In Need of Someone to Love
Chapter 7
A Tragic Accident
Hey guys, I am so sorry for taking so long in replying. I know you guys love this story and that you have been constantly waiting for this update. So I apologize. But I had a really difficult time. See, in my summary I said that Troy was afraid to love again, but then the story began to stray away from what I originally planned. Because in the last chapter I made it that Gabriella was afraid to love. So help me out here. Please: D. But thanks so much to my internet sister xoxMusicalxox and xZANESSA4LIFEx for advising me with this. Now, enough blabbering- here's the chapter…
Gabriella stormed into her house totally confused. She threw her pocketbook to the floor and headed to the kitchen. She grabbed a big spoon and swung open the freezer door. There it was… her favorite… pistachio ice cream!! She opened the container and rammed a long awaited spoonful into her mouth. She eagerly slurped down 10 more spoonfuls when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to face her mother: Socorro Montez.
"Is there anything we need to talk about?" Socorro asked. Gabriella slowly lowered her spoon.
"Well… my employer…. Troy Bolton and I were having a heart to heart. And then he kissed me." Gabriella said slowly. Her mother's eyes widened.
"I don't know what to do." Gabriella said.
"Maybe his feelings just got the better of him. I'm sure he didn't mean any harm sweetie. " Mrs. Montez said rubbing her daughter's back.
"I know, but what if…"
"Gabi, honey, don't question the future her mom stated. "See what it has to bring."
"Okay… thanks mama." Gabriella whispered. The two hugged.
"You can come to me with anything." Socorro whispered. "And I will always be here."
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Ding! Ding! Ding! Troy's phone vibrated and beeped wildly. It was 9am on Saturday morning. Today he and Chad had arranged to go to a basketball game. They had been planning this trip for months before Ashlee's birth. But now he had to back out. He needed to stay home and take care of Ashlee. He knew Gabriella wasn't going to come back. All because he had to go kiss her.
"Damn Bolton." He hissed to himself. He sat up and sighed. He really needed Gabriella today. Chad would be so bummed. Troy set his mouth in a firm line. From now on he needed to keep his feelings to himself. It was all about Ashlee now. He couldn't afford to screw things up; she was all he had left.
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Gabriella ran into the kitchen already dressed.
"Wow Gabi, you really are up early for a Saturday. You usually sleep in.'" Socorro said. She was sipping coffee at the table.
"Yeah, I want to be early today just in case Troy has any plans." Gabriella explained thoughtfully.
"Ohhh, that's so nice of you mija." Mrs. Montez cooed. "He can always count on you to do the right thing."
"Yes mom, so I'll head over now." Gabriella replied, grabbing a banana.
"You don't want breakfast?" Mrs. Montez questioned.
"No, I'm okay Mama." Gabriella assured her.
"Fine… I'll walk you." her mother said standing up.
"No mom, I'm okay." Gabriella insisted.
"Gabi… I."
"No mom, just stay home and relax." Gabriella pleaded. "Please."
"Okay honey." Mrs. Montez said, giving in.
"Thank you Mom." Her daughter replied. She said.
"Bye." Gabriella called, stepping outside.
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Troy held his cell phone tightly. He knew he had to call Chad, but he wasn't in the3 mood to hear a crazy speech of anger. He took a deep breath and speed-dialed his best friend for now at least.
"Hey Troy." Chad chirped on the line. "Ready to go… man I am so excited dude. It's going to be soooooo awesome! Plus, we have courtside seats. I mean, how cool is that?"
"Very cool…but Chad, I don't think." He hesitated.
"Oh no Troy, I can already tell what's coming…" Just then the doorbell chimed.
"Wait a sec Chad." Troy said, he made his way to the door and swung it open. There stood his savior… Gabriella. Troy almost dropped his phone. He seriously though Gabriella wasn't coming back.
"Gab…Ga…Gab…Gabriella." he managed to choke out. "What are you doing here?"
"Today is my work day is my work day, is it not?" Gabriella asked, a smile playing on her face.
"Oh thank you sooooo much!!" Troy exclaimed. "Chad was about to…"
"Bounce off the walls and knock you out." Chad finished.
"Well, I'm here for Ashlee. What time is the game over?"
"The game is over at 2- wait how do you know about the game?"
"Everyone does." Gabriella said. "It's over the newspapers and there's an ad on every channel in Albuquerque."
"See Troy." Chad pointed out, overhearing. "It is a game that can't be missed!"
"I'll call you back when I'm leaving Chad." Troy said, never taking his eyes off Gabriella. She was so beautiful. Oh, how he longed to push her up against the wall and kiss her again.
"Earth to Troy." Chad called.
"Huh… what?" Troy asked, snapping back to life.
"I said "Okay I'll see you there."
"Okay. Bye Chad." Troy replied. He snapped his phone shut and stared at Gabriella. "So, you actually came back." He said. Gabriella nodded timidly. "Then, I guess I'll go then. Ashlee's still sleeping upstairs. I'll call you in the next half hour."
"Don't worry Troy; I'll take good care of Ashlee." Gabriella said.
"Okay. Thanks again Gabriella. And… I'm sorry about what I did last night. It wasn't right."
"It's okay Troy. Now go on, don't keep Chad waiting."
"Thanks again." With that, Troy dashed down the steps to his car. Gabriella closed the door and sighed. Just then she heard a cry from upstairs. Ashlee was awake. She ran upstairs to the nursery.
"Hi Ashlee." She cooed, spying the little blue eyed baby. She picked her up from her crib and placed her thumb into the baby's hands. Ashlee tightened her grip around her babysitter's thumb.
"You want to go to the park?" Gabriella asked the little one. Ashlee gurgled happily.
"I'll take that as a yes." The young woman replied. She quickly packed a bag and dressed Ashlee in a cute yellow jumper with a matching shirt. "Let's go." She whispered.
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"Oh no." Chad gasped. It was two hours later and the game had taken a horrible turn. One of the players on the home team snatched the ball away from a visiting team member and while doing so, ended up hitting him in the face. Then one of the other visiting team players jumped onto the home team player and they started fighting. Both teams were beating up each other crazily and the coaches and referees were trying to calm them down. One player swung at another with his fist clenched and ended up punching the woman next to Troy.
"Okay, I say we get out of here." Chad gulped.
"I second that." Troy agreed. They jumped up and made a mad dash for the door. They didn't stop running until they got into the parking lot.
"Well, I guess I'll see you later." Troy said, gasping for breath.
"Yeah dude." Chad replied gulping down some water. They both got into their cars and drove away. Troy drove to his house, all of a sudden interested in seeing Gabriella.
"Hello!" he called. He saw no one. He heard no one. His heartbeat raced… what if? He spotted a note on the fridge. He walked over to it and read it.
Dear Troy- I just took Ashlee to the park to have a little fun. Don't worry- Gabriella
Troy took a deep breath and twirled his keys around his fingers. Maybe he'd go pay them a visit. He walked back outside and headed to the park.
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"Yayyy." Gabriella cheered as she slid down the slide. Ashlee was in her lap and was constantly gurgling happily. "Want to do that again?" Gabriella asked, burying her nose into the little one's tummy, causing her to giggle.
"Looks like you're having fun." A male voice piped up. Gabriella turned to see Troy standing there.
"Yep, weren't we Ashlee?" The young woman cooed. Ashlee gave her dad a toothless grin.
"So, I thought the game was over at two." Gabriella said, glancing at her watch.
"Well, a fight broke out between the two teams and that was the end of it." Troy explained.
"Wow." Gabriella's eyes widened. All of a sudden a school bus filled with wild kids pulled up in front of the park.
"We should go." Gabriella said, standing up. "Those kids are going to go wild and I don't want Ashlee to get hurt." Troy smiled. She cared so much about his baby. He picked up Ashlee's bag and they strolled back to the Bolton home.
"So, how are you otherwise?" Troy questioned.
"I'm all right." Gabriella answered. "I'm super excited, my mom's birthday is next week and I want to buy her a ticket to a resort and spa in Florida. She's taken such good care of me that I think she deserves that."
Troy gulped, thinking of how Angelina was always there for him. Maybe he and Gabriella could just be friends. After all, Gabriella didn't have feelings for him. Or did she?
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Gabriella and Troy sat on the porch swing exchanging funny stories. Troy was absolutely mesmerized by her cute laugh and her beautiful smile. Just then the phone rang inside.
"I'll get it." Troy said, he went inside to the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Hello, Bolton residence."
"Um, hello. Is Ms. Gabriella Montez there?" A female voice asked. "This is her neighbor Mrs. Potter, tell her it's urgent."
"Okay." Troy said. "I'll get her. Hang on."He burst through the French doors and back onto the patio. "Gabriella, your neighbor, Mrs. Potter wants to speak with you. She says it's urgent." Gabriella jumped up immediately and ran into the kitchen.
"Hello, Mrs. Potter. What's wrong? Is everything okay? Are you hurt?" she asked. She hoped nothing was wrong. She liked Mrs. Potter.
"I'm afraid it's not me. There is a fire… at your house." The old woman said slowly. Gabriella froze. "And they can't find your mother." The blood drained out of the young woman's face.
"I am coming over there right now." Gabriella managed to say.
"Okay dear." Mrs. Potter said. She hung up. Gabriella slammed the phone down. A lump rose in her throat.
"Troy!" Gabriella screamed. "My house in on fire and they can't find my mom!" Troy instantly rose to his feet.
"Let's go." He said. He grabbed Ashlee and they sprinted through the house and out the door. Gabriella lived the next block over. Gabriella got there first. She panted for breath. A tear dripped down her cheek as she witnessed the flames engulfing the quaint white house. It had been her home since she was a little girl. Her mother had… her mother! Gabriella ran over to Mrs. Potter, who was speaking with the firemen.
"Gabriella dear." Mrs. Potter began. Her eyes were red. Gabriella could tell she had been crying.
"No." Gabriella whispered. "It can't be."
"I'm sorry honey. But she's gone." Mrs. Potter said gently.
"NO! IT CAN'T BE! IT'S NOT TRUE!" Gabriella screamed. Everyone was staring at her. Just then the firemen emerged from the house carrying a huge white bundle on a stretcher.
"No… no… no." Gabriella cried. She pounded her fists on the ground. Tears streamed down her face. "When did the fire start?" She managed.
"A little while after you left." Mrs. Potter stated tearfully. "I smelled smoke coming from your house and when I called your mother insisted she was okay. But then the fire got bigger and spread across the whole property. I called the fire department and they went to look for her."
"It seemed that she went in the basement, because it was the only place in the house that was flame-free, and tried to escape. But then the roof collapsed." One of the firemen explained. "I'm sorry, we did what we could."Gabriella sobbed into her hands. Mrs. Potter squeezed her tightly.
"Gabriella!" Troy called. He dashed up the stairs towards her.
"Did they find your mother?" He asked concerned.
"The roof collapsed." Gabriella stated. "She was crushed, and…and." She sobbed even harder. "And it's all my fault!" She took off running.
"Gabriella!" Troy shouted. He spotted Taylor and Chad standing with the crowd of people. He ran over to them. "Here, hold Ashlee. We'll talk later." Taylor took Ashlee into her arms and covered the little one's ears from all the noise.
"Go get her." She shouted. Troy nodded and took off to find Gabriella.
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Gabriella stood on a cliff edge. Below there were jagged rocks and a little far beyond it was the lake. Tears rolled unstoppably down her cheeks. She had lost her beloved mother… and it was all her fault. If she had let her mother walk her to Troy's then the fire wouldn't have been started. But instead she made her mother stay home and burn to death. It was also her fault that her dad had died. If she hadn't fallen off that stupid boat, then her father wouldn't have had to jump in to save her and drown. She had always been grateful that even though she had lost her father, she still had her mother. But now she had lost everything and everyone. There was no one left. All of her family members lived overseas and she couldn't bear to leave Albuquerque. It was too much for her. She had to end it. She didn't deserve to live another minute. She inched closer to the edge.
"I'll see you soon Mama and Daddy." She whispered.
"Gabriella!!" It was Troy.
"No, leave me alone Troy. I have to do this."
"No you don't." With that he grabbed her and held her tight.
"I don't deserve to live." She screamed. She kicked and yelled, causing them both to fall to the floor. They rolled towards the tree lined woods. Troy tightened his hold on her.
"PLEASE LET ME DIE!"She screamed. Troy was in shock. Gabriella always seemed so calm and collected… but now she was the complete opposite. Troy realized that she was getting worn out. The kicks were less painful and the screaming subsided. She gave one last ounce of strength and then eased back into his hold sobbing. Troy sat up and stroked her hair, trying to ease her pain.
"I'm sorry Gabriella." He whispered. "I'm so sorry."
So, how was that guys? I tried really hard. I'm proud of it. Thanks to all of my fellow authors that believed in me and reviewed. I'll try to update soon. Also look out for my new story 'Loving the Enemy' which should be out by next month. Please, please review. Thanks, DGurl:D