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Chapter 3: A Single Tear

March 17, 2008

Her friends were excitedly chatting about what they were going to do and that they needed to explore the cruise ship, after all it was the largest in the world. There was talk of the different clubs, of the activities that there were to do. Kevin and Jared were going to enter the 'Sexy Legs Competition', Tess wanted to do the Salsa dancing lesson. So much to do and so little time. She sighed again.

"That's about you millionth sigh in the last five minutes girlie, what's up?" Gabi turned to smile at her best friend Haley Mann. Her short light brown hair up pig-tails, with her bangs sweeping across her face, a concerned look bore straight into Gabi's soul through her blue eyes.

Resting her head on Haley's shoulder, Gabi shrugged a little, "Just thinking." She sighed again, Haley could read her like a book, and was probably going to.

"About T-R-O-Y?" Gabi laughed as Haley spelled out his name, afraid someone would put two and two together and end up with four.

"You don't have to spell his name sweetie, with the exception of you, me, and Kyle, they don't remember him." Gabi pointed out.

"Very true, very true." Gabi rolled her eyes as Haley's voice mirrored some sort of weird accent she'd conjured up in that crazy head of hers.

"You are without the slightest smidgen of a doubt, the weirdest most interesting person I know." Gabi giggled as Haley took a bow.

"Thank you, thank you very much." Her voice mirroring Elvis'.

Haley glanced over at Gabi and noticed she'd slipped right back down memory lane. Boy was she taking a nice long run down that road today. Tonight would be interesting. 'What's the drinking age over foreign waters?' Haley asked herself, '18?' She grinned, 'Maybe I could get her a little tipsy and she'd forget about all of this for a while?' She stole one last glace at Gabi who was, yet again looking out over the ocean in thought, before turning back to her boyfriend Zac.

January 3, 2005

There was a knock at the door. Gabi idly walked down the steps and opened the front door, all the while still reading her book. She looked up and there stood Troy. "Hey Babe." Gabi greeted him with a smile. He didn't return it. "Superstar?" Gabi asked again.

"Gabriella, we need to talk." Gabi stopped, he never used her full name. The last time he used it was the day they met. Ever since that moment he decided to call her El Bell, even when they were in a fight, he'd never used her full name. It just wasn't his way. Her eyes growing wide with fear she opened the door to allow him refuge from the freezing Atlanta air. Leading the way up to her room, she saw her parents looking somberly at the two from the living room. They knew what was happening. They knew that her world was going to come crashing down at her feet, and that no one would be able to put it back together.

"What is it Troy?" Gabi looked fearfully at her boyfriend and best friend.

Troy looked at her for the first time, 'Big mistake', Gabi thought she saw him cringe at the look spread across her delicate face. "Troy?" she tried again.

Troy cleared his throat, "We need to break up."

Gabi winced at the harsh words she never thought she'd hear from him, well at least not this soon. Taking a calming breath she sat down on her bed and looked at him. Her voice eerily confident she asked, "May I ask why Troy?"

Troy looked out her balcony doors over her head, "Because."

"Not the answer I was looking for Superstar." Gabi frowned when he didn't even crack the slightest of smiles.

"I'm moving." He continued to look past her.

That hurt. That hurt more than anything Gabi could ever imagine. Moving? That was her worst possible nightmare coming to life. She as going to lose not just a boyfriend, but her best friend, "When?"

"Tomorrow morning." His reply was curt.

Gabi ran a hand through her long locks, "Where?"

"Albuquerque, New Mexico."

Why were his answers so short? She still didn't know. "Why?"

"Dad got transferred."

"Can I get more than a sentence out of you at one time?" A frown pasted over her face.

Troy looked at her, "Huh?" Confusion flooded his handsome features.

"You answer in one sentence!" Gabi practically screamed, "You're leaving and I can't even get a little emotion from you."

Troy groaned and sat in the nearby desk chair, "What do you want from me Gabriella? I've got nothing. I leave in the morning." He stood up and walked over to her. Leaning down he placed a small kiss on her lips, "Goodbye El Bell." And he was gone. He walked out of her bedroom and out of her life. She'd never seen him again.

She cried that week. Seven consecutive days in a row. She cried. Then she was out of tears. Every once in a while she'd go into crying fits just thinking about him.

March 17, 2008

A single tear slipped down her cheek. It was nothing to the tears she usually shed when thinking of that day. She'd taken the last three first day back to school off for the very reason that she was always an emotional wreck. Haley and Kyle would try to skip too, just to be there. They were the best friends she could ask for. Except for him.

She never blamed him for leaving. After all it wasn't his fault. Both Kyle and Haley had tried to do that, to lessen the pain. But it wasn't his choice, therefore he should not burden the blame.

Gabi turned away from the ocean and looked around the bow. There were many couples, families, and friends all talking and drinking, ready to pull our of port and really get the party started for the next seven days. As her chocolate orbs skimmed the passengers, one in particular caught her eye.

Review!

So this will probably be finished tonight, I knew it was going to be short. I'm thinking like two or three more chapters. If it isn't done tonight then it will be tomorrow! Love you all!

Mollie XOXO