Monday, May 28, 2007
A loud and consistent noise woke me up at 5:30 a.m. for school. As I crossed the room to the bathroom, I stopped in front of the mirror to see the damage my mother caused. I ran my pointer finger over a red cut on my cheek.
"Must be from mom's ring." I said out loud as I let out a big sigh.
I continued my journey to the showers. After entering the bathroom and locking the door, I pulled the dark purple tank over my head to reveal a large purple bruise. Just like the cut on my cheek, this was caused by mother.
This was one of the affects of having an alcoholic mother. My mother becomes a whole other person when she was under the influence. The smallest of things ticked her off when she was drunk. If she came stumbling home after a night on the town and finds that my books are spread out on the kitchen table, I would get a shove into the corner of said table. The morning after she would have no recollection of the night before. I, on the other hand, had the bruises and cuts are evidence.
I continued to strip off my clothes and entered the shower. I turned the metal knob and let the water wash over my body. The cold liquid woke me up and allowed me to continue my morning routine. After I finished my shower, I dried off and walked back into my bedroom.
Opening up one of the suitcases that held my clothes, I searched for a denim skirt that fell mid-thigh and a black camisole. I pulled the clothing items on and walked over to the mirror in my bedroom. I frowned at the fact that a bruise was visible when my top was pushed up. I walked back to the suitcase and found a blue v-neck shirt to wear over my camisole. After applying cover-up over the cut and some natural looking eye make up, I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs.
The downstairs was dead silent so I decided to check on my mom. I opened my mom's bedroom to see her still sound asleep. I then proceeded to the kitchen to make breakfast. I've never really followed the rule of starting the day off with a big breakfast. I wasn't hungry in the morning. I made a fluffy stack of pancakes for my mother; after all, pancakes were the best food for a hangover - at least that's what I've been told. I set the pancakes on a plate and placed it on the kitchen table.
I groaned when I realized it wasn't even 7. Nothing was really left for me to do around the house so I left. I grabbed my bag and the cover up shirt and made my way towards the front door. I locked the front door and began my walk towards the school. Thanks to the internet, I was able to look up the shortest route to school from my house. In 20 minutes, I'd be walking through the front door of East High.
Not even five minutes into the walk, I heard someone call out my name.
I turned around to see Troy running towards me. I smiled instantly and stopped so he could catch up.
"Good Morning! " he greeted when he reached me.
"Morning!" I replied back as we both began walking again.
"What brings you up this early?" Troy asked.
Confusion filled my eyes as I just sent him a curios glance.
"I meant, why are you going to school at," he paused a moment to look at his watch."7:09? I know why I am but, why are you?"
My mouth formed an o and I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. I got up at 5:30 and had nothing else to do so I left."
"Hold on, I gotta tie my shoe. Keep walking."
I nodded and continued walking. As I walked down the concrete covered sidewalk, I glanced back to see Troy bent over his shoe at looking at me. His eyes met mine and immediately looked down. My cheeks flushed at the gesture.
I stood at the end of the sidewalk and waited to cross the street. My eyes wandered over my surroundings and I engraved each figure into my mind.
"Boo!" he said calmly as he put a hand on both sides of my waist.
A high pitched scream escaped from my lips and I jumped about 3 feet into the air. I turned around to be met with Troy's electric blue eyes. A smirk graced his lips and his hands remained on my sides. Our eyes locked, just like they had the previous night. Troy's smiling face soon turned serious. I frowned. What's wrong?
"How did you get a cut on your cheek?" Troy asked, raising a hand to trace over the cut.
I immediately pulled away and just left Troy, walking as fast as she could away from him. I freaked. My mind went blank, making it impossible for me to think logically.
Troy caught up to me. "Why did you just walk away?" he questioned while he kept up with my fast pace.
I completely shut down and just kept walking. My pace slowed down and Troy walked in step. We remained silent for the rest of the walk to school. Everything felt awkward, at leas for me. By the time Troy and I arrived at the school it was already jam packed with teenagers.
"Troy! Over Here!" At the call of his name, Troy turned around.
I took this opportunity to run from him. I escaped into the sea of students and discretely entered through the front doors. When I was far enough, I looked back to see Troy standing next to an African American boy with dark brown afro. Troy looked back at where I once stood. The boy beside him placed a hand on his shoulder. Troy shook his head and walked away. The boy followed him.
I was in the clear, for now at least.
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Homeroom
"Class, please settle down." Ms. Darbus , drama teacher, instructed. Not a single person moved. "I said, SETTLE DOWN!" she repeated once more but in a more forceful tone. The students quickly scurried into their assigned seats. "Know that I have your attention, I'd like to introduce a new student." Ms. Darbus walked to the back of the room where I sit.
All eyes followed the woman dressed in eccentric clothing and landed on me. She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Class this is Gabriella Montez. Please make her feel welcome." Ms. Darbus told the class. "Gabriella, if you would kindly switch to the seat in front of Mr. Bolton." She pointed at Troy. The blue eyed boy waved at me, smirking. "There's a squeak in this desk that drives me crazy." She chuckled before walking to the front of the classroom.
Ms. Darbus waited for me to pick up my bag and take the seat in front of Troy before beginning the morning announcements.
Suddenly I felt a warm breath on my neck. "You can't runaway from me forever," Troy's voice echoed into my ear. I replayed Troy's words over and over again in my head. As soon as the bell rang, I was out the door, away from Troy Bolton.
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After School
I walked home by myself after sixth period. Through out the whole day Troy would not leave me alone. I kept seeing him in the hallways, in between classes. I felt his eyes on me when I entered my Algebra II classroom and he was sitting in the back. This whole situation made me so frustrated. What would happen if Troy found out? Would he tell anyone else? I wouldn't know what to do if he did. As mean as it sounds, I could only hope that my mom would get fired or quit real soon. My mother is the only family I knew. The only constant person in my life. Even though our mother/daughter relationship is almost nonexistent, I still loved her.
"Mom, are you home?" I failed to notice if my mother's car was parked outside. As I walked into the empty house, I noticed my mother had put up several picture frames. One in particular caught my eye. It was of the two of us in our first house.
There was no denying the fact that we were related. We both brushed thick, dark brown hair, although her was straight while mine was curly. We also shared our tan skin, as well as the fact that we are both only 5"4. On more than one occasion we have been mistaken for sisters. The strangest thing was that we're like salt and sugar; they may look the same but they taste completely different.
I made my way into the kitchen to see a note with money placed next to it. I folded the money and slipped it into my front pocket. I picked up the note written on the back of a receipt.
Had a date. Be back later. I left money for food on the counter.
Love,Angella
I laughed bitterly at the 'Love' part. Yeah, she really shows it by the way she acts. I crumpled the note into a ball and threw it across the counter and made my way to my room.
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Within 3 hours I was done with my homework and decided to just relax. Music was the only thing I could completely relax to. I changed out of my denim skirt and black camisole and slipped on a lose tank top and some shorts. I laid down on my side with my back to the balcony. I placed the earphones in my ears and just pressed play. I closed my eyes and sang softly along to the song.
A familiar song began to play. The song that she played when she need something to relate to. Halfway through the song she began to sing along.
Because of youI never stray too far from the sidewalkBecause of youI learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurtBecause of youI find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around meBecause of youI am afraid
I watched you dieI heard you cry every night in your sleepI was so youngYou should have known better than to lean on meYou never thought of anyone elseYou just saw your painAnd now I cry in the middle of the nightFor the same damn thing
Because of youI never stray too far from the sidewalkBecause of youI learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurtBecause of youI try my hardest just to forget everythingBecause of youI don't know how to let anyone else inBecause of youI'm ashamed of my life because it's emptyBecause of youI am afraid
Because of youBecause of you
Tears filled my eyes. I couldn't help it that I was emotional. The sudden noise of something crashing to the ground startled me. I turned around, shocked and tears staining face.
"Troy?" I said, barely above a whisper.
A/N: Well there it is. Like it? Hate it? Tell me what you thought, unless you don't want to tell me. Thank you to all the people who read this story. A bigger thank you to those who review.I hope you enjoyed and yeah. Take care, I'll write the next chapter = Love . Lots of Love,~Kae xoxo
Song Gabriella Sung: Because Of You by Kelly Clarkson