Chapter 10

"Did you know?" I whispered over the phone as I curled up in my bed, pulling the blanket up to my chin, snuggling in.

"No. He never told me," Chad answered from the other end.

"I can't believe he was going to propose."

"I know what you mean," Chad murmured and I heard a slight sigh escape through his lips.

"Chad?" I curiously asked. "Are you okay?"

He heaved another sigh from the other end before answering. "You're probably going to hate me Gabriella," he told me.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Is everything okay?"

"He knows," he stated simply leaving me completely clueless. I rolled over slightly so I could move the phone to the other ear.

"Who knows what?" I asked.

"Troy. He knows everything. About the arranged marriage. He know everything."

My heart stopped. "What?" My voice could barely be heard, even by me.

"I'm so sorry Gabriella. It's just, he's my best friend and, I don't know, he just looked so god damn broken. I didn't know what else to do. I just couldn't lie to him anymore." Chad trailed off and I just shook my head for him to calm down until I realized he couldn't see me.

"Chad, it's okay," I whispered as I closed my eyes painfully. I didn't even want to imagine what Troy was going through right now.

"I'm sorry," he repeated again in a mere whisper.

My lip trembled and I didn't even know why I was reacting so much to this. Maybe it was because I had tried to hard for him not to find out. Maybe it was because it was for all the pain I was causing him. It wasn't fair of me to do this to him.

Why god? Why do you hate me so?

"Look Chad just tell me what happened," I forced out as I tried to keep the tears under control. Gabriella stop acting so stupid. Why are you crying? I heard a voice in the back of my mind scolding me. I closed my eyes tightly as Chad told me exactly what happened.

"I don't know. I was just heading over to his house because we were going to play some ball and I guess it just went from there."

--

Chad knocked lightly on the door as he waited for someone to let him in. It wasn't long before a nice brunette answered the door.

"Hi Chad," Lucille Bolton greeted with a smile as she stepped aside from the door letting him step in, lightly closing the door behind him.

"Hi Mrs. Bolton. Is Troy here?"

"He right on up in his room." She gave a nod in the direction of the stairs before smiling and heading off back to the kitchen.

"Thanks Mrs. Bolton," Chad told her as he jogged up the stairs and down the hall towards the door he knew that lead to Troy's room.

He pushed it open and walked in. "Hey man, what's up?"

Troy laid there on his bed, tossing a stuffed basketball up into the air before catching it as it came back down. Noticing me he stopped and sat up, leaning against his head board.

"Hey Chad," Troy greeted back with a nod and sadly Chad couldn't help notice the bags under his eyes that came from lack of sleep.

Chad frowned softly at how tired and worn out he looked. "We had basketball practice," he told him simply.

Troy seemed like he crashed back down and he sat up straighter. "Oh man, I completely forgot." Chad knew he was silently cursing himself but right now Chad didn't mind that he forgot.

Chad grabbed the chair from his desk and rolled it up beside the bed before sitting down and looking at him. "How you holding up?"

Troy looked up and in that moment seemed to have aged by fifty years. "How do you think I'm holding up?" he retorted bitterly.

Chad's frown deepened. "Come on man, I've never seen you like this before. Not even with you're passed girlfriend. I mean you weren't even this bad when Lacy cheated on you."

"Thanks man. Really need that to be brought back up," he said, his voice overflowing with sarcasm.

Chad winced. "Sorry man."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. It's okay," he reassured Chad.

"So how is everything? I mean the whole thing with Gabriella."

He turned his head an gazed at the wall in the opposite direction. "I just don't want to talk about it right now."

"Come on Troy, you're going to have to talk about it sooner or later. And I understand that I my not be the right person to talk about it with but you're my best friend and I hate seeing you like this."

"I don't know, it just-" he cut himself off as he groaned, slamming the back of his head against his head board, wincing as it gave off a bang.

"Maybe if we hang out for awhile, just us guys than we could-"

"When did my life turn into a god damn soap opera?" Troy cut in, laughed bitterly and shoved his hand roughly through his hair. "Funny isn't it? This time last year I was on top of the world. Now I feel like I'm ten feet under and a roosters pecking out my eyes."

Chad raised an eyebrow and stared strangely at his friend. "Do I even want to know?"

A small chuckle escaped Troy's parted lips. "Probably not."

"Here, how about we go out for a while? You know, hang out with all the guys like old times. We can even invite the girls. Everyone keeps asking where you and Gabriella have been. Seems she hasn't talked to them in awhile and you've been in your own little world for awhile. I think we should fill them in out what's going on."

Troy nodded his head in agreement though his mind was traveling in a different direction as he rested his head back on his head board. "Do you know anything about what's going on with Gabriella and Alexander?"

Chad froze as his eyes widened. "What would I know about the situation."

Troy shrugged sadly. "I don't know. I just want to know what really happened. I figured it would help me get over this whole ordeal and move on."

Chad starred intently at his friend, deep in thought. "Would it really help you to know?"

Troy shrugged once more. "Maybe. Maybe not. You never know. It could hurt more or it could make things better."

"Troy, I really want things to be better. I want things to go back to the way they were before Alexander ever came in the picture."

"Me too," Troy quietly whispered with a dazed expression. "Do you think she's happy with him?"

Chad didn't know how to answer him so he responded with a question. "Why else would she be with him?"

Troy heaved a heavy sigh and sat up, leaning forward. "When are you just going to tell me Chad?" Troy asked angrily.

"Tell you what?" Chad asked.

"I know you know something about the situation with Gabriella and you need to tell me right now. This has been going on since the day I saw you talking to her so just tell me quickly so we can get over this. I'm sick of waiting for you to tell me."

Chad stared at his friend in shock at his sudden outburst. "Troy, I don't know what you're talking about," Chad said, playing dumb.

"Chad just stop this now and tell me."

"Troy-"

"I mean it Chad," Troy threatened with a deadly glint in his eyes.

Chad stared at Troy, not knowing what to do. "Look Troy I promised Gabriella that I wouldn't say-" Again he was cut off.

"Chad just tell me. I don't care what it is I just need to know," Troy pleaded and his anger seemed to dissolve as he became desperate. "Please Chad, as my friend, tell me."

Chad stared at Troy for a moment before looking down and closing his eyes tightly as if wincing. "Gabriella," he began but trailed off. Heaving a sigh it tried again. "Gabriella, her and Alexander- well they don't-- it wasn't her fault-- they not really, you know--we were just trying to protect you but--"

"Chad," Troy said cutting Chad off and catching his attention. "Just say it."

Chad sighed. "Troy, there not really-- I just-". This time it was Chad that cut himself off silently cursing at himself in his head. "They don't love each other," he finally blurted out.

Troy froze and millions of thoughts rushed to his mind, none clear enough to even make sense to him.

"What?"

Chad rubbed his hands together, trying to figure a way to get this out. "Her parents and Alexander's parents planned an arranged marriage for them. To each other. And Gabriella found out just before she broke up with you and that's why she ended things. She didn't want to tell you anything because she though she was hurting you way to much already and didn't want anything else to hurt you even more. She made me swear that I wouldn't tell you, which I am doing right now. But Troy, you have to know that her and Alexander don't love each other. She loves you but her parents had this planned for to long and she doesn't know what to do right now." Chad finally stopped speaking to watch Troy's reaction as he took his words in. He remained completely silent.

"Troy?"

He stared off at the wall in front of him and his eyes seemed to glaze over.

"Troy," Chad said slightly louder, trying to catch his attention.

"Wha-" Troy snapped back and looked at Chad.

"You okay man?" Chad asked with concern.

Troy nodded even though Chad knew he was lying. "Yah."

"Do you want me to go?" Chad asked as he saw the look in Troy's eyes.

Troy smiled slightly though it seemed forced. "I just need to be alone. That's a lot to take in."

Chad nodded and stood up. Just as he opened the door to leave he turned back and looked at Troy. "Troy." He looked up. "Don't hate her. She's already hating herself enough as it is." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know if this will make things better for you or worse but she needs you. As much as she tries to deny it she really does. She been a mess since you guys broke up. She loves you." And with that Chad walked out of the room, praying he didn't just make the worst mistake of his life.

--

The line was silent as Chad waited with baited breath. When he heard nothing he silently wince inwardly. "Gabriella?"

My head snapped up as I realized I was still on the phone. "Oh."

Chad waited but nothing else came. "Gabriella, are you okay?"

"It's okay Chad. He was going to find out eventually. I just don't really know how to react to him knowing."

"It's okay Gabriella," Chad comforted me and it broke my heart. The walls that held my heart up crumbled and I finally let it all out. Everything.

"I just don't know what to do," I sobbed. "I love him but I can't be with him. It can't happen and I can't see him everyday and not hold and not kiss him. And its so hard to even look at the gang because its just not the same anymore. I haven't talked to anyone else other than you and I miss them all. And I miss Troy. I want him back Chad. Bring him back," I choked on a sob as I could no longer continue."

"Gabriella," Chad trailed off, desperate for a way to comfort the sobbing girl.

"I don't love Alexander. I love Troy." I sniffed at my tears as I buried my head into my pillow, bring my blanket higher up as I sobbed.

"Shh Gabriella. Its going to be okay. We'll figure something out." I could hear the unease in Chad's voice.

It took me moments before I could calm down but when I finally did I went back to the phone. "I have to go Chad," I whispered, wanting to drown in my own misery.

Chad sounded hesitant. "Are you going to be okay?"

For a moment I thought about lying but though against it. "I don't know. I'll see you tomorrow Chad. Bye." Not waiting for a reply I quickly hung up as sobs overtook me.

And that was the moment that I heard the most breathtaking and heartbreaking noise in the whole world. My eyes clenched shut trying to ignore it for I knew I was only imagining it but it persisted and I finally started to believe it was real.

Someone was knocking on my balcony door. I never turned, not wanting my hopes to be shattered. And then I heard the doorknob gently turn and the doors open and close.

I didn't think of how stupid I was for leaving my balcony doors open. I didn't think of how my how messed I looked with tears marking my cheek. I didn't care that my nose were pink, that my hair was a mess or that I was dressed in sweats. It didn't matter. All that ran through my mind was please don't let this be a dream.

And then I finally turned.

It was Troy. Standing there with so much love in his eyes and a sad smile on his face was the true image of an angel. An angel that said the for most beautiful words that I would ever in my life hear.

"I love you Gabi."

And my heart, just for a mere moment, began to healed. He was here. And it wasn't a dream.

And then he slowly approached, coming over to me and sat right beside me. And without a thought he kissed me.

And I kissed him back.

A/N: Okay, I am a horrible person. I haven't updated in months. So again, lets ignore the fact and focus on the fact that at this moment they are kissing. No there will not be some grand twist in the next chapter were she is only dreaming and Troy does not know, I promise. That and I would never tell you what would happen coming up. Well I might. Who knows.

So yes they are indeed kissing. This is my treat to you. I was really going to end it when she turns and then nothing but since I'm a bad person I shall give you the rest to redeem myself. So, did I? I give my love to you all who still stick by me though this entire story. You are all truly amazing.