The next day, Gabriella was on the rooftop during free period. She had applied a lot of concealer that morning in hopes of covering her black eye and for the most part, no one seemed to notice. She felt arms wrap around her waist and smiled as she leant back into Troy's embrace. "Trying to scare me Wildcat?"

He placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Nope, just trying to figure out what's going on in that pretty little head of yours."

She turned and looked at him questioningly. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Baby, on my end at least. You were just a million miles away just now and you seem to be doing that a lot lately."

She shook her head and rested it on his chest. "It's nothing, just have a lot on my mind these days."

He brought them over to the bench and sat them down, keeping Gabriella on his lap. "Anything I can help with?"

She shook her head. "No not really."

She leant her head against his shoulder and he observed her. She had seemed somewhat on edge that morning and he could see the bags under her eyes but for some reason, the left wasn't as obvious. As he looked closer, he could see the makeup she applied and noticed that for some reason, it was only around her left eye. He lifted his hand to wipe it away and was shocked when she tense and moved his hand away. "What are you doing?"

"Why are you wearing makeup? It's only around your left eye." He said as he started wiping it away.

"Troy no." She squirmed, trying to get away from his hand.

"Shh Baby, I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Please." She had tears in her eyes and it broke his heart but he needed to know what she was trying to hide. He wiped off the makeup to reveal her black eye.

"What happened Brie? How did you get a black eye?"

She shrugged, knowing she couldn't tell him the truth. "I - fell, I'm kinda clumsy sometimes and ended up giving myself a black eye." She knew the excuse was bad and the look in his eyes told her he obviously didn't believe her words.

"You and I both know that's not what happened. Why are you lying to me?... Was it one of the guys on the team?"

"No, it wasn't anyone from school."

"Please Sweetheart, tell me the truth. I hate that you're getting hurt and I have no way to protect you. Please tell me what happened."

She was caught at a crossroad. She could either make something up and continue lying to him or tell him the truth. She knew lying would come back to bite her and she hated lying to Troy but it was risky telling the truth, one wrong move and everything is ruined. She knew what she had to do. "I'll tell you but you have to promise that no matter what I say, you won't tell anyone or do anything. It only stays between you and me."

He protested immediately. "Baby, if someone's hurting you, I refuse to sit back and stay silent, just watching it happen."

"Troy, unless you promise to keep this to yourself and not do anything about the information I'm telling you, I'm not going to tell you. If you don't promise to keep it to yourself, I can't tell you what's going on."

He sighed. "I hate the conditions, but I promise I'll keep it to myself."

She nodded and exhaled. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Wherever you feel that you need to, I don't know what you're about to tell me."

"Ok just - promise you won't leave me after I tell you this."

He kissed her forehead. "Nothing you say would ever make me want to leave you, I promise."

She nodded and began explaining. "You obviously know that my dad left after Jas and Imi were born. The reason they got divorced and he left is because my mom has some serious alcohol problems and he just didn't want to deal with her anymore. I was 10 when he left and Chad was 12, we've practically raised Jas and Imi since the moment they were born and Locky since he was eight. When he left, her problem became worse and she became abusive. She calls us brats and if she's not neglecting us, she's verbally abusive. Whenever we've said that she's on a business trip, that's the lie we made up to hide what really goes on at home. The only reason we're here or surviving is the child support payments, my dad still pays for all of our school and gives us enough money so we can have food and basic items for Locky and the girls. She doesn't work, all she does is drink and sleep with any guy that will take her. She wasn't physically abusive until recently, she's slapped me once and pushed me another time so nothing too bad.

That day a couple months ago when I asked what my purpose was and when I jumped when you put your arms around my waist, that was the day after we met Austin, her newest hook up. He'd said some things to me the night before, about having some fun with me and throwing me around and it made me feel really uncomfortable. That's why I reacted the way I did. We were able to keep the twins away from him, we lied saying that they were asleep and we were planning to keep them away for as long as we could. But last night they forced us to bring them out. Casey didn't like how I responded to something and she was coming towards me but Austin grabbed Imi by the arm and left a hand print. We were able to get Locky, Jas and Imi away, we taught them to lock themselves in the bathroom if anything went wrong. Austin had ran after them but they got there in time. When we got there, he turned on me and punched me, that's why I have the black eye."

Troy didn't know what to say, he just hugged her tighter. "Sweetheart, that's terrible, why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't, Casey would ruin us if we ever told anyone and I can't lose my sibling Troy. If the court found out and she was arrested, we wouldn't be old enough to go for custody and even if we were, I doubt the court would allow it. My dad certainly wouldn't be interested in custody otherwise he would have tried for it when they got divorced and not left us with that woman. If we tell anyone, they're going to separate us, we'll go into foster homes and we may never see each other again. I can't risk that Troy, I'm not losing my brothers and sisters."

He sighed. "Is there any way to get you guys out of there?"

"We're just trying to survive until graduation. We've looked into everything, there's no way for us to be able to provide for Locky and the girls while staying with them to be able to protect them. Chad and I would get jobs but that would leave Locky, Jas and Imi alone in the house until we get enough money to move out and we're not risking that. As soon as we graduate, Chad and I are going to find full time jobs where we can work while they're at school and be able to protect them when they're not. We're gonna provide for them and give them everything we can, we just have to get through the next year."

"Gosh Brie, I don't even know what to say. It's a horrible thing that you guys have to live through and no one deserves that, I'm so sorry. Is there any way I help?"

She kissed his cheek. "Thanks Wildcat but I don't think there's much you can do."

"Well um if you guys need anything, you know I'm here. You can always come to my house to get away or if you need to talk or anything. If there's anything I can ever do for you, please tell me and I'll do it in a heartbeat. I want to protect you Brie, I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt."

"I'll keep that in mind Baby but I'd rather get hurt than see Locky or the girls get hurt, it's my job to protect them."

"None of you should be getting hurt Sweetheart and it's disgusting that you are. I'll keep to my word, I made you a promise and I don't break my promises to you but the second there is something I can do to help, I'm gonna do it, ok?"

She nodded and cuddled into his chest. "Thanks Troy, thank you for staying."

"Always Baby, I'll always stay by your side and do everything I can to protect you."