As Troy turned onto his street he immediately noticed a car in his driveway he only saw on rare occasions. Really rare occasions.
"What the hell is he doing here?!" Troy screamed when he entered the living room.
"Troy, calm down." His mother said looking up at him and then back towards the man sitting on the couch.
"Hey Troy. How're you doing?" The man said awkwardly.
"No! Don't talk to me!" He shot back.
"Troy, He's your father! The least you could do is hear him out." His mother said as she stood from the couch.
"He's not my father! When was the last time he came here without asking for money?! Huh?!" Troy screamed back.
"I'd hate to interrupt but Troy, I Know how I've acted in the past and how it wasn't responsible. But you're mom told me about the fights you've been getting into lately and I suggested that maybe you should come to live with me." His dad said, also standing up from the couch.
"No, Mom! You can't send me away with some stranger!" Troy was getting angrier and angrier.
"I'm afraid I have no choice anymore, Troy." His mom responded feeling ashamed and upset. She hadn't thought it was going to be this hard.
"Troy, I'd like to have the chance to be your father. The father you need, and the father you want." Jack was walking closer to him.
"Well maybe you should've thought of that earlier." Troy retorted throwing his stuff on the floor and running upstairs. He couldn't believe this was actually happening. Sure, his mom used it as a threat but he never actually assumed that she'd call him.
Tears managed to escape Troy's eyes for the first time in years as he pounded his fists against the bedroom wall sending loud bangs throughout the house.
Gabriella was now laying in her bed thinking about what she was going to do tomorrow. Her parents had been bugging her all week about getting out of the house. Who was she supposed to go out with?
She had no real girl friends that lived here, only guy friends and she was forbidden to go out with them. Her parents were overly paranoid. Guys could lead to sex, sex could lead to a teen pregnancy, and that would lead to embarrassment to her family.
She scanned the list of contacts on her phone to see who she could hang out with.
"Am I really that pathetic?" Gabriella muttered to herself putting down the phone. She got up from her bed and walked over to her laptop that was charging on her white desk. She turned it on, squinting her eyes as the bright light filled the dark room.
She signed onto messenger and noticed that she also had several emails. Two were from Nathan, and one was from Sharpay.
Gabriella disregarded Nathan's emails and quickly clicked on Sharpay's. Sharpay Evans was probably her best friend. She moved last year and said that she was going to try and convince her dad to move back. Over the months, however, they stopped sending emails.
Gabby,
OMG! I'm so sorry that I haven't been responding to your emails quicker. I've been super duper busy! So I met this guy and he's SOOO sweet. He's really hot to. Austin, that's his name, he's adorable. Yeah, remember how I was telling you how this guy was showing me around? Well his name was Austin and as I said he was showing me around the school and the city and all that, and then he asked me out!!! So I said yes! And we're still going out!
So the other night my dad called me and him down from my bedroom and he had this really apologetic look on his face, just like the one he had when he told me I was moving away from you! I became really angry and Austin didn't know why so he was awfully confused. So my dad was like 'I'm sorry. It's my boss.' And I was like 'you could say no!' and we went on like that for a while and he was like 'but we're moving back to Albuquerque.' And I screamed very loudly, but Austin wasn't very happy, and I couldn't decide whether to be happy or sad.
But I'm more happy! I'll be there in 1 week! Can't wait to see you!
Love,
Shar
Gabriella had to keep her hand to her mouth to keep her from screaming. She quickly pressed the reply button and started to type.
Shar,
OMG! This is HUGE! I can't wait to see you again too!!!! Maybe Austin can come down too. I'd love to meet this guy that is supposedly so…. cute. Call me when you land here. We'll have to celebrate!
Love,
Gabby
Gabriella couldn't remember a time when she had been happier. Sure, she had a great family and great clothes but she never really had anyone to talk to except Sharpay. Now, that she was coming back Gabriella felt a wave of relief sweep over her. She finally had her best friend back.
During the plane ride Troy's dad, Steven had tried to make small talk with his son but everything he tried Troy ignored.
"The plane will be landing shortly. Please make your way to you're seats and refrain from using the bathroom. Thank you." The pilot spoke through the intercom.
Troy was relieved. At least where he was going he had his own room to stay in without having to hear his father's attempts to talk to him.
"Alright, so when we get there I advise you wise up. The quicker you learn to behave the quicker you can go back to your mom. Although, I would like a second chance I don't think you're ready to give me one and I'm sorry for that but for the time being you are going to be living in my house so I'm going to tell you the rules once. That's it." Steven was obsessed with rules. Rules were the foundation to a good society. Rules meant order and discipline.
"No shouting, no locking your bedroom door, lights out by 11:00 pm, no swimming past 7:00 pm unless an adult is present, no parties, no friends over unless we've approved, no food in your room, you're room must be clean at all times in case of unexpected company, no talking back. If you don't obey these rules the longer you're in my house. Understand?" Steve said out of breath but ready to add to his list of rules at any time.
"Gotcha." Troy said sarcastically and began looking out the window again.
"I am serious Troy." Steve looked over his son for the first time since they had left Troy's house. He had a gray hoodie on with dirt all over it. His jeans had holes in them but Steve figured it was just the style now-a-days. His shoes were worn down.
"Ok."
"When we land we're getting you some new clothes."
"No." Troy replied in a monotone.
"Troy, you're shoes are a disgrace. Your sweat shirt has dirt all over it and your jeans have holes in them."
"You don't have to suck up to me. I'm never going to like you." He replied still in monotone.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that but you aren't wearing those clothes in front of my friends or neighbors."
Troy just groaned. He didn't want anything from his dad. His mom gave him enough and Troy could handle himself. He never needed or would ever need help from his dad.
Gabriella awoke the next morning at 8:30 and made her way to the shower. He was so excited that Sharpay was moving back. She had so much to do!
When she was done swallowing the last bit of her pancakes she put on her shoes and went out to the car.
"Honey, where are you going?" Mrs. Montez asked as she went to stand on the front porch.
"Shopping! Sharpay's coming home." Mrs. Montez scowled as her daughter drove away. She always thought that Sharpay was a bad influence on Gabriella.
Gabriella turned into the mall parking lot and smiled. She hadn't been to the mall in such a long time. She loved watching the little kids holding their mothers hand with the biggest smiles on their faces because they got a new toy. Everyone looked happy, so Gabriella was happy. She locked her door and walked briskly toward the mall entrance.
She walked into her favorite store, American Eagle, and saw the perfect outfit. She was so mesmerized that she ran right into someone.
"Watch where you're going!" A boy that looked about her age said. He had messy light brown hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes Gabriella had ever seen.
"Troy! Apologize!" Steven said as he turned to see what the commotion was about.
"No, no. It was my fault. I'm sorry." Gabriella said a little scared of the expression the boy was giving her.
"Oh, Hello Gabriella." Steve said as soon as he realized who his son was talking to.
"Hi, Mr. Bolton. How are Lizzy and Ben doing?" Gabriella said smiling.
"Oh they're doing fine. Can you still baby-sit tonight?"
"Oh, sure. 6:00 right?" Gabriella said stepping away. She didn't want to sound rude but she really wanted to get the shopping over with.
"Yes. Thanks."
"Sorry again!" Gabriella said as she sped off to the place she first saw the outfit.