Chapter 11

Troy had his face buried in his hands.

It's been hours since Gabriella was taken in. He refused to leave. He couldn't leave.

"Gabriella Montez?" The doctor said, Troy jumped out of his seat, "How is she?"

The doctor sighed, "She has a broken rib, and her wrist is spranged but besides that she's fine. She's gonna be sore for awhile. You can see her now."

Troy nods, "Thank you." Troy walked passed him to go into her room.

He looked at her, She looked so broken. Hurt. It hurt him so bad.

She looked at him, "You came." "I never left Brie." Gabriella smiles weakly, "How's Zoey?"

"She's good. Shaken up, But's she'll be okay." He sits down in a chair, squeezes her hand gently, 'Who invited Cody?"

Gabriella shakes her head, "I...I don't know..I just..I heard yelling and...What was Zoey doing with him, Troy?"

"She says that.." How does he tell her?

"What Troy?"

Best to be honest. "She's dating him."

Gabriella looked at him, "You're kidding, right?" Troy shakes his head, "No, And she's scared like you were brie.."

Gabriella leans her head back, closing her eyes, "We have to help her, Troy."

Troy nods, "I know..I just don't know how.." Gabriella sighed, "When can I leave?"

Troy grabs her hand, "Tomorrow probably." Gabriella nods, "That's great."

Troy kisses her hand, "I was so worried about you."

She smiles softly, "I'm fine.. Everything's fine." "I'm glad." She smiles, "I love you." "I love you too."

/

November was around the corner.

Gabriella was healing quickly.

Gabriella was at her locker, When she shut it, she jumped as she saw Zoey in her East High Cheerleading uniform. "Zoe you scared me."

Zoey looks at her, "Can I talk to you." Gabriella frowned, "Of course. Wha'ts wrong?" Zoey looked down, "I..I'm pregnant Gabi..and I'm scared..so scared."

Gabriella gasps, "Oh my..Did Cody-" "It's not Cody's..It's this guy that I had been messing around with for awhile while I've been With Cody. His name is Chase."

Gabriella frowns, "Does Troy know?" she shakes her head, "I'm scared to tell him."

Gabriella sighed, "Want me to tell him?" Zoey nods, "Would you?" "Of course."

Gabriella sent him a quick text,

'We need to talk. Meet me at the rooftop. -Gabi'

She walked up to the rooftop garden and sat there.

A few minutes later, Troy was running up there, "Brie, are you alright?" "Troy, Sit down."

He sits down slowly beside her, "What's wrong?" Gabriella takes a breath, "Zoey.." "What about her? Is she okay?"

Gabriella grabbed his hand, "You're..uh..Gonna be an uncle.."

"An..An Uncle?" Gabriella nods, biting her lip, Troy shakes his head, "Who's the father?"

"It's someone she's been messing around with while she's been with cody." Troy smirks, "Sounds familiar." Gabriella rolls her eyes, Troy becomes serious, "Well, Where is she? I'd like to talk to her.."

"Troy, She's terrified right now."

"Why would she be scared of me, I'm her brother?"

"Exactly, Your her brother. She's scared you'll flip out."

"Where is she?" she bites her lip, "She's in the gym."

Troy pecks her lips, "Thank you. I'll see you at lunch."

Gabriella nods, "She's scared Troy..please be easy on her."

Troy nods, "I know.." He takes off down the stairs.

He rushes to the gym. He looks over to see Zoey practicing with her team.

He walks over, "Zoey." She looks at him, "Troy-" "We need to talk." She nods exscusing herself from the team and they take a sit on the bleachers.

"Gabi told me your situation..." Zoey sighed, "I found out a week ago." "Cody's not the father, right?"

She shakes her head, "No. His name is Chase. He's a sophomore. And he's really sweet. He's been very supportive."

"Can I meet him?" Troy asks, holding his sister close to his side.

"Please..." Zoey whispers, "Don't scare him away?"

"I am..shocked and offended that you would assume-"

"Troy." she giggles, "I just want to meet him."

Zoey sighed, "Okay. Tomorrow? Lunch?" Troy nods, "Dinner. My place?"

Zoey nods, "Can Gabriella be there to?"

Troy smiles, "Of course. I'm sure she'll love to." Zoey nods, "I'll tell him."

/

"You look beautiful in that outfit." Troy said wrapping his arms around Gabriella.

"Troy, Not tonight. We're about to meet yout sister's boyfriend." Troy rolls his eyes, "Fine. Fine."

"He's gonna hate me Zoey." Chase said as she pulled him along, "He'll like you, I promise. Do this for me. Us."

Chase smiles, "Alright." Zoey knocks on the door and Gabriella opens it, "Hey Zo!"

They shared a hug, Gabriella pulls away, "You look gorgeous!" Me? No way. Look at you!"

Gabriella laughed and smiled, "And this must be Chase?" Zoey nods, "Gabi, This is Chase. Chase, This is Troy's girlfriend Gabriella."

Chase smiles awkwardly, "Nice to meet you, er, Gabriella." she smiles, "Nice to meet you Chase." Then Troy walks in from the living room.

Zoey brings Chase over to him, "Uh Troy This is Chase, And Chase, this is my brother Troy."

Chase looked at him, "It's..It's nice to meet you..Troy."

He should make the boy sweat, Just to screw with his head and play the role of the overprotective older brother.

His face stoic and blank, Troy crosses his arms infront of his chest, "Chase, huh?"

"Uh.." The boy says, his face paling a shade that's almost too white. Nearly comical. "Yes..That'd be-" Troy puts ana rm around his slender shoulders, "Let's go have a talk."

"Troy." Zoey warns, Troy looks at her with innocence gleaming in his eyes.

"Relax, I'm just going to talk to him." He pins Chase with a cold stare, "Aren't we?"

"Uh.."

"Great." Troy says, pulling Chase to the back hard while Gabriella shakes her head, taking Zoey to the kitchen.

Troy points to the patio furnituree, "Have a seat, man."

Chase hesitates, "We-"

"It's a chair, not a toliet, you won't fall in and get stuck."

"Yeah, heh, heh." Chase takes a seat in the padded green chairs and Troy sits next to him.

Getting all close looks around before smiling awkwardly at the boy, "So..what do you want to talk-"

"About Zoey." Shit...Chase thinks, Troy tuns in his chair. "She's my little sister, man."

"Y-yeah..I know-"

"I don't think you do," Troy speaks, clapping a hand on Chase's back.

"See you may have already got her pregnant and I should possibly kill you for that, But I won't."

The relief on Chase's face is enough to make Troy burst out laughing, Somehow he remains calm. "So until that baby is born, and you two make it right by getting married, I don't want no hugging or kissing or heavy petting.."

"Y-Yes sir-"

"And if you don't abide by those rules. I want you to remember these words,"

Troy leans to whisper in Chase's ear, "I got no problem going back to prison."

Chase looks at him with wide eyes, his face so hilarious that Troy just wanted to laugh.

"And you'll end up like Ricky." Chase looks at him, "Who's Ricky?"

He smirks, looking down at the flowers in the dirt, "He's what makes my roses bloom." Chase's jaw dropped.

Troy looks at him, and just starts cracking up, "Man, I'm totally just messing with you."

Chase's face is still priceless, "W- a What?" Troy chuckles, "You're fine man, You're okay."

Chase takes a breath of relief, "I was two seconds away from pissing on myself."

Troy laughs, "Don't do it on the patio."

"I'm serious..that..that..that scared me shitless. I thought you literally killed somebody."

Troy puts the toic mask on his face again, "I am. Hurt my sister. and you will be the one that makes my roses bloom."

Chase pales, nodding quickly, "Y-yeah..I get it. Stay alive. Don't hurt Zoey. Don't get killed."

Troy smiles, "Well good." He wraps an arm around him, "Now that we understand each other. Let's go eat."

Chad nods as they go inside.

When they step into the kitchen, Zoey looks at them, "Is everything okay?" Troy nods, "Things are fine now. As long as he doesn't hurt you."

Zoey rolled her eyes, "Come on Chase, I put our plates in here, We're gonna eat in the living room." Chas nods and follows her.

Troy goes to grab a plate from the counter, Gabriella is smiling at him, "What?" he asked.

She giggled pecking his lips, "You're gonna make a fantastic dad. The woman you marry is gonna be so damn lucky." she giggled.

Troy smirks, wrapping an arm around her waist, "I guess you are pretty lucky."

Gabriella smirks back, and kisses his lips, "You think things are gonna be okay for now?"

Troy nods, "I definetly think so." Gabriella smiles, "Good. I love you Troy." "I love you too Gabriella."

/

Cody sat in the jail cell. He hated Zoey. He hated Troy and Gabriella.

Whenever it was he got out of there he would find them.

He would find them and make their lives all a living hell.

It isn't over. It's far from being over.

/

Two months later.

January.

Zoey was 3 months pregnant, And graduation was 3 months away.

"Gabriella are you gonna tell us what's going on?" Hanna said following her, along with Zoey.

Gabriella sighed, "Okay you all know how I was accepted into stanford? right?" They both nodded.

She sighed, "I got a call from them a week ago. They want me there next week for their freshman's honor program."

Hanna shrugs, "So. Go, It's not a big-" "They want me there until 3 weeks before graduation."

"What! You can't leave East high this early! You have to finish it up here."

Gabriella sighed, "I'm worried about Troy. What will he say? He said we can work out the distance but what if we can't? He could do so much better than me."

Hanna slaps her shoulder, "Shut up, okay? He loves you."

Gabriella sighs, "Should I talk to him?" Zoey nods, "I think you should." Gabriella sighs.

Hanna pushes her, "He's coming your way, Go!" Gabriella bumps into his chest, "hey..Uh..er, can we talk? in private?"

Troy nods, "Yeah, sure." They walk over to some lockers, "What's up?"

Gabriella takes a deep breath, "I got a call from stanford and they want me to go to their freshman's honor's program next week."

"What's wrong with that?" "I won't be back until 3 weeks before graduation Troy.."

No! His inner devil yells, He can feel his gut clench and his blood run cold at the very thought of her leaving him.

But he knows how important this is to her. for her. How important it's always been to her. "That's..great."

"Really?" Troy bites his inner cheek, pulling her in to kiss her on the lips.

He pulls away shortly after, Gabriella smirks at him, "Uh..Troy, are you okay?" "I'm happy for you Brie." "Troy-" "We can handle the distance. We can."

Gabriella frowns, "Troy, are you sure about this?" Troy shakes his head, "We'll have the summer to spend together. This is your time Brie. Go do it."

Gabriella sighs, "If you're sure Troy?" Troy bites his lip, but nods, "I'm sure, okay? I love you." She smiles, pecking his lips, "I love you too. I'm gonna go tell Hannah, Zoey, Aria, and Taylor, k?"

Troy nods as she runs back to her friends. He frowns at this, He hated this, But...It was the right thing to do.

/

A week later.

Ezra Montez was putting the last bag in the back of the car. "Okay. I'm ready when you're ready for me to take you to the airport."

Gabriella nods going over to her aunt giving her a hug. "I love you so much sweetie. And I'm so proud of you." Gabriella smiles, "I love you too."

She walks over to Jason, "You're a pretty awesome friend Jason."

Jason smiles, "While you're at stanford, Pass these out for me." He pulls out a pile of pictures of himself, "My number is at the bottom of it, So don't give them to any hairy girls, alright?"

Gabriella nods, "I'll be sure to do that." She walks to Chad next, putting the pictures in the garbage.

"Chad..." Chad bursts out into tears, hugging her tightly, "Oh..Chad.." "I'm not crying. There's something in my eye."

He pulls away and she looks at Zoey, "Good luck with everything." Zoey smiles sadly, "You too."

They hug tightly and she turns to Taylor, Hanna, and Aria, "Well..." All 5 of them get in a group hug, and then Chad comes over and joins them.

Gabriella takes a breath, stepping out of the group hug.

She walks to Troy slowly, "This is it.." She whispers.

Why is it hard to look at her? His heart feels like it's being crushed.

His lips barely form the words as he speaks them, "Yeah..be safe Brie."

Gabriella bites her lip, "Troy, please look at me."

His eyes look at the ground, But go to watch her feet.

She grabs his chin gently, "Troy...I love you.."

Troy pulls her in for a tight hug, Not ever wanting to let go. "Oh I love you too..So much."

Gabriella looks at him, running her fingers through the back of his hair. kissing his lips.

"Gabriella, You're gonna be late for your flight." Her father says.

Gabriella doesn't look at her father, But stares into Troy's eyes, "Okay..."

Gabriella looks at him, "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Troy nods, "Take care of yourself, k?" She nods, "Promise me the same thing, okay?"

Troy nods, "Of course." He lightly kisses her cheek with his eye lashes.

He gently shoves her in the direction of her dad's car.

She waves for the last time before getting in the passenger side as her dad starts the car and drives away.

It's for the best, Troy keeps telling himself.

They will make it work. They will.

Their love is strong.