Here's another chapter!

Enjoy X

Gary sat in his room, his pillow over his head. He couldn't believe he had lost his cool, he never did that! Normally, he would walk away and let the situation go, but something inside of him snapped. A knock on the door make him jump slightly.

'Who is it?' he asked, not really in the mood for talking to anyone.

'It's me' his mother said, through the door. Gary rolled his eyes and opened it, allowing her into the room.

'What's up?' he asked, sitting back on his bed and picking up his phone.

'I just had Lucille on the phone. Said you attacked Troy?' Mara said, folding her arms and staring at her son, who sighed, not taking his eyes off his phone.

'Bit of an exaggeration. I only punched him' Gary said, like it wasn't a big deal, causing Mara's eyes widened in shock.

'You punched him! Are you out of your mind?' she shouted in disbelief.

'He insulted me and Gabriella! I wasn't going to let him to do that! Besides, if you heard the way he spoke about her, believe me, you would've hit him too' Gary told his Mom, staring straight at her. Mara frowned. She didn't normally condone violence, but if it was as serious as Gary said, then she would allow this exception.

'Okay, just don't go near him for a few days okay? I'm not visiting you police custody' Mara told him. Gary nodded, hiding a smile as his mom left the room, as he checked the basketball scores...

'You be good for Dad, won't you?'' Gabriella asked Olly, as she finished tying his shoes. Olly pouted as he got to his feet. It was five o'clock in the evening and he was dressed for a weekend of fun with his Dad, while his Mom went away somewhere.

'But why can't I come with you?' Olly asked

'Because Mommy just needs some time to herself for a few days' she lied. Olly pouted again before he nodded and tried to pick up his backpack.

'Can I call you tonight?' Olly asked, looking up at his mom when she picked up his heavy backpack with ease. Gabriella nodded as she opened the front door.

'Of course, you can darling!' she told her son, as she took his hand, before locking the door behind her and heading down the stairs slowly, before they crossed the street to the Bolton household. Gabriella knocked on the door and the door swung open, revealing the one person she didn't want to see.

'What the hell happened to your face?' were the first words what greeted Troy. Troy scowled. The punch from Gary was harder than he thought and had resulted in a big black bruise on his cheek.

'Doesn't matter' Troy told Gabriella, before squatting down to Olly's level. 'We're going to have a fun weekend, aren't we buddy!' Troy said, ruffling his son's hair, making Olly laugh.

'Okay, just take care of him. I'll be back sometime Tuesday. My mum will be on Monday, so she'll pick him' Gabriella told Troy, who nodded and took the bag from her. Gabriella looked at her empty hand, then Troy and then her son, squatting down to his level.

'You be a good boy, yeah? And I'll see you soon' she said, hugging him tightly and kissing his head. Olly nodded and watched as his mom rose to her full height and headed back towards their house.

'Come on, buddy. Let's go watch some basketball' Troy said, taking his son by the hand and gently pulling him inside, shutting the door behind them...

A loud blare jolted Gabriella from her thoughts. She double checked she had her passport and ticket, her entire fashion portfolio and her collages, before pulling her suitcase behind her and out of the house.

'And where do you think you're going a week before school begins?' Gabriella let out a startled shriek, as Gary appeared next to her, taking portfolio and collages from her arm. Gabriella smiled gratefully, before answering his question.

'I've got a interview, for a possible internship next year, in L.A' Gabriella said, as she locked up her house, before handing Gary the keys.

'An interview? Oh my god, that's brilliant!' Gary exclaimed, his proud smile lighting up his face.

'Thanks!' Gabriella giggled, as her taxi driver opened the boot and put her suitcase in, before shutting the boot and getting back into the drivers side.

'Let me know how it goes' Gary told her, making her nod. He pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty dollar notes.

'What's this- No, I'm not taking your money' Gabriella protested

'Yes, you are. Now, get that taxi and go show the intern interviewer you mean business' Gary said, turning her round by the shoulders and opening her door for her, allowing her to slide into the awaiting taxi.

'Thanks Gary, you really are a true friend' Gabriella told him, reaching up to kiss his cheek, causing him to smile.

'No need to thank me' he said softly, before kissing her cheek and closing the taxi door, waving her off until the taxi disappeared from view, his smile spreading across his face again, as he thought about what she could achieve from this little moment...

Gabriella was laid on her hotel bed, writing out a blog post about Bijou Candles, which she had discovered off Lauren Conrad's website, when her cell phone rang. She smiled at the ringtone, recognizing it instantly.

'Gary, I haven't even had the-'

'Hi mommy!' greeted Olly, on the other end of the line. Gabriella frowned and took the phone away from her ear, making sure that it was Gary's number, before pressing the phone back to her ear again.

'Erm... Hi darling... Why are you calling from Uncle Gary's phone?' she asked, gently.

'Daddy says I'm staying with him, because Daddy said he had something to do' Olly answered innocently. Gabriella's eyes flashed with anger and sat up straight.

'WHAT?' she shrieked, before remembering who she was talking too. 'Darling, put your Uncle on the phone, please...' she requested, calmly. She heard the phone been passed over to Gary.

'Hi-'

'Where. Is. He?' she bit out, her voice hard and angry, as she interrupted his greeted.

'Said he had been called into work to do a late shift' Gary immediately said, knowing not to annoy her anymore.

'So, he dumped Olly on you? What kind of a father does that? Why couldn't Lucille or Jack look after him?' Gabriella said, her voice rising slightly.

'They've gone on holiday, remember?' Gary told her. Gabriella ran a hand through her hand angrily as she fought back the tears.

'I am going to kill him!' she said, her voice cracking before she hung up, letting out a small scream of frustration and throwing her phone onto the bed, allowing the tears to fall...

An hour later, she had had a shower and calmed down slightly, but the anger still coarse through her veins. Gabriella stepped out into her hotel room, her towel wrapped tightly and securely round her body, while her long, black, wet hair was being towel dried with a little towel. A knock at the door sounded throughout the room, causing her to frown. She headed to the door and swung it open.

'Gary? What- Where's Olly?' she asked, when she realised it was just him.

'My Mom has him. You know her, any chance she can get to spoil her 'little prince'!' Gary told her, making her relaxed for a second. She moved out of the way and let him in, closing the door behind her.

'Right, just tell me what happened' Gabriella told him, folding her arms. Gary sighed and turned to face her, realizing then what she was wearing. He coughed and blushed, before starting his story.

'He knocked on my door, not long after you left and said that he had to go work, apparently someone called in sick and he was only one they could reach on such short notice' Gary told her.

'So, he just his son on you and Mara and left to go to work? I'm guessing it was Sharpay who called him in?' Gabriella asked bitterly.

'I'm guessing so. He did mumble something about her, in his rush to get away' Gary said, as an afterthought. Gabriella sighed and pinched her nose.

'Are you sure your mom doesn't mind looking after Olly I can cancel this interview and I can fly-'

'NO!' Gary shouted, shocking Gabriella in silence with sharpness of his voice. 'I mean, no! She doesn't mind honestly. She actually offered it in exchange for me to be out here with you, even Olly agreed with her!' Gary said in calm voice.

'But why? Why would you come out here?' Gabriella asked softly, looking up at him through her lashes.

'Because you're a vulnerable young woman, who, despite her very strong mask of devoid emotions, is running away from her problems rather than facing them' Gary told her

'So, I'll just deal with them when I get back... It's easier. I need to be focusing on the interview that could change my life, not some lunk-head basketball player and his Barbie doll!' Gabriella growled.

'You don't mean that, Ella' Gary said

'Don't I? Because, let's face it... The friendship all of us changed the day me and Troy got together. You and Troy aren't as close as you once were and for a short period of time, neither were we! And now this has all happened and you're the only one who's bothered to actually check that I'm okay!' Gabriella told him.

'Of course I'm going to check that you're okay! You're my best friend and I'll be damned if I let some blind boy break the best thing that ever happened to him!' Gary told her passionately. Gabriella stared at him for a long time. He could practically hear the cogs turning in her head.

'It was you that punched him, wasn't it?' Gabriella asked, not sounding at all surprised when he nodded his head. 'What did he say?' she asked, knowing Troy must have said something bad if Gary had hit him.

'You don't want to know' Gary told her

'Just say it. You couldn't make anymore heart broken than I already am' Gabriella said. Gary sighed before looking at her.

'I told him that I spent the night with you, watching you and comforting you when you woke up crying and everything. He took it the wrong way and thought we'd slept together. He asked me if I enjoyed it and everything, making you out to be a kind of... you know what, when you're not' Gary said, leaving out the bit about his own feelings.

'Wow, and this is coming from the man who is supposed to love me?' Gabriella asked her voice tight.

'I shouldn't have-'

'No, I wanted to hear it! It's not your fault... Why can't all men be like you?' Gabriella said, walking towards Gary and sitting down on the bed. She watched as Gary shrugged and sat down next to her. 'No, I mean it, Gary. Throughout everything that has happened in my life... it's always been you that's never left my side and I can never thank you enough for it' Gabriella whispered, their gaze intense.

'I don't need thanking' he whispered back, his green eyes standing out through his short brown hair. He jumped slightly when he felt Gabriella's hand clasped round his neck. 'What are you doing?' he whispered. Gabriella closed the gap and connected their lips in a passionate, soft kiss. Gary felt his feelings start to take over him, causing him to break the kiss.

'I can't... You're vulnerable, Ella. I feel like I'm taking advantage' he told her, when a hurt look spread across her face. She sighed, as she knew he was right.

'I'm sorry' she apologized.

'No, don't be sorry. A moment of weakness, everybody has it' Gary told her. Gabriella eyed him slowly.

'That won't change anything will it?' she asked, a panicked look spread across her face. Gary shook his head quickly.

'No, I promise. I'm your closest friend and nothing and no-one will ever spoil that' he said, making Gabriella smile and hug him tightly. Gary swallowed down the self hatred of himself for not taking his chance and hugged her back, just as tight and burying his face into her damp curls...

R&R