A Problem Shared
Summary: During a new year at East High, the gang are terrorised by a violent bully. They decide to take things into their own hands with disastrous consequences. An experience that will change them all. Forever. Packed with Troyella and Chaylor. See TRAILER for details. xx
Disclaimer: If you know it, I don't own it. Boo hoo.
A/N:
Wow. I gotta say, that last batch of reviews really took my breath away. I had no idea people were enjoying this so much. So as a special Valentines Day treat, I put a rush on this chapter and submitted it as soon as I could. Hopes you like it.
10.
You've got mail!
Sent: Today, 7.04 A.M.
From: 'Troy Bolton' B-BallHero(at)bored.ms
To: 'Gabriella Montez' StarInHeaven(at)bored.ms, 'Taylor McKessie' prodigy(at)bored.ms
Subject: Schools out! Scream and shout!
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Hey guys! Have u heard??? School's cancelled today! They just called this morning. We should totally meet up. How about the park at about 10:00? Meet at the usual place. We can decide how we want to spend our day of freedom from there. (How cool is this?!)
Btw, I was thinking of inviting Chad. This is a perfect opportunity to work things out. But if either of u has a problem with it I wont. Just tell me.
Troy
Taylor arrived at the park ten minutes late to find Troy and Gabriella waiting for her. She apologised sincerely but was sure they had appreciated their time alone before her arrival. She could see it in her eyes whenever they were together as just the three of them, as kind as they were to her and as much as they liked her being there, they would prefer to just have each other. It was true what people said about three being a crowd. With Troy and Gabriella, Taylor felt a bit uncomfortable, like she was getting in their way. Things were different though when Chad was around….
" Chad not here then?" She tried hard to hide her disappointment and act like she didn't care.
"No, actually." Troy said, looking around him as if Chad would suddenly appear now that his name had been mentioned. "He didn't reply to my email either."
Taylor shrugged and put on her 'not bothered' face. "Guess it's just us then."
"Don't you think we should wait for him? Or go find him?" Gabriella asked. She had been well up for making amends, especially since Chad's plans to do so the day before were interrupted.
"What's the point?" Taylor asked. "It's obvious he doesn't care."
"Maybe he didn't get the email."
"He always checks his email." Troy stated. He was on Taylor's side. He had made an effort to be the bigger person for Gabriella's sake because he could see how the rift forming between them and Chad was starting to affect her. Chad hadn't even bothered to show up. He hadn't even bothered to have the decency to at least tell them that he wasn't going to show up. He'd thrown the invitation, and attempt to set things right, back in Troy's face so, as far as Troy was concerned, Chad was out of second chances.
But Gabriella was desperate to talk things through. They all needed to be friends again or their lives would be even more miserable and that would be downright unbearable.
"Well," she started, sounding sure of herself. "I don't care what you two say. I'm going over there."
"Where?"
"His house!" Gabriella said as if it was obvious. Taylor huffed and Gabriella gave her a silencing stare.
"Why?"
Gabriella turned to Troy who had asked the question. "Because I know he wants to be friends again. I know he's sorry."
"Really? And he told you that, did he?" Troy asked with a patronising disbelief. He was forced to eat his words however when Gabriella came out with and unexpected;
"Yes, as a matter of fact, he did."
She took the note he had given her the day before out of her pocket and handed it smugly to Troy. "Go on." She urged. "Read it."
Troy raised his eyebrows, unimpressed, but did as he was told. " 'The things I said yesterday were unforgivable and I understand if you wanna tear this note up and throw it away but read it first…. Please.' " Troy looked up from the note.
"Carry on."
He sighed. " 'I get it if you hate me. I know I've been a complete ass,' Damn right…."
" Troy!"
" '… not just yesterday but this whole time. I was horrible yesterday and said a lot that I shouldn't have. I can't begin to say how sorry I am….' Yada…yada…yada…" he finished seeming immensely unmoved.
Taylor however, was much less negative. "He really wrote that?" She asked sounding touched. Gabriella nodded, pleased that she'd finally gotten through to someone. "I'll come with you." Taylor said. "To Chad's."
Troy sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Now he knew that he had to come unless he wanted to spend a rare day off alone.
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"I can't believe we're doing this." Troy muttered miserably under his breath. He stood with Gabriella and Taylor on Chad's front porch waiting for him to answer the door after ringing the bell three times.
"What are you moaning about now Troy" asked Gabriella as she pressed her face against on of the windows to see inside. "I don't think there's anyone in." Her breath fogged up the glass and she wiped it away.
"I'm just saying," Troy began, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "If he's so desperate to apologise, he should be the one coming after us, not the other way round." He stopped as Taylor rang the doorbell for the fourth time. "And we're wasting our time anyway. He clearly isn't here."
"Where else would he be?" Taylor said. "You know he's a heavy sleeper. He's probably in bed and can't hear us." She paused. "I say we let ourselves in."
"That's breaking and entering!" Gabriella exclaimed.
Taylor waggled her finger. "Not if we don't break anything."
"And how do you suggest we don't do that?" Troy asked
Taylor smiled as if she knew something they didn't and looked around suspiciously. When certain no-one was looking, she stuck her hand into the letterbox in the door. Gabriella and Troy watched, baffled and perplexed. After a split second of fiddling, there was a click and the door swung gently open.
"Tada!" Taylor said, looking at the other two with pride. Before they could ask, she answered the question she knew they were thinking. "Like I said, he sleeps really heavily. He showed me this trick once after I complained at him for keeping me waiting out here for too long." She chuckled. "He doesn't mind. It's cheaper than giving me a key."
Troy and Gabriella looked impressed. They smiled and followed Taylor into the house. It was neat and quiet and dark; lifeless.
"Where are his parents?" Gabriella asked. The house seemed empty and untouched as if it had never been lived in.
" Chad's mum is a property developer. She spends a lot of time away from home." Troy explained as Taylor began to make her way upstairs.
"And his dad?" Gabriella asked when it seemed no-one was planning to continue. She was sure she saw a quick glance between Taylor and Troy before Taylor said solemnly;
"He was killed during a robbery at 'J. McHarman'-- you know, the jewellery store-- a few years back."
Gabriella was shocked. "I had no idea." She admitted guiltily.
"He doesn't like to talk about it." Said Troy quietly as they neared Chad's bedroom. "He was there when it happened. He saw it all." He whispered.
Gabriella was lost for words, coming out will a severely understated, "That's awful."
Taylor knocked on the door to Chad's bedroom and called out his name. There was no answer so she tried again. She got the same results. After a quick glance at Troy and Gabriella, she slowly opened the door and gazed inside.
"Oh my god." She whispered breathlessly, shocked at what she saw.
"What is it?" Gabriella asked with concern. Taylor, who still stood at the door, was blocking the view inside making it impossible for Gabriella and Troy to see what was alarming her so. "What's wrong, Tay? What can you see?"
Without a word, Taylor stepped aside to allow Troy and Gabriella to see what had left her speechless.
It took their breath away.
"Are those…" Troy began; a mix of awe and astonishment in his voice. "Are those post-its?" He asked finally.
He was referring, of course, to the wall directly opposite the door, straight in front of them. The wall that did not suit the room, did not match the other walls. For this wall was not blue like the others. It was yellow with row upon row of post-it notes, stuck over its original blue paint and blocking out the wall without a patch of blue showing from underneath. To add to that, the yellow notes were also scattered across the floor and cluttered almost every surface. Within it all, Chad was nowhere in sight.
"This is mad." Gabriella said, taking in the incredible view.
"There's got to be hundreds of them." Taylor whispered feeling paranoid and jumpy. She couldn't stop looking around to see if anyone was behind her. This was just too surreal. It was like one of those psycho-thrillers her older brother was so into. But this time, the psycho was Chad.
For almost five minutes they stood in the doorway as if afraid to enter until Troy finally walked cautiously to the yellow wall. He read a few; examined them, and turned back to the girls who remained at the door.
"They're notes." He informed them. "From Frank, I think."
Taylor's ears perked up. "What do they say?"
"It's horrible." Troy said, genuinely upset by the things he read. "I don't want to say."
Curious, Taylor bent down and picked up the nearest note that lay by her feet. "I'm going to… kill you." She read aloud, her heart fluttering with terror as she read the final words.
"I had no idea…" Gabriella began.
"None of us did." Said Troy. He was starting to doubt himself as a friend. He hadn't even noticed that his best friend was suffering such awful abuse.
"We should get out of here." Taylor said. Chad hadn't wanted them to know about this. That was why he had never told them. She was shocked that he had hidden something so huge from them but she knew him and understood that he was a very private person. He would hate to know that his space had been invaded and that they had seen what he had tried so hard to keep from them.
She dropped the note she held to the floor and headed back out onto the porch. Troy and Gabriella followed obediently.
Once outside, Gabriella took in a deep breath. "Well, that was…" She couldn't find words.
"Disturbing." Said Taylor.
"Eye-opening." Said Troy.
Something then occurred to Taylor. "Where is he, then? If he's not here, where is he?"
They hadn't noticed the old woman out on the porch next door but she had noticed them. And she must have heard Taylor's concerned question because she cleared her throat and said loudly;
"If you kids are looking for the Danforth boy, you won't find him here."
All three turned and looked at her.
"Sorry?" Gabriella asked politely, unsure of what the lady meant.
"Yeah," the old woman continued as if not hearing her. "Cops were round here yesterday trying to find his ma'. Couldn't find her of course…." She seemed to have forgotten the teens were there and was now talking to herself. "Sad really," she said distantly as if in deep thought. "A boy so young should not have to be alone at a time like this."
"A time like what? What are you talking about?" Taylor asked. The woman looked at her like she had only just noticed Taylor was there.
"What?" She said with disbelief. "You mean you haven't heard? It's been all over the news."
"What has?" Troy asked impatiently.
"The attack!" she said as if it was obvious. "At the school! Chad Danforth, attacked in his own school!" She said. "Stabbed." She said. "Dying."
A/N: I know some of you saw that one coming. You brainy bunch!
Don't want flowers or chocolates or cards filled with love,
As a Valentines gift straight from you,
All I need is one press of that purple square button
That's labelled; 'submit a review'!
xX M Xx