Hello lovelies.
I know it's been a couple weeks since I posted so here is a little update: Last chapter was the Fourth of July. Gabriella (who IS NOT PREGNANT, and is still a virgin - they did not have sex that afternoon at her house) got sick but Knight Troy was there for her, of course :) Also, Zeke decided he was finished trying to be with Sharpay, which caught Gabriella a little off-guard, especially since she talked to Sharpay a couple days before and made her angry by telling her to make up her mind about Zeke. In this chapter is the visit of Mr. Montez and Gabriella's half-sister Laina :)
Read & Review!
Laina adored Taylor from the second she met her. Which was no surprise, of course, because Taylor was great with kids and Laina was extremely friendly with everyone she met. My dad was also outgoing and made friends with everyone he met. We could be complete opposites sometimes. My dad was a lot like Troy, actually.
Taylor, Laina and I were sitting on the couch with Laina's tiny 'Dora the Explorer' back-pack of toys.
"Nana," Laina began as she held up a baby doll to Taylor. "Nana, gave me this baby for Christmas."
Taylor 'ooohed' over the doll as Laina continued taking everything else out of her backpack. Behind me, I could see my mom and dad in the kitchen. They were talking and every so often one of them would laugh at something the other said. My parents had been divorced for years and rarely saw each other, especially now that I didn't live in California anymore. They had remained friends after they spilt up and would talk on the phone whenever he called. She even still called him "Jay", short for Jacob, just like she always has.
"Gabby, you get this baby." A blue-eyed, cloth-bodied doll was placed into my hands. "Aw, what's her name?" I asked.
"Daisy." My sister wiped a strand of hair from her eyes. She had brown hair to her shoulders, it was thinner than mine and much curlier. She had a pink barrette on one side, a plastic strawberry.
My dad walked into the living room with his hands in the air. "So when do I get to meet the famous Troy?" He smiled. My dad was a tall guy with very dark curly hair and tan skin. He loved to make people laugh and had a booming voice.
Taylor gave me a sneaky smile. "You'll like him Mr. Montez."
&&&
After Taylor went home I took Laina to the Marsten's house. They were a really nice family down the street whom I babysat for, and right now they were on vacation at Lake Tahoe for two weeks. When I told them about my sister visiting they told me to use their backyard swing set whenever I wanted. Laina had the best time.
She seemed so much older and more talkative since I'd seen her last. She loved to talk about day care and how Kathy was about to have a baby. She held my hand as we walked home, telling me all about her toy puppy named 'Robby'.
When we got to the front steps she got onto my back and we walked inside. But before I even stepped all the way into the entrance we almost bumped into my dad, who I'm sure from his suit and tie that he had just gotten home from his meeting. He was talking to someone.
"Who's that?" Laina pointed a finger at the boy talking animatedly to our dad. He gave her a big smile and put his hands into his pockets.
"Hi," he told her. "I'm Troy."
I don't know if I was more surprised that Troy was with my dad or the fact that I'd forgotten he needed to pick up a summer reading book. But most likely it was the black and blue bruise under his right eye.
&&&
"What happened to your eye?" I gasped. We stood in the foyer while my dad took my sister to the bathroom.
"Um, it was just an accident. It's okay, it doesn't really hurt."
"What kind of accident?" It looked painful being so big and dark. I could make out the outline of a cut on his cheekbone. By reflex I reached to touch it, but retracted my hand when I realized how sore it must be.
"Just an accident." He shrugged. "It happens."
"What kind of accident?" I repeated. He was being so vague.
"Someone accidentally hit me, no big deal. Really."
"Troy, did someone one beat - ?"
"No. I said it was an accident, Gabby." He pushed hair from his face and exhaled, visibly annoyed with me. Troy hated when people thought he was weak.
"Sorry." I whispered. "But I think I have the right to know what happened to you."
"I already told you, someone accidentally hit me. Can we just drop this, please?"
I looked at him for a second, he had a tendency to be stubborn and when he got started with something, he couldn't stop.
"Look Troy, I trust you. I really do, and I know you're always honest with me, but…why can't you tell me?"
His jaw was clenched, a give away that he was upset, and he was looking at the wall. When he finally turned to me, he sighed. "Fine." I waited. "I got into a fight with Casey. Last night. It's no big deal."
"Casey Rodenbough?" I hadn't even known he was out last night, he didn't mention it to me. But Troy had always found Casey annoying, like most people, even though he was considered popular. Casey was obnoxious and loud.
He nodded and I couldn't help but cringe at the bruise.
"Why did you get into a fight with him?"
Troy shrugged and I felt my patience going. In the background I could hear footsteps travel into the kitchen.
"Shrugging is not an answer, Troy." I tried to keep my voice low, my parents are sister were in the kitchen and I could hear the hum of their voices.
"It was just a fight. I dunno, he was just…just really pissing me off."
I wanted to groan and ask him why he had to do something like that and be so ridiculously temperamental sometimes.
"Troy…"
"What? What do you want me to do?" He raised his eyebrows and bit the skin beside his thumb. "He was being a frickin' asshole."
I couldn't believe how angry this made me. He hadn't said anything about going out last night, obviously he had been drinking if he was a party and now he stood in my house with a black eye from some ridiculous fight. Silence swept over us, the usual occurrence when there was something wrong. Finally, I called out to my mom that I was walking with Troy to his car and I'd be back in a minute.
"Nice to meet you Troy." My dad stepped into view at the kitchen door and waved. "Make sure you put some ice on that eye, footballs can leave a nasty bruise."
"Thanks Mr. Montez, I will. Nice to meet you too." Managing to hide his annoyance with me relatively well, he smiled back and walked past me out the door.
"Football?" I asked when the door was closed behind us. It was a gorgeous outside but the sun just seemed to give me a headache.
"You wanted me to tell the truth?" It was spat out sarcastically, and I realized that this was the first time I'd ever been really, truly mad at him.
When I didn't respond he stood there, clenching his jaw. "Fine." It was his way of being done with the conversation, and he got into his car, turned on the ignition, and drove away.
&&&
I was struggling to forget the fight and concentrate on being with my dad and Laina when we got another house visitor.
Zeke.
"Hey!" Zeke was one of the happiest people I know, nothing much got to him, and he was grinning as he stood in my doorway.
"Hi Zeke. What's up? Want to come in?"
"That's okay. I'm going to the Arrington Center to pick up some forms for a culinary program, I really hope I get in!" He was still grinning and I noticed a kitchen container in his hands.
"You're an amazing chef Zeke, if you don't get in than they're crazy."
"Thanks Gabby." I knew he meant it. "Oh, um, I brought these for you." When he held out the box I took it and opened it with a raised eyebrow.
"Cinnamon Angels. They're a new recipe I found. I wanted to make you something to thank you."
"Thank me?"
"Yeah, for the thing with Sharpay."
"Excuse me?" I wasn't sure if I had heard him right, I sort of hoped I hadn't.
"You really helped me realize that I need to let go of her and I'm so glad you did. So, thank you."
I stood speechless for a second. Zeke seemed so happy and a part of me knew that Sharpay had put him through a lot, and it had definitely been tough on his heart and his ego. Sharpay seemed to have finished with him weeks ago, but this wasn't my game to end.
The silence was interrupted by my dad. He had waltzed in to find out who was at the door.
"Dad, this is my friend Zeke."
"Hi Zeke." My dad shook his hand and I wasn't surprised when Zeke returned his strong grip.
"I'm Jacob Montez."
"It's nice to finally meet you Mr. Montez. I know Gabby is really happy you're here."
This made my dad happy and he shot me a smile. "Would you like to come in Zeke? The girls made lemonade."
"Alright. Thanks Mr. Montez."
When I followed them into the kitchen I wondered, between the thing with Troy and now the thing with Zeke, what I had gotten myself into.
&&&
The next morning was awful. I don't know if it was the fight with Troy, or having to say good-bye to my dad and Laina for what seemed like the hundredth time too many in my life, but when I stood outside airport security at Donovan-Vice International Airport I had to blink back tears. My dad wrapped me up in his arms and hugged me so tightly, I realized that he hated this as much as I did.
"I love you, sweetheart. Don't be such a troublemaker when I go, okay?" My dad lived to tease me and I promised him I would try. My mind went back to the first time we had to say goodbye, the day he moved out. I was only seven years old but it had become one of those memories that I could replay over and over in mind like a movie.
"I love you, dad." I squeezed his shoulders hard before letting go. "I'll see you next month." It felt like a lifetime at that moment.
I gave Laina a big hug. I'd helped her pack up all her toys that morning and now she had them all in her back-pack.
"Say good-bye to sissy, Lain."
"Bye." Laina didn't understand what was going on so she wasn't affected by it, I envied her for that right now.
Mom and I stood in the airport and waved until they were through security and out of sight.
"I know it's hard, honey." My mom put her arm around my shoulder and suddenly I was about to cry.
The fluorescent lights and the distant smell of McDonald's made me sick. I wanted for things to be okay with Troy, I wanted no part in Zeke and Sharpay's drama but mostly, I wanted to be with my dad.
I felt words tumbling out my mouth. "Sometimes I wish everything was different." I had never said those words to my mom before, or to anybody. But when I blurted them out the tears in my eyes proved how true they were.
Poor Gabriella, life is hard sometimes. I can guarantee though, that thinks will get better (eventually) ;)
Reviews make my day! You all leave such good ones - happy tear -
Thanks, especially to Katie (who I hope had a blast at her dance!)
Sparks
xoxoxo