"One day everything is great, and in the space of 20 minutes everything changed." - Yvonne Dillaha
Being sad wasn't it, it was the anger that burned in my stomach and roared up to my ears that bothered me. I couldn't contain the hostile bursts I kept having as I sped down the road in my car. Who did he think he was? I should have stayed and beat the crap out of him, not ran away like I did.
I pushed my thoughts aside for a minute and looked down at my phone to push some numbers of a text message I was trying to send Sharpay but still keep a watchful eye on the road. When I looked down the light was green but when I looked up again, I was speeding too fast and the light was red along with a truck barreling towards my car at an increasingly fast rate.
My feet piled all they're pressure into the brake petal as quickly as possible but my car didn't come to a stop quick enough and the last picture that blinded my vision was of the hood of the truck coming into rough contact with my side of the car. Then it all went black as the pain consumed me.
"How is she?" A guys anxious voice asked somewhere behind the blackness of my eyes. Who was talking? Wait, where the hell am I? Am I blind? Why is it so hard to open my eyes? They feel so heavy, almost like bricks were sitting on my face.
"She has a concussion, a broken shin, and two cracked ribs." Someone winced with a quick intake of a sharp breath. "Besides that its just minor bruises from the glass and the contact. She was banged up real good. Any idea why she was leaving school anyway?" Just taking a guess here, but I think they're talking about me. The girl's tone sounded suggestive, like she was blaming the guy she was talking to for my injuries. My body felt numb all over, I wasn't aware of these wounds until she said that. My leg didn't hurt, or my ribs or head. I just felt… Well, numb.
"Um…" He hesitated in the blackness and suddenly my eyelids flew open like blinds snapping up too quick. At first it was blindingly too light but my pupils adjusted and two people stood in the white room I was laying in. The girl I didn't recognize right away, but then some memory or her floated back into my head.
"Sharpay…" My reflexive reaction was to sit up, and abruptly I felt pain slice through my left leg and a massive weight pull my head back down with a throb.
"Ah! Gabi, easy! Don't try to move, you'll hurt yourself." Sharpay moved hastily to my side, but the frozen body of an extremely good looking guy gazed shockingly in my direction. He looked guilty of something, like he did something he didn't want anyone to know about.
"Who-" My head swelled in pain and the rim of my eyes filled with black spots. "Holy shit," I moaned painfully but ignored the concern of the people around me as memories floated back to my brain.
"Mom, dad and me are going to Vermont. They're putting me in a center there and are staying at hotel near by, your going to be staying with Sharpay. Mom already worked it out with Maria but I guess she didn't tell Sharpay because I think she would have immediately spilled the beans to you. God," She frowned heat wrenchingly, "I'm going to miss you Gabi."
Lena, my sister, is moving to Vermont to be placed in a center to help her recover from her depression. How could I forget that? Slowly things were getting clearer.
"Did you tap that yet?" Chad scratched at the back of his mop of ringlets and I suddenly felt glued to the spot. My gut clenched when I heard the sexual slang my boyfriend's best friend was referring too. And unless Troy was cheating on me, Chad was talking about me. "No…" Troy shot the ball loosely and Chad caught the rebound. I was curious even though I knew I shouldn't be eavesdropping.
"You better turn up the charm man or your going to loose a bet. Montez can't be that hard to get into bed."
All I was to Troy was an easy lay and a pile of cash in his jeans pocket. My eyes flew open as the memories stopped.
Troy.
Troy, the guy standing in my hospital room, the one that appeared to be so worried about my well being. Yet, he's the same guy that took on a bet his basketball buddies cooked up, a bet to get me into bed. I'm guessing it was within a month too, based on what his best friends word implied and the winding double digits staring mockingly back at me from the calendar on the wall.
"Why…" I started directing my eyes to the tall, boy figure of my so-called boyfriend, exasperated with why he was even here, I couldn't form words. Scratch that. Ex boy friend. Wait a minute… How the hell did he get past Sharpay?
Or did she not know?!
I turned to my best friend since pre-k at my side now, there was no way she'd let him in here if she knew what I'd just found out before I got in here… right? How long ago was that anyway…?
There were so many questions I needed answers too, but all I could think of was the trader of a person I really like, no, liked, and why he's here. He certainly doesn't care for me, because if he did, he had a hell of a way of showing it.
"Sharpay…" I said shockingly, darting an irritated glare in Troy's direction. "Why is he here?" Although Sharpay is naturally blonde, but her dark eyebrows matched the honey light brown of her newly dyed hair. I remember that.
"What do you mean?" Her eyebrows scrunched up as she looked at me skeptically. "He's your boyfriend Gabriella, am I supposed to shun him?" She said the last part sarcastically, but that was exactly what I wanted her to do.
"You thought you could hide it? Did you seriously think I wouldn't tell her?" I glared angrily at Troy whose expression was guilty and sheepish now. I found my hands balling up with fury at my sides.
"Gabriella please, you have to listen to me… It's not like that anymore, I-"
"I can't believe you!" I shrieked hotly. "Your trying to deny something I myself heard? You've got to be shitting me, Troy. Your unbelievable!" The pace of the heart meter sped up next to Sharpay and her forehead creased with worrying writing itself between the lines.
"Whoa! Hang on a minute! What the hell happened with you two? Gabriella, you need to calm down!" Her eyes darted to the heart meter. "I don't know what's up with you two," She looked at Troy and then back at me. "But you both need to calm down or we'll get kicked out." Troy sighed dejectedly and looked down at his shoes. I shook my head with hostility still running through my veins, I want him to leave.
"Troy I think you should leave," Sharpay's hair swung side-to-side as she swiveled to get a look at the clock. "It's getting late anyway." Troy's cerulean eyes that were once filled with life and spunk paled and sat lifelessly in they're sockets staring blankly into mine with so much built up emotion, it was hard for me to stop the tears that sprung in the corner of my tear ducts.
"I'm really sorry Gabriella, I never meant to hurt you…" His face turned away from my eyes as he carried himself with his head hung low out of the hospital room. The hate that coursed through me was directed at him for two reasons. One, because he used me and conned me into thinking he actually liked me for some sick bet, and two, because he can say stuff like that to me that makes me react so strongly that I get so mad with myself.
"He can't say shit like that to me!" I exclaimed, teary eyed. I wasn't talking to Sharpay so much, more of myself than her. My emotions were built over and over with sadness and anger that they slowly poured out in the form of tears streaking down my cheeks.
My breakdown seemed to scare Sharpay, but I couldn't blame her because I never breakdown and cry blatantly like I am now. I always shove what I'm feeling aside and wait until I'm alone to cry, but right now I couldn't contain the things I was feeling.
"Oh Gabi," Sharpay slid onto the bed next to me and pulled me to her chest comfortingly, and I let her, because it felt so good to have one of the people I trust most hold onto me while I cry. My parents haven't paid much attention to me, because they're first assumption is that I'm fine. Always great, nothing fazes me.
The only thing they worried about was Lena, even when she wasn't depressed. It was always her, almost like they favored her over me. Maybe it was because I was the athletic one? I'll probably never know for sure. Did they think I was stronger because I'm a tomboy and like sports? I certainly wasn't more confidant then Lena. She was always more outgoing then me.
I felt so vulnerable right now; through my lifespan I've never felt this ache behind the ribs of my chest, where my heart is. The kind of pain that made you cringe and never want to feel again after you've experienced it once.
I also felt stupid and embarrassed. Stupid because I fell for an act Troy played out as real, because I actually thought what we had was that. Real. Embarrassed because word would get out way before the clocked ticked for first period tomorrow morning at school, and everyone would know how the basketball captain played with the shy girls feelings.
So I cried. I cried for Lena, I cried for Troy, I cried for Sharpay, and most of all, I cried for myself because I knew from here things would only get worse before they got better.
"The worst part is," I sniffled against Sharpay's shoulder and she voiced for me to go on. "I felt like it was more than just a crush."
It was as if someone died.
The silence that sliced through the halls of the high school when I walked through the doors was worst than the loud buzz of morning gossip. You get played by the basketball captain of the school and suddenly your all everyone is talking about.
No one is staring at you, I told myself as I hobbled by everyone on my crutches as Sharpay shuffled with my stuff and hers behind me. I knew everyone was staring at me, but it felt better to pretend they weren't. As we went down the hall people turned themselves to follow me down with they're eyes. Sharpay huffed annoyingly behind me and I knew she was getting angry about the staring.
"Hasn't your mother ever told you not to stare?!" She asked loudly, agitated with the sea of students around us. The shuffle of everyone's feet to make it look like they weren't staring bounced off the walls awkwardly and I smirked silently to myself. Leave it to Sharpay to set people straight.
When I had finally told her about what Troy got himself into, she was so fired up, it was like she was the one he played. In a way it made me feel better, because I could listen to her rant about how much of an inconsiderate piece of shit Troy was. Her words, not mine. Listening to her bad mouth him kept me from saying bad things about, which made me feel better because I found Sharpay more amusing than my own anger and misery.
Sharpay muttered a curse under her breath as I fiddled with my locker, spinning in the combination. Even though people stopped staring directly at me, I still felt everyone sneaking glances over they're shoulders. It was kind of amusing; the residences of East High seemed to crave my misery. When they were only putting a lazy smile on my face. High school, you can't live with it, but I think I could survive without it.
"Melanie told me that she was cheating on him and he caught then but then she got hurt trying to break them up from fighting." I rolled my eyes and kept walking with my head high. That was a stupid rumor. That girl couldn't even back it up by saying who I was cheating with.
"I heard they were fighting on his roof and he pushed her off." Another girl talked in a hushed tone that didn't seem all too hushed.
"Really?" I turned toward the girl talking to another and studied her face while keeping a tight hold on my crutches. "Because I wasn't aware that's what happened." I said, a little smug at how the younger girls face twisted with embarrassment. Some of the things I was hearing about me were pretty unrealistic. I mean come on, if your going to start a rumor about what happened between Troy and me at least come up with a good one.
Yeah, word got out about us, and a lot of people knew the truth as to what happened, but others chose to not believe it and make up they're own little juicy lies. When most of them were really stupid. A new rumor filled my ears as I walked by two more girls I knew were freshman right off the bat.
"Word going around is that she got into a fist fight with some girl she caught Troy getting cozy with." I laughed out loud; you've got to be kidding! People seriously think some really strange stuff. Even if that were the case, I don't think some girl'd beat me up that bad. Come on, a broken leg, some cracked ribs and a concussion from a fight? I think I'd be able to hold my own against some skanky hoe.
Besides the whispers and the mocking calls I caught going through the halls, today wasn't all too bad yet. It was bearable. Until I saw him, that is. I hadn't had to deal with him all day yet but now it was almost impossible to avoid.
He was leaning against my locker talking to a bunch of other jocks, making useless conversation. Part of me thought he did it purposefully. To make me mad, that sort of thing. He didn't like crushed and half crimpled like he did when I last came into contact with him at the hospital. Sharpay insisted I stayed home with her today at the house but I wanted to go to school, because I'd have to face it sooner of later so why not sooner?
Well when I thought that, I was confident, only because I didn't know I was going to the new celebrity to be picked on at East High. Now when I thought about it, one word that started with a T was enough of a reason for me.
"Troy." I tapped his shoulder with two fingers and his darken blue orbs looked curiously in my direction.
"Oh? I thought you were not on speaking terms with me Brie." His smirk was evident as his 'friends' cackled obnoxiously next to us. Oh sure, show off for your friends. Its always cool to act like a Dick when your ex girlfriend is around.
"Your leaning on my locker. Now move." I kept my voice stern and demanding, not letting it quiver like it wanted to. Being around him like this was making me nervous. He's being cocky and all jerk like just because I wasn't quick to forgive him? Well I guess being around his friends doesn't help either.
"What's the magic word babe?" His crooked smile was making me mad. I didn't like his tone and didn't want to be addressed as babe either. It made me feel cheap, like some slut you pick up in the dirty section. It made me feel like nothing more than one of Troy's flings.
But somehow I could see something burning behind his dark oceans of eyes. For a minute I felt hope rave through me, but then I threw some ice on it because I knew I didn't want anything to do with him anymore. Well at least that's what I told myself.
"Don't call me babe, please." I exaggerated the please and his jaw set into a grind. Troy moved aside reluctantly and turned away from me to dismiss his minions.
"How are you?" He asked, sounding genuine but now that I knew the truth about out relationship, I knew he was an extremely good liar. So how was I to know he wasn't acting right now? Troy should apply for Julliard. He'd be the next Brad Pit.
I scoffed hotly but slipped trying to hold a book and keep my balance with the cast that held my leg together. Firecrackers vibrated through my chest and I felt the spark of his hot fingertips catch me at the elbows. Once I was stably vertical I pushed his hands off me.
"Like you care," I scoffed. "Just leave me alone Troy. You've done enough."
"Gabriella stop it, don't for a second think I find any pleasure in seeing you in a cast." Troy snapped like a rubber band pulled too tight against my own wrist. The lash of his words stung but the pain I've been feeling lately was so much worse I barely felt it.
"If you cared," I paused to look him dead in the eye. "You would have manned up enough to say no and pass down a bet. Grow some balls Troy, and leave me the fuck alone." I slammed my locker shut and got away the quickest I could on crutches while still keeping my balance. I didn't want to ruin a rage like that by tumbling over and landing on my ass to just have him help me up again.
I finally managed to make it to the bathroom and there I sank to the floor and wiped away the silent tears that tainted my cheeks. You would think I would be cried out by now, but I wasn't. My tear ducts just kept refilling and refilling, there was no stopping it. I was tired and at this point hungry and I really just wanted to go lay down. I stayed strong though and didn't meet anyone's eyes as I found Sharpay in the hall and hobbled to lunch with her.
"How you feeling Gabi?" Beth asked me as I reached the table.
"Freaking fantastic." I sank down into my seat and took one of her French fries. "Life just can't get any better than this."
Im so sorry this is short! I'll post agian soon! And alos about the dog pregnancy thing, i had no idea lol, i'm going to change it though so no worries. Thanks so much for reviewing! I love hearing from you guys!