A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT!


Not knowing what else to do, she did what she always did….she ran back out of the house.

Connie and Steve sighed. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

Connie ran after Gabriella.


She found her a few blocks away sitting on the curb. She went and sat next to her.

"I'm so sorry." Gabriella whimpered.

"OH honey it's ok. We know this is hard for you. We all knew it would take you time to trust or even feel comfortable with Steve."

Gabriella didn't answer.

Connie sighed. "Gabriella, Honey, did I ever tell you I was a foster child?"

Gabriella's head shot up, and she looked to Connie. "Really?"

Connie nodded. "My parents died in a car crash when I was a baby. I was always being switched from home to home. A lot of the foster families I had were very mean to me. I'm going to take a guess and say worse than Axel. So by the time I was introduced to my final family I was terrified of them both, but even more so toward my dad. But they were both very nice about it. They allowed my best friend to come spend the night and even allowed Steven, who was my boyfriend at the time to come and spend the night. They were willing to do whatever it took to make me feel safe and comfortable. That's what we're going to do for you. Would you rather Troy come over?"

Gabriella nodded. "Please."

"Ok. Why don't you give him a call? We can meet him back at the house. You can text him the address."

Gabriella smiled and quickly called Troy. Then texted him the address.


They arrived at the house just as Troy's car pulled into the driveway. He got out of the car and was instantly greeted by Gabriella hugging him tightly. He kissed her head. "Hey, Baby Girl, you ok?"

She shook her head, and he sighed. He looked to Connie. "What happen?"

"She's scared of my husband. We all knew she would be, but we had no idea she'd run off like that." Connie answered.

"It's ok, I'm here now. Let's go inside." Troy said more to Gabriella.

As they walked toward the door, Gabriella stopped at the doorway. Troy sighed. "Baby, it's ok. I'm right here. You're safe."

"Come on, Sweetie. Steve is really nice. I promise he won't hurt you." Connie said.

Gabriella didn't budge.

Suddenly Mitchie walked outside. "Why don't you two come help me unpack? Dad had to get to his new job anyway. Maybe we can do the introductions later when he gets home." Mitchie said.

Gabriella nodded

"Come on, we can work on your room too," Mitchie said.

The three of them went inside, and Connie sighed. She knew Gabriella would have a little trouble adjusting at first, but she didn't think it would be this bad. Gabriella didn't even want to enter the house unless Steve wasn't in it. Was this really such a good idea?


As they three went into Mitchie's room, they started helping her unpack. Mitchie and Gabriella unpacked her clothes into the closet as Troy unpacked some books onto the bookshelf.

"So, what's East High like?" Mitchie asked as she hung up a shirt in her closet.

"You're going to love it. It's very much against the status quo. You can be who you are and not be judged." Troy explained.

"Unless you're Sharpay," Gabriella mumbled.

"Sharpay?" Mitchie asked.

"The Tess Tyler of East High," Gabriella explained.

"Oh…."

"Don't worry. If you can handle Tess, you can handle Sharpay." Troy said. "She has a massive crush on me and is mad that I'm with Gabriella, so Gabriella is her favorite target. But I doubt she'll give you much trouble."

"Ok. So there is no bullying at your school?"

"There is a very strict no-bullying policy," Troy said.

"Do the students obey it?" Mitchie asked.

"Most of them. But the Principal is really strict about it. So if you have any problems, you go to him, and he helps you out." Troy said. "I take it your old story wasn't very nice."

Mitchie shook her head. "It was horrible."

"East High will be different. I promise." Gabriella said.

"Thank you. My father will be different too. I promise." Mitchie said.

Gabriella nodded but didn't speak. She trusted Mitchie, but she wasn't sure she could believe her.

After helping Mitchie unpack they moved into Gabriella's room to help her unpack and get settled.


Later that evening it was time for dinner. Mitchie, Troy, and Gabriella headed to the kitchen and over to the table. Gabriella froze. Steve was already sitting down.

Troy wrapped his arms around her waist. "It's ok. I'm right here. You're safe."

Gabriella didn't move; she wasn't even sure she was breathing. Every bone in her body tensed as the color drained from her body when he spoke to her.

"Gabriella, Look, I understand you don't trust me, I understand you hate me and are terrified of me. I don't blame you, and I'm not mad at you for it. But we are living in the same house, so it's going to be hard to avoid each other. So I just ask that you trust me enough, so you don't panic and freeze up every time you see me."

Gabriella started to breathe harder.

"With all due respect sir, it's going to take Gabriella a long time before she can trust anyone. She's always been like that. It's worse now because of Axel and Maria."

"I know. I understand that. Connie was the same way when we first met. But she trusts you, and she trusts your Dad." Steve said.

"Yeah, but it took years before she trusted me and even longer for her to trust my dad. It's going to take time Sir, you can't rush this."

"I understand that, Troy. I do. I'm not asking for much, just that she doesn't freeze every time she sees me."

"It's her first day. Give her some time to adjust." Troy said. "If this doesn't work out we can always figure something else out," Troy said more to Gabriella than anyone else.

"Let's all sit and have some dinner," Mitchie said.

Troy led Gabriella over to the table, and they sat down. Connie brought the plates to the table, and everyone started to eat. Gabriella stared at her food not eating.

Troy noticed right away and sighed. He took her hand under the table and squeezed it. Then he brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

She looked at him and he nodded and smiled encouragingly. Gabriella sighed softly but started to eat slowly. She and Troy kept their hands together under the table the entire time.

Troy was starting to wonder if this was a good idea or not? She was more terrified than ever. But it was only her first day, she'd adjust…right?


That night Troy was on the couch reading a Basketball magazine. Connie and Steve allowed him to stay but only on the couch. He sighed softly as he heard Gabriella groaning softly from her bedroom. He knew she was restless and unable to sleep.

He wasn't surprised when seconds later she came out and over to him.

"I can't sleep." She said softly.

"I know, but you've got to try and get used to sleeping here without me. I can't move in forever." Troy sighed.

"I know. But it's just for tonight. Pwease." She popped out her bottom lip and gave Troy her saddest puppy dog pout. "Pwease."

Troy groaned. If he had one weakness, it was that face. Gabriela knew it too. "Ok. But just for tonight. Come here."

Gabriella smiled and ran over to the couch. She snuggled in close to Troy. He kissed her head and held her close. "Close your eyes, you're safe. I'm right here."

Gabriella quickly and easily fell asleep. Troy smiled at her. As much as he wanted her to stay with him he knew Connie and Steven would be furious if they found out. An angry Steve would only terrify Gabriella even more.

So once he was sure she was sleeping He lifted her up and carried her into her room and tucked her back into bed. Then went back to the couch. He was growing more and more worried about Gabriella. She was having a hard time adjusting, harder than he or anyone else expected.

The one thing he didn't understand is that she seemed fine with just Mitchie and Connie but the second she saw Steve it was like she became a statue, unmoving or even breathing. Even the first time she met his father she didn't react like that. Something about Steve really scared Gabriella, unless there was more going on than she was telling anyone?

Troy sighed. There was more going on than she was letting on, he just knew it. Hopefully, Gabriella would get used to Steve and learn to trust him. If not…he wasn't sure what would happen.


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