out to make up for everything and you wear it then because we can go all formal." Troy suggested.
"Ok." Gabriella quickly agreed as the two settled together and took it in turns for bites since they only had one spoon while they carried on watching TV.
"Dad and I are both trying hard to move on with our lives." Troy spoke up as Gabriella turned her TV off and looked at him.
"That's good." Troy smiled.
"Yeah. We realized she was the one who left us and is in the wrong. Not us. We want to go back to how we were before because we know we'd changed." Troy admitted as Gabriella let him talk. "It's hard you know. Knowing she felt that way and just left without trying to talk to us about it first. We didn't think she ever minded because she was the one who encouraged us to carry on all the time. That is why I started hanging out with Chris and Dom. They knew how to make me forget about everything and I thought that was what I needed to do. I didn't want to be with anyone who knew my mom and would have made a big deal over it. I wonder whether she left because she hated me. I miss her Gabi. I just want someone to hold me and tell me it's all ok and I can move on." Troy couldn't believe he was spilling all his feelings out and it felt good. To Gabriella she was just glad Troy was opening up and letting her in.
"Let me help you Troy. You can do this but you have to let others help you too and you have to talk to us. Your mom doesn't hate you I'm sure but if she does then it's her loss because I think her son is the most amazing person ever." Gabriella said as she leaned up and kissed him. Surprised Troy soon started to return the kiss. "I love you Troy Bolton but this Troy not the one you became. Promise me you won't change again?"
"I promise. I love you too Gabi and I'm never letting you go again." Troy told her as they kissed again before they settled down and fell asleep both knowing that they could get through anything if they had the other one because each other was all they needed to be happy with their lives no matter what other stuff was going on in their lives.
A/N: Sorry if the ending seemed a bit rushed. Please review! Thanks!
