Chapter 14 – Walking Again

AN: Well, now that HSM3 has come and gone (and it was an AMAZING movie, let me tell you) I now have a new movie to look forward to… Twilight! I can't wait; it's going to be amazing!

Here's the next chapter. I was thinking that this story will be ending at either chapter 18 or chapter 20. I just have to see exactly where the storyline is going. Anyway, here's the next chapter of "Summer Camp Nightmare". Also, sorry to all the people who are really looking forward to "Love Doesn't Come Smoothly" I just want to finish "Summer Camp Nightmare" first, and then I will focus on not only that story but also a new one that I am thinking of writing.

Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys like it!

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Troy's P.O.V

"Come on Brie, you can do it. Just one more step." I reassured her.

"Troy, I can't." Her voice was full of frustration.

"Brie, what happened to your 'never give up' rule?" I said teasingly. Hopefully her mood would get better.

"Umm…" I knew that I had her there. "Uh. I hate you."

"No you don't…"

"Yup. I honestly do." She said smugly.

"Honestly?" I questioned.

"Scouts Honor."

"Man, that's too bad. I had a gift for you, but if you hate me then…" her face lit up, and I could tell she was thinking up an idea. Then, she must have gotten one, because she smiled.

"If you gave me a present, then I wouldn't hate you anymore." She was good. Too bad I could be better.

"You have to take one more step to get it." She sighed.

"I'm back to hating you." I smiled.

"You know you secretly love me." I steadied my grip on her arms, and she attempted to take another step. She tensed up when she stepped on her right knee, and screeched in pain, falling into my arms.

"Done." She huffed. I held her in my arms and kissed her forehead.

"See, I knew you could do it." I lifted her into my arms and carried her back to her bed. If you didn't understand what was just going on, Gabriella was walking, or at least, attempting to walk. Her therapy was still going on, and her doctor was now saying to get her to practice walking. If she kept it up, then she would be out of the hospital in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, Gabriella was having trouble with it, putting a great deal of pressure and stress on her.

"So, where's my present." I laughed.

"Greedy much?"

"Hey, when someone promises me something I expect them to fulfill them." She said while fingering the ring on her right hand. I smiled

"I always keep my promises. Don't worry." (AN: If you don't understand or don't remember the ring, re-read chapter 1)

"So…" She said. I looked at her confused. "Where is it?" I smiled.

"Here." I pulled out a small velvet bag from my pocket, and handed it to her. She took it and gently opened the bag. When she looked inside, she gasped.

"Oh Troy." She lifted the silver chain out of the bag. It was a small locket, with the inscription 'Together Forever' written on it. She opened the locket, and found a picture of Gabriella and me as in the first year we met each other on the left side, and a picture of us taken at camp before the Daniel incident on the right.

"It's beautiful." She looked up at me smiling.

"Do you want me to put it on?" I asked. She nodded, tears silently falling down her cheeks. I walked sat down beside her on the bed, grabbing the delicate necklace and clipping it around her neck. Once it was on, she put her hand on the heart.

"Troy, you shouldn't have."

"Yes, I should have. You deserve it Brie. After everything you went through." She turned around and leaned back against my chest. I rubbed my hand soothingly up her arm.

"Troy, will I ever walk normally again?" My heart broke. I knew how hard she was taking her knee injury.

"Of course. I'll make sure of it, or my name isn't Troy Bolton." I kissed her on the back of her head, proving my point.

"Thanks Troy."

"You're welcome Brie." I waited a second. "Brie?"

"Ya?"

"You were a girl scout?"

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Gabriella's P.O.V

After Troy left, the nurse came in to check up on me some more. Then, when she left, I overheard the doctor and the nurse talking outside.

"Gabriella is having trouble walking, Dr." She said.

"If she doesn't try, and look past the pain, then she will most likely never walk again." Never walk again? I can't have that happen.

"Sir, that can't happen. Can it?"

"Sure it can. If Miss Montez decides to give up, then it will. If she stays strong, then it won't. I saw her with Mr. Bolton earlier; she was complaining that it hurt. He seemed to motivate her a bit, but not enough. She has to do this on her own." Tears streamed down my cheeks. Oh where was Troy when I needed him. I had to walk again.

I knew what I had to do.

I quietly unhooked the wires on my body, just as Sam (the nurse) had taught me how. I slowly swung my feet over the edge of the bed. I knew what I had to do.

I was going to walk on my own.

Leaning forward, I soon felt the tips of my bare feet touching the cold hospital ground, spreading a shiver through my body. I stretched out my arms behind me, and using them and my strong leg I lifted myself off the bed.

See, you're up already!

I tried to take a step forward, and stumbled. In my attempt of catching my balance, my knee jerked underneath me and I fell forward. Tears came to my eyes.

I couldn't do it.

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Troy's P.O.V

Driving home, thoughts kept clouding my mind as I tried to concentrate on driving home. I knew that Gabriella wanted to walk so much, but I didn't know what else I could do for her. The thought of her sitting in her hospital room all alone, not able to move on her own, was killing me.

I had to go back.

I knew it was after visiting hours, but something was telling me that I really did have to go back to her. Swiftly turning the steering wheel around, I sped down the road back towards the hospital.

I honestly didn't know why I was going back, but I just had to. Whether she was sitting there, or if she is sleeping, I just needed to me with her. Sure, my parents were going to worry, but I'll sort them out in the morning.

I finally arrived at the hospital. I jumped out of the car and ran into the building. Carefully sneaking by the hospital staff, I finally arrived in her ward. When I opened the door, my breath hitched in my throat.

On the ground, her tiny body wracking with sobs, I saw Gabriella. The raspy tone in her throat when she cried and coughed told me she must have been crying for a long time. I quickly rushed towards her, gentle pulling her body into mine.

"Shh… it's okay. I'm here." I soothed. She turned her head and buried her head in my chest. We stayed in that position for a good hour, before she finally managed to calm down. I then lifted her off the ground and placed her on her bed. Lying down beside her, I let her rest her head on my chest.

"I…I couldn't…. do…it." She said quietly. I began stroking her hair soothingly.

"What?" I quietly said.

"I…I couldn't walk. I tried, but I couldn't?"

"Alone?" I questioned. She nodded. "Brie, you know you shouldn't try that yet. You aren't ready yet. You need to work with the doctor and me some more before you can start walking on your own. Why did you do that sweetheart?" She hesitated, before answering.

"I heard the doctor talking about me." I stayed quiet, hinting for her to continue. "He was saying that if I didn't try and walk I would never walk again." I frowned. The doctor should not be saying this kind of stuff in front of a patient.

"Oh Brie, he was just gossiping. He doesn't know how strong you truly are. You are struggling with it, but we all have something we have trouble with. Remember when I needed your help in math?"

Flashback Begins

"Brie, it's hopeless. I'll never get it. It's just destined for me to fail at Trigonometry."

"No it's not. You just need to try harder." I groaned.

"Brie, I am. I'm just a failure." She frowned.

"You are not a failure. You are not allowed to call yourself that in front of me, got it?" She said sternly.

"But –"

"Ah! It's final." She buried her nose back into the textbook. Great, now she's ignoring me.

"Aw come on Brie. You know that I just can't learn it." She looked back up.

"You just need some motivation."

"Like what?" She thought about it for a bit.

"Like… you can't kiss me until you finally put some effort into it."

"You can't be serious?"

"Dead serious."

End Flashback

Gabriella's giggle brought me out of the memory.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just remembering how funny your face looked after I made that deal."

"Hey, it's not my fault that you decided to be mean."

"It got you to work, didn't it?" Aw, now she was just being unfair. Even though it was true.

"Meanie." I stuck out my tongue at her.

"Child."

"Bully."

"Baby."

"That's the same thing as child, smart one." I joked.

"No it's not, dumb one." She mocked. Her face then turned serious. "Troy, am I ever going to walk again, or was the doctor right? Am I just destined to never walk again?" I sighed. This was going to bug her for the rest of the evening.

"Of course you're going to walk again. All you need is a couple more weeks here in the hospital and you're all set."

"Really?"

"Really." She smiled, and closed her eyes. After her breathing regulated, and I realized that she was asleep, I started thinking about our conversation. Would she really walk again? Did she have enough motivation? Sure she did.

Too bad I was having a hard time convincing my mind of that.

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AN: Well, that's the end of that chapter. As I said, this story is slowly coming to an end. There will be 5 more chapters and then an Epilogue in this story.

I left it at a bit of a cliffhanger for you. I have realized that I am not getting many reviews, and I am wondering if it is because my writing is becoming worse. I also noticed that people don't review as much when the chapter is fluffier than it is suspenseful. I mean, for the Epilogue of my story "I'll Never Leave You", I got like three reviews, when I expected more, especially because it was the last chapter.

Also, for "Summer Camp Nightmare", I have been getting less and less reviews. This story used to be my most popular one, but now it's going down the tubes. When this happens, it makes me feel like I just shouldn't write. Reviews are actually very crucial to the writer. Without them, there is no inspiration and motive to write. I am trying to release a chapter of this story once a week now, and then once my other stories are released I will try to post a chapter of each every weekend.

Anyway, I guess I'm just upset that I didn't get very many reviews for "I'll Never Leave You", especially with all the people who favorited it put it under there 'story alerts'. I'm sorry to the people who are my most loyal reviewers and try to review every chapter. Thank you guys so much.

So, I'll talk to you guys soon.

Please, please review.

Xoxo,

Vfanforlife