Back again!
Troy lay in his bed, thinking about Gabriella.
"Gabi... I hope she's okay. She looked fine when we were practicing. Why the sudden change? I wonder if she'll be in school tomorrow. Probably not, if she has a fever. Maybe I'll take her homework to her. Wait, I don't know where she lives. Oh, I'll just ask Taylor. Hold on! Why am I planning to bring someone their homework?"
"I think I'm losing it."
"Troy? Are you okay?"
Troy looked up to see his Uncle Zac with his head poking through the door.
"Ya, I'm fine, Uncle."
Uncle Zac stepped into his nephew's room.
"Are you sure? Cause you were talking to yourself."
Troy gave his uncle a sheepish look.
"I was just thinking aloud, is all. I'll be fine."
"Okay, man. But if you wanna talk, I'm here for you."
Uncle Zac turned to leave but stopped when Troy called him back.
"Uncle Zac? Why am I a huge jerk to everyone? I mean, I'm known at school as one of the biggest bullies, and I'm constantly in trouble. Why?"
Uncle Zac looked stunned.
"Well, Troy... You have to decide whether or not you want to be the way you are. If you feel like you are jerk, you should try to change. Why the sudden change of heart?"
Troy looked down and blushed, hoping his uncle didn't see his reddened cheeks in the semi-dark room.
"I was just thinking. Someone made me view myself in a different perspective. Well, I'm gonna get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, Uncle."
Uncle Zac nodded, knowing that there was more to the story, but decided to leave it for now.
"Night, Troy. You know what? Your father would be very proud of you."
Troy grinned.
"Thanks, Uncle. Night."
"Would Dad really be proud of me? I have been such a jerk to everyone. Maybe I should at least try to be nice to some people. Maybe then they won't all be friends with me because they're afraid of me..."
♪
Gabriella sat at the dinner table with her father and mother. Mr. Montez had woken her up for dinner and she had cleaned up before heading downstairs to eat. Everyone sat in silence as they quietly ate their chicken. Mr. Montez looked at his daughter and cleared his throat. Gabriella, who had been daydreaming, broke out of her trance and smiled at her father.
"Yes, Daddy?"
Mr. Montez gave her a small smile back, but it was soon replaced with a look of concern.
"Your mother told me what happened. The school nurse called. I think it's time you go back for a check up."
Gabriella looked down at her half-eaten meal. She wasn't hungry anymore.
"Dad, with all due respect, they are just going to tell me that I'm still sick. It's not worth it."
"Gabriella, you know better than that. What if you have gotten worse? The medication today is better than that of yesterday. You can't just give up."
Mrs. Montez spoke up, "Honey, you are worth it. You are our only daughter and you deserve to have the medical attention you need."
Mr. Montez looked concerned as he eyed his only daughter.
"Is this about money, Gabriella? Because you know that we don't mind spending money if it will help you."
Gabriella looked up at her parents.
"How did I get such great parents?"
"Mom, Dad, I know we don't have a lot of money, and I understand. But I just went for a check up two months ago and they just said I was still the same. I'm still sick! They always say that! We don't need to waste money when we already know what's going on!"
Mr. Montez turned to his wife and they had a conversation with their eyes.
"I hate when they do that!"
"You are going for an appointment, Gabriella! You need to go. It's for your own good. And this is final!"
Gabriella looked down, ashamed that she had argued with her parents. They rarely raised their voices and when they did, she knew it was for a good reason.
"Yes, Daddy."
Mrs. Montez smiled at her daughter while rubbing her husband's hand, trying to calm him down. She knew that Greg Montez loved his daughter and would do anything for her. She would, too.
"Honey, you know that we are doing this because we love you."
"Yes, Mama. May I please be excused? I'm feeling tired."
Mrs. Montez looked at her husband and turned back to her daughter.
"Go ahead, honey. You can sleep in tomorrow, too. I'll call the school tomorrow and tell them you're ill."
"Thank you, Mama. Good night, Daddy, Mama. I'll see you both tomorrow."
Gabriella put her dishes in the sink and went to her father. She gave him a hug and he kissed her on the cheek, in return.
"Good night, honey. I love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy."
Gabriella also gave her mother a hug and went up to her room.
Gabriella changed into her night gown and crawled under the covers. Before she fell asleep, she thought about the appointment.
"They'll just tell me I'm still sick. There's no point in going. I wish Daddy and Mama wouldn't waste their money on it. But maybe I did get worse. Should I tell Troy? No, I wouldn't want to burden him with it. He has too many things going on. He probably wouldn't care, anyways. Maybe I'll tell Taylor. Uh! I hate this. Why did God have to make me so sick?"
Gabriella turned on her light and opened her bedside drawer, revealing an orange bottle. She took out two pills and swallowed them with a glass of water on her night table. The bolded word "leukemia" stuck out on the label of the little orange container. Seventeen year old, Gabriella Montez, had leukemia.
♪
Troy sat in his music class, awaiting the bell to ring. Gabriella's seat was empty, again. Gabriella had missed Thursday and Friday. He also didn't see her all weekend. It was now Monday and Troy was wondering if something was seriously wrong. He had asked Taylor for Gabriella's number but she wouldn't give it to him, saying that she didn't know it.
"Yeah right. Who doesn't know their best friend's phone number?"
"Mr. Bolton! I asked you a question!"
Troy turned to see Ms. Darbus glaring at him.
"Um, sorry, Ms. Darbus. I didn't hear you."
Ms. Darbus calmed down, surprised that she had received an apology.
"That's fine, Mr. Bolton. Just don't do it again! I asked if you were going to work on your project instead of wasting another class. You have just sat there for three days, now. Are you planning to get anything done?"
"Um... Gabriella hasn't been here, so... I haven't been able to do anything."
Ms. Darbus took on a look of sympathy.
"Yes, I am aware that Ms. Montez has missed a few days. You are excused from the project until she returns. But do something productive! Use your class time wisely, Mr. Bolton. Don't just sit there, staring into space."
"Yes, ma'am... Can I take some homework for Gabriella? I know that she'll be upset is she falls behind."
Ms. Darbus looked sceptical at first, but she soon gave in, going to her desk and pulling out a folder labelled "Ms. Montez". She returned to where Troy was waiting at his desk.
"Here. You can show her what to do. It's pretty simple. It's the package we did on Friday."
"Thank you, Ms. Darbus."
Ms. Darbus watched as Troy carefully put the package in his guitar case. It was the first time she had seen him open it since Wednesday. She frowned, however, when he went back to sitting at his desk, daydreaming and watching the rest of the class, again. She saw him shoot out of his desk, with is guitar in hand, as soon as the bell rang. The other students hadn't even stood up yet.
"Teenagers."
♪
Troy went to the bathroom before his next class. He quickly pulled out his cell phone and dialed his uncle's work number.
"Hello, Zac Bolton speaking."
"Hey, Uncle Zac."
"Troy? Are you okay? Why are you calling?"
"I'm fine, Uncle, but I need you to call the school and sign me out."
"Why? Don't you have gym now?"
Troy sighed. He knew this wouldn't be easy.
"I do, but I have something to do. It's important. A friend of mine is sick and I need to go see her. I... uh... have her homework! Yeah, and I have to give it to her."
Troy heard silence on the other end of the line. A few seconds later, his uncle coughed.
"A girl, eh?"
Troy blushed slightly.
"She's my music partner. That's all. I have her music homework."
"Do you want me to tell them you're sick?"
Troy grinned. He wasn't totally sure his uncle would agree to this. After all, school was very important.
"Ya, that'd be great!"
"Okay then. You have a doctor's appointment because you're ill."
"Thanks. I'll be home later. See ya."
"Bye, Troy."
After hanging up his phone, Troy jogged to his locker. He threw his gym bag in and pulled out his guitar case. He slammed his locker shut and walked to the office, putting on a sick face. As he walked in, he heard the secretary talking on the phone.
"So, he's sick? Okay, he has a doctor's appointment. We will dismiss him. Not a problem, Mr. Bolton. Thank you."
Ms. Mary turned to Troy and gave him a piece of paper, signing him out.
"Hope you feel better, Mr. Bolton."
"Uh... Thanks."
Troy walked out of the school and over to the student parking lot. He unlocked his truck and put his guitar in the back seat. He got in and drove towards Gabriella's house.
"Why am I doing this? I'm skipping gym to visit a girl. I mean, shouldn't I be happy that I don't have to do anything in music class? Why do I feel so worried? I have definitely changed since I met Gabi. I can't believe I'm going to visit a sick girl that I hardly know. I didn't even visit Sharpay when she had a cold!"
Troy parked his truck in front of Gabriella's house. He only saw a white care in the driveway.
"I wonder if her parents are home. I hope not."
Troy took Gabriella's package out of his guitar case. He took a deep breath and walked up to the front porch.
"Why am I so nervous? I never get nervous. Just get it over with, Bolton."
Troy slowly raised his hand and pushed the doorbell, holding his breath.
Troy heard rustling inside the house and the front door opened, revealing an older woman.
"Gabi looks exactly like her."
"Uh... Good afternoon. Mrs. Montez?"
The woman looked at him for a moment before cautiously nodding her head.
"Yes. Hello."
Troy looked uncomfortable as he spoke and Mrs. Montez could tell.
"I'm Troy Bolton. I'm here to see Gabriella. We have a music project together. I have her homework."
Mrs. Montez smiled before stepping aside, inviting Troy in.
"She'll be happy about that. She's been really bored."
"I like this guy. He seems really nice."
"Thank you, Mrs. Montez."
Mrs. Montez closed the door and lead Troy to the bottom of the stairs.
"She's in her room. It's on the right. Make sure you knock first. Oh! And can you please bring this up to her?"
Mrs. Montez scurried off to the kitchen, leaving a bewildered Troy at the bottom of the stairs.
"It's her soup. She asked me to make her some earlier. Can you please bring it to her?"
Troy nodded before taking the tray from Mrs. Montez.
"No problem, Mrs. Montez. Thank you."
"No, Troy, thank you. I'm sure Gabriella will appreciate you coming."
Troy just nodded and took the tray and folder upstairs. Troy turned right at the top of the stairs and gently knocked on Gabriella's door.
Troy heard a faint "Come in" and opened the door to see a pale Gabriella laying in bed, a book in her hands.
"Hey, Gabi. How are you doing?"
Gabriella looked up from her book and let out a small gasp when she saw Troy.
"Troy! What are you doing here?"
Troy walked over to her bed and placed the tray on her night table.
"I... uh... just came to see you."
Troy looked closely at Gabriella and saw her pale face. She looked slightly thinner, too, under the covers.
"How are you doing?"
Gabriella placed the bookmark in her book and set it on her night table, beside the tray.
"I'm fine. I'm bored out of my mind, though. Wait, aren't you supposed to be in school?"
Troy looked down, grinning sheepishly.
"Apparently, I have a doctor's appointment. I'm really sick."
Troy had used air quotes when he said "sick".
Gabriella gasped.
"You skipped, didn't you? Troy! Why would you do that? If I remember correctly, you have gym right now."
"Oh. So now you're memorizing my schedule, eh? Slightly stalker-ish, don't you think?"
Gabriella blushed and looked down at her hands.
"No! I just happened to remember what you had after music. You almost walked into me with a gym bag, remember?"
Troy chuckled.
"Oh yeah. I guess I did. Sorry 'bout that. My bad."
Gabriella couldn't help but giggle.
"Yes it was your bad."
"Hey! That's not very nice. And I skipped class to come see you! What was I thinking?"
Gabriella giggled at his imitation of a teenage drama queen.
"Don't ever do that again, Troy. Sharpay has a lot of competition in the next drama production."
Troy laughed.
"I don't do drama. Too much of it in life already. Oh, by the way, I brought something for you."
Gabriella sat up more, looking like a child on Christmas day. She started slightly bouncing in her bed.
"What is it? What is it?"
Troy chuckled at her childish behaviour.
"I have never met anyone get this excited over homework."
Gabriella stopped bouncing.
"You brought me homework?"
Troy looked at her funny.
"What did you think I was gonna bring you? Flowers? Yeah right."
Gabriella looked down, disappointed.
"Okay. So I was hoping for flowers, or chocolates. Anything! But homework?"
"Um... thanks, Troy. Now I won't be so bored."
Troy noticed the disappointment in her voice and face.
"Why would she think that I would bring her flowers?"
"I guess I don't want him to bring me flowers. That would mean he liked me. Yeah right, Gabriella. Like that would happen. He hates you, remember? But why did he come over? Troy Bolton, you confuse me!"
"Gabi? Are you okay?"
Gabriella looked at Troy and gave him a small smile.
"I'm fine, thanks. Spaced out. Comes with being sick. I hate it."
Troy looked unconvinced.
"Oh. Okay, then. So what do you have?"
Gabriella looked confused.
"Huh?"
Troy smirked at her scrunched up face.
"She looks cute when she does that. Wait! What? Where'd that come from?"
"Troy?"
Troy snapped out of his daze.
"Yeah? Oh. Uh... I asked what you have. Do you have the flu? Fever? Cold?"
"Uh..."
Gabriella didn't know how to answer his question.
"I can't tell him. But what do I say. Do I lie to him?"
"I... uh.. have the flu. Yeah, and it sucks. I hate being stuck in bed. So how is school? Music class?"
Troy didn't buy it.
"But she tried to change the subject. Maybe she doesn't want to talk about it."
"Music class... Well, you see, this girl has ditched me to do all the work. I have to do everything in the project all by myself, now."
Gabriella gasped.
"Hey! I didn't ask to get sick. I just am! Plus... we had the song already done. But if I'm not back in time to perform it, you could do it by yourself."
Gabriella cracked up because the look on Troy's face. His face looked like it was out of a horror film.
"I am not doing it myself. Anyways, I got us an extension because someone is playing hooky."
"I am not! I'm sick. Can't you tell? I look like Casper, the ghost!"
"No you don't. You look beautiful."
"Shit! Did I just say that?"
"Did he just say that?"
"So..."
Gabriella put on a small smile.
"Thanks, Troy."
"Uh... No problem... So! Do you need any help on with the home work?"
Gabriella noticed how uncomfortable he was and looked through her homework.
"Nope. I got it, thanks."
Troy looked shocked.
"Really? It took me forever to even get the first... Never mind. I'll stop now, before I make an even bigger fool out of myself."
♪
I'm sorry about not thanking you guys for your reviews in each chapter, but I'm uploading chapters before anyone even started reading:( So I will try to reply to every single review personally.
Jay