Life with You
Chapter 14: Realization
"You got nerve do you girl?" Lucille glared at Gabriella. "If it wasn't for you my son wouldn't leave our house and wouldn't fight with us. What have you done to him?"
Before Gabriella could respond, Maria went back in the living room and smiled, "I'm sorry if I took so long but here." She opened the gallon of juice and poured all the contents in Lucille's head. Lucille shrieked aloud as it was cold and glared at Maria, the couch and Lucille was a mess.
"Why you.." Lucille started but was cut-off by Maria.
"Try to hurt me?" Maria mocked her, "I can tell Gabriella to call the police and sue you with harassment, trespassing and physical injury. That would be a big news around the globe aren't we, Mrs. Bolton?"
"You.. you.." Lucille was trying to say something but couldn't find the words, "Your daughter took away my son from us. She's the one to blame."
"My daughter didn't take your son away from you. He's the one who left you. Now I know the reason why. You and your husband are one hell of messed up personalities. I can never imagine that you and your husband, the most respected people in the business world will stoop this low in order to hurt a young teenage girl. And bribe her with a sum of money in order to get rid of her? I'm sorry I didn't teach my daughter to be greedy of money, we're not as rich as you but we're happy as the way we are. And Troy, you don't really know your son because you never get to see him being the real Troy. I feel sorry for Troy to have parents like you, that boy doesn't deserve parents who are rude, greedy and arrogant. Sure you've given him everything that he wants, but you don't care about him. I'm happy that he finally left stood up for himself. Because now I know what kind of parents he has, if I was him I couldn't stand it either. I'd leave that one big hell." Maria told Lucille.
Lucille was speechless. "You'll pay for this."
"I won't. Because I'm not scared at all, no one humiliates me or my daughter." Maria told her, she took the check and ripped it off and threw it on Lucille, the paper was stuck in Lucille's clothes, Lucille was furious now. "Here, we don't need your fucking money. We don't want to see your face now leave!" Maria pointed the front door.
Lucille glared at Maria, then at Gabriella. She took her purse and left the room. She went opened the front door and slammed it shut. When she was outside she screamed real loud that one of Gabriella's neighbors stopped from mowing the lawn and looked at her in utter shock.
"Chill lady." The neighbor told Lucille and looked at her appearance that has been drenched with orange juice. "Nice dress. Is the color orange in the latest fashion?"
Lucille glared at the man and said, "Mind your own business."
The man shrugged and continued to mow his lawn.
Back in the house, Gabriella looked at her mother. She knew her mom was angry. She closed her eyes and started to speak, "Mama, are you okay?"
Maria looked at her daughter and couldn't hold her laughed anymore. So she laughed, "Well, that felt good."
Gabriella laughed as well, "Yeah, . Mama. Thank you."
Maria smiled at her, "I won't let anyone hurt you Gabi. But why didn't you tell me that something happened last Saturday?"
Gabriella sighed, "I'm sorry mama, I thought after that things will be over. But I guess it wasn't. It's true that Troy's parents offered me ten million. But I rejected it. They thought I'm with their son because of their money. I thought the party was for Troy. That's what my friends and I believed, but then it turns out to be a party to make me look like a fool."
Maria looked at her daughter. "Gabi, you should've told me this serious things."
"But what can we do mama?" Gabriella asked her mom. "We can't do anything. I feel great that Troy and the others were there for me. They protected me that time. They never left me, so mama don't get mad at Troy."
"I'm not mad at him Gabi." Maria smiled, "It's not his fault his parents attitude are far from worse. Is it true that he left home?"
"It's true that he left home mama." Gabriella told her mom, "He's living with Chad and his family. He left home that same day too. Chad's father will fund his studies, which Troy is grateful for. He even told Troy not to look for work but just concentrate with his studies and career goals. I haven't seen Troy so happy that he's finally free."
Maria smiled, "Well he's 18. He's on the right age to choose already. And I guess that he wasn't really happy in that big house."
Gabriella nodded, "He told me that he's been planning to leave the mansion. He was just looking for the right time."
Maria looked at her daughter, "That's alright. I'm proud of what you did. It doesn't matter now."
Gabriella looked at their couch, "Mama. What are we going to do with our couch?" She pointed the couch with orange stains on the seat.
Maria laughed, "Clean it. I'll mop the floors and you get rid of that empty gallon."
"Wow mama. You wasted a gallon full of orange juice." Gabriella giggled as she told her mom.
"Well, I guess that gallon deserved to be given to that certain person." Maria answered back.
Gabriella laughed, "Our living room's a mess!"
"I know." Maria laughed, "We need to clean up!"
With that Gabriella nodded and took the empty gallon of orange juice and went in the kitchen to throw it in the garbage. She came back in the living room to help her mom, she took the stained pillows and suddenly they heard a loud scream.
"She must be angry." Gabriella told her mom.
"Well she should know by now that no one messes with Maria Montez." Maria told her daughter.
Gabriella laughed and just went to their laundry area.
Chad just started running around the streets, doing his usual morning jog with his iPod on his ears. When he passed by Gabriella's house, he saw a lady just came out from Gabriella's house. He went to hide behind a large tree and looked closely at the lady that had just came out from the front door, his eyes grew wider when he saw that the lady was Troy's mother. "Shoot that's Troy's mom. What the hell is she doing here?" Chad told himself. He saw Lucille screamed out loud, Gabriella's neighbor said something to her and she glared at him and spat something back, the neighbor shrugged and continued to mow the lawn while Lucille stomped back to her car, as she walk near, Chad noticed that she was drenched and wet with Orange stains in her suit. Lucille went in the car and sped off.
"Something must've happened." Chad told himself. He quickly took his mobile phone from his side pocket and pressed speed dial to call on Troy's phone.
Troy had just finished taking a bath when his mobile phone vibrated he took it from the bedside table, he saw Chad calling, he answered it, "Dude you just practically live next door. Why are you calling?"
"Yeah I live in front of your door. I'm not there right now. I was out jogging. I'm here outside Gabi's house right now, dude, you better come here." Chad told him.
Troy was confused, "Why are you outside Gabi's house?"
"I was jogging. I usually pass by her house, come down here dude!" Chad told him.
"Why?" Troy asked. "Why do you want me to go down there? Did something happen to Gabi?"
"Something happened." Chad answered. "Your mom just left their house. She's drenched with OJ. I don't know what happened inside but she seems mad. Dude, she screamed out loud when she came out. Even the neighbor got scared of her."
"Damn." Troy slapped his forehead. "What are they trying to do?"
"I don't know but get here as quickly as you can." Chad told him.
"Yeah I'll be there in a jiffy." Troy told him. He hung up and placed his phone in his pocked and ran off the house.
Within minutes, Troy arrived and saw Chad waiting for him at the front porch. "Dude that was fast." Chad told him. Troy just nodded while trying to catch his breath. "Just." Troy pointed out the doorbell. "Ring it." He told Chad while still trying to gasp some air. Chad nodded and rang the doorbell.
"Gabriella could you answer the door?" Maria shouted at her daughter.
"Yeah mom. I'm going now." Gabriella shouted back. She went and opened the door and was surprised to see Chad and Troy behind him who's gasping for air. "Chad? Troy? Are you guys alright?"
"Are you alright?" Chad asked back at her.
Gabriella looked at him weirdly, she looked at herself then answered, "I'm fine. What brings you here?"
Troy, now able to breath normally answered her, "Chad here told me that he saw my mom came out from your house mad. What did she do Gabi?"
"Oh. Come in." Gabriella told them. Both Chad and Troy came in their house Gabriella led them to their living room where the boys saw Maria cleaning up. Maria turned around and saw two boys staring at her.
"Hi, Chad, Troy." Maria smiled at them. "Sorry if the living room is a bit of a mess. Me and Gabi are trying to clean it up."
"My mom came here right?" Troy asked Maria.
Maria smiled and nodded. "Yeah she did."
"Chad saw her scream outside." Troy told her.
"Oh that one." Maria laughed, "We heard it. It doesn't matter Troy. Everything's taken cared of."
"Tell us what happened Mrs. Montez." Chad told Maria. "We would like to know. I've known Troy's mom and you know something happens."
"Call me Maria, Chad." Maria smiled at Chad. "If you insist. Sit down, but don't sit on that orange stained couch. I'll tell you guys."
Both boys sat down in an unstained couch, Gabriella went beside them. Maria narrated the story from start to finish. Troy and Chad couldn't believe that Troy's mother tried to bribe and insulted Gabriella again, for the second time.
"That's when I poured her a gallon of Orange juice." Maria said, "She was about to attack me but I warned her that I can sue her for trespassing, harassment and physical injury. That's when she stopped."
"Wow." Chad said. "That explains the OJ all over her and that stain in the couch."
"Pretty much yeah." Gabriella smiled.
"I'm sorry Troy if I treated your mom like that." Maria told her. "She's just to way overboard."
"That's alright. I don't give any damn what'll happen to her." Troy told her. "I can't believe that she's the one who fired you from work and then bribed you again. I know something's fishy when you get fired but I just ignored it."
"Troy. It's alright Sharpay's mom just called me early this morning that I've been hired in Lava Springs as a personnel assistant. I have a job already." Maria told him.
"I'm sorry if my parents act so childish Maria." Troy told her. "Hurting you and Gabi."
"Don't worry. I've done a lot of things earlier to her. So I assume that she won't come back." Maria smiled.
"Thanks." Troy added.
"Well it's a good thing that you got hired by the Evans. Jack and Lucille won't be able to touch you and your daughter." Chad told her.
"Why is that?" Maria asked.
"My parents and Sharpay and Ryan's parents, they're good with each other. But my parents are scared to touch them since most of the Evans relatives have business in different sectors. My dad's scared of them since the world could turn upside down from them. Even though we're named as the richest and powerful and Evans is second, the Evans family still has power over them, which people do not know. That's why my parents are scared to offend them at any costs." Troy explained.
"That explains a lot." Maria smiled. "Thank you guys for protecting my daughter. I better get back to work. Our living room is a mess!"
"Since we're here we better help." Chad smiled at Maria.
"Thanks." Maria smiled.
Troy and Chad helped Maria and Gabriella cleaned the mess. Maria moped the floor while Chad and Troy carried the couch at the backyard and started to hose some water on the couch. Gabriella helped them outside the Troy and Gabriella scrubbed the stains while Chad hosed some water over the couch to remove the soaps. They managed to clean the stains out but when Chad accidentally sprayed water on Gabriella and Troy, which both made them irritated, Gabriella grabbed the other water hose and sprayed the water to Chad. The three of them were all soaked and laughing but they still continued to play until somebody cleared her throat.
"Having fun without us aren't we?" Taylor smirked.
"Tay!" Gabriella smiled at her, "Chad and Troy are helping me and my mom cleaning the couch."
"I can see that. But how come you're all wet?" Taylor asked them as Sharpay and Ryan emerged from her back.
"Wow. Did we miss the fun?" Sharpay asked them. "How long have you been here?"
"Two hours ago I guess." Chad answered.
"What's with cleaning that couch?" Ryan asked.
"It got Orange stains in it." Troy replied.
"Why?" Taylor asked.
Gabriella told them everything that happened earlier. "Chad saw Troy's mom walk out our door and screamed that's when he called Troy both of them came here. And helped." Gabriella explained.
"That explains a lot." Ryan answered.
"That's so cool of your mom! Too bad I didn't capture the moment that your mom poured that orange juice in Troy's mom that'll be hilarious!" Sharpay exclaimed.
All of them laughed, "I have to agree on that." Troy answered.
"Are you guys done?" Taylor asked, "It seems that you cleaned the stain very well."
Gabriella smiled at her, "Actually not yet."
"Why? I can't see stains?" Taylor told her.
"Why? Because I wanna do this!" Gabriella sprayed water on Taylor which made Taylor's face drenched with water.
"Gabi!" Taylor shouted but laughed, Troy and Chad followed suit as they sprayed Ryan and Sharpay face. Then the water fight began.
An hour later, the girls went inside Gabriella's room each taking turns to take a shower, while the boys headed at Chad's place to change as well. Sharpay and Gabriella had just finished taking a bath, Sharpay was wearing Gabriella's shirt and sweats.
"Thanks Shar for helping my mom find a job at Lava Springs." Gabriella told Sharpay.
"Hey. It's no biggie Gabi. Friends are there when they need help. Besides my mom and dad are impressed with your mother's resume. So they instantly hired her for that position. My mom even told me your mom is so qualified for the position that she didn't need to interview her." Sharpay told her as she hugged Gabriella, "Besides now that your mom works for my family. Troy's parents won't touch you guys."
"That's what Troy told me either." Gabriella told her. "Thanks Shar I really owe you so much."
"No problem." Sharpay smiled at her.
At the Bolton mansion, Lucille was still furiously mad at what happened a few hours ago. She was completely humiliated by Maria Montez and her daughter. She called her husband over the phone.
"How was it Lucille?" Jack asked his wife as he answered the phone.
"Complete humiliation Jack." Lucille told his husband.
"What do you mean by that?" Jack asked his wife confused.
"Did you know what they've done?" Lucille asked his husband. "Just like her daughter, she tore the check away. She drenched me with Orange Juice. Her mother even taunted me if we did one more thing to her and her daughter she'll sue us."
"Why that bitch!" Jack shouted over the phone, Lucille winced as she heard Jack slammed his hands on the table. "That puny poor person. How could she have the guts to say she can sue us?"
"I'm going back in New York." Lucille told her husband. "I've missed a lot of work. We'll be able to find a way later."
Lucille hung up the phone. In Jack's office, he was clenching his fists with anger, "Newman!" He shouted.
Paul went in the door immediately, "What is it sir?"
"How's the thing I've asked you to find out?" Jack asked.
"The hospital is still holding it confidential sir." Paul informed his boss. "Hospitals couldn't release files of their patients."
"Do whatever you can!" Jack shouted.
"Yes, sir." Paul replied and bowed down. "Sir? I have to tell you something about Maria Montez. She now works at Lava Springs Country Club as assistant personnel of the resort. She was hired by the Evans family themselves."
"Damn it!" Jack shouted and slammed his fist on the table. He knew that he couldn't use his connections to take down the mother. "Do whatever you can for that file I want."
"Yes sir." Paul bowed down and left the room. He wiped his sweats and sighed, as he walked he thought, "Why couldn't they leave their son and that girl alone? She seems to be the reason that Troy became a cheerful and warm-hearted person like before? Instead of thinking what's best for him, they'd only think of what's worst for him. I pity those kids." He shook his head and headed to his desk to try to accomplish his boss wants.
Troy left Chad's house. Chad asked him where is he going to go, he told him that he's going to go around Albuquerque. He drove his car and went back into the mansion. He went in the front door and headed straight to the Master's Bedroom where he saw his mother putting on some make-up preparing to leave. Her mother turned around and saw him standing at the door. Her mom stood up and walked towards his son.
"Son, I know you'd come back. Now you realize how unworthy that Montez girl to you." Lucille smiled at him.
"I'm not here because I came back." Troy told her mother without smiling. "I'm here because I know what you did earlier."
"What do you mean Troy?" Lucille asked.
"Don't be so innocent mother. I know you went to Gabi's house." Troy told her.
"So that puny girl told you already." Lucille told her son, "Can't she stand up on her own?"
"Gabi didn't tell me anything. Chad saw you walking out the door screaming and then he called me. I persuaded Maria and Gabi to tell me what you did to them and they told me." Troy informed him.
"Yes. I did it." Lucille glared at his son. "I came by to give them a larger sum of money. But you know what they did? They poured me Orange juice. I was so humiliated!"
"Everything you did, you deserved it." Troy told his mother.
Her mother was shocked and wasn't able to say anything. Troy continued, "You humiliated Gabi and her mother, by insulting them especially Gabi. Now you know how it feels being humiliated."
"How dare you!" Lucille was about to slap her son but Troy easily evaded it, "I came here to tell you that if both you and father did something harsh or anything to harm Gabi and her mom. I will be the first one to fight back with you."
"And how can you do that Troy?" Lucille asked her son. "Without your father and me, you don't have the power to fight back. Together with your puny little princess."
"Do you know the word 'friends' mother?" Troy asked. "That's right my friends' parents have already informed their parents about what you've been doing. They told me personally that if anything happens just give them a call they'll help me. I guess that beats the odds it's 9 out of 1."
It was true, Chad's father Conrad told him that he'll help if he needs to so as the Evans and the others. He didn't tell Gabriella this yet because it wasn't that important because with him saying this to his parents the odds are they wouldn't touch her anymore knowing that Evans are their backup.
"You.. you.." Lucille started but that was all she could utter, she was so furious and speechless at the same time.
"Why can't you just be like other parents? Even though they're as rich as you are they've never been so cold-blooded and a money making freaks like you and dad." Troy told his mother.
"You're not my son." Lucille told him. "I didn't raise Troy Bolton like this."
Troy got mad of what he heard. "Raise? Raise me? Geez, how could you say that easily?"
"You dad and I didn't raise you like these. We thought you how to.." Lucille was about to finish but she was cut-off by Troy.
"Raise me like what? You were never here. You raised an empire alright! You never raised your son. Did you know what food I like? Did you know what was my favorite color? When I graduated in kinder? I finished middle school, both of you were never present. When are you guys here? You were never here! All you did for the whole eighteen years of my life was to earn a lot of money and bury yourselves at work. You've raised your business you hardly had any time for me. Sure you give me anything I want to but where are you guys when I need you? Where's my dad who's supposed to be playing basketball with me, watching games together chatting about girls? Where's my mother who's supposed to be giving me advices when I need them? Where? Where's that raise thing? None at all! All I get was expensive presents during my birthdays and holidays. You came here once in a while yeah, but its still for your business. Where does it go? I grew up with Lena and Patricio, who practically guides me in every way they can. And Chad's parents too. They all mean much to me than my biological parents who taught me how to be cold with everybody. Now Gabriella's here and you want to take away the person whom I love the most? She's the one who taught me how to be humble in every way. Did you know that she even told me to be patient with you? Even though she never knew you from before she always tells me that you guys are great? When you humiliated her in front of many people, she did cry but you know what? She forgave you immediately she didn't even told her mother what happened last Saturday until you came by earlier! I'm sorry but no matter what happens I will never let her go. Even if you and dad are on the way blocking it, I'll destroy the wall. You never knew how much she taught me, she helped me become a person I was before, never the cold and stoned one which you guys made me because of your absences." Troy told his mother, "I've been waiting for all these years to leave this house of hell. I've finally found the right chance last Saturday. Don't worry about me somebody's going to support me all the way thru college just forget that both of you had a son. Think of him as dead. That's the best you can do. Oh by the way, you guys won't be able to fire Maria from work anymore she works for the Evans now so I'd think twice if I do something work. Goodbye. "
With that Troy left the room and went back outside and sped off. Back in the Master's bedroom, Lucille just stood there and was speechless. She couldn't believe that his son was hiding all these grudges from them throughout the years. Tears fell from her eyes when she realized that all Troy had told her was right. She felt like someone bumped her head and realized that both her and her husband was never there for their son. She then realized that they were the ones who pushed their son away from them. She continued to cry for several minutes until her tears dry out, she contemplated for a while and sighed. She stood up and took her luggage and left the room. She went inside her car and drove herself to the airport. While driving all he could hear was her son's voice on her head, what his son said earlier kept on repeating and repeating. Once she reached the airport she went aboard their private plane and his son's voice still kept playing on her mind. She sighed and told herself that when she gets to New York, she'll go straight to her husband and talk things over. She just hoped that her husband will wake up like she did.
Troy was driving when his mobile phone ring. He saw Gabriella's name flashed on the screen, he smiled and answered the phone, "Miss me already?"
Gabriella laughed on the other line, "You and your ego. Troy Bolton."
Troy laughed as well, "Well if you didn't miss me, I'm sure I missed you."
"Wow that's flattering." Gabriella laughed.
"Well?" Troy asked her, "Do you miss me or not?"
"Maybe?" Gabriella answered, "I'm calling you because Chad was freaking out."
"Freaking out? Why?" Troy asked her.
"Because he was calling you and you didn't answer the phone." Gabriella told him.
Troy laughed, "I was just out for half an hour."
"I don't know." Gabriella answered. "Where are you anyway?"
"Is Chad freaking out or its you who's freaking out?" Troy asked her.
"Chad is. I'm not." Gabriella said plainly.
"Sure." Troy laughed. "I'm so sad that my girlfriend didn't freak out that something might happened to me."
"Like you said, you were only gone for like half an hour. And you answered my call. While with Chad you didn't" Gabriella informed him.
"Ouch that hurts. You didn't care for me." Troy told Gabriella.
"Aw. I'm sorry." Gabriella giggled.
"You're a mean person Gabi." Troy joked.
"Oh am I?" Gabriella asked.
"Yeah." Troy told her.
"Anyway, Troy. I would like to ask you a favor." Gabriella told him.
"What is it?" Troy told her.
"Can you.." Gabriella started and took a deep breath. "Can you go with me?"
"Go where?" Troy asked her.
"Can you accompany me for the doctor's appointment next Friday?" Gabriella asked him.
"Sure." Troy answered. "I've been wanting to accompany you last time."
"Well, you can accompany me. You need to pass that time remember?" Gabriella told him.
"Oh yeah, thanks to
you I did." Troy smiled while he was still driving.
"You're
welcome." Gabriella told him, "So next Friday okay. You'd be
skipping school."
"Finally, I've been waiting for that." Troy told her.
"Shut up Troy Bolton." Gabriella giggled.
"Okay. See you in school tomorrow Gabi." Troy told her.
"Yeah. See you." Gabriella told him.
Gabriella hung up the phone. She took a deep breath and sighed. "This will be the time I'm going to tell the truth."
With that tears suddenly kept pouring down her eyes..