Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. I do own Kellie's family, though. And Troy's middle name.
A/N: Wow, I'm surprised you guys liked that chapter. I guess I'm just overly critical of my own work. Oh well…anyway, this is a pretty depressing chapter. I'll try not to make it too dark, but you guys know me by now… I'm not sure how funerals/burials work, as I have only been to a few in my life. Please forgive any errors.
P.S.-I guess the updating as much as possible didn't work out so well. Tuesday was the Fourth of July, Wednesday I got sucked into babysitting all day, and Thursday I had to pack for Greece and stuff, and then I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean at midnight. And then yesterday I had play rehearsal and went to see Pirates again. I LOVED THAT MOVIE! I also had some pretty serious difficulties with this chapter. I wasn't sure what to do with it.
Ryan and Sharpay stood in front of the church, each holding back unshed tears. The day was February 18, the day of Troy's funeral. Looking around as another car door shut, Sharpay and Ryan caught sight of Jason and Kelsi walking toward them.
"Hey," Kelsi whispered, walking up to hug Sharpay. The two girls held each other for several seconds. Jason stood next to Ryan, reaching out to clap the other teen on the shoulder. The two of them, along with Zeke and Chad, had been asked to serve as pallbearers for the ceremony, a task which the four of them accepted.
Chad, Taylor, and Zeke all walked up to the others a minute later, Taylor going to hug Sharpay and Kelsi as well.
"This is it," Zeke whispered, his voice betraying his deep sadness.
Jason nodded, but Chad and Ryan seemed too far out of it to respond.
"Has anyone seen Gabriella?" Taylor asked quietly, keeping and arm around Sharpay's shoulders as the other girl shook slightly with suppressed sobs.
"She's inside already," Ryan replied, adjusting his suit jacket uncomfortably.
"What time does it start?"
"Ten. It's nine-fifty."
"We should get going," Jason said, looking at the other three guys. Zeke nodded, and the four of them said goodbye to the three girls, walking toward the church. Sharpay, Taylor, and Kelsi walked into the church together, immediately spotting Gabriella sitting with her mother near the front, close to where Troy's family was sitting. The church was already filled with people, more filing in with every second. The three rows near the front were reserved for Troy's closest friends, which is where the three girls made their way to sit behind Gabriella.
"Hey, Gabi," Taylor whispered, placing a hand on the other teen's shoulder in comfort. Gabriella didn't reply, but merely smiled half-heartedly. Sharpay slid forward in the seat and made the same gesture, not speaking but merely sharing a glance with the other teen. An unspoken understanding passed between them, a testament to the ordeal they had gone through together.
"Troy was my best friend," Chad said, standing at the podium in front of the packed church. He looked out at all the people there for the funeral. Practically every East High student was present, as well as several members of the community. Troy had clearly affected so many lives. It was just wrong that he had been killed so senselessly.
"We'd known each other since kindergarten, practically our whole lives."
Chad had been asked to speak about his friend at the funeral, being that he was the one who knew Troy best. Gabriella had declined the invitation, too upset to speak. That was why Chad found himself standing in front of close to two hundred people.
"Troy was one of the best people I knew," Chad continued, his voice becoming choked by tears. "He cared about everyone, and he was a great friend. He was also one hell of a ball player."
The last statement was greeted by an appreciative chuckle from the many tear-stained faces.
"I can't say that I know why Troy was-" Chad paused, swallowing around the lump in his throat before continuing, "-killed. I can't say I know why it had to be him. I only know that he did what he did out of love. He loved Gabriella so much, and he risked his life to save her. Troy knew what he was doing, and as much as it hurts the rest of us, I know he's gotta be up in heaven, smiling down at us now."
Chad trailed off, overcome with tears.
Chad, Ryan, Sharpay, Zeke, Jason, Taylor, and Kelsi all stood at the bottom of the hill that led to Troy's gravesite, collecting themselves before heading to the burial of their friend. Even as they stood, dozens of people filed around them, all circling the freshly dug grave. Kellie and Jack were standing in front of their son's coffin, the former sobbing uncontrollably into her husband's shoulder.
Gabriella was standing next to Mrs. Bolton, her mother's hand placed comfortingly on her shoulder. Sighing, the group of friends started up the hill, moving as one to stand behind Gabriella, spreading out behind her to show her their support. Gabriella smiled half-heartedly at them for a moment, the expression quickly leaving her face.
Up close, it was painfully obvious the effect Troy's death had had on Gabriella. Her face was pale and drawn, tracks from tears cutting their way across her skin. Her eyes were rimmed with red as tears continued to spill without abandon down her cheeks. Kellie's face had a similar look.
Standing together, the eight friends held each other through the ceremony. After the coffin had been lowered into the ground, each person there tossed a handful of soil on top of the coffin, filing away from the cemetery for the reception at the Bolton's house. Gabriella lingered behind, running her hand over the headstone. She bit back sobs as she looked at the coffin, realizing for what seemed like the first time that Troy was in there, and that this was the last time she'd see him.
She was unaware of Ryan's hands supporting her as he led her away from the grave, letting her fall into his embrace. The tears were streaming unbidden down her face, and, she noticed with mild surprise, Ryan's. The two walked toward Ryan's car. Ryan helped Gabriella climb into the backseat beside Sharpay, who was staring absently out the window. Ryan himself climbed into the front seat and started the car.
Kellie and Jack sat on their living room couch, holding each other tightly as Kellie sobbed uncontrollably into Jack's shoulder. Almost everyone who had been at the funeral had come to their house to offer condolences, but nothing seemed to reach the grieving mother.
"There's nothing you can say," Liam, Kellie's brother, whispered sadly to Gabriella's mother. "There's nothing that can make up for the loss of a child."
Ms. Montez nodded in understanding.
"The mere thought of losing Gabriella like that-" she trailed off, tears spilling from her eyes as she looked at her daughter. Gabriella was sitting on another couch with Ryan, crying on his shoulder. Sharpay was on Ryan's other side, the same haunted look on her face that she had worn since the day of the shooting.
A sudden commotion at the front door alarmed everyone present.
"What's going on?" Liam asked, rushing to the door. Chad, Zeke, and Jason were standing in front of it, preventing the person or people on the outside from coming in.
"They're not welcome here," Chad said coldly, the iciness of his voice surprising everyone nearby.
"Alright, let's take this outside," Liam said, pushing past Chad and taking the man and woman at the door by the arms. Chad, Jason, and Zeke followed them out, glaring at the two.
"We're sorry for causing any trouble, we just wanted to tell Kellie and Jack how truly sorry we are for their loss."
"You should be," Chad spat back, glaring at them.
"Alright, quite obviously I've missed something here," Liam said, standing between the three teenagers and the two adults. "What's going on?"
"They're Drew's parents," Zeke said, his face holding the only compassionate look. "Drew's the one who shot Troy," he whispered into Liam's ear. "He shot his own brother first, then Troy, and then shot himself in the head. Last I heard he was in a coma."
"Yeah, and we don't want them here," Chad replied, stepping forward.
"You know what, this was a bad idea," Drew's father said, looking at his wife. She nodded. "We'll just leave. But please, tell the Bolton's that we know what they're going through, and that we are truly sorry that our son is the cause of this."
Drew's parents turned and left, leaving Chad, Jason, Zeke, and Liam standing looking after them.
After the reception, Gabriella left with her mother. Somehow, she ended up back at the cemetery that night, finding herself in front of Troy's grave. The ground had been filled in since the morning, and already a pile of flowers was on top of it. Gabriella fingered the rose in her hands, reaching forward to lay it across the grave.
Sighing, she sank to her knees in front of the grave, trying to hold back her tears. She ran her hand over the fresh grass on the grave, unable to hold back her tears any longer. She lay down in front of the grave, crying into her folded arms as she looked at the engraving on the headstone:
Troy Michael Bolton
November 14, 1988-February 14, 2007
A/N: That was alright, I guess. A little shorter, but alright. Reviews greatly appreciated, as always!
Coming in Chapter 9 (which will be posted either July 20, 21, 22): One month on from the funeral-how's everyone coping? And featuring an actual appearance by Drew!