Thanks guys for all the amazing reviews I got from the first part. You were so awesome I'm trying to update really quickly. A lot of you wanted something to happen in this, but when I was brainstorming, I didn't wanna put that in. Keep reading and you'll find out soon. I might even write a three-shot sequel - who knows! Anyways, thanks again and here's part 2...
Love And Let Go.
Part 2 - Broken.
"And now, in this section of your Biology course we will be studying enzymes…"
Gabriella knew she should be listening, but her mind was somewhere else. She wasn't bothered that much that she was sitting in her favourite class and not bothering to listen. When something else is on her mind, she just blanks out, and doesn't come back to earth unless she's gotten to the end of the problem. And the problem she was in right now, she just couldn't understand.
Troy.
Troy Bolton.
The love of her life, the charming blue eyed boy that had captured her heart from the moment she'd met him. A smile sprang onto her face at even the thought of him. They'd been together for 2 solid, lovely years. And she knew that if anything were to happen, she'd be broken. Utterly broken. And that's why she knew something was wrong.
Her pen absentmindedly ran over the lines in her jotter, doodling and squiggling away, while her brain broke out into trains of thought. He'd came over; she'd cooked dinner; they'd watched a movie; then talked; then slept together. Nothing had gone wrong, it had been perfect. But he wasn't completely there. She could tell, but being Gabriella, she'd gone on like nothing was the matter. When the time was right he'd tell her. They'd never had secrets, but she knew there was something he was keeping from her. And that made her squirm with suspicion.
She'd watched him last night, his eyes completely clouded. If there was one thing to know about Troy it was that you could tell how he felt by looking into those bright blue orbs. When he was happy, they sparkled; when he was sad, pain inhabited them; when he was hyper and full of energy, the shone like the sun, brighter than ever; and when he wanted something that spark of need, want, and slyness was noticeable. But last night, she'd seen nothing. Absolutely nothing. They were empty, and that scared her.
The bell suddenly rang bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Miss Montez, can I have a word?" Her biology teacher asked.
The others of the class rushed out the door, her friends eyeing her in weird ways as if to ask 'what have you done?'. She just shrugged and made her way to the teachers desk.
"Miss Montez, did you take any of the notes from today?"
Gabriella flushed, instantly wishing she'd listened. "No, Ms Blackmore."
Miss Blackmore, a friendly woman in her early thirties, with bright green eyes and straight blonde hair which trailed down her back, looked up at Gabriella, a worried expression taking over her face.
"And why was that exactly?" Miss Blackmore urged.
Gabriella sighed. "I'm just not with it today, Ms Blackmore. Other things on my mind."
Miss Blackmore nodded, "Well Gabriella, I'll let it go this time, but tomorrow, please come back with more concentration. I wouldn't want my best pupil to start getting her grades to fall."
Gabriella smiled. "Thanks Miss Blackmore."
And she scurried out the classroom.
Troy banged his head on the side of Gabriella's locker to an unfamiliar beat. He'd been waiting here for the last five minutes, and was starting to worry where she had got to. It didn't help that he felt sick with nerves.
It was lunchtime, and usually Gabriella was running out of the classroom, hunger eating away at her. But Troy wasn't hungry at all. Just deadly nervous. For today was the day. The day for the truth to come out. The day he would hurt Gabriella.
He checked his watch quickly, before his eyes sprang up again when he heard those footsteps. The footsteps he wanted to fall in synch with. The ones he wanted for himself. The ones belonging to Heidi Sparrow. His eyes flowed up her body, taking in every inch. Her firm legs, toned stomach, long blonde hair and large hazel eyes. She caught him staring and smiled with a wave. He smiled back, just as Gabriella rounded the corner.
She looked deep in concentration, like she was trying to figure out a huge maths problem. He watched her walk at a slow pace, her books clutched against her chest, her eyes to the ground, her brow her wrinkled. He saw her nearly bang into a guy in the year above, but walked on without apologising. Yep, something was up.
She got to her locker, still thinking about whatever was on her mind, and opened it without even realising he was there. She bent down, put her books away, then stood back up, jumping back when she saw his figure.
"Troy, you scared me."
Her hand was on her heart, the very thing he was going to break.
He chuckled, falsely. "Sorry. Listen, can I… uh… talk to you? Privately?"
Gabriella's mind went into overload. This was it. What he'd been thinking about yesterday, and he was going to tell her. She looked into his eyes and saw the pain settle in them. This wasn't good.
She coughed, rubbing her hands together. "Eh, yeah sure."
Troy nodded sadly. "Great, okay."
He reached for her hand, and she looked at it doubtfully. Her fingers ached for his touch. She reached over and grabbed his hand, and felt him squeeze it gently. They stood there for a few minutes, her staring at the intertwined hands and him staring sadly down at her. She lifted her head up, and smiled a watery smile at him. He lead the way, and she knew exactly where they were going.
Minutes later they had arrived at the secret rooftop garden where they had gone almost every day since being together. Troy felt telling her up here would be wrong, but it had always been such a peaceful place, he hoped it would soften the blow. He led her around to the bench, waiting for her to sit down and their hands dropped from each other. She crossed her legs on the bench and he sat down next to her.
It was a while before either of them talked. Deep down Gabriella knew this was it. They were ending, but she wouldn't admit it. Troy played with his hands, while he waited for the right moment. In his head, his brothers words were swimming…
"You need to tell her Troy."
"Isn't it better she knows the truth?"
"Tell her Troy. She deserves to know."
Suddenly, he swung his body round to face hers, and her head shot up. Here it comes, she thought. Troy took her hand, and Gabriella felt a tear spring to her eye. He rubbed her knuckles gently.
"God, why is this so hard." He muttered so quietly, but Gabriella still heard.
Her other hand moved to his jaw, and lifted his face up to meet hers. "Just tell me Troy."
He sighed, her hand moving back to her lap. He breathed in and out, gaining his thoughts, before looking up at her completely.
"Okay, here it goes. Gabriella, the time we have spent together has been amazing. I've loved every minute of it, and I've loved you. But, over the past few months I've realised that, and it hurts so bad to say this… but I don't love you as much as I used to."
He waited as he watched her break down in front of him, tears falling down her face. She was breaking up in front of him, and it was all his fault. The pain in his heart was close to unbearable.
"Please,' He continued, 'please, don't cry. This isn't your fault. It's completely mine. I hate myself for feeling this way. I was convinced we were together forever. And don't get me wrong, I still love you. Just not as much as someone else. It breaks my heart to see you like this. I didn't want this to happen, believe me. Don't blame yourself."
She pulled her hand away, and let herself weep. He watched her drown her sorrows, with no help from him. He tried not to look at her, the pain too much for him to take. He'd never wanted to hurt her. Never. But he just had, and it hurt him too.
"Who is she?" Gabriella managed to choke out.
He closed his eyes, knowing that hearing who it was would be just as painful as knowing the truth. Part of him didn't want to tell her, but she wanted to know. It was the least he could do.
"Heidi Sparrow."
Gabriella nodded, the tears which hung onto her skin spraying in all directions. Her hands moved to her stomach, gripping the flesh, like the pain was tearing away at her body. "Heidi… she's nice."
Troy lifted his gaze to her weeping form and almost wanting to laugh at her cuteness. Gabriella was the only person he knew who could be nice to the person who has made the person she loves not love her anymore. That was Gabriella. Always nice, good mannered and generous. He hated himself for not loving her anymore.
Troy nodded at her comment. "I know." He whispered.
Gabriella laughed ironically. "That's probably why it hurts to bad." She choked out more tears, her t-shirt becoming soaked with the liquid. His eyes pressed together tightly at her words. He could almost feel his heart breaking. This was wrong, he was hurting her so he could be happy. And he now felt so selfish.
He grabbed her hand softly. "I'm so, so sorry Gabriella. I really never meant to hurt you. I just wanted you to know the truth."
She felt him guide her hand to his lips as he pressed small pecks over all her knuckles. He was trying to kill the pain, but knowing she would never feel his touch again and this would be the last time only made the pain worse. He felt her cup his and her hand and lead his hand back to his lap, where she patted it softly. She then lifted her fragile body into the air and he watched her walk away, going down the stairs, still crying and her shoulders stumped.
He ran his hand through his hair and felt the tears he'd bee trying to hold in escape.
He'd just broken Gabriella's heart, which was the last thing on Earth he'd wanted to do.