A/N High School Musical Settings and Characters all belong to Kenny Ortega and Disney. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
A/N Camp Rock Settings and Characters all belong to Matthew Diamond and the Disney. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
They spent a few hours at Troy's house, doing homework and just hanging out. Around dinner time someone came to pick them up. Gabriella expected it to be Connie. She was shocked when she saw Steve standing in the doorway.
Mitchie ran to hug her father and Gabriella took a step back into Troy. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her head.
"You ready to go, Gabriella?" Steve asked.
"Where is Connie?" Gabriella asked.
"Home. She's cooking dinner, so we better get going."
"No." Gabriella said shaking her head. The thought of getting in the car with Steve without Connie made her want to throw up.
"Gabriella, come on. You can see Troy tomorrow." Steve said.
"No." Gabriella said again, this time a little louder than she meant to.
"Gabriella is welcome to spend the night here. You have been so generous in letting Troy spend the night at your place." Jack said nicely.
"No. It's time Gabriella got used to being home without Troy. Gabriella you need to come with me and Troy needs to say here."
"NO." Gabriella screamed. Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head again.
"Gabriella, come on this is silly. You'll see Troy tomorrow." Steve said.
"I don't think that's why she's upset." Mitchie said with a sigh. "It's you. She doesn't want to have to drive home alone with you."
"She won't be alone. You'll be there."
"You'll just do it to her too!" Gabriella cried as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Without Connie around you can do whatever you want to us then threaten us not to say anything! I'm not going!"
"Gabriella, Honey, how many times do I have to tell you, I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe with me."
"NO! You're a liar!" Gabriella cried. The shaking had started again, her breathing was getting heavier and heavier, and the voices started to sound far away again.
"Gabriella, have I ever hurt you since being here?" Steve asked.
Gabriella was too hysterical to answer. Steve looked to Mitchie. "Have I ever hurt you, physically or mentally?"
"No. You would never do that." Mitchie said.
"See, Gabriella, please just trust me."
"NO! I CAN'T!" Gabriella screamed and pulled away from Troy and ran into the bathroom slamming and locking the door.
Everyone sighed.
"Troy, I think you're going to be the only one she lets in there." Jack said. "Can you go see if you can get her to come out?"
"I can try. But I doubt she will." Troy turned and walked away. If he didn't know it before he knew for a fact now that there was something about Steve that was causing Gabriella to fear him more than anyone else. He just wished he knew what it was.
Troy knocked on the bathroom door. "Brie, it's me." His heart broke when he heard her crying hysterically inside. "I'm alone. Please let me in."
He heard a small click and then he opened the door. He went inside but then closed and locked it again. His heart broke even more at the sight of her curled up against the tub crying.
"Oh my Angel." Troy cooed. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. "It's ok. You're safe. I'm right here. Shhh, shhhh. You're safe."
"I'm…n-not…go-going." She choked out between harsh cries and gasps for air.
"You're right." Troy nodded. "You're not. You're going to stay here with me for the night."
That seemed to start calming her down. So he continued.
"You're going to stay with me and we're going to cuddle up on my bed and watch your favorite movie, maybe have some popcorn. If you want we can go up to my tree house and watch the sunset. Whatever you want to do tonight we will do." Troy said.
Gabriella calmed down to just sniffles but stayed in Troy's arms. The one place she truly felt safe. Troy rubbed her back and continued to whisper soothing things into her ear.
Just as she started to calm down completely there was a knock at the door. Gabriella's breathing increased again.
"Shh, shh, it's ok." Troy soothed. "Breathe. I'm right here. You're not going with him. I promise."
"Troy, it's me, open up." Jack said on the other side of the door.
"Don't." Gabriella whimpered.
Troy rubbed her back and kissed her head. "Are you alone?" he asked his father.
"Steve and Mitchie left. Your mother is with me but Steve and Mitchie left."
"It's up to you, Princess." Troy said.
Gabriella nodded.
Troy carefully stood with her in his arms and opened the door and walked out.
"We got Steve to agree to let Gabriella stay. He wasn't happy about it but he knew it was the only way to calm her down." Jack said.
"Thanks, Dad." Troy said. "For looking out for Gabriella and not forcing her to leave."
"Honey, we need to talk though. After you first told us about the abuse your dad and I did some research on the signs and behavior of someone being abused." Lucille his mother said.
"What did you find out?" Troy asked.
They all moved into the living room and sat down on the couch. Troy kept Gabriella in his arms as she rested her head on his chest. He stroked her hair and rubbed her back until she fell asleep in his arms. "Continue." Troy said to his parents.
"Gabriella is showing more signs now than she was before you left for that camp. Now I'm not saying anything for sure, because Mitchie isn't showing any signs at all. But I'm starting to wonder what is happening when you aren't there." Lucille said.
"Do you think Steve is abusive too?" Troy asked.
"We don't know. Gabriella is showing almost every sign and her behavior matches it exactly. The only thing we aren't seeing is new bruises or any kind of harmful marks on her body."
"It could just be that she is having a hard time adjusting." Jack said.
"Come on, Dad. I know you see it. She is more terrified of him than any other man she's ever met." Troy said.
Jack sighed. "I know, but I don't want to automatically assume that it means Steve is abusive."
"But there is something going on, Dad. Gabriella told me so herself that there is something about Steve that scares her more than anyone else."
"Did she say what it is?" Jack asked.
"No. When I start asking too many questions she shuts down." Troy sighed.
"Keep trying, in the mean time I'm going to call Connie and see about having Gabriella stay here for a while."
"Wait, really she can stay?" Troy's eyes lit up."
"As long as Connie and Steve say it's ok." Jack said.
He and Lucille stood up and walked out of the room. Troy sighed and looked to Gabriella. She had no physical signs of abuse. Then Troy had a thought, what if Steve was smart enough and only did it in places that could be covered by clothes.
Carefully he lifted Gabriella's arm and pushed her long sleeves up as far as they would go. Her arm was clear of any harmful scars. Same with her second arm.
"What are you doing?" Gabriella muttered as she slowly woke up.
Troy jumped startled and blushed. "Nothing."
"Troy…"
Troy sighed. "I was just checking for new bruises or something that might help me figure out why you're so terrified of Steve."
"He doesn't hit me, Troy. I mean…he hasn't yet."
"Do you think he might start?"
Gabriella shrugged. "I have that fear with everyone."
"Even me?"
Gabriella shook her head. "You're the only one I know won't hurt me."
"You got that right." He kissed her forehead. Then he smirked. "Although…there is something I will do to you, that you might not like."
Gabriella looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Can I lift up your shirt?" he asked. "You can say no."
"I trust you but why…"
Troy smirked as he carefully lifted her shirt, he went no higher than her ribs. He was happy when it was clear of scars too.
"What are you doing, Troy?" Gabriella asked. "Why are you looking at my stomach so weird."
Not wanting her to feel self-conscience he looked back to her with a smirk. "Just making sure I do this in the right spot to get the best reaction."
Gabriella looked confused. "To do what?"
Troy smirked and leaned down and blew a giant raspberry on her stomach.
Gabriella screamed and burst into giggles. "Troy no!" she tried to push his head away but he took them and gently held them down at her sides.
He did it again causing the same reaction.
"Troy don't!" She giggled.
He blew one more raspberry and it set it off to another round of giggles. "No more raspberries."
Troy chuckled. "Ok, no more raspberries."
Gabriella sighed in relief but noticed he still had a smirk on his face. "Troy what are you…"
She was cut off by him rubbing his stubble covered chin on her stomach. Gabriella shrieked and burst into more unstoppable giggles. "Troy no! Don't!"
Troy laughed and stopped.
"That really tickles me." Gabriella giggled softly.
"I know." He smirked. "Ready for more?"
"No. No more beard or raspberries."
"OK I won't give you raspberries or use my beard."
Troy let go of one of her hands and used his other hand to hold both hers in one. Then he used his free hand to tickle her stomach with his fingers.
She let out a squeal and started to giggle again. "No, Troy! Stop, please."
He chuckled. He leaned down and blew one more raspberry as he tickled her sides with his fingers.
Gabriella screamed in giggles as Troy tickled her.
He finally stopped and let her hands go. She giggled. "I hate when you do that."
"Nope. You secretly love it." He smirked.
She giggled and blushed knowing he was right.
"Baby, will you please tell me what's going on with you and Steve?" Troy asked.
Gabriella looked away and Troy sighed. "Is he hurting you, mentally?"
Gabriella didn't answer.
Troy sighed. "If you're not answering me I guess that means you want to be tickled again."
"Troy no!" she screamed.
He chuckled softly and pulled her into his arms. "I love you, when you're ready to talk I'll be here to listen."
She nodded. "He's not hurting me, physically or mentally."
"So then why are you so terrified of him?" Troy asked.
"I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone." Gabriella said.
"Why?"
"Connie and Steve will get mad. Steve will beat me and Connie will give me back to the foster care lady and I'll never see you again." Her voice cracked near the end and Troy knew she was close to crying.
"Shhhh." He soothed. "You'll never lose me. I'm not letting you go without a fight. If this thing doesn't with out with them we will go back to the idea of you just staying here. You're almost 18 after all after all."
Gabriella nodded.
"So will you please tell me?"
"No."
Troy sighed. "Ok, I'll stop asking. So, want me to tickle you some more?"
"No." She giggled and squealed.
Troy chuckled. He kissed her head. "How about we watch a movie until dinner is ready."
Gabriella nodded.
Troy turned on a movie and cuddled on the couch with Gabriella. He couldn't help but wonder what was really going on. If Steve wasn't hurting her why was she so terrified of him. Was it just that her fear of men was stronger now after seeing Axel again and losing her mom? He wished he knew. He also wished she would trust him enough to tell him.
The rest of the week went by fast. Gabriella seemed much more like herself again. Troy was surprised by how much happier Gabriella was after just a few days at his house. It was night and day different. But that only raised more questions as to why Gabriella was so upset by living with Connie and Mitchie?
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