Hi! Sorry I've been gone for so long! School is making me act like a mad-woman and tons of homework coming my way. Dead week is this week and finals are next week so I should be able to upload more regularly over the next few weeks. Just a warning, there is a small sexual thing in this chapter just like the last one. Again, it's not that bad at all. Hope you like this chapter!

"Okay…dad…I'm going to…go finish my homework," Troy said, nearly running up the stairs not caring if his father suspected anything.

There was a loud bang from upstairs which cause Troy to run even faster. What the heck was that? But Troy didn't have time to think about it. Once reaching the top and entering the place Troy called his bedroom, he quickly shut the door and locked it, trying to be as quiet as humanly possible, but that was not working out too well. Leaning his head on the white, wooden door, closing his eyes, Troy took in a deep breath, letting himself relax, but how could he when all he could think of was how to get the girl out, how to get the girl out?

Opening his eyes and looking around the room…the closet door was ajar! She'd gotten out! But where? When? Allowing himself to panic, he started rampaging around his own room, but could find no trace of her anywhere. Where the hell is she?

He was looking underneath is bed when he felt the slightest breeze reach his face. Where was the air coming from? Bringing his eyes up, he noticed the window wide open, the curtains blowing ever so slightly, but hardly any sound coming from that area. Racing to the window, he looked out. She was nowhere to be seen. How did she get down? We have a two-story house, but there are no vines or anything she could have used. He didn't care if his dad was home…Troy was determined to help this girl. He put his right leg over and onto the other side of the window, holding the railing for support, nerves racing through him. He brought his left leg up and over until he was sitting on the edge, overlooking his back yard, nerves running through his blood. Jump…just jump…how else could she have gotten down? Taking a deep breath, he prepared for the jump. One…Two…Thr-

"What are you doing?"

What the hell…The small feminine voice had almost caused Troy to lose his balance, turning around, he saw the girl he'd almost jumped out of a two story house for. She'd cleaned herself up somehow and he was at a loss for words, "I…how…you…here," He was panting like crazy.

"What?" She stayed were she was.

Finally mastering the ability to speak, which he'd learnt long ago, "Why…why is the window open?"

"Uh...It got stuffy. I needed some air."

"Oh my god…I thought…" Troy rubbed the sweat off his head. I'm an idiot! Of course she jumped out of a two-story building! Come on Troy…Think!

"You thought I ran."

Troy looked her in the eyes and she locked hers with his. Something, he realized, they seemed to do quite often.

"You thought I jumped and ran…" She took a deep breath, clearly trying to hold back sobs, "Do you really think I'm that stupid? To jump out of an open window?"

"I don't know yet…" Troy said.

Gabriella mumbled something, Troy couldn't make it out, but he was almost certain she said, 'I wanted to."

Troy put it aside for now, "Where were you? I looked everywhere."

"Well I...I opened the window for a little fresh air and when I heard someone running up the stairs, I hid in the bathroom!" She'd gotten louder

"Okay! Okay…shh…quiet down…" Troy breathed in slowly, until he realized what she said, "In the bathroom? I checked everywhere in there!"

"I have my ways."

What? "What are you…Thor or something?" Who the hell was this girl?

"No."

Troy, still sweating like there was no tomorrow, looked at her and for the first time since he met her, noticed how cute she really was and scars couldn't hide that.

"Are you going to come back inside or just hang out there?"

Her voice brought him out of his thoughts and he realized he was still sitting on the winder sill. Looking down, his breath caught in his throat like it had minutes earlier. Clearing his throat "…Right…"

Climbing back over the edge of the window proved to be a little more challenging then he thought it would be and, losing his balance, he fell backwards, into the comfort and safety of his room. Laying on the ground for a few minutes, he heard her walk in his direction, which caused him to look up. She was sitting her knees and he all of a sudden felt his breath catch in his throat again, but this time, for some reason, it felt good, "You cleaned up?"

She looked down at her small framed and back at him, slightly smiling, "Yeah."

Her sat up slowly, her smile making him smile, "You look nice."

Her smile showed her pearly teeth this time, "Thank you."

He locked eyes with her again, "You know, I've never seen you smile before?"

Her smile faded, until it completely dropped, Troy became concerned again. Gabriella looked away, but she was slightly blushing, "Not many people have…"

Troy allowed his right hand to reach out to her, putting all of his weight on his left. She turned her face even farther away from him, causing her hair to cover it. He stopped his hand for a moment and then reached toward her again, slower than before. If there was one thing he'd learned about this girl, it was that you had to be gentle with her. After what seemed like forever, he finally cupped the cheek that was turned from him, bringing her beautiful hazel eyes to look at him again, "Keep it. I like it."

Gabriella's smile came back to her face and she blushed again.

There was still one question on Troy's mind; he didn't want to scare her away though, but what better way to do it then to ask? "Are you ready to tell me?"

Gabriella's face tilted to the side, showing that she was confused, "Tell you what?"

His hand was still grasping her tinted red cheek, "What happened."

Her smiled dropped again, Troy sighed, knowing he'd made a wrong move. Gabriella pulled away from him, "You wish," She said sternly.

She stood to walk away from him, but Troy was having none of it. He grabbed hold of her wrist, "Gabriella."

She stopped in her tracks, her wrist in his hand.

"I won't tell a soul."

Gabriella turned around to face him, her smile had completely vanished, her face was colorless and her eyes held nothing but sorrow. There was the face Troy knew so well, but now he knew it wasn't the face he wanted. He missed the smile, the redness, the happiness the gleamed when she was uplifted. She leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Until I know that I can trust you, you're not getting anything out of me."

Troy looked her in the eyes yet again. He saw the way her eyes glistened in the star light, the way she smirked at him. Okay, let's be honest. She wasn't just cute, she was downright sexy, but he didn't have time to think that way, "Nothing?"

"Nothing." Gabriella was barely audible by now, "Not even this…" Gabriella gently rested her hand on the space between this legs.

Troy hadn't been expecting that, but he let her stay there. In any other situation he probably would have been turned on by that, but he was too confused at the moment…but how would she respond if he played along?

"What if I want something like that?" He slowly started running his fingers through the damaged ends of her hair.

They were closer now, closer then they'd ever been before, "Well, then sucks for you, because you're not going to get it from me."

Troy ran his other hand down her arm, "And why's that?"

Gabriella started playing with his hair, "Because I said so."

What was happening? Why was she all of a sudden allowing him to get close to her? Why was she all of a sudden being a Seductive Temptress? There was no explanation in Troy's mind. No whatsoever. Gently running his finger over her bottom lip, bringing her closer, "What if I could change your mind?"

Without a warning, Troy placed his hand on her butt and she stayed there for a few minutes before her body became tense. From out of nowhere, she quickly scrambled away from him, backing herself into the corner of the room, "You can't!"

She looked terrified. She seemed to be staring at something behind Troy. He turned around and looked, but there was nothing there.

What was this sudden change of emotion? Was she going crazy?

They just looked at each other for what seemed like forever, but Gabriella was the first to rise to her feet, never breaking eye contact with Troy, "I'm sorry. I have to go," She said, walking towards the open window, "I should have left hours ago!"

Troy, racing to keep up with the change of scenery, stood up and followed her, grabbing both of her arms, "Gabriella! What is going on?"

She never looked at him. Instead she started crying.

Troy, unable to resist, took her into his arms, trying to comfort her, "You can tell me. I told you I'm not going to tell anyone, no matter how terrible it is."

Gabriella pushed away from him, untangling herself from his arms, "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

Taking a deep breath, Gabriella responded, "I told you everything you'll ever hear on the situation."

"You've told me nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"I've told her enough."

Before Troy could response, Gabriella jumped out of the window, and somehow, though Troy was never able to figure out, she survived the fall. A two-story fall! What else was this girl capable of doing? Did she train herself to do that? Has she done that before? Once she stood up, she did a quick check up on herself and her body to see if it all still functioned, she looked around worriedly, she opened the gate and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. She was a damn good runner too! Troy watched her until she disappeared into the black abyss.

It was difficult for Troy to fall asleep that night. He wanted to, but he couldn't. He'd close his eyes every once in a while, but something would always come to mind and wake him for almost-asleep-state. Late in the night, Troy looked at the clock, 4:30. I might as well not ever go to sleep. Turning on his I-phone he did was many bored teenagers do, they decide to write a random notepad. Opening the app, he was surprised to find a new one already there. He clicked on it:

You were right before

You were right about everything

Just because you were right doesn't mean you can help me

You can't help me.

And I appreciate you trying to understand

But you never will

I don't need saving

I don't need rescuing

But I do need…well, you're smart…you'll figure it out…

You won't understand it…but you'll figure it out

~ G.

When the heck did she write this…scrolling farther down the page, Troy came across another message.

Stay away!

There's nothing you can do!

Troy understood now. He knew why the window had been open. He knew why she got out of the closest. He knew why she had hidden. He knew why she'd tensed up unexpectedly. He knew what that loud bang was upon entering his room earlier…and he was staring it in the face. A silhouette of man and his eerie cat-green eyes…without double thinking it, Troy leapt out of bed, standing there, staring what seemed like death in the face.

What do you think? REVIEW PLEASE! It would be appreciated!