What Have I Done
Subchapter I
As/n: Thank you for reviewing the last chapter! We're sorry that it got bumped off the first page so quickly. This chapter is in two parts, so the next subchapter will start roughly the same time as this subchapter.
2:07 PM
Taylor turned over one last time before she turned on her lights. She hated being in a fight with Gabriella because no matter what the truth was, Gabriella's strong accusations stuck like a magnet. Taylor had been able to handle this well enough before, but when she knew that what Gabriella said was because of hysterics, she couldn't handle it.
Taylor pulled out her laptop and opened her email. There was one new message, but it was on the second page, and she didn't feel like reading it then. Instead, she started a new email to Gabriella.
2:15 PM
Gabriella was lying on the sofa by her bed reading. She couldn't sleep because a new wave of pain was washing over her from seeing Troy that afternoon. Also, her mom had called a shrink and scheduled an appointment for Gabriella.
She decided to go over to her computer and check her email, even though she knew that nothing important would have come since she last checked it at 10:00. But she did see a new email. When she read the name, she automatically put the cursor on the delete button, but then her eyes slipped over the subject line.
Taylor: Please read this before you delete it: 2:12 PM
She opened it, mostly out of curiosity.
Gabriella-
I know that you're mad at me and you probably are only reading this to see if I'm confessing or something. (Don't close it yet!) Meet me at the mall after school today, please! I understand if you don't want to go, but I'm going to drag you there anyway. I know you don't want to hear this, but here it is anyway: You are just making your mental and physical condition worse by spending hour after hour in the hospital. Please, you have to listen to me.
Taylor
Chemistry Club President
Extension Number: 23100
By the time she finished the email, Gabriella was in tears…What have I done?
She emailed Taylor back to say that she would be there, and then she cried herself to sleep.
East High 7:45 AM
Taylor was waiting for Gabriella when she arrived at school. As soon as the car pulled up, she ran over to her friend. She was expecting, once again, a feeble-looking, teary-eyed Gabriella, but what she saw was very different. Gabriella's cheeks were pink instead of her eyes, her hair pulled back in a loose, but neat, bun, and her clothing was not black, but blue.
"Wow! You look so much better than you did yesterday," Taylor complimented.
Gabriella's smile brightened, "I feel a lot better, too," they started walking. "I realized when I read your email how much damage I've been doing to myself. And that's why I'm going to go visit my dad."
Taylor's smile lessened, "Gabby, your dad is…you know…the whole thing with Troy…"
Gabriella laughed, "No, silly! I'm going home to visit his grave…to where I was born. I just need to think with him…just one more time."
Taylor nodded. Although she didn't really understand it, she understood that this was something that her friend needed to do.
The day passed quickly after that, and soon Taylor and Gabriella were at the mall.
"Are you going to see Troy tonight?" Taylor asked as she looked through the clearance skirts.
"Just before I leave for the airport tomorrow," Gabriella replied, looking at a new pair of heeled ballet flats because her old ones were getting too small.
Taylor looked up from the skirt she was inspecting, "Really? I thought for sure you would go tonight."
"Yeah. But it just makes me so sad, and it's not like I can talk to him or anything."
They ended up buying a skirt, a pair of heeled ballet flats, and two CDs total. Afterwards, they went back to the Montezs' house and watched a movie while doing their homework.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Gabby," Taylor called as she went out the door.
Gabriella went up to her room and packed for her weekend trip to Oregon. She was staying at her aunt's house, but only her aunt and her cousin were going to be there.
7:05 AM
Beep…beep…beeeeeeeeeeeeeep!
Gabriella woke with a start. HELP! Troy's dying! What? Where am I? Oh, my alarm-clock, my bed, my room. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gabriella got out of bed and dressed for school. Grabbing her carry-on and her backpack, she went downstairs for breakfast.
"Bye, Mom!" Gabriella shouted as she left for school.
"Wait!" she heard her mother cry. "Try to have fun…see some of your friends that you left behind."
Gabriella's eyes welled with tears, "Mom, you know I'm going to see a friend…I'm going to see Dad."
Her mother hugged her tight, "You're a good girl, Gabby, and I'm so proud of you. I just want you to know that," they waved goodbye, and Gabriella headed off to East High.
"Gabriella!" Chad yelled from behind her.
"Okay, I know this is hard for you, but you need to, you know, move on. You can't let this…"
"You should talk to your girlfriend more often, Chad, really," Gabriella laughed. "Is Mr. Bolton back today?"
Chad shrugged.
Okay then.
The day passed quickly, and Gabriella was permitted to leave early because her flight was at 5:00, and she had to get through security.
She had called a taxi service at lunch, and it was there by the time she had signed out. It dropped her off at the hospital and waited while she said goodbye to Troy. When she walked in, she couldn't see anything other than the same boy she had said goodbye to two days ago.
"Hey, Troy. I miss you…a lot. I'm going to see my dad at his grave…so, I guess this is goodbye…for now of course!" Gabriella looked down at the unconscious face, and her heart broke again. What had she done?
When she came back out, she got in the taxi and they drove to the airport.
"You got a friend in that hospital?" the taxi-driver asked.
Gabriella nodded, "Yeah, my boyfriend."
"You going away from this?"
"No, I'm going back to a past tragedy. One that will never have a chance to live again," she dully answered.
The driver looked up, "Someone die?"
She nodded again, "My father."
They drove the rest of the way in silence. Gabriella kept asking herself: What have I done?
9:00 PM
Gabriella walked from her aunt's house to the cemetery where her father was buried. She never liked to drive into this place because it made her feel like she was at the funeral again thinking: What have I done?
She approached the hill where the headstone was. It sat under a small cherry tree that had been beautiful in the springtime when they buried her father.
David Mathew Montez
Loving Husband, caring father
Right to the end
December 15, 1959-
April 16, 2005
"Dad, what do I do?" Gabriella sat down and thought, crying every now and then.
She fell asleep by her father's grave that night. Somehow, when she woke up, she felt as if some of her burden had been lifted. She spent the day talking to her father, telling him all about her life. She asked him: Dad, tell me, what have I done?
As/n: Okay. The next subchapter will be up soon. We hope you liked this one, but we want to hear what you think so…please review!
