Saving Her . . . . A Pair of Blue eyes

Gabriella got ready for another day of work after her dad and that.. BURGH... lady went out of the house. She slipped into her uniform and went down the stairs. Just as she was about to reach the front door, she clutched her stomach and winced in pain.

"Can't my empty stomach wait?" she groaned.

She went out of the house and started walking to the smoothie shop. On the way there, she stopped outside the sandwich shop she went to yesterday. She took out her wallet and a butterfly and some dust came out of it, not literally.

"Broke until the next pay," she sighed and walked into the Groovy Smoothie. [A/N: Yes, I did got the name from iCarly.]

As she entered, her friends and customers greeted her joyfully. Gabriella went next to Miley who had just finished serving her customer a Banana Smoothie.

"I see your arms are healing," Miley turned to her with her arms folded,"but it will get bruised again because someone doesn't want to do anything about it!" Miley said sarcastically in a happy tone, raising her voice a little.

"Miles.."

"Gabby I wanna help. This isn't some kind of fairytale where your 'Prince Charming' will come to the rescue."

Just when Miley said that, a handsome-looking guy with nice blonde-brown hair came up to the counter. The girls stared at him for awhile especially Gabriella. She could have sworn that she hasn't seen a pair of blue eyes as perfect as the guy's infront of her.

"Hey, so what's good here?" he asked politely.

Miley turned back to her own counter but she frowned when Gabriella's not answering him. She nudged her arm with her elbow, snapping her out of her gaze.

"Everything's good here. But it depends on you to know what's good and what's better," Miley answered as Gabriella settled back to Earth.

"So, what can I get you?" Gabriella finally said.

He started to gaze at her as her voice sounded like music to his ears.

"Erm.. Well, I don't know. I've never tried-" he got cut off.

"Are you saying you're the only person in town that has never tried ANY of our smoothies before?" Miley burst out in disbelief.

"No.. You don't understand, I'm Troy Bolton. I just moved here in Albuquerque," he handed out his hand to Gabriella and she shook it nervously. And then he shook Miley's hand.

"Well, we'll fix that. I'll get you the 'All-time-favourite'," Gabriella said. After getting a nod, she started making the smoothie.

Then, she came back with a Double Chocolate and gave it to Troy. He flashed them a smile and walked out of the shop.

Miley noticed Gabriella staring at his direction and then she smirked.

"Gabby he's gone," she giggled.

"Erm.. Yeah, duh!"

Miley swang her head to Gabriella and gave her that look. Gabriella frowned, questioning.

"He is damn CUTE!" she burst out.

"Date him then," Gabriella simply said.

"Me? I'm talking about you."

Gabriella chuckled sarcastically,"Like that's ever gonna happen."

"But Gab-" she got cut off.

"Back to work, customers."

Miley rolled her eyes as the line piled up.

After work, Miley went straight home to finish up her homework before school starts again tomorrow. Gabriella went home too and she was lucky her father wasn't there. Being too bored, she decided to take a walk around. She wore a pair of knee-length tights and a green hooded sweatshirt with her hair down. Then she walked out of the house and leisurely strolled on the pavement, her eyes actively looking here and there.

She took in really deep breaths enjoying the scent. Then, she realised she was heading to the park so she hurried there. She giggled at the dogs having fun with their owners, most of them playing together with a blue frisbee. Then she walked across the bridge and saw little ducklings with their mother duck in the pond. She giggled at that too. Then she went near the pond and sat there, staring into space. Her eyes glanced everywhere and finally back to the duck and her ducklings in the pond.

Apparently, the mother was helping poor duckling with the swimming. Gabriella sighed and that led her to look at the necklace that she had never taken off.

"I miss you Mum," she whispered through her tears coming in. When she opened her eyes to look at her reflection in the pond, she saw a familiar face next to her. She turned her head with a gasp.

"Didn't mean to startle you," Troy said.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile.

"Your the girl at the Groovy Smoothie am I right?"

She nodded.

"Well, I didn't quite get your name.."

"Gabriella Anne Montez. My friend is Miley Ray Cyrus."

"It's nice to meet you. So, what are you doing out here anyway?"

"Well, I'm just here to relax a bit," she took in a deep breath.

"Tensed back home?"

Gabriella went wide-eyed.

"Erm, yeah. Quite tense. I better calm down before I suffer depression," she joked.

He chuckled. "So, I got some snacks. Packed sandwich from the sandwich shop near your smoothie shop. Like one?"

Gabriella smiled sweetly and took the sandwich he offered. It was a good thing because, she was starving like crazy. As Troy took a bite out of his sandwich, his teeth didn't quite cut the ham. So when he pulled the sandwich away, the entire slice of ham was dangling from his mouth.

Both laughed and had their conversation going on for hours.

"Oh gosh!" Gabriella exclaimed,"what time is it? Oh, I got to go now Troy. I'm sorry."

"No, it's cool. But, will I see you again?"

"Of course you will," she nodded,"bye!"

Troy watched as she ran out of the park and disappeared from his sight. His smile couldn't seem to drop and he was beaming with cheerfulness.

Little did Gabriella know is that going home means bringing danger upon herself.

As she stepped into the house, doing her same routine. She took one step at a time while scanning her surroundings for danger. Everything was clear so she went up the stairs and straight into her bedroom to change into something more comfortable.

After putting on baggy shorts and a tank top, her door creaked open. Her dad was all normal this time but with the long cane in his hand, waiting to be used. Just the sight of him can drive Gabriella to tears.

"Please don't!" she pleaded.

"It's like you don't know me at all Gabriella."

He dashed forward and started whacking Gabriella whose trying to shield herself. Her 'going-to-heal' arms got more bruises and blood oozed out, staining everything. Then, he stopped. Gabriella curled herself up and cried loudly into her knees. That made Mr Montez grew angrier.

"Shut up you worthless rat!" he whacked her one last time and shut her door with a loud bang.

Gabriella cried her heart out as her tears dropped profusely. So did her blood but she didn't care about that at all. She got up in search of something. She slid out her drawer of her dressing table and there it was.

She took the blade and sliced her wrist again with a loud yell. It was like drugs to her now. She got addicted and will only feel good if she has it. The blood flowed out as she watched it dripped. But she was interrupted when her door flung open the second time that night. She forcefully looked up to a flustered Miley.

"What are you doing here?"

"Gabby, what are you doing? Your torturing yourself!"

"Miley," she rolled her eyes,"just let me be!"

"But you're hurt enough!"

"I feel just fine okay?"

Miley sighed heavily.

"You haven't answered my question yet," Gabriella continued.

"I was taking a night stroll until I saw your father storming out of the house. So I came in to see you."

"Why?"

"I was worried when I saw him in rage and fury earlier. I was worried that he might have beaten you again and I was darn right!" Miley paused,"Gabby, you're sleeping at my house tonight. Come on."

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"You have school tomorrow. I don't want to keep you up."

"I don't care. You're doing nonsensical things right now!" she took the blade away from Gabriella's hand.

Gabriella frowned but then, her face dropped.

"I won't be going to work tomorrow."

Miley gave her a questioning look.

"I got beaten again and the bruises are damn visible. I can't let Troy see me like this."

Miley's face lightened up with a smile spread across her face,"you're thinking of Troy at this time of the day?" she giggled.

Gabriella pushed her playfully and rolled her eyes.

"Come on. We'll get you cleaned up as soon as we reach my house."

They went to Miley's for another sleepover. When they arrived, Gabriella lied to Miley's parents that she had a big fall and the consequences were the bruises on her arms. And also, the cut on her wrist was just an accident in the kitchen. Then, Gabriella was treated with care and her wrist was bandaged and her arm was filled with colourful strips of plasters.