Monday is the last day of school after weekend, and everybody hates Monday. But Ryan Evans has got to be the one who hate this day the most.
Today is the day he'll come back to school. After that awful accident that happened on Wednesday, and the funeral on the next day. Friday was the day he was absent, along with the Bolton and followed by the longest weekend he've ever had in his life.
Jack and Troy has been ignoring him all the time. Maybe there's a few times when Jack asked him a few things, sent him a small smile, and that's it. Other than that, he was completely ignored. Jack didn't really say anything about blaming him with the accident, but he knows, the old guy is kind of mad at him.
And Troy Bolton, don't even acknowledge him in the house. He refused to eat at the same table on the same time with Ryan. The blonde take this cue to eat less and less. He only eat one small meal a day. Either breakfast only, lunch only or dinner only, which makes him pretty weak because the lack of energy in his skinny figure. But he don't care, he wasn't really used to eat that much either.
Not just that, Troy don't even want to look at the blonde. The only part in their room that is currently accessible for Ryan, which is the bathroom, the floor where he sleeps and the corner of the room, where he put all his stuff.
Ryan won't complain. He deserve all of this.
And about 72 hours ago, he was pinned by Troy Bolton, cursing his heart out to him, blaming him for something that was out of his control. Ryan know he's an unlucky person. Its like a curse. And he knows, it was his fault.
Derby's death.
Vance's death.
Sharpay's death.
Lucille's death.
His misfortune had caused the lost of lives. And now, its time for him to keep himself away from everything and everyone. He'll destroy everything he sees, he touched. And its his responsibility to minimize the numbers of things or person to destroy.
So there he is in the homeroom. Getting ignored by Miss Darbus who used to love him [or that's what he thought]. Getting angry glares from everyone in the room. Literally, everyone.
In front of him is Sharpay's empty seat. And besides him is Troy's seat, which is also empty. Unoccupied.
After the long weekend, the Bolton is still trying to deal with Lucille's death, which is damn hard. So Coach Bolton and Troy are taking their day off from the school. But not Ryan, of course. At least he got to escape from them and their silent treatment for a little while.
School was hard for him. Not the subjects, Ryan actually love studying. But the school itself is hard.
Upon entering the school compound, he heard more rumors about him, all those exaggerated stories, all sort of version on how he killed Lucille, although its pretty obvious that it was the truck driver's fault for he drived too fast, and the inersia makes him hard to stop the truck, so it hit Lucille's car.
But from what he heard the students said, he was the one who distracted Lucille when she was driving that she didn't realized there was a truck coming. And another version, where Ryan forced Lucille to stop the car on purpose so that the truck will hit them.
That was the most unlogical thing he'd ever heard in his life. The kid who created the story is so stupid. And those who believe him/her are beyond stupid.
But Ryan couldn't stop those rumors. So he just have to deal with it. Even the teachers are talking among them.
Ryan try his best to catch up with everything in classes, although the teachers are ignoring him, for God sake. So unprofessional.
At lunch, he sit at the toilet as usual. He got shoved in the hallway. Bullied at the end of the day at school, with an addition of the Wildcats.
He was beaten up by Jessie and his friends again, of course. When they were gone, Chad, Jason and Zeke cornered him in the locker room. Why? He have no idea.
"Evans, what have you done to the Bolton?" Jason asked harshly, not caring the groaning sound Ryan make while he's lying on the floor.
"You messed up with them, you know that? You killed our coach's wife, our captain's mom. You tried to rape our bestfriend, which is also our captain's girlfriend. Both in less than 24 hours. Just, what is wrong with you?!" Chad put in.
"I swear I don't know how all of this could happen" he said, for the first time ever to try and defend himself.
"Your existence is how all of this could happen" Zeke said, starting to kick Ryan in the stomach. And within seconds, the three of them are beating the shit out of the blonde.
Ryan cry in pain. They're hitting his old bruises, and creating new ones on his body. "Stop... p-please..." he cry and keep on crying. At that point, he really hope he'll die at any moment, so he won't feel anymore pain.
"This is all your fault!" Vance Evans sput out, kicking the little boy with no mercy, lashing his heart out. The boy sobs, begging for his father to stop. "If it wasn't about you, your mother will still alive, will always be here with me!" he said with his own tears on his face.
Images of his dad's angry face, Sharpay's yelling for his father to stop hitting her twin brother and himself when he was 6 years old whimpering on the floor flashing on his mind.
"Why didn't you die?! Why her?! She's so perfect... My beautiful wife... " Vance leaned to the wall, crying uncontrollably. "B-but I'm... your son" Ryan stutter, crawling to him, making an attempt to hug the oldest Evans although he was just beaten up by him. But of course, he was harshly pushed away. "You are no son to me... As long as I'm breathing, you'll never know what happiness is" he said sternly and started to beat him again.
"Guys, I think we've had enough. Save it for later" Zeke said, pulling Jason and Chad away from the blonde. Ryan let out a sigh of relief after he throw a coughing fit. He look up and meeting his eyes with three angry ones. "Leave. Bolton. Alone" Jason said before kicking him on the stomach once again and leave.
Ryan roll over to his back on the floor and couldn't help but chuckle slightly when he feels like he's acting like a dog, but he immediately regret it when the small movement from his stomach make his entire body screaming in agony of pain. At least, some sort of entertainment for himself.
He put his hand on the floor and push himself up, dragging his body to the locker and lean on it. Ryan clutch his chest where the pain takes the most. He's pretty glad he didn't hear any cracking sound when he was beaten up. He can't handle any broken ribs, the Bolton won't be happy to pay for his medical bills.
Ryan try to stand up and slowly walk out from the locker room, walking through the hallway. He look at the clock and smile when it shows 3 pm sharp. Nice, it only took him about 10 to 15 minutes of walk to the mall. He won't be late for the first day of work.
Ryan slowly walk to the toilet and clean himself up. He wash his face, cleaning any blood stain from his cuts. He straighten his long sleeve shirt [which he wore a lot these days to hide his bruises, check himself one last time in the mirror and started his walk to the mall.
It took him a few times to stop walking and catch his breath. All the pain on his torso really got him hard because it makes him winded like hell. Ryan finally arrived at the mall and went straight to the bookstore. Right on time.
He punch in his card, change to his uniform and start doing his work.
To be honest, Ryan love his job. His job is to arrange new arrival books to the shelves, counting new stocks and keeping all the shelves neat and clean. He has a working partner, Sam, who's really quiet but tend to be so funny when he speak, and his manager is really kind and friendly.
All in all, his first few hours there was great.
He continues his work after their dinner break until his shift finishes at 8.30. He punch out his card and start his walk home. Ryan smile to himself all the way home. He don't feel this happy in a looooong time. At least he have something to look forward to everyday, despite from all beats he take and the pain on his body.
When he arrive, he greet the Bolton. They're eating their dinner, its weird because its just the two of them. They're still getting used to it, and its been 6 days since their last complete family dinner, ever.
Jack nod his head at Ryan and went back to his meal. And Troy, as usual, like you guys don't know.
Ryan went upstairs to the room he's sharing with Troy but stop midway on the stairs when he heard Jack mention his name, eavesdropping time.
"Sometimes I regret my decision to adopt Ryan" Jack sigh, poking the vegetables on his plate. "I told you so, dad" Troy said in a monotone voice and Ryan can practically hear him roll his eyes.
The blonde take a deep breath and sigh heavily before continue walking to the bedroom. He didn't feel sore about what Jack said, he expected that already. Ryan just brush it off and take his shower.
He took so much effort to lessen the stinging pain on his body when the water touch his cuts. Ryan watch his reflection at the mirror and grimace when he saw the bruise on his right cheek that Troy had left on it last Tuesday. Its fading but still look pretty bad on his pale complexion. He shook his head and got out of the bathroom to see Troy doing his work at the table.
Ryan dress up silently then take his school stuff and start doing his homework. The air is so thick with tenses and silences that it almost choke him.
They did their works for quiet a while before Troy get ready for bed, and then he sleep. Ryan organize all his stuff back, take his pillow and sprawl on the floor.
Like usual, sleeping is a hard thing to do. Ryan barely sleep, especially for a long time. He usually dozed off at 2 or 3 in the morning and woke up two hours later.
Factors that lead to this situation are from trauma and nightmares. He's still afraid of what he saw last Wednesday. Lucille's dead body that was badly hurt with bloods everywhere. That juicy and red liquid from her. Just the same thing happened to his mother, Derby.
Everytime he closed his eyes, those images will swim around his mind, making him scared, increasing his heart and breathing rate and he had to calm himself down before the panic attack strikes him.
So he choose to not sleep, so he never did. All this time he was asleep, not sleep. That's two different things.
During this time, he usually just stare outside the window that Troy had left opened, grateful for the moment of peace in his life. The dim light from the moon is shining to his face. The stars are twinkling, and the night is so peaceful, full with mysteries of the universe. Reminding him of his beautiful twin sister.
With tears streaked and a smile on his face, the world slowly faded to darkness.
-x-
Troy woke up to the sound of his alarm setting off, 6.30 in the morning. He push the snooze button, sitting down straight and stretching his body. He yawn loudly and look around his room. Same as usual. No sight of the blonde he truly hate in the room. Good, too early in the morning to get his mood ruined.
He look at his backpack and sigh. Time for school after 5 days of mourning at home. He thought for a while about what he think is gonna happen today.
Everyone will gather around him, sending their condolences. He'll see sympathy glares, comforting hand on his shoulder and everyone will talk very softly to him, careful to not say anything related to his mother.
To be honest, he hope any of this won't happen. He's not fragile. If people act like that, they'll just make him feel worse. Troy just want to feel normal. Like nothing really happened. Not like he want to forget about his mother. Its just, he'll have to cope with the aftermath and he don't like it. So he pray that no one will treat him like that.
Troy's morning thought was interrupted when his dad knock on the door, calling him for breakfast when he's done getting ready for school. He just yell 'okay' loudly before taking his shower and dress up.
About one hour and a half later, after saying goodluck to his father to deal with everyone, which was replied with a playful nudge on his head, Troy walk into the building, searching for Gabriella but failed.
He phoned for her last night after few days off from his phone but she didn't answer. He tried texting her but there was no reply, at all. This is so not Gabriella. The last time he saw her was on the funeral day.
Sighing, he just shrug it off and will ask his friends later, heading to his locker and take his books out. Bye far, no one said anything to him but they did watch all his steps. Good, he don't want to hear anything. After all, he's the East High Golden boy right? Everyone has been eyeing him since forever.
Troy turn around to see the guys walking to him. Zeke and Jason greet him with a manly hug while Chad slump his hand around Troy's shoulder. They act just like usual, which Troy really grateful of. This is why he love his friend.
When his mom died, he thought that his world is ending, like, there's no point of living when the ray of sunshine is gone. But then, he still have his dad. He have the Wildcats that alwaya support him no matter what. His girlfriend is perfect. And at this point of life, he gained his strength back, knowing that whatever happened, life must go on, and everyone is there for him.
They walk to homeroom before Troy asked "Guys, where's Gabi? She didn't pick up my call, didn't reply my text and is nowhere to be seen. Any ideas?"
The three of them froze immediately. Not knowing what to say. They just gulp and Troy look at them respectively, demands for an answer. "Well?" he cocked an eyebrow, growing impatient.
Chad sigh, running his hand to his beautiful fro before squeezing Troy's shoulder. "Don't freak out man. Gabi... move to another school" he said quietly.
"What?!?!" Troy yelled, grabbing everyone's attention to him. "Shh shh, we don't want anyone else to know yet" Jason said, hushing the brunette. Zeke nod agreely.
Troy's mouth hanging open, too shock to brain what the hell is going on. "But why? Why d-didn't she tell me?" he said a bit cracking, fighting his tears back. He can't cry, not now. But his girlfriend just move to another school without noticing him when right now, she's the one he needed the most right now.
"Trust me dude. We don't know. We found it by accident. Wait. No. I found it by accident. I was walking out of the school after I met Mrs Piper for something about the cooking class. And then I saw Mrs Montez in the middle of the hallway, talking to Miss Darbus. I hid somewhere I can think off and eavsdropped them. The only thing I heard was Miss Darbus saying 'I wish for the best of her in the new school'. And then they went off" Zeke explained to him.
Troy is on his silent mode. Still too shock of the news he heard. "But why? She never told me she had problems. She didn't look upset or depressed or anything. Did Taylor knows?"
"No she doesn't. We think we should tell you first. And we do noticed that Gabi has been... weird after that incident with Ryan. She's like all moody and not that cheeky. You know her. She's always happy. But not after the incident" Chad put in and the other two nod their head. Gabi was weird for the past three days last week. Too bad Troy didn't get to see that.
Troy's blood started to boil with anger. He make his way to Ryan's locker to see the blonde organizing his stuff in it. Troy pull the collar of his shirt and pin him to the locker next to him. "What now Ryan?! What else do you want me to suffer about?! What is fucking wrong with you?!?!" he yell, choking his neck, not too hard but enough to make Ryan stay still and harden his breathing process.
Troy's action has gain the whole attention from all the students at the hallway. Chad, Jason and Zeke trail behind Troy. They try to calm the brunette down. Not now when they're still in school.
"T-troy... I c-cant... breathe... " Ryan croak, holding tight on Troy's hand to make it stop. Troy loosen his grip but his hand is still on his neck. Ryan gasp for air, his blue eyes filled with hurt and confusion.
"Come on, Troy. We'll deal with him later" Chad persuade him. "No. I'll deal now. But not with him" Troy said before stomping off from Ryan and go straight to his truck.
He heard the Wildcats yelling for him. He heard Ryan throw a huge coughing fit after he walk away. He heard the warning bell ring. But he didn't care. Gabriella is more important right now.
Troy insert his key into the ignition and twist it. He drive to the place where his lover live. Gabriella's house. It took him about 20 minutes to reach the house because its darn far. He park his vehicle and slam the door, walking to the front porch. Ringing the doorbell.
He stood out there for a few moments before he heard the lock clicking. The door was opened by none other than Mrs Montez. "Troy" she said in awe, like she was expecting him to came, but not this early.
"Mrs Montez is Gabriella here? I heard she move to another school? What's wrong? Is she okay?" he asked frantically.
The old Montez sigh before she invite him in "We need to talk, Troy" she said, telling Troy to sit on the couch. She don't even bother to make a drink for him since she know that Troy is legit in mess, and he skipped school which is bad enough.
She sigh once more before she started "Gabriella is sick". Troy's eyes widen and he was about to say something before he was cut off "Please. Let me say this first. She's not... medically sick. Gabriella has a mental disorder" Mrs Montez said, her voice was stirring like she want to cry.
"What?" Troy asked confused.
"Gabi has Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD. She's, um, emotionally unstable. Gabi was really closed with her father. Really, really closed. She love him too much. When he died three years ago, Gabi was extremely extremely sad. She was depressed for a long time. She won't eat, sleep, read. She won't came out of her room. And then Gabi started to do self harm. Not suicide. I think she think that's way more suffering than comitting suicide. She got really weak from blood loss and fell sick so I sent her to the hospital. And with a few psychological test, she was diagnosed with BPD"
"She was hospitalized for quiet a while, meeting psychiatrist and sort of doctors, have therapies. It takes time, and she did get better. But I know Gabi felt lonely. She was always with her father, and I'm always working. So now when he's gone, she felt really empty. Then, we went for vacation because I want her to relax and clear her mind. She met you there. I thought that her mental health is getting better but then I saw she got extremely obsessed with you, Troy. She begged me to go to East High when we moved here. Gabi changed a lot since then" Mrs Montez pause and took a shaky breath.
"She's... obsessed with me?!" Troy ask, shocked.
"Yes, Troy. I met her doctor secretly to ask about her condition and he said that Gabriella might have Obsessive Love Disorder that was triggered by the BPD. She strongly loves you. She wants to protect you from everything, and everyone. She got jealous when you talk with someone else that is not her, even the guys. Gabi might not show it in public, but when she's at home, she got really angry. She throw all her stuff everywhere and gets really violent. I've tried to help her, Troy. I really did. But she's stronger than me" Mrs Montez is clearly crying right now.
"Last week, about Ryan. She planned all those things. She seduced him and make him look like the one who tried to rape her. But Ryan didn't do anything. Its a trap. She got jealous with him because he stay with you and your family, so she planned that. About me yelling at your father... I'm so sorry Troy. Gabriella blackmailed me. She already cut herself when she forced me to do it and I couldn't say no, Troy. I don't want her to get hurt. I'm so sorry, Troy! Please tell Ryan that I'm sorry... We're sorry! " Mrs Montez sobs harder and Troy rush to her side and hug her.
The lady is really stressed right now. Eventhough he's still in shock, Mrs Montez need him. So he'll comfort her first. "Its okay, Mrs Montez"
They stay like that for a while before she pull away. "Where's Gabi now?" Troy asked softly. "She's in the hospital. She collapse in her room last Saturday when she cut herself again and lost a bit too much blood. She'll meet the psychiatrist after she recover and start her therapy"
Troy nod, still shock. "Troy, whatever happened, I know she genuinely love you, deep down inside her. She just need help" Mrs Montez smile at him.
Troy flash her a small smile, politely ask to leave and drive back home. He's not going in today. He went straight to his room and slump on his bed. He just stare at the ceiling for a long long time.
Troy let all the information he got from Mrs Montez sink in his brain.
Gabriella Montez, has a mental disease. She schemed to get him. But not just that. She framed Ryan Evans in this situation that was out if his control. Ryan was totally innocent. He didn't know anything.
She seduced him, trapped him. Making Troy believe that it was all Ryan's fault. He even punched square on the blonde's face. And now he feels really guilty.
He never give a shit about what Ryan want to explain. But even more so, he don't even try to. Because he knows Troy won't believe him. Troy hate him. And that incident today when he choked him this morning. Oh lord. What have he done.
And at that moment, Troy just realized how badly broken Ryan is.