From the last part:
A small boy appeared to be injured. When Gabriella jumped down from her perch and went to the edge to dive in, a hand came out from the water and grabbed her ankle. Her feet slipped forward as her body fell backward causing her to hit the back of her head on the stone lip of the pool. Her world went black as she sank beneath the water
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Troy was heading to the pool to meet Gabriella for lunch. His heart nearly stopped as he saw her fall backwards and then go into the water.
"Dial 911," he yelled as he ran as fast as he could and dove into the pool, Italian shoes and all. He pulled her limp body to the surface and swam over to the edge. A couple of members helped him carefully lift her up out of the water and set her on the deck. He felt for a pulse, she had one. Then, he checked her breathing. She wasn't.
He began giving her mouth to mouth. After a few seconds, water expelled from her lungs, but she was unconscious.
It seemed like forever until the paramedics arrived, as did a police officer.
"What happened?" one of the paramedics asked.
"I don't know," Troy answered. "I saw her fall backwards on the deck and then slide into the water.
"Did anyone see what happened?" the police officer shouted to the people around the pool.
Everyone was quite, but glanced around guiltily.
"He did it." The lone voice of a small boy spoke up.
"Who?" the officer asked.
The child who appeared injured earlier was now pointing at Derek Walters. "He told me if I acted like I was hurt he'd give me his watch. When the pretty life guard jumped down from her chair, his hand came up out of the water like a scary movie and grabbed her leg. That's when she hit her head and fell in. Am I gonna get in trouble?"
Troy noticed that the police officer was heading over to where Derek Walters was drying off acting as if nothing had happened. As much as he wanted to beat the shit out of the asshole, he decided he should talk to the little boy. "You know what you did was wrong, right?"
He nodded.
"You're not gonna do it again, are you?"
He shook his head.
"You're not in trouble, he is." Troy pointed to Derek Walter who was being handcuffed by the cop.
Gabriella was still unconscious as the paramedic put a big orange collar on her neck and skillfully slid her onto a backboard.
As they slowly lifted her onto the stretcher, Derby and Mr. Fulton came out to see what all of the commotion was.
"Oh my God, what happened?" Derby's voice was panicked.
Leah, one of Sharpay's minions, pointed to Derek Walters. "Derek was pulling one of his stupid pranks and Gabriella was his victim. They're taking her to the hospital."
Derby turned to Fulton. "Thomas, call Gabriella's mother." She watched as the paramedics rolled the stretcher toward the ambulance and a soaking wet Troy following. "I'll head to the hospital and meet Ms. Montez.
"Yes, Mrs. Evans." Fulton ran back into the club to call Marisa.
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Derby turned the key and started her Lexus. As she pulled out of the private garage, she dialed her brother's number.
"Hey sis, what's up?"
"Gabriella's been hurt. They're taking her the emergency room. I already called the airport, the jet is waiting for you."
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Troy ran into the emergency room behind the paramedics. The blanket that he received in the ambulance was soaked and he was shivering, but he didn't care. Gabriella was still unconscious.
A doctor wearing scrubs met them at the door. "Latest victim of Derek Walters?" He asked.
"She would've drowned if it wasn't for her boyfriend." The paramedic pointed at Troy.
"Let's get her into Trauma 1 and … Oh my … Gabriella?" Dr. McKessie was shocked to see his daughter's best friend.
Troy had to give the nurse what he knew about his girlfriend's medical history. Thankfully, it was a lot. Troy and Gabriella had a tendency to talk about everything they had experienced. The nurse was quite impressed with him, especially when she asked if Gabriella was sexually active.
"Yes, she is. She takes the shot … um … I don't remember the name of it, but that's what she uses for birth control. She gets her next shot in September. We also use condoms."
Dr. McKessie couldn't help but overhear Troy. His first reaction was shock, then admiration at the mature way Troy spoke. That led to dread. That mop head that his daughter was dating was one of Troy's best friends. He'd better not…
"Dr. McKessie…" the nurse interrupted his thoughts and brought him back to his patient: seventeen-year-old, Gabriella Montez.
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When Marisa rushed into the emergency room reception area, she was greeted by Derby. "What happened?"
Derby told her the story of how her daughter ended up in the E.R.
Marisa swallowed the huge lump in her throat.
Derby put her arm around her shoulder and led her to the information desk. "This is Gabriella Montez's mother."
"Come with me and I'll take you the private waiting area."
Marisa became alarmed. "Private area? Oh Dios mio. What's going on?"
Derby took her hand and gently squeezed as they followed the young woman. "It's just a sitting area for people who…" She sighed. "Well, it's for wealthy people who don't want to be stuck in a waiting room full of sick people, but it's also incredibly private and quiet."
Marisa simply nodded.
When they entered the waiting room, Troy was there dressed in scrubs. He looked completely lost. His elbows were on his knees and his head was down in his hands.
"Troy?"
He looked up with tears in his eyes. "Ms. Montez." He stood up and he hugged her.
"Have you heard anything?" She asked him.
He shook his head.
"We just have to think positive, Mijo. Gabi's going to be fine. She has to be."
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They had been waiting for hours when Dr. McKessie walked through the door. "Marisa."
"Thomas, how is she?"
"She's still unconscious."
Marisa nodded. "What's causing it?"
"The force at which she hit her head has caused swelling in her brain. Pressure is building. We need to drill a hole in her head to release it."
"Oh my God." Her hand flew over her mouth.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Troy's voice was just over a whisper.
"We are doing everything humanly possible."
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When he arrived, Jeremy jumped out of the limousine that had carried him to the hospital. It was times like this being a doctor was a privilege and burden. Being a doctor, he was able to ascertain Gabriella's condition and kept updated. Unfortunately, knowing what was being done to her and understanding the risks, was nerve wracking.
Because New Mexico was one of the fifteen states he was licensed to practice in, and because the corporation that owned the hospital that he was affiliated with in San Antonio owned the hospital that Gabriella was being treated in, Jeremy was able to go places in the hospital that normal visitors wouldn't. He'd called the hospital's chief administrator and told her of his interest in Gabriella's case and when he would be arriving. When he walked into the hospital, he was met by the administrator, a woman named Lisa Cameron, and led directly to the observation room above the operating room Gabriella was in.
He almost started crying when the surgeon turned the drill on that was going to bore a hole in his daughter's head. Fear. It was the first true emotion he'd had since discovering he was a parent.
The procedure took only a few agonizing minutes. Once the pressure in Gabriella's head was released, she was wheeled into Recovery. Jeremy borrowed a set of scrubs and accompanied her down there while her Dr. McKessie filled her mother in on her condition.
It was the first time Jeremy had gotten to spend time alone with his daughter, and she was unconscious.
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Dr. McKessie walked through the waiting room door and Marisa and Troy stood quickly.
"How is she?" Troy asked with desperation in his voice.
"It's still too early to tell. We relieved the pressure from her brain, but she hasn't come out from under the anesthesia yet to check her responses. She's in Recovery. Give me another ten minutes and I'll let both of you go back there."
"Thank you Thomas," Marisa gave him a weak smile. Once Taylor's father walked back through the double doors, she turned to Troy. "How are you doing?" she asked.
Troy shook his head. "I'll be better when I can see her." He slumped onto the couch.
She grabbed his hand. "Me too," she sat beside him.
"I just… When she hit the water, I felt like my entire world was collapsing. I don't know what I'll do if I lose her." Emotions that were so foreign to him spilled over and he began sobbing.
Tears filled Marisa's eyes. "You really, truly love her, don't you?"
"She's my life. I'm so in love with her. I know people think that seventeen is too young, that it's just about … sex, but…"
"I know. I know what it's like to find your soul mate as a teenager and everyone tell you it's just a teen romance. The two of you have something special. Hold onto it Troy. Don't let anyone tell you that what the two of you have isn't real."
Troy nodded and wiped his eyes with his thumb.
Then a realization came over him. "Shit! I forgot to call my parents." He looked at his water logged phone.
Marisa took hers from her purse. "Use mine. Go outside for a few minutes, call your parents and get some air. I'll come get you when we can go see her."
Troy smiled. "Thanks." He took the phone and headed for the patio area.
Troy had been gone only a minute when the nurse came into the waiting room.
"Ms. Montez, you can go in and see your daughter now."
Marisa stood. "My daughter's boyfriend just went outside to call his parents."
"I'll get him."
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Jeremy held Gabriella's hand. As a doctor, he'd seen his fair share of patients in Recovery, but this was different, this was his daughter.
"When I get my hands on the little shit that did this to you…"
"Jeremy?" Marisa's voice was weak.
"Hi Mari."
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TBC
I graduated!!
Su