The next few days passed in a blur for Gabriella. Taylor had convinced her to come hom with her and Chad, but she had went back to the hospital in a panic, sure that Troy had gotten worse. He hadn't but she refused to leave again. The rest of of the Wildcats had gone home although they visited every day.
"Gabs." Taylor said one day. "This isn't going to help Troy and it's certainly not helping you. Come home again." Gabriella looked at her friend and shook her head.
"I can't Tay, he wouldn't leave me." Taylor sighed at the stubborn girl.
"Well at least do something. You'll go crazy sitting here all day." She suggested. Gabriella thought about it for a while as the two of them sat there and decided it was a good idea.
"I'm going to go and see Troy." She mumbled. Taylor nodded and Gabriella shuffled through the door to him room. She knocked before going in and was surprised to see him pacing back and forth in front of his bed. He looked up when she came in, smiled, and continued to pace. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"Alright." He mumbled. "Anxious though."
"Why?"she asked, curious. He sat down on his bed abruptly and sighed.
"It's a guy thing." He muttered, scratching the back of his neck, embarassed. Gabriella nodded and dropped the subject. She still felt awkward around him although he didn't seem to notice.
"Hey Troy, do you know if there's anything I can do to help out around here?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"Um, well I know they're always looking for help down in the rec room, there's a lot of kids down there."
"Oh okay, I might check that out. I love kids." Troy smiled.
"For some reason I knew that already." He mumbled. Gabriella smiled and bit her lip to keep the tears back. It was so hard not to tell him who she was! She had always loved children and jumped at the chance to babysit Troy's little sister when they had been young. She didn't have anysiblings of her own and had found it fun, the three of them together. Now everything was different. Troy seemed to notice that he had upset her because he got up and went over to her. "I'm sorry Gabriella, did I upset you?"
"I'm fine." She answered, avoiding his gaze. He gripped her arm and she had no choice but to look up into his bright blue eyes.
"Gabi?" he asked quietly. That was all she could take. Her face crumpled and she tore herself from his hold, running from the room. She ran blindly down the hallway and started when she bumped into someone.
"Sorry." She weeped.
"Bella?" came a surprised request. Gabriella turned her eyes on a woman before her with curly hair much like her own only darker, as if a shadow had fallen on it.
"Mom!" she cried and hugged her gently. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh Gab, I just found out. I can't believe it. How's Troy doing?"
"He's good. I'm sorry I forgot to call." Her mom waved it off.
"How are you doing?"
"Horrible." Gabriella admitted. Her mom hugged her again and together they journeyed to the waiting room. Gabriella waved to Chad who slipped past them to go to see Troy. The waiting room was now empty except Gabriella and her mother. They sat down on the hard chairs and Gabriella explained what had happened to Troy, her mother listening intently.
"He doesn't remember you?" she wailed. Gabriella shook her head sadly.
"It's hard to be around him, knowing that I can't even tell him that I love him anymore. It's so hard." She broke off and bawled into her mom's shirt. Her mom rocked Gabriella back and forth as Gabriella spilt all of her tears, soothing her so much like Troy would that it made her cry even harder. But at last her tears dried up and she accepted the tissue that her mom offered her. "Thanks." She whispered, wiping her eyes and nose.
"Now listen Bella, I know it's hard to accept that Troy doesn't remember you, and I hate to tell you this, but he might never remember you-" Gabriella winced. "but that doesn't mean that you can at least be friends. I didn't raise you to be a quitter, I raised you to do your best at everything and be proud of what you accomplished. Can you give Troy a chance with just being friends?"" Gabriella stared at her mother for a second and then nodded.
"I'll do my best mom." She replied, determination set in her eyes. Her mother smiled.
"Now that's the Bella that I know and love." She said, kissing her forehead fondly. Chad came out of the hospital ward door and looked at Gabriella pointidly.
"Mom, is it okay if I go talk to Chad for a minute?"
"Of course sweetie, I want to go and see Troy anyway." He mom answered getting up. Chad sat down on the chair that her mother had been sitting on and turned to her.
"Gabster, I've got some news that might upset you."
"What?"
"Troy has a crush on one of his nurses." I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"A-A crush?" she stuttered a few seconds later.
AN: Oooh things are getting bad for Gabriella, although her mom came, that's a good thing right? PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! lol thanks so much for the reviews I love 'em. Just though I'd let you know I didn't really like how I ended this chapter. What do you think? R&R please!