Chapter 10:

Hours later, Lucas and I sit on the couch across the fireplace on the first floor, drinking one cup of tea after another. I can't seem to find any sleep - and he can't believe that I really am sitting here. In Troy's house. It feels all so surreal. It is surreal.

Months ago, I never would have guessed that I'd end up here. Never.

But now... Now I am here. And it feels good. Incredable good.

"So, how has he been?" I ask Luc, drinking a sip of my herbal tea. "After our separation... Did he..." I fail with words as goosebumps make it's way onto my skin.

"He was suffering as well, Gabs." he says, nodding. "While you were in London, he was... he was anything but himself." he starts, taking a breath. "He fell into that very dark hole..." he brushs through his sandy brown hair.

I frown. He seems fine. He doesn't seem to have fallen in that very dark hole. "What do you mean by that?"

Lucas bites his lip, as if he didn't know whether or not to tell me that. He sighs and I know that he gave in. "He started gambling again... And with the gambling came the alcohol. The really heavy stuff." he says, sighing. "And then he went to Washington for some reason. After that trip he changed again. He stoped with the alcohol... well except for this night obviously."

Gambling? Alcohol? That doesn't seem like the Troy I know.

It seems like the Troy who was with Katherine.

"Do you know if he made any debts?" I ask his brother slowly.

Lucas frowns at me, then a smirk appears on his face. Seconds later, he shakes his head, "No, he didn't make any debts, Gabriella. We're Bolton are wealthy. Very wealthy."

So wealthy that they can't make any debts?! That's impossible!... Or is it? "So you're unable to make any debts? That sounds..." impossible.

Lucas smiles at me, a very warm smile. "You have no idea how much money we earned, will inherit and earn in this very second, do you?"

I shake my head slowly. Obviously, I don't.

Lucas brushs through his sandy brown hair, "Our family owns billions. Many, many billions. The Bolton family is one of the richest family in the U.S., Australia und U.K. Some money our mother made, others our father... A big part is from our great-great-grandparents. But most of the money comes from us. Troy and me."

I gulp. Sounds like a lot of money for me.

"Do you want to know how much I earn by this very minute?"

I shrugg. Troy would interest me more. But it would give me an idea anyway...

"I earn roughly 5.000€ a day. Some days more, others less."

My chin falls down. 5.000€?! That's over 6.600$! Per day!

"Troy earned more... I don't know how much he earns now. That scandal... it wasn't good for his image. For the image of his family. Of us."

I am still too shocked to say anything. How can someone earn this much?! In a freaking day!

"Gabriella, you need to breath." Lucas whispers towards me.

I frown at him, as my body relaxes. "H-How... That's a lot of money." I conclude rather late.

Lucas nodds, "It is indeed."

What is he doing with so much money?!

"Don't worry, we're giving a lot of it away. For charity. We support lots of companies which help poor people, people who are not able to live with our standarts."

Not able to live with our standarts. I am not able to live with their standarts! I mean, they're a whole new league! I mean, this is... oh boy. Suddenly, I feel sick. Very sick.

I feel like I am going to vomit.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asks me, frowning. I must've lost all the color in my face. "Is this because you feel frightened due to the money we have?" he jokes.

I shake my head slowly and take deep breaths to fight the urge to vomit. After a couple of breaths the urge is gone just as fast as it appeared. "I am okay."

"You sure?"

I nodd, "It's nothing." I smile at him.

"Okay..." he says, his voice still filled with worry.

"But the money thing really did surprise me, Luc." I say honestly. "I mean, I knew you were wealthy, but this... this is a whole new form of wealth, Luc."

"Do you feel intimidated?"

I shrugg, "No, not really. Should I?" I mean, they're both men after all. Money or not.

"No." Lucas says too quick. "I mean, it's just money."

I nodd. Yeah, just money... If only Victoria could hear that. She would start a discussion within a second. God, I am so happy that my relationship with her is more than just fucked up. I grin.

"Why are you grinning?"

I shake my head, "No reason. Continue with your story. Where were we?"

"Troy, right..." Lucas says, thinking for a second. "And the next thing I know, is him being in London. Him being at the concert. I have no idea why he is here. Why so soon. But my guess is: You. You are the reason for everything. For his roller coaster ride." he says with a shrugg.

I shake my head, "I don't think I am the reason."

Lucas takes a sip of his fruity tea. "You are. You're all that makes sense for him. He asked me how you felt when we talked. Every single time, Gabriella."

I frown. Did he really? "What did you tell him?"

His answer is filled with a shrugg, "That you feel okay. That you're holding up."

"Why didn't he come to London earlier?"

He shruggs again, "He said he needed to do something in Washington. He's pretty closed up, Gabs. You should know."

I nodd. I do know how closed up he can be at times. But I thought that he would be open towards his brother.

"Listen, Gabs." he says, leaning forward. "If you're choosing to give you guys another try, which I think you are because you are sitting here, then give him some time. You guys need time to build the trust again. You both are broken. You both have been hurt."

I nodd. Time is what I will give him. What he needs. What I need. What we need.

"Troy Bolton is dating Katherine Sanchez again! According to a close source, Katherine is getting divorced from her Spanish husband Sandro Sanchez. The reason? Simple: The mogul Troy Bolton himself. Bolton and Sanchez met at a Gala earlier this year again after nearly two years of complete separation. Their relationship lasted for seven years, until Sanchez gave him an ultimatum: Either marriage or she leaves.

As Katherine got married to Sandro, Troy's decision became pretty clear.

But now they're back together again. The couple has been spotted in Mango's, Bolton's favorite restaurant in Manhattan. Sanchez and Bolton were very intimate, chuckled, hugged and even kissed according to a waiter.

The irony: Only five months ago he was at that restaurant with Gabriella Montez, his girlfriend at that time. Montez created a huge scandal with her label Manhattan records. Just a week before the bomb exploded, Montez flew to London, where she has been spotted with Bolton's brother, Lucas.

Stay tuned for more celebrity news."

I shake my head before I switch off the television in his living area. I am not in the mood to think about Bolton and Katherine. Bolton is enough to think about. I don't need Katherine on my mind as well.

I watch the eggs frying in the pan and yawn. Last night was not a pleasant night. It was anything but a good night. After my talk with Lucas, I was unable to find any sleep. I stared at the ceiling of the guestroom for the whole night. Maybe because Troy was sleeping only a few meters away from me. I couldn't even close my eyes. My head was filled with thoughts... Worry. Partly because I knew that I was sleeping in Troy's house, who didn't even had an idea that I was in the same district as he was. Partly because of the things which Lucas had told me that night. Things, I didn't think he knew. Things, Troy doesn't think he knows.

But he does.

Flashback

"Don't break his heart again." he says to me after a minute of silence. His emeraled colored orbs shine in the soft lightning of the open fireplace in the living room.

"I didn't break his heart."

"You did. You did what Katherine was not able to."

"I... I don't understand." He loved Katherine. How was I-

"When he and Katherine separated it was like... it was a whole new start. For both of them. And then he met you." he says and smiles a little, as if he was travelling back in time. "You didn't..." he brushs through his sandy brown hair, searching for words. After a few seconds he takes a deep breath. "You gave him a second life. You changed him. You changed him into the best version of himself. With you he... he was reborn."

With you he was reborn. My heart clenchs at that thought. Oh god, I'm going to cry again if he continues! "Lucas, stop..." I beg him. I can't listen to this. It hurts too much.

"I'm serious, Gabriella." he says, his bright green eyes reflection nothing but honesty. "He is my brother. He has always protected me. Always." he makes a short pause. "Now it's my time to protect him. If you don't want this, then... then let him go. For good."

Maybe I should. But I can't.

"Look, he doesn't know it, but... I know what happened when we were three years old."

I shiver. Lucas knows?! He couldn't. I mean, Troy told me that Lucas was fast asleep when his mother tried to kill him... Maybe he saw it after all. "H-how?" I ask him in a shaky voice.

Lucas frowns at me, "He told you?"

I shrugg, "Yes."

The green-eyed man leans back in his armchair, "Well, I woke up when our parents started quarreling. As soon as I saw Troy's red neck, I counted one and one together."

I'm impressed. I thought Troy was the smart brother. Guess they both are.

"That's why I am begging you, don't hurt him another time."

"I won't be able to hurt him anymore, Lucas. He is over me."

"Did that sound like he is over you tonight? Did the mumbling sound like he is done with you?" he asks me, tilting his head to the side.

I open my mouth to response, but instead my stomach turns around.

End of Flashback

The memory of last night is still in my head as I pull the eggs on a plate. Together with some bacon and yoghurt with berries it looks good. I smile, but frown as the smell starts making it's way into my nose. That doesn't smell so good, I conclude and seconds later I feel my stomach turning around once more.

As I wash my face, I look at my reflection in the mirror. Seriously, what the hell is going on with me?! I must've eaten something wrong or I'm getting sick or something.

I jump up as I hear a knock on the locked bathroom door.

"Gabs, are you okay?" I hear Lucas asking.

I nodd at my reflection. My pale face stares back at me. I am okay. I am fine.

I unlock the bathroom door and force my lips to form a smile, "Everything's fine, Lucas."

He nodds, although his facial features seem skeptical. "Well, Troy's not awake yet..." he says as I walk out of the bathroom, "So, this is your last chance to run away."

My last chance to run away. I really do feel the urge to run away. Away from him. Maybe forever.

"Will you stay or go?"

I take a deep breath to respond, but it gets stuck in my lungs as my eyes catch an awfully familiar image right behind Lucas.

And just like that, he has made the decision for me.

A new chapter! What do you think?

Please, please, pleaseeeee review!

Xoxo Nic