CHAPTER 16

((Hey everyone, I hope you like what I have written so far…I have an idea for another HSM fanfic, I might start it tonight, or maybe in a few days…tomorrow, I am almost 100 positive that I won't be able to put up a new chapter…Wednsesday, maybe I am not sure…I procrastinated on two projects…R&R…enjoy…XOXO, Christine))

No Pressure

"Troy!" yelled Mr. Bolton, "you aren't listening to me!"

"No!" Troy yelled back, "you aren't listening to me! I have a family that I am responsible for. I can't take all the pressure you put on me in addition!"

"You see, this is the result of the biggest mistake in your life!"

"What are you talking about?" spat Troy.

"Gabriella and the baby! They were the worst mistakes of your life!"

"They weren't mistakes!" Troy retorted. "They are the best thing that has ever happened to me! They are the farthest thing from a mistake!"

Mr. Bolton was absolutely furious. He had had Troy's life all planned out. Then this Montez girl came along and ruined everything.

"Is that why you won't be involved in your granddaughter's life!" yelled Troy. "Because you think she is a mistake!"

"We aren't talking about that baby right now! We are talking about your future in basketball!"

"That baby's name is Haven, and I love her very much! She's not a problem. She's just my child!" Troy couldn't believe it. His father hated his own granddaughter.

"It's not Haven as much as Gabriella!" Jack Bolton spat at his son.

"You were eighteen when you had me, dad! So don't you dare try to tell me that I am irresponsible."

"Don't you try to throw what I say back at me!" yelled Jack. He slapped his son across the face. "That is for disrespect!" He slapped him again. Then he punched him in the stomach.

"Stop it!" screamed Mrs. Bolton walking in the front door. "What in the hell do you think you're doing treating my son like that?"

"Stay out of this!" yelled her husband.

"I had refused to believe that you were hurting Troy, but now I am forced to believe it!" Sara Bolton had begun to cry hysterically.

"Sara," Mr. Bolton sighed opening his arms to her.

"Don't," she said, "come near me. Stay away from me. I can't believe I married a man who would abuse his own son."

Troy stood up off the ground. "Let me make it official, this time," he said. "I quit." He walked out the door to his car. He slammed the door and drove home to Gabriella. An hour later, his mom came to the door crying asking to stay there. She had become steady friends with Ms. Montez, who graciously prepared the guest bedroom for her.

"Troy and Gabby," Karen said, "I will let you sleep in the same bed tonight," Troy and Gabby's faces brightened. "But," she added. Their smiles slightly fell. "One daughter is enough, for now, be thankful for the one you already have." Troy and Gabriella translated that into, "no sex."

They listened to her. Haven woke up twice in the middle of the night. She now had a crib in Gabby's room. Both times, both Troy and Gabriella got up. Together, they would sing her back to sleep. While they were singing "What I've Been Looking For," Troy new that he was going to marry Gabriella. It wasn't a feeling of wanting to, it was a feeling of knowing that it was going to happen. Troy wanted to marry her the first time he met her. He thought about the night when they sang at the lodge. He couldn't believe almost a full year had passed. It felt like just yesterday, they were winning the big game and the decathlon. And now today, they had a baby. Troy sighed.

"What?" Gabby asked.

"Nothing," said Troy. He didn't want to wait to marry Gabby. He wanted to marry her, now.

It was March, Troy and Gabriella had waited an extra month to go back to school. They just couldn't do it in February. When they walked into Miss Darbus's class, everybody cheered.

"Welcome back!" exclaimed Miss Darbus. "Has everything been okay with your precious child? You guys were supposed to be back a month ago."

"We couldn't leave her," said Troy, "we've grown so attached."

The whole class awed and Miss Darbus gave them a look which shut them up instantly. "That's so sweet, but now since you're now pregnant, no running out of my classes, Miss Montez, and no following her into the ladies bathroom, Mr. Bolton."

"How did she find out about that?" Troy asked Gabriella as they took their seats which were conveniently located right next to each other.

"No idea," replied Gabby. "Someone must have told her."

"No one was in there."

"They could have seen us leaving the bathroom. Or, maybe she guessed."

"She probably guessed," said Troy.

People no longer stared at Gabriella. The rumors had died down too. Haven had charmed everyone when they brought her in.

Troy hadn't faced his father since he fought with him about the basketball thing. They occasionally passed each other in school, but they just turned their heads the other way. The basketball team had taken it pretty hard when they heard that Troy had decided against coming back to them. Some of them were pretty mad at first, but they eventually softened up with the help of Chad's leadership skills meaning he threatened anyone who gave Troy crap. Troy and Gabriella went to watch every game. They had decided that the least they could do was support the team. West High's coach had asked Mr. Bolton why Troy wasn't playing when they played them. Mr. Bolton had snapped at him and walked away causing the Wes tHigh's coach to ask Troy himself. Troy and Gabriella had taken Haven to a few of the games. When the West High Coach saw her, he got the picture.

The basketball team started calling Haven the team mascot which angered Mr. Bolton even more. One night, when Troy and Gabby were putting Haven to sleep, the doorbell rang. It was Mr. Bolton.

"Hi," he said. "Troy can we talk?"

"Sure," Troy responded. He stepped outside.

"Troy, I'm really sorry about what happened a few months ago. I was really frustrated. I just want to win at basketball and I know that's wrong to put basketball before family.

"I'm sorry I walked out," replied Troy.

"Look Troy, you have one final chance. I really hope you'll consider rejoining us. Playoffs start soon, and we have to turn in our rosters. I really hope that maybe you could be on it. I promise that if we make it to the games far away, Gabriella and Haven can come with. I won't put pressure on you, I promise. If you can't make practice, then you can't make practice."

"I'll think about it," said Troy.

"Do it," said Gabriella.

"I don't know," said Troy.

"Troy, I know you still love basketball. You want to do this, I can see it in your eyes."

"You know me better than I do," Troy joked. Seeing the serious look on Gabriella's face, he said, "okay. I'll do it."

((howdja like it…reviews please…I'll write more tonight…g2g…XOXO, Christine))