Just Like You
Gabriella got pregnant at the age of 16 and decided to move away. It's for the best she told herself. I'm going to start my own life, with my child. She moved away from Albuquerque where she was born and had lived her whole life, until she became 16 and pregnant.
Flashback
Gabriella walked over to her mom, trying to hide her tears.
"Mom I…"
"What sweetie?"
"I'm…"
"Sweetie just say it"
"Mom, I'm.. I'm"
"Hunnie please, you're making me nervous"
"Mom" she took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant"
"Excuse me, what did you say?"
"Please don't make me say it again! You heard me"
"Oh god sweetie, do you understand this is exactly what I didn't want for you, see what it has done to me, getting pregnant that early"
"Mom nothing's wrong with you, you are the best mom on earth and you are doing a great job"
"Thanks sweetie" she said giving her a hug. "But still you are so young. Have you told Troy about it?"
"No" she said almost screaming. "I haven't and you can't tell him either"
"But sweetie he needs to know"
"No he doesn't. Mom I love him, and I'm doing what's best for him. He has always wanted a basket career and I won't let him give that up, just because of me. He means too much to me, given up his dream would just crush him. And I couldn't handle seeing him break down"
"But Gabby you know he would be there for you and the child"
"Yeah I do, but I won't let him, 'cause I don't want to be the reason he gave up his dream, I won't. I just can't"
"So you're going to have an abortion, 'cause if you put it up for adoption, you'll still have to be pregnant and give birth to it, and then Troy would find out"
"No mom I'm not getting an abortion and I'm not going to put it up for adoption. Mom I'm moving"
"What. No you're not"
"Yes I am, and there's nothing you can do to stop me"
"But sweetie, you're only 16"
"Yeah I'm 16, but I'm going to be a mom soon. I have to become an adult someday. So why not now"
"Oh sweetie. My little girl" she said giving her a hug. "I just wish you would stay, but I guess I can't make you"
En of flashback
It had been 6 years since Gabriella moved. The only one who knew she was pregnant was her mom, and she had kept her secret.
Gabriella had a 5 years and 5 months old daughter called Emily her middle name was Gabriella and of course she had gotten Troy's last name Bolton. She had black hair, but sometimes when you looked carefully her hair was actually brown, just like her fathers. Her eyes were the most amazing blue eyes. Which lightened up every room she walked in to, and of course she had also got those from her dad, but she had got her moms beauty, and she looked so much like her.
Gabriella was exhausted another day looking for a job without any luck. It wasn't that easy to look after a 5 year old while she also had to look for a job. It was summer vacation so Emily wasn't at school and didn't have anywhere else to go to.
Gabriella just got fired a week ago from her job as a waitress, because she always had to call and tell them she couldn't come, because she had to look after Emily.
She had search the hold town for a job, but there was nothing to find, so she decided to move back to Albuquerque. Her mom could help her and then she could move in back with her, but what she hadn't though through was that Troy might still live there. No why would he live in a town like Albuquerque when he was a big basketball player. She knew he had got the career he always wanted, and it was thanks to her. If she had told him about the baby, he would of stayed with her instead of getting what he had always wanted.
"Em we're moving to live with grandma" Gabriella told her little girl.
"Here?" she asked her not really knowing what her mother was talking about.
"No sweetie we are moving to a town called Albuquerque, mommy grew up there"
"Oh" was all she could say.
Gabriella had already packed there stuff and sold their apartment, now all they had to do was getting in to the car and start driving.
With Troy
"Hey sexy" Troy's blond girlfriend said.
Yep that's right he's not single.
"Hey babe" he said looking the other way.
"Is something wrong?" she asked him worried.
"Bridget I want a baby"
"What?" she said looking at him like he was insane.
"I want to be a dad"
"But, we're only 22 and you don't get children at that age in the year of 2007"
"Bridget its 2008"
"Whatever it's too early, not even people in Africa get children at that age"
"No they get children much younger"
"And now you see my point"
How the hell did I find someone that stupid? Troy though to himself.
"Hunnie someday, not now. Think about having a child inside yourself for half a year"
"It's 9 month"
"Yeah didn't you here me, half a year"
"A year is 12 month"
"No Hunnie it's 18. Don't you be so silly" she said laughing at him. "And you have a basket career"
"I would give that up, for a baby" he said whispering, so she couldn't here it.
Troy's POV
Why did I find someone like her? She's dumber than a door. Can't I find someone who's pretty, smart, sweet, kind, everything a girl should be someone like Ga.. I stopped myself, was I just about to say Gab.. No Troy no, don't remind yourself of her. She left you; she didn't want to be with you. She broke your heart.
I got my mind off of Gabriella and got an idea. I loved basket and the whole summer I wasn't going to play, at least not like a pro. So it got me since I love children so much I could coach young children at the age of 4 – 7. Yeah it's perfect. I called my old High School, East High seeing if I could borrow the gym everyday from 3pm – 5pm. Yes, I was going to coach children, but it was probably because it was my dad that was coaching the team at East High, that I got permission to do it.
A week later with Gabriella
Amy was playing basketball outside the garden. She was just like her dad. Gabriella was reading the newspaper. She still hadn't got a job, but now she had her mom to help her, and her mom just loved having them around.
"Princess" Gabriella yelled from the living room. Emily ran inside. "Yes mommy"
"You want to play real basketball on a team?"
She nodded "Yes"
"Well here's your change, 'cause there is a team for young children, there is an article about it here" she said pointing at the newspaper.
"I'm playing basket on team?" Emily said looking at Gabriella with hopeful eyes.
"That's right sweetie"
"Today?"
"Yes today, at 3 o'clock"
"is it 3 now?"
"No it's only 11"
"Oh. So is it 3 soon?"
"Em you have to wait 4 hours"
She began counting her fingers. "1..2..3..4"
"Yep that's true"
"Hunnie you ready?"
"Yes" Emily nodded her head.
"Great. Mom we're leaving"
"Okay hun" Gabriella's mom yelled from the kitchen.
"You excited?" Gabriella asked Emily in the car.
"YEEES. This much." She said pulling out her arms.
"Em I'm going to look for a job, you'll be fine without me right?"
Emily ran over to the other kids waving at Gabriella.
"Well I'll take that as a yes" Gabriella said leaving the gym, smiling.
It had been 6 years since she Gabriella had last been in that gym and the last time she had been here with Troy. She missed him all the time, but somehow it felt like he was with her everyday. Not only the part of him she could see in Emily, but also the part of him that was in her heart, and never would get out.
"Okay not that I don't want all the parents to be here" Troy said looking at all the adults who were watching their children. "But it'll be so much easier getting to know each other, if there isn't a parent, who the child can run over to every second" The parents nodded in understanding and left the gym.
"Okay well good" Troy said looking at the children. "We throw the ball to a person then we say our name and throw it to someone else. You understand?"
All of them nodded. "Okay I'll start. I'm Troy Bolton" Troy smiled and threw the ball to a little blond haired boy with green eyes. He got the ball. "I'm Cody Taylor" he threw the ball to a red haired girl with brown eyes, but she didn't catch the ball. It looked like she was about to cry when she saw it fall to the floor.
"It's okay sweetie, don't be sad. Just pick it up and throw it to somone" she took it up. "I'm Lilly Martin" she looked down she was really shy. And some of the boys were laughing at her.
"Hey be nice, it's okay Lilly just throw the ball" Troy gave her a smile and she gave him a little soft one. Lilly threw the ball to Emily and she got it. "I'm Emily Bolton" she said looking at Troy with a smile. "Hey we got the same last name, you're lucky" he smiled at her. Noticing she somehow looked familiar, her eyes, her hair, her skin, her softness, just everything it look really familiar, but then again it was probably only something he was imagining.
15 minutes went through with this game. All of the boys caught the ball, but only one of the girls caught it, and that was Emily. The boys were even 2 years older than her, but still it was like she was born with that ball in her hands, they way she moved it, she was just like her dad.
The practice was over, the 2 hours had fly by, at least for Emily they had. Everybody's parents had come to pick up their children, but Gabriella was nowhere to be found.
"Hey cutie. Where's your mommy or daddy?" Troy asked Emily.
"What's daddy" she said with tearful eyes. Oh great job Troy, she doesn't know what a daddy is. He thought to himself.
"It's someone..oh" he stopped himself. "I think mommy will tell you"
"I want my mommy" Emily had tears running down her cheeks.
"We'll find her princess" he said picking her up, and she rested her head at his shoulder.
She's so sweet. Troy thought to himself. I can't believe Bridget doesn't want a kid, look at how cute they can be.
Troy looked through his papers. All the parents had to write their child's name and then a phone number before they left, so he was able to reach them if something happened.
He looked at the number and dialed it.
"Hello" a soft voice said on the other line.
Troy's POV
I dialed the number and the voice on the other line… It seemed so familiar.
"Hey it's Troy, Emily's coach. It's 5:15 practice ended 15 minutes ago. Emily is the only one left"
"Oh I'm so sorry, I forgot the time. I was looking for a job and totally lost time. I hope she's being nice"
"Nice?" I asked surprised.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry for her behavior"
"Why? She's an amazing little girl, she's so kind"
"Thank you. I'll be there in 5"
5 minutes later
Emily was sitting on my shoulders shooting the ball in the hoop, and every single time she made it.
I heard the door open and a voice began to speak.
"I'm so, so sorry I'm late" I looked around at the person.
"MOMMY" Emily screamed, and I placed her on the floor. She ran right in to her mothers arms.
See that exactly what I wanted to have, having a child that is so happy everytime it sees me. It must be an amazing feeling.
When I looked back and saw the person she reminded me so much of Gabriella. But it couldn't be her; she didn't live in the town anymore.
I walked closer to them. "Hey it's really good to have her here, she's such a good girl" I told her. She looked up and our eyes met.
I knew those eyes. Those were something I could never forget; they were so amazingly beautiful and so full with love and generosity.
"Bella?"
"Troy?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Picking up my daughter"
"I meant in the town, you moved"
"Yeah and I moved back in with my mom"
Gabriella's POV
Oh no seeing Troy again was amazing, and he looked just like I remembered him, actually he looked better. But this wasn't good. I left him so he wouldn't give up his career, what would he do know if I told him, Emily was his?
"When" he asked me.
"A week ago"
"Mommy what's daddy?" Emily asked me looking me in the eyes I looked at her then at Troy. And burst out in tears.
"Mommy don't cry"
"Bella what's wrong?"
"I can't take this anymore" I said crying my eyes out, Emily hugged me and gave me a kiss.
"Mommy don't be sad"
I looked at Troy. "I'm sorry"
"For what?" He looked at me surprised.
"Leaving you 6 years ago, I'm so, so sorry about it"
"Hey it's okay" he said trying to tear me up. "But I need to know something. How old is she" he pointed at Em.
"5 years and 5 months old"
"That means.. you got pregnant when we were together?"
I nodded looking down at the floor.
"So you cheated on me?"
"No Troy, I didn't. I could never cheat on you. I loved you too much, I love you too much"
"But" he looked from Gabriella to Emily and then back at Gabriella. "Her eyes" he said "She's mine isn't she?"
I nodded and new tears ran down from my eyes.
"But how could you leave me? Taking my child away from me"
"I'm so sorry Troy"
"For 6 years you have kept it a secret"
"I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say"
"Why? I need to know why! Why did you leave me?"
"I though it would be better, you had wanted a basket career your whole life, you think I would make you give up that dream, because of me being pregnant. I know you would have been there for both of us, and I love you for that. But I wouldn't be the reason; you gave up your dream. I wouldn't. You mean too much to me" I cried harder.
"You should of told me" he began to get mad.
"I know and I'm sorry, if I could take it back I would, but I can't"
"He walked out of the gym"
"Troy please don't leave"
"Why not? I learned from the master didn't I?"
"Troy what about Emily?"
"I don't know, I guess we have to come up with a system" he opened the door.
"I love you" I told him, he smacked the door and left.
A week past by and Emily didn't come to any practice after that day and that meant Troy and Gabriella haven't seen each other since that day Troy found out.
Troy's POV
I love her, no I don't love her. I love her, no I don't. God this was hard. Who was I kidding? I didn't love Bridget, I never had.
"Bridget we need to talk"
"Oh no, this can't be good. They always say we need to talk and then it comes I'm pregnant"
"What?" I asked confused.
"Now is the moment where you say you're pregnant"
"I'm a guy"
"So?"
"Never mind. Bridget, I wanna break up"
"Yeah, yeah I know you're preg… hey wait what?"
"I wanna break up"
"No, no, no, no, no"
"Yes I wanna break up, and since it's my house. You have to move"
"No Troy, you don't mean it, I'll give you a child"
No Bridget, you can't buy my love with giving me a child and I already have a ch.." I stopped myself I shouldn't tell her about Emily.
"You have what?"
"Nothing" I shook my head. "I want you to leave, today"
Troy drove over to Gabriella's mom, hoping she still lived the same place as 6 years ago.
Flashback
Troy walked over to Gabriella's house and knocked on the door, just like he had done it everyday, from the day they started High School.
Ms. Montez opened the door. "Hey Troy" she looked down
"Hey Gina, is Bella ready?"
"I'm really sorry Troy, but she's gone"
"What do you mean by she's gone?"
"She moved away"
"What? You're kidding right"
"I wish I were. I'm really sorry Troy, but you know she really loved you"
End of flashback
I didn't go to school that week, all I could think of was Bella and why she just left.
I knocked on the door. Gina opened. "Hey Gina"
"Troy? I didn't expect to see you here"
"Is Bella home?" for some reason I still called her that, I don't know why, it just didn't seem right to call her Gabriella.
"Yeah she is. 2 seconds. Gabriella!"
"Yes?"
"Somebody's here to see you" Emily saw me standing at the porch and ran over to me. "TROY"
"Hi cutie" I gave her a hug and Bella came over to us.
"Em can you please go inside to grandma. Troy and mommy have to talk"
"Sure mommy" Emily walked inside and Bella closed the door and looked at me.
"We have to do something about this, she's my daughter too. I can't handle not seeing her"
"I know, she's your daughter of course you should have the change to see her"
"Hey can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"Why did you give her my last name, I mean she didn't even know who I was"
"I know, but you just said it. She's your daughter too. Don't you remember we said our first child should have your last name and I could pick the first name? I kept my promise"
"Yeah I remember, but you shouldn't have left. I would have been there for you"
"I know, but I was young and confused, I thought I'd make the right choice, letting you live your dream, without worrying about a child"
"YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE RIGHT CHOICE, NOT TELLING ME ABOUT MY CHILD?" I began to get mad.
"I made a mistake okay, I'm sorry" tears were forming in her eyes.
"BUT MY OWN CHILD. MY OWN CHILD? YOU THOUGH IT WOULD BE BETTER IF I DIDN'T KNOW I HAVE BEEN A FATHER FOR OVER 5 YEARS"
"I'M SORRY I REALLY AM. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?" tears felt down her cheeks.
"SORRY DOESN'T MAKE IT ALRIGHT, I LOVED YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND I WANTED TO MARRY YOU, BUT THEN YOU JUST LEFT. WITHOUT TELLING ME ANYTHING"
"TROY WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU WERE ME?"
"TELL YOU ABOUT IT, INSTEAD OF JUST LEAVE"
"I'M SORRY OKAY, I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES"
"AND? THAT DOESN'T CHANGE YOU HAVE HIDDEN MY OWN CHILD FOR ME"
The rain started falling.
"TROY PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I MADE A MISTAKE AND I KNOW THAT NOW. BUT ARE YOU GOING TO HATE ME FOREVER BECAUSE OF IT?"
I walked closer to her.
"I DON'T HATE YOU, I CAN'T EVEN THOUGH I TRIED REALLY, REALLY HARD"
She leaned in and kissed me, then she pulled back just looking at me, with a nervous look. I wrapped my hands around her waist without even thinking and pulled her closer, kissing her passionately.
They rain began to fall much harder, and you could hardly here anything else than the pouring rain.
"I love you" I told her, but it didn't seem like she heard it.
"What?"
"I LOVE YOU"
"YOU DO?" she asked surprised.
"YES, I ALWAYS HAVE, I TRIED TO FORGET HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU, BUT I CAN'T, I LOVE YOU AND I ALWAYS WILL"
"I LOVE YOU TOO" I leaned in and kissed her again.
Gabriella and Emily moved in with Troy in his house.
"I don't hope this is too big" Troy said
"No, not at all we just have to do something about all the empty rooms and it'll be perfect" she gave him a dirty smile.
"I like the way you are thinking"
"Oh I know you do" she gave him a kiss.
Both of them looked at their daughter playing basketball in the garden.
"You know Troy, she's Just Like You" she said resting her head on his shoulder looking at their daughter. He looked down on Gabriella then out on Emily. This was what he had always wanted, to be a dad, and have the woman he loved in his life.
"Yeah she really is" he said smiling.
