A/N: Yes, I know what you guys are going to say... "Why can't you update any faster?!" Yes, I know, I know, no need to remind me. Sorry for the (very) slow updates... I just put my my new oneshot, then I started typing this, then I got grounded from the computer because I needed to finish my report on the Song dynasty of China, then I got sick, but I managed to finish! So ha! I just can't let you guys down. I love you too much! And thanks for the reviews! They help me cure my sickness!
Liesl Grey: Thank you very much! But I didn't get my 80+ reviews for one chapter! Oh, no, I got those from what, 19? But thanks for the wonderful compliments!
Ryella.4.Ever: Thanks! Sorry I took like forever to update!
Vanessa Turner: Okay, thanks! But... can you really call it action? This is the question that haunts me...
megan: Thanks! And I hope you passed your hard test! And I'm seriously sorry for taking so long in updating. I'll try to make it up to you.
highschoolmusicalrox: Thank you very much!
Okay, thanks for understanding people. Oh, and thanks for those who reviewed my oneshot "Hawaiian Love". I'm glad you guys liked it, I had so much fun writing the story! But I know cast stories aren't allowed. :( Oh well, that's how the cookie crumbles! I'll stop now so you can read the chapter!
This Is War
Chapter 19: Liar, Liar
"Ryan? Ryan? Ryan, are you okay? Wake up Ryan. Please wake up." Ryan heard a very familiar voice say. He opened his eyes slowly but surely, his vision still a little blurred.
"Guys, shhh, he's waking up." Ryan heard another familiar voice say. When his eyes are finally fully open, he was looking into his sister's and his friend's faces.
"Hey guys." Ryan greeted.
"Oh, my God! Ryan, you scared me half to death!" Sharpay said as she bent down and hugged her twin.
"Where are we?" Ryan asked everybody.
"We're in Central Park. You had a really nasty fall man." Chad informed him.
"What happened?" Ryan asked.
"Well, Zeke showed you something, you looked at it, and then you fainted. End of story." Troy said.
"This is what I showed you." Zeke said, handing Ryan the box and the letters. Ryan looked at them one more time, and then looked at Zeke.
"Where'd you get these?" He asked.
"I found them in Gabriella's closet. I found them one day, but I didn't have the time to look at them. So I went back, checked it out, and found this." Zeke said. Ryan put his hand on his forehead, looked at the pictures and the letters again. He handed them to Troy and Troy looked at them. His eyes widened, knowing whom the package came from. But he didn't say a word.
Ryan looked at his friends for a while, finally, his eyes landed on Troy.
"Dude, you still live with Leslie right?" He asked. Troy nodded. "What's your address?"
"1530-D Eden Avenue. Why?" Troy answered.
"Thanks." Ryan said, and then he started walking away.
"Ryan! Where are you going?" Kelsi asked, trying to run after him, along with the rest of the group.
"To straighten things out and find my daughters." He replied sternly. Sharpay stopped the group from following him. "Guys, he needs to do this on his own." She said. The group nodded and proceeded to try and find the girls.
Ryan stepped out of his car and walked up to the apartment door. He started ringing the doorbell, and banging on the door mercilessly, trying to get its occupant to open the door. Finally, Leslie opened the door.
"What the hell?" She said just before Ryan shoved her into the apartment, and pinned her to the nearest wall.
"You son of a-" He started. But before he could finish, Leslie started screaming for dear life. Ryan, on the other hand, put his hand on Leslie's mouth, attempting to stop her from screaming. Fortunately, she did.
"Shut up you piece of crap! I have had it with you! You have crossed the line too far! Now tell me where my daughters are right now before I kill you." Ryan demanded. He then let go of Leslie's mouth to allow her to talk.
"First of all, they're my daughters too. Second of all, I don't know where they are so get your dirty mother-fucking hands off of me." Leslie answered.
"Don't you lie to me. I know your plans for them, and I demand to know where they are right NOW!" Ryan shouted.
"I am telling you the truth! Now will you let go of me?" Leslie said. Ryan just stared at her.
"This is your last chance. If you don't answer me truthfully, so help me God, I will strangle you right here, right now. Where are the girls?" Ryan asked calmly.
"Look, will I seriously risk my life just because I wouldn't tell you where the girls are? I don't know where they are! It's the truth! If I knew where they were, I would've told you by now! If you don't believe me, go ahead and strangle me." Leslie said. Ryan stared at her face for a while. He let her go and kicked the nearest thing that came in contact with his foot, cursing bloody murder.
"But if they're not with you, then where could they be?" Ryan asked Leslie. Leslie shrugged. Ryan thought for a while, trying to remember what Zeke showed him. There was a letter, a package with no pictures. The sender was anonymous. But who did they send it to? Ryan thought. He tried to remember, but sadly, he couldn't.
Ryan turned around and walked out of the door. But before he could close it behind him. He turned around to Leslie.
"Um… I'm… sorry… about this. I'm just really worried about the girls, and Zeke showed me something, that I guess was false information. So, I'm sorry, for barging in on you, and hurting you. But don't think just because I apologized means we're friends again." He said. After that, he turned back around and walked away.
As he started walking back towards his car, he started thinking about any other places where the girls may be. Well, they could be at the playground, but we already checked there. They could be at a friend's house, but we already called every person in her school. Maybe she's at school! In Gabriella's classroom! Gabriella… Ryan thought. He soon drifted into thoughts about Gabriella. Then it hit him.
He drove as fast as he could to Central Park, where is friends were. When he got there, he ran to them and they started bombarding him with questions.
"Where'd you go?" Jason asked.
"Do you know where the girls are?" Taylor asked.
"Where are the girls?" Sharpay asked.
"What did you do to Leslie?" Troy asked.
"GUYS! CHILL!" Ryan shouted. "Troy, I didn't hurt Leslie. So don't worry. You're 'precious' little girlfriend is bruise-free. She said that she doesn't know where the girls are. That means their still out there somewhere. But I think I have a clue to where they may be." He said.
"Where?" Kelsi asked eagerly.
Meanwhile, Gabriella and the girls were eating their breakfasts at the Montez's kitchen. Roxanne and Rachelle had a stack of pancakes in front of them a few minutes ago, but it disappeared and there are just mere crumbs.
"Wow, you guys like pancakes, don't you?" Gabriella asked the twins as she helped herself to her stack of pancakes.
"Yeah, they're our favorite breakfast meal." Rachelle said.
"I knew it! You two are just like your father." Gabriella said. She frowned and stopped eating her stack and just started playing with it with a depressed look on her face.
"Ms. M, what's wrong?" Roxanne asked. Gabriella looked at them with tears in her eyes.
"Nothing's wrong. I just miss him so much, that's all." Gabriella explained. Then as if on cue, the phone started to ring. Gabriella stood up and went to the phone and saw on the caller ID a very familiar number. She hesitated for a second but decided to answer it.
"Hello?" She said into the phone.
"Gabriella? Is that you?" The voice on the other end asked.
"Yeah." She said weakly.
"Um… how have you been?" The voice said.
"Good."
"Listen, I was just wondering- hear me out here- if by any chance, you brought the girls with you to Albuquerque." Ryan asked.
Oh, no! How'd he find out? Gabriella thought. Her cheeks were turning red and it looked like she was going to pass out.
"Um… no. Why do you ask?" Gabriella lied.
"Oh, it was nothing. Forget I ever mentioned it." Ryan said, not wanting Gabriella to be worried. "So what have you been up to?"
"Um… nothing lately. I just finished eating breakfast. My mom made me a stack of pancakes." Gabriella said.
"Mmm… pancakes. My favorite."
"Yeah, I know."
"So… uh… I guess… I'll call you later."
"Yeah, later."
"Gabriella?"
"Hm?"
"I love you." Ryan said. With that, Gabriella hung up the phone in a flash and slid down to the floor with tears streaming down her face.
"Well, what did she say?" Chad asked Ryan eagerly.
"She doesn't have them."
"How'd you know?" Sharpay asked.
"She said so."
"What if she was lying?" Taylor said.
"She would never lie to me." Ryan said. I think.
"Ryan! Think about it! You and Gabriella broke up!" Kelsi shouted. This got to him. Tears formed in his eyes and he looked at Kelsi with hurt spelled all over his face.
"Ryan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that, and I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I know you still love her, but there is a possibility that she could've lied to you." Kelsi apologized and explained. Ryan sighed. Then his cell phone started to ring.
The twins heard Gabriella crying and approached her.
"Ms. M, why are you crying?" Rachelle asked.
"Oh, nothing." Gabriella wiped away her tears. "Your dad just called. That's all." She explained. "Why don't you girls go into the living room and watch some TV while I clean up?" Gabriella said. The girls obeyed and went into the living room. Gabriella took their plates along with hers and brought it to the sink. She rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher.
As she closed the dishwasher up, she sighed and looked at the phone for a while. She knew she couldn't lie to Ryan, she just knew it. But I have to protect the girls. She thought. She walked over to the phone, reached for it and started dialing.
Ryan picked up his cell phone and answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi Ryan! So how are things going in New York?" His mom's voice on the other line said.
"Oh, hi mom. Sharpay and I are doing well. What about you?" Ryan asked sincerely. He hasn't informed his mother that her granddaughters are missing yet.
"I'm doing well too. Can I talk to my granddaughters?"
Ryan started to panic. "Um…" He then held the phone with his hand over the receiver and faced the group. "She wants to talk to the girls!"
"Tell her they're at school." Zeke said. Ryan turned to his phone again. "Mom, they're at school."
"Oh yes, I forgot!"
"But what are you doing right now?"
"I'm here with Gabriella's mom actually. I'm just chatting with her before she goes in for surgery this afternoon. She's getting her leg amputated so the rash won't spread to her whole body. Here talk to her!" Ryan's mom shouted into the phone and soon, Ryan heard Mrs. Montez's voice.
"Hello Ryan. How are you?"
"Oh, I'm doing good Mrs. Montez. Thank you for asking." Ryan said politely.
"Ryan, your girls are very adorable. They look just like you!" Mrs. Montez said excitedly, forgetting that Gabriella told her not to tell anyone. How'd she know what the girls look like if she hasn't even seen them? Ryan thought.
"Excuse me?" Ryan asked.
"Oh, they're over at my house right now. Probably eating breakfast with Gabby. Anyway, have a great day young man!" Mrs. Montez said before handing the phone over back to Ryan's mom.
"Okay, Ryan, I'm hanging up now. Take care and tell your sister I said hi, okay? Bye! Love you!" Ryan's mom shouted before hanging up the phone. Ryan turned his phone off and faced the group.
"Sharpay, mom says hi." Ryan said and Sharpay nodded.
"And Gabriella just lied to me."
As Gabriella waited for the person to pick up, she started biting her nails. It was her habit to bite her nails if she was in any form of stress. She was definitely stressing now.
"Hello?" The voice on the other line finally picked up.
"Hello Doctor Sparks? This is Gabriella Montez."
"Ah yes, Ms. Montez. What can I do for you?" Dr. Sparks asked.
"Oh, I just wanted to confirm my mother's appointment this afternoon at two."
"Yes, she's still in for the operation. Anything else?"
"Um… no. I just wanted to confirm. Thanks."
"Anytime." Dr. Sparks said before she hung up. Gabriella hung up the phone and stared at it for a while, tempted to call Ryan, but she then decided not to.
Leslie found herself getting out of her car. She started walking up to the warehouse to see if the girls were just hiding somewhere in it.
She looked everywhere but still couldn't find them. She checked the chairs for some signs to where they may be. She was almost going to give up but then something on the floor caught her eye. She picked it up and looked at it. It was a bobby pin.
FLASHBACK
Gabriella is in her room trying to sleep. Since she had accepted Leslie as her roommate, she found herself tossing and turning in her bed because of Leslie's constant parties and all-nighters. This night, she couldn't take it anymore.
She got out of bed and went to Leslie's. She tried to open the door but found it locked. She knocked on it.
"Leslie, open up!" She shouted. The noise didn't stop and Leslie didn't open the door.
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Gabriella shouted. She walked back to her room and took a bobby pin from her dresser. She walked back to Leslie's door and started picking the lock using the bobby pin.
The door swung open and Gabriella found Leslie in bed with two different guys… at the same time. She covered her eyes and started yelling.
"This is it! Get out! This is our apartment! And I pay for most of it! If you can't follow simple rules then I am kicking you out! Get out right now!" Gabriella shouted. The boys quickly took their clothes with them and rushed out. Leslie covered herself with the blanket and tried explaining herself to Gabriella.
"Gabby, I can explain-"
"No need. You are packing your bags and you are leaving in the morning. I have had it with your parties, your all-nighters, your love-making! You are leaving first thing tomorrow."
"But-"
"No. I'm not changing my mind. Now get packing." Gabriella said as she closed the door. Leslie opened the door, trying to find out how Gabriella opened her locked door. She found Gabriella's bobby pin stuck in the lock.
END OF FLASHBACK
Leslie was filled with anger now. She noticed that the bobby pin she was holding snapped in two.
"Montez ruined my life way too much. Now it's time I ruin hers."
Ryan stood impatiently by the curb of the New York International Airport. He checked his wristwatch and saw that it was almost five o'clock. A taxi came up to him and out came Sharpay.
"Finally, you're here." Ryan said as he told the cab driver to open the trunk so they can get Sharpay's luggage.
"Oh, my gosh, Sharpay. What do you have in these bags?" Ryan asked as he attempted to carry two of Sharpay's bags along with his own. He failed and Sharpay came and picked them up from the ground with no problem.
"Clothes." She answered. Ryan just stared at her in awe.
"Stop admiring my strength and hurry up!" Sharpay said as she led both of them to the information booth asking for two tickets to the next flight to Albuquerque.
"Two tickets to the next flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico please." Ryan asked. He then gave the attendant his credit card and soon, both of them have tickets in their hands waiting by the terminal. They had an hour to go before their flight leaves.
"Why did you want to come?" Ryan asked Sharpay. Sharpay just shrugged.
"I wanna visit Albuquerque again. I miss it, you know." She explained. "And Rachelle and Roxanne are my nieces. So, it's just natural for an aunt to get worried." She said. Ryan looked at her and smiled. "I knew I could always count on you." He said. They then hugged for the longest time ever.
After waiting for what seemed like forever, the PA system came on.
"Flight number 62 to Albuquerque, New Mexico is now boarding. Again, flight number 62 to Albuquerque, New Mexico is now boarding."
So what do you guys think? More drama is bound to come. Do you think Ryan is mad at Gabby for lying to him? Hmmm... too bad only I know the answer. And what do you think Leslie will do to poor, poor Gabriella? Hopefully, not much, but... that's all up to me now! MUAHAHAHAHA! coughs Still sick... can't really laugh evily. Anyway, please review! They mean so much to me! And maybe I'll get better soon! (And update quicker!)