911 OPERATOR: "The body's cold?"
BUFFY: "No, my mom! Sh-should I make her warm?"
--Buffy the Vampire Slayer-- 'The Body'--
Sidney Summers was a seventeen year old girl. She went to school, got good grades, and played soccer. But when her mom and dad told her that they wouldn't be paying for any of her extra necessities--like her cell phone--Sidney knew that she had to get a job, and the closest job she could find near her house within walking distance was at the only major grocery store in town.
Everyone went there for their main food supply. So Sidney applied her sophomore year and ended up staying there longer than what she intended. Out of a lot of kids in high school, she was one who actually kind of enjoyed her job. She got to work with a lot of high school kids at night time, and the pay was okay. She also liked seeing everyone in town there at least once every two weeks. There was barely a person Sidney hadn't seen in Albuquerque yet.
So when she saw Anna Montez standing near the frozen meat section holding the bridge of her nose with one hand, she knew that was Gabriella Montez's mother. It also helped since her and Gabriella had hung out a couple of times at parties. So she, being the good person that she was, walked over to the distressed looking mother.
"Mrs. Montez, are you okay?" Sidney asked as she didn't receive a reply. She knew that the Montezs' went through hell a couple of years ago, and she would hate if something else happened to Anna.
"Mrs. Montez?!" Sidney asked a little bit louder and she was starting to panic some. In school she learned CPR, she learned what to do in an emergencies, but they just didn't teach her how to prevent something from happening before it reached the stage of calling for help. "Can you hear me?!"
Before Sidney knew it, Anna had taken her one hand off of the metal cart to cradle her head as if there was something inside her that she couldn't control. Sydney was frozen in her place. She saw how pasty looking Anna looked. She saw how she was trembling slightly. She knew that Anna wasn't responding as in one second her body went tumbling down onto the ground.
After a moment of hesitation Sydney rushed over to Anna's body. She skid on the floor as she didn't care if her khaki pants got a hole in the knee. Her hands automatically cradled Anna's head in her lap. She had no idea what she was doing. Of course barely any shoppers were there as it was mostly the odd couple or two who didn't have any other time but to shop late at night.
Sydney looked around for anyone to help.
"Anna?!" She called. "Come on Mrs. Montez!" She chanted over and over as whatever the school taught her about first aid went out the window. She found it a lot scarier to be actually witnessing this on a real person than a dummy in class.
Sydney felt her eyes gloss over as she shook Anna a little. "Help!" She screamed. "I need some help!" She turned back to Anna's lifeless body. "Mrs. Montez!"
"What happened?" A rushed deep voice asked as Sydney was once again stunned. The man crouched down next to her as he went right for Anna's wrist to feel for her pulse.
"I don't…I found…she was holding her head, and then she just collapsed. I don't know sir." Sydney forced out and it wasn't until the dark haired man turned his head a little that she recognized him to be another parent that she knew. "Mr. Cross…" Sydney breathed out in thankfulness that she at least had a tiny bit of reassurance that he knew what he was doing and that he wasn't some creepy person who got his kicks out of helping teenage girls.
"Have you called for an ambulance?" He asked in a gruff voice that sounded as if he was straining to maintain control over his actions.
Sydney slowly shook her head, "No, I didn--"
"Do it. Now." He commanded as he whipped out his cell phone and handed it to her. Sydney took it from him and that was when she noticed that she had a small red stain on her lower thighs; right where Anna's head was resting.
Sydney looked at the older man who looked as if he was still able to run in a marathon from being fit. He had dark hair and dark brown eyes that were almost black. His skin was tan as he was at least six feet tall. He was wearing blue jeans with a white shirt and sports jacket.
"She's bleeding." Sydney whispered.
"Call 911, now." Andrew demanded again as he took off his jacket and laid it on the ground as a pillow. He slowly put his two hands on Anna's side of the face and withdrew her head from Sydney's lap; only to place her head onto his jacket.
"Oh my God!" A teenager's voice rang out as it was the store's manager. He was a tall lanky boy who looked pasty due to his pure white skin. "Syd?" He asked, "What happened?"
"Eddie, I don't know--"
"Don't talk to your little boyfriend. Just talk to the nice lady on the phone." Andrew instructed as he quickly unbuttoned Anna's black pea coat to get better access if he was instructed to give CPR.
"Is she…dead?" Eddie croaked out as he came closer.
Throughout this time various others had congregated to the back of the store. They had heard Sydney yelling and followed the disruption. When enough people came to the back of the store, they started to form a mini circle around them; most of the people everyone knew since Albuquerque was a very open community.
Andrew Cross had gone to the store to pick up various different items that Cassie needed. She wasn't a big cook, but one thing she was good at was making pot roast with mash potatoes, corn, gravy, bread, and some kind of dessert that the boys would always have seconds too. She was rarely home for dinner due to her job, but when she was home she liked to prepare some kind of meal, and so she was expected to be home the next day to make dinner. But when she came home that night she realized that she didn't have some ingredients, so out went her husband to collect them.
He had never expected in a million years that Anna Montez would collapse in the back of the store without Gabriella or Carlos at her side. And even though Carlos and him didn't see eye to eye sometimes when it came to basketball, he still got along with him fairly. Thus including not being able to resist in helping Anna.
He knew she wasn't breathing; about everyone knew now as you could tell that her chest wasn't moving at all, but if that wasn't enough information, he checked her pulse and got nothing.
"Of course she's not dead. She's not going to die." Andrew said with a troublesome expression on his face. He looked up at Sydney who was near break down while talking on his cell phone. He looked at the crowd who had gathered and could instantly point out who everyone was as there weren't that many people, but yet he knew them all personally as he was one of the many respected men in the town. It didn't matter about his past as all that mattered for respect in their town was who had the most power. And from the money he possessed, the good looks, the charm, he had everything he needed for respect and power.
"You need to do CPR!" Sydney called out as she wasn't speaking into the cell phone anymore. She listened once more and then looked at Andrew. "She says you have to tilt her head back and breath into her mouth."
"I know how." Was his short reply before he did as was told and then started to carefully do nice and even compressions to the chest.
"When's the ambulance coming?" A lady shouted out.
"You're not listening!" Sydney shrieked down the phone. "She WAS conscious, and then I went to talk to her and she just collapsed. That means she ISN'T conscious right now!"
Andrew was multitasking. He was busy counting the compressions he was admitting, he was trying to breath into Anna's lungs, he was trying to listen to Sydney's side of the conversation, and he was trying to convince himself that they weren't too late for Anna.
"Here." Andrew felt soft hands cover his own as he looked to his right and saw Mrs. Kaiden, the flower shop lady from downtown ceasing his movements. "You talk on the phone while I take over. I think Sydney is having difficulty."
He silently stood up as he took his phone back silently. "When's the ambulance getting here?"
"Sir, remain calm. The ambulance will be there as soon as they get done with the accident on Highway 26." The lady on the other end of the phone spoke in a rehearsed tone.
Andrew clenched his phone tighter as anger started to bubble up. "What the HELL do you mean after?" He hissed in a strained whisper, as to not alarm the other people around him.
"Sir, there was a very gruesome accident on the road before, and two families need assisting to. I can assure you that the ambulance will come shortly. Now I need to know if Anna has had any serious physical health conditions, any history of heart disease?"
"Any physical health conditions? Other than the fact that she's not breathing right now and she's cold? No!" He roared down the phone.
"You mean the body is cold?"
Andrew ignored the 911 operator as he spoke; trying to recall everything that happened about a year and a half ago. "I mean, she did have a brain tumor. But that was a year or two ago. She was fine…I think."
Andrew took in his surroundings. He never would've suspected in a hundred years that he would be in the grocery store trying to save his son's best friend's mother. He looked down at Anna as her eyes were shut, Mrs. Kaiden was losing hope as she looked up at Andrew helplessly. There was something about the bright blue eyes of the sweet middle age woman that scared him. She held tears of her own as her shaky hands finished off the set of compressions…and nothing happened.
"Sir, are you still there? Is there a pulse yet?" The operator asked as Andrew didn't take his eyes off of Mrs. Kaiden's. She blinked once as she slowly shook her head in dismay.
Andrew shut his cell phone as they couldn't wait for an ambulance anymore. In one swift movement Andrew swooped down--forgetting his jacket that had splotches of blood on it--and carried Anna bridal style out of the store.
People gasped as they saw him do this, but he didn't care. He knew one thing, and one thing only.
She needed to get to the hospital; whether it be in an ambulance or his car.
Gabriella and Troy entered her house as Troy looked around suspiciously while Gabriella just walked right into the kitchen where she knew a note might be.
"Come on. If they went someplace then a note will be on the fridge." After a couple of seconds, Gabriella noticed that Troy wasn't following. "Troy, come on. No one else is here."
"Are you sure?" Troy nonetheless followed Gabriella to the kitchen though. He walked up behind her as she stared at the fridge. "Is there a note?"
"No. That's weird." She murmured. "I know my mom's probably at the store, but my dad? I don't know." Gabriella turned and smiled at Troy. "I guess we're home by ourselves."
"What do you have planned Brie?" Troy asked innocently as there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"I think you have an idea." Came her breathy reply as their eyes came into contact with one another.
"I don't think I've just laid down since…I can't even remember!" Troy said with a chuckle.
He was trying his hardest to keep his mind at bay as he held Gabriella close to himself. Instead of making out--which he didn't mind--they were laying on her living room floor just talking about nothing in particular. It was almost just as good as making out with her since they got to get to know each other just that little bit more. Although making out was great for their physical relationship, they still needed to be able to talk to each other for their other aspects in the relationship to work.
"Jason and I do this every once in a while." The little memory came rolling off her tongue easily as it was only until after she said it that she realized she wasn't talking to Sharpay, Taylor, or Zeke, but was talking to one of the East High Students who didn't worship Jason.
"What, you just lay around and talk about nothing?" Troy asked good heartedly, and if talking about Jason upset him, then he didn't show it.
"Yeah. It's nice. We just usually pop in a movie and never end up watching it as we're busy doing other things." Gabriella explained softly. Troy's one arm was around her as she was snuggled into his side and her head was lightly resting against his chest. She had his hand in her two hands and was just running her small fingers over his larger ones.
"He must be important to you." Troy stated in a quiet voice. He knew that Jason was important to Gabriella, and he knew that if their relationship was going to go far then he would eventually have to get along with his half brother.
"He is. He's probably one of the most important people in my life. But isn't that what a best friend is?" Gabriella asked. "Like Chad for you?"
Troy thought about that for a moment as he imagined his quirky best friend. "Yeah. You're right. All honesty though, I don't know what I would do without Chad. No matter how weird and spontaneous he may seem, he actually has good advice."
"And what advice would you need from him?" Gabriella asked as Troy's cheeks tinted pink.
He ducked his head a little and looked the other way so that Gabriella's smiling face wouldn't see. She quietly turned over so that she was laying on her stomach and facing him better. She tentatively ran her fingers around his chin.
He turned his head and captured her intruding fingers with his lips in which he pressed them lightly against her cold skin.
"Enough about me and Chad. Tell me some more things about you and Jason." Troy requested.
"Okay…" Gabriella slowly searched her mind. She lightly ran her fingers down Troy's chest and made intricate patterns. "When my mom was going through surgery and was in and out of the hospital for her brain tumor, the only other person I really talked to was Jason. I didn't understand why at the time I only talked to him the most, but it just happened. He was there every single day just holding my hand the whole way through." Gabriella forced a laugh as Troy's own hand curled upwards and wrapped itself behind Gabriella's head to massage lightly in a comforting way.
"I could never really sleep back then so I would be so, SO tired during the day at the hospital, so Jason would just hold me in those uncomfortable squishy chairs and let me sleep on his shoulder. Then when my dad would be at the hospital with my mom at night time Jason would come here and he could never sleep so we would end up watching these really corny black and white movies." Gabriella looked up with a faraway gaze in her eyes. Troy could tell that Gabriella was still coherent, but yet her mind was trapped as she was silently living through her memory that she spoke of.
"But we would never really WATCH the movies. We would just put them in, snuggle on the couch, and just stare straight forward. We never used to talk because what did it matter? I was sick of people telling me that everything was okay and he was tired of saying it."
Troy was speechless as Gabriella blinked a couple of times and that was that. She was done living through her memory and she smiled bashfully at him. "So yeah…that's one of my special memories with him. I now understand why I was able to talk to him instead of Sharpay and Taylor--besides the fact that we are best friends, because I knew that even though he didn't know it at the time, but he could make everything better."
"How so?" Troy asked as he was very curious as to understand Gabriella's way of thinking.
"Because I have this theory, okay?" Gabriella looked down at the button on Troy's shirt, all of a sudden more interested in that. "I know you're closer to someone who you spend almost everyday with, and well…that's me and Jase. We were very inseparable back then, and now we don't see each other as much, but we're best friends still."
"Because of me?" Troy asked.
"No." Gabriella reassured. "Definitely not because of you. It's because other things just get in the way and senior year everyone is busy, but anyways, back to my theory. I think since I am so close to him I just willingly put all my trust in him. I made myself believe that whatever he said would come true because at the time I just needed a--for lack of better terms--Fairy Godmother. I needed someone with a wand to make everything all better, and that's what Jason did." Gabriella admitted. "He told me the truth when everyone else held back. Even my dad lied a little bit to make me feel better."
Gabriella forced another laugh as Troy stared at her in awe. Here he was, with a girl who he remembered first taking an interest in ninth grade, laying in his arms telling one of her darkest secrets. He found that her looking and sounding more vulnerable than ever made her glow even more like an angel.
"I still remember when the doctor came out and explained something with these huge ass words, and I couldn't comprehend anything. Jason ended up going up to the nurse who just happened to walk by and asked her to explain things like we were in kindergarten. She gave us this dirty look--like we were lying--and then Jason just lost it. He started yelling and shouting profanities. Of course my dad was no where to be seen since he was in my mom's room and there was only one visitor at a time, but Jase ended up being thrown out of the hospital for being a potentially dangerous liability to others. If you knew him better than you would know that he loses his temper sometimes a little too easily."
"Believe me, I remember. I've seen him get into fights with West High." Troy said just as the phone rang throughout the house. Gabriella made no movement as she was busy laying flat on her back again. Troy noticed that she scooted away from him by at least a couple of inches. He wondered if it was because she thought he wouldn't want to hold her after her little memory that he asked her to share, or if she really just needed space to clear her head of her not-to-nice past. "Are you going to get that?"
"Nah. If it's important they'll leave a message." Gabriella said as she blinked back the unshed tears that gathered in her eye sockets while talking to Troy. She didn't want to be known as the girlfriend who cried. She wasn't a crier. Anyone who was close to her knew that. She could only remember two times crying throughout her whole life, and that was when she first learned how to ride a bike, but fell off. And then of course when she told Jason about her mother. Being a baby and crying doesn't count since babies cry all the time. Or at least that is what Gabriella told herself.
Anna Montez's voice rang throughout the house as the Montezs answering machine picked up. "Do you sometimes wish your mom's illness happened to someone else?" Troy asked.
"All the time." Gabriella breathed out. "I know that's the selfish answer, and that I'm probably supposed to say that out of everyone I know my mom was chosen because she is the strongest person, but I don't buy that bull crap. Just because she's one of the most mentally strongest people I know doesn't mean that she deserved a brain tumor."
"Gabriella?" A man's voice sounded throughout the living room and kitchen where the two downstairs phones were located.
"Is that…" Gabriella sat up as her two eye brows crinkled with her narrowed eyes.
"Andrew Cross?" Troy filled in with a bitter edge in his voice.
"Gabriella?" The voice called again as a sigh was heard. "This is Andrew Cross…pick up if you're there. I'm here with your dad down at the hospital. There's been an accident."
It all happened in a flash as Gabriella leapt off the floor and sprung for the phone across the armchair. She quickly turned it on before pressing it to her ear and mouth.
"Hello Mr. Cross? Is everything okay?" She said swiftly as Troy scrambled up and off the floor too. Gabriella was clearly upset as she listened for a minute before speaking in a voice that she had never used before around Troy. She sounded so desolate. Troy couldn't help but wonder how Jason could stand to be around Gabriella when she sounded like this without breaking down.
"I understand." She said with her eyes clenched shut while taking shallow breaths. "I'll be right down." Gabriella's eyes opened as shock radiated throughout her body. Her voice was small as she hung up, "Thank you."
"What's wrong Brie?" Troy asked as his mind only drew to one conclusion. If Mr. Cross was calling Gabriella, then that must mean that something happened to Jason. Troy wasn't ready to burst into tears like Gabriella was, but he never wanted to hear that Jason was in the hospital either.
"I have to go." Realization dawned upon her as her voice was nearly emotionless. Her face was in shock as it seemed to Troy from just watching her that she was completely out of it. Like she was just going along with everything, and not processing her movements. "I'll call you tomorrow Troy."
She started for the kitchen--where she knew in the back of her mind--that her car keys were on the hook with every other key they had for the house, garage, and cars.
"Whoa!" Troy walked double his speed as he jumped in front of Gabriella to stop her. He put his two hands on her shoulders to cease her movements. "Tell me what's up Brie. What do you mean you have to go? It's like eleven at night."
He bent his knees a little to be at her height. His eyes looked into her brown eyes that seemed to be getting darker and darker. He had never seen her like this before and it was somewhat scary.
"Talk to me Brie." He cooed.
"That was Mr. Cross telling me where my parents were." Troy's heart dropped to his stomach. Gabriella's voice was shaky as she spoke. "Um…apparently my mom…my mom…she's at the Coroners Office."
Gabriella waited for it to make sense in Troy's mind. She sidestepped his grip as it dawned upon his face and his bottom lip dropped open a fraction of an inch. She knew one thing, and one thing only. She just needed to get to the Coroners Office to be with her dad and Mr. Cross who apparently was with her mother when she…
"I have to go Troy. Mr. Cross said this happened a couple of hours ago. He left messages, but no one picked up." She shut her eyes as her hands ran over her mother's second spare key to her car. "God, I'm so stupid for not checking the stupid answering machine!" Gabriella exclaimed as first came shock, and now came anger.
"Don't do this Brie." Troy pleaded as he couldn't watch her beat herself up over not checking the machine.
"Don't do what Troy?!" Gabriella screeched. "She was my mother and I just…and she was at the store…and she just collapsed!" Tears came to Gabriella's eyes as her whole body shook with grief. "So please tell me Troy, don't do what?!"
"It's not your fault. I don't know what happened, but it's not your fault." He said in a smooth voice. He stepped closer to Gabriella as he took her two hands in his own. Gabriella struggled without even thinking about it. He was trying to comfort her, and she was trying to block him out. But after a moment of reluctance she gave in and let him put his arms around her.
Gabriella's sobs racked through her body as both fell to the floor. Troy holding Gabriella's body tight against his own; her head and face smothered into his hard chest. He put his chin on top of her head as he looked up at the bright ceiling. His own eyes glossing over as he could feel Gabriella's tears seeping through his shirt.
Gabriella's anger had quickly hid itself and now came the fear. All of her previous memories of her mother lying in the big white hospital bed came back to life and made itself more real, but now her mother was never going to get up again.
"I can't go down there. I can't…I just--"
"Shh…" Troy hushed as his warm fingers stroked through her hair. Gabriella's sobs still coming louder now than ever. "Everything's going to be--"
"Don't say that. Please," she pulled her head away to look up at him, "just don't say that." She dug down deep inside herself for an answer, and could only come up with one solution. She used her last ounce of physical strength to hoist herself up and off the ground. "I have to go still. It doesn't matter what I feel right now; that's being selfish and I can't be selfish right now. I have to be there for my dad and…Oh God." Gabriella's face paled.
"What?" Troy asked urgently.
"Jason. What am I supposed to tell Jason?" She cried in horror as her bottom lip quivered just thinking about it. "I can't tell my best friend this. He'd be so hurt and…and….I just can't even think about it."
"Brie, don't worry about Jason right now." Troy looked at her as no matter how hard he tried to comprehend it, he just couldn't understand how Gabriella could still be this nice sweet girl after just finding out her mother past away. She was still looking out for others. "She is your mother, not his. If anything, he should be comforting you and not the other way around."
"You don't get it Troy. I can't explain it right now, but…" Silent tears ran down her face as Gabriella violently wiped them away. "Oh God, I'm gonna be sick." Gabriella rushed out of the kitchen with her hand over her mouth.
Everything was so bright around her. She heard the living room clock play a little chime as that meant it was 11:15 now. The candle that was burning on the mantle piece of the fireplace burned like nothing was wrong in the world. Gabriella could still hear a car drive by their house as if someone hadn't just died in the grocery store. It was as if the world was moving on already.
It made her sicker then ever.
"Dad?" Gabriella croaked out as she entered the dark and dreary lobby that only had Mr. Cross and some other people separate from her dad waiting in the room.
Carlos stood as he put the clipboard down in his spot. His eyes were red as he had gone outside an hour earlier to let out his emotions. He was left with a feeling of disgust in his stomach as he had seen quite a few deaths in the family, but nothing compared to losing his wife.
"Ella." He said back as he engulfed his only daughter in his arms. He was almost beyond the point of where he could make coherent sentences, but it was like he had no choice with his daughter as she was one of the only people he had left now.
He held her close as his chin rested on top of her head that was buried against his jacket. He looked straight forward; almost expecting to see someone else walk in behind her. He at least thought Jason would come with her because he hadn't missed a thing when it came to sophomore year and Anna was first diagnosed, but then things changed and now he wouldn't have been surprised if he saw Troy walk in either.
"Did you come with someone?" Carlos whispered as Andrew was just left to sit down and watch the scene.
He had done more than enough. Andrew rushed over to the hospital; breaking at least twenty road rules, but he didn't care. The doctors rushed outside and they took Anna under their wing. He very shortly learned after threatening the secretary who wouldn't tell him information at first that Anna passed away. He had already called Carlos by that time, but soon had to call Carlos to tell him to just go to the Coroners Office instead so that they could examine the body to tell just exactly what happened in detail.
He could've gone home at any time that night. But for some reason; no matter how much Carlos and him disagreed, Andrew couldn't for the life of him force himself to leave. He knew that if it was Cassie or even one of his SONS then he wouldn't leave them; and Carlos was no different as Anna was like a second mother to Jason.
"I don't understand dad. If this happened at the grocery store then I would've heard the sirens going off through town. I just…what happened?" Gabriella asked as her voice got higher and higher with each word she spoke as she tried to keep her tears inside.
"She was at the store when it happened. Andrew was there and they called 911. But there was this huge accident right outside of town so the ambulance wasn't able to come right away. He rushed her to the emergency room as quickly as possible." Carlos explained with a lot of strength as he was doing everything emotionally possible to keep his emotions at bay around his daughter. "You should probably sit down Sweetie."
He tried to lead her over to the chair as Gabriella jumped out of his arm reach. "No!" She exclaimed right before she looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's just…I don't want to sit down."
"Okay. Did you eat yet?" Her dad asked as she shook involuntarily. Even wearing a leather jacket wasn't enough to keep her warm in a Coroner's office.
"It's 11:40. I ate."
"Are you thirsty? Because I think I saw a vendee machine down the hall." Carlos asked as he had to be doing something in order to not break down.
"I'm fine." Gabriella answered stiffly as she crossed her small arms in front of her stomach; cradling nothing but air.
"Are you cold. Because that jacket doesn't look too warm."
Gabriella looked down at the jacket that she took from her mother's closet. She couldn't believe that she wore it to the Coroner's office. She felt mortified at the mere thought of never being able to return it to it's owner.
"Can you stop with the twenty questions dad? I'm just…" Gabriella looked around as she took in the other people down there. "I don't know." She walked over to the seat that was next to her dad's.
Carlos followed her actions as being her dad came first in his life right now. He had to keep his priorities in check no matter what the situation.
"I have to finish filling out these forms; just tell me if there's anything I can get you." Carlos leaned back as he picked up the stupid forms the secretary insisted that he fill out.
Gabriella snuggled into his side like she used to do when she was younger. He picked up his one arm and draped it over her shoulder to pull her closer. He kissed the top of her head before he realized that a drop of something warm fell onto his blue jean clad leg.
Gabriella was silently crying again.
"Just hold me."
Carlos couldn't even remember a time when Gabriella asked him to hold her for comfort. A year and a half ago this was Jason's job, and now he was no where to be seen.
Andrew was playing with his cell phone in his hands before gently nudging Carlos as to not to disturb Gabriella, and motioned with his one free hand to his electronic device.
Carlos seemed to get the idea that Andrew had to made a phone call and nodded his head silently telling him that he could go.
And so Andrew did as he swiftly left the two Montezs' who looked like they had been destroyed.
Troy rang the doorbell awkwardly as he couldn't get the picture of Gabriella's crying face out of his mind. He had dropped her off at the hospital telling her that he would check in shortly. It wasn't his place to follow her in and disrupt anything that might be happening between her father and deceased mother. Troy would've felt wrong just opposing on Coach Montez in the hospital like that.
Troy rang the doorbell once again as there was no answer. He looked around the wrap around porch to the almost perfect looking house that was about ten sizes too big for only three people. He heard shuffling on the other side of the door right before the porch light was flicked on.
He squinted his eyes to adjust as the dark red door was opened and the woman's voice questioned, "Andrew?"
Troy looked down at his feet as the screen door was pushed open and a bathrobe clad Cassie Cross looked at him through confused eyes.
"Oh. Sorry. I thought you might be someone else." The older woman said as she hadn't heard from her husband for hours, and was starting to get to the point of hysterics.
"That's okay." Troy mumbled as he shifted from foot to foot. Gabriella might not be ready to tell Jason about her mother, but he needed to know. If Troy learned anything that night, then it was that Gabriella needed Jason. End of story; there was no way around that. Jason was her rock and he kept her in balance through rough times. And it was Gabriella's kindness and good heart that was making her act so selfless when it came to Jason. Why should she have to go through the pain of knowing she lost her mother that night, when Jason stayed at home oblivious?
Troy looked up and looked Mrs. Cross in the eye. She had green eyes and light brown hair that was pulled back into a high pony tail. She could've pulled off looking like a college student if she were to step foot on the U of A campus.
"I know it's late," Troy explained, "but I have to see Jason."
The grandfather clock that stood tall behind Cassie chimed at exactly midnight. She nearly jumped out of her skin in fright. She looked momentarily stunned before she replied.
"I'm sorry Troy, but he's sleeping."
"I know where your husband is Mrs. Cross." Troy swallowed his bitterness as he kept the mental picture of Gabriella in his mind.
"Wha--"
"Please. Just let me see your son. I can explain after that." Troy insisted as he did his best to put on the most charming look he could muster. He had his hands stuffed in his dark blue jeans as he looked up at her with a flick of his hair.
Cassie opened the door wider.
"Come in Troy."
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