Chapter 26
Recap
"So who in here is Laura Richards?" Aaron's cousin asked excitedly as she turned around.
"Well, this is Aaron's cousin. She just flew here 2 days ago to come to Aaron's wedding. Girls, meet Samantha Kelly." Linda introduced and everyone's mouth dropped in shock. But the one person that really had her eyes bulging when her eyes landed on a certain brunette was Samantha.
"Ga—Gabri—Gabriella??..." Samantha breathed out before everything went pitch black.
End of Recap
Everyone rushed over and kneeled beside the unconscious Samantha.
"What the hell just happened?!!" Gabriella exclaimed frantically, hiding behind Sharpay.
"I think its out of shock. She still thinks that you're dead Gabi." Taylor said smartly.
"Let's carry her to the couch!" Linda said, trying to calm her own nerves. But before they could do anything, Samantha's eyes stirred open.
"Wow, I just had a weird dream." Samantha thought as she looked around the room.
"I dreamed that Gabriella was still alive." Samantha commented, absolutely relief. Everyone turned quiet and just looked down.
"Actually… it wasn't a dream." Gabriella said softly, finally making herself visible from Sharpay's back.
"AAAHHHHHHHH!!!! She's haunting me!! I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!!!" Samantha shouted, frightened.
"Calm down Samantha!!" Sharpay exclaimed and unconsciously slapped Samantha on the cheek, making her calm down.
"Ok, now let's talk." Taylor said.
"I think I should leave you guys alone. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." Linda excused.
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"Hey mom what's happening there?" Aaron asked his mother as he tried to get up and walk over to the living room.
"Its best if you boys stay here for a while. I think those girls need to sort something out." Linda said.
"Do you know what its about?" David asked his wife.
"Not a clue but I have a feeling that's its not a good thing." Linda said.
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"Is that—is she--- am I—" Samantha stuttered but Casey seemed to understand what she was trying to imply.
"Yes that's Gabriella Montez. Yes, she's alive and, no you're not going crazy." Casey said, answering Samantha's unfinished words.
"Oh my gosh! You're alive?!" Samantha said, everything is registering in her head.
"As far as I know, I am." Gabriella nodded her head.
"Then why the hell are you not hitting me or punching me??" Samantha questioned and Gabriella cocked her eyebrow in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" Gabriella asked.
"What happened to you?! Did you forget or something??!! Don't you remember what I did to you and Troy?!!" Samantha exclaimed.
"No, she doesn't remember." Sharpay answered for Gabriella.
"Are you serious?!" Samantha exclaimed, not sure if she was feeling happy or not. There was an awkward silence before Samantha spoke again.
"I'm really sorry Gabriella." Samantha said surprisingly sincere, which took the others by surprise.
"You shouldn't be apologising to me. You should be apologising to Troy for breaking him and his girlfriend up." Gabriella said with a shrug.
"Huh? Why are you talking about yourself in 3rd person??" Samantha questioned and the other girls quickly thought of something to change the subject.
"Can we go and look at the wedding dress now?!!" Camille said and Gabriella immediately smiled, forgetting about the previous conversation.
"Yeah let's go!" Gabriella said, excited to see the wedding dress once again. As everyone gathered around the white box on the coffee table, Sharpay grabbed Samantha's arm and pulled her upstairs sneakily.
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"What the hell are you doing ice princess?" Samantha snapped in confusion.
"Same old Samantha. You really still got it in you." Sharpay commented.
"I was born this way." Samantha smirked.
"Ok, enough with this business. As you can see, Gabriella doesn't remember anything. She had a car accident before she reached the airport. She has amnesia." Sharpay explained and Samantha nodded.
"That explains why she's not biting my head off." Samantha said.
"Yes, so please don't do anything stupid." Sharpay pleaded.
"What do you mean stupid?" Samantha asked, clearly confused.
"Gabriella doesn't know that Troy was her boyfriend." Sharpay said and Samantha got even more confused.
"Then why the hell didn't you tell her??" Samantha said with a 'duh' tone.
"Do you know who Laura Richards is? Have you seen who your cousin is marrying?" Sharpay said, giving clues but Samantha didn't seem to get it.
"Uh.. no?" Samantha replied.
"Damn it you're dense! Laura Richards is Gabriella Montez. Your cousin is marrying Gabriella!" Sharpay said and Samantha didn't scream or made any movements. She couldn't find the right words to say.
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"Dad I don't know what the hell to do with my life." Troy said. After Chad left him in the backyard, his father came and gave him company.
"What are you talking about son?" Jack asked.
"Its getting harder and more painful each day. I can't look at Gabriella without wishing that she's still mine." Troy said, fighting back tears.
"I honestly don't know what advice I should give you Troy." Jack confessed.
"Why do I have to be in this position? I'm tired of crying over my mistakes. I'm tired of wishing that I can go back time. I'm tired of seeing Gabriella happy with another guy. I'm exhausted dad." Troy said.
"Stop the wedding." Jack said simply.
"What?" Troy asked.
"Its simple, yet complicated. Tell Aaron and Gabriella who you really are. Tell them how you feel. Stop the wedding. That's the only way." Jack said.
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"Promise me that you won't mention Gabriella's relationship with Troy." Sharpay said.
"I can't promise you that." Samantha said truthfully.
"Why the hell not?!" Sharpay snapped.
"Because I know I'll slip!!" Samantha responded.
"Oh woman you better not slip any words that can jeopardise things. Remember, its your fault that Gabriella is in this position. You and Kevin." Sharpay said and Samantha finally sighed.
"Ok fine." Samantha promised.
"Good. Now, where is Kevin anyway?" Sharpay asked as they both went down the stairs.
"Oh he's here in Albuquerque. Did I mention that he's my boyfriend now?" Samantha said with a smile.
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Troy went out and sat on his front porch, holding a cup of hot chocolate. It was morning and he wanted to see the sunrise to try erasing all the bad things that had been happening to him.
"Hey!" A voice suddenly called out, breaking the morning silence. Troy looked up at the street and his eyes immediately darkened as he spotted that one person he never wanted to see again.
"Kevin." Troy greeted dangerously.
"What's up man?" Kevin asked, slowly approaching Troy.
"Don't come near me you bastard!" Troy roared in anger as memories of what Kevin did flooded his mind.
"Look Troy. I know what I did. And I know what's going on right now. Aaron is marrying Gabriella and I'm sorry for that." Kevin said, looking at the floor in shame as he continued walking towards Troy's porch.
"Your apology is not gonna change anything that happened." Troy snapped.
"That's the thing, I can't change anything anymore. What the hell do you want me to do?" Kevin frowned.
"Just get the hell away from me and Gabriella." Troy warned as he started to get up but with much difficulty since he didn't have his crutches. Before he could step back, Kevin reached out to his arm and stopped him.
"Troy—" Kevin was cut off as something solid hit his jaw, making him stumble backwards.
"Don't you dare touch me. Because of you, I lost Gabriella. I lost the best thing that I have... Kevin, I lost everything. Gabriella is marrying someone else. How the hell am I supposed to live with that?!!" Troy said in a very low tone.
"I said I'm sorry Troy. There is nothing else I can do. I didn't want it to go this far. I didn't ask anyone to take all of Gabriella's memory. I am seriously and honestly sorry Troy." Kevin said and finally walked away.
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It's the day before the wedding. Everyone was in the church doing final touches on the decorations. Everyone was half stressed, and half excited… except for one. Troy locked himself in the house and lied on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He didn't feel anything. He didn't want to feel anything because he knew that if he felt something, it would be painful. It would destroy him.
"Should I really stop the wedding??" Troy asked himself. Ever since he had the talk with Chad and his father, more confusion filled his mind. He had been watching videos of him and Gabriella and just trying to think of a conclusion.
"Yo Troy! Can I come in?" Aaron's voice wrecked Troy's concentration on staying neutral. Troy could see Aaron looking at him from outside through the window.
"Um yeah.. the door is open." Troy said as he put on his happy face though he knew it was fake.
"Hey man! What are you doing locking yourself in the house?" Aaron questioned as he sat on the couch opposite to Troy's.
"Nothing. What are you doing here?" Troy asked curiously.
"Want to apologise for Samantha. I didn't know that you knew here from before. And I didn't know that she was so… unfriendly." Aaron said, setting the words delicately.
"The past is the past." Troy said, ending the subject. He knew that he hadn't forgiven Samantha yet and didn't exactly know if he ever will.
"Anyway, I'm getting married tomorrow. I can't believe it." Aaron said with a huge smile on his face. He was so happy, that he missed Troy's face drop.
"Yeah… how are you feeling?" Troy questioned.
"Nervous, excited, scared, happy… Definitely happy." Aaron said, looking like he was walking on clouds. Troy examined Aaron's reaction and his mind immediately started talking.
"I can't break that wedding. Aaron's world will be crushed. I can't let him feel what I'm feeling right now. He's like my brother. I can't do this to him." Troy thought.
"Hey Troy, do you mind if I sleep over here tonight? Let's have a boy's night out? Our last boy's night out before I get married." Aaron chuckled as Troy smiled weakly.
"Yeah, let's celebrate." Troy added on with familiar difficulty.
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Ok… I haven't updated for a long time!! I'm really sorry but I'm gonna have the same excuse again. ASSIGNMENTS. Honestly and seriously, that's all I've been doing that's why I haven't got around into doing this chapter. Well, I wonder what will happen next… The day before the wedding day!! Yay! Drama to come!! I hope you like this chapter. Please review.
