Chapter 2: The Beginning of the Secrets

When Gabriella woke up the next morning, Ian was already gone. He left for work about an hour before she was even awake. When she pulled on the black t-shirt she was going to wear that day, she noticed the start of a bruise on her side where she had hit the counter.

"I have to be careful not to get on his bad side again," she reminded herself. She grabbed some money for lunch and a piece of toast for breakfast, and ran out the door.

Troy, Chad, and Taylor were waiting for her on the street corner when Gabriella arrived. Troy pulled her close, and kissed her passionately.

"Get a room, lovebirds!" Chad announced. The couple pulled apart, and Gabriella slid her hand into Troy's and they walked to school together. Troy and Chad kept going on and on about how glad they were that basketball season was finally over.

"It's not like I didn't enjoy it or anything, it's just all the pressure to be good in it, and get good grades and everything," Chad said.

"Since when have you gotten good grades?" demanded Taylor with a smile. Chad rolled his eyes. By now, he was used to all her wise-cracks about him. "Gabi how was your first night with Ian? Things are going to be different once he and your Mom get married." Gabriella stopped.

"Is everything alright?" Troy asked her. She looked at him.

"Yeah," she lied. "Everything's fine. I just forgot to do something at home. That's all." Troy didn't buy her act, but didn't press the matter either. That would just get her mad at him, and that wouldn't help Troy find out what was wrong with her.

After school that day, Taylor invited Gabriella over to her house to study for a little bit. The guys were at Troy's house…playing basketball. Taylor popped some popcorn, and sat on the bed across from Gabriella. They were so absorbed in talking and doing their homework, that Gabriella didn't realize that she had to get home until she glanced at the clock.

"Oh, man! I really have to get going! I forgot to call Ian and tell him that I'm here. I hope he's not worried or anything!" she exclaimed.

Taylor said, "Hey, don't worry about it. You forgot, he's cool. He'll probably tell you to just call and let him know next time."

Yeah, right Gabriella thought as she grabbed her backpack and left.

Ian was sitting at the kitchen table when Gabriella came running through the front door. He stood up as soon as he heard her come in.

"I am so sorry, Ian!" she said, gasping for air. "I went to Taylor's house to do my homework, and completely forgot to call you. It won't happen again."

"You're right; it won't, because you have to come straight home after school everyday to do your work. No friend's houses on a school night," he said icily.

"What! I can't even go to a friend's house to do homework?"

"What part of 'come straight home after school everyday' don't you get? If you disobey me at all this week about this new rule, than you can't go to the party. And you're Mother called and left a message. She said that she forgot to tell me that you're going to Troy's early on Friday, so I guess you may go. But remember, if you don't come straight home everyday, you're grounded."

"You're not my Father! You don't even live here yet!" yelled Gabriella. When she tried to run upstairs, Ian grabbed her, and threw her against the wall.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" he shouted, along with various swear words. Gabriella hit her head on the wooden banister, knocking her unconscious.

Gabriella woke up around 2 AM with a splitting headache. She was still crumpled in a heap on the bottom of the stairs. The events from the previous evening came rushing back to her as she struggled to her feet. Slowly, she walked to her room. Ian was still asleep for another hour or so in the guest room. Gabriella collapsed into her bed, unconscious again.

Gabriella was late meeting Troy, Taylor, and Chad, and that wasn't like her. They had agreed to meet ten minutes earlier than usual so they would have more time to talk to their friends. Taylor also needed to "help" Chad with something in the library, but she knew that that wasn't the reason.

"We should go and see if everything's alright," Troy said after a few minutes.

"Dude, chill," Chad replied.

"I agree with Troy here," Taylor said, speaking up. Chad rolled his eyes. He could tell that he wasn't going to win this argument.

"Fine, fine," he mumbled. "Let's go. But when she opens the door and everything's fine, I get to say, 'I told you so'!" Taylor kissed his cheek, and they ran off towards Gabriella's house. When they got there, they found the door locked. Taylor rang the doorbell a few times, but nobody answered. Troy took out the spare key that Ms. Montez had given him after being tired of her daughter locking herself out of the house after school.

"Here, use this," he said to Taylor. Taylor unlocked the door, and the trio went inside.

"Hello!" Taylor called out, standing in the foyer. "Gabi! Are you home?" they got no response. "I'm going to go and see if she's in her room," she said to Chad and Troy. They nodded, and she bound upstairs.

Gabriella was sprawled out across her bed still in her clothes from the day before when Taylor got to her room.

"Gabi, Gabi, are you alright?" she asked her friend, shaking her awake. Gabriella awoke with a start.

"Taylor, what are you doing here?" she asked, very confused.

"You overslept, and we were worried about you." Gabriella sat up. She had a huge knot on her head where Ian had pushed her into the banister. Taylor caught sight of the bump, and asked, "Oh, Gabi! What happened to you?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. I just fell down the stairs last night, and hit my head."

"Are you sure you want to go to school today? I mean, that looks pretty bad." Gabriella nodded.

"I have to go to school. If I miss a day than I'll get behind in my work." Taylor shrugged.

"Suit yourself," she said. Gabriella dug through her closet, and pulled out a light blue prairie skirt and a pink peasant top. "So how was it with Ian? Was he mad at you for not calling?"

"Actually, he was more worried than mad," lied Gabriella. She hated lying to her friends, but she didn't want them to suspect anything. "I understand though. I can't go to your house after school at all this week. I have to come right home and do my homework. If I don't, then I can't go to the party."

"That sucks," Taylor said as she flopped down on the bed. Gabriella slipped into the bathroom to get changed. She came out a few minutes later, tied a simple pink ribbon in her hair, and pulled on a pair of blue slippers.

"Let's go before we're late," she said to her friend, and they rushed downstairs.

Troy and Chad were downstairs talking when Taylor and Gabriella got down there. Troy and Gabriella kissed, and then Troy noticed the bump on her head.

"What happened there?" he asked, running his fingers over it lightly.

"I fell down the stairs, I was in a hurry last night and I tripped. It's nothing," she replied. Troy kissed it gently.

"Okay. Let's go." The couple entwined their fingers, and left for school.