A/N: Babes, its been another month and my updates are getting less and less frequent. I'm sorry and I know I've been using my niece's birth as an excuse but its true. She was born premature, and at first, we didn't think there would be any complications, but there are. I have to be there for my sister, and life is getting frantic and I have less time for myself. This summer might vary, I cant be sure yet of my free time. I will be in Rhode Island for a while, so that's going to be a little hectic and I'm asking for you guys to just help me out here and let anything you have against my few updates go. Life has been rough lately.
XOXO
Sophie
Disclaimer: I do not own HSM, but fellow reviewer angeex3and I want to bond together and buy it out. She has $30 and I have $50. Anyone else? We're getting closer.
Personal Thanks and Reviews:
ssshhht hoythanks babe, I finally update as you can see. Sorry its so late
lifeisasongthank you babe, and welcome to fanfiction. Thanks for the review, I really appreciate it. I get that there are a couple of fictions here without any real plots, but I guess we all have to get that we are writing under a Disney movie here ;p
.sapphiress:Welcome to the fic babe, thanks for the review
evexlYes, Steven and the ring will be brought up in later chapters. I actually totally forgot about the ring. Thanks for the reminder babe. Wow, you're good.
Jewel2502Haha, I totally loved your review, doll. Welcome to the story and I'm so happy that you found it. I really appreciate what you wrote. Lots of love
WanderingWishOh man, I'll probably owe you plenty of tissues then. Hey, disclaimer says that all I am in no way responsible for overconsumption of tissue boxes ;p. thanks for the review babe
butterflygoodbyeOf course Gabi is still into Troy. I would never write a story that isnt so. But love isnt everything though.
TroynGabiThe plans up here, in my mind. Its pretty big since there was a lot of empty space there ;p thanks for the review doll.
LizzieRokasGermainAwww, babe, I am so 100 flattered by what you wrote. Thanks Lizzie. What's that short for? Elizabeth? To tell you the truth, that used to be my favorite childhood name. Everytime we played house, seven of my daughters would have different variations of the name Elizabeth. Beth, Lizzie, Ellie, Liz, Lizzy, Bethy…(as you can tell, I wasn't very original). Neways, back to the point, thank you for the review hon.
YT-SK4evahaha, thanks for the review doll.
LunarEclipse360Yah, I don't know what's going to happen either, so lets, you and I keep our fingers crossed. Hehe.
DUHsoHARDCORE.thanks babe.
carito06:Merci beaucoup hon
IneeeThank you doll. I'm glad that your psychicness seemed to work with the same time I updated. You could be the next 'That's So Raven' except with fanfiction. So tell me, how will this story end? ;p
Thank you so much for the review doll.
Angelic AmiHahaha, I totally adored your review babe. It was hilarious. I'm glad to know I have an army. With knives. I appoint you sergeant or major, or whatever the head person of the army is called. I really really appreciated what you wrote. Kisses, kisses, kisses!
loveyoumeanitbyeOh, thanks for the congrats babe, I'm way excited to be an aunt. I'm so glad that you liked the chapter. Yay me, a satisfied reader. This has made my day, I can now die happy ;p. I'm just messing babe, such a weird mood since I haven't had my coffee yet, but thanks!
LuvHighSchoolMusicalThank you babe, I really appreciate it.
angeex3Haha, I am no where near owning HSM, as mentioned in the disclaimer. But I swear, you and I will form an army of future HSM owners and soon rule the world!!!
Okay, I got a little carried away but whatever, the point it is, thank you for the review babe, I really loved it
zvlove4everAww, I love Troy too. Well, it's a little sad that I love my own character, but whatever, my boyfriend's been busy, its no harm. Haha, thanks for the review hon.
Cupcakes.xxYes, that famous last line. I kinda threw it in there and it made me feel like Troy was Tarazan or something. Hehe, thanks for the review doll.
Chapter 13: Leave Me Empty and Alone
Gabriella was running around her room frantically searching for her favorite pink top. Yet another party took over her usually solitary weekends. This one in particular called for her favorite pink top. She needed to find it for tomorrow because she wanted to show Troy she didn't need him in her life that much. That she had moved on.
Gabriella paused for a second, thinking that was exactly the attitude that proved that she hadn't moved on. She sighed and flopped down on her queen sized bed, curling herself up between the baby pink comforter that she'd placed there the night before.
"Why cant you just leave me alone!" she yelled out into her blankets.
"Well…if you want me to go…" a voice said from her doorway and she looked up, startled. Timothy stood there in a blue shirt and khaki pants, his crooked smile placed firmly on his soft face.
Gabriella giggled to herself and shook her head, "No, I was just…it was just….never mind, come sit" she patted her bed gently motioning for him to come join her. He made his way to her and fell back on the bed.
"Why'd you call me?" he asked as he placed his hand on her stomach. Gabriella cringed slightly in memory of her last sexual experience but waited until the nausea passed. She didn't want her boyfriend to think she was a weirdo.
"My mom!" she sat up and said in an angry tone, "she's dating again!"
Timothy shrugged in a nonchalant way, "and….?"
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "she's dating Mr. Barrio, my English teacher!"
Timothy looked at her and then, to her surprise, began to laugh. Hard.
"What's so funny?" Gabriella questioned as she fumbled with the ears of her stuffed bunny in confusion.
Timothy shook his head as he continued to laugh like a maniac, "Our English teacher?" he said once he found a chance to breathe.
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Whatever Tim. Just go."
Timothy quieted down and shook his head, "Look, I'm sorry, but this is too funny. Mr. Barrio. I actually bet that he'd never get a date"
Gabriella burrowed her eyebrows and began to get irritated, "Don't be mean Tim. Its my mother. And this is an important matter to me and you aren't even taking it seriously"
Timothy sighed and got up, "Alright, I'm sorry, but why are you getting so worked up about it? Your parents have been divorced since forever. It's about time"
Gabriella was frustrated; she got up from her bed and said, "You know what Tim. Just go. I don't need this right now"
Timothy sighed again and grabbed his cell phone, "okay, but are we still up for the party later?"
Gabriella hesitated and then nodded. Once he was gone, she fell back on her bed and wondered why she just wasn't satisfied. Did she really think a guy would care whether or not her mother was dating again?
'Troy did' a voice in her head spoke up bluntly.
Gabriella sighed. Maybe that was it. She was holding Timothy up to Troy's standards. Not everybody wants to hear about her mother's love life.
&
By 11 o'clock, Gabriella began to worry. Her mother was usually home from her dates-the few that she had-at 8. Her mother always had work early and she believed in the whole 'the early bird catches the worm' crap she fed to Gabriella.
That was it. Gabriella needed someone to talk to and fast. She picked up her cell phone to dial either one of her girlfriends' numbers but then remembered both were engaged at the moment, probably practicing the art of tongue with their boyfriends.
Gabriella dropped her head into her heads until she heard a failed engine roaring from her window. She ran over to see if her mother had arrived but quickly saw it was neither mom nor Mr. Barrio, but instead, a tall well-built stranger stood there fixing his car.
She threw down her covers and made her way downstairs. She yanked open her front door and jogged to the stranger, who currently lay under the beaten up Mustang.
"Troy?" she asked as she kneeled down.
He slid his way out from under the car to see who the voice belonged to. "Gabi, what are you doing out in the cold? Without a sweater on?" He asked with concern.
Gabriella shook her head and a tear came out, "Is it stupid Troy, that I'm sitting in my room, on a Friday night, worrying about my mother, who's on a date with Mr. Barrio?"
Troy scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, "our English teacher?"
Gabriella nodded and another tear streamed down her face. Troy instinctively placed his arms around her to keep her warm and stop her from shivering.
"No, Gabi, it isnt stupid. Its not stupid at all" he laughed. Gabriella found even more comfort in the way his heart rumbled as he laughed than she did in her own blankets. Now she remembered why she thought Timothy could help.
It was because Troy always did.
"So, how did they meet up?" he asked as he ran his arms up and down her quivering body.
"Parent teacher conferences" Gabriella muttered and buried herself deeper into his warm sweater.
'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?????' A different voice in her head screamed out for the second time this week.
What was she doing? She was supposed to be moving on. She was supposed to be getting ready for tomorrow's party. She was supposed to be okay.
Instead, she lay in her ex-boyfriend's arms, crying to him about her pathetic issues.
Gabriella pulled back, "I better go back inside" she said, not staring him directly in the eyes.
Troy nodded and pulled away his arms, making Gabriella almost take back what she just said, just so that she can feel their warmth again.
"Are you going to be at the party tomorrow?" she asked as she got up to leave.
"Yah, I guess its sort of something I have to do. Chad's been talking about it all week" Troy shrugged, "I guess I'll just see you there"
"Yah, you will"
&
"Mom! Its already 2 o'clock in the afternoon! Why didn't you wake me?" Gabriella muttered as she glanced at the time from the side of her bed.
Her mother poked her head into the room and said with a bright smile, "I thought you needed it darling. You had dark rings under your eyes."
"Yah, worry rings from waiting for you and Mr. Barrio" she muttered.
"What was that, dear?" her mother asked
"Nothing, nothing" she said as she lifted herself out from under the covers and stretched her way through another five minutes.
Operation Get Troy To Know I'm Over Him, Even Though I'm Not is in session. Maybe a shorter name would do though.
Gabriella smiled to herself as she picked up the hot pink shirt she saved especially for an occasion such as this one.
"Troy Bolton, eat your heart out"
&
"Gabiiiiiiii" Taylor called out from the bottom of the stairs, "we are ready to go. Let's see, come on!"
Gabriella called out from upstairs, "I'm coming now"
Sharpay turned to Taylor, "drum roll please"
Taylor nodded and began to bang her knuckles on the wooden banister. Gabriella took this as a cue to come out. As she did, she heard her girls wolf whistle and cat call. She smiled to herself at this stupid whorish behavior. This is what friends are for.
"Damn, Gabi. Every boy in East High, eat your heart out" Sharpay laughed as she eyed Gabriella's hot pink backless halter top and white denim short shorts. Her hair was half up from the back and a few wavy strands placed strategically around her face, going for the 'I didn't even try' look, even though she tried over and over again.
"Hot, hot, baby" Taylor sang to the tune of Vanilla Ice's song as Gabriella finally came down.
"Merci, merci, ladies" Gabriella smiled, but was secretly blushing inside. She hoped Troy would have the same reaction once he sees her.
"Ready to go?"
They all nodded, grabbed their purses and made their way to Sharpay's car.
&
Gabriella made her way through the crowd in search of Timothy…and maybe someone else. Tim was supposed to pick her up but he never showed so she assumed that he got the instructions mixed up or something. He was no where near the ground floor of the house so she made her way upstairs, where things grew quieter.
A lot of bedrooms in this house, Gabriella noted. No wonder Chad was excited. It was a free motel.
Gabriella shook her head and dialed Timothy's number. Maybe he was having car trouble, or something came up with his family.
Suddenly, a familiar ring tone flared up nearby.
Timothy's phone.
Gabriella knew that nobody else had Mariah Carey's Hero as a cell phone ring tone anymore. She looked around, trying to find out where it came from. Suddenly, the ringing stopped and she heard his voice through her cell phone.
"Tim, where are you? I'm at the party already"
There was a slight pause and a giggle, until his voice came through, "I'm not there yet. Give me about an hour. I'm having some car trouble"
Gabriella looked up at the room right across from her. Another giggle and Timothy's voice came through once again. She marched to the door angrily and pushed it open.
Surpise, surprise.
Timothy and Kelsi.
In Bed.
Gabriella shook her head and walked out. She made her way through the crowd until she reached the front porch, plopping herself down on the bench swing the family had placed there.
"Stupid boyfriends. All they are worth is crap" Gabriella yelled out to no one in particular. Timothy had not come after her. And she was glad. She wasn't going to cry for him. She was going to move on again, and not care.
"Gabi?" a voice came from behind her
'Fuck'. Why does he have the worst timing?
"Troy, this really isnt a good time right now" Gabriella muttered, hiding her face from him.
He sat next her anyways, "I saw you run out of there. What happened?"
Gabriella huffed, "Timothy and Kelsi. My boyfriend and my friend"
The look of shock Troy had on his face almost made her giggle, "Oh Gabbs, I'm so sorry"
Gabriella shook her head, "Why me, Troy? Am I just some stupid piece of meat everybody wants to use? Why do all my boyfriends cheat on me? Why are they all interested in sleeping with some other girls and treating me like crap?"
"Gabi-"
"No! Don't even start Troy. You were the worst of them! I gave you my heart and you broke it. Timothy never did that to me. He knew it wasn't that deep. But you! You hurt me so much Troy and you think you can come back and fix it all? You think its okay?" Gabriella yelled out at him.
"Its not okay! I see you and it hurts. I want you Troy. I want you more than anything. But I cant have you. I cant let you hurt me again. You think you can stand there and be all nice and understanding and help me. You're just making things worse for me! The way yours eyes are and the way you smell. Why cant you just leave me alone! Why cant you get out of my head! You did this! You ruined me." Gabriella sobbed.
Troy's face was unreadable at the moment. Such a mix of emotions that she didn't know how he took everything.
"I should probably go" Troy got up and walked back inside, leaving Gabriella out in the cold.
Then the voices in her head started up again.
'I loved him'
'He ruined everything'
'I hate him'
A/N: okay, guys, as you can tell, I'm having some trouble finding time, so please, no tomatoes or hate mail. I really love you guys and appreciate your patience. Trust me, I'm not doing this to be lazy or cause I'm bored. If I was, I would probably just write some weird words strung together for my amusement. But I didn't, so please, hold on tight. The next chapter will get written and put up, I promise. I just need your support.
XOXO
Sophie