Well, just everyone knows…Nick isn't Troy's stepfather. He's his brother, the one living with his mom obviously (-1st chapter). Just you know…
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Enjoy, LY Michi

As Jack left the room, he didn't realize the razor blade still resting in Troy's right hand…ready to be used again…

Gabby's POV

As soon as Chad got the call from Lucille that Troy was missing we had made our ways to Lucille's house. I tried my best to keep control over my tears. I wanted to know if he was alright.

When we arrived at Lucille and Nick were sitting in the kitchen. Nick trying to calm his mother down, while Lucille was fighting with her tears.

Chad and me sat down. "Thanks for calling…" Chad smiled a bit. Lucille shook her head, as if saying it's nothing.

We sat there for a long time…my mind wandered to Troy. He couldn't be gone. What if his dad found him? No, I wouldn't think of that. What if he was alone and scared out the in some side walk? What if someone found him and kidnapped him? What if he died?

I felt tears cascading down my cheeks. I tried not to let them fall but I couldn't help it. I felt Chad pulling me closed to him, I let my head fall on his shoulder.

What if something seriously or bad happened to Troy?

I closed my eyes, trying to think positive. The police was out there searching the block for him.

Chad's POV

Troy had just come to live with Lucille and his brother again. He had left his dad. – No one needed to worry about him now, he was saved.

But after the phone call I knew it wasn't like that. He was out there, probably fighting with people who wanted to take advantage of his fears, of him being scared.

I had seen how his eyes had widened the day in the hospital when the nurses had changed. At first he didn't want the nurse to touch him. His fear was written in his eyes.

I saw Gabby shaking beside me. I pulled her close. I knew how worried she had to be.

She was in love with Troy, no way to deny it. I had known Troy since pre-school and he had grown to be a brother to me. I didn't want to think what would happen if something worse than his dad happened to him.

But Gabriella. - She only knew him nearly two months now. But the way she worried and cared about him. – There was something more.

I didn't want to think about how Gabby would react if Troy wouldn't return. But right now we had to stick to every thread we had…

Lucille's POV

I still couldn't believe it, my child was missing…no one had an idea where he possibly could be.

I could kick myself, why did I have to leave to tell my boss that I wanted to stay at home for some time to look after Troy? Why couldn't I phone him? This way Troy would still be here…

I didn't care about the tears floating down my checks. If something happened to him, if Jack found him, I could never forgive myself.

I was dying to see the police coming back from their search around the block, telling me they found him and everything was alright. But the longer it took, the more I believed it wouldn't turn out that way…

I was glad Chad and Gabriella had turned up, so Nick and I won't be alone worrying us sick. I looked around and saw that Gabriella had difficulties too to hide her tears.

I smiled a bit, Chad was right. Troy and Gabriella really had a thing for each other. I didn't want to think what would happen if Troy wouldn't come back. My heart would break. – I had already left him with Jack. Just because of basketball! I would've never thought Jack would do such things to our son.

And Gabriella's heart would splatter as well…

But I was sure wherever Troy was, he would fight for the one's he loved…well at least I hoped it. But as I knew him he would fight until the very end.

Nick's POV

The whole room was quiet it seemed like even the clocks in our house had stopped to tick, thinking about Troy. Where he was, how he was…whom he was with.

One moment I leave our house and an hour later it's empty. Troy must've taken advantage of being alone in the house.

Mom had told me about his strange behavior this morning after he had finally woken up…maybe he had a dream and after wards he needed some fresh air. No, 5 five hours later you don't.

I sighed quietly, trying not to think about how things would change if Troy was gone. My mom would totally go crazy. I knew she was blaming herself for what happened to Troy. She had been crying. – I heard the other night.

But it wasn't her fault. She couldn't have known that dad would do such things, neither could I. Secretly I've always been jealous of Troy. He had been the famous basketball player and he was allowed to stay with dad.

Two years ago I would've loved to live with dad as well, but now things changed. It was my own decision to play basketball or not, and it wasn't Troy's decision to live with our dad.

Things just turned out that way…

Gabby's POV

After what seemed like hours the police officers returned to the house. I immediately jumped up and turned to face them. But when I saw nothing but pure sorrow in their faces I knew there weren't any good news.

"We're sorry Ms. Bolton but we couldn't find him around the block. But don't lose your hope, there's a small chance he's already around the other blocks…do you know anyone who lives near you? In a radius of…10 to 20 minutes from here?"

I looked at Troy's mom, she was thinking really hard. I knew that Jack was living like blocks away…but I guess Troy wouldn't go there. Why should he?

As Troy's mom shook her head, her gaze dropped again.

"Ms. Bolton, we'll find him. We'll extend our search to 4 blocks."

She nodded and the police left again after asking if anyone had an idea where he might went…

But sadly we had none…

Troy's POV

My head hurt. I kept my eyes closed, slowly I noticed that I was lying on the floor, I didn't know how I got there. I didn't know where I was at all, everything was gone…

I slowly opened my eyes. It was dark. –Too dark to see anything. I tried to sit up and my head began to hurt like hell and everything was spinning and I felt the blood rush down my arm… I looked at my arm and noticed a bandage. But I remembered it got removed at the hospital.

I kept lying on the ground and tried to get the bandage away. But just as I tried to I heard a VERY familiar voice.

"Don't do that, you'll lose too much blood. And that wouldn't be good, for none of us." My eyes shot open at the voice of my dad!

"Why am I here?" I managed to croak out. He shrugged his shoulders. "You were just there when I came." He smiled evilly.

Everything came to my mind again. I came here to get the razor and couldn't resist and cut while I was here…And it all turned black. He must've gotten the razor when he bandaged my arm…

"I don't like unexpected visitors you should know that." He walked up to me.

No One's POV

Before Troy could even answer, Jack's fist had already collided with Troy's jaw.

Troy was surprised by this quick blow that he couldn't even scream or gasp before Jack had started to punch him all over, ignoring Troy squirming and wincing in pain, but Troy didn't dare to shout or scream. It would only get worse.

Troy felt hot tears prick in his eyes but didn't dare to let them fall, but he guessed his dad wouldn't even notice as he was too busy kicking his son. Taking all the anger out on him he had bottled up inside him the past one and a half weeks.

"I – HOPE – YOU – GET – THAT – THIS – MEANS – NO – FOOD!!" With every word, Jack kicked Troy, moving from his legs up until he kicked Troy's head at the last word.

Troy's head hit the wall and afterwards the floor, each time with a thickening thud. Blood was slowly trickling down Troy's neck from his blasted lip. Slowly his eyes turned to the back of his head and his eye lids slipped closed. A soft moan of pain escaped his lips before Troy slipped to unconsciousness.

Jack smiled, obviously contented with his work he brushed some of the blood of Troy before it would drop on the carpet and left again. Not forgetting about locking the door.

But forgetting about the razor blade lying next to Troy. – But Troy hadn't noticed as well…

The next day

Chad's POV

The police still hadn't found Troy. Nevertheless Gabby, Nick and me went to East High the next day. I wasn't looking forward to basketball practice, but I had to go.

At basketball practice I noticed the blood stains on his shelves, but he had no wounds on his arms as he rolled the shelves up.

Out of suspicion I decided to ask him in front of the whole class.

"Any more questions?" He looked around.

"How's Troy? He hasn't been here for a long time now…"

I felt his face straiten and he was looking for an excuse. "Good…he's staying at Lucille's since I have my job to do. He can't stay at home alone all day…"

He noticed that I looked at the blood stains on this shirt. He told us to keep on practicing; he'd be back in a second. I knew he wanted to get rid of the stains.

Lucille's POV

"Thank you Chad…" I hung up the phone and called the police.

"Hello, it's Lucille Bolton. I'm calling because of Troy…"

DUM-BUM…will they find him soon??
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LY Michi