Author's Note: Holy crackers. This chapter has caused the most stir and just---wow. I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever…but let me tell you…the story has been really hard to write. I got help from my SAVIOR. She wrote most of this. You put a talented writer (her)…and me…and you get…this. Tell me what you think of her writing. I think she's awesome! She is truly the best wooden ruler friend ever! Always, schoolgirl 101
Chapter 34: Savior
She was riding on a white horse. She took in a deep breath, and she opened her soft auburn eyes and gradually observed her environment. Her hand quivered and inched toward the milky color of the horses' mane, and she stroked the horse lightly. Her fingers caressed the warm hair and a modest smile appeared on her face.
"I will protect you." She jerked at the voice coming from the distance and her eyes scanned the woodland for any indication of whom the voice had come from. The wind continued to blow against the trees, and she ran a hand across the horse to distract her from the smooth-sounding voice.
Again, the voice whispered through the trees and carefully caressed her ear. She looked up to see who was watching her. She knew someone was there. Someone was watching her. But who?
She was influenced to follow the voice. She swung her left leg over the horse and subconsciously jumped down to the unknown, closing her eyes in the process. She could hear nothing but the voice against her ear and decided to trust the voice. She opened her eyes and a breeze surrounded her head. She felt as if the light air was whispering a secret to her. Her eyes took note of where the wind blew.
Out in the distance, a small ray of sun illuminated a giant rock between two old Douglas fir trees. The ray was the only amount of light shining through the otherwise murky forest.
"I will protect you."
She exhaled. The voice had come from the light. She could hardly see. She knew someone was there. She was determined to find that person. She brushed away the strands of hair that had gotten in the way of her view and grabbed at the ivory colored dress to pull it up. Her feet trudged on the gown as she began to walk towards the light and voice.
"You made me whom I am today, and for that, I will always protect you."
A smile appeared on her face.
A sudden movement and noise from the horse interrupted her from her thoughts, and she turned away from the light and took a step back towards the animal. An arrangement of goose bumps formed on her olive brown skin as the wind pounded against her. Out of instinct, hugged herself and looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds appear overhead. A heavy fog starts to engulf her. Her heart began to beat faster. She clutches the horse with her hand tightly. She searched for the light and voice, but couldn't see anything. She could feel a chill encompass her. A bell began to ring.
Ring.
The white horse had disappeared. She was taken back and gripped onto her gown tightly. What was happening?
Ring.
The gown had fallen and she was left bare and exposed. Her knees dropped to the ground and tried to search for the missing piece of clothing. She could see nothing. She cried out. Where had the voice gone? Who was watching her?
Ring.
A small drop of water saturated her head. She closed her eyes and tried to take in what the small drop of water was. Why had she suddenly been placed in a nightmare? She took a shallow breath and lifted her arms over her head and reached towards the sky.
Unexpectedly, a flash of light appeared from the sky. Her eyes squinted up at the new light and she saw an object glint and plummet towards the ground. She captured the object and squinted in the light to recognize what the photo was. A young girl was in complete tears sitting outside the bathroom.
"That's me," she whispered quietly.
She was twelve, stupid and opted to stay home alone that day. Her mother had been working and she had no school that day. Scared and confused, she had called Troy's parents that day.
Flashback:
"Hello?"
"Troy….are your parents home?" she pleaded. "I---I need to talk to them."
"Nope. What's wrong Gabs? Are you okay?" he interrogated. "You sound horrible."
"Where's your mom Troy?" she implored and bit her lip.
"At a business meeting across town."
She groaned and began to cry against the phone.
"Hey. Hey. Why are you crying? Talk to me Gabs."
She shook her head against the phone receiver.
"You got to tell me what's wrong. Let me help."
"Nah----uh," Gabriella sniffled. "I---I---"
"You what Gabs?" he asserted. "Tell me please. You're freaking me out."
"I started Troy!" her voice squeaked loudly in the phone.
"Huh?" he questioned.
She bit her lip and gritted her teeth together. "My period! I started my period!"
There was a silence against the phone and Gabriella gasped and clutched on her stomach. "Troy---I don't feel good."
"Calm down Gabs---I'll be right there."
Before she could answer, Troy hung up the phone and ran the few blocks to her house to help her. Even though he was just as confused as she was he made the special effort to help her. He had always been there when she needed him.
End of Flashback
Small tears trickled down her cheek as a small grin appeared on her face. Her thumb ran gently against the frame. A flash of light appeared again and the photo disappeared from her hands.
Her knees grew weak and she tumbled toward the ground landing uncomfortable on the dirt. Trying to gain some composure she closed her eyes and a soft breeze surrounded her body.
"I will protect you."
Fiercely, opening her eyes, she searched for the voice. Small drops of rain began to fall around her as another flash of light appeared. A small golden locket in her hands. Carefully, opening the locket she recognized an old picture of her grandparents. How she loved her grandparents. They had always believed in her and she loved them with all her heart.
Flashback:
An eight-year old Gabriella walked hand in hand in the middle of both her grandparents. The three were all smiling. After a quick stop at the bank, her grandparent took her to see The Princess Diaries in a local movie theater. She was excited to not only to see a movie on a big screen television, but that she saved up her money and was allowed to buy a one candy all by herself.
"Remember sweetie, speak clearly to the man," her grandmother smiled and hugged Gabriella gently.
"I know, grandma."
Proudly, the small girl walked up to the candy counter, and on her tiptoes, looked at the cashier. "Excuse me…please?"
"Hello, how can I help you?" the candy clerk smiled sweetly at Gabriella.
"One sour patch….please," Gabriella grinned.
"That will be $1.50."
Gabriella placed her money on the counter and smiled big. The clerk handed her .50 cents change and a box of sour patch kids. Gabrielle thanked him one last time and walked toward her grandparents. That day she felt like a "big girl."
Her grandmother even allowed her to use the restroom without assistance. She was a rebel that day.
When she arrived home she was excited to call Troy and tell him what a big girl she was that day. And Troy was proud of her also. He had always been there to support her. He had helped her through the big, and through the small.
End of Flashback
A flash of light appeared again and the locket disappeared. She looked up into the sky, hoping to see something hurdling down at her, but nothing did.
She exhaled quietly and searched around for anything. The horse. The locket. The picture frame. She couldn't see anything through the dark. She was cold. She was exposed.
Gabrielle was vulnerable and she knew it. Hard wet tears started flowing from her cheeks. Her whole body was trembling. She finally had come to the realization that she didn't know where she was. She didn't know what to do. She had no one to turn to.
She didn't know how long she had been crying.
It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. Within that time, another flash of light had appeared in front of her. Only this time nothing appeared in her hands, nothing fell from the sky, her appearance didn't change, and nothing was removed cause there wasn't anything left to remove. She was stripped and stark.
She blinked twice. Maybe she had missed that change the flashing light produced. She scanned the darkness looking for a hint...something small.
"I will always protect you."
Her auburn eyes flashed and she searched for the voice. Did she actually hear the voice? Or was it in her imagination?
Suddenly, a pair of lips---his lips, pressed against her month. She stood frozen for a second wondering if what she was feeling was real. His hands wrapped around the small of her back to bring her closer. She wrapped her arms around the familiar males body. Her lips glided across his---and she felt warm. She felt protected. She felt safe.
His tongue carefully massaged her bottom lip requesting entrance into her mouth. She gladly approved and gasped at the sudden pressure against her body and mouth.
"Troy---" she trembled.
She ran her hands against the muscles against his back as he decided to explore her body as well. His hands moved down investigating every curve of her body. Gently lowering her down to the ground, he touched the smoothness of her leg and slowly began to inch open her thighs slowly...
"Troy!" she gasped.
Her body flung forward and her head hit the side of her wall. Her breaths came rapidly trying to find enough air to take in. Her head sunk down and she wiped the cold sweat that had formed on her forehead. Her body was shaking.
She had dreamed about him.
She had dreamed about him again.
She tossed against her bed sheets. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? He was the only thing she could see. She wanted to touch him, to feel him, to be with him. Her body leaked with desire and she groaned as she leaned her head against the panel of her bed.
She didn't understand why she could be so obsessed about a single person. She couldn't understand the desire of wanting something she couldn't have. She ran a hand through her hair.
If he could only understand---if she could only understand she couldn't control her thoughts when she was with him. She couldn't control her feelings.
There must have been something wrong with her at that moment. She began to think back about the dream that she had. She had started off in the woods of some sort? She had been wearing a beautiful golden gown. She was happy---and warm. She had been in that perfect world she had always talked about.
Gabriella bit her lip as she thought back about what had happened. Her dream suddenly became dark. The white horse had disappeared from her grasp. She flash-backed to events where she was without Troy. He might have not been there the exact moment, but he had always been there. But when the flashbacks had disappeared, darkness had overtaken her. And she was alone. And she was cold.
She hadn't realized that the whole time she was searching for her independence...she had always had it. Troy had always been there for her when she needed him. She could do things by herself and always know that there was someone to support her.
Troy had saved her. He was that burning desire that had warmed her. He had caressed her. He had kept her close to his side. And she couldn't stop thinking about him. That desire she had for him at that moment was something that she couldn't control.
She gave her whole heart out to him, and he didn't break it.
Troy Bolton had saved her from her perfect dream and brought her back to reality.
Troy Bolton was her savior.