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Hope you enjoy chapter ten!

So Troy and I have ended up at the same pub I came to earlier for lunch. And it turns out that Sharpay never left. Not only that, but Ryan has joined her, along with his new 'Mr Right'.

Basically what this means is that I was forced into a premature introductory situation when I wasn't quite ready to share Troy with my friends yet.

Even though he's already been 'shown off' to my parents...

Anyway, Shar winked at me with satisfaction as soon as she could tear her eyes away from Troy. I don't blame her – that addictive smile hasn't left his face yet.

Ryan looked equally impressed. Meanwhile his own date keeps staring at mine, and it's getting a bit irritating.

I might have to warn Ry that his boyfriend may not be the loyal type...

.HSM.

Oh God. Oh my God...

How many times have I been in this pub? So why did he have to choose today to walk into it? How have I not come across him before, anyway? After all this time...

If I ever had to face him again, I wanted to look good. I wanted to have my head held high with pride. Instead I'm sitting here in the pub toilets, while Troy and my friends get to hear what he has to say.

This is ridiculous. I should not be hiding away. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I get there, but I'm going back into that bar...

.HSM.

Wish wine would make me forget how much of a mess I look. On fifth glass now.

He's gone; Troy has not. Shar bought me drinks which made me feel better. Now feeling slightly sick.

Very sick now.

.HSM.

Where am I?

Opening one eye was quite difficult – hurt my head a bit. But it didn't help answer my question. I'm going to have to brave it and have a proper look.

Ouch.

Oh. Okay. I'm at Sharpay's.

Wait a minute...I don't remember getting here. I don't remember saying goodnight to Troy!

I have no idea what happened apart from the fact that I came face to face with...

"Well, good morning!"

Arrrgh. This is too loud and too shrill for my fragile head. Must be Shar getting her own back for yesterday's wake up call.

"Gabi?"

"Mmm?"

"You alright?" Her voice is quiet and soft now.

"I don't know...I can't remember. How was I before I drank the bar dry? It feels like that's what I did, anyway."

My voice is all croaky. She must have noticed, because now she's getting me a glass of water. This also allows her to delay her answer.

"You were...a bit upset."

Obviously. I take a big gulp of my drink before I let myself respond again.

"I remember that much. I just don't know what happened after that."

"You got drunk," Shar says wryly, but when I look up at her face it doesn't look like she wants to laugh. She looks worried, but I'm not quite ready to deal with that yet.

"What about..."

"Troy? He helped me get you back here in one piece. There was no way we were going to leave you on your own. Bless him, he seemed as worried about you as I was. I told him he was welcome to stay the night but he said he didn't want to scare you."

"Scare me?" I have more pressing concerns right now, but I'd rather fixate on this point. I'd rather think about how brilliant Troy has been than how pathetic I am.

Sharpay is smiling now as she explains. "You were so anxious last night and he didn't want to risk the idea that you might wake up this morning, see him here and find it...creepy. But he stayed for as long as it took to convince him you would be okay."

Wow.

"He's the least creepy person on the planet," I mutter. My voice is weak now. I can't avoid the main topic for long.

"Gabs..."

And here we go... "I know."

"Troy asked me if Matt had ever...hurt you," she says, making me gasp.

"What did you tell him?"

"That he had...but probably not in the way that he thought. I didn't say anymore than that. Wasn't my place to."

I really must have been a wreck last night. The way I behaved, no wonder Troy jumped to conclusions.

"I think I owe him an explanation," I say now, starting to get up.

Shar waves her hand out to make me sit back down. "That can wait – somehow I don't think this Troy is planning on going anywhere, Gabi. Now come on, talk to me."

I blink a few times, then look back at my friend blankly. I can't continue this conversation with someone who has already expressed her opinion on the subject many times over.

But I know I've scared her. To go all this time without breaking down, all these years, and then this...I know she needs to make sure I'm okay. And I will be, once I've truly got over the shock of seeing him.

.HSM.

Now I'm home, I really wish I could just sleep away all these dredged up memories. I've gone so long without even thinking Matt's name, and now it's stuck uncomfortably in my head.

But I need to talk to Troy. I need to make sure he doesn't think I'm a binge-drinking lunatic. Because I did a pretty good impression of one last night...

"Gabriella!"

Oh my God, what the...

I could've sworn that was my mother's voice!

And now there's a knock at the door. Great, she's here.

Mum never comes to my flat. Why is she here?

"Gabi, let me in darling, I know you're there!"

I'll have to open the door, she's not one for giving up.

"How did you know I was here?" I ask, trying to look casual and not like I'm in breakdown mode.

My mother is dressed in her Sunday best, and I wonder fleetingly what it is that she's dressed up for. It can't have been just to come here.

"Where else would you be on a Sunday? I knew you were ignoring my calls, so here I am!" she chirps brightly.

I turn around to briefly check the state of my answering machine, only to see it flashing wildly with unheard messages.

"Mum, I wasn't ignoring you, I was out. I've only just got back," I explain innocently.

"Back from where?" she demands, her eyes narrowing disbelievingly.

"Sharpay's. I stayed over last night."

Mum never bothers expressing an opinion on my nights out. And she knows that if I've stayed with Shar, I've most likely been at the pub the night before.

Right now, I'm glad I can count on her not to ask about it. I can't tell her what happened last night, because there are things she doesn't know.

Quite a lot of things, actually.

"Well, I just popped over to ask you and Troy over for lunch."

"What, today?" This is the last thing in the world that I could possibly need right now.

She's laughing at me. That's not going to improve my mood.

"Do you think I'd come all this way if I wasn't talking about today? Honestly, Gabriella!" she's tutting at me now.

"Sorry Mum, but we can't make today. But we'll still be there on Friday, as promised."

"What's wrong with today?" She must really want us to come. I almost feel a bit guilty.

"Troy's busy." Well, he certainly will be soon, when I stop by to explain myself.

Before Mum can reply, we both look towards the door as we hear a knock.

She darts over to answer it before I can even take a step.

I don't know who's more surprised to see Troy standing there; me or my mother.

"Hi, Mrs Bolton," he greets her with his usual smile.

She shoots me a knowing look, obviously referring to my previous comment; then turns back to Troy. "Well, hello again, Troy! Please do call me Maria. I'd better be off then. See you both on Friday."

And she's out of that door quicker than I've ever seen her move.

Which means that now I have to talk to Troy. I have to tell him why I got so upset last night.

I have to tell him that the man in the pub was my ex-husband.

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