I just wanted to let you guys know that this story is based from the Zanessa breakup. I figured that most of us fans really would want them to get back together. Fortunately, the wonderful world of Fanfiction has provided me a way to release my imagination. Basically, Troy and Gabriella are in Zac and Vanessa's career however, everything else is completely fiction. Ok. I stop bugging you and let start the chapter. Enjoy!
(Oh yeah, Chris Smith is based off of Austin Butler. I love Austin so just know this is a completely different portrayal of him. Ok...)
"We missed you last night, Briea," Chad said to Gabriella when she arrived at the studio for rehearsal.
Gabriella managed to smile. "I missed you guys, too."
"If you missed us so much, then why didn't you just come out to eat? I mean, we're only gonna be together rehearsing for two weeks. You can see Chris anytime you want," Sharpay spoke.
"What's wrong, Pay? I thought you liked Chris?" Gabriella responded.
"Yeah, he's my friend and all, but you're really getting carried away with the whole boyfriend thing. Sometimes I really regret even introducing you guys to each other." Sharpay pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
"Hey!"
Everyone turned around to see Chris entering the room.
"You invited him?" Taylor's tone was filled with disgust.
"I thought he could watch us practice, that's all," Gabriella shrugged.
"This is supposed to be a closed practice!" whispered Ryan, grabbing Gabriella's arm. "Why would you do something like this?"
"Still haven't changed that shirt, I see," Troy remarked dryly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Still haven't changed that shirt, I see," mocked Chris. "You know, you need to back off before I kick your ass."
Troy laughed. "Oh, go on. Like a pathetic, weak guy like you would really be able to do that?"
"Troy, no!" Gabriella exclaimed, tears springing to her eyes.
"What's wrong, Gabs?" Chad inquired, wrapping an arm around Gabriella's shoulders.
"Why are you all picking on me?" Gabriella demanded, pulling away from Chad and wiping a tear from her cheek. "I thought we were friends! And then you go bash me for who my boyfriend is? You're all just...I can't even think of a word to describe you!" With that, she turned around and stormed out of the studio.
"Look what you did, Troy!" Chris exclaimed. "You made her cry! And nothing makes Gabriella cry!"
Taking his fist, Troy punched Chris in the stomach, then rushed after Gabriella. Although he didn't see her at first when he made it outside, he had no trouble finding her, as he knew all the right places to look. Within seconds, he discovered her huddled up against the wall at the back of the building. "Briea," he breathed, sitting down beside her and pulling her into his lap.
"You guys all hate me!" Gabriella sobbed.
"No, we don't," Troy objected gently. "We could never hate you."
"Where...where is he?" Gabriella looked around. "I...I can't let him see me crying like this!"
Troy knew instantly who Gabriella was referring to. "Shh, it's okay. He's inside." He stroked Gabriella's dark curls and pulled her closer. Upon noticing that Gabriella was struggling to stop her tears, he pressed a kiss into her hair and murmured, "You can cry if you need to. It might even make you feel better if you just let it all out."
"I...I don't wanna go back in there!" Gabriella buried her face in Troy's chest and gripped his shirt with her hands.
"Then you don't have to," soothed Troy.
"Ever! It's just...it's all too much! I can't do it anymore!"
Just then, a group of paparazzi approached Troy and Gabriella and began snapping pictures.
"No! No! Troy...don't let them! Don't let them!" Gabriella cried. "I...I wanna go home! Take me home!"
Chris, Troy thought to himself, trying his hardest to hide Gabriella from the bright flashes of the cameras. I know he called them. I mean, what else does he have to spend his money on? It's not like he ever buys clothes or groceries or anything like that. Aloud, he whispered, "Shh, sweetheart, it's okay. I'll take you home." He stood up, Gabriella still in his arms, and carried her over to his car. Placing her in the passenger seat, he buckled her seatbelt for her, shut the door, then hurriedly made his way around to the drivers' side. Once he got behind the wheel, he fastened his seatbelt, stuck the keys in the ignition, and sped out of the parking lot. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into Gabriella's driveway. "Alright, here we are."
Gabriella didn't respond; she didn't even budge.
"Do you wanna go inside?" queried Troy softly after getting out of the car and walking over to the passenger seat. Upon taking a closer look, he could see that Gabriella's breathing was heavy and that trembles were taking over her body. She's hysterical. And all because of him, I'm sure. Pressing the button to undo her seatbelt, Troy picked her up and took her to the front door. He then bent down and took her spare key from underneath the mat that rested almost beneath his feet and inserted it into the doorknob. "Here we go." He pushed the door open and, stepping inside, closed it behind him.
"I...I...there's...there's gonna be rumors!" Gabriella burst out.
"Shh..." comforted Troy, taking Gabriella over to her living room couch and sitting down with her still in his arms. "Everything's gonna be alright."
"I never wanna go back!" Gabriella went on. "It's...it's too much stress. I just...I can't take it!"
"Then you don't have to," Troy assured. "No one can force you to do something you don't want." He mindlessly twisted one of Gabriella's curls around his finger.
"I'll...I'll never be able to face him again, either. I don't know what to do!"
"Briea, sweetheart." Troy placed a gentle hand under Gabriella's chin and turned her face toward his. "Listen. I need you to try to settle down. It's okay if you need to cry to let everything out, but you're starting to get hysterical, and I can tell that you're stressed, too, and those things aren't good for your health. I don't want you trying to talk right now. Finish crying; let all your pain out, and then if you want to talk about anything once you've calmed yourself down, I'll listen. But please don't try to do both at once. I can tell it's too much for you to handle."
Nodding in acknowledgement, Gabriella hid her face in Troy's shoulder and continued to let her tears flow in silence until sleep overtook her.
Troy, upon noticing she had fallen asleep, laid Gabriella down on the couch, tucked her in with a blanket that was draped over the back of it, and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. He then made his way into the kitchen and began to search for something Gabriella would want to eat when she woke up, as he knew that if he didn't make her eat, she would skip it for at least the rest of the day.
"Mmm," Gabriella groaned as she opened her eyes.
"Are you awake, Briea?" Troy inquired softly, stepping back into the living room.
"I...I thought you left," Gabriella spoke.
"No; I could never just leave you like that. I actually was just in the kitchen trying to find something for you to eat when you woke up," Troy replied.
"You know, you shouldn't be here with me. You should be at rehearsal." Gabriella sat up. "I can handle myself. Honest."
"I don't doubt you can, but I thought that maybe you would want some company." Troy took a seat beside Gabriella.
Gabriella let out a sigh. No one else seemed to care about her at the moment, so she might as well let Troy stay. "Thanks." She rested her cheek on his shoulder.
Ding dong!
Leaning forward to get a good view of what was out the window, Troy announced, "It's Chris. And by the looks of it, he drove your car over."
"What? No...I still look a wreck. He can't see me like this."
"I'll go take care of him," Troy assured, standing up and walking to the front door. Opening it, he asked, "Why are you here?"
"I think that would be a better question for you to answer, Bolton. You know, Gabriella's my girlfriend, which means I'm the only guy allowed in her house." While he spoke the word "my," Chris pointed to himself. "And by the way, I saw some paparazzi candids of you with her, and let me say, I did not like the way you were handling her at all, especially in the ones of you carrying her to your car. Those pics were way too couple-like for me."
"I'm allowed to comfort her," growled Troy.
"But you were the one who made her cry! And I hate when girls cry. Their eyes get all red and puffy and their make-up runs...not a pleasant sight."
"You know, you have got to be the most inconsiderate, nasty guy in the world. Now tell me; how did you drive Gabriella's car here?"
"She left her purse at the studio, and her keys were in there, so I decided just to drive here in her car since it would save me gas money." Chris shrugged.
"Give me the keys." Troy held out his hand.
"But...but if I do that, I have no way of getting home!"
"You can't just steal someone's car!" shouted Troy. "Now give me the keys before I have to beat the shit out of you."
"I really won't be able to get home without Gabriella's car!" Chris insisted.
"Call a taxi, take a bus, ride a limo...oh wait. You can't. You don't have any money."
"Yeah, exactly. I don't."
"Well, then, it looks like you'll have to walk." With that, Troy took Chris's arm and ripped Gabriella's car keys from his fingers. "Bye." He slammed the door shut and locked it. Turning back to Gabriella, he saw that she was crying again. "What's wrong, Briea?"
"He...he didn't even care about me!" Gabriella sobbed. "He didn't ask to see me or ask if I was okay..."
In an instant, Troy had his arms wrapped around Gabriella. "I'm here," he soothed.
"Don't leave."
"I'm not leaving until you say it's okay for me to go," assured Troy.
I never want you to go, Gabriella thought. Aloud, she responded with, "Stay the night with me, please. I just...I don't wanna be by myself."
"I will," Troy promised, running his fingers through Gabriella's curls. "Now, it's getting to be lunchtime, so why don't I go get something for you to eat?"
"I don't wanna eat."
"But you have to, Briea."
"I don't feel like eating."
"Okay, then. I won't make you have anything now, but later, you're gonna need to eat at least a little something."
Gabriella didn't say anything.
Troy allowed a few moments of silence to settle over the room before asking, "Do you want to watch a movie or anything?"
"No. I just want to cuddle. I haven't cuddled in so long."
"Chris doesn't cuddle with you?"
"No. He's not really the romantic type. He's more into stuff like making out and having sex." Gabriella snuggled into Troy's chest. "But I have to confess that I haven't felt comfortable enough to sleep with him yet." She blushed. "He still asks me to almost every day, though."
"And you don't have to sleep with him, Briea."
"But sometimes I feel like I should."
"If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. He'll just have to understand."
Gabriella let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm not even sure why I'm telling you this. You shouldn't have to hear it, though."
"It's okay." Troy smiled. "If something's bothering you, you have to let it out. And I really don't mind listening."
"Well, thanks." Gabriella smiled back. "Thanks for everything."
"No problem." Troy pulled Gabriella closer.
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