Chapter Twelve
Disclaimer – I don't own anything.
"Are you ever going to tell me?" Troy asked, following her into the house and shutting the door behind him.
"I'm sorry, I just can't trust as easily as you do." She turned around, taking his hand into hers and cradling it.
"Haven't you ever just let your whole body fall into someone else's hands?" He was mesmerized by her eyes. Hazel blended in with chocolate brown, swirling around her pupil. Her faded glaze held him to her and he never wanted to leave.
"The last time I did that, he dropped me." She gave him a teasing smile and cupped his cheek before brushing her lips against his.
He pulled back and pushed his forehead against hers. She could feel his minty breath tickle her lips. He grinned widely. "How else do you think I could have tricked you into falling in love with me?"
She pecked his lips lightly, her lips roaming down his jaw line and down his neck. She nuzzled her nose there for a moment. "Don't ever stop loving me, Troy."
His fingers tugged on her belt loops, dragging her closer. She wrapped he arms tightly around his neck, playing with the ends of his hairs. "I'll love you until we die. Then when we arrive at heaven, I'll fall for you again."
Her lips smashed against his, plunging her tongue into his mouth. Her hands grabbed at his face to pull back and the corners of her mouth twisted up into a breathless smile. "I'll meet you there, then." She replied, huskily.
"Oh, most defiantly, Love." He whispered into her ear before he claimed her lips again.
"Do you want me to tell you that I'm not scared, that I'm fearless? I can't." Gabriella said as the muscles in her neck started to squeeze together, choking her and leaving her voice scratchy.
"I didn't ask that. I just asked for help." Matt countered, defending himself.
"And I will help, all the way. Never doubt that." She brushed the hair away from his face.
"I trust you." His lips pushed into a tight lipped smile, his hands squeezing her shoulders.
Gabriella rejected his hands and took a long step back. She pointed in between the two of them, gesturing towards her body and his and sighed. "No you don't, not fully, and this is why 'this' will never work."
"So, that's it?" He questioned.
"I can't help you, Matt. You don't want to be helped."
"But I do."
"Then you're asking the wrong person."
Matt watched as she walked away, again.
"Arghh!" Matt cried as he punched his bedroom walls. The picture frames shook violently as the vibrations hit them. He looked at the picture of Veronica on his bedside, "Why did you have to do this to me?"
The smiling face of the portrait, stared but at him, burning holes on the front of his eye lids. He threw the frame across the room, watching it shatter against the dresser. He knew the smile she gave him was never genuine. It was always forced.
His face nuzzled against his hands and he shook his head.
His phone rang and he scurried to answer it, "Hey man, what's up?"
"I'm done, dude. I can't take this any longer. I'm dying here, mentally and physically. I'm so tired, I just to sleep and never wake up." Matt sunk his fingers into his hair, running them through the strands.
The person on the other side of the phone paused. "Wait, what do you mean when you say you're done?"
"I'm just done, man." He hung up the cell phone quickly, and threw it on top of his bed as he laid there, not moving. "I'm just done." He whispered to himself.
He hated himself.
It's too late to change, He thought.
But didn't anyone tell him? Change was a big trend now.
Just ask anyone who sauntered into East High the next morning.
Matt stepped in the doors of the high school and was assaulted by gossiping whispers.
He stood at his locker, watching the numbers spin to complete his combination. Grabbing the books he needed for his next class, he waited to hear the secrets that were floating down the halls.
"Since when do Chad and Ryan hang out?"
"Ugh, a nerd and a drama geek should not mix."
"Oh my god, did you hear? Chad and Taylor have been going out for like a year." Eight months, get your damn facts straight before you talk, Matt thought.
"What's next, Sharpay and Zeke?"
"Well, I saw them last week in the hall talking."
Matt shut his locker, angrily. "Will you shut the fuck up? High School already sucks without you idiots yapping all the time." He snarled at the girls gossiping in the corner.
"He so wants me." The red head whispered loudly to the blond.
"You're so lucky."
"He's not very good at playing hard to get." Another girl joined in.
"Who's cares? He is so hot." The blonde replies while fanning herself with her hands.
"I know, right?"
Matt smacks his palm against his forehead and groans. "I hate my life." He grumbles to himself as he stalks to his homeroom.
His phone buzzes in his pocket and he picks it up, "Hello?" His voice sounds rough and ragged.
"Hello, Mr. Matthew Hale?" He confirmed that it was him. "I'm calling on behalf of Dr. Grant to confirm your 3:30 appointment on Wednesday afternoon."
"Yeah, I'll be there."
"Well then, we'll be seeing you soon, Mr. Hale. Have a great day."
"Yeah, have a great one also." He whispered into the phone even though the person on the other line had already hung up and disconnected. He sighed and shoved his cell phone in his pocket.
Troy and Gabriella sat next to each other in their first period class. Sharpay glared from the corner and Kelsi cowered close to her. There was a light breeze entering from the window and the teacher was giving a lecture. Suddenly, the principal's voice was overheard through the speakers. Gabriella jumped and let go of Troy's hand. "Pardon this interruption, students and staff, but will Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton please meet me in my office."
The students whispered to one another, making guesses on what the principal could want. Sharpay scoffed before playing with the smirk on her face. "Oh hush up, Sharpay," Kelsi said, shaking her head. "You could not possibly have any idea about what he wants."
"I think I might." Her smirk grew wider. "Look at Matt, he looks absolutely terrified."
And surely enough, there was Matt sitting in the corner of the room, refusing to meet anyone's wondering stares. His hand was jammed in his pockets and his chin was resting on his desk as his eyes fluttering closed. He breathed in and out, therapeutically.
I hope everything is okay. I hate this. Matt kept repeating the statement over in his head. It was his mantra.
"Are we in trouble, Mr. Matsui?" Troy asked as he tugged on Gabriella's wrist to lead her to a chair. She sat down slowly and her eyes burned holes into the floor.
"Not at all, you two are wonderful students." He said. This seemed to calm Gabriella down a little, but not completely. "This is actually on behalf of Jack."
Troy's features froze. Gabriella squeezed his fingers underneath hers to gain his attention. "Excuse me, Sir, but what about my father?"
Gabriella walked Troy out to the front of the school. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him softly before laying her head on his chest. "Everything is going to be okay." She placed a kiss where his heart lay and looked up into his eyes. "Go to your house and make sure your mother is fine. I'll be there soon."
"Where are you going?" He whispered before nuzzling his face into her hair.
"It's a secret." She murmured back.
"Will you ever tell me?"
"Maybe," She reassures him. She wiggles out of his grasp and shoos him away to his car. After a final wave, his car disappears into the fog and Gabriella is alone once again.
Sitting on the curb, she pulls out her phone and dials a familiar number, "Yes, hello. This is Gabriella speaking. I'm alone and at the front of the school."
"A car is being sent over immediately." The voice over the phone was rough.
"I will see you soon." Gabriella whispers into the cell. She closes her eyes, feeling tears prickling, but they aren't strong to fall on their own and she won't give them extra help.
"Unfortunately," She whispers when she hears the dial tone. So she tucks the phone back into her pocket and waits.
"Ryan, where are you going?" Kelsi questions as she scurries up to his side.
"I'm going to eat lunch with some friends." Ryan answers. His lunch tray is in his hands as he takes long comfortable strides.
"You're heading in the wrong direction. Our table is over there." She motions to the table near the stairs where Sharpay is sitting at. Ryan keeps his stride with Kelsi scurrying after him. She eyes Chad Danforth as he stands up and waves. She looks around the cafeteria and realizes his exaggerated wave is toward Ryan. "Why is Chad Danforth waving at you?"
"I'm sitting at his table today. We're friends now." Ryan explains.
"Friends?" She shrieks. "No, you are certainly not friends with Chad Danforth. People like us are not friends with people like them."
Ryan stops walking for a moment. "Who says?" He asks, eyeing her. "Who says I can't be friends them? Who made that the law everyone must abide? You're always telling me that I need to make my own decisions and that I need to stop letting Sharpay rule my life. This is it, Kels. I'm done. I'm not her poodle anymore."
"They're going to hurt you, Ry. Now, turn around and let's eat lunch up there, where we belong." She grabs his wrist and tugs him forward.
"No, you belong there." He rips his hand from her grasp. "I'm trying to find where I belong."
Ryan strolled to Chad's table and took a seat next to Jason. He set his tray down and turned to check on Kelsi.
She stood there, jaw dropped, in the middle of the cafeteria.
He turned his back on her and started a conversation with the guys.
End of Chapter
Author's Note – So, I know I disappeared for a long while but I do have an excuse. I just had back surgery and everything has been getting kind of crazy. I make no promises, but I will try to post as often as I can.
The story is kind of opening up. New drama is going on. And since I am such a nice person, here is a preview of the story I will let you ponder over;
"It's your job to keep the ones I love safe and you couldn't even do that!"
"Miss Montez, please control yourself. We are doing the best we can."
"Well, it isn't good enough. What is he's gone? I will not have another life taken away because of me."
"That was not your fault, Gabriella. You know this."
"No I don't know. You better find him, I won't take no for an answer."
"Matt, you can't do this."
"The hell I can't."
"Think about this."
"I did, thoroughly, may I add. I want out."
"What if we moved down there? I can help you out."
"She needs us, all of us."
"Hey man, I don't want to be seen with a drama geek."
"Shut up."
"Mom, I know you know what's going on. Don't you dare try and lie to me."
"Troy, there are a lot of things you don't know."
"Why not?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Then, explain it to me. Help me understand."
"You're not ready."
"I'm so sick and tired of everyone leaving me in the dark. Did it ever occur to any of you that this affects me too?"
"Troy Alexander Bolton, where do you think you're going?"
"If you won't tell me what's going on, I'll just go find someone who will."
And keep in mind that these scenes may not transpire in this order. I am still working on it.
Tootles,
OHEMMGEEXD