A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT! Enjoy this chapter. My hours at work went back to part time (YAY!) So hopefully more time to write and more update for you lovely readers :D
Gabriella blushed but nodded and headed to the kitchen…
Her mom was still cooking dinner and her father was reading the paper…again.
"Hey Mom, Dad, are you busy?"
"No more than usual, Gabriella. But that's never stopped you from bothering us before. So why stop now? What do you want?"
"Uh…well…I was just curious…" She fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt as she looked to the floor.
"Well, speak up. We don't have all day." Her dad said.
"What do you think of Troy and Kelsi?"
It was the only thing she could think of to ask. But she quickly wished she hadn't asked. What if they said mean things and Troy and Kelsi heard them?
"Who?" her mother asked.
Gabriella couldn't help but roll her eyes. Nice to see she really cared about the friends she brought home.
"Troy and Kelsi, they were just here."
"Oh you mean that boy with the funny looking hair and the girl with the weird glasses."
Gabriella felt anger bubble inside her. They could insult her all they wanted, but they were NOT allowed to insult her friends. Plus Troy's hair was what made him so hot… she mentally gasped at that thought. She shook her head. She had to focus.
"That's not nice of you to say, Mother, but yes, that's them."
"Oh. They are fine."
"Fine? That's all you have to say is fine?"
"What do you want us to say, Gabriella? If we tell you the truth you just go crying to your Principal and they call here asking if we're bad parents."
"Tell me the truth!" Gabriella almost growled.
"All right, fine, you want the truth? Here is the truth. Troy and Kelsi were nosy liars out to destroy your life. Kelsi is only your friend out of pity and Troy is only after one thing. Once he gets that he's gone."
"Honestly," he father said as he finally put the newspaper down. "I was surprised you even came home with friends. You're so ugly and disgusting nobody is ever going to want to be your friend."
Gabriella bit back the hurt and focused on her mother. If not neglect then at least they could prove they're verbally abusive. "Why are they liars?"
"They said I'm in denial about your bullying. You weren't being bullied. That's just crazy. I mean you're a sensitive person and if someone pokes you, you start to cry hysterically. I mean come on, you and I both know you weren't being bullied."
"So the stuff kids were saying to me, pinning me against the lockers, beating me to bloody pulp and sending me to the hospital was what? Just their way of showing their love for me?"
"Gabriella, you are such a drama queen! They never touched you. As for the things they said to you…well sometimes the truth can hurt."
Tears filled Gabriella's eyes. She liked it better when they ignored her. At least they weren't attacking her verbally. Her self-esteem was low enough. They were just dropping it lower. "So what they told me was true?"
"Not all of it, but seriously Gabriella, kids say mean things. It's just what they do. They hit each other they beat each other up. It's part of being teenagers."
"Clearly they need to go back to pre-school and learn how to be nice!"
"For crying out loud, Gabriella!" her father yelled, slamming his paper down on the table, clearly annoyed. "They were trying to help you! They were telling you how you looked and what was wrong with you so you can fix it. You should be thanking them!"
Gabriella jumped. She never liked when her father yelled. Susan and Gene never yelled at her before. Even when they were mad.
"Your father is right, Honey. Besides you have to admit you did kind of deserve it."
"Deserve what?"
"The things the kids did and said at your school."
"The bullying? You think I deserved to be bullied?"
"You said it not me."
Back in the bedroom, Kelsi and Troy were watching. Kelsi stood up but Troy grabbed her arm. "Don't, I'm angry too. But Gabriella has to do this. Otherwise we have no proof of anything."
Then they heard her father through the computer. "You don't deserve friends or any kind of love or care, you're fat and ugly and all around disgusting. The only reason I put up with you is because you're my daughter otherwise I'd have found someone else by now. If your mom looked like you when we met…" he laughed. "You wouldn't be here right now and we wouldn't be together."
Now Troy stood up with a growl. This was it, they couldn't watch this anymore. They had to go stop it.
Suddenly the screen went fuzzy and they heard a crying sound getting louder and louder. Gabriella was already on her way back.
She got inside and threw the camera off her shirt and onto the bed and then threw herself onto the bed, burring her face into her pillow and soaking it with her tears. Any confidence or self-esteem she had, had, was gone. In her mind, she was nothing, she was useless. Nobody cared or loved her anyone who did, had other reasons for doing so, that would only end up hurting her in the end. She felt two hands on her back but she shrugged them off. "Go away!"
"No, never." Troy said strongly.
"Not a chance!" Kelsi told her. "We are here and we're not going anywhere. We love you and we care about you. You're parents are idiots who don't know what an amazing daughter they have."
Gabriella sat up and looked to them. "Really?" she whimpered.
"Yes."
Gabriella buried her face into her hands and continued to cry. Ok, so maybe Troy and Kelsi did love her. But that didn't take away the pain of her parents verbal abuse. Troy sat next to her and pulled her into his arms hugging her close rubbing her back. Kelsi sat on her other side and rubbed her back. They both whispered loving, comforting words to her.
After a few minutes, Gabriella calmed down. "Is that enough?"
"Yes, tomorrow we can show this footage to the Principal and get you out of here."
Gabriella nodded.
"Everything your parents said to you was a lie." Troy said knowing it was still on her mind. "Everything, from the things they said about the bullying and the attacks on your personal appearances is all lies. Nothing they said is true."
Gabriella just shrugged but didn't speak.
"It's going to take time before she can believe that." Kelsi said gently still rubbing her back. "But as long as we keep reminding her she'll start to believe it."
Gabriella nodded. Kelsi always seemed to know how she was feeling, even if she didn't know how to explain it.
Troy and Kelsi hugged her tightly. She just clung to them, never wanting to lose this feeling of love and care. She was hurt and she honestly didn't know how long it would be, before that hurt went away. She could only hope and pray it was soon.
Kelsi pulled back and rubbed her back. "I'm just going to disconnect the camera and everything. Then I'll be right back."
"No, please don't leave me." Gabriella whimpered and reached her hand out to Kelsi.
She didn't know what it was that she needed from them so desperately but the feel of the both hugging her made her feel good and when ever one of them let her go that feeling was gone. "Kelsi!"
Kelsi wrapped her back in a hug. The computer could wait, Gabriella couldn't.
"Gabriella, listen to me very closely." Troy said. "Everything your mom and dad just said to you is a lie. Don't believe or even listen to a word they say to you. It's a flat out lie."
"Doesn't stop it from hurting." Gabriella whimpered.
"I know that. I wish there was a magic fix for that kind of pain. But there is not. Just lean on us and let us be there for you." Kelsi said
Gabriella inhaled and exhaled a deep shaky breath but nodded against them. "K." she mumbled.
Troy kissed her head and she felt a shiver rush through her. Oh how she wished he'd kiss her lips…NO! He didn't love her back! She was just another charity case to him. He wanted to impress the Principal. As for Kelsi? Well Kelsi just liked her out of pity. There was no real friendship there at all. Either that or she was only her friend to find out her secrets so she could tell the entire school and making her the laughing stock.
With those thoughts Gabriella pulled away from them and went over to her bed and laid down, curling into a fetal position. She sniffed softly and used her hand to wipe her tears. Troy and Kelsi turned to face her. "Brie, Sweetie, let's go back to my house." Troy said gently.
"No. Go home! Both of you, just leave me alone!"
They both just looked to each other. How did she go from clinging to them for dear life to hating them and wanting to be alone?
"No!" Troy said strongly. "We're not going anywhere."
"Maybe not now. But once I'm better you're going to leave. I'd rather you do it now. Save me the heartache." Gabriella continued to cry.
Troy and Kelsi shared and look at each other and nodded. Troy walked over to her first. He climbed onto the bed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. She covered her one arm over his as she continued to just cry harder. Kelsi moved to the front of her and climbed into the bed with her and laid snuggled against her, with her back to Gabriella, holding her hand close to her and rubbing her thumb over her wrist.
Their actions made Gabriella cry harder than she had in three years. That small simple action proved to her that they really did love her, and they really did care about it. Her parents were wrong. It wasn't about pity or impressing the principal. It was really about their love and care for her. It was a feeling she had missed so much, and was so happy to have it back.
Gabriella cried for what felt like hours, just letting out all her pain, hurt, and anger, but finally she started to calm down.
"Are you ok if I get up and disconnect the camera?" Kelsi asked gently rubbing her free hand of Gabriella's.
"You're going to come back right?" she whimpered.
"Of course, Honey."
"K, you can go."
Kelsi slowly and carefully removed herself from the bed. Gabriella tensed at the lack of contact.
"Shh, I'm still right here. I'm here." Troy cooed gently stroking her hair.
Gabriella relaxed
Kelsi disconnected the wires and everything from the computer.
Once she was finished she sat down on the bed again. "I'll go through and edit it. They don't need to see the bed sheet."
"No." Troy said shaking his head. "Don't edit it. They don't need to see it, but they will hear how upset she was after her parents abuse. That will add to it."
"No." Gabriella shook her head. "I want her to edit it out."
Troy sighed but nodded. "Ok. If you're sure."
"I need to get to work on that now if I'm going to have it ready by tomorrow. Are you ok?" Kelsi asked. "I'll stay if you need me."
Gabriella shook her head. "I'm ok now."
"Are you sure?"
Gabriella nodded and rolled onto her back. "Yes. I've got Troy."
"Ok, call me if you need anything." Kelsi left again.
Gabriella inhaled and exhaled a deep breath.
"Are you really ok?" Troy asked.
"It still hurt, they said really mean things to me that hurt my feelings but I'll be ok. As long as I have you guys I'll be ok, I'll get through it."
Troy nodded and placed a kiss to her forehead causing sparks between them both. "I'm here forever and never leaving you."
"I know, and honestly, Troy…for the first time in 3 years I actually believe that."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it."
"I trust you, Troy. More than I ever thought I would."
Troy smiled. A question hit him and he decided to push a little harder for information. "Since you trust me, I have a question for you."
Gabriella actually chuckled. "I can't promise answers Troy. It's still hard for me to open up to people, but I'll try."
Troy nodded and stroked her hair. "I understand. If you want to say no that's ok too. I just…what were you doing at the abandon house next door to Kelsi's last night? What happen here?"
Gabriella sighed and played with her hands for a minute before answering him. "I was so happy when I left your house. It was the best birthday I ever had in my entire life. I wanted to share my excitement with someone. So I choice my parents."
Troy sighed. "They didn't care did they?"
"My dad didn't even remember it was my birthday. He kept saying I was just being stupid and looking for attention. My mom just didn't care about anything except the TV show she was watching. I was crushed and couldn't take it anymore. I ran away."
"But none of us had Kelsi's new address yet. How did you know where to go?"
Gabriella didn't speak. She could make up a lie and say she found it on the internet somewhere or that she had texted Kelsi ahead of time to ask her or…she could tell him the truth…She inhaled and exhaled a deep breath before she spoke again. "I…um…I…I didn't know Kelsi lived there. I was just running and running and got too tired to run anymore. I saw it was abandon and a tire swing in the backyard, it made me feel closer to Susan and Gene so I stayed."
"How about tonight you come to my house, or Kelsi's house. I don't want you to stay here anymore."
"I can't. I'm fine here."
"Brie, you're not fine. You're parents are horrible to you!"
"I've lived with it for 3 years. I can wait another day. After tomorrow I'll be free from them anyway."
"Tomorrow?"
"You're going to tell everyone about my parents."
Troy shook his head. "I'm not telling everyone, Brie. I'm telling the Principal."
"I know that. But then he'll tell everyone else and word will get out. My parents will find out and I'll have to leave."
"What are you talking about Brie?"
"Troy, I've been down this road before. I finally get the courage to tell people about my Parents, then the word gets out and my parents get angry and force me to move away again."
"That won't happen. You're not moving anywhere except in with me, or Kelsi."
Gabriella sighed. "Look, I'll be fine here for one more day."
"Gabriella, I don't want to leave you here."
"I'll be fine, Troy. They don't care enough about me to hurt me physically."
"What about mentally? Gabriella, have you noticed every time you leave me you're happy and smiling and then the very next day you're sad all over again and hurt all over again?"
"It's one day, Troy."
"One day too many."
Gabriella sighed. He wasn't going to give up. But neither was she, she had a stubborn side he had yet to see. There was no time like the present. She sat up and leaned against the headboard. "You can't leave because I'm not happy. You have to make me happy first."
Troy gave her sly smile. "You're not happy?" He knew she was just humoring him to feel better about leaving her, but he decided to go along with it.
"Nope." She said trying hard to not smile.
He chuckled at her horrible attempt to hide her smile. "Uh-oh, that's not good. Do I need to get Mr. Tickle Monster out to help me?"
"No." she squealed
He laughed. "I think I do."
"No, no!"
"Would it make you happy if I tickled your tummy?" he teased and attacked her stomach.
She giggled and slid down onto her back. "No, stop it."
Troy laughed and stopped. "Would it make you happy if I tickled your sides?" he asked and did the same to her side.
Gabriella giggled and rolled around trying to escape. "Stop it."
Troy stopped and let her catch her breath. The he grabbed one arm and lifted it up.
"Troy no, not the armpits."
He laughed and shook his head at her. "Would it make you happy if I tickled your armpits." He tickled her armpit and Gabriella squealed in giggles. "Troy no!" She used her free hand to try and push his other one away. "Stop it!"
He chuckled and stopped and let her arm go.
"Are you done torturing me yet?" she asked pretending to be angry.
"Nope. One last place." He smirked.
Gabriella's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "No, no way! Absolutely not! Don't you dare!"
Troy laughed. "Are you happy?"
Gabriella bit her bottom lip. She was happy and feeling better, but she was having fun and didn't want it to end. "Nope." She said with a fake frown.
"Ok." Troy shrugged. He went right for her most ticklish spot…the sides of and right below her ribcage. She screamed and jerked laughing hysterically fighting his hands away. "Would it make you happy if I tickled your ribs?"
"Troy stop it!" she squealed.
He chuckled but continued. "Are you happy?"
"Yes!" she shrieked out.
He stopped tickling her and smiled. "Better?" he teased.
She smiled and nodded. "Yes. Do you feel better leaving me now?"
"No." he said honestly.
"Troy I'm fine. I'll hang out in my room all day. I won't even speak to them. They don't care enough to come in and see me. Unless I go out there to them, they ignore me. I'll be fine."
Troy sighed. He had a bad feeling but he knew this was one argument he wasn't going to win. "Ok. But if you need anything, call me. Please don't run away again. If you need me, come to my house."
"I will. I promise. I'll text you if I cough I promise."
Troy chuckled. "I'm being over protective aren't I?"
"It's ok. I like it."
They shared a smile but then blushed a looked away. Troy said his goodbyes and left. Gabriella sighed and went over to her desk. She sat down with a her new pen and notebook and started to write.
To her surprise a few hours later her father and mother walked into the room.
"What's up?" she asked.
"Don't play dumb with us, Gabriella. We heard everything." Her mother growled.
"Heard what?" Gabriella asked still writing in her notebook.
"You've been talking again. You know what happens to Susan if you tell anyone?"
Gabriella looked at them with a harsh glare. "I said nothing about Susan to anyone!"
"Troy knows way to much about you not to! Plus he knows all about us now. You're in serious trouble. So is Susan."
"NO!" Gabriella screamed. "Don't touch her!"
"You were warned, Gabriella. Not to say a word to anyone about your home life with us or about Susan. You did. Now you both need to pay. We've already gotten off the phone, Susan will have her punishment tonight."
"NO!" Gabriella screamed as tears fell down her cheeks. "Leave her alone!"
"No, you did this to her, Gabriella. Any pain she feels tonight is brought on by you."
"No!" Gabriella cried. She buried her face into her hands and cried. "I'm sorry, Susan. I'm sorry."
"She'll never forgive you for this, Gabriella." Her mother said
"Now, it's time for your punishment." Her father said.
Gabriella's head jerked up when she heard the door close and lock. She gulped and looked fearfully to her parents.
A/N what do you think? I promise the next chapter WILL NOT be very graphic so no worries. It starts out with Troy the next morning. So don't worry. :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
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