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Chapter 10

TROY'S POV

I shifted slightly on the bed, my eyes fluttering open. I smiled. Gabriella was coming home today. That thought alone made me not only look forward to the rest of the day but also panic. I quickly glanced over at the clock. 4:13 p.m. Gabriella's flight was supposed to have arrived at 2:40.

I quickly jumped up from the bed and grabbed my phone from the bedside table. Why hadn't she called? Was she okay? I had laid down after lunch, having a slight headache at having to deal with Sharpay. I knew I could take an hour's nap before I had to leave to get Gabriella. I had set an alarm, but it hadn't went off and I had ended up sleeping a few hours.

I looked down at my phone and noticed it was off. I let out a groan and booted it up. I had four text messages and six missed calls, all from Gabriella. She had only left one voicemail.

Just landed. Meet you at baggage claim. Can't wait to see you!

Waiting at baggage claim. Where are you?

Is your phone off? I keep getting the voicemail. Waiting on a bench in arrivals.

Don't worry about picking me up. Mom is coming to get me. See you soon. Hope you're ok.

Her messages broke his heart. He couldn't believe he'd screwed up like this. Why had his phone been turned off? He listened to the voicemail.

Hey Troy, it's me. I'm waiting here in arrivals. I've sent you a couple texts but I haven't gotten a reply and I don't see you anywhere. Where are you? Are you okay? Please call me back. I'll be patiently waiting. I love you.

He was such a bad boyfriend. How could he have just left her at the airport like that? But if her mom had picked her up, she should have been there. He rushed out the bedroom door and into the living room where he saw Sharpay sitting.

"What are you still doing here? I thought I told you to lock the door on your way out."

She looked around at me. "Oh, I thought I would hang around until you woke up. I just don't feel like we ever get to hang out, even when I am in town, because of Gabriella. So I thought I would make the most of it while she's not here."

"What? Sharpay we don't hang out because honestly we're not that close, and it's not that Gabriella won't allow me to see you, it's because of the last time we tried to hang out that I never agree to see you. Just be lucky I allowed it this time. You almost caused Gabriella to break up with me last time just because of that stunt you pulled when you kissed me." I ran my fingers through my hair, frustrated with this woman. "So Gabriella isn't here? She said her mom was bringing her from the airport. My phone turned off and I slept through the time I was supposed to go pick her up. Why didn't you wake me up knowing what time I had to be there?"

"No, Gabriella's not here. I let you sleep because you really needed it. You looked so tired earlier and I could tell you hadn't slept all week. Right now you need to be taking care of your health, Troy."

"Sharpay! You knew it was important for me to go pick her up! Now she's probably mad at me." I paused, looking down at my phone then back up at her. "Sharpay you need to leave before she gets here and I need to go call her and see where she is."

"Oh…no need. She won't be back until tomorrow. She was here earlier long enough to tell me to let you know she'll be here tomorrow to get her stuff."

"Get her stuff?" I asked as my heart plummeted.

"Yeah, she's moving out. You don't have to worry about her anymore."

"What?! Of course I'm going to worry about her. Did she say where she was going?"

Sharpay shook her head. "No, she just turned and left."

I knew where she would have gone. She would have gone to her mom's house. I turned and walked back to my room, calling Gabriella. Her phone rang a few times before going to voicemail. I grabbed my keys and started back out the door, praying she was at her mom's and that she would hear me out. I'm sure she was not only upset with me about not picking her up, but also finding Sharpay at the apartment when she got back. I just hoped she would listen and believe me.

As I made my way back into the living room, Sharpay was still settled on the couch watching TV.

"Sharpay…get out!"

She whipped around and looked at me. "What? Why?"

"Because I said so!" I said, my voice rising.

"But Troy…" she said as she stood up and walked over to me. "This is our chance, baby. This is our chance to finally be together. We don't have to worry about her anymore being in the way."

"Number one…don't call me baby!" I said, my voice loud enough to make her flinch. "Number two…the only person who seems to keep getting in the way is you! I need you to get OUT of my life and never come back. I never want to see your face again, Sharpay. You seem to keep getting in the way of the best thing that's ever happened to me. So just leave!"

Sharpay let out a sob as she grabbed her jacket and purse and left, the door slamming behind her. I took a steadying breath, trying to calm myself and give her time to be gone before I left myself to go find the love of my life.

I waited a few minutes until I had calmed myself to the point of only feeling the pain that was left from knowing that Gabriella wanted to end things. I couldn't imagine my life without her and I had to do everything I could to get her back. I drove to her mom's house and parked, seeing her car in the driveway. I walked slowly to the door, going over in my head the words I wanted to say to her.

Maria opened the door and looked at me with a shocked expression, then one of anger. "How dare you show up here after what you've put my daughter through," she said quietly, her anger seeping through her words.

I looked to the ground, ashamed I had missed picking her up, then looked back to her. "I'm so sorry, Maria. But can I please talk with Gabriella? It's important. I need to apologize to her."

"Apologize? Apologize for what? For not picking her up? For making her sit for nearly an hour at the airport by herself? For her coming home to find a woman in the apartment that you two share? For breaking up with her? What? What Troy? What exactly are you sorry for?" Maria was breathing heavily when she finished. She had kept her voice quiet, probably to keep from alerting Gabriella, but her disgust had come through loud and clear in her words.

"Wait a minute, Maria…I think you got something wrong. I didn't break up with Gabriella. She broke up with me. I haven't even spoken with her. But you're right about everything else. Please…," I paused, my voice breaking with the emotions that were overcoming me. "Please let me talk to her. You don't know how badly I need to see her, to have her with me. I love her so much, Maria."

Maria's eyes softened slightly. She took a deep breath, as if contemplating her answer. "You didn't break up with her?" I shook my head. "So it was Sharpay. I knew it. That woman is so manipulative! But why did you allow her into the apartment that you share with my daughter? Do you realize how stupid that was? Or are you trying to hide something?"

I shook my head again. "No, Maria. I promise I'm not hiding anything. I promise Sharpay is completely out of the picture now. She wasn't even really supposed to be in the picture to begin with. I haven't had any contact with her since the day of that kiss until today and she just randomly showed up at the apartment. Please believe me, Maria. I need to explain all this to Gabriella. I have to get her back." I pleaded with Maria to let me in to see Gabriella.

"Okay," she finally said. "She's up in her old room."

I nodded and thanked her as I made my way inside and upstairs. I slowly opened her door and found her asleep on her bed, tear stains on her cheeks. I quietly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. I gently moved the hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear before lightly tracing my finger along her cheek. I saw her eyes begin to flutter before they opened and looked up at me.

Her eyes held confusion, then hurt and anger as she locked her eyes on me. "What are you doing here?" she asked quietly, her voice still soft and not harsh like I expected it to be. This gave me hope that she might hear me out.

"We need to talk."

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