Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or anything related to it.
Feel It
Chapter 2:
"Hey, can I come in?" Payton asked from the door and Gabriella nodded, "Sure, it's your house anyway"
She laughed. "But it's your room"
Gabriella shrugged. "I guess it is, at least for a couple of months"
Payton sat on the edge of Gabriella's bed, watching her unpack her bags, "So, excited?"
"Nervous" she admitted. "I'm afraid I won't be able to help your brother"
"Of course you will" Payton smiled sympathetically, "I bet Troy's going to love you"
She grimaced before sitting on the bed too, "Does anyone come to visit him?"
"Troy has a best friend that is always around" Payton told her, "His name is Chad"
Gabriella nodded. "Okay, so I'll just let him in if he comes by"
"I don't think Troy will see him though. He's not feeling very sociable right now"
"Was the accident very bad?"
"He was hit by a truck" Payton told her, "by a drunk guy that goes to his uni, fucking Jensen – he screwed up my brother's life"
"What happened?"
"The truck hit him so hard the window crashed and the pieces of glass got inside his eyes" she said in a whisper, her face turning a bit red, "I swear if I see that Jensen I'll kill him with my own hands"
Gabriella sighed, "Poor Troy"
"Yeah" Payton agreed, nodding her head.
"He can't see anything?"
"Just a few shadows and contours" she murmured looking away, "His doctor is hopeful he can see again in a few months"
"Hopefully he will"
"Yeah" she smiled and jumped off the bed, "Anyway, I just stopped by to say goodbye and good luck"
"Ah, you're heading back to school"
"Yes"
"Well, have a good semester"
Payton smiled, "Have patience. Troy's an ass right now, but he is a nice guy"
Gabriella giggled. "Alright"
Two hours later Gabriella was already alone in the huge Bolton's residence. Payton had gone back to school and Cassidy had to leave early considering her flight was international and she needed to get to the airport a few hours earlier.
It was 6PM already and no sign of Troy waking up or asking for help. She was tired of watching TV, she had planned meeting the guy she'd take care of during the beginning of the afternoon, maybe she could even convince him to even go out a bit.
Gabriella stood up from the couch, closed her books and textbook and headed to the kitchen. Troy didn't eat all day according to Cassidy and she was really worried he would be starving by now.
She made him a turkey sandwich and put in a tray with a glass of orange juice and carefully made her way upstairs and into his room, opening the door slowly, already seeing a body curled up in bed from the doorway. She placed the tray on his computer desk and stepped closer to his bed.
"Troy?"
"Troy?"
He moved slightly after the second time she called him, rolling over in the bed to sit down, "who's there?
"I'm Gabriella" a soft voice replied from his left and Troy turned his head to where the voice came from, "who are you?"
"Your mother hired me to take care of you"
"I'm not a baby, I can take care of myself" he replied stubbornly.
"I just came to bring you food, you're here the whole day" Gabriella told him shyly, "Or maybe you would like to go downstairs and eat with me?"
"No"
"Why not?" she continued trying to make conversation but Troy lay on his bed again, ignoring her.
"Your room could use some fresh air" Gabriella sat on the edge of his bed, "Would you like me to open the window?"
"No"
"You should say yes more often" she replied casually.
Troy sighed. "Could you leave me alone?"
It was Gabriella's turn to be stubborn. "No"
"Please" he tried again.
"Nope" she tried to be reasonable, "Look, you'll eat the food and will let me open the curtains and I'll leave you alone" she bargained.
"Shit" Troy roared annoyed, "Can't you get out of here?"
"Troy, there's no need to be rude"
"There's no need to be fucking annoying too" he shook his head violently, "Listen, It's Graziella, right?"
"Gabriella" she corrected.
"Whatever" Troy rolled his eyes, "Take your food and your body out of my room" he hissed, "I don't know how much my mom is paying you, but I don't need your help"
"Troy, don't be like this"
"Gabriella, it's fine" he interrupted her again, "I can take care of myself, don't worry"
"Your mom will be away for 2 months" she sighed tiredly, "You won't eat or shower for this entire period of time?"
"Yes" he tried to sound calm, "Get out, please"
"Fine" she hissed, "But don't think I'm giving up on you, Troy. I'm not that type of person" she walked to the door, "I'll be downstairs if you need me"
He heard the door being shut and sighed. Troy hated being treated like a useless person. He would not need any help at all. He was 21 years old, he could take care of himself.
His stomach rumbled for the third time. Troy knew he could do only two things: try to sleep again and ignore his hunger or ask for Gabriella's help. He stood up, holding on his bedside table for support, feeling his legs weak. Maybe the girl forgot to take the food with her, maybe if he was very gentle he could reach the food without her even noticing.
"Where did she put it?" Troy murmured to himself, lifting his arms to try to touch his furniture, finding it really difficult because he couldn't exactly remember where his things were anymore and kept bumping into stuff.
Troy sighed in relief as he found an empty way ahead. If he tried really hard he could remember a door that would led him to his closet next to his bed and right beside it, the door to his bathroom. Troy ran his hand through the cold wall, looking for a doorknob.
"Ah, here it is" he smirked proudly and stepped forward, finding the next doorknob that he was sure would lead him to the bathroom.
"Okay, so going straight ahead I'll get to my room's door, my left there's my computer desk and the TV" he muttered in a low tone, nodding his head as he tried to encourage himself.
Troy tried to find the food but apparently Gabriella didn't leave it there. He walked successfully to his door, opening it and stepping for the first time in two months in the hall. His hand bumped in a picture on the wall, making it fall on the floor.
"Shit" he continued walking, taking slow steps like he was a baby. Surprisingly, Troy couldn't remember at all where the furniture was. Again, he cursed himself for never paying attention.
He kept walking, his hand touching everything he could, trying to make his memory work a bit. Maybe even his eyes, but he ended up hitting his head against the book shelf, making his weak body fall back down.
"Shit"
Gabriella heard the noise and stepped out of her room to gaze at Troy lying down.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" she asked, her voice sounding really worried. She bent down on his side and helped him sit down again, "Are you okay?"
Troy rested his head against the wall, "My head hurts"
"You're bleeding" she replied calmly, "Where do I find a first aid kit?"
He shrugged his shoulders and placed a hand on his cut. "Fuck"
"I told you to let me help you, why you need to be so stubborn?"
"I don't need your pity" he said in almost a whisper, "I'm not a baby"
Gabriella shook her head and sighed. "Troy, this is my job. Please, don't make your mom spend money for no reason"
He nodded slowly, "Ok, I'll let you help me but just a bit"
She smiled, "Only till you can do it yourself, I promise"
"I'll never do it myself, I'm useless Gabriella"
"Ah" she giggled, "You learned my name"
"Yeah" he rubbed the side of his neck, feeling her grabbing his hand and helping him stand up, "You know my name, it's the least I can do"
"Of course" she touched his forehead, "You have just a small cut, Todd"
Troy gave her a tiny smile, "You should smile more often"
"I have no reason to" he sighed sadly and Gabriella led him to his bedroom again, "Look, Troy. I have no idea how you feel, but feeling miserable won't help at all"
"I know" he hissed rudely, "It just comes out naturally"
"Hmm" she opened a door and Troy flinched, "Where you're taking me?"
"I need to clean you" she pushed him inside his bathroom and Troy's back gently touched the sink. Gabriella held his hand and touched his forehead with it, "Do you feel it?"
"It's wet"
"It's blood" she replied.
"Oh" he sounded dizzy, "Can you sit down?"
"Yeah. Can you help me out, please?"
Gabriella smiled. Troy knew how to be polite when he wanted. "Sure. So, you're in your bathroom counter" she explained slowly, "To get to your pot, it will take you" she walked to the pot, counting quietly, "5 steps"
"For real?" he sounded curious.
"Yeah" Gabriella grabbed his hand in hers and pulled him with her, "1… 2… 3… 4… 5" she placed his hand on the pot flush "See? We're here"
Troy smiled and nodded. "Sit down, please" she asked softly and he sat down.
"You're too tall" she grimaced, "I couldn't reach your head"
"You're small?" he asked and she nodded just for habit, she knew he couldn't see her.
"So?"
"Oh, sorry" Gabriella bit her lip, "Yeah, I'm kind of small"
"Do you know where I can find a clean towel?"
"Uhm…" Troy looked up thinking, "under the sink probably"
She bent down to grab a towel, smiling when she found it with no difficulty. Gabriella wet the towel very briefly and wiped his blood off his face, "How old are you?"
"I'm 20" she replied and he continued, "Do you study, Gabriella?"
"Yes, Troy"
"What?"
"Psychology"
"Uhm"
Gabriella looked at him. "What?"
"Nothing" he replied quickly. "I used to go to school"
"I know, you're studying to be an architect, your mother told me" Troy smiled a bit and that made Gabriella smile as well, "I saw your drawings in the living room, they're really good"
"Thanks"
She put him a Band-Aid strip on his cut, right on top of his eyebrow, "All set"
"Thanks, Gabriella"
"You're being really polite right now" she joked and Troy chuckled a little, "Since you're here, would you like to take a shower?" she asked and he nodded, "Maybe after this we can eat together?"
Troy nodded again. "Cool" she smiled, "Do you need any help?"
He shook his head. "Can you just show me how many steps till I get to the shower?"
"Of course" she began to count and Troy pulled his shirt over his head. As Gabriella turned back to look at him, she couldn't help but study his muscular body. Who knew under the large shirt there was a gorgeous body hidden?
Gabriella cleared her throat as he stood up again, "Okay, Troy. 6 steps till you reach the shower"
He nodded and she continued. "I'll get you a clean towel and clothes"
"Okay, feel free to go to my closet" he smiled again and she found herself hypnotized by his perfect smile, "Ok, I'll be right back"
Ten minutes later, Troy managed to walk out of his bathroom already dressed in his blue shirt and dark jeans.
"Gabriella, you're there?" he asked, stopping in the doorway and touching the wall with his hand.
"Yeah, I'm here" she stood up from his bed and walked to him, grabbing his hand in hers. "You took forever"
"I know" he sighed, "The pants, you know" he blushed and Gabriella nodded, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it"
"Could you help with my hair?"
"Sure, you just need to sit down again"
Troy nodded, before his hand let go of Gabriella's hand and ran up her arm, shoulder, side of the face and stopped in her soft curls, "Wow, you really are small"
"Yes Troy" she tried to sound annoyed but giggled, "Come with me, let's count the steps till your computer desk"
"1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… 8…" he hit his leg against the chair, "Ah, we're here"
"See? I told you it would be okay"
Troy smiled proudly and nodded, "Maybe If I practice it everyday I'll be able to move around the house alone"
"Of course you will"
Gabriella stopped in the middle of his legs and brushed his wet hair out of his eyes, "So, what should I do with your hair?"
"I don't know" he shrugged, stroking his hair to the side and smirking, "Let's see if it works"
"You didn't need my help for that" she told him, pretending she was angry, "Alright, stand up Todd Bolton, I'll take you to the kitchen"
"Ok Graziella"
Troy realized that moving around the house was not difficult after Gabriella had taught him to count the steps to get where he wanted. As they ate their dinner, Troy kept making conversation. He seemed to be more comfortable now that he knew he could do things by himself.
"So, what do you usually do for fun?"
Troy shrugged. "I used to play ball or go out with Chad"
"Why don't you call him tomorrow then and go out?"
"What for if I can't see anything?"
Gabriella sighed. "That's why you're always in your room?"
Troy nodded quietly, pushing away his plate of food that was now empty, "You cook very well, Gabriella"
"Thanks, Troy" she replied politely.
"So, you're staying for 2 months?"
"Yeap" she stood up and grabbed his plate, putting it into the dish washer, "Would you like to do something now?"
"I think I'll sleep"
"Okay. Maybe that's a good idea" Gabriella walked to the table and patted Troy on the shoulder, "come on, stood up"
She watched as he made his way upstairs all alone, not needing her hand or her counting to help him out. As soon as he got to the top of the stairs and stepped into the hall, he turned back, smirking, "I made it"
"I told you it was easy" she said playfully and Troy laughed, "For you, I was scared the whole time"
"No you weren't"
"Yeah I was" he said as he nodded his head and turned around to start walking to his room, "Can you imagine if I fall?"
"Well, I'd call the ambulance, I promise"
Troy grinned. "Funny"
He was just passing his room, but Gabriella held him by the hand, "It's here, Troy. How many steps you counted?"
"Hmm" he rubbed his head, "15?"
"Make it 14 then" she said and added, "My room is just next to yours, probably 20 steps from the stairs"
"6 from my room"
"Yeah" Gabriella agreed, "If you need anything, just scream"
Troy nodded and smiled, "Thanks Gabriella, for everything"
"No problem"
He was going to step inside his room when Gabriella called him again.
"I forgot to tell you something"
He turned to his side, where her voice was coming from, "tell me now then"
"I'll be going to my class in the morning, but your mother told me you usually sleep the whole morning, so I'll probably be back before you wake up"
"Okay, don't worry"
Both of them entered in their rooms and closed the doors. As soon as they realized, they drifted off to sleep.
Great, great response! I'm glad. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Troy wasn't rude as you all thought he'd be, right? He is a sweetheart in this story and I'm completely in love with him, haha you'll know why. Anyway, don't forget to review, please? =]
