CONQUEST

Chapter 15: Victim

Disclaimer: I own nothing

An: Thanks for your reviews..on with the story..

I felt sick, my stomach churned beneath me the ground felt closer to me as the world around turned blurry. I realized then that I was crying, but he was trying to keep a hold on me, otherwise I wouldn't be standing now, here in his arms. I wanted to run, I wanted to smack him, but I couldn't find the force in my body to do it.

I wiped my hand across my eyes and looked around to face him, his arms, resting on me like an iron vice. Like he was never letting go.

"Troy" I tried to shout but he wasn't letting go, his face staring at me, tears in his eyes, knowing we were done for good

"Gabi" he cried, kissing my lips

That was it, I finally found the strength to push him off me. His lips made me want to be sick, the fact that his kiss didn't mean what it meant for me. It meant that he could get money, get the car he wanted, well, he already had that, but five grand was a lot of money, he could do what he wanted. But what sickened me most was that, that was all I was worth to him, a bet. He had to be paid to like me.

I knew it. I was stupid and wrong. I should have listened to Ryan, to Kelsi and to Sharpay. But I didn't because when I was with him, he made me believe that he had changed, that he was younger when they had made the asumptions of him . I had seen him that day with his son, he look so, so, genuine, but now I realised that it was all an act.

"Get off me" I screamed through my tears

"G-gabi" he whispered

"Troy" I shouted "Get the heck off me"

Tears streamed down his face as he looked at me. His arm still wrapped around me. I pushed him off, and he shook his head

"Gabi please"

I whipped around "What" I asked

I was desperate to leave, to get out of here. I had to, I couldn't be near him, my heart hurt like it had never before.

"Can I please explain"

I shook my head "Your friends pretty much did that for you" I placed air quotes around friends

"But I wanted to explain" he said, wiping a tear on his t-shirt

We were in broad daylight. Outside. It was cold now, the air suddenly ice cold around me, stinging the tears on my face so that my face was a mess. My hair swung around me in a violent mess. But all i could see were his hands, reaching out for me, begging to let him explain.

His eyes pleaded. His face was stained from all the crying he'd been doing. But somehow, I couldn't feel any sympathy. He's brought this on himself. I was the pawn in his game. Was he sorry I found out?, or was he just sorry that he did it in the first place? I didn't know which was worse.

"Should have thought of that earlier" I said, wrapping my jumper around me

"Please, if I could just tell you"

I wanted to sit there and cry but I didn't, even though tears were streaming down my cheeks, I wanted to make him suffer "Let me run through the cliches" I sighed, naming them off on my fingers

"It started out as a bet, but I fell in love with you" I whispered, unable to control the catching tears that began to form the inevitable lump in my throat "The money means nothing to me" I said, using my hand to stop him talking

"I don't need the money I just need you" I said tears streaming down my eyes "Its you I want, not the money" I smiled slightly "And my personal favourite" I smiled "Is the 'I forgot the money when i fell for you"

He sighed and looked at me nodding his head in agreement.

"They're all true" he sighed "But none of them can even let you know how sorry I truly am, how much I love you"

I shook my head and laughed though it hurt my heart to look at him, he seemed so genuine now. I had to leave. I had to get out.

"I don't want to hear it" I protested, hand up in front of my face

He shook his head, tears in his eyes, placed his hands on his hips. I couldn't help but smiled as his tears kept flowing. He should be a professional actor.

"But I'm gonna tell you" he sighed, suddenly taking charge

I shook my head, and headed for the now deserted school hallways which at this moment in time seemed like the best place in the world to be because I could get away from him, if only momentarily. The bright hallways seemed very inviting to me and I normally hated anything bright. But it was the opposite to the way I felt, it was secure and unchanging. I could understand when it leaked or lockers went rusty because it didn't mean it. It could always be fixed, but no matter what the structure stood tall and strong. Something to be trused, unlike the 'man' that was here in front of me, right here, right now.

"Gabi" he screamed following me

"If I let you explain will you fuck off out of my life forever" I asked, turning to him

He shook his head " I probably should, but I'm not gonna" he answered

I just kept walking. But he kept calling after me. He began his story

"Chad and Jason saw you on the first day" he breathed "They thought you looked like a freak, they thought you looked like a no good, but then they saw that purity thing of yours and they knew that you wouldn't be sleeping around"

I shook my head "Troy, please do I really need to hear this"

He nodded, and I stopped walking. I was surprised that he made no effort to run towards me.

"So they bet me that I couldn't sleep with you, and I said that I could and I knew you were joining dance so I did and then I started to get to know you and then I began to fall for you and I'm so sorry"

"Is that all" I asked him

He nodded and I turned to leave once more. My eyes glazed over with tears and he began to follow me. He wasn't going to give up even though he knew that it was over. He really seemed to want to follow this act through so that he could say he did it. Ibegan to run, run so fast that the wind clung the hair to my tears and before I knew it I was at the door, inside and away from him.

I sat quietly on the bleachers and began to cry, he followed me in, and sat beside me, catching his breath. I could feel his heat next to me and I looked up my face blotched and basically a mess.

"You are so gorgeous" he whispered

"Troy" I whispered, my tears visible "Just leave"

He shook his head "Not till I can see your face light up like I know it can"

I shook my head "You are so full of it"

"I know what I did was unforgivable and I know that you can probably never forgive me, but please" he smiled, his face a brave mask which his pain was concealed behind.

"What" I asked

"I want you forever, you're the only one"

"You know wht Troy, you should be an actor, you'd make a lot of money at it, a heck of a lot" I pointed out, my sarcasm not fully understood

"I don't claim to be an actor" he sighed

"Well you seem to be a good one"

"Gabi" he sighed

"Leave" I shouted "I've decided i'm not gonna be another one of your victims"

And with that he nodded and left, finally beaten. After he left, I broke down, and I didn't let up until five minutes after I left for home.