Chapter 26

Disclaimer: This story is a product of my over active imagination which makes it mine. The rest is owned by the company that created the famous Mouse.

"She cheated on you then dumped you. Oh boohoo!" Sharpay derided as she paced from left to right in front of Troy who was currently seated on a deep pink feathery thing that was referred to as a couch in her apartment.

The blonde had worked up quite an annoyance for him after she and Chad found him en route from the parking space where he and Julie had their talk. He had ignored her outburst for the most part as they walked back to the vicinity of the restaurant only to find Gabriella and Paolo gone. The valet telling them that Mrs. Bolton had left with a male companion who drove her car. And much as they tried calling the siblings, their respective phones were off.

In Sharpay fashion, she demanded from him an explanation for the ridiculous, totally uncalled for and possibly the most stupid thing to do in front of your wife and her brother—her exact words just four hours ago, Troy recalled vividly—and even went as far as threatening to castrate him if he doesn't tell her everything.

So he did. Rather, Chad did in detail, with his permission of course, since he found it an utter waste of time to recount the past events in his life that prompted the stupid behavior he displayed, when he should focus his wits and efforts into finding Gabriella and try not to linger too much on the scary thought that she might have just decided to leave him.

While his bestfriend narrated his tale to Sharpay, he called the mansion using Chad's phone hoping to press his luck and receive word that Gabriella is actually at their house waiting for him. It was quite a stretch and as expected, it is because aside from the butler telling him she isn't there, his cousins, especially Chloe, expressed their not so kind opinion of him for being an inconsiderate jerk and hurting Gabriella in the process.

Then, after Sharpay had learned about his past with Julie, she calmly stared at him for long, long minutes to the point where he was feeling quite uneasy under her scrutiny. She didn't say a word to him (which he would later realize that her silence meant she was not only saving her energy but analyzing him as well), instead, with an irritated look, she scrolled on her phone and began to call people who were friends and co workers of Gabriella, chatting up each of them like she would on any ordinary day before she would casually ask of her best friend's whereabouts.

With such concentration she went on with the task, not once dampened by the negative answers she gets from every person she called. She diligently did it while Troy, angry with himself for unintentionally leaving his phone in the mansion in his haste to see Gabriella earlier, and Chad, quite amazed by the systematic way she was handling everything like she has a vast experience finding missing persons, watched like incompetent idiots.

Disappointedly, the calls Sharpay made did not get any positive result. But undeterred, her eyes took on an interesting glint when she deduced Gabriella would most likely be in the studio or if not, upon her recollection, probably in her apartment since Paolo had apparently wanted to take them back there earlier.

Since Troy was more than willing to pursue anything just to find Gabriella and any smart idea as to where his wife could be at that moment seems to elude his usually sharp mind, he took Sharpay with him while Chad drove in his own car—a wiser decision in his opinion—driving like a lunatic to get to the studio and, when they didn't find Gabriella there, speeding to her apartment in the soonest possible time not just to see his wife at once but to stop Sharpay's incessant nagging that began as soon as she clipped the lock on her seatbelt.

He was wrong though because Sharpay did not cease to lecture him on his rash, completely thoughtless behavior earlier in the night—she never passed any chance to remind him how utterly stupid he is. She was so worked up on her sarcastic speech for him that even when Chad showed up in her abode a few minutes later and went straight to her kitchen—obviously to find food, she barely paid him any mind.

Troy would have reasoned back, defended his stupidity but as much as he hated to give the blonde her moment of enjoyment in chastising him . . . he admits, her irritation for him is well founded. So he merely sat there half listening, half thinking and fervently hoping that Gabriella would not act solely on impulse and give him a chance to explain.

"I feel for you, Bolton. Believe me, I do." Sharpay dramatized, her face resembling a pitying look then her eyes narrowed on him once again. "But tell me, how long ago was that? Coz' if this cheating happened around the time you hit puberty," It was hard not to miss the threat in her tone even before she said, "I will claw your guts out and sell it on Ebay."

Probably borne out of fear or worry that among other things that were obvious, she also has a fetish for human organs and would really go to such grotesque lengths out of annoyance for him, Troy found himself obligated to answer. "College."

She blew off an unladylike snort, stopped pacing and rolled her eyes to show her disapproval or maybe dismay. "Your excusable period, as the party that got cheated on, for feeling hurt, betrayed or whatever has lapsed a long time ago. Right now, your inappropriate behavior is no longer excused! Move the hell on! What's with you holding this grudge for so long?! Don't you find it exhausting?!" Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrowed her gaze at him and added, "You-you—God! You annoy me so much right now. I'm not feeling fabulous, just to let you know. I was so looking forward to weltering in my own misery—which frankly speaking, I am entitled to because the freaking love of my life introduced me to his fiancé!"

Surprised about that little detail regarding Paolo, Troy slouched further into the couch. He could not think of anything to say to her. Not even a sympathetic word for her feelings or a smart retort or an excuse to save himself from all the valid points she was saying. Because, as he realized during his talk with Julie, there's no justification for the way he had prolonged this ill will. It did not do him any good and it certainly didn't help with what could have been a memorable night with Gabriella.

Plain and simple. He was stupid. And it's this kind of stupidity that bugs people out, even himself.

"Look, I'm no Dr. Phil obviously but—is it possible that your reason for nurturing this stupid hurt is because for the first time in your stellar life you got dumped by a girl?" Sharpay speculated further, her tone steady on the exasperated scale. "Something no one expected, not even you, because hey, you're the Troy Bolton!" She uncrossed her arms to make air quotes as she mentioned his name. "Ever since you grew adolescent hair, you've lived with the fact that every girl will fall for your charms and whatnot and because of this, you can't imagine anyone not wanting to be with you. The idea, to you, is simply preposterous! This Julie, not that I condone what she did coz' I'm no fan of cheaters either, but she is the first and only girl to break that streak you have going for years."

"So the arrogance plus the hurt went into a nasty, cynical . . . whorish mode, to prove to this girl you can have any female you want at the same time you want to forget the hurt instead of dealing with it the normal and mature way." She elaborated. "How am I doing so far, Bolton?"

"I'd say pretty accurate . . . but that's just my opinion." Chad suddenly butted in—mouth full of food while strutting towards another couch right across from Troy—like he's very at home in the apartment, as he came out from the kitchen carrying a plate filled with about three types of food.

Sharpay no more than gave him a cursory glance before swinging her vision back at Troy who had a slight feeling that his best friend had something to do with her summation of what caused his not so wise behavior. "And I apparently gave you more credit than I should have, Bolton. Now, I don't know . . ." She trailed off briefly with a disappointed shake of the head. ". . . what made Gabriella love you but she does and I can only imagine what she's thinking after you just ran off."

That's what Troy was worried about too. In his head, despite Sharpay's unending tirade, he was begging to whatever imaginary being is out there to please, please give him another chance to be able to show Gabriella just how much she means to him. He just wants to see her. Even if she throws a fit or throws any heavy object at him, he'll take it so long as she's physically present. Because, at least if she's there, it means she did not completely shut him off . . . yet.

God, he hates himself with a passion!

"Bolton! Thousands of people die everyday from poverty and you sit there shaking your head!" Sharpay's high pitched voice snapped him out of his thoughts, making him raise his lolling head with a confused look as he noted the pinched expression on her face, hands on her hips in a challenging stance. He has no idea how the world's poverty rate is even remotely related to the reason for her rants. "This is the part where your eyes grow wide as saucers, your mouth drops in surprise and after a moment to gather your wits at the startling information which I so generously provided, you ask me in a disbelieving tone, she loves me?!"

"I know." He groaned, his hands threading through his head and nearly pulling a fistful of hair.

"I am disappointed, Bolton, just so you know."

"I know."

"Makes me wonder why you were so happy when you told us you two are gonna stay married past five years . . ."

"I know . . . she loves me." He clarified in a low voice, as if he's almost ashamed to admit what he knew after what he just did.

"And to think I was actually convinced you felt the same way—wait, you know?"

"Yes."

"So you flew back to—"

He met her gaze and rejoined without hesitation, "To tell her I feel the same way."

"Oh." Sharpay uttered slightly flabbergasted. She had an inkling that Troy also feels something for Gabriella but as to how deep these feelings run, she has yet to decide. But as her hands dropped to her sides when she straightened, she was quite surprised to see the honesty in his eyes and the defeated posture he exuded sitting there in her couch.

"You love her too." She whispered broodingly. Troy nodded.

"Great." Chad said, his mouth still stuffed with food. "Now you say this. It's a little late, don't you think?"

"It's not late!" Troy contradicted with force but he's convincing himself more than he was telling Chad.

"Whatever, man." Chad retorted before standing up to trudge back to the kitchen.

"Hey! Who told you to eat my food, Danforth?!" Sharpay suddenly shrieked, following after Chad as if she just realized her kitchen had been invaded.

"I'm hungry! I'm so hungry that when I look at you I don't see you, I see a piece of pepperoni—a thin piece but when you're as starved as I am, everything looks tasty. That's how hungry I am."

"Pepperoni?! I don't look or smell like a freaking pepperoni!— and you can't just go prowling in other people's apartment for food!"

"I just did. Sue me." Chad uttered nonchalantly. "Evans, if you're hungry then eat . . . just let me eat in peace. Tonight's fiasco made me miss dinner. It's never good for my state of mind to miss a meal. So chill and eat."

Troy sighed from his spot on the couch as the two argued amidst the distant sounds of dinnerware being taken out from cabinets or drawers and being laid on the kitchen counter or table. Resting his nape on the backrest of the couch, he looked up at Sharpay's ceiling and drowned out the already garbled voices coming from the kitchen. Everything went so horribly wrong when it could have gone so right. He could have been in his own house, in his room with Gabriella enjoying and celebrating their marriage and their newfound love, instead he's here in Sharpay's place, the recipient of her sermons and worrying sick about the possible outcome of tonight's events for his married life.

If there's anyone to blame for this ugly turn, it's him . . . not Julie. Even if she's the reason for his fucked up state of mind, it's entirely his fault for letting his life revolve around the wrong she did to him. He held back on his emotions because of it. He restricted the good things that he could have experienced because of it. And more importantly, he might have just squandered the happiness he found with Gabriella because of it.

He cannot hate himself any more than he does right now. No, not even Sharpay's anger or Chad's irritation can level up to it.

God, his family will hate him too. If Chloe, Brad's or Adam's reaction earlier is anything to go by, the worse is yet to come once the rest of the family learns about this. There's no doubt about it. His grandfather will probably really ship him to military school now or worse, will not even think twice disowning him.

Stupid, stupid!

He was too caught up in his self loathing that he failed to hear the soft ding of the elevator doors as it opened to allow another person to step into the apartment. It wasn't until that person's familiar voice spoke that Troy jolted upright from his drooped position in the couch to look past the person who arrived in hopes of seeing Gabriella's familiar form.

"Didn't expect to see you here Bolton." Paolo drawled as he eyed Troy somewhat smugly and with only a hint of surprise finding him in Sharpay's abode.

"Where's my wife?" Troy asked at once.

"Is that what she is? I thought she's your business partner . . . one you can just ditch when you feel like it."

Choosing to overlook the derision, reminding himself that apart from being a concerned and protective brother, he is also the only person who knows where Gabriella is. In this instance, it's a wiser choice not to butt heads with him. Troy let the insolence pass but demanded again in what he thought was a reasonable tone, "Tell me where she is."

Paolo chuckled crudely. "What for? To explain? Come on, Bolton, we all know your marriage to my sister was arranged. No need to trouble yourself with an explanation. You do your thing and she will do hers."

Knowing that he was being goaded, Troy forced to keep calm and collected when he spoke. "Paolo," He began. "Regardless of the terms of my marriage to Gabi, whichever way you see it, she's still my wife—"

"Yeah, she's a wife alright. You claimed her legally and physically." Paolo spat, walking closer to Troy with an antagonistic face. "I never did approve of you, Bolton. I had absolutely no reason to and Marissa choosing you didn't help any to sway my head differently. But for my sister's sake, since she seemed determined to stick by you for the length of that fucking arrangement, I told myself to give you a chance . . ." He laughed without humor. "But we all know what happened to that chance, don't we?"

"You're annoyed, angry—furious even. So insult me all you want! I fucking deserve it." Troy clamored. He felt overwhelmed with impatience and frustration since it seems like getting information from Paolo will be like pulling teeth. "Just tell me where Gabi is."

"What makes you think she wants to see you?!"

"Maybe she doesn't . . ."

"And rightly so!" Paolo cut him off. "She never was a good judge of character especially with the men in her life."

"Doesn't mean you have to influence her decision or make her doubt what her instincts tell her!" Troy retorted accusingly, his earlier resolve to stay calm no matter how much taunting he gets flying out of his mind in seconds. "She's a grown woman. She's smart enough to decide in her best interest. Don't insult her intelligence. And don't forget, she's also my wife. You have no right to keep her from me."

"Like you have no right to hurt her!" Paolo quickly threw back at him with a disdainful look down Troy's head to toe length. "She doesn't deserve you, Bolton, so if you're thinking I will tell you where she is . . . you're dead wrong."

The hands hanging idly on his sides clenched into fists as Troy strived to control himself from taking a jab at Paolo. "And because you think I don't deserve her, it's your duty to look for someone who does? You're not her fairy godmother! What goes on between me and Gabi is none of you goddamn business!"

"You're absolutely right. But you made it my business when you ditched her after seeing Julie."

"I don't care about Julie! She's all yours! And if there's anyone I have to explain to, it's certainly not you . . . it's Gabi."

Paolo merely snorted, his stance both impertinent and supercilious, letting Troy know he didn't give a cent whatever he's saying.

He was gloating, that was very obvious to Troy. The knowledge of where Gabi is gave him every right gloat and he sensed that Paolo was doing this on purpose to piss him off. But he still held on to that very thin thread of rationality for the sake of Gabriella. "Where is she?"

"In a place where she feels safe."

"Where is my wife?" He persisted.

"Get it through your thick skull, Bolton. I am not telling you." Paolo hissed. "We may not know of your past but it was clear to us when you ran off how much Julie still affects you. Even a person with half a brain would have seen that!"

"It's none of your business what I want to do! Tell me where she is!"

"I can't do anything to whatever voodoo you cleverly cast on my sister to make her feel something for you . . . but don't expect me to hand her to you like an offering. While you fled and chit chatted with Julie, the person you refer to as your wife looked so lost, insecure, ashamed and betrayed. The last time she looked like that was when her father died and she learned she was being arranged to marry a complete stranger—you!" He pointed a finger at Troy, his earlier composure also slipping away. "So put yourself in my shoe Bolton, and tell me . . . would you give Gabriella to an asshole like you—"

The bit of info about how Gabriella took his leaving made the anger and frustration inside him, directed mostly at himself and at Paolo, coupled with a sense of foreboding, crawl up his skin, collided with his heart and settled in his brain just as the word asshole escaped Paolo's lips, causing Troy to let go of the control he was desperately clinging to. He threw a punch at Paolo, cutting short his angry outburst, momentarily shocking him as Troy's fist connected with the side of his face and as soon as he recovered answered the punch with one of his own.

Then all hell broke loose.

Sharpay came rushing in from the kitchen, with Chad right on her tail, to investigate what the sudden commotion was about. Thinking Troy had gone berserk because of his stupidity, she was ready to deliver yet another tirade at him for disturbing her very late dinner. But she found herself dumbfounded when she saw the two grown men in her living room throwing punches and cuss words at each other like they both seriously contemplated one should live and the other should definitely die.

And based on the omphs, the thwacks, the grunts, the groans and the bone cracking sounds she's hearing, it will most likely be the case when it ends . . .

Chad rushed past Sharpay's frozen form to stand between the two butting heads. "Stop it!" He shouted to both, alternately pushing them apart on opposite sides of the room which was a useless effort as Troy and Paolo kept seeking each other out, neither one planning to back down. "Sharpay! A little help would be nice!"

"No way!" She squeaked, snapping out of her shock. "I don't plan on getting caught in a stupid wrestling match!"

"Not the best time to be a diva, Sharpay." Chad grumbled as he continued to separate the two guys and at the same time dodge a wayward jab from either one. "I will restrain Troy . . . pull him back . . ." He shoved Paolo off his side in Sharpay's direction. "Now!"

"Paolo stop!" She shouted while trying to hold down his arms and nudge him backwards with all her might—which was nothing compared to him.

"Troy! Let it go!"

"Shit…"

"Ouch!"

"My couch! Oh, you will pay for that . . . dammmit!"

"Watch it!"

"Son of –"

"Had enough?"

"Bring it on!"

"Ah, fuck you both!"

"I'm calling security and have you two arrested!"

"Stop it!"

"Watch the table! Watch the table—aarrgh!"

Red with fury over Troy and Paolo's manly display of dislike for one another and the fact that her precious furniture is one by one becoming collateral damage to their physical exertion of force, a fed up Sharpay grabbed a large vase beautifully painted with Chinese art and purposely threw it in the center of the room.

It landed with a loud crash, breaking into uneven pieces and scattering in several directions from the impact. So much for the expensive vase but it did pause the tussling match that was happening on her carpeted floor between Troy and Paolo and an unfortunate Chad who got caught in the middle of the disputing pair.

"Christ! I think I broke a rib." Chad groaned from under Paolo and Troy. He has no idea how he ended up under them. "Get off me you dumbasses!" He pushed against the weight pinning him down while Sharpay assisted to pull him upright. "This is the worst night of my life! I will charge you both for my medical bills—with interest for emotional distress!"

"Not only that. You jerks will be billed for all the damaged furniture in here!" Sharpay added with much feeling, shooting dagger gazes at the two.

As they scrambled to stand, Troy gave a long glare to Paolo who did the same to him then he limped to the couch he sat on before their riot occurred. He winced with every sudden or speedy movement . . . he surmised, Chad may not be the only one with a broken rib. He tasted blood from what he assumed was a cut on his lower lip; one side of his face and his knuckles hurt like hell but it gave him a sense of satisfaction when he saw Paolo in the same bruised and swollen condition as himself.

As Sharpay expressed her consternation and anger over their childish behavior and for thrashing her living room, Troy's heavy intake of air evened out along with most of his anger and he addressed the same query to Paolo once more. "Where is she?"

"Why do you still insist?" Paolo replied, his tone slowly calming down. "I will not tell you . . . give it up. Let her be."

"No!"

"Why?"

"Shut the hell up!" Sharpay shouted. "Take it somewhere else. Go to an arena . . . a gym, a fight club. I don't care! Just get the hell out of my apartment!"

But she was ignored as Troy answered Paolo in a hoarse but unyielding voice, "Because I love her . . . and I don't plan on letting her go."

Startled by the unexpected admission coming from his sister's husband, Paolo did not utter an immediate come back. He stared at Troy with a slightly astonished but pondering frown. With a face that gave away nothing, he assessed the man his sister admits to have fallen in love with remembering his earlier conversation with Gabriella regarding Troy.

"Are you sure?" If the question and tone itself failed to express his doubt, the look on his face was a clear mask of skepticism.

"Yes."

"Proximity is not love, Gabriella. It may seem like it now but a few years more and you'll realize it's just the result of living together in one roof and sharing the same bed."

"No, it's not like that at all, Paolo. I know it isn't." She maintained, smiling serenely which unnerved him a little bit.

He expected her to cry but after leaving the restaurant, then driving around in silence and with no particular destination in mind, they found themselves seated on cold sand and staring out the darkness of the beach, each to their own thought . . . he heard her sigh some time later then she whispered, "I love him."

He knew it was also one way of telling him that despite what happened, despite what her husband did and despite her knowing about the past with Julie, she still hopes that maybe it's only a momentary lapse of judgment on Troy's part.

"How?!" He clipped as he shot her an irate sideways glance.

"He asked me to stay married to him past five years."

"That's not a good enough reason."

"Paolo, do you love Julie? Even after all this."

Surprised by her question, he simply nodded.

"Why . . . what made you fall for her?"

"She compliments me." He answered after a long silence. "Does he compliment you too? Are you two even compatible?"

She smiled. "I think we are but it's not just that. He makes me happy. I don't know how to explain it to you and you probably will think it's silly but . . . it's, it's the little things he does . . ." She trailed off as if her thought drifted back to the times when Troy did those little things she was referring to.

He may not agree with her but after what happened with Julie chasing Troy, who is he to question how she feels? He heaved a sigh and asked, "You're going back to him? You're not even sure he feels the same for you, Ella."

"No. You're right about one thing, Paolo. He should find me and explain. As his wife, he owes me that." She reasoned, surprising him yet again and somewhat pleasing him for taking into consideration his advice. "So, I'm going home."

"Home?—Which home?"

She told him and although he didn't want to let her go, she was firm in her decision and no amount of swaying to do otherwise or consider other choices could change her mind.

In the end, he gave in and let her go. Yet, fervently, he hoped the faith she placed on her husband will not be in vain. Or he will personally make sure Troy Bolton will regret ever hurting his sister.

Comparing Gabriella's relationship with Troy to what he had in years invested with Julie, he had to admit the two managed to surpise him earlier when he witnessed their rather poignant reunion and liplock in the restaurant. And after what occurred tonight, he couldn't help but ask, is his relationship with Julie more stable than what his sister has with Troy? He was no longer certain.

Yes, Gabriella didn't know about Troy's past but entering into an arranged marriage with someone you hardly know, would you expect him to recount his past that easily?

As he thinks about it, although out of protectiveness he labels Troy quite the prick for letting his sister feel insecure and uncertain, he can't say he expects much from the guy what with the kind of marriage he was thrust into. He can even say that his reaction, under the circumstances, was normal. Whereas, Julie's actions weren't . . . and they are the ones with the longer relationship that went through the normal process of development.

Paolo smirked at the unexpected confession of love from Troy but was quickly turned into a wince because of the swelling of his face. He cursed quietly, carefully rubbing a hand over the swollen skin, then he instructed him, "Go home, Troy." A part of him felt relieved that his sister made the right decision.

"Not until you tell me where she is . . . please."

He shook his head. "If you really love her like you say, you should know where to find her."

"That's it!" Sharpay interrupted again, flailing both arms in the air out of frustration. "Enough chatter. I want you out! You," She jabbed a finger at Troy's chest. "Get your ass out of here and go find Gabriella." Then she whirled around to face Paolo, thoroughly annoyed. "And you—I don't want to see you or talk to you ever again! Get the hell out!"

"No. I came here to talk to you." And without waiting for Sharpay's protest, Paolo grabbed her by the arm and forcibly dragged her towards the direction of her room, promptly shutting the door as soon as they were inside.

Troy turned to Chad. "Can you manage to drive?"

"Screw you, Bolton.

A/N: Man, was this tough to get out. A little FYI, There are a few more chapters left then this story will come to a close. And hopefully the next chapter will be a happy one. ;-)

Thanks so much for reviewing . . . means a lot to me. I cannot say it enough, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Oh to canada4ever - I love your review. I mean, you wrote the same things that were going thru my mind when I thought of writing this story. I was amazed, hahaha! But, thank you.