This is the longest New Year chapter out of all of them so far, oneshot may be longer but I'm not sure if that counts, seeing as it's technically not up on New Years Eve or day like the other three.
Yes Kerry, I am adding a chapter to this story last, I'm teaching you a lesson here, read my other stories.
All she wanted was time to herself, perfect silence, she knew her mother would never give her that, Anna Montez wasn't an idiot, she could tell when something was wrong, and she was often overbearing.
"I don't want to talk about it," Gabriella told her as soon as she opened her mouth to ask.
She rephrased her question, unsurprised by the teen's avoidance, "Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure," Gabriella answered, moving her gaze to the outside world visible outside her bedroom window.
"If you won't talk about what's bothering you I'll just go ahead and tell you how interesting I found today," Anna continued.
Gabriella glanced over at her, sensing that she wasn't going to like what her mother was going to tell her, "What?"
"I got a call today while I was at the office," Anna started.
"You get calls every day, mom," Gabriella pointed out, averting her gaze to the window again before a momentary panic hit her, "We're not moving again are we?"
"No, it's nothing like that," Anna assured.
"Then what is it?" Gabriella quizzed, contemplating whether or not she really cared at this moment in time.
"The call, it…" Anna began; watching as her daughter faced her again, giving her a questioning look, " Well…"
"Mom, spit it out, the day'll be over before you tell me at this rate," Gabriella demanded.
"It was your father," Anna rushed, still studying the teen's face.
"Finally figured out how to use a phone did he?" The girl answered, "What does he want? A medal?"
"He asked me if I'd allow him to see you, I said it's up to you, I mean it Gabi it's completely up to you," Anna explained.
"Tell him I'll think about it if he goes bungee jumping without a bungee cord," Gabriella replied sarcastically.
"That's a no then," Her mother pointed out.
"Why the hell would he think I'd want to see him, mom?" Gabriella suddenly asked, "Why now? Why when we're happy? He's never wanted to know before."
"He's a strange man," Anna simply answered.
"And there was me thinking that strangeness was a general trait of the whole male gender," Gabriella shot back, suddenly annoyed.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? Whatever it is," Anna quizzed.
"I already said I'm fine mom," Gabriella insisted, once again turning back to the window, "I'm fine, everything's great."
"Ok," Anna hesitantly relented, not knowing whether news of her daughter's father had altered her behaviour in any way, she'd seemed quiet, distant and angry on the car ride home, so something had definitely happened before she'd been picked up, and Anna was certain that this something was closely related to her daughter's boyfriend.
Gabriella sighed as her mother left the room, ignoring her cell which was flashing silently on her bed once again, could life have been any worse at that moment.
She stood up and walked over to her bed, watching the screen of her cell as it continuously flashed, Kelsi, someone she can deal with at least.
"Hey," She answered.
"Are you ok?" Came her friends voice, "You left in such a hurry, everyone is so worried about you!"
"Not everyone," Gabriella sighed, then adapted a happier tone, "Anyway, I'm fine, I promise, I just didn't want to be late for my mom, you know how she can be…"
"Yes I do," Kelsi pointed out, "She wouldn't have had a problem with you being a little bit late, and yes, EVERYONE is worried about you, except maybe Fulton, and Sharpay, and people that don't know you, and…"
"Kels, I get it," Gabriella giggled, "Everyone that knows me and likes me is worried, I don't need a list."
"You get that everyone includes him, right?" Kelsi questioned.
"Includes who?" Gabriella teased, attempting to cheer herself up in preparation for her mother's pending inquiries into her mood.
"You know who!" Kelsi pointed out.
"Who's who?" Gabriella asked, "I don't know anyone called who."
"Stop being an idiot," Kelsi laughed, "I'm trying to be serious."
"I can't be serious right now," Gabriella admitted, "I need to just forget everything, forget today, forget dad, forget Lava springs, most importantly forget him, just for tonight, I'll deal with it all tomorrow."
"Your dad?" Kelsi quizzed.
Gabriella mentally scolded herself for mentioning him, there were going to be questions tomorrow, questions she wasn't looking forward to, she'd never mentioned her father to any of her friends before, she hadn't believed it was important, she never saw him, they weren't even in contact, he was irrelevant to her life, but now he'd been in touch, and she'd accidentally told Kelsi that, unless she could cover it up.
"Um, I didn't say dad Kels," She tried, thinking of what she could have possibly said instead, "I said…um… Chad."
"Why would you want to forget Chad?" Her friend asked, making in clear that she didn't believe a word.
"Promise not to tell the others," Gabriella relented, "My dad called my mom, he wants to see me, after nine years he wants to know me, you can't tell the others, please."
"Why would I tell them?" Kelsi asked, "Unless they should know. Should they know?"
"No, they shouldn't know," Gabriella insisted, glad that Kelsi was one of the most loyal people in her life, "Was that it, you wanted to know that I was ok?"
"Pretty much," Kelsi replied.
"Good, because I really have to go, mom's calling," Gabriella lied, just wanting to stop the call, "Bye"
"Bye," Kelsi spoke unsurely as they both hung up.
Gabriella's cell started flashing again almost as soon as she'd hung up, she looked at the screen again, shook her head and threw it back down on the bed, she couldn't talk to him right now, she was glad that she'd put it on silent, it made it easier to ignore.
She turned to face the doors out onto her balcony, gazing into the night sky, normally she'd be outside, but she didn't want to be out there at this moment, it wasn't cold, she just felt more vulnerable outside, her room was her sanctuary, the one place where people didn't go without her permission.
She turned as she heard the sound of the phone ringing downstairs, it dissipated after about half a minute as her mother answered it, she turned back to the doors, jumping as she did.
Slowly she walked towards them, reaching out one hand to open one.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as soon as it was open.
"You were mad," He stated, "And you walked away without explanation."
"I still am mad," She told him, "and I left for a reason."
"Look, I knew you were mad before you told me you were mad," He started, "What I don't know is why."
She sighed, glancing over his shoulder at the still darkening sky, wondering what else she could have done to avoid having this conversation at this particular moment.
"Are you going to let me in so we can talk about this properly?" He suddenly asked.
She shook her head, unwilling to let this conversation continue for much longer.
"Ok, so we'll talk about it here, whatever suits you," He decided.
"No," She refused, "I can't talk about it now, I can't talk about it now because it hurts, maybe tomorrow or whatever but not now, you should just, go."
"Really?" He quizzed, unsure as to whether he should leave her, "You really want me to leave."
"It's what's best," She insisted, "I just need to think, we'll talk tomorrow, if you're not too busy that is,"
She'd pretty much snapped the last part, how could he not know why she was mad? It was obvious to everyone else, why wasn't it to him?
"Why would I…" He started, she watched as it dawned on him, "Oh… I'm so so sorry…"
"Tomorrow," She interrupted, pushing him firmly back from the door, "I need to think now."
"Thank about what?" He quickly asked, suddenly curious as to what she meant.
"Tomorrow, Troy," She repeated, closing the door, trying hard not to get annoyed by his persistence.
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