A/N: okay, to all my gorgeous readers out there, and to all the amazing reviewers who take time out of their day to press that little button and type in a few simple but satisfying words, thanks babes and dudes (if there are any reading this),
To a certain reviewer, well, the one who had a little constructive criticism for me: Butterflygoodbye: sorry if the cuss words were a little too much in the last chapter. I may have added one or two extra than I needed to. I definitely wanted some there because I wanted to express the frustration they were feeling. And I know it isn't how Gabriella really would say, but that was the point, she was so frustrated and upset, it came out. But thanks babe, I'll keep in mind that fact in the next few chapters (actually, let me review over this one first ;p)
You guys, I was actually happy with what butterflygoodbye wrote to me because that's exactly the type of response I want. I want you guys to criticize and over some improvement because it'll help me out a bit. Because I don't know if you guys actually like the way I write, maybe you want more detail but don't want to offend me. Don't worry about it, alright? Just say what you feel and ill try my best to consider it.
And to the rest of my reviewers, I'm trying to find a time where I can personally respond and thank you in a chapter author's note, so ill try for the next chapter or the one after. But kisses to you all the same.
I'm aiming for 10 reviews a chapter, that's my goal, it may not seem like much to people who have 65 million per chappy, but to me, it warms my heart babes, it really does. And last chapter, I got 15!! Yah a little happy dance on my part! So once again, kisses to everyone (wish I can make them Hershey kisses (or real)) but I cant, so we'll have to settle.
Disclaimer: I bought some perfume, some shoes, a cute white top, but am still waiting for HSM to go on sale. ;p
Gabriella got to the party that weekend a little later than she said she would. She saw Sharpay and Taylor wave to her from the side of the room. She walked over slowly and breathed out when she reached their side.
"Any sign of him yet?" she asked before even saying hello.
Taylor shook her head but Sharpay nodded towards the staircase, "he's chatting up Katie Laurence. Head Cheerleader" she replied bitterly.
Gabriella turned her head slowly and saw that Sharpay was right. And also that Katie was a pretty blonde that Troy seemed to be talking to rather closely.
"Why do you care Gabriella?" Sharpay asked, "I mean, he's my best friend and all, and his mom just passed, but he's treated you really badly Gabi. He broke up with you because for absolutely no reason. And a second later, he's all over some…some cheerleaderr"
Gabriella sighed and leaned against the wall, watching Troy and Kate, "I don't know, Shar, I love him so much. This isn't the way he really is. He's the sweetest guy in the world. He' just-"
"Going through a phase?" Taylor helped out and Gabriella nodded,
"Yes, he's just going through a phase"
Sharpay nodded and said "Yah, I mean, the Troy that I knew loved Gabriella more than anyone in the world. Sex was never an issue for him. He was kind, and sweet, and the way he looked at you Gabi- but ever since his mother-"
Sharpay gasped and quickly turned Gabriella around so she was facing the wall instead,
"Shar? What are you doing?" Gabriella giggled as she tried to turn around.
Sharpay sighed and said worriedly, "Gabi, I think that you and I should just go. This party is pretty boring"
"Why?" Gabriella asked as she turned around and then gasped at the sight she saw in front of her.
Troy and Katie were making out and Troy had her against the wall and his hand was already up her shirt.
Gabriella bit back tears as she felt the anger and pain flash up inside of her.
"Gabi, lets just go. I'll kick his ass on Monday, alright?" Taylor said holding her close.
Gabriella shook her head as she replied through her tears, "he knew. He knew I would be here. He saw me. He's not even going to try and show that he at least cared about me? Or at least wait a few days before he does something like this? We've been going out for a year!"
"Gabi-"
"No, Sharpay, its fine" Gabriella said before she ran off to the nearest bathroom she can find and locked the door behind her.
Sharpay walked up to Troy and shoved him from behind, into the wall and Katie, "happy ass hole?"
"What. The. Fuck" Troy said as he slowly turned around and faced Sharpay.
Sharpay shoved him again, "your girlfriend" she emphasized as she looked from Katie to Troy, "is crying her eyes out in the bathroom because of what she saw"
Troy stood silent for a moment, his eyes softened as they flickered over to the bathroom door. Then he looked back at Sharpay and they were cold again, "Ex-girlfriend. And don't you think its time she moved on?"
Sharpay threw him a disgusted look before shoving him into the wall once more and leaving.
Gabriella wiped her face against the soft linen towels in the bathroom. She looked up into a mirror and noticed that her face was red and blotchy.
'Great, not only do I find the guy I love kissing a girl in front of me. But I have to look like a tomato doing it'
She sighed as she collapsed by the door and shut her eyes for a second. This was just too much to handle.
A few minutes of lying there peacefully, Gabriella drifted off of to sleep, the tears tiring her eyes out.
Only to be woken two hours later.
Gabriella's eyes flew open as she heard a loud banging on the door. She stood up and realized that she had fallen asleep in the bathroom.
"Oh shit" she said as she tried to brush away the wrinkles that had formed on her skirt. She looked at herself in the mirror, and satisfied, she opened the door.
A drunk Sharpay stumbled in, "ooh, Gabi, me and Tay have been looking every where for you, girl!" she slurred as she threw her hands around Gabriella
"Sharpay, how much have you had to drink?" Gabriella asked.
Sharpay thought about it for a minute and then shrugged, "cant remember. But I do remember making out with the new foreign exchange. Or was it Sammy?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes and helped her friend out of the bathroom. She spotted Ryan by the corner reading a book and sighed happily. Sharpay was probably safe in his sober hands.
"Hey, Ryan, do you mind taking her home?" Gabriella asked.
Ryan grinned and shook his head getting up, "that's the only reason I came. Here, hand her over to me"
Gabriella smiled at him and helped place Sharpay's arm over his neck, "oh look, its RYAN!!" Sharpay called out drunkenly, "my NOT gay brother who everyone thinks is gay because of the way he dresses, but really isn't GAY"
Some people gave her weird looks, others were too drunk to notice.
"Thanks Ryan" Gabriella patted his shoulder, "oh Ryan, have you seen Taylor?"
Ryan thought for a second and nodded, "she came to get you out of the bathroom but then her mother called and said that there was some emergency with her brother. He needed his tonsils out and that Taylor needed to be there for him"
Gabriella nodded and made a mental note to call Taylor about her brother later, "thanks Ryan. Take care of your sis, alright?"
Ryan grinned and nodded, "will do" He turned and left with his sister clinging to his side, making silly comments about a few random bushes and Chad's hair.
Gabriella turned around and noticed that lots of people had collapsed drunk or were out of it.
She stuffed her hands into her pocket and went out to get a start on walking home. She lived a few blocks away, it wasn't a big deal.
As she walked past the cars, she noticed a figure stumbling to his car. She could tell it was Troy because she could see his outline in the light of the moon. She noticed as he made his way over to his car.
He had trouble opening the front door, but after a few seconds managed to get it open.
Gabriella knew that he was planning on driving home drunk. She couldn't let it happen. He hurt her so much, but she knew that it would be a million times worse to see him hurt.
She ran in her heels over to his car and leant into his car window.
"Troy, you can't drive. You're drunk" she stated.
Troy sighed and muttered drunkenly, "Why can't you just leave me the fuck alone? Its over, don't you get it?"
Gabriella ignored his comments and replied, "Troy, you can get into a car accident and you could hurt someone and yourself. I care about you too much to see you get hurt"
Troy decided to ignore her comments as well, "God, Gabriella, why the fuck do you care? I don't care about you anymore, okay? And to prove it, ask Katie. The sex was great. It. Is. Over." he turned away and started to turn on his engine.
Gabriella stood there stunned for a second. It was like he had just slapped her in the face. This wasn't the guy she fell in love with. This wasn't him at all. The sound of his engine running spun her out of her thoughts. Gabrielle grew angry and frustrated. She put her hands on his window.
"Troy, have some respect and get the hell out of the front seat. My father was killed by a drunk driver. If you don't give a shit about me, give a shit about the people you are putting in danger" she yelled out at him.
Troy looked up at her and knew she was right. He sighed and got out of his car after turning off the engine. He threw her the keys and she caught them, surprised.
"Why are you giving me the keys?" she asked
Troy shrugged, "if you don't want me to kill anyone on the way here then you are going to have to drive me home"
Gabriella gave him an angry look, but she knew that she had to do it otherwise he would drive himself home.
"Your house is half an hour from mine, how am I supposed to get home?" Gabriella asked as she got into the driver's seat.
Troy leaned his head on the window and shut his eyes, "I don't care"
Gabriella turned to look at him before she turned on the car and drove the car out onto the street.
Nobody said anything the entire ride home. Troy seemed to have blacked out for a bit but then stirred after a few minutes.
"Pull over" he demanded. Gabriella turned to look at him briefly before turning back to the rode.
"Why?" she asked coolly.
Troy gave her an annoyed look, "just pull the fucking car over, I need to throw up"
Gabriella grinned coyly, "then why don't you just do it in your car?"
Troy was about to say something to her when he quickly covered his mouth and opened the door of the moving car.
Gabriella pressed on the breaks and the car screeched on the empty road, "Troy! You cant just do that!"
Troy didn't even notice what she had said as he was too busy throwing up from motion sickness. After a few minutes, he pulled a few tissues from the box he had in his car and wiped his mouth.
"Done?" Gabriella asked and waited for him to close the door so that she could continue driving. There were a few more blocks until they reached his house.
"Just keep driving" he muttered before he shut his eyes.
Gabriella grew very aggravated with Troy, "what the hell is your problem Troy?" she yelled at him causing him to turn and face her, "what the hell did I do to you? I've been supportive. I've been caring. I've been there. I cared and I loved you for so fucking long! And this is what you do to me?" Gabriella cried out, not bothering to wipe away the tears, "why Troy? What did I ever do to you?"
Troy remained quiet and then looked out the window, "stop the car. It's too late for you to walk home. You can just stay in the guest bedroom. My dad is out of town for the weekend" and with that, slammed the door of the car and walked up to his front door.
Gabriella pushed open the door of the rarely used guest bedroom. It was cozy with a bed, closet and dresser. She laid her hand bag on the bed and took out her cell phone. She dialed her mother's phone number.
"Hi mom," she said as she heard her mother's voice on the line after a few rings.
"Gabi? Where are you? It's almost two a.m." her mother asked worriedly.
Gabriella sighed and looked at her surroundings, "I had to drive, uh, Sharpay home, she got a little drunk at the party"
"Oh, okay. Did you drink anything Gabi?" her mother asked concerned since she knew that Gabriella drove the car.
"God, no, mom. I was completely sober. I'm crashing at her place for the night, okay?"
"Okay, but call me first thing in the morning, Gabi. And don't make me worry about you like that"
"Alright, bye mom" Gabriella said as she hung up. She always told her mother everything, and her mother trusted her enough to let her go out to parties and a have a few drinks.
But Gabriella didn't think that her mother would understand the current situation that she was in. Gabriella didn't even understand.
Gabriella looked at the bed and decided that she was tired enough to crash. But then she realized that she couldn't sleep in the clothes she has worn or else she wouldn't be able to wear them in the morning.
"Underwear it is" Gabriella sighed as she lifted up her shirt and laid it on the dresser next to the bed. She quickly pulled off her skirt and threw it onto the chair.
As she turned around to get into bed, the door suddenly flew open. Gabriella squealed and tried her best to cover herself up and she saw Troy stop in the doorway, he stopped once he saw that she wasn't dressed, his eyes running up and down her body.
"What are you doing in here?" she asked and her voice seemed to snap him out of his daze.
"Oh, uh, I brought you some clothes to sleep in" he said as he held up a shirt of his and a pair of shorts.
Gabriella nodded, "thanks"
He tossed them to her and then left the room, leaving Gabriella confused on his way out.
'Why was he all of a sudden being so nice?' she asked herself. 'He said that he didn't care, but he still let her stay at his house and was nice enough to bring her clothes to sleep in.
Gabriella put on the shirt and the shorts and got into bed. She fluffed her pillow and rested her head. She fell asleep remembering what it used to be like. What heaven used to be like
Flashback
Gabriella stood behind the curtain, peering out onto the large audience that sat in front of the stage. How was she supposed to do this? How was she going to ever sing in front of all these people.
She tried to calm herself using the breathing techniques that Troy showed her.
'Why were the so much more helpful when he was around?' she asked herself as she gave up on her breathing.
"I'm never going to be able to do this" she said out loud.
"I don't believe that" a voice from right behind her said, making her jump and turn around.
Gabriella gasped at the person in front of her, "Troy?" she squealed and jumped into his arms.
"I missed you so much Gabi" he said as he held her close. He put her down and gave her the flowers he was holding in his right hand, "oh, and these are for you" he handed them over to her with a sheepish grin.
"Oh Troy, they're my favorite!" She cried out as she took in the jasmines' sweet smells. She looked back up at her boyfriend and realized that he wasn't supposed to be here, "Troy, don't you have a game?"
Troy shrugged and grinned, "In a few hours, had to hitch a couple of buses to get here. My dad doesn't know. I have to get back before seven" he explained.
Gabriella understood how much trouble he went through just to be there for her, "Troy, I cant believe it. You came all this way and…and, I'm too nervous Troy, I can't perform"
Troy shook his head and laughed, "oh come on Gabbs, I've seen you nab this in your sleep."
Gabriella smiled at his attempt to unnerve her, "Because it's easy to do this in front of you Troy. But not in front of other people"
"So then just think of me. Pretend like I'm the only one there and think of me. Because ill be thinking of you" he gave her a soft kiss and a hug, "I know you can do this Gabi. Now go out there and prove that to them."
Gabriella nodded and watched him go. He looked back once and gave her a smile and wink.
Oh how his smile made her melt. Gabriella looked back to stage and breathed in. She could do this. Troy believed in her. He knew she could do this.
And she can!
When her name was called out, Gabriella walked out onto the stage confidentially. She looked for Troy and saw him sitting two rows back. He gave a thumbs up and grinned.
Gabriella nodded, closed her eyes for a second, and was ready to show them what she could do.
Flashback
Her eyes weren't closed for long before she heard a crash and the sound of glass shattering. She quickly got out of bed and headed downstairs.
She peaked into the living room to see Troy crouched by his dad's liquor cabinet, trying to clean up the glass.
"Troy?" Gabriella tiptoed into the room, "what are you doing?" she asked as she walked towards him.
Troy looked up and sighed. He helped himself off of the floor and grabbed the bottle of vodka, "screw the glass, right? Its always better straight from the bottle" he said to no one in particular.
Gabriella felt like bursting out. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to be mad at him, so mad at him for hurting her the way he did. For sleeping with someone else. She wanted to hurt him the way he hurt her. But then she sees him like this. Getting himself drunk, and doing things he wouldn't usually do and she'd want to help him. Doesn't he see what he's doing to himself?
"Troy, you've already have enough to drink. You just recovered from drinking at the party" she said as she walked over to the couch where he was sitting.
Troy gulped from the bottle and looked at her, "Do you want some, there's plenty to go around. Helps sometimes" he offered
Gabriella stopped what she was about to say and considered it. She knew what alcohol tasted like. She knew that there was a way of forgetting what had happened for just one night. She cant deal with him anymore, she cant deal with this.
"You're going to have to get your own glass though" Troy shrugged when he saw her considering it.
Gabriella walked towards him with an angry gleam in her eye. She snatched the bottle of vodka from his fingers and set the tip to her mouth, taking a gulp of drink. A burning sensation ran through her throat, but she tried her best not to let it show.
She looked up at Troy who had a surprised, yet amused look on his face, "you're right, it is better straight from the bottle
An hour seemed to have passed by, and so had nearly the entire bottle. But the fact was, Troy barely had any to drink, while Gabriella nearly downed the entire one.
Troy got up from the couch that they were lounging on and began to clean up the mess that they had left behind. Troy was no longer drunk while he could say the exact opposite for Gabriella, who had drunk to as many problems as she had. Troy sighed and picked up the empty bottle, throwing it away. An increasing headache pounding in his head. He was much better at holding his liquor than the girl laying on the couch near him was.
Gabriella was a little too drunk and dizzy to consider the option of cleaning up. She looked up at Troy through hazy vision and grabbed his hand as he walked by her, pulling him down along side her on the couch,
"Where are you going, we aren't done yet" she slurred her words as the drink's power consumed her.
Troy sat up slowly, "I think its time we go in Gabriella" He was tired and exhausted, and he wished he could just forget everything that happened that night.
Gabriella let out a loud laugh, "ha! Gabriella" she repeated her name startling Troy a bit, "You haven't called me Gabriella in a long time. Its always Gabi or Gabbs. Not Gabriella" she turned to Troy with a drunken grin. Troy sighed with a sad look on his face, he sat up and turned to her, ready to help her up,
"Come on, let's just go upstairs."
Gabriella sat up and put her hand on his thigh, "why? Are you getting bored of me?" she gave him a slightly evil grin before she got up and straddled his lap.
"Gabr-" Troy started but she shut him up by putting her lips on his. Kissing her felt nice, just as it always had. Granted the taste of vodka on her mouth and her breathe was out of the ordinary, Troy missed her touch.
She pulled away and smiled coyly, "isn't this what you wanted Troy? Me and you…like this?" she raised an eyes brow as she lifted her shirt over her head. Troy bit his lip longingly, he couldn't do this to Gabriella. Not to his Gabi.
"Gabi, don't do this" Troy said as she pressed herself up against him. Desire was slowly winding up his body, and his resistance was at minimal.
Gabriella began to slide down the shorts, but as she was going to, Troy placed his fingers on hers and pulled the shorts back up. He had to be quick before she tempted him again.
He lifted Gabriella off of his lap and reached for the shirt that was on the seat. He reached to put it back on Gabriella but she pushed his hands away
"Why don't you want this anymore Troy?" she asked as she tried to pull him back to her, "am I not sexy enough for you?" she slurred.
Troy looked up at her and shook his head as he got her shirt on, "that's not it Gabi. Don't think that" he whispered, "come on, lets put you to bed" She squirmed away from his touch again.
"I don't want to" Gabriella said drunkenly she said as he forcefully carried her in his arms.
Troy walked up the stairs and into his room, where the better bed was. He laid her down on his bed and covered her up with the blankets. Gabriella was resistant, like a child. Troy cant remember ever seeing her like this. She was suddenly sobbing, tears falling from her eyes.
"Why, Troy? Why don't you love me anymore?" Gabriella cried out.
Troy's heart skipped for a second. Is that what she thought?
Troy kissed her softly on her forehead, "go to sleep Gabi. You won't even remember this in the morning"
Gabriella held on to his arms as he tried to get up, "Troy, don't go. Please don't go"
Troy nodded and got into the bed next to her. He held her close and whispered sweet words into her until she fell asleep. He didn't close his eyes, but instead, kept them on Gabriella, making sure she was alright.
Gabriella woke up the next morning and stretched over to the other side. A pounding headache overpowering her. She got up and saw that she wasn't even in her own bed.
Troy's! She was at Troy's! She remembered the car ride that she'd given him. He'd then offered her a place to stay.
Then what?
Oh, no! The vodka came. She remembered taking sip after sip, after sip.
Then she straddled Troy. 'oh fuck!' she cursed to herself. She'd almost begged him to sleep with her and he'd refused.
Then the memories of everything he had done for her afterwards came flooding back. The sweet words and caring gestures.
What does that mean? Why is this so confusing?
She got out of bed and tiptoed over to the staircase and looked down, "Troy?" she called out loudly. When she went back to his room and looked out the window.
His car was gone.
Gabriella sighed and collapsed onto his bed.
'Was she just dreaming? Did she lose him again?'
She turned her head and noticed a picture that stood on his bedside table. It was a picture of him grinning at the camera, while Gabriella was on his back. It was a cliché picture but the difference was that instead of making loving faces at each other, they were sticking out their tongues and Gabriella was ruffling his hair. He had kept the picture right next to his bed. He hadn't taken it down.
Gabriella knew that it wasn't just a dream. Her Troy was still out there, she just needed to find a way to bring him back.
And she wasn't going to give up. She needed to find him. She needed to sort this out. She looked around for anything that might give her a clue to where he was.
Suddenly a ring tone for the song 'Smack That' came on and Gabriella knew it wasn't hers. She searched around for the cell phone until she found it on his desk. He must have forgotten it here before he went out.
Gabriella looked at the name on the screen, 'Mac'.
'Mac'? Wasn't he the guy at school who always hung out with the group of 'burnouts' is what others called them.
Knowing it was an invasion of privacy, Gabriella answered anyways.
"Troy? That you? Where the fuck are you man? I've got the stuff. You better have the cash on you. You're already half an hour late. I'll only be at Cedar Park for another half hour then I'll bounce" Mac shouted into the cell phone.
Gabriella didn't answer. She was too shocked. 'The stuff'? Did that mean that-?
"Troy? Hello? Fuck" Mac said before he hung up quickly.
Was Troy doing drugs?
Gabriella wasted no time. She found her bag, put on her clothes and called a cab.
Cedar Park, it is.
A/N: There's skitzo Troy again. It's the drinking people, brings out someone else in everyone. But I get if your still confused, now the explanation to his behavior will be in the next chapter or the chapter after that. I have to see if im planning on adding a chapter before it for more detail and what not.
Just remember review review review
Okay, and I have one more favor, I already know how I want this story to end, but could you guys put in a few suggestions just so I can see if im on the right track. That would mean so much.
XOXO
Sophie