Hope Everyone is still reading…Now on to find Troy
I drove straight to the river and had everyone meet Sharpay and me there.
"Alright. Someone want to explain to me what happened." Chad called from his car. Sharpay had been rather vague in explaining the situation. This way she could call everyone before we got there.
"Yeah, all I got was 'Get to the river…NOW'." Gabriella added.
"Alright. Troy ran away…"
"What do you mean he ran away? Why?" Chad questioned.
"For a couple reasons, mainly his dad and because of me. Most of you remember that really great treasure hunt that you helped Troy with." Affirmations were sounded amongst the group with smiles showing the fond memories that were shared that day. "Well my prize was a one on one session in the locker room with Troy. Nothing hot and heavy 'cause his dad caught us. Coach rambled on about how I raped Troy and he called me a faggot. Well Troy left the gym and came here to calm down. His mom called and we both went to face his parents. His dad saw me and started up again. He called me a fag and Troy punched him. He said that I wasn't a faggot but his boyfriend. I panicked and said that I wasn't. I didn't want to come between him and his family. So I left. Then his mom calls me and tells me he ran away. I call you all and now we're her."
"Alright, we need to split up into groups and check everywhere for him." Taylor suggested.
Taylor and Chad headed north to the school.
Sharpay and Zeke traveled west to the library.
Kelsi and Jason went east to the playground.
Gabriella and I went south toward the beach.
We looked in every spot we thought Troy might go to. Every park, every basketball court, other high schools, the mall. No luck. After six hours of searching we headed home in hopes that he would call someone.
But he didn't. No calls, no notes. Nothing.
A day passed by….than 2….than 3….than a week.
After a week, I stopped going to school. I wouldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. If it wasn't for the fact that my breathing was involuntary that would have stopped too. Sharpay became so worried that I spent less and less time at home. She did my homework so that I wouldn't fail. She was so nice. Chad and the basketball team stopped playing. Coach had to forfeit the last 2 games. The team blamed him and even he blamed himself. He eventually locked himself in the locker room. Gabriella, Taylor and Kelsi came up with a map of the city. Everyday I would drive around looking for him. They would keep track of which areas I had searched. Eventually I had searched every square inch of Albuquerque. He was no where to be found.
After realizing defeat on the 8th day, I parked my car on the river and sat by the edge. I remembered comforting Troy here more than a week ago. The tears fell from my eyes and I did nothing to stop them. It was time I let them come. I had shut them up for a week now. At this point everything was out of my control. I decided to walk around a bit. Maybe it would help to clear my head for a few minutes.
I came upon the bridge and began to turn around. As I glared up at the sinking sun my nose began to twitch. That smell. I knew that smell. It was him. He was close. I could smell him. Now the tears fell faster. I searched around. I couldn't find him. He wasn't anywhere that I could see. I decided to follow my nose and it led me under the bridge. I only saw two elderly looking men. They saw me and asked for money. I happily handed them twenty dollars each and asked if they had seen a boy about my age. They said they found him in an alley. They thanked me most graciously and pointed toward a heap of rags. I showed my gratitude by giving them the rest of my money. It totaled about one hundred and forty dollars. I didn't care. If that was Troy, well he was worth more than that to me.
I walked up to the rags and poked the mass. The person underneath began to stir.
"Leave me alo-, Ryan. What do you want?"
"I want you Troy. I need you Troy."
"No, you feel guilty and came to ease your mind."
"No, yes I left you. But it was only because I loved you too much to take your family away from you. I love you Troy Hunter Bolton. I have searched everyday for you."
"You really looked for me?"
"Absolutely. I told you 'always and forever'. I meant that. I stopped eating for you. I stopped sleeping. Of course I feel guilty. I promised that I would never leave you. And I broke that promise. I am sorry baby. Please believe me that I am sorry and that I need you."
I leant down to get closer to him. He had been gone for over a week. But he still smelled the same. I called it the 'Essence de Troy'. He wiped the tears from my eyes. I leant closer…
"Ouch."
"What?" he asked.
There it was. Stuck in my hand was a used needle. Great I finally found my boyfriend and now I am gonna contract AIDS from a dirty needle.
"I don't wanna know who used that. Come home with me Troy."
"You're right. You would probably die if you knew who used that. As for coming home, I will as long as it's yours and not mine."
"Deal. For now."
I pulled the needle from my hand and pulled Troy up. I would deal with that later. My focus now was on Troy. He was weak so I carried him out from under the bridge. I knew that I couldn't carry him to the car. It was too far away. So I lied him down on the grass and ran the distance to my car. I opened the unlocked door and slammed the keys in the ignition. I revved the engine and sped off to my Troy. I got out and picked him up. I walked slowly to my car and put him in the passenger seat. He fell asleep on the ride to my house. I called Sharpay to tell her the news. I told her to call all of his friends. I also strictly warned against telling the Boltons.
By the time I got there, Chad was outside waiting. HE opened Troy's door and picked up him. He carried him upstairs to my bedroom. I ordered Sharpay to get me warm water and a wash cloth. She did without question. Slowly but surely everyone else arrived. I washed Troy as much as possible without waking him up. Chad helped my take his shirt off.
The surprise that came scared me more than words can say. Chad and I both saw the needle marks. The needle that stuck me was his. Troy had begun using drugs. In that instance I panicked, I didn't know what to do. My parents were out of town on business. I had Kelsi call Troy's parents. I cried. Chad held me close and told me that Troy was home. He was right. That was all that mattered. Everything else could be fixed over time.
I had everyone write Troy a personal note before they left. I knew Troy was going to need his rest. His parents would be coming over any second now and that was something I didn't want everyone to see.
We will just have to wait for Troy to wake up.
Please let me know what you think… L.KERR
