Chapter 20;

I'm sorry

A voice invaded his mind, making him moan softly in his dream. Troy could swear someone was calling him and he could also feel a hand shaking him up and trying to wake him. Suddenly he felt the hand no more. Troy's lips curved into a tiny smile that soon faded away when he heard a distant noise and the sunlight hurt his eyes. He covered his face with his pillow, ignoring the male voice that was calling him.

"Come on Troy, wake up" Jack Bolton said, patting him on the arm, "Wake up"

Troy slowly opened his eyes, rubbing the sleep away from it and looking around. He glanced at his alarm clock, 8.45. "Shit" he murmured to himself - it was still too early to be waken up. He looked at the manly figure standing next to his bed, "Geejz dad, it's Saturday come on"

Jack seemed concerned. His ears were red, everytime he was nervous his ears got extremely red. Troy gulped; he didn't remember doing anything wrong.

"Troy, where is Gabsy?"

"I don't know" he replied and turned to his side, feeling relieved that for the first time the problem wasn't him, "Check her room"

"She's not there" Jack sounded urgently, "Did she mention she would go somewhere?"

Troy gave up sleeping and sighed irritated, "I don't know paps"

"I tried to call her but only got voice mail" Marina said as she walked inside the room, "Troy, do you know where Gabriella is?"

"Shit, it's a freaking party here" he thought to himself, sitting down and running his hand through his hair, "Gabriella is probably in her bedroom and you didn't look well for her"

Troy stood up, mentally cursing his parents for waking him up so early just because they couldn't look well enough. Everytime would be the same thing, they wanted something, they would search it superficially and say they couldn't find it. They were just too lazy to do their work right.

"If she's here I swear I'll be so pissed you guys woke me up at 8"

As he opened the door to Gabriella's room, Troy's mouth dropped open. Everything was exactly the same place he checked when he arrived home yesterday with Daisy. Her bed was made and her suitcases still on top of it, waiting to be undone.

"She didn't sleep home?" he asked, still surprised, "Wow"

"How can we know, Troy?" Jack half yelled, his face turning pale with concern, "We just got home!"

Marina touched Jack's arm to comfort him, "Calm down honey" and then looked at Troy, "Something happened yesterday, sweetie?"

Troy shook his head, looking down, "Uhm… no"

Jack looked at him suspicious. Troy was lying and he could tell it very well. "Tell us the truth, Troy"

The boy sighed, "I forgot to pick her up at the airport, so she came home and we had an argument and then I went to Louise" he said, omitting the fact Gabriella and him had sex the night before, "When I came back it was passed midnight and I saw Gabriella and Daisy at the park" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "We had another argument about something uhm… stupid and I came home with Daisy and left her to come home alone" he seemed really embarrassed, "I'm sorry"

"You what?!"

Marina couldn't believe what she just heard, "Troy, what the hell is wrong with you?" she exploded, "She's only 15!"

Troy looked down, "I'm sorry, I was just mad at her"

"I never touched you boy" Jack said as he rubbed his hands on his face in agony, "But if something happened to Gabriella…" he stopped, afraid to finish what he was thinking, "I'm so disappointed, Troy. I never though I would feel embarrassed with your behavior"

Troy kept looking down; he didn't have the guts to look his father in the eyes. He didn't lie at all though, he was mad at Gabriella last night; angry because Jason called her, because she didn't let him explain himself… shit, but if something happened to her he would never forgive himself. He stared at his father, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to"

Marina shook her head and followed Jack as he walked downstairs. Troy rested his head against the wall, "Shit" he whispered, "What did I do?"

Eventually, Marina and Jack called the McKessie's house and Taylor's mom said Gabriella slept there last night. They breathed in relief when they spoke with their daughter and she assured them she was fine. Troy walked into the kitchen as his mother and father were getting ready to pick Gabriella up at the McKessie's.

"We're going to get your sister" Marina told him, grabbing her purse on the table. "Is she okay?" Troy asked, still hypnotized by the floor,

"Fortunately yes" his mother replied coldly, "I can't believe you did something like this with Gabriella, Troy. I really can't"

"Let's go, Nina" Jack told her, gently pushing her out of the door. He turned back and studied Troy for a few seconds, "You're grounded for the rest of the month – no TV, videogames or dates. You'll go from school straight home everyday" he shot coldly, "I'll get your car keys when I get back"

"Dad" Troy tried to apologize again, "I'm really sor—"

"Save it Troy" Jack interrupted him, "I'm not the one you need to apologize to"

; Later

Gabriella, Marina and Jack entered home with a few bags from the grocery store. Marina quietly went to the kitchen and started making lunch. Jack went to his office, shutting his door behind him. Gabriella didn't even look at Troy, she made her way upstairs and into her room, Daisy always with her. After a few minutes practicing what he would say to Gabriella, Troy knocked on her door and got in, "Can we talk for a second?"

Gabriella kept unpacking, "Be fast"

"I'm sorry about last night" he said sincerely, "I shouldn't let you come home alone"

Gabriella nodded in agreement, "Is that all?"

Troy sat on the edge of her bed, "I was really stupid, if something happened to you" he buried his face on his hands and sighed, "If something happed to you Ella,"

"It wouldn't affect you" she interrupted him, "At all"

"Ella" he looked at her and placed both of his large hands on her hips, bringing her body closer to his and resting his forehead against her stomach, "I'm really sorry, this time is for real"

Gabriella held her breath, "I want to be alone Troy, please" she avoided the sensations he was sending her as his hot breath brushed her skin slightly and begged him with a weak voice, "Please"

"I'm not going anywhere" he stood up and stroked her cheek, "Ells, please, let me explain" he nuzzled her neck with his nose, feeling a different smell on her, "What is that?"

Troy leaned closer and closer. Gabriella shut her eyes for a second, feeling his hot breath on her neck. He pulled her by the waist closer to his body, his nose brushing her chin and mouth gently. She licked her lower lip and her mouth instantly began to water. Troy was way too close to her lips.

"Did you drink last night?" he asked her, the sweet look on his face disappearing, "did you?"

Gabriella shook her head, pushing him away from her. He was the same Troy, nothing changed at all. "It's not your fucking business, Troy"

He got closer again, "Where were you Gabriella?"

His hands dragged her to him again and his mouth almost touched hers as he tried to smell the alcohol in her. Feeling quite audacious, Troy licked her lower lip with his tongue, all the drinking from last night still there somehow. Gabriella sighed and her whole body shook with adrenaline, if he didn't go away like NOW she would totally attack him even though he had a girlfriend and her parents were downstairs.

"I was at a party with Chad and Taylor" she managed to reply and pull away from him, "now get the hell away from my room"

"Oh you're so grounded now. You won't be able to see your sweet Jason now"

Troy smirked before running out of her room. Gabriella heard his voice calling their parents. "Troy! Damn it" she ran after him, "Troy!"

When she got downstairs, Troy was already in the kitchen, "did you know Gabriella was smelling like alcohol?" she heard his voice saying and closed her eyes, shaking her head with irritation. Since when Troy started hating her so much? Gabriella leaned against the living room wall, hearing the whole conversation.

"Yes" Marina said, "Taylor explained me her uncle George was found sleeping completely drunk in her closet, that's why the clothes she borrowed Gabby smell like alcohol, Troy"

Gabriella smiled to herself – her best friend was fucking intelligent. She took an internal note to thank Taylor later. "Ma, I can't believe you're believing this" he said, Gabriella could feel the agony in his voice, "This is bullshit! She went to a party with Taylor and Chad, and probably the Cross dude"

She rolled her eyes and bit her lip. She didn't remember at all Troy hated Jason so much. A week after she Gabriella and Jason started practicing for Ms. Darbus play, Jason told her that Troy wasn't speaking with him anymore and ignored him everytime he asked for the ball when they were playing. Gabriella didn't understand at all what Troy's problem was after all. Why he was always so bothered with Jason?

"Enough Troy! Stop bugging Gabriella" she heard Jack Bolton's voice, "I thought I said you were grounded"

"I am" Troy replied in a low tone, "But dad—"

"Then go to your room" Jack interrupted his son, "I'll call when lunch is ready"

Troy stepped out of the kitchen and passed through Gabriella without even looking at her. He climbed the stairs and a minute later slammed his door.

; Back to School

"I'm so excited, Gabriellaaaa" Amanda clapped her hands in front of her body, smirking, "Today is the day we will become teammates"

Gabriella fake smiled, "Tell me something, Mandy"

Amanda's eyes blinked at the sound of her nickname, "Anything Gabby"

"How long you're staying here?"

Amanda jumped a bit, "Ohh, that's something I was planning on telling you later"

"Uhm, ok"

"I talked to my mom during holidays and she said I can stay till I graduate, isn't it awesome?"

She sighed and fake smiled, "Amazing"

Amanda grinned, "I know girlfriend" she hugged Gabriella "I'll talk to you later"

Gabriella rested her back against her locker and laughed to herself as she watched Amanda running to her class and disappearing down the hallway, "this is karma, it's the only answer for it"

"You know talking to yourself is the first step of madness" Jason leaned against the locker beside her and nudged her shoulder with his, "I don't want my Juliet going mental"

She giggled, "I promise I'm not mad"

"Cool" he smiled and pulled away from the locker, "So you're ready to rock on my beloved Juliet?"

"Yep" Gabriella replied smiling as well, "I have my dress in my backpack"

"I got a suit from my dad" Jason smirked, "I look like Al Pacino in it"

Gabriella giggled, "Okay… that will be interesting" she began, "Hey I have to talk to the principal for a second, so I'm meeting you at Ms. Darbus, right?"

"You didn't hear it, gorgeous?" he asked with his playful smile, "Crazy Darbus is making us perform the play to the whole school"

Her eyes widened, "Shut up!"

Jason nodded, "I know, somehow the image of our play in front of the whole student body seems a little creepy"

She shook her head, "It's karma, definitely"

"I'll meet you at the theater, okay?" he said before kissing her cheek and running away.

; An hour later

Gabriella couldn't help but laugh that Jason was sweating like a woman in labor, "are you alright?"

He nodded, "Just a little bit nervous here"

She rubbed his back to conform him, "Relax, being a jock and the head cheerleader will give us some status" she giggled and whispered to him, "People won't mock us even if it's pretty bad"

Jason managed to smile, "Yeah"

"Interesting work, Mr. and Ms. Evans" they heard Ms. Darbus voice, "Next we'll have Jason Cross and Gabriella Montez" the crowd cheered and Ms Darbus asked for their attention again, "they will be performing the death scene based on a contemporary version"

"I guess it's us" Gabriella smiled at Jason, "Break a leg"

He sighed and nodded, "good luck, Gabs"

Gabriella walked to the stage and lay down on an improvised bed they made with blankets and pillows. When the curtains opened she avoided looking at the audience with the corner of her eyes or she would get more nervous than she already was.

"Juliet? Juliet?" she heard Jason's voice starting his lines, "Oh Juliet, are you there my love? Please answer me"

His voice got louder and she knew he was getting on stage. "Juliet!" he screamed out loud and the audience laughed. Jason bent down on his knees in front of Gabriella, grabbing her hand and kissing it, "They told me you no longer live, but I can't believe them, my heart tells me you're still with me"

He touched her cheek with his fingertips, fake crying and burring his face on her stomach. Gabriella felt tickles and giggled a bit. "Please, prove me they're wrong. Come back to me, Juliet" he waited but Gabriella kept lying down with her eyes closed, "If you're leaving me I have no reason to live anymore" Jason gulped and ran his hand through Gabriella's hair, "without you I have no air to breath or no dreams to dream about"

He took a small bottle of perfume from his pocket, opened it and lifted on top of his head, "this is for you, my beloved Juliet"

Jason took a sip of the water that he was pretending to be poison and started chocking and shaking before collapsing on top of her. Gabriella's ears filled with laughs and giggles but they kept focused on their characters. She slowly opened her eyes as she felt his head resting on her stomach.

"My sweet Romeo" she whispered to him, stroking his hair. Gabriella grabbed his hand that soon fell dead. Her eyes widened when she saw Jason/Romeo was dead. She touched his face and started crying, "Romeo, Romeo, what did you do?"

Gabriella grabbed the small bottle from his hand and gave a good look, "Poison?" she certified there were no water there anymore, "You're so selfish, you drank it all and didn't even let a sip for me" she tried to drink the rest of the water, but the bottle was already empty, "Now I'll have to take the poison from your lips"

Gabriella leaned on top of him, caressing his face, whispering a sweet "I love you" before placing her lips on Jason's to peck him slowly.

; Meanwhile at the audience

"Dude" Chad whispered to Troy, "Where did I hear this before?"

Troy's face was as pale as a candle, "Fuck, they were only rehearsing for the fucking play"

"Ohh yeah" Chad laughed a bit, "Taylor told me she was making this Darbus project with Nicholas Thomas"

Troy looked at his best friend, "You fucking knew it?" he smacked his forehead and cursed in a whisper. Chad realized what was Troy's problem and stopped smiling, "Dude, you're so fucked now"

"I know" Troy whispered and closed his eyes, "Damn it, I'm so stupid"

"That's not fair" Gabriella began again, "I can't even die the same way my love did," she crawled to a bedside table on the scenario and grabbed a toy gun, "Now I must join you in heaven, where nobody can keep us apart" she moved back to Jason's side, "My eternal love to you, sweet Romeo" she shot herself in the heart and fell on top of him. It took a few seconds till everybody started clapping and cheering. Ms. Darbus came back to stage with a huge grin and congratulated Gabriella and Jason.

"That was extremely different, I like it"

Gabriella and Jason shared a look and smiled, "Thanks Ms. Darbus"

They ran backstage and hugged, "That was pretty cool, Jase"

He nodded, "I liked it too"

As soon as Gabriella realized it was almost free period, she had to run out of the theater for the try-outs. She was always the first one to get to the gym to warm up, talk with the other girls in the team and prepare the music for the auditions, but this time, she was more than late, so she needed to hurry up. But, as Gabriella stepped outside of the theater, she felt a hand holding her arm and had to look back, "Troy, I'm late"

"I need to talk to you" he sounded urgently, "Please, it's serious stuff"

"I can't, not now" she said, "Nothing personal, It's just I'm busy"

He stepped closer to her and stroked her cheek, "Ella, it's just a second"

Gabriella sighed, "Come to the practice then and I'll talk to you"

"Alright" Troy said and smiled, "By the way, you were great there, Ella"

She nodded and replied a simple "Uhm… thanks" before running down the corridor and into the gym.

; Cheerleading Try-outs

"Okay girls," Gabriella began looking at the gathered girls sitting on the gym floor. "You're all here because you love to dance and cheer," she smiled, "But the love for something isn't always enough. I hate to play with your dreams, but you need to be good at it too. So, before we get to business, I'm warning that I'm going to split this tryout in two parts. First one, I want you to show me what you got" she said and the other cheerleaders behind her yelled and clapped hands. Gabriella laughed a bit and continued, "Second part is only for the ones that went well on the 1st one as you can imagine. You'll get a Ryan choreography and dance it" She placed her hands on her hips, "Sounds easy, huh?"

The girls sitten on the floor looked scared and nervous. "Oh, don't give me that look! Don't force yourself to be the best here, but force yourself to do YOUR best. Show us why we should pick you to be a Wildcat, agreed?" she asked and the girls nodded quietly, "Cool," Gabriella looked at her assistant Melody, "Can you take the girls to warm up, Mel?"

The girl nodded and called the others to warm up in the back of the gym. Gabriella pulled Sharpay's hand and wished her good luck before she could join the others. "Remember to smile" she whispered on her friend's ear before letting her go of the hug. She sat on the bench and began to choose the soundtrack to the try-out.

"Can we talk now?"

She looked up, "Sit down Troy"

Troy sat down and Gabriella crossed her arms, glaring at the boy.

"I'm a jerk Ella"

Gabriella gave him a half smile, "I already know that, tell me something new"

Troy looked down, his hand running through his hair, "Listen baby, I misunderstood everything"

"What is everything?" she asked, her finger tapping slowly on the bench as she tried to chose a CD, "Specify it"

He sighed, as much difficult it could be, Troy needed to apologize to her after all the bullshit he told his Ella. She was never dating Jason, Taylor explained everything to him, that they were just spending time together because they were friends and were doing the project for the drama class. Troy couldn't understand at all why he was so stupid and didn't ask Gabriella or even Taylor about Jason before getting to conclusions.

"I saw you and Jason kissing in your room before Christmas and I thought you guys were dating" he admitted, "I…" he sighed again, "I lost my mind when I saw you with him"

"Jason and I kissing?" Gabriella looked at him, confusion in her eyes, "I don't remem—," she began and then smiled, "Oh, we were practicing the play"

Troy nodded slowly, "I know that now, you could have told me before"

"I don't remember you asking me" she said sarcastically, "But I do remember being called a stalker and a slut"

"The thing is, I got jealous" he sat closer to her and whispered, "That's why I asked Louise to be my girlfriend. I wanted you to feel bad"

Gabriella licked her lower lip, rubbing her chin, "Uhm, so let me see if I get it. You treated me bad, you were rude, you hurt my feelings and you let me home alone on New Year's Eve because you were jealous?"

Troy nodded, "Yes" he grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers, "I'm sorry Ella. I was so stupid but I really believed you were cheating on me"

She looked around to make sure the girls were still warming up and the guys from the basketball team were busy doing warming up as well and stared at Troy again. He really seemed to be regretting all the things he did to her, but yet, it was too soon to forgive him after all things he told her. Gabriella could still remember the names he called her and his insinuations.

"I called you the day before you got home" Troy looked down, "And this Peter dude told me he was your boyfriend"

"Mm" she bit her lip and nodded her head, "That's how you knew about him" Troy nodded too and she continued, "that makes sense. I asked mom to keep it as a secret"

"Whatever" Troy shook his head and focused his attention on Gabriella again. Peter and Jason were in the past and he wanted a future with her, "Can you forgive me baby?"

Gabriella smiled, "Now you want me to forgive you so we can act like before?" she asked him, getting so close Troy could feel her perfume. He smiled back, biting his lower lip to avoid kissing her, "I'd love that, Ella"

"Okay, let me think of it for a second" Gabriella stood up with a CD in her hand and placed a finger on her chin, pretending she was actually thinking, "Hmm I don't think so, but thanks"

She turned around to start walking to the girls but stopped and looked back, "After all, your situation is with Louise, right?" she winked to him and joined the other girls in the back of the court.

Chad waited till she left to sit on Troy's side, "What did she say?"

"Ella didn't forgive me, dude" Troy said disappointedly, "Fuck"

Chad rubbed his afro and shrugged his shoulders, "I told you not to do something you would regret later" Troy gulped and Chad continued his speech, "And now you're here, regretful" he exclaimed, "Why people don't listen to what I say?"

"Dude, shut up" Troy snapped at him, "I need to find a way to get Ella back. Help me, man"

"You're my best friend and I consider you as my own brother, but you got into this mess alone, dude" he stood up and tapped him on the shoulder, "Get out of it by yourself"

"Shit" Troy let a groan escape from his mouth before standing up and make his way to his lockeroom to change into his Wildcats uniform. As soon as he stepped in the court again, Louise ran to him, jumping on his arms and kissing him in front of the whole gym. Troy looked at Gabriella with the corner of his eyes and saw her rolling her eyes and then moving her attention to the girls that were auditioning.

Troy pushed the wannabe cheerleader away from him, "you should be trying out, not here kissing me"

Louise rolled her eyes, "Just wanted a good luck kiss, Troysie"

"Shit" he snapped rudely, "It's Troy. I hate when you call me Troysie"

"Geejz" she slapped his chest playfully, "chill out Troysie"

"I'm tired of this Louise. We're done"

Her mouth dropped open, "What?! Why? Because of a nickname?"

"Because" Troy said irritated, "I want to be single again"

"You're my baby, come on" Louise cried and held tight to his shirt, "Troysie, please"

Troy shook his head, "I'm nobody's baby. It was cool while it lasted, but that's it"

He ran to Chad and Louise out of the gym. Gabriella smiled to herself, not having Louise in the team seemed amazing. She turned around and looked at the girls practicing their dance moves for the first part of the audition. Her eyes were attracted by Amanda's dance. The Aussie girl smiled and waved to Gabriella happily as she realized Gabriella's gaze on her. Amanda was a really great dancer, the best there and would probably make to the team in the end of the audition.

Gabby gave her a sincere smile, if Amanda was joining the squad, she'd have to treat her well – but this time, real well. Oh how ironic life could be sometimes…

Alrighttt…now he knows!! Review? ;0)