Thanks for all the responses to the first chapter! I love you all! This chapter is dedicated to everyone of my reviewers and I'm sorry it took so long to get it on here! BTW Check my author's note at the bottom!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything High School Musical related apart from the plot and any OCs.
"How cliché." I built up all that was left of my broken heart to finally look into his eyes. "I hate cliché." And with that, I swept across the room toward the exit, swiftly wiping my unfallen tears with the back of my hand.
I ran out of the building as fast as I could, but as I reached the driveway, Taylor's hand on my arm spun me around. As I turned, I came face-to-face with all of my friends, including Troy, and everybody else who wanted to witness the showdown.
"Gabs, look, don't let him ruin your night." Taylor's eyes bore into mine, but my mind drew a blank.
"Yeah Gaby. Stay with us." Gosh, why was everyone so damn determined to stop me from getting home and crying into my pillow? I saw Troy start to step forward from the now formed crowd and I turned to look at him.
"How long?" I whispered, almost afraid of the answer.
"Please-" He protested, reaching out towards me before I slapped his hand away in disgust. The same hands had touched Sharpay, no way were they coming near me again.
"How long?" I stated firmly, scaring myself with the icy tone to my voice.
"Two months" He whispered and at that moment, the ice that was contained in my voice shattered and I realised that I had only manufactured it to get me though the moment.
"T-two months? God, it wasn't even a stupid mistake-two months? Of deliberate lying and deception?" (That last line comes from Nothing but a Scapegoat by FollowingTheSigns. Seriously check it out, it is honestly one of the best stories I have ever read! Its in my favourites! Anywho, hope it was okay to use it! )
Suddenly, I felt as if I couldn't breathe. He had lied to me for two months. Two fucking months. My throat closed up as tears blurred my vision, but I could just make out Chad pulling back a tearful Troy. I gasped and my hand flew to my mouth, my heart breaking as I realised that even on my birthday, when he gave me the ring that had been passed down through his family for generations, and that was at this present moment lying forgotten on my chest on a gold chain that he had bought for me to wear it on, he was with her. He was screwing her behind my back when he swore I was the only one for him. Something hit me, and before I could control myself it was out of my mouth.
"My birthday party. That's why you were late wasn't it; it had nothing to do with your dad not letting you out. You were with her." My question was confirmed when he hung his head.
"Oh my god." I breathed.
"Brie I didn't mean to." He pleaded pathetically, but all I could think about were all the lies he must have told me. The lies they both must have told me.
"How could you? I told you everything about me, I let you in on every tiny little detail, you know how much I hate liars, how hard it is for me to trust people. And yet, you did this to me."
"I'm so sorry Brie. God, I'm so sorry."
"I practically barfed my soul in front of you. You were the one person who I trusted most in the whole world, whenever my life was crap, I'd come to you and you'd sort it out. Do you really expect 'sorry' to make up for this?" I shook my head and diverted my eyes to the ground. "I'm gonna go."
"Come on Gabs! Don't you think you're being a bit melodramatic over this?" Taylor exclaimed and by the way she slurred her words, it was clear to me that she'd had a drink or two. Taylor had always said that she despised weak people. She said that everybody has to go through crap in their lives and if everyone ran away, we'd only have the Brady Bunch left over. "You know I hate weak people." And by the look in her eyes, I could tell that she meant it.
A sudden sound echoed through the silence of the night. Zeke strode out of the house, with no regard to the plant pot he just knocked over. He stood confused for a moment, staring at the now large crowd, until he saw my tears and then his eyes sobered up immediately. He ran up to me and wrapped his arms around me, glaring at the spectators in the process. I shut my eyes tightly, hoping that by doing so, I could eliminate the look of disgust for my weakness in Taylor's eyes, the smugness in the cheerleaders' eyes, the sympathy in the academics', and especially the sorrow in Troy's. To look into his eyes would be to crack and although I was weak, I knew I owed myself more than to just go running back into his arms. His tainted arms.
"Zeke, I can't. I just...I...n-need to...oh god I feel like I can't breathe." I stuttered. He soothingly rubbed my back and my eyes fluttered shut again. His whole body tensed and I glanced upwards in time to spot Sharpay heading right towards us.
"See!" She exclaimed, pointing a pink finger right towards me, "what did I tell you? She's not bothered about Troy; she's just milking this whole thing so she can bang him!" Her finger pointed accusingly at Zeke who gently pushed me behind him. I edged sideways to see him push Sharpay's finger away from his chest and hiss under his breath.
"You're the slut here, Sharpay, not Gabriella. Don't judge people by your standards." He snorted in disgust. "To think, when I first found out about this sordid little affair, I thought that whenever it would all come out, we could get back together. But not now. You do not insult my best friend after you hurt her. You do not even think of calling her names." He stepped back from her and shook his head. "You repulse me." I stared in shock as Sharpay gaped wordlessly but then I felt someone's gaze on me. I glanced up and saw Troy looking at me through anguished eyes and my head began to spin again. My vision grew blurred with my tears and my throat constricted. I slowly started to sink to the floor.
"GABRIELLA!"
You know, you'd think they'd allow people in the hospital after hours. Especially when their loved ones could wake up at any moment. But no, they leave the patients to wake up alone and afraid. Imagine if they were to open your eyes and find a strange looking woman with abnormally large nostrils poking you in the cheek. They wouldn't like it, but it's okay for us.
That's how I woke up, in the dark with a bright flashlight shining in my eyes and a very annoying prodding happening in my cheek. But now, they've called my mother in, who's all about playing Mother Mary now she's realised that I'm actually ill. For the last hour, she's been talking about me taking a vacation. Of course, she's only going along with the doctor's idea after it was
discovered that I fainted from stress. She refuses to even consider that half of the reason I'm stressed is because of our now regular arguments. I've just been nodding along and hoping she doesn't realise that I'm actually thinking of completely different things at the moment.
"-so your father will look after you while you're away." Again I nod. My mom takes my hand. "It'll do you good to get away. I know you've been stressed recently." No she doesn't. She's been too busy with her own life to bother about her daughter's. "All the arrangements have been set. You'll leave hospital later tonight and then your dad will pick you up from the house at nine tomorrow morning. I'll pack for you. Okay?" I nod numbly. "Good. All of your friends have been asking after you, you know? Especially Troy. Never have I seen that boy look so upset. He came to visit before actually, everybody did, but that Zeke fellow wouldn't let them in. Well, he let Chad in, but you were still asleep so he didn't see you. Anything I should know about?"
"No." I murmur.
"Hmm, okay." She looks unconvinced.
"Mom, can I just sleep here tonight and dad can pick me up tomorrow morning? I really don't feel up to going home." It's a total lie. I just don't want to risk the chance of seeing Troy or Sharpay or even Taylor. Not after what she said. And I know I'm being dramatic, but in order to rebuild the walls around me I have to shut everybody out. It wasn't that big of a deal last time I did it, mostly because no one bothered to pay attention to me. But now, I have people looking out for me. And it just makes it harder.
"Alright sweetie," She decides after a moment's hesitation, "I'll go home so I can pack for you. Anything in particular you want?"
"Daisy." I say straight away. Apart from Troy, Daisy is the only one I've been able to talk to through this whole thing and she is always there for me whenever I need her. Granted, she's a stuffed cow, but still, the sentiments there. (Actually a true story. I got Daisy my cow when I was about seven and then two years later I find out that my parents are getting divorced. The whole family thing is true to my life, if only I had Zac Efron to guide me through it all. Hmmmmmmm...)
"Okay darling." She kisses my on the forehead and gives a little wave before leaving the room and once again I am plunged into loneliness. But I need this vacation. And getting over Troy will be easier if I have some gorgeous Californian surfer boys to help me. This is sounding better and better.
(A/N : I'm gonna skip her holiday because it'll be pretty pointless to write it all. Basically all you need to know is that she was in California!)
First day back at school today after two weeks of basking in the sun. The only bad thing about the whole vacation was that I couldn't forget Troy that easily, therefore I didn't get a new boyfriend. I realised that I need to forgive Troy before I can fully move on, even if I don't really want to do either of those things. The vacation made me shed some light on a few things and thankfully, I disconnected my phone so I've had no contact with anyone apart from Zeke, who I would ring from my hotel room. I told him all about the really cool guy I met over there, David Bass, who would take me out and show me all the sights at night. He already has a girlfriend though, plus we don't like each other in that way.
As I walk into school, ducking paper aeroplanes on the way to my locker, I met up with Zeke who, as soon as he saw me, ran over to me and wrapped me in his arms in a massive bear hug. I giggled as I returned the gesture.
"Nice to see you too!" I say, my voice muffled slightly by his t-shirt. He releases me to shoot me an enormous grin.
"I've missed you!"
"I talked to you like everyday on the phone." I exclaim.
"I know, but it's not the same as seeing you." I giggle again as we go to my locker. I spin in the combination and the metal door opens.
"So, what's happened since I've been away?" I questioned as I get my books out of my locker. Luckily, all my exams are over so really I didn't miss any important school-work whilst I was away.
"You've had all the school worried about your 'disappearance act' and for your information missy, I've not been left alone due to everybody asking me where you've got to." He pokes my side and I squeal, jumping away from him.
"Aw, I'm sorry I'm so popular!" I sing giggling, flicking my hair over my shoulder. Zeke chuckles before looking at me.
"What?" I ask.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I feel a smile tugging at my lips at his sensitivity. I nod convincingly.
"Yeah. I actually am. I'm gonna have to get over Troy and there's no time like the present is there? I just needed a vacation to clear a few things up for me."
"Things like what?" He asked.
"Well, I mean, there's no real point to me being mad at Troy and Sharpay is there?" At Zeke's scornful look, I quickly amended, "I'm not gonna be best friends with them or anything like that it's just- I don't know. Me being pissed at them isn't gonna take back what they did, it's just going to make it harder for me to move on with my life like I know I should."
Zeke scrutinised me carefully. "Did you catch too much sun or something?"
"Or something." I agreed, giggling to myself as I closed my locker.
"Come on Little Miss Sunshine, let's get you back to reality." He held out his arm for me to hold as we walked to homeroom.
I stiffened when I saw Troy sat at his desk staring at the window. Chad was sat in front of him talking animatedly, but I could see that he wasn't paying his friend the slightest bit of attention.
"Zeke," I whispered urgently, turning my head to face him, "what have Troy and Sharpay been up to?" I saw a flash of realization go through Zeke's eyes as he deciphered my real question. Have they been with anyone?
"Nothing. They've been moping around the place-well, Troy has. Sharpay's been trying it on with just about everyone. I guess she didn't change after all." He shrugged and then grinned. "Let's get you to your seat before you fly off to California again." I smiled as he led me to my seat, carefully avoiding Troy's desk.
As soon as people started filing into the room, I could feel Troy's piercing gaze on me. I kept my eyes on my desk, hoping that by this way, not only would I be avoiding him, but I wouldn't have to look at everything I had lost. My body slumped with relief when Taylor ran over to me and distracted my temptation to look at Troy. I could hear people gasp when they entered the room only to find me sat in my usual seat, immersed in a pointless conversation with Taylor. She kept looking over at Chad, who hadn't moved from his place on Troy's desk, talking I guessed, with their eyes. I knew she was probably feeling bad from what she had said to me at the party and her way to apologise to me without actually having to drag it up again was to manage to keep Troy occupied. Internally, I was grateful.
After successfully ignoring Troy for homeroom, I knew something was too good to be true. I walked out, hugging Zeke as we separated for our first period. I walked to my history lesson, keeping my head down in order to avoid all the sympathising glances I received. I wasn't looking for sympathy from anyone. Two rough hands grabbed my waist and pulled into the janitor's closet. I turned around quickly to see my captor before dropping my gaze to the floor.
"Brie." He breathed.
"No." I whispered brokenly. "No, Troy please."
"I want you. I need you. I seriously can't be without you. I'm so sorry for everything I've ever done to you. You have to forgive me, Brie."
"Troy- I can't."
"I want you. I know you probably hate me but-"
"I can't hate you Troy. And I hate that about you. You make it impossible for me to hate you. And I really want to."
I'm looking for a beta to check my chapters before I put them on here in case I have made some spelling or grammar mistakes. Please reply! (Oooh and you'll be in a better chance of becoming my beta if you review my story!) Please review, I honestly love to hear from you. Even if it's just "I like it" or "it could be better" though if you do put the latter could you please explain why so my next chapter will be better!?
