Against All Odds
The One You Knew
Troy stared at the blank white walls of the hospital in front of him as time inched by. It had been seven hours since Gabriella had been rushed out of the school and into an ambulance. Seven hours since his entire world came crashing down.
His gaze shifted downwards to the hand of his girlfriend's mother. Her hand was holding on to his for dear life, while her other hand supported her head as she cried softly to herself. He knew that her world was crashing down just at much as his was.
His dad sat directly to the left of him, watching him like a hawk. He had tried to get Troy numerous times to talk, or at least get checked out by a doctor, but everyone knew Troy wasn't leaving that spot until he knew the exact details on Gabriella. So Jack stayed to watch over his son, and waited with everyone else to hear the news on the girl who become like a second child to him and his wife.
Chad and Taylor sat across from them with tear stained faces. Their hands were clasped together tightly, each afraid to let go of each other but well aware that their friend needed them more than they needed each other.
The rest of the gang- Jason, Kelsi, Ryan, Sharpay and Zeke sat in scattered places around the room. No one said anything. No one moved.
"You guys remember that day in rehearsals?" Sharpay's small voice interrupted the silence. "Troy was supposed to open up the door and reveal Gabriella standing behind it, but when he opened it she was standing there in a gorilla costume?"
Everyone looked up at her, shocked that she had even spoken. Sharpay looked around at everyone. She had expected this. But instead of everyone worrying for however long, she wanted them to remember who Gabriella was. She was by the far the strongest out of the group, the glue, the girl that changed all of East High for the better. And they shouldn't forget that. She WOULD get through this. "Seriously, I remember Darbus was so mad, and she made them continue the scene with Gabriella as a gorrila. Next thing you know, Troy is singing and dancing to 'What I've Been Looking For' with a hairy ape." She smiled and lookedf around. Her friends smiled, and a few small laughs escaped at the memory.
"Or when that time we were at the pizza shop," Chad continued, "and Jason and Kelsi had gotten in a fight? She wiped cherry dessert pizza all over her face to get Kels to cheer up."
Kelsi smiled and nodded and looked over at Jason, who also smiled. Sharpay and Zeke both laughed quietly at the memory. Isabella's eyes watered listening to the experiences her daughter and friends had shared over the past six months. She knew she had moved her daughter around a lot, but at that moment was glad that she had had such good friends in this place.
Troy couldn't look in his friends' gazes at they continued to share memories of the girl that meant everything to him. She had brought them together, and given them all a chance to live a life none of them could even imagine. She brought East High together, and they couldn't lose her now. He couldn't lose her now.
The minutes dragged on when a doctor finally entered the lobby they currently inhabited.
"May I speak to the family of Gabriella Montez?"
Isabella looked at Troy and then stood up to walk over. She stopped and looked back down at the boy who had been sitting next to her. The boy whose laughter had filled her house and brought joy to her daughter for the last few months. The boy who she would from this moment on call a son.
"Are you coming?" She asked, almost as if she needed him to go with her.
"Am I allowed? I'm not family."
"We both know that's not true. Please, I don't think I can do this alone." Isabella whispered.
Troy nodded and stood with her, and the both of them walked over to where the doctor stood.
"Ms. Montez, I'm Doctor Moyer. Your daughter just got out of surgery and is in intensive care."
Isabella looked at the him with hopeful eyes. "So she's gonna be okay?"
"Well," the doctor nervously shifted his weight and Troy instantly knew something was wrong. "She's lost a lot of blood. And while the bullet didn't hit any vital organs, her spleen was hit and ruptured and that was our main focus during surgery. It's kind of a wait and see thing. But I have a feeling she's a strong girl."
'More than you even know.' Isabella thought to herself. "Can we go and at least see her?"
"You can, but try and keep it to two at a time. I know she's unconscious, but we're hoping she still very aware of her surroundings, even in that state. I don't want her to get worked up. But I also support her family and friends going and visiting her. I've observed that in previous situations, those who have support and strength from their family have better chances of recovery."
Isabella nodded, still very worried for her daughter.
"If you follow me, I'll take you to her room." Moyer said giving them a half smile. He had never been good at this. While he loved being a doctor and saving people every single day, he would never get over that sad, hopeless face he had seen one too many times in his office.
He turned and led them both down a hallway and around a few turns before stopping in front of room number 812.
"Why don't you go in first Bella." Troy said nervously. Suddenly, he was terrified of seeing Gabriella. He was afraid of stepping in and seeing her helplessly attached to tubes and wires. He was afraid of seeing her lying there and having her never wake up. To never get to see that sparkle in her eyes, or hear the music of her laughter.
Isabella nodded, and stepped inside. Troy sighed as he leaned against the wall and slid down it so that he was sitting on the floor with his legs sprawled out across the hallway. The hospital was eerily quiet for some reason. He had never really planned on being in a situation like this one, he just figured there would be a lot more hustle and bustle after such a tragedy. Then again, Gabriella was in a recovery unit, and not the emergency room.
As the seconds passed Troy let out a silent prayer to anyone in the heavens listening to do whatever they could to save his Gabriella. He wasn't sure he'd be able to go on without her.
He heard the door creak open and Isabella stepped out. He quickly pushed himself up off of the floor and looked at her face that was now adorned with fresh tears. His stomach twisted even more before stepping into the room.
He looked at the girl lying in the bed, and swore she looked like an angel. Even with all the tubes and wires, she was more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen. Her hair was all over the pillows behind it, and if he hadn't known any better, she looked like she was just sleeping peacefully.
Pulling a chair close to her bedside, he sat down and took her small hand in his.
"Brie, I need you to be strong. We all need you to be so strong." He stopped as fresh tears pulled at his throat.
He looked at her and searched for the words he wanted to say, for the words to give her the strength to make it through this. His mind flashed to a memory when Gabriella had told him that her father used to sing to her when she was sad or in times of trouble. Finally finding the words he felt might help, he slowly began to sing.
There's only one way I know how to do this
Stay here and help me live through this
and I'll always be
The one you knew from your love
I grew into complete and whole
and the way I justify
It's my way to control love everlasting
As the tears rolled down his face he held her hand tight, bending over and kissing her forehead. "I need you Brie. More than you'll ever know. Please, just don't leave me. I love you Gabriella Montez."
He stood and took one last look at her before walking out of the room. The doctor had told him and Isabella both not too tire her out, and he himself wasn't sure he wouldn't be able to refrain from breaking down in front of her.
He stepped out of the room and saw Isabella standing there waiting on him. He took one look at her stricken face and fell into her arms and erupted into sobs.
Several hours later, the gang, minus Troy, still sat in the lobby that had claimed as their own waiting for news on Gabriella. After Troy had calmed down, he and Isabella made their way back to the lobby, allowing everyone else to take short trips back to see Gabriella.
Troy however, was angry at himself for not being stronger earlier, and had permanently situated himself in Gabriella's room. He watched as nurses and doctors came in and checked on Gabriella and would search their faces each and every time for any sign of what was going on. It had been eleven hours since Gabriella had been shot, but to Troy it had seemed like years. Every second that passed by was almost a lifetime.
A loud noise filled the room, and he instantly panicked as nurses and doctors rushed into the room and pushed him out of the way. He glanced at her heart monitor just before he was pushed out of the door.
It was flat-lining.
yes, i know. uber short and uber sad. but... still, review??