A/N: Ok, I updated, on time. Just like I said I would. Don't scream at me! Grab a dictionary though. I've decided to imply some interesting vocabulary words in this.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Troy sighed.
It was already Saturday morning and there was still no sign of Gabriella. Troy had been staying at the Montez household for the week. Maria needed someone to depend on since her little girl was gone. Troy had also reported this kidnapping to the press already. All Vanessa Hudgens concerts were cancelled, but luckily no one made the connection between the two concepts.
I can't lose hope, she's my girlfriend! But it's so hard not to give in when I'm so bereft of love. Look at me! I'm in such a ramshackle condition without her! She IS my life now...I've got to find her!
Troy's mind was already set.
But Maria hadn't a clue.
"Troy, please! Maybe we can work this out with the police," Maria begged.
Troy looked at a pleading Maria suspiciously.
"Well, YOU were the one that slammed the door in their faces." How could she not remember?
Oh yeah, shoot. Damn, that's an awfully good comeback.
Maria blushed incensed with anger and sorrow concomitantly.
Her daughter was gone and there wasn't a thing in the world she could do, but just to wait until she showed up.
I'm so useless and futile! I'm a horrible mother!
Troy could tell what Maria was thinking by the expression on her face.
"It's not your fault and you are most definitely NOT a horrible mother." His face transformed from suspicion to comfort.
"Troy, please just don't do something stupid and injure yourself! Promise me! A mother needs to know these things."
Troy's face turned to stone.
His mind was still, indeed, clearly made up.
"Look, Maria, the whole world already knows she's missing. She's my girlfriend. Somebody's bound to have spot her by now! I have to investigate!"
"Your right. Let's put our noggins together." Maria started thinking hard, hard enough to excavate her brain juice from her brain. (Not sure if it makes sense.)
Maria continued on with her train of thought. "Gabriella usually doesn't hold grudges and not very many people hold grudges against her either, so she really doens't have any enemies or foes. Do you happen to have any?"
"Well, no. I guess not. I'm very lovable you know..." Troy wiggled his eyebrows.
Wow. Gabi wasn't kidding when she said he had a big ego...
"...well, there's always the Lewis sisters..."
The two of them eyed one another.
Epiphany had hit them.
Hard.
In the face.
Smacked. Them. Right. In. The. Face.
Gabriella woke up late.
It was already noon.
"Hey, Montez, got you some breakfast." A husky voice promulgated.
She rubbed her eyes to see who it was.
Jake Johnson.
"Oh, um, thanks."
"So you enjoying yourself?"
"I'm the person being kidnapped. Should I be enjoying myself?"
"I guess not, but still, you should make the best out of every situation, right?" He said smiling.
He actually looked friendly.
Whoa, what has gotten into that dude? Oh my gosh. I just said dude. I'm going insane!
Gabriella gorged on the food, even though she wasn't that hungry.
As she wiped her mouth, she decided to ask J.J. something.
"Hey, would you mind if I went for a stroll?"
"Outside? Someone could recognize you."
"No, the airport hotel lobby. It's flooded with girls that want to see Jesse McCartney so no one will even notice me."
He thought about it.
"Ok, then. But I'll have Nick and James keep an eye on you."
Gabriella shrugged. "Ok."
J.J. thought oddly, Wow, she must really mean it! I thought she was going to make a break for it! Maybe she really does just wanna go for a stroll.
He changed his mind. "Actually, you'll be fine on your own. Nick and James are busy anyway."
"Okay." And she headed out the door.
Gabriella's palms started getting sweaty and her stomach was churning.
Stupid conscience. Well, I'm getting better at this acting and lying thing every day.
She sighed.
When she arrived of at the lobby, it was filled with screaming girls, like she predicted.
She sat down on the couch, relaxing.
She turned to the guy next to her.
Funny, he was wearing sunglasses inside.
But that's not what caught her eye.
He was voraciously reading an article in a magazine.
Troy was on the cover.
The headline was: Montez? Missing!
She looked around at all the newspaper stands and magazines at the candy counter.
Bolton's Missing Babe? Bolton's Brunette Gone? Montez-Missing or Kidnapped?
Her eyes grew wide.
Everyone knows I was kidnapped? Oh crap! I wonder if J.J. and the guys know!
"Hey."
"Shh, I'm reading the article about Bolton's babe, Montez!"
"Ok..."
Gabriella fiddled with her fingers.
The man in the sunglasses looked down at the picture of Gabriella.
Then at the real live Gabriella.
Then back again.
And again.
"Um, miss?"
Gabriella looked up.
"Yeah?"
"Do you happen to be Gabriella Montez?"
Gabriella looked at him hopefully. "That's what I was trying to tell you 3 minutes ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry. By the way, I'm Jesse. Jesse McCartney."
"Ahh, so you're the guy all the girls are after."
"Yeah..." Jesse said blushing, rubbing the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed.
"That explains the sunglasses.."
"So, everyone thinks you're missing. But you're not?"
"Well, I didn't just wander off. I was buying groceries and I was abducted. Kidnapped."
"Oh! Wait! Do you need a flight or ride back to L.A.?"
"Um, yeah that'd be great! With just one little problem. Well, three big problems actually."
"Your kidnappers?" Gabriella nodded thinking about how pissed J.J., Nick and James would be if they found out she'd run off with Jesse McCartney. "No problem, you'll blend in with the fan girls. Then I'll sneak you onto my private jet."
"Thank you so much! Come on, let's go now."
Troy was basically pounding on the Lewis door.
"What?!" Came an annoyed, muffled voice.
Alexa's.
"What the hell did you do with my girlfriend?" As Alexa opened the door for him.
"Mmm, Hmm, Ummm."
Troy rolled his eyes as he stepped in the house. "Finish brushing your teeth first. Then talk."
Alexa nodded and went back into the bathroom.
She came back out a few minutes later.
"Ok, now talk."
"Kay, well, honestly I don't know what happened ok? I don't like to meddle with your love life. I'm actually a good person inside. I just put on this shtick because my sister expects me to and because will I'm lily-livered when it becomes to her."
"Lily-livered? Wow, you have Darbus for homeroom don't you? Shakespeare." Alexa nodded innocently.
"Ok, listen, you believe me, which is good. All I need you to know is that I'm on your side ok?"
"Not that I object or anything, but why?"
"Look, I used to like you, and maybe I still do, but who knows. I'm just a teen. Crushes come and go." She shrugged. "You seem very happy with Gabriella, and well, that's good enough for me. But not for Britney. Apparently."
"Ok, I have two questions."
"Ask away."
"First of all, what were you doing, brushing your teeth this late?" He glanced at his watch. It was 12:30. Noon. And a half.
"It's Saturday. I sleep in."
"Ok, secondly, what did BRITNEY do with my girlfriend?"
"Ok, that I can't give you the details for. One, because I don't know all of th--"
"Then ask Britney."
Alexa bit her lip. "She might not know either. She put someone else in charge."
"Who?!"
"Chill, Troy, let me finish. Second, because J.J. is in charge."
Troy nearly fainted.
"J-----J?" He managed to splutter out.
"Yeah. Brit explained the whole story of your past to me. Honestly? Wow. All I know is that Brit told J.J. to kidnap Gabriella and hold her hostage or something. I don't know."
"Do you know whe--"
"I know don't where he's taking her but--"
"I'm home! Alexa! Lunch. NOW!"
"I"m busy! I have a friend over!" She shouted back.
Britney entered the room and dropped the glass of milk she was holding.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
Troy put on a goofy smile and put his arm around Alexa.
"I'm visiting my best friend, trying to find out what happened to my girlfriend." He said very genteel.
Alexa smiled at Troy and caught up.
"Yeah! Totally best friends!"
Britney squinted at them.
"What kind of game are you playing now?"
"Life isn't a game, Brit, get over it." Alexa stated calmly.
"GAH!" Britney stomped out of the room and muttered under her breath, "Damn, I have to make my own lunch."
Alexa rolled her eyes. "Well if you need anything else, just call me ok?"
Troy smiled an amiable grin.
"Thanks!" The two shook hands and Troy left.
A/N: Once again, I had fun writing this chapter!