Trust

I got off of the cast member bus and rushed up to my room, I was in desperate need of a shower.

Of course though, the minute I stepped in the warm spray of water my cell phone began ringing on the bench outside of my shower stall.

I ignored the phone and continued to allow the soothing water wash away the stress from my day.

Twenty long relaxing minutes later, I was back in my room. I checked my phone to see who had called me earlier. It was my mom. I tried to call her back but it went straight to voice mail.

I had just finished blow drying my hair when there was a quite knock on my door. I opened the door to find the one and only Troy Bolton.

"Um Ella Can we talk for a minute? Please?"

I really wanted to say no but I didn't want to be rude so, instead I nodded my head and opened my door wider so that he could come in.

Troy nervously looked around the room.

"Um you wanted to talk?" I said awkwardly.

"Um yeah…" Troy sighed.

"Listen Ella about today—" Troy was interrupted by the sound of my cell phone ringing again.

I dashed over to it hoping that it was my mom. It was.

"Sorry Troy I really have to take this hang on."

"Oh um no problem." Troy said.

"Hey Mom! Sorry I missed your call earlier, what's going on?"

"Hi sweetie. I….um….Gabriella I really don't know how to tell you this so I'm just going to say it."

"Mom what are you talking about?" I noticed Troy stiffen at the urgency of my voice.

"Gabriella your father had a heart attack. Its…um not looking too good right now."

My world stopped. Dad? My Dad? How could this happen? What's going to happen? Is he going to be okay?

Thousands of questions invaded my mind but I couldn't move. I was paralyzed. I felt the phone slip from my grasp and onto the floor.

"Ella? Gabriella? What's going on are you alright? Gabriella talk to me!" I could feel Troy gently shaking my shoulders but, I still couldn't move. I just continued to stare ahead blankly.

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Troy Bolton's POV (very rare occasion)

I tried to catch Ella after work but she took off towards the buses. I jumped in my car and raced home to take a shower.

I have to talk to Ella. I don't know what is happening to me. From the minute I first saw her I knew she was different, something special, but I had no idea that I would fall completely head over heels in love with her.

Wait love? Troy what are you thinking?

What am I going to do? Ella is already pissed at me for getting into a fight with that cocksucker but, I couldn't help it! When I see any guy hardly touch her I can't control myself and I turn into a jealous monster.

When I walked into the bathroom I immediately spotted Ella's blue shower bag then, heard the sound of her shower turning on and a soft moan.

Fuck.

I felt my lower region harden at the sound of her voice. That girl will be the death of me.

The shrill sound of a cell phone ringing caused me to jump.

Crap. It's Ella's.

I sprinted out of the bathroom and back to my bedroom.

I waited a good twenty minutes to calm down 'little Troy' and give Ella time to finish her shower.

I slowly peeked into the bathroom. The coast was clear. I took the fastest shower of my life and got dressed so that I could talk to Ella. I have to do something to figure out what is going on in my head. Do I love her? Or will I just end up hurting her in the end?

I gently knocked on her door, praying that Sharpay wasn't there.

Gabriella opened the door, looking like a pure goddess as usual.

"Um Ella Can we talk for a minute? Please?"

She nodded her head and let me into the room.

I looked around, thankfully Sharpay was gone.

"Um you wanted to talk?"

Okay Troy here we go time to take the plunge…..

"Um…listen Ella about today-" Shit. The sound of her cell phone ringing cut me off.

Ella quickly grabbed the phone.

"I'm sorry Troy I really have to take this."

"Oh um…no problem." It's not like I was about to pour my heart out to you or anything.

I looked around the room awkwardly; trying to not look like I was eavesdropping on her call but, her sudden change in tone caught my attention.

Ella face went completely blank. She froze and the phone fell out of her hand and onto the floor.

I rushed over to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Ella! Gabriella? Are you alright? Gabriella talk to me!" I got no response.

I could hear her mom calling into the phone that now lay on the floor.

I hesitated for a second, and then picked it up.

"Um….Hello? Mrs. Montez?"

"Who is this?"

"I'm Troy Bolton, El-Gabriella's friend? Is everything okay? Gabriella went kind of blank and dropped the phone."

"It's her father, he's had a heart attack, a bad one. It's very serious they—um the doctors are prepping him from emergency surgery but they don't know if... I'm sorry why am I telling you this?"

That's it. Ella's Dad. I will not let an angel like Gabriella have to go through this.

"Mrs. Montez, I'm a really close friend to Gabriella, do you think it is enough reason for her to come home?"

"Right now? I honestly think it is. She and her father are so close but, I can't find any flights to get her home on. Everything soon is full and there aren't many flights from Orlando to Albuquerque…"

Okay Troy this is your chance. Time to use your Dad's fame for once.

"I can get her a flight. We'll be there tonight."

"Oh Troy! I don't know if…."

"Please Mrs. Montez I promise I can get her there tonight, safely and legally, if that was your concern."

"I don't know why but my gut is telling me to trust you so, let me know when your flight leaves and please keep Gabriella safe."

"Of course Mrs. Montez."

"Thank you Troy…Bolton? You said?"

Ah I think now it has set in with her.

"Yes Ma'am. Troy Bolton."

"As in Jack Bolton's son?"

"Yes the one and only."

"Of course you can get Gabriella a flight. Thank you Troy so much."

"Don't worry about it."

Gabriella's POV

My body seemed to finally catch up with my mind when I noticed Troy talking on the phone to my mom.

Troy hung up and turned to me, he put his hands on my hips and began to rub his thumbs in small soothing circles.

"Gabriella are you okay?"

"I have to go home! I have to see my Dad!"

My mind began to race again.

"Have to see my Dad! I have to check airlines and…how am I going to get a flight?"

"Shhh….Gabriella it's all been taken care of."

"But Troy…"

"Ella do you trust me?"

I didn't even hesitate before nodding my head.

"Good, you just stay here and pack a suitcase I'll be back in ten minutes to get you okay?" Troy said softly.

Troy gently squeezed my hips and let go of me. I quickly leapt into action grabbing my suitcase and shoving my clothes into it.

Troy opened his cell phone and quickly dialed a number.

"Yeah, Hi Larry this is Troy Bolton….yes Jack Bolton's son…."

Jack Bolton? Why is that name so familiar?

"Ella, ten minutes okay?" Troy said holding the phone away him.

I nodded and continued packing.

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Ten minutes later I was sitting on my bed with my suitcase by the door, waiting for Troy to come back. I still can't even comprehend what is happening.

The second Troy knocked on my door I was opening it and grabbing my bag. Troy took my bag for me then, I realized that he had one as well.

Troy noticed my curiosity.

"Did you think I was letting you travel alone? Especially in the state that you were just in?"

He did have a point there.

I gave him a look of confusion.

"Don't worry Ella I have it covered. Can you do me a favor and call your mom? Tell her that we should be there around 6:30 and that Troy has transportation to the hospital covered."

I called my mom while we were in the elevator but she didn't answer so I left her a message.

When we emerged from the elevator I noticed a long black limousine waiting in front of the building.

Troy lead the way outside and right up to the limo.

"Ah Mr. Bolton, I'll take your bags."

While the driver took our bags from Troy to put them in the trunk, Troy opened the door and motioned for me to get in.

I gave him yet another look of confusion.

"Ella just get in please and I'll explain on the way to the air port." Troy sighed.

I slid into the limo and waited for Troy to get in and explain what was going on.

Troy sat down next to me and reality set in.

My dad was in the hospital. He could die. I'm not ready for that.

Tears began to roll down my cheeks.

Troy wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his side. I buried my head into his chest and my silent tears turned into sobs.

Troy slid his hand under my shirt and began to rub my back. Even though I was worried, and scared, being with Troy right now was making me feel safe.

I stayed like that the rest of the way to the airport, with Troy soothingly rubbing my back and occasionally kissing the top of my head.

The limo finally stopped and Troy slowly ceased his actions.

"Ella, we're at the airport, are you ready?" He asked me softly.

I nodded into his chest then let go of him so that he could get out of the limo.

I got out expecting to be in front of a regular airport but I was wrong. We were at some kind of tar mat runway thing. The limo had pulled right up to a red carpet that lead to the stairs of a private jet.

Troy took my hand and lead me onto the plane.

It was small on the inside. There were four 'lounge chairs' all facing each other with seatbelts, and then two 'couches' behind them again, facing each other.

Troy sat down on one of the couches and pulled me down next to him. I nestled into his side and he wrapped his arms around me and continued to rub my back like he had been on the way here.

A few minutes later a pilot appeared from a door that I am assuming lead to the cockpit.

"Ah, Mr. Bolton we are all ready to take off if you are."

"We're all set to go." Troy said kindly.

"I'm sorry but it is regulation that you and Miss Montez have to sit in the upright seats with buckles until we are at a cruising altitude."

"No problem."

Troy unwrapped his arms from around me and I reluctantly moved from my warm comfort to a seat up front. Troy sat down in the seat across from me. When the pilot returned to the cockpit I finally spoke.

"How did you do this?" I whispered.

Troy sighed. "My Dad is Jack Bolton. The Hollywood movie director/basketball team owner/club owner/major dickhead, you might of heard of him or maybe not."

Now it made sense. Jack Bolton of course I know that name. I can't believe I didn't realize this was his son.

"Why didn't tell me before?"

Troy shrugged. "I don't like to brag about him that much."

The plane jerked causing me to jump.

"Its okay Ella we're just taxing out."

I nodded. A few minutes later I felt the plane increase speed and we were in the air.

"Do you know how serious it is?" I asked quietly.

"Um…your Mom told me that they were prepping him for emergency surgery and they would go from there."

Surgery? This triggered me to begin crying again. Troy gently stroked my foot with his. His blue eyes were light and filled with sorrow.

A new pilot appeared from the cockpit door. This time it was a woman.

"We've reached our cruising altitude. Let me know if you need anything."

The minute she was gone, Troy unbuckled his seatbelt, then undid my and pulled back to the couch.

I buried my face in his chest and began to sob again.

"What if he….I can't…..I don't want to loose him, Troy."

Troy wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.

"Shhh, Ella that won't happen. Everything will be alright." He whispered in a soothing voice.

I continued to sob into his chest.

"Ella, sweetie, you have to calm down. He'll be okay."

I shook my head and nestled myself further into him.

I was crying so hard now that I couldn't stop. I could feel myself shaking and still sobbed.

"Gabriella, please calm down you're going to make yourself sick." Troy said while gently stroking my hair.

I tried to calm down but I couldn't.

"Will you…" I started but my crying was making it hard to talk.

"What? Ella shh what do you need?" Troy said instantly.

"…Rub my back please?"

"Of course." Troy kissed my forehead and slid his hand up my shirt just like before.

My body immediately relaxed and I felt Troy grin into my hair.

"That's it Ella."

Troy continued to rub my back and my sobs eventually turned into to silent tears. My eyelids began to feel heavy and I could feel myself about to drift off to sleep.

"Thank you."

Troy kissed the top of my head.

"Don't worry about it Ella, go to sleep."

I leaned up and softly kissed Troy on the lips. That's it just a short and sweet kiss.

Troy gently kissed back then pulled away and I nuzzled my head back into his chest.

AN

So (glances around nervously)…..I got a new candle today….it smells really good.