Chapter 6 – Beginning the Search
Disclaimer – Looks around nope still don't own HSM. So sad, isn't it?
AN: Well, another day, a new chapter! Anyway I want to say that this story is getting more reviews that "I'll Never Leave You". I'm honored that you like this story more. I am sorry I haven't updated in a long time, but I have been really busy. I just recently updates "I'll Never Leave You" and now this. Also, I'm glad some of you have taken an interest in my other story "Love Doesn't Come Smoothly". If I get a large enough reaction, I may begin writing it really soon!
Onto other news, have you guys heard Vanessa's new CD "Identified"? Isn't it AMAZING! OMG I bought it the day it came out and now I am listening to it day and night! It's an obsession. My mom even has some of the songs memorized I listen to them so much. My favorite songs are "Don't Leave", "Paper Cut", "Don't Ask Why", "Identified" and "Amazed", but the entire album is AMAZING!
Also, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens' vacation was "The vacation of a lifetime" as Zac described it at the ESPY awards. How could it not be? Being with the person you love, in the tropical place of Turks and Caicos, what more could you ask for? I'm glad they had a good time, but sadly, all good things have to come to an end.
Anyway, enough of my chatting, here is the new chapter. Enjoy!
The police were working hard to try and locate where it came from. The wait was agonizing. I was waiting in the mess hall, the gang surrounding me. My dad was talking to the police and my mom, who had arrived earlier today, was talking to Ms. Montez on the phone. Chad was the one to break the silence.
"Man, she looked horrible." He received a smack from Taylor.
"You don't say that! You comfort people, not make them feel worse."
"Guys, it's okay. I know what you all are thinking. I just want them to get some leads." As if his dad read his mind, he was walking towards the gang. "Did they find anything?"
"Yeah, they think they have a location. They had sent out dogs and policemen to scour the area, for any clues or evidence. But they did track a general location of the webcast. Do you remember anywhere familiar close to here? A house, relative, anything?" I tried to remember back. Any relatives? No. Any houses? No. Cottages? Wait, He had a family cottage not to far from here.
"No dad, I don't. Sorry." I had to lie. Gabriella would be killed if I got the police more involved.
"Oh, well just think and maybe something will come to you."
"Alright Dad." He walked away from me, heading back to the policemen. I couldn't let Gabriella get injured. She was my life. She will be okay, if I find her myself. This was now a one-man job, and I wasn't going to fail.
"Troy, dude. Where are you going?" I turned around to see Chad and Ryan looking at me.
"A walk. I need to wrap my head around some things."
"Want us to come with you? I mean you might want someone to talk to." Chad offered.
"No, it's okay. Go back to Kelsi, Sharpay and Taylor. They need you now as well." They nodded, gave me a man-hug, and walked back towards the mess hall. I turned around to see the scene that surrounded me. Police tape surrounded our entire Cabin complex. Policemen were walking around the campgrounds, with police cars parked in the usually empty parking lot. Instead of running around, campers were walking around slowly, giving me sorrowful looks as they passed. It was those looks that were inspiring me to go out and save Gabi.
I turned and kept walking towards the dirt path that led towards the main highway. From there I could find the road that led to Daniel's cottage. Gabriella had to be there, and I was going to bring her back home. I was beginning the long search of finding the love of my life.
Jack's P.O.V
Watching my son walk around with his head hanging low depressed me. He was suffering so much emotionally, and it was only a matter of time before he finally cracked. The police had been working non-stop, especially since the web-cast, but no new information had turned up. What was going to happen to Gabriella? Everyone was worried sick for the intelligent girl. To think, I used to hate her because I thought she was distracting.
Flashback
Troy had just walked into the house, Gabriella by his side. The two of them were about to walk to his room when I called to Troy.
"Yeah dad?" His head pocked into the room.
"Son, can I talk to you for a minute, alone?" I said giving him a look. Evidently he didn't notice it because he looked at me like nothing was wrong.
"Sure." He replied. I saw him remove his head from the room and tell Gabriella to wait for him in his room. He then re-entered the room, and sat down across from me. "What do you want to talk to me about dad?"
"Troy, where were you during free-period today?"
"I was with Gabriella in the library. We were working together with Kelsi on the musical." The musical, I knew it. Another thing that Gabriella had pulled him into that distracted him.
"And where were you supposed to be?" I questioned him.
"Umm, I don't know."
"Troy, you had a basketball practice today! But instead of coming and being with your team, you went and hung out with that Girl!" I never called her by her name, either that girl or Miss Montez. This got on Troy's nerves.
"That Girl is named Gabriella…" before he could continue, I interrupted him.
"And she's very nice. I have heard all of this before son. But, she's distracting you. If you want to have a future, you need to shape up and start focusing on more important things than her."
"What if she is my future?" He asked. This got my blood boiling.
"She isn't, you're just being stupid. In a month you'll forget about that girl and get your real life back." Troy looked at me coldly, as if I had said the worst thing to him, and stormed out of the room.
End of Flashback
How wrong I had been. Gabriella had been Troy's lifeline. Whenever he was depressed, most likely he had either gotten into a fight with her, made her upset, was worried about her or had something to do with her. I was sure that if something terrible happened to her, the Troy we knew would be long gone. I was so lost in my thought I didn't see a figure come behind me.
"Jack?" I turned to see Darbus and Lucille standing behind me. Lucille's eyes were red, evidently from crying, and I could see so were Darbus'.
"Hey." I stood up and wrapped my upset wife in my arms, consoling her. Together we turned to face Darbus.
"Honey, what were you thinking about?" I heard the voice of Lucille asking me.
"I was thinking back on how horrible I treated Gabriella in the beginning. How I thought she was a little fling of Troy's, and that he would be over her in a month. I didn't realize how important she was to him, and how she affected him." I could feel tears coming to my eyes.
"But you eventually gave in. You now understand it. Gabriella knows that you just wanted the best for Troy." I turned to look at Lucille, and nodded.
"You're right." I turned to look at Darbus, who seemed to be touched by our memories of the Latina brainiac.
"Gabriella was the only girl who seemed to keep your son straight." He looked like she was close to tears. "Ever since he got together with her he always completed his homework, there were no more disruptions in class. And from what I heard from other teachers, his GPA went up significantly."
"That's because Gabriella was always at our house doing assignments with him, or forcing him to read a novel he was supposed to." Lucille answered. We all smiled at the thought.
"She really did have a positive effect on him." I responded.
"And that could all change in a second." My wife commented.
"Don't talk like that. She'll be back soon, and we'll have her back pushing Troy to finish his University papers. I remember Troy was overjoyed when he found out that Gabriella was going to U of A with him. He was on top of the world, and nothing could bring him down." I reminisced.
"You know Jack, for once I agree with you." Darbus commented. I was shocked, to say the least. "Gabriella will be back. She has to be back, because without her Mr. Bolton will not be able to function properly. When she's around, I can see. I remember this one day…"
Flashback Begins
It was an ordinary day, except for the fact that Troy Bolton seemed to be constantly staring at the door. It then dawned on Ms. Darbus as to the reason. Gabriella Montez was not in school yet, which was quite upsetting seeing as she is always on time. Suddenly another male figure ran into the room.
"Sorry for being late Ms. D, but there was a HUGE crash on Bridgeview Ave. I couldn't get by." Jason yelled as he ran to his seat. She let him by and was about to begin the class when she noticed one of her students had gone completely pale.
"Mr. Bolton, are you not feeling well?" Ms. Darbus asked. Troy didn't respond, instead he turned to look at Jason.
"You sure it was on Bridgeview? Maybe Bridgeheights?" He asked.
"Nope, I'm positive it was on Bridgeview. I live on that street and I couldn't even get off the street because it was right at where Bridgeview intersects McGill Crescent." Troy's face seemed to have paled even more.
"What kind of cars?" Troy asked. Ms. Darbus wanted to continue, but she could see that this concerned Troy and she let him continue. Having a student pass out would be even more problematic.
"Uhh, the car that caused the crash was a White Truck. It wasn't damaged that much. There was also a golden-looking Camry don't own, Toyota does that was totaled. They say that the two passengers were killed on impact." At this news Troy turned green.
"Dude, what's the matter?" Chad Danforth asked.
"Gab…Gab…" was all that Troy could get out. The class understood immediately. That was the kind of car Gabriella's mother drove. Troy looked like he was about to pass out when a familiar face walked through the door.
"Hey Ms. Darbus, sorry I was late. Here's a note from my mom. We were exiting my house when we got right caught in the drama. There was a car accident right beside out driveway, so we had to wait until the police, ambulance and…" Two arms wrapping around her cut her off. She turned in these arms to face two familiar blue eyes.
"Troy? What's wrong?" She asked.
"You…Camry…totaled…crash…thought…you…died…" Troy responded. He was stuttering, signaling that he was terrified, relieved and shocked at the same time. Gabriella understood what had happened. She wrapped her arms around him. They remained there until Ms. Darbus interrupted them.
"Well, I'm glad to know you are safe now Ms. Montez, now could you please get Mr. Bolton to his seat so I can begin my class?" She asked. Gabriella nodded her head and walked with Troy to the back, where there was a spare seat beside her. Ms. Darbus understood that Troy needed to sit with her in order to continue focusing in class, especially after the scare he had.
End of Flashback
Ms. Darbus finished telling the story to the Bolton's.
"The look on Troy's face when Gabriella walked into that room spoke a thousand words. He was so relieved to see her. It was then that I knew that he truly loved her, and would do anything to save her." Darbus' words touched me.
"Just like we will. Gabriella will be brought back home to us, safe and sound. We need her, and I don't think God would be so cruel as to take that innocent girl's life away. She inspires so many people, helps them, and brings a smile to anyone's day. Especially, young basketball star that adore her." I replied. I knew we had to save Gabriella, not only for her, but for Troy as well.
Troy's P.O.V
I continued walking down the familiar highway that led to the cottage I so desperately needed to find. I didn't know if I had missed it, or if I was even walking in the right direction, but something told me that I was getting closer and closer. I could just feel it. Just as I thought the road could keep going forever, I found it. I saw the sign that was worn out, but you could see distinguish the letters.
Anderson Family Cottage
I had found the dirt driveway that led to the cottage. I walked up to the sign, and noticed the small-carved words that were written underneath.
And Bolton's Too!
I remembered when this was written. Daniel and I, as a joke, had carved it in. We were best friends, so we thought we could share a cottage to. I stayed the entire summer there, my parents coming up to stay for two weeks each month, and then two weeks a month were just Daniel and Me. We had the best time together, until he killed Hannah. That ruined it for good. His parents left him, and the only person that he had to turn to was his new best friend Markus, who was so stupid he made Jason look like an Einstein.
I walked slowly up the path, uncertain of what awaited me. I was desperate to find Gabriella, but if I got myself hurt, then that wouldn't help out situation at all. I quietly walked through the trees, until I saw it. It looked exactly the same as it had all those years ago. Wood lodged together with brick, resulting in a two-story cottage that looked like a palace. I looked at my surroundings, remembering everything. The familiar pond, where when children Daniel and I had fed ducks and gone swimming. The swing hanging off the willow tree, where out mothers had sat together rocking us when we were infants. Best friends forever, we believed we would be, but things change. I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely heard the footsteps behind me. When I did, I turned around to come face to face with those Green Eyes that had haunted my dream for so many years.
"Bolton, how good to see you? It's been ages. Look's like you've been working out." Daniel said to me. I looked and saw to his right Markus, no longer the fat boy with glasses, but a muscular man who was well built. But not as well built as Daniel. He must have worked out a ton, because he looked like he could have picked up a car with one hand.
"Basketball still going for you?" The voice again took me away from my thoughts.
"Yeah. How about you? Murdering still going for you?" I responded. I was furious with him for taking Gabriella.
"You'd think you'd be a bit smarter, you're precious girlfriend in our hands. One command and she could be history." Could. He has said could, reassuring me that she was still alive. I hoped my thoughts were correct.
"Where is she? What have you done to her? Released her!" I screamed at him.
"Now, now Bolton. Why would we do such a thing? She did bring you to us, I wonder what other use she could be to us?" he said with a deadly smirk on his face.
"But Daniel, she's no good anymore. You've seen the state she's in. It's not long now, before she croaks." These words hit me like a ton of bricks. I fell to the ground, my face expressionless. She couldn't be dying; she still had so much to live for.
"Now Markus, why be so depressed. I think it would be best if Bolton told us what he thought." Daniel snapped his fingers, and I could feel two large hands life me up by my shoulders, and lead me inside the cottage. But nothing mattered to me.
Those words were still burned into my skull.
It's Not Long Now
AN: What do you think? This is the longest I have ever written a chapter in this story. Was it good? I feel it's getting very intense. I wonder what state Gabi's in (well I know, but you guys don't.) Please tell me what you think.
Oh and could you guys also check out "Love Doesn't Come Smoothly". I want to know if I should start it sooner or not? Please tell me what you think about those.
I have noticed that this story is getting the most attention of all my stories, and I am really happy to hear that. I'm glad that my story impresses you.
Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Comments are good and they motivate me!
Xoxo,
Vfanforlife
