Troy was waiting on the rooftop during free period the next day, anxious to meet Gabriella. He had been stressing the whole night, he knew that he had to tell her the truth but he didn't want her to look at him differently or to face the possibility of Charlotte being taken from him. His thoughts were interrupted by Gabriella's hand on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"
He nodded slightly. "Just kinda nervous about telling you. Actually, can we just start it now because I won't be able to focus on anything else until I tell you." She nodded sympathetically. "Now before I tell you the full story, I need you to promise that what I tell you doesn't leave between us. I know it's not an ideal or even good situation but it's just until I turn 18, please don't let her be taken from me."
She placed her hand on his cheek. "Troy look at me, I promise Charlie won't be taken from you. You're an amazing dad and I know you would never do anything to hurt her, you treat her like a princess. As for whatever else you have to tell me, whatever it is, I can help you and Charlie. There's nothing you could say that would change that."
He nodded hesitantly. "Just wait until you hear the full story before you make any promises."
"I still don't think it'll change anything I have said." She took one of his hands and intertwined their fingers. "Take however long you need, we have all period and I'm here."
He smiled slightly before he began. "I don't even know where to start so I'm just gonna come right out and say it, my dad is abusive. He's an alcoholic and he abuses me when he's drunk – which is almost constantly – but I promise I don't let him touch Charlie, he's only touched her once and I'll never let it happen again."
Gabriella could see the desperation in his eyes at the last part of the sentence. "I know you won't Troy."
He nodded slowly before continuing. "He wasn't always like this, actually for most of my life, he was a good influence. We'd play basketball and work on the car in the garage but then things changed." He exhaled slowly and tightened his grip on Gabriella's hand. "I was 14 when Charlie was born. Now I don't really know what you've been thinking about how she was conceived but I wasn't screwing around at that age. Her mom was a woman named Jane, she - she was my mother's best friend. She forced me into uh, she-she made me..."
Gabriella took her other hand that wasn't holding the boy's and cupped his cheek. "You can say it Troy, it's just me."
"She raped me Brie, she forced me to have sex with her and that's how Charlotte was conceived. My dad was furious but my mom, as much as she was angry at her, she loved her, they'd grown up together and they were like sisters so she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it. I didn't really know what I wanted to do about the baby, I felt like it would be a constant reminder of what she put me through but I obviously changed my mind when Charlie was born. Jane passed away during childbirth and my dad suggested adoption but I took one look at her and she looked so much like me that I couldn't do it. Even though Jane hurt me, that was my daughter and I couldn't let her be taken from me."
Gabriella could feel his hand shaking and used her other hand to rub his back. "I'm so sorry Troy."
"It gets worse." Gabriella nodded for him to continue. "My mom wasn't happy with my decision and neither was my dad, my mom couldn't even look at Charlie because it reminded her of her best friend. It got so bad that my mom, she commit suicide, she overdosed on some medication. My dad blames me and Charlie for that and that's why he abuses me. If I hadn't chosen to keep Charlie or if she'd never been born, my mom would still be here."
She saw the threatening tears in his eyes and pulled him into her arms. "Troy listen to me, it is not your fault and it's not Charlie's fault. Jane did a terrible thing to a young boy and as terrible as it sounds, she died from childbirth because she put herself in that situation, you are not to blame for that. And you are not to blame for your mother's death either, no one could ever ask you to give up your daughter. Charlotte isn't to blame either, she didn't ask to be born and your dad has no right to blame the death of his wife on two kids and it certainly doesn't give him the right to abuse you." She saw that he was about to protest. "No, you did what anyone would do and you have done nothing wrong. Please don't feel guilty Troy because you have done nothing wrong."
He sighed but continued his story. "My dad took her death really badly and that's why he's an alcoholic, he went to the bar everyday to drown out his grief and took his aggression out on me, he still does it everyday. I've learned to hide it pretty well since he does it on a daily basis but I'd never let him near Charlie. I think that's why she's so withdrawn because of what she sees at home but I can't get out until I'm 18 which I'm planning to and that's why I work everyday that I don't have practice so I can save up to get us out of there so I can keep her safe and give her a good life."
She smiled sadly. "You're an amazing father Troy, don't doubt that."
He shook off her comment. "He's only touched her once which was two nights ago. My dad was home earlier than usual and I'd just picked up Charlie after finishing work and he started yelling at me about where I'd been. I-I was stupid, I backtalked him saying that I needed to provide because he wasn't helping out with her like he promised mom." He shook his head. "I never should've mentioned mom, I know not to mention her by now. He stormed towards me but I stopped him for long enough for him to let Charlie go to her room but she was too scared, she didn't want to let go of me because she knew what happened. I was almost done convincing her and she was going into the room but he-he got impatient and grabbed her arm and that's why there's a mark on her wrist. I knew I couldn't get to her in time so I yelled at him to let him go, his problem was with me not with my daughter. I'd always told him that if he had an issue to take it up with me and leave Charlie out of it. He didn't let her go, he threw her and she landed on her arm, that's why she's in a cast. I-I promised I'd never let her get hurt and she got hurt."
Gabriella pulled him back into her arms as his tears fell, her mind reeling at all the information she'd been told. She kissed the top of his head and whispered. "It's ok Troy, it's gonna be ok."
He looked up at her pleadingly. "Please don't take her from me,"
Gabriella shook her head. "No one's gonna take her from you, you're an amazing dad Troy please don't doubt that and even though you have your dad at home like that, Charlotte is safe with you." He buried his head into the crook of her neck and she stroked his back. "I promise that no one's going to take her away from you and I'm going to do everything I can to help you and Charlie."
He looked at her and tried to smile. "Thank you Brie, I don't deserve you."
She brushed the hair from his forehead. "You're the strongest person I know Troy and you deserve the world." Although he'd calmed down, she could see that he was still quite on edge and she wasn't sure how to fully calm him but the bell ringing made her smile. "How about we go see that little girl of yours." She smiled as he immediately grinned and jumped up, grabbing her hand.
"Yes let's go."