Chapter 2:
Gabriella's P.O.V
The first thing I became aware of was the thudding in my head. It hurt like hell and I couldn't figure out why. I opened my eyes and immediately wished I hadn't. The thudding turned into throbbing and I almost faded back to unconsciousness just from the intense pain. I raised a hand and tentatively touched my cheek. It stung and tears welled up in my eyes as I realised that what had happened wasn't a horrible nightmare. Ryan had really stormed into my room and ordered me to stay away from Troy, and then beat me when I refused. The tears spilled onto my cheeks and I wiped them away, slowly lifting myself off of the tiled floor.
I looked over at the clock on my nightstand and saw that it was eight at night. Taylor had left around four and Ryan had come in a few minutes after that. I'd been unconscious on the ground for almost four hours. I couldn't believe what had happened, or that he'd left me on my bedroom floor without even waiting to apologise to me. Things were beyond over between us, there was no way that I'd ever be with him again. Not after this.
I walked over to the mirror that stood against the wall across from my bed. My cheek had a huge red bruise on it that was slowly beginning to turn purple. If my mom saw this, she would lose her mind. She would want to press charges against Ryan, and get him locked away forever. I didn't know if I wanted that. I didn't know anything anymore. I couldn't even wrap my mind around the fact that the man who claimed to love me would do something this horrible to me. How could he?
I sat down on the edge of my bed and buried my face in my hands, as tears of betrayal rolled slowly down my cheeks. I thought about calling Taylor, or Troy, but I was ashamed that I'd let him do that to me, and I knew how they would both react. Taylor would immediately call the cops, just like my mother would and Troy would probably beat Ryan to a bloody pulp. I couldn't bring myself to let anyone hurt Ryan. I still loved him. I'd talk this out with him tomorrow. Hopefully, he'd be better tomorrow. He had to be. Are at least I hoped so. With that thought I climbed into bed and fell asleep.
When I woke up the next morning, there was a sharp pain in my side and my head was still throbbing. I hissed as pain shot up my side when I moved and bit my lip to stop myself from screaming. I didn't want my mom to come in here and see me like this. I stood and walked over to the mirror, gently lifting my shirt up and twisting to look at my left side. A long purple bruise covered my side. It looked and felt horrible. I sighed and stripped off my clothes, wrapping myself in a fluffy towel and heading to my bathroom. Once there I took a long, warm shower. I felt a little better and a little more human after that, and headed back to my room.
I carefully dried myself off and slipped on my underwear, trying to decide what to wear today. I didn't want anyone to think anything was wrong, even though it definitely was, but the close fitting clothes I usually wore would make the bruise uncomfortable. I settled for a loose, beaded spaghetti strap top. It was blue, just like Troy's eyes. I used to think of him every time I wore it. Since being with Ryan I haven't worn it much, but it was comfortable and still fashionable so it was a good choice for today. I pulled it and a pair of black pencil bottom jeans on, then slipped on my black ballerinas and went to stand in front of the mirror.
The bruise on my face wasn't as horrible as the one on my side. I reached for the makeup I hardly ever used and brushed some concealer over the bruise. I kept at it until it didn't look like there was a bruise at all. I added some lip gloss and a little mascara, then grabbed my school bag, making sure to put it on my right side, and headed downstairs.
"Mornin' Gabi." My little sister Lilly chirped, smiling sweetly at me. She was thirteen years old and going to start at East High next year when I went off the college, probably Stanford. Lilly was a sweetheart, well-mannered and even tempered. As little sisters went, she was a great one and I was really lucky to have her. We hardly ever fought about anything and she loved Ryan. He was always sweet to her, and gave her dance lessons.
"Morning, Lil." I replied, plastering a fake smile on my face. Thinking of Ryan made my heart ache. I shoved him to the back of my mind and focused on making sure Lilly and my mother didn't think anything was up. I walked over to my mom, who was putting two plates on the table, and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you, Mom." I said, taking the plate from her and sitting next to Lilly. She smiled and poured orange juice for my sister and me. I ate in silence while Lilly and my mom chatted. I quickly finished my breakfast and washed up my plate, before waving goodbye to my mom and sister and heading out the door. I stopped short when I saw a familiar beat up white pickup idling on my curb. Troy was leaning against the door wearing a black vest and jeans. His muscles were ripped and just looking at him made me want to pull him into the back seat of his truck and have my way with him like I used to.
"Troy? What are you doing here?" I asked, walking up to him. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck like he always did when he was nervous. I smiled at the familiar habit. The things I loved about Troy never changed. But he had in some ways. For worse last summer, but he was better now I could see it. I just ignored it because I was with Ryan.
"Well, I thought I could give you a ride, like I used to. I mean, we're friends right?" he said and I nodded. He grinned and opened the door for me, shutting it behind me when I got in, then got into the driver's seat. He started up the truck-it took three tries which I laughed at heartily-and we made our way to school. During the drive we talked about random things, the game that was coming up, how I was doing on the scholastic decathlon, stuff like that. But when we pulled up I put my hand on his arm. I knew him better than anyone. Something was up.
"Troy?" I said and those blue eyes that I used to love staring into turned to me. God, his eyes were beautiful. "Why did you really pick me up this morning?" he looked down for a minute and took a deep breath before looking up at me.
"Yesterday I was talking with Chad in the gym." He said, taking my hand. "He said something that started me thinking, and then Ryan-"
"Ryan? What did Ryan do?" I asked, cutting him off. He looked at me in silence for a minute and then sighed. "Troy?"
"He's your boyfriend, Ella. I don't want you to think I'm being jealous or something stupid like that." He said and I narrowed my eyes on him. He sighed again and looked out the window of his truck. "He told me to stay away from you."
"What?" I said, stunned. Who did Ryan think he was? He was my boyfriend, not my father; he had no right to decide who I could and could not speak to, or to tell one of my friends to stay away from me because of his stupid insecurities and jealousies. I was about to say something to Troy when I felt his arm tighten under my hand. I looked up to see Ryan standing outside his window, leaning on the truck.
"Hey guys." He said, smiling at us both. "What's up? Am I interrupting something?" I saw Troy clench his jaw and he looked over at me, a dirty blonde eyebrow raised.
"Actually, Ryan, we both need to talk to you." I said, giving him a tight smile. Ryan's smile stayed firmly in place as he waited with an expectant look on his face. They were both waiting on me so I cleared my throat and glanced at Troy then focused on Ryan. "I love you Ryan."
"I love you too, Brie." He replied automatically, smiling at me before his eyes flicked to Troy. His smile faltered a little, and there was something in his eyes that I'd never seen before. It looked a lot like hatred.
"I know that." I said and realised that I believed it. Even though he'd hit me, I knew he actually did love me. "But Ry, I love Troy too. You were right; love like what we had doesn't just disappear." I looked across at Troy, who smiled at me. I squeezed his arm and I saw Ryan's eyes flick down to the movement. He looked up at us. The smile was still in place but his eyes were frozen. He was reading more into this than there was. "It doesn't disappear but it changes. He's my friend. Would you tell Chad to stay away from me?"
"No Brie." He said, and I smiled, thinking I was making him see sense. That was until the smile slipped away completely. He leaned more into the window to look at me directly. "But that's because Chad doesn't want to lay you out on a bed and screw you, then toss you aside like your friend did to my sister." My eyes widened in shock and Troy's eyes turned dark blue in anger.
"You sick fuck. That's your own sister that you're talking about. I've never slept with Sharpay and I would never treat her like that." Troy bit out, furious. Ryan shrugged. I decided to talk to Ryan about the lying later and focus on getting him to give up on keeping me away from Troy.
"Ryan, please. Just listen, ok? Try not to let your insecurity cloud your judgement here." I said. I squeezed Troy's hand again reassuringly and got out of the car, walking over to Ryan and wrapping my arms around his waist. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "I promise you, I love you. I would never hurt you. Ok?"
"Ok." He said, nodding. He pulled me closer to whisper in my ear. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. I have no idea what came over me. Say you forgive me, please?" I shuddered and nodded, grateful that I had my sweet boyfriend back. I knew Ryan was capable of being reasonable. Hopefully things would get better from here.
Troy's P.O.V
Ryan had no idea exactly how goddamn lucky he was that Ella was next to me in that car this morning. I seriously wanted to pound the asshole into a bloody pulp. How could he say something like that about his own sister? And how could he lie about me like that in front of Gabriella? And how could she just instantly overlook that and forgive him? Did she not hear him spouting lies about me?
The bell rang for the end of fourth period and I shook my head, trying to clear it. I packed up the Wuthering Heights that was open in front of me and my notebook. I hadn't paid any attention in class and my English Lit teacher glared at me as I shuffled past her out the classroom. I stopped at my locker and took my wallet out of my bag before shoving it into my locker and slamming the door. I turned around and stopped short as I saw Gabriella right in front of me. I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, my eyes on the floor.
"Hey." she said quietly, a small smile on her beautiful face. She was the most amazing girl I had ever met, and I loathed myself for leaving her to the likes of assholes like Ryan Evans. What was she even seeing in that guy?
"Hi, Ella." I replied. I was so angry, but that all melted away the minute she smiled at me. I couldn't bring myself to be mad at her for not chewing Ryan out over lying about me and Sharpay. He must have known that that would hurt her, to think that I had slept with the one girl who has always been out to get her. Although Shar really didn't care about either of us anymore. She was too busy with Zeke and his baking.
"I'm really sorry, Troy." she said, stepping closer to me and looking up into my eyes. "I know you must have been hurt when I let what Ryan said about you slide. I didn't believe it, I just wanted you to know that. I'm gonna talk to him about it. I've never seen him like this before." she wrapped her arms around herself as she said that, and got a haunted look in her eyes like she was remembering something horrible.
"It's okay, Ella." I mumbled. I noticed how she let her eyes drift down my body and grinned internally at that. I'd always loved the way she looked at me. I knew she couldn't help but drool when my muscles were exposed. Thank you dad for making me play basketball. "Wanna come eat lunch upstairs with me?" her eyes lit up when I mentioned our little jungle upstairs. It was our place where we could always be ourselves with each other. I ate up there alone most days, thinking about her.
"I'd love that." she said and grabbed my hand as we walked into the cafeteria. A hush fell over the crowd of students as they took us in, and then the cafeteria exploded in loud whispers as everyone contemplated the meaning of a what was just a simple, natural showing of affection to Gabriella and me. Ella rolled her eyes as we joined the lunch line, letting go of my hand to grab a tray. We paid for our lunch and headed upstairs together, talking about the new musicale Mrs. Darbus was putting together.
We sat on the bench and ate together, laughing and talking. We sang together for a little bit, our voices sounding like magic together, like they always had from the first moment at the ski lodge on New Year's Eve when I'd first looked into those brown eyes. She looked across at me and the wind blew a lock of curly hair into her face. I smiled and brushed it aside, my fingers lingering on her cheek as we looked at each other.
"Troy." she whispered, pressing her fingers against mine and leaning into my hand. I nodded, waiting expectantly, and she looked into my eyes. I'd missed being this close to her. I wanted to kiss her but I knew she wouldn't let me. Damn Ryan. "You were going to tell me something in the truck this morning. What was it?" I took a deep breath as I contemplated whether to tell her or not. I would probably regret it if I didn't at least tell her how I felt.
"Ella, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met." I said and she blushed and looked down, her long, beautiful eyelashes making crescents on her cheeks. She looked up at me again and smiled. "I am so sorry for becoming what I became last summer. I never wanted to lose you and I almost did. I thought that I could settle for letting you be happy, but I can't. The truth is, I love you Ella, and watching you with Ryan breaks my heart every day. I just wanted you to know, you'll always be the girl for me. The girl who helped me to break free."
"Troy..." she said again, tears gathering in her eyes. I wiped them away as they spilled down her cheeks and she sighed. "I have to go." she said, standing up and backing away from me before practically running down the stairs. I groaned and put my head in my hands. I just hoped I hadn't blown it. I couldn't live without Ella in my life. I needed her here with me. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out, expecting it to be from Chad or Ella. It was from an unknown number and I opened it, curious. My eyes widened as I read and reread the message to make sure I was seeing right.
Your days are numbered Bolton. Watch your back.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but I knew that only one psycho jazz hands dancer would have sent me this. And he had better watch his own back. I wasn't going down without a fight.
Gabriella's P.O.V
I ran down the stairs to the roof and out into the hall. It was deserted, because everyone else was in the cafeteria. I leaned against a wall and let the tears run down my cheeks. God, I loved him. I didn't know why I'd lied myself for so long and pretended that my love for him had dimmed to one of friendship. I wanted him, wanted to be with him with a passion so intense it was scary. I loved Troy with all my heart. I should have stayed up there with him and let him hold me, let him kiss me again, and make me feel all the things I'd always felt with him and that I could never feel with Ryan. Of course I loved Ryan, he was so good to me. But Troy was my flame.
"Well hello there, Brie." my eyes popped open as I heard Ryan's voice. He was leaning against the lockers across from me, a sickly sweet smile on his face. "What were you and Troy up to?" I frowned and pushed myself off the wall to step closer to him. I put my hands on his chest and looked up at him. I wished I could feel for him what I felt for Troy. It would be so much easier, so much safer. Ryan ran his hands gently down my shoulders to my wrists and then he gripped them so hard I hissed in pain.
"You're hurting me, Ryan." I whispered, looking up into his eyes. There was no remorse there, just fury. He didn't even care that he was hurting me, the anger had taken him over completely. "We were just talking, I swear."
"He told you he loves you. I saw your face when he said it. You'd only be too happy to dump me now, and go back to him, you slut." he said, fire in his eyes. Ryan had never talked to me this way before. Ryan had never talked to anyone this way before. I didn't know him anymore, and I didn't want to. I tried to pull away but he held me tighter, and I gasped in pain. "Don't try to get away from me. You're never leaving me. You're mine, understand."
"Ryan, what are you doing?" I said, shocked. "Please, I love you don't-"
"You fucking liar!" he screamed, spinning and slamming me against the lockers. I cried out as pain shot up my back and my left side. "You don't love me! You love him!" he pulled me forward and slammed me into the lockers again and I cried out again. I tried to apologize, not knowing what else to do, but he rammed his fist into my stomach and I crumpled from the pain. "You're mine, Brie. Forever." He shoved me onto the floor and walked away, while I curled into a ball, crying. I don't know how long I lay there, but when the bell rang I knew I had to move. Troy would be coming down those stairs soon. I had to go before he went after Ryan and the monster hurt him to. I hauled myself painfully from the floor, almost falling down again from the pain. I hobbled my way out of the hallway and then out of the school.
Above me, angry grey clouds swirled as I walked towards home. I couldn't stay at that school right now. Someone would send me to the nurse and they'd see the bruises. Ryan would hurt me again. He'd hurt Troy. I just had to get home and everything would be okay. I slowly made my way down the street, trying to ignore the pain flaring all over my body. The sky opened up and the rain felt like bullets against my skin. It plastered my shirt to my bruise, which brought me more pain with every step. By the time I made it to my house I was ready to die. I didn't want to live like this. This betrayal was too much.
I slowly unlocked the door and went inside the house. By sheer strength of will I made it up to my room. I was way too exhausted to do anything but strip off my clothes and drop into my bed. I lay there curled up, hating myself but mostly hating Ryan. How could he do this to me? I knew he wouldn't just hurt me, he'd hurt everyone I cared about if I didn't do what he said. I had to protect them from him, even if it killed me. I had to save them from the stranger Ryan had become.
:) I think this is a much better second chapter than the original one. Much more detail and depth. And the story doesn't run along as fast. There's more suspense. ^_^ reviews are welcome.