In the Blink of an Eye
Chapter Five
Troy struggled upright, leaning against the basketball-print headboard. He heaved out a shuddering sigh and looked her in the eye, his expression unreadable. "You've been talking to Chad." It wasn't a question.
"He… told me you were feeling down. Not that I wouldn't have noticed anyway. I was away for five years but that doesn't mean I forgot about you. You and Chad are my best friends in the entire world. Of course I can tell if there's something up. And I wish you would let me in because I'm worried about you. I feel like my friend is disappearing in front of my eyes and I can't do a thing to stop it. The Troy I know would never give up basketball. Talk to me."
Troy looked at her carefully before deciding to speak. "I'm sorry if I've worried you. I-I just feel sort of empty ever since….. Chad's told you about Gab- Gabriella, I suppose?"
Emily nodded dumbly. She reached out and took his hand in hers.
"I love her. When I told my mom and dad they said I was being stupid, that I was too young to know what love is. But I do know. For me, love is Gabriella. Things were going so well, you know. We were in a good place. Until she left. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm so proud of her for graduating early, really I am. And I would have been- not fine, but I would have coped. But she didn't tell me, I had to find out from her mom for God's sake! And that's what's killing me. She thought- I dunno- that I wouldn't want her to go, that I was selfish enough to ant to keep her here. But all I want, all I've ever wanted, is for her to be happy. I thought we were perfect together, but now it's like we never knew each other at all. She didn't even trust me enough to- to say goodbye. She just left. And that leaves me wondering why. Why did she just go? Why- why didn't she say goodbye?"
Troy's voice broke, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably as his body was racked with sobs. Emily clambered up beside him, wrapping him in her arms like a mother holding her baby, not caring in the slightest about the fact that boys aren't 'supposed to' cry. He buried his face in her hair as she tried in vain to soothe him. He kept repeating those last words over and over as though saying them again would somehow help him find an answer.
"It's alright sweetie", she whispered, stroking his poor tear-stained face. "I'm here. I'm here, and I'm gonna take care of you. You'll be fine, I promise."
She couldn't tell how long they sat there; it could have been minutes or hours. She didn't want to pull away until he was ready; she could feel the pain in his embrace and she just wanted to make him feel better. Eventually, he straightened up, dabbing ineffectually at the red rims of his eyes with his sleeve.
"Troy, am I the only one you've told about this?"
"Yeah. I was afraid Mom would want me to go to a shrink or something… And Dad, well, I only quit the team to protect him. I've been playing bad ever since she left, and it would have killed him to have to drop his own son….."
"That's typical of you, Troy Bolton, always worrying about other people's feelings before your own! But now that you can talk to me, doesn't that help? Because you need to get out of this black hole. Everybody at school is so worried, I can see that even in a single day. I'm here for you, you know that."
"I know." Troy's voice was tiny, and he sounded like he had a bad head-cold. "But I'm not ready to go back to normal. Not yet."
"That's OK. We'll start small. Like with basketball." She nudged him hopefully.
"Alright, alright. I have been missing my hoops. I'll do it. Or at least I'll try. Thanks, Em." He heaved himself off the bed, then turned to help her up, smiling down at her with the piercing blue eyes which were starting to look like his own again. "Gosh, it's good to have you back."
Author's note: Next chapter- Emily's secret talent. Reviews welcome, as always…
