Troy woke up to loud snoring. He looked up on the couch and Chad was where it was coming from. "Shut up." He muttered to no one in particular and he picked up a pillow lying next to him and threw it at Chad's face. Chad stopped snoring, but he didn't wake up, he just snuggled with the pillow. Troy chuckled quietly.
He looked down at the light weight on his chest. Gabriella's head was resting there. He grinned as his hand subconsciously reached down to stroke her hair. "Take a picture, it lasts longer," a murmur came from her mouth. Troy smiled as her eyes flicked open.
"How did you know I was looking at you?" Troy asked.
"I have ESPN," Gabriella joked.
"Haha. ESPN. Funny," he muttered. Sharpay rolled over next to them and gave them a glare.
"Lovebirds, thanks for waking me up," Sharpay muttered, sitting up, running a hand through her tangled hair. "I planned on sleeping in today."
"When did you go to bed?" Gabriella asked.
"Five," Sharpay yawned. "What time is it?"
Troy pulled his phone out of his pocket. "9:45."
"That would be why you're so tired," Taylor added, also sitting up, on the other side of Sharpay.
"Where's Zeke?" Troy asked.
"Here," Zeke called. "In the kitchen. Making pancakes for breakfast."
"Mmm, pancakes," Gabriella smiled, chewing on her bottom lip.
"What do you guys want to do today?" Sharpay asked. Troy shrugged and looked at Gabriella.
"Let's go swimming in your indoor pool," Taylor said.
"I don't have a suit," Gabriella pointed out.
"You can borrow one of Ryan's girl friends. She spends the night here a lot." Sharpay told her. Taylor clapped her hands. "The guys can borrow Ryan's."
"Isn't that kind of weird?" Troy asked.
"They've been washed, idiot." Taylor giggled. Gabriella smiled and stretched, sitting up.
"Still weird," Troy said.
"Well, whatever, swim in your boxers then." Gabriella suggested.
"Okay," Troy shrugged.
"CHAD GET THE FUCK UP!" Taylor screeched, suddenly.
"Mommy, no. I didn't wet the bed again!" Chad wailed, bolting up. He looked confused and then embarrassed.
"Mommy?" Taylor shrieked with laughter.
LATER THAT DAY:
"Bye, guys," Gabriella waved, as Troy lead her out the door. "Hey, mami," she greeted, as she climbed into her mom's Volvo(Oh, yeah, that's what Edward Cullen drives. That's right. I said it. ;P).
"Hey, sweetheart. It's good to see you, Troy." Maria said, politely.
"Is daddy home today?" Gabriella asked. Maria shook her head.
"He went hunting with the guys for the weekend."
Thank god, Gabriella thought. She could finally tell Troy today. The secret she wanted so desperately to be saved from. She just wanted it to be over. For it to end. "Oh, that stinks," she lied.
"I know, sweetie." Maria agreed, turning the corner, onto their street. Troy looked at Gabriella. She didn't look very disappointed. She actually looked happier. He just shrugged it off.
Once Maria pulled into the driveway, Gabriella jumped out of the car, hand in hand with Troy. She ran up to her room. They both sat on her bed. She thought of how she should start. "I started when I was five," Gabriella started. Troy observed her face, noticing the sadness had been replaced.
"What happened?" He encouraged her.
"My dad was drunk one night and he came into my room, really late at night…" Gabriella closed her eyes. She could feel the tears burning at her eyelids. Troy squeezed her hand. "He…r-raped…me."
"He didn't!" Troy yelled. Gabriella put her hand over his mouth. His face paled.
"Shh," she hushed him. "He said…that that's what daddy's and their little girl's were supposed to do…I didn't know…I was so young…"
"Does he still do it?" Troy demanded. Gabriella looked away, avoiding his eyes. "Does he still do it?" Troy repeated, a little more angrily this time, forcing Gabriella to look at him. She nodded her head weakly. "Oh my God."
"Troy, don't say anything-"
"Gabriella, why didn't you tell me earlier? I could've helped…"
"Well, you didn't tell me about yours either," Gabriella snapped.
"Yours is so much worse!" Troy yelled, getting frustrated. Not with her, but with her dad. He wanted so much to get his hands on him at this moment.
"No, it's not! Your's is deadly!" Gabriella shot back. "He could've killed you!"
"You could've ended up pregnant! With your father's baby!" Troy roared.
"Troy, please…" She begged. "Please, cam down."
Troy sighed. "I can't just…let him do that. We have to tell someone."
"No!" Gabriella shrieked. "Please, don't!"
"I'm not going to let him keep doing this to you!" He bellowed. She closed her eyes, allowing her tears to leak out. "This has to stop, 'Brie."
"And it will…eventually."
"No, not eventually. Now." Troy replied, shaking his head. "We both need to get away from this. I can't live like this anymore. Especially not when you're getting hurt, too."
"What are we going to do if we can't tell anybody?" Gabriella asked.
"Run away," Troy said. "It's the only way."
"You know how much trouble we could get in?"
"Yeah, I know, but it's a risk I'm willing to take to save you."
"When?" Gabriella asked. "How?"
"Right now. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready to do this," Gabriella said, mostly to reassure herself.
"I'm going to go to my house and get packed. I'll meet you back here in fifteen minutes, okay?" Troy asked. Gabriella nodded. Troy leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "I love you."
"Love you, too." Gabriella replied, as he opened her bedroom door and walked out. Gabriella sighed as she sat down on her bed.
"Hey, princess."
"Daddy!" Gabriella jumped to her feet. "I thought you were gonna be gone all weekend."
"We decided to come back early." Edward replied, giving her an evil smile.
"Oh," she gave him a fake smile in return. "That's great."
"I know, pumpkin, and hey, you're mom's gone. She went to the gas station for me."
Gabriella shuddered. "That's good?"
"Yeah," he pushed her back onto her bed and climbed on top of her.
AT TROY'S HOUSE:
Troy rushed to throw things into his duffel bag. He grabbed six pairs of jeans, four pairs of basketball shorts, and a couple pairs of pants. Then, he moved toward his closet and grabbed all of his t-shirts that he could find and a pair of tennis shoes. He ran into his bathroom and grabbed a toothbrush and some toothpaste and a couple of towels for showers. Then, he shoved everything into his bag.
He slid on a clean pair of skinny jeans, his checkered Vans, and a Framing Hanley shirt. He threw the duffel bag over his shoulder and climbed over the edge of his balcony and down the post that was holding it up. He ran as fast as he could over to Gabriella's house, which was just a few blocks away. When, he got there, he climbed up her balcony and knocked softly on the glass.
She turned around and ran to the door. She held a finger to his lips. "My dad's home." She whispered. There were tear stains on her cheeks. Troy's anger boiled up in his veins.
"Did he touch you again?" He demanded. Gabriella nodded softly. She pulled her backpack on her shoulders and grabbed his hands.
"Take me away." She whispered. He nodded his head, gritting his teeth, and lead her toward the edge of the balcony. She looked over the edge, fright gripping at her sides.
"I'll go first." Troy said, laying his duffle bag by her feet. "Toss yours and mine down to me when I get down there, okay?"
Gabriella nodded her head as Troy climbed over the edge and slid down her post. She tossed her backpack down to him and he caught it and laid it on the ground. She tossed his down next. "C'mon, baby," he called as softly and quietly as he could. She closed her eyes as she put one foot over the edge. "I'll catch you."
She gently placed her other foot over the edge and bending down slightly, she wrapped her legs around the pole. She didn't look down. She was scared of heights. She dropped one hand from the ledge and placed it around the post. Then, slowly, she did the other, too. She slid to the ground and Troy caught her, just like he said he would.