Chapter Ten

Gabriella took a step back, away from her window, and sat down on the floor, tears forming in her eyes.

"Gabriella?" Troy yelled from below. "You still there?" He threw another rock through her open window, hitting her head.

"Ouch!" She placed her hand on her head where the rock had hit.

"Gabbi?" Troy shouted again, with a confused look on his face.

She stood back up and walked over to the window. "I can't!" She shouted back, looking away from him.

Troy looked up at her, "Wha… Why not?" He put his hands on his head. "There's no school for a whole week!"

A tear fell past Gabriella's cheek. "I just can't!" She backed away and shut her windows, then leaned up against the wall.

"Gabriella!" He signed, walking to the front door with his head facing the ground. He rang the doorbell several times, no one answered.

"What's going on?" He whispered under his breath, scratching his head.

He took a few steps back and looked up at the house, shaking his head. He turned away with a deep sigh and headed back to his house.

Gabriella shut off the radio and walked over to the sink, staring at herself in the mirror. She leaned her hand on the sink and looked down.

Gabriella took one last glance at her self in the mirror, and then walked over to her bed. She shut off her alarm clock and went under the covers.

Crying in frustration, she hit her pillow with her fist and pulled the blanket over her head.

DOWNSTAIRS

Stella walked into the kitchen and browsed through the fridge.

"Girls? It looks like there is nothing good to eat today. Where do you want to eat?"

Kelsi came out of her room and sat at the bar, looking at her mom.

"I don't care…" She sighed, leaning her chin in the palm of her hand.

Stella gazed out the window, "Okay." She paused. "SHARPAY!" She yelled and there was no answer.

"Where is your sister?"

Kelsi shrugged and shut her eyes, "Maybe she's on the phone, as usual…" She looked back at her mother.

Stella groaned and stomped over to Sharpay's room. She knocked on the door and walked in.

There sat Sharpay on her windowsill, giggling away on the phone.
Stella cleared her throat and walked up behind her, tapping her index finger on Sharpay's shoulder.

She turned around smiling, and looked up at her mother. "I have to go Jess." Sharpay hung up the phone. "Yesss?" She smiled up at her mother.

"There's no good food in the fridge, where would you like to eat?" Stella put her hands on her hips and watched Sharpay as she thought.

"I feel like something exotic." She smiled.

"Alright." Stella laughed. "How about the La Caribbean Port? They're supposed to have food from Australia, South America, Europe and what not."

"I've heard of that place." Sharpay continued to smile. "Troy told me about it a few days ago, said they had the best sushi." She laughed and stood up.

"Okay, well get ready. I will be leaving in five minutes." She left her room and walked back over to Kelsi.

"Wake up sleepy head, we're leaving." Stella shook Kelsi gently on the shoulders.

Kelsi just nodded and shooed her mom away.

"Five minutes Kelsi!" Stella yelled as she left into the garage.

Sharpay came dancing out of her room, Kelsi propped her head up with a raised eyebrow. "What are you so happy about?"

"No reason." She smiled and got a drink out of the fridge.

"Okay something is seriously wrong with you. Are you sure you weren't adopted?"

"Of course not silly!" Sharpay laughed. "Why on earth would you think that?" Sharpay left into the garage and hopped into the front seat.

Kelsi rolled her eyes and followed her into the back seat.

"Glad you could make it Kels." Stella spoke as she opened the garage door.

"So where are we --- STOP!"

Stella slammed on the breaks as she heard Kelsi scream.
"What in the world!" Sharpay yelled as she was jerked forward.
Both Stella and Sharpay turned around to look at her. "What?" Stella replied with frustration.
Kelsi was staring at the concrete driveway with her jaw dropped.

Sharpay got out of the car to find Troy lying on the ground.

"What on earth are you doing down there!" She stomped over to him, hands on her hips.

He opened his eyes and took a quick glance up at her, then closed them again.

"Hello!" She tapped her heal in his side. Troy flinched and looked back up at her.

"What do you want?" He sighed.

"I would like to go to dinner, but that's a bit impossible with you lying here." She paused. "Why are you lying here anyways?"

"Thinking." He sat up.

"About what exactly." She raised her eyebrow.

"Just about… stuff." He replied.

"Would you like to talk about it over dinner, because I'd like to go." She looked at her mother and Kelsi in the car and back at Troy.

"Well…do you or don't you?"

"Nah that's okay. I already ate."

"Well than could you MOVE?" She raised her voice.

"Yeah that I can do." Troy stood up and walked down to the sidewalk.

"Tootles!" She waved with a smile.

"Tootles…" He looked around, heading right, and disappeared from sight.

Sharpay got back into the car, "Okay we can go now." She smiled.

Stella started the car back up and backed out of the garage and out of the driveway.

"So what was that all about?" Kelsi asked.

"Oh nothing." Sharpay laughed. "I think he was just bored."

"Oh okay then…" Kelsi let out a small laugh and looked out the window.

Back to Gabriella

She got back out of bed and wiped her face off with a damp towel. She ran over to her window and watched the Evan's leave the house.

"I wonder where they're going." She mumbled. "I guess I got the whole house to my self though." A small smile appeared on her face. She glanced over at her door and walked over to it. "No harm in walking around the house." She smiled and opened the door.

There was a ring at the door. Should I answer that? She thought to herself as she ran down the stairs. Sure why not. She stood on front of the door and looked through the peep whole. There stood a brown haired boy with his hands in his pockets.

Gabriella bit her lip and opened the door slightly. "Yes?" She asked, standing away from the open crack.

"Gabbi?" Troy pushed the door open a little more, so that he could see her face. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She looked down and nodded, holding the door open for him.

"What's going on?" He looked at her, as she shut the door. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about…" She leaned up against the door and tried not to catch his gaze.

"I think you do." He looked at her. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Nope." She looked away. "There's nothing to tell here." Gabriella gave him a small smile.

"I don't believe that."

"Well then what am I supposed to say to make you believe me?" Her eyes began to water again.

"Just tell me the truth? Why are you all of the sudden hiding from me? You seemed fine over the phone earlier?"

"I … I'm not allowed to go anywhere this week. I'm… Uh. Grounded." She looked down and cupped her hands together.

"Why?" A confused look appeared on his face once again.

"I'm not sure." She sighed.

He let out a small laugh, "Well how can you be grounded and not know why?"

Gabriella gazed up at him and took a deep breath. "I… well. Stella was mad at me I guess… and she wants me to stay in my room all week, with out food and I really don't know what I did wrong…" She burst into tears and slowly slid down the door and onto the floor, scooting her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

Troy kneeled down next to her and gave her a hug. "It's okay… Shhh…" He tried to calm her down.

"No its not!" She pushed him away. "This is how it's been ever since I've been living here! She has no respect for me and I don't know what I do wrong but I am always being punished for doing something I didn't do or for nothing at all! And on top of all of that she beats me! And tries so hard to get rid of me! I can't take it anymore!" she screamed and lye down on the floor crying.

Troy sat next to her and pulled her close, speechless.