Chapter 19

Recap

Troy ended the song with tears stinging his eyes but he won't let them fall.

"What am I doing? Troy and Gabriella are really hurting. Why am I tearing them apart?" Jack suddenly asked himself. A genuine smile formed across his face. He's going to try his best to get Troy and Gabriella back together.

End of Recap

Jack walked over to Troy after the song.

"Troy." Jack started as he sat next to Troy on the bed. Troy didn't answer but just stayed quiet.

"What do you say we have a little vacation in Australia?" Jack smiled weakly while Troy just stared at him in confusion.

"Australia? Why?" Troy asked, a little surprised.

"To get your mind off things, perhaps." Jack reasoned while Troy just sighed.

"Dad, no matter what I do, I still wouldn't be able to get my mind off certain things." Troy said sadly.

"More like certain someone." Troy thought.

"Come on! Its only for 2 days." Jack told his son.

"Ok." Troy finally agreed.

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Gabriella went to the city and roamed around the place. She'd made a couple of friends and she always hang out with them. They were in the mall and just buying any stuff they like.

"Let's go in the jewellery shop!" Ria said excitedly. Jenna, Ria and Gabriella all head to the jewellery shop.

"Oh look at this necklace, isn't it nice?" Jenna pointed as the girls smiled. Gabriella on the other hand was looking at a certain ring.

"Can I help you miss?" The lady asked.

"What is this type of ring?" Gabriella asked curiously, pointing at a particular ring.

"Oh that! That's a puzzle ring and not many people can do that easily. It will really make your brain pop, trying to put the pieces together." The lady chuckled.

"How many pieces does that rose puzzle ring have?" Gabriella asked.(puzzle ring in my profile)

"8." The lady replied. Gabriella wanted to buy the ring but something was telling her not to for some reason.

Gabriella walked over to her friends who was still looking at the necklaces.

"Wait guys, I'm just gonna go in the bathroom right across from here." Gabriella excused as her friends nodded.

"Do you want us to come with?" Ria asked but Gabriella shook her head no.

"No its ok." Gabriella answered as she headed off.

"Be quick Gabi!" Jenna called out.

30 seconds after Gabriella left, a certain boy came in the shop.

"Oh look at that hot guy that walked in." Ria whispered to Jenna.

"Wanna go talk to him?" Jenna asked.

"Let's just watch him for a minute." Ria said with a smile.

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Troy walked in the jewellery shop hoping to find something for Gabriella. He still had that little of seeing Gabriella again for some reason.

"Can I help you sir?" The same lady asked Troy.

"What's that type of ring?" Troy asked the lady as he pointed at the same rose puzzle ring that Gabriella pointed to.

"Oh that's a puzzle ring. A girl was looking at that too just a few minutes ago." The lady chuckled with amusement.

"Really? That's cool." Troy said with a weak smile.

"So are you taking it?" The lady asked and Troy nodded.

"Yup!" He answered as he reached for his wallet.

"Giving it to someone special?" The lady asked curiously.

"More special than anything in this world." He answered.

Ria and Jenna watched Troy as he smiled and bought the ring.

"Let's go introduce ourselves." Ria said as they walked over to Troy.

"Hi!" The two girls said as Troy just looked at them in confusion. His phone suddenly rang so he quickly picked it up. He unconsciously put his wallet on the counter and nobody noticed.

"Hello dad?… Oh ok… Yeah.. Bye!" He said over the phone.

"Sorry I got to go." He quickly said to the girls. He walked away from the shop leaving the two girls slightly disappointed.

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As Troy turned the corner and out of sight, a certain brunette entered the jewellery shop again.

"Hey guys! I'm back!" Gabriella said with a smile.

"Gabi! There was this really hot guy in here but he just left." Ria informed while Gabriella just shrugged. She was totally not in the mood on checking out other guys.

Gabriella walked over to the lady and decided to take the ring.

"I think I'm gonna take the rose puzzle ring." Gabriella said with a smile.

"Oh I'm sorry ma'am but a boy already bought it when you left." The lady said apologetically.

"Oh ok." Gabriella replied.

"The same guy that we're talking about. He has a dirty blonde hair, green eyes and totally handsome!" Jenna said while Gabriella just had a blurry image of who that person might be. Suddenly, she spotted someone's wallet on the counter.

"Who's wallet is that?" Gabriella said, pointing at a certain wallet.

"Oh my gosh! I think that's the boy's wallet." The lady said while Gabriella reached for it curiously. As she opened the wallet, she stared at the picture in it in shock and it felt like she couldn't move.

"Are you ok Gabi?" Jenna asked worriedly.

"Which way did the guy go? When did he leave?" Gabriella suddenly asked, making the girls stare at her in confusion.

"I think he turned the corner there." The lady pointed as Gabriella sprinted outside. She turned the corner but couldn't see the person she was looking for. She looked down at the picture of her and Troy in the wallet and let out a small smile.

"Troy." She whispered.

Gabriella came back to her absolutely confused friends.

"Why did you run Gabi?" Ria asked curiously. Gabriella smiled and handed them the wallet.

"Oh my gosh! No way! He's your boyfriend?" Ria and Jenna exclaimed.

"Yup!" Gabriella replied. She totally forgot about Troy buying the puzzle ring.

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Troy laid on his bed. He wasn't exactly having fun here in Australia and he was really confused why his dad took him there. He reached out for his back pocket but it felt empty.

"Where's my wallet?" Troy whispered to himself. Suddenly, Jack went in the room.

"Troy, what are you looking for?" Jack asked his son.

"My wallet. I think I lost it." Troy said as he searched around the place.

"Oh ok." Jack shrugged as he started to walk off.

"Wait dad! Why did we go here in Australia?" Troy finally remembered to ask.

"Oh umm.. because Gabriella and Carla are here. I just don't know where they live exactly." Jack said sheepishly.

"Are you serious?!!" Troy exclaimed, quickly shotting up.

"Yeah but I have no idea what city or town they're living in." Jack said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Dad you could've told me earlier!" Troy said as he grabbed a jacket and put it on.

"Sorry. Where are you going?" Jack asked confusedly.

"Where else dad? I'm gonna look for her!" Troy said as he ran outside the hotel.

For 3 hours of looking for Gabriella, Troy had no luck. He was standing in a front of a popular girl shop where Gabriella might be planning to go in. He looked around one last time and finally gave up.

"I should go home." Troy told his self and took off. What he didn't know was when he went down the escalator, Gabriella appear from the other shop just across the one Troy was standing in.

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Gabriella laid on her bed thinking of nothing else but Troy.

"Why was he here? What is he doing here?" Gabriella asked her self.

"Maybe they just took a vacation. They will probably be home in a few days." Gabriella said sadly.

A week later, Gabriella still haven't told her mom that Troy was here in Australia. She misses her and couldn't take it anymore. She got up early in the morning and packed her things quietly. She was determined to go back to Albuquerque.

"I hope mom won't get angry." Gabriella thought as she picked up a pen and paper and started writing a letter.

Dear mom,

You're probably guessing where I'm going. Mom, I'm going back to Albuquerque 'cause I really miss Troy. 10 months since I haven't seen him and its really killing me! I'm sorry that I'm breaking another rule but I really can't move on. I hope you understand mom. I'll call you when I get there!

Love you heaps,

Gabriella

Gabriella put the note on the refrigerator. She was thirsty so she opened the fridge and grab some juice. When he closed the refrigerator door, she saw her mom standing right in front of her.

"Mom!" Gabriella exclaimed nervously.

"Where do you think you're going young lady?" Carla raised her eyebrows.

"Umm.. Albuquerque?" Gabriella answered sheepishly.

"What?!" Carla exclaimed.

"Mom I really miss Troy and I think he was looking for me here in Australia even though it's a really big country! More like a continent. He did so much for me and this is the least I can do. My birthday is coming up too and all I want is to see Troy. That's all." Gabriella explained as her mom's face softened.

"Ok. Follow your heart. I might go back too when I'm ready. Take care honey!" Carla said as she hugged her daughter.

"Thank you so much mom!! I love you!!" Gabriella said excitedly.

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Troy arrived back home in Albuquerque. It annoyed him to think that he didn't find Gabriella and he kept on telling his self that he didn't look hard enough.

"I really miss her!!" Troy said as he sank on his bed. He tried to get his mind off her but he just simply couldn't.

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Gabriella's heart was pounding like crazy. She was wondering if Troy missed her or if he still loved her. She was now sitting in her apartment typing an email to Troy.

"What should I say? What if he forgot about me already? I can't just go barged in there and ask if he still love me. I'm not that brave! He has to give me signs." Gabriella talked to herself.

Dearest Troy,

You're probably surprised why I'm emailing you after 10 months of no connection or anything. I really miss you Troy and its really hard for me to move on. I don't know if you still love me or if you misses me and its scaring me to think that you probably forgotten all about me. I love you Troy and if you still feel the same, I want you to do something for me. Remember our favourite tree in the park? On Saturday of this week (which is tomorrow) at exactly 12pm, if I see one red ribbon around that tree, it means that you still remember me. It will symbolise that you still love me. If I don't see a ribbon, I'll just go back home. I'll understand if you don't feel the same anymore. I love you Troy and I will only say those three words to you and no one else.

Love you always,

Gabriella

Gabriella clicked the send button on the screen and took in a deep breath. Tomorrow, she will know if Troy still feel the same or not.

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Its Saturday morning and Troy still haven't check his computer. He was playing basketball alone in the backyard while his friends were in his room watching some movies. He really didn't get why they would be there early in the morning but he didn't care.

"Today is Gabriella's birthday! I wish I could see her and at least greet her Happy Birthday. I really miss her." Troy thought sadly.

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Its exactly 11:55 am and Gabriella was walking slowly to the back of the park where the tree was located. It was pretty empty for some odd reason. No words could describe what she was feeling right at that moment. She was nervous like hell.

"This is worse than declaring a death sentence!" Gabriella exclaimed in her mind. She suddenly paused and took in a deep breath. Once she turned the corner of the large bushes, she would see the tree that held the truth. She closed her eyes while her feet started moving.

"Here we go." Gabriella opened her eyes and gasped. Tears started rolling down her cheeks for she didn't see one ribbon around the tree………

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We should stop right there! Sorry for the cliff hanger! I hope you like this chapter