Disclaimer: HSM is not mine.
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Gabriella tried to focus on her classes, but she found it harder now than focusing in her morning classes. She always loved being in school more than being home, but not today. She no longer had problems at home; now, all her problems were at school.
When the final bell rang, she was the last to leave the room. From behind, a hand fell upon her shoulder. She jumped automatically, unsure of who it was, until she turned to see Chad Danforth, a boy she recognized from her homeroom and last period English class. Confused, she asked, "Um, hi, what is it?"
"I was just wondering if you've seen Troy," Chad started. "He didn't show up for free period work out nor have I seen him since homeroom."
"I saw him...during lunch," she answered, trying to rid her mind of that awful morning.
"Did he say anything about leaving?" he asked.
"No," she said, sighing. "He just broke up with me."
For reasons she didn't understand, he looked stunned. "Why? What happened?" he asked. "I mean, I kinda saw it coming. I went to visit him yesterday and he was acting pretty edgy, but I didn't think he'd break up with you."
"Chad," Gabriella started hesitantly. "In all the years that you've known Troy and his parents, have you ever noticed anything...suspicious?"
Chad shrugged. "I don't think so. Why?"
"It's nothing," she lied. "Forget I said anything. I need to get going, so I'll see you around."
Sitting in front of the small ice cream shoppe, Troy sighed miserably as he stared at the round, white table before him. He hadn't come to eat, for he had lost his appetite after this morning's events. Instead, he had gone there to think. This was where he had taken Gabriella after her revelation in hopes of making her feel better about opening up to him. It was the exact same place where he promised that he would only ever touch her out of love. Today, he broke that promise.
Sighing again, he crossed his arms and cradled his throbbing head. He never meant to take it that far. He only intended to blow off steam in a way of letting her know how he felt about what was happening and just how bad off he was. However, that wasn't what happened.
Without thinking, Troy kicked the table, releasing some of his aggression. It didn't seem fair. Someone finally answered his wish for someone to love, then he took her for granted and hurt her. That proved to him what he should've known all along: when God gives you a gift, He can take it back just as easily.
Maybe all hope wasn't lost, he thought. Maybe he still had a chance to make things right. Surely she understood his actions by now. She had to know that he still wanted to be with her, if nothing else. Unlike the rest of the world, she had some understanding of what he was going through.
"Sir?" Troy's head snapped up when he heard the friendly voice of a woman whom he thought looked no older than twenty. He fought back the urge to groan, for now wasn't a good time to talk to him.
"What?" he asked gruffly.
"You've been sitting here...a while," she started. He hadn't paid much attention to the time, but he knew he'd been there for over an hour. He had left school completely after the Gabriella incident. "Is something wrong?"
"Everything's perfect," he said, making no effort to hide his annoyance. "I was just about to leave."
Throwing herself on her bed, Gabriella released a deep sigh before burying her head in her pillow. She used to think that the worst days of school were the ones when Troy wasn't there, but she had been proven wrong. Today was the second worst day of her life.
She couldn't believe it. After the few months they've known each other, after what they went through, after everything that happened to them, he decided to leave her over something she had no control over? It seemed out of character for him. He vowed to never hurt her physically, but the fresh purple bruises located around her shoulders proved otherwise. It seemed as though the nine days they were apart changed him. Maybe he was just in that much pain, she thought, hoping that was a good explanation. She knew from experience that being in a lot of pain could cause people to think irrationally.
There was a soft tap on her door. "Come in," she mumbled through the pillowcase, knowing that it was only Rachel.
"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. She had a hunch as to what this was about, but she would rather hear it from her than rushing into it.
"Tr-Troy, h-he told m-me that everything that ha-happened was m-my fault and th-that the stupidest thing he-he'd ever said was a-asking me to be h-his girlfriend," she stuttered, tears falling freely from her eyes as Rachel patted her back soothingly. That was one thing about her aunt. She was the only person Gabriella ever felt comfortable crying in front of.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it," she assured her. "Guys aren't perfect, and Troy's emotions are very vulnerable right now. I'm sure by tomorrow you guys will be back together like nothing ever happened."
Shaking her head, she said quietly, "Pull up one or both of my shirt sleeves."
Confused, Rachel did as she said and gasped upon seeing the tiny purple bruises taking the shape of fingers upon her skin. She was speechless at first, for she thought Troy was above that. She couldn't believe it. "Did he..."
"I-it was Troy," she answered, sighing. "H-he promised that he would never....after I told him about my past, that afternoon he took me out for some ice cream...he got mad when I started asking about his family, and I was afraid because I didn't know what to expect, and...and, he gently stroked my cheek and promised me th-that was the only way he'd ever touch me..."
"I guess the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree," Rachel mused. "Maybe it's best that you don't see him anymore. You'll only end up like your mom."
"T-tell me something," she started nervously. "Did...Craig ever apologize to my mom when he hurt her?"
"If I remember correctly, the first several incidents he did, but then it became a habit," she answered. "But your mom never followed the old adage: it starts with one hit..."
"S-so, you think that, i-if I stay with Troy, his temper will worsen? Just like Craig's? Isn't there any hope?" she asked.
Rachel shook her head solemnly. "I can't make any promises, but getting him out of that house would help immensely, I'm sure."
"I don't want to lose him," Gabriella said, looking down at her hands.
"I know you care about him, but there are plenty of guys out there who would love you even more," she assured her.
"But none would understand me like he does," she pointed out.
Rachel was about to respond when the doorbell sounded through the house. "I'll get that," she said, standing up. "But, we'll continue this discussion when I come back."
When Rachel left, Gabriella finally sat up, revealing her tear-stained face. When she heard her aunt's voice, she stepped out onto the first step, wanting to know who she was talking to. Her heart beat sped up when she heard the familiar voice.
"Hi, um, Rachel, is Gabriella home?" Troy asked. Gabriella noticed that he seemed nervous, but what could he possibly want that he didn't say earlier?
Gabriella was surprised to hear the firmness in Rachel tone as she replied, "Yes, Troy, she is, but I don't think she wants to talk to you right now."
Troy nodded, not looking past Rachel to see Gabriella on the stairwell. "Well, can you tell her that I'm really sorry about...what happened this morning and that I love her, please?"
"Troy?" Gabriella called down, snapping his attention to her. "We need to talk."
Troy nodded numbly as he watched her walk down to him. He could tell by her tone that this wouldn't end in his favor. "Outside," she said, motioning for him to walk out, her trailing a few steps behind, closing the door.
"Brie, please believe me when I said I didn't mean anything I said earlier. I'm sorry," he apologized, reaching out for her hand, but she made no attempt to hold his.
"Troy, I can't do this," she started, looking up at him apologetically as she raised her sleeves, revealing the bruises. "I can't handle getting hurt again like that, especially not by someone who claims to love me. I refuse to end up like my mother."
The shattered look etched upon his face as he stared at her bare shoulders was almost enough to make Gabriella drop this discussion and take him back, but almost wasn't enough. Carefully, she reached out and touched his cheek, snapping his attention back up to her face. "I still care immensely about you, but I just don't want to hurt anymore."
"Brie, no, please, I-I never meant to do that...please, just give me another chance! I promise I'll never hurt you again!" he cried, tears filling his eyes. "I-I need you!" She had to admit that it must've been hard for him, for any man, to admit something like this, but it was the fact that, after admitting to what was going on with his parents, he rarely tried to be the tough guy unless it was her who hurt him.
"Troy, I'm sorry, but I know from experience that it never stops at once or twice," she said, leaning forward and giving him a light peck on the cheek. "You're a great guy and there are plenty of girls out there who'd love to have you. You and I just aren't going to work. We're not meant to be."
Troy's expression turned cold as he pushed her hand from is face. "You don't give a damn," he said. "You don't care about me if you're going to be like that. Well, one day soon, I'm not going to be in school. That day, I'll never show up again."
"Troy, don't---"
"Hell, maybe I'll round up the neighborhood cats so they can eat me before anyone finds out I'm dead," he interrupted. "Since no one cares it'll spare the expenses of a proper burial."
"Troy, I--"
"I get it," he interrupted again. "Goodbye, Gabriella. Have a nice life."
With tears in her eyes, Gabriella watched him walk away. She wanted to say something, run to him, do anything to make him happy. Maybe leaving him was a mistake. Maybe she shouldn't have done this, at least not now. But, then again, it seemed like he did get in more trouble because of her, and so maybe he was better off as well. She hoped that, in the end, this was the right choice.
"Gabriella," Rachel called from the doorway, coming towards her, but Gabriella continued to watch Troy. He was getting further and further away. She finally turned away when Rachel patted her shoulder, causing her to wince instantly. She thought she was getting better as far as no longer flinching when someone touched her, but she guessed that today opened old wounds, bringing recessed memories back with them.
"I don't think I did the right thing," she whispered as Rachel pulled her into an embrace.
"Honey, it's no longer your problem," Rachel stated, gently pulling her inside.
"I'm the only one who loves him, and I just turned my back to him," she said. I-I'm the worst. Did you hear him? What if he kills himself now?"
"He won't," Rachel assured her, though her voice wavered.
"I-if h-he does, then i-it's my fault," she stuttered, tears trickling down her face. "This entire mess is my fault."
Instead of walking around town to prolong his suffering like he had the rest of the day, Troy headed straight for home, ready to take whatever punishment he was given. He felt raw and empty inside, a feeling that was once his best friend. Now that it returned, however, it hurt worse than hell, because he had felt like hell millions of times, but it never hurt this bad.
Numb; that was exactly the right word to describe his feelings, he thought. When you felt as though no one cared, when you knew for a fact that no one did, it didn't matter if you lived or died, he knew. He had thought about suicide too many times to count, but he never wanted to actually do it, for he thought that something better lied ahead...someone who would accept him. Now, he had found what lied ahead was only eternal heartache. And so, wouldn't dying be better than living a life in complete misery?
He sighed heavily. He guessed he could try to live for just a little while longer. Maybe there was still something better waiting, something better than Gabriella...She brought him out of his misery for a little while, but it was obvious that he had no chance of being with her again.
A tear slipped down his cheek as he recalled seeing the bruises on her arm. He never wanted to be like his parents, especially not his father. He never wanted to hurt someone he once claimed to love, and that was just another of many reasons to leave this world. When he died, he wouldn't be a danger to anyone. No one would have to hurt because of him ever again. Gabriella could feel free to move on with her life and not have to worry about him coming back for her. He wouldn't turn into a psychopath and do anything worse to harm her...
Troy hadn't realized that he was at his home until he looked up and saw his home. Weakly, he walked to the door and opened it, expecting the worst.
"Where the hell have you been?" Troy smiled slightly, for that was exactly what he was anticipating.
"Sorry I missed practice...and half the school day," he started, figuring that if this was one of the last times he'd see his parents then he could be somewhat nice. "Gabriella and I got into a fight and we broke up...So, I guess that makes you guys happy now. I'm back to being completely miserable, so do your worst."
Jack narrowed his eyes at him. "What are you trying to do?"
"Do you want the honors of killing me, or do you want me to do it myself?" he sneered, although he had no intentions of letting Jack Bolton kill him.
"So, a girl dumps you and now you're suicidal?" Jack questioned.
"At least then you won't have to waste any of your precious time pretending to worry about me," he pointed out.
Taking a seat on the couch, Jack chuckled, clearly amused. "Since you put it that way, go right ahead and kill yourself. Do you need a gun? Knife? Pills? I got it all."
If it was possible for a heart to stop beating and the person continue to physically live, Troy knew his had. Hearing his own father tell him to kill himself had to be the worst sting he had ever felt. It was just as he feared. Jack really didn't care. He always wanted to believe that somewhere, deep down, some part of Jack cared about him, but he was wrong. Lucille would be no different.
The door suddenly opened behind him. A young, pretty brunette who looked not much older than himself walked inside. He rolled his eyes, knowing what she was there for. The short skirt and shirt that barely covered her chest were dead give-a-ways.
"Hey, hottie," the girl greeted Troy, eying him up. "What's your name?"
"It doesn't matter. Go fuck my father. That was your original plan, was it not?" he snapped, walking away. The girl grabbed his arm, causing him to flinch.
"I can go two-for-one," she said, smirking as she ran her hand up his spine, but he pulled away. Her touch seemed to burn his skin where the bruises were. He yearned for Gabriella's touch, for it had the opposite effect.
"Yeah, Troy, you take her. You don't want to die a virgin," Jack chided.
Angrily, Troy ran from the room and out the kitchen door. He couldn't take it anymore. This had to come to an end. He was tired of hurting. He was tired of feeling like the only person in the world that didn't have someone that cared about them. He was tired of being a burden to society. He wanted it to go away. It had to end, and he knew just how to do it...
AN: What will happen now? Will Troy commit suicide? Will Gabriella be able to stop him? Will Jack and Lucille ever get caught? All this and more to come in the final chapter of Saving Grace. Thanks for reading!
Please read, very important: For those of you who were at some point bored out of your minds and decided to read at least part of my profile recently, you may have come across part of my ideas for a possible sequel. I don't want to spill too much right now, but if you haven't read about it in my profile you're free to do so. If you guys are interested, then please tell me, because if no one is then I'll drop it. In the next chapter, I'll reveal a rough summary, meaning it's subject to change by the time I would actually do it, and if you guys want, I have enough ideas right now to write a trailer. If you want, after the next chapter, I can tack on a bonus chapter that'll be a trailer to the sequel. So, if you're interested, please let me know, because if you don't speak up then I will drop it.
Oh, also, a little side note. For those of you wondering what Troy meant about the cats eating his body before anyone knew he was dead, I got that off of the TV show Bones. According to that, cats have this natural instinct or whatever and they'll eat a dead human before they're cold, which I know is totally gross, but yeah.