What Do You Want From Me?
Disclaimer: We do not own hsm.
Chapter 2: The brother
The car ride home was an awkward, silent one. No one talked, uttered a word. Troy's mom would continue to look over at him, worry in her eyes. Troy would just continue to stare out the window, watching colors among colors fly by. Not paying attention to a single thing.
His mind had shut down…gone numb. He couldn't feel anything. It was as if all emotion had been ripped out of him. Heart torn…
"Troy, do you want something to eat?"
His mouth was moving, but he couldn't seem to hear what he was saying. It was moving without him knowing. He didn't even hear her respond back.
Troy couldn't even remember getting out of the car when they arrived home, or his mother calling him as he walked upstairs and into his room, shutting the door quietly.
Sitting on his bed, didn't even register in his brain nor did the part where he fell asleep…
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Waking up, Troy felt completely refreshed. As if he had slept for ages! He felt as though he could do anything! But since there wasn't really anything to do, he decided to go play some basketball, maybe with his dad. If he wasn't busy that is.
Walking out of his room, he called his dad, expecting him to answer, but since he didn't, he went to go ask his mom where he was.
Walking into the kitchen, Troy saw his mom at the table with a phone attached to her ear. Troy walked up to her, grinning. Mrs. Bolton however, had not heard him coming up.
"Mom!"
Mrs. Bolton jumped, almost dropping the phone. She quickly wiped her eyes and turned to him with a fake, bright smile. But, once she saw him smiling right back at her, she grew confused…
"Troy?"
"Sorry about that, but have you seen Dad? I want him to help me practice."
Mrs. Bolton's face completely fell apart. Tears formed in her eyes and rushed down her cheeks once she realized what was going on. She grabbed Troy's hand; he looked completely confused/worried. Wondering why his mother was acting this way.
"Mom?" he questioned looking into her eyes.
"Troy…you seemed to have forgotten and I really don't know how to say this."
Now Troy was really worried. What was she talking about? Had something happened? Was dad in trouble?
"Say what? Mom, what are you talking about?"
Her grip tightened around his hand and she took a deep breath.
"Troy, I'm sorry, but your father h-he died…today…"
What? No, no, no, no. She was lying! She had to be! He had just seen him this morning! It wasn't true! He wrenched his hand out of hers, shaking his head. He started walking backwards, angry tears in his eyes, but not falling.
He pointed at her, "No, you're lying. You're lying…cruel…no…"
He was muttering strange things like that as he ran out of the room, crazily searching for his dad. He had to be here somewhere! Troy knew he was, he could feel it, he just knew it!
"Dad?" He shouted, running from room to room. He could hear his mother crying, yelling his name but he ignored her. She was lying! Playing some cruel trick on him! He knew it!
His world was spinning as he continuously turned his head, looking, searching…hoping…
"Upstairs, has to be upstairs," his mind concluded as he ran up the stairs, his mother trying to catch up to him, but failing miserably.
He searched all of the rooms, before finally coming to a stop at his parents' room. This was the last place that his dad would be. If he wasn't in there then…
Troy breathed heavily, tears mixing in with sweat. He wrapped his hand around the doorknob, turning it slowly. He could hear his mother walking up to him, but he didn't turn to her. He stared at the door determined.
He twisted it…slowly pushed it open but then stopped as a hand clamped his shoulder. He already knew who it was.
"He's in there mom, I know he is. You're lying…"
Mrs. Bolton took a deep breath, "No he's not-" before she could finish, Troy had hastily turned around, and slapped her. The slap echoing through out the hallway.
"He's in there!" Troy argued, staring angrily at her, his blue eyes lightening.
Mrs. Bolton held her cheek, tears cascading down her cheeks, while she just looked at him, nodding her head silently to the door. Troy shot her another glare, before he turned around and slowly pushed the door all the way open.
His heart caught in his throat, as he took in the empty room before him. His dad wasn't there… He wasn't sleeping or working… That meant he was-
He turned around, as the tears welled up in his eyes, and everything came crashing back. Before he knew what was going on, he wrapped his arms around his mother, and cried his eyes out, his mother softly brushing his hair, and telling him it would be okay.
--
Sharpay studied the brunette from across the room, taking in her smiley face, and her cheery voice as she spoke to her best friends. Obviously, she hadn't heard about Troy going home crying yesterday, because then she wouldn't be that happy, would she? She was his girlfriend, she wasn't supposed to be happy if he was sad. But she was supposed to know when something was up, so maybe she did?
Troy hadn't come to school, and Sharpay was really worried. She wasn't sure if anyone really knew something was up, but she knew, and she wanted to figure out if Troy was okay. She hated that she had the need to check up on him, but she couldn't help herself. She just… She liked him so much, she couldn't stand to see him sad. Even if he didn't return her affections.
She crossed the room, and everybody got quiet, as soon as she was in earshot. They all looked at her, like she was some maniac, because she wasn't the person they'd expected to show up.
She awkwardly cleared her throat, "Where's Troy?" she asked them, an eyebrow raised.
"I dunno…" Chad replied, shrugging slightly, "I think he's sick. I texted him 5 minutes ago, but he hasn't answered. If he's sick, he's probably asleep."
"Are you sure something isn't up?" Sharpay asked them, swallowing – in her opinion – too loudly.
"Why would something be up?" Gabriella asked, shooting her a hard glare, "…do you know something we don't?"
Sharpay shrugged her shoulders helplessly, "It's just…" she trailed off, not knowing if she should say anything, but deciding to do it. If something was up, they'd want to know, so they could help Troy, "I saw him and his mom here… yesterday." She swallowed again, "And they were crying; then they left."
Taylor arched an eyebrow, "Crying, you say?"
"Yeah," Sharpay nodded.
"Coach wasn't at practice either." Chad butted in, looking confused, "I'll just call him after homeroom. If something happened, they'd have told us, right..?"
"Maybe they will?" Sharpay just mumbled, as she went back to her desk, because the bell rang. If something had happened, Mrs. Darbus would tell them the minute she stepped in the door.
And it was right that minute. The old Drama teacher, returned to her stage in the small classroom, and shot them all a sad smile, "…I have something to tell you." She begun.
--
Troy and his Mrs. Bolton were looking at old pictures, scattered around the living room floor. Troy was lying on the couch, head poking out, to study all the pictures on the floor beneath him, while his mother was snuggled in a blanket, sitting on the floor, in the middle of everything.
There were pictures of Troy's first years, to his first basketball game, and first day at school. There were birthdays, Christmases and First Julys. It held so many memories, and Troy wondered how a picture could do that. Just looking at his father's smiling face, made his insides crumple, and his heart beat faster. It was weird to think that he wouldn't be back.
There'd be no more… No more basketball games, Christmases, birthdays and Fourth of Julys. No more Halloweens, no more anything! Nothing. It was all gone, and he couldn't comprehend that. His father wasn't coming back.
The doorbell rang, and Mrs. Bolton got out of her blanket and went into the hallway to open up to whoever was outside. Troy just listened to the muffled voices, not quite sure who the other person was, except for the fact that it was a man.
His mother came back into the living room, the guest following. Troy got up to greet him, and had to study his face hard for a couple of seconds before realizing who it was.
"Uncle Robert!" he exclaimed, and rushed into his uncle's open arms. It felt good to have him wrap his arms around him, Troy could feel himself getting calmer. There was something so strong about him, and he reminded Troy so much of his father. They were bothers, so of course.
"Hey, are you okay?" Robert asked, as they pulled away from each other. He looked Troy deeply in the eyes, and then hugged him again, "I left as soon as I got the message from your mom. I'm so sorry, Troy. I know it must be hard. I'll be here for you as long as you need."
Troy pulled back, and couldn't help but get a smile on his face, "You mean you're staying here!"
"For as long as you need…" Robert promised again, finally letting go of his nephew. He turned to look at Mrs. Bolton, and hugged her too, "How are you feeling Lisa?"
"I'm so shocked…" Lisa whispered, hugging him tight, "Thank you for coming, Robert…"
"It's gonna be okay," Robert promised, pulling away from her as well, "We'll work everything out, okay? I'll help you with everything. I'll stand as long as you guys need it."
"You really don't have to, uncle Rob!" Troy said, sitting down on the couch again.
"You guys are family," uncle Robert said, smiling at them both, "And the Boltons have always helped family. So I'll help you."
They both shot him another smile, to show him how much they appreciated his help, just as the doorbell rang, yet again.
--
Gabriella hammered her finger onto the doorbell, sighing loudly. She couldn't believe he hadn't told her. One thing was that he just took home from school yesterday, but that he hadn't told her his father was in a car crash… She thought he loved her! If he loved her that much, why hadn't he told her? That she'd had to hear from Sharpay that he left school… That was just right down humiliating.
And now the blonde girl was right there next to her, because she insisted to know about Troy's well-being too. She wanted to make sure he was alright, just as Gabriella herself did.
So the two of them had decided to stop by. She really hoped Troy was okay. She wanted him to be, but Mrs. Darbus had been very upset about this. It had come as quite a shock to everyone, and the Wildcats had been very sad… They'd just lost their coach, and their team captain lost his father.
She rang the doorbell yet again, and Sharpay groaned beside her, "I know he's home…" she muttered, "He has got to be."
Sharpay just nodded, as the door finally opened, and Troy stood there before them, looking utterly confused.
"Hi?" he questioned.
"Troy!" Gabriella whined, and almost jumped onto him, hugging him tight, "Mrs. Darbus told us! I'm so, so, so, soooo sorry! Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Well, I was just…" Troy trailed off and locked eyes with Sharpay for a second, "Hey Sharpay."
"Hi…" she whispered, as she passed the hugging couple, and walked into the living room, hugging the 'forest' tightly in her hands. Gabriella was going on about something again, and Troy barely got to say a word.
Sharpay saw Mrs. Bolton talking to some man, so she awkwardly cleared her throat.
"Hi?" Mrs. Bolton questioned, standing up the greet her guest.
"Hi.." Sharpay mumbled, holding out the flowers she had so neatly picked out, and paid for, "I heard about your husband, I'm so sorry."
Mrs. Bolton took the flowers, and looked at them, mustering a smile, "Thank you. It came as a great shock to us."
"I can imagine." Sharpay replied, offering her a cheery smile.
"So, you're Sharpay, right?" Mrs. Bolton asked, studying her, "Sharpay Evans? The girl from Lava Springs?"
"Yes." Sharpay said, nodding her head, "It's me. I've changed though, I'm not quite as… desperate."
Mrs. Bolton couldn't help but chuckle, "Well that's good. You can call me Lisa, by the way."
Sharpay nodded, as her eyes turned to the man in the room.
"Oh!" Lisa said, as she realized she hadn't introduced her brother-in-law yet, "This is Robert Bolton. He's Jacks' brother. He's gonna stay here for awhile."
"Nice to meet you." Robert said.
Sharpay just nodded, and turned around to leave. She didn't know why, but she didn't get a very good vibe from that guy. He seemed… weird. He didn't seem like Jack Bolton at all. He wasn't quite as happy, and cheery. Sharpay had always loved to judge people, and never once before in her life, had she been wrong about someone.
"Bye!" Lisa yelled, and Sharpay turned around to wave. When she came into the hallway again, she saw Gabriella and Troy, sitting on the stairwell.
"…right now, Gabriella." Troy said, placing a hand on her knee, "Thanks for the concern, but right now I just need to get used to it all."
"Are you sure?" Gabriella pressed, arching her eyebrow.
"I'm very sure." Troy said, and then he looked up, and caught Sharpay's eye, "Hey Sharpay? What are you doing here?"
"I came to condole your mother." Sharpay replied, going for the front door, "I gave her some flowers."
"Oh…" Troy said, feeling a bit disappointed that she didn't come to condole him, "Well that's great. Thanks."
"When are you coming back to school?" Gabriella then wanted to know, "I missed you today!"
"I don't know, Gabriella…" Troy sighed, shaking his head, "It'll probably be awhile. Until after the funeral, maybe."
"I'll be there." Sharpay butted in, sensing that he wanted to get some piece from Gabriella's questions, "And I'll make sure to get all our homework assignments as well. Don't worry about it."
Troy couldn't help but smile at her friendliness. It didn't seem like her, "Thanks."
"I'm going now, Gabriella," Sharpay said, as she turned to the brunette girl, "So if you want to catch a ride, it's now."
Gabriella nodded, and planted a wet, sloppy kiss on Troy's cheek, "Bye Troy!"
"Bye," Troy said, as he tried to brush his cheek off, without Gabriella noticing. He succeeded.
Gabriella went out first, and Sharpay and Troy's eyes locked once again, before she closed the door.
Author's Note: Hey guys, we'd just like to thank everyone who reviewed. You guys are awesome! We hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for any mistakes. Review?