Yes! Last day of school today! I don't ever have to go back...until next year.

Chapter 13

"Mack! Get back here!"

Mack ignored her mother's pleas and continued to walk down the hall of the hospital. She was so mad, Elaine thought that she could see steam coming out of her ears.

"Mackenzie Bolton you get over here right now!" But it was no use, she was half way through the doors that lead to the waiting room. Elaine sighed and ran after her. "Mack, he didn't mean it."

She turned around to face Elaine. "Obviously he meant it. Why would he have said it if he didn't? He didn't want me in there and thats fine, its the fact that he said it to me like I was his enemy. And don't pull the whole 'poor Troy's in the hospital and he's upset and he can't think right' because thats a lie. And I'm leaving, getting away from him!"

She turned back around and started to walk toward the door. Unfortunately for her, Chad had stood up and ran over to her, grabbing her before she could leave. "Chad! Put me down," she screamed as she kicked and thrashed around.

"No," he answered. "Not until you tell me why you want to run away."

"Because Troy hates me that's why!"

"He doesn't hate you."

"Yes he does Chad. I told...I told Mom and Dad that he wasn't taking his medicine. He didn't want me to tell."

"Troy should have told them himself," Chad said, then he turned to Elaine. "I sent the rest of them home."

Cam and Gabriella were the only other ones in the waiting room. As Chad talked to Elaine, Mack walked over to them. "Calum's upstairs with Mikaela," Cam told her when she sat down next to Gabriella. Mack just nodded, her eyes focused on the plain colored tiles of the waiting room.

"The floors in the pediatric ward upstairs are better looking. They're brightly colored," Mack said, her voice showing little emotion.

Cam and Gabriella looked at each other and then back down at Mack. "Why don't you go get a soda from the vending machine over there," Cam said handing her a dollar. "My treat."

She eyed the bill before grasping it and walking to the machine. When she was there, she could hear her mother talking to Chad.

"How do you think he'll take it?"

"I honestly don't know Chad. He could be fine with never playing again or he could be heartbroken. I'm betting on the latter of the two."

"I suppose you're right. Though, I would not want to be in that room when he finds out."

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"What kind of consequences are we talking about?"

Jack looked at Troy and shook his head. "You won't be able to do as much. And contact sports are out of the question."

Troy continued staring at the wall across from him. Jack tried to read his reaction, but his face was void of emotion. His eyes were dull and lifeless.

"Forever," he whispered.

"Probably."

Troy shut his eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them. Jack had almost expected tears, but none came. He just sat there as if Jack wasn't even in the room. The coach heard the noise from the heart monitor slow down, not much just enough to make Jack jump. It was almost as if a part of Troy died when his basketball career did.

He jerked his head to the side quickly and Jack was sure tears were coming. Troy had grown up on the basketball court, it was like his second home. It was the only thing in his childhood that was always there for him when he needed it. Being the kid with parents that worried about a single cough had led the other kids to make jokes at him. Troy had never told his parents this, in fear that they would do something drastic to make the little boy -whose life was bound for misery- happy.

Then Troy rolled over in his bed and smiled, as if nothing had happened. But Jack noticed he was struggling to keep his mouth in the smiling shape. Not even Troy could mask his feelings about this. "Is anyone still out there, or did they all leave?"

"Chad is out there. A bull dozer couldn't move him. I don't know about the others." Jack stood and walked to the door, turning around before he walked out. "I'll tell them to come."

Troy only nodded in response and continued staring at the wall, too shocked by the news to do anything else. Jack heard the click of the door behind him and shut his eyes. He himself had been upset about Troy not being able to play, but it broke his heart to see Troy so upset.

Troy thrashed around, trying to get out from under the covers. He shut his eyes and kicked but he soon regretted it. He hated seeing all the tubes and machines hooked up to him. He shook his head, determined to wake himself up from the awful nightmare he was trapped in, but he couldn't. He put his head in his hands. This was all his fault. If he had just taken those stupid pills...

"Hey Troy," came an uncertain voice from the door. He turned and saw Chad, Gabriella and Cam standing in front of him.

"Hey."

"How are you doing?"

"Just fine."

Chad walked over and sat next to Troy on the bed. "Your mom told me," he whispered. "You can talk to me."

"You don't understand," Troy said, not looking at Chad. "That was everything I've ever worked for. That was my dream, and now it's gone. I don't know what I'm going to do."

"You're going to do something and be great at it, because your great at everything."

"I'm not good at everything else."

"You're just going to be a kid, that's what you're going to do. Ever since you were born you've been trying to live up to other people's expectations."

"But Chad-"

"Oh no. You're not doing that. You are going to be a kid and you're going to like it. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good, because I think theres two other people in the room that want to talk to you." Troy turned and looked at Cam and Gabriella. They smiled and walked over taking the chairs by Troy's bed.

"When are you out," Cam asked.

"I don't know, I think tomorrow night, yeah something like that."

"Never do that again okay," Gabriella said.

"Yeah, you made all of our hearts skip a beat," Chad said warily. He was testing how well Troy could joke about stuff like that. A year ago, they would have laughed at that, but now was different. I mean, Cam was there, and they used to be enemies.

"Uh huh," Troy said straight faced, then he smiled.

"Well, we'll see you later Troy," Chad said. "Cam and I should be going."'

"See ya Troy!"

Troy nodded and the two boys walked out of the room. It was quiet for a minute.

"Why didn't you tell me something was wrong," Gabriella asked. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I don't know."

"Just remember that sometimes you need help and I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks."

"Now Troy, tell me why Mack ran out."

Troy bit his lip. He didn't want to tell Gabriella that he had yelled at Mack, that he had told her to go away. "She told my dad that I wasn't taking my medicine."

"And you were, right?"

"Wrong. I hadn't and Mack found out so I told her not to tell anyone. I guess when I was in surgery, she told my parents and when I heard about it I flipped out on her."

"Troy."

"Before you say anything," he interrupted. "I know it was wrong. I shouldn't of, but it happened."

Gabriella sensed that he didn't want to talk about it, so she changed the subject. "You went in for surgery?"

"How much did they tell you?"

"That you were alive. So, tell me more about this surgery. What was it for?"

Troy didn't answer immediately. "I got a defibrillator."

Gabriella just kept looking at him, wanting him to explain everything to her, even though she knew all about it. She wanted him to talk to her.

"I can't play. Not anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"Ironic huh. Last year, my dad didn't want me to do the musical because he thought it might ruin my chance at a scholarship. I've got the schools giving me full scholarships Gabriella, but now I can't get one."

"Troy..."

"No. You know it too. All those colleges that wanted me are going to turn their heads. I don't blame them, but still. Maybe I just won't go; I'll stay a senior forever."

"I'm sure that you'll find someplace that will want you."

"And what if I don't?"

"You never will with that attitude. I've got to go Troy." She kissed his forehead. "Apologize to your sister," she whispered. Then she stood up and walked out of the room.

Okay, I added a bit of Gabriella. She'll make a better appearance later on.

Oh, as for Troy flipping out...you ain't see nothing yet!

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