Chapter 28 - Wordless
"What... was that?"
They had been standing in the same place for the last twenty minutes, and neither had said a word. Things were churning through each of their brains, and both didn't want to start the conversation which needed to be started. But, after some time, Chad had finally broke the silence, with a question which was so difficult to answer.
What was that? What have they really been doing for the last few months? Everything seemed so hard to answer. If Gabriella had realised that Chad would find out soon, then she would have planned out a whole speech. But it was too late now, she was standing in the middle of the situation, with no back up, just Chad wanting answers.
"That, was me and Troy... kissing" She answered bravely. She had to start somewhere.
"Wow! Really? I didn't see that!" Chad spat out angrily.
Gabriella's eyes opened wide. She'd never seen her brother like this. Her brother had always been the calm and collected one of the two, it had always been Gabriella who'd shout and scream. But Chad, never had he looked like this.
"What I don't understand, Gabriella, is that you didn't tell me"
Chad folded his arms, and stared his sister right in the face, not breaking the gaze. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now. He'd waited too long for 'talk time'. He didn't know anything about his sister, with her always building barriers, it wasn't easy. But now this had happened. His best friend, has been seeing his sister, and he didn't know!
"It would have been awkward Chad" She sighed.
"What? More awkward than it is now?!" He flung his arms in the air. "I didn't know that my best friend was dating my sister. How am I supposed to act, Gabriella. Am I just supposed to say that that's fine, or that it's ok that both of you kept your mouths shut!"
"I don't know what your supposed to do, Chad! You weren't supposed to find out like this!" Gabriella shouted back, her anger at his reaction coming through.
"What! Were you supposed to have this plan to tell me, or was I never supposed to find out?"
"Of course you were going to find out - do you really think we'd keep it a secret! And your acting like your the victim - do you think it was easy for me to pretend I didn't like your best friend when he was around. Or that I was just supposed to act like everything was normal and I had no secrets to tell you!"
Chad scowled. He realised that it must of been hard for them. To have been in a relationship with someone, and not be able to share it with the world, must have been hard.
"Look. I'm sorry, but you have to understand. I've just found out my best friend, who I thought would tell me everything, has just forgotten to tell me that he's involved with my sister."
Chad's head landed in his hands as he sighed. Gabriella looked at her brother, someone who she'd always seen as the strong one, just collapsed and look so fragile.
He looked up, "How long?" He closed his eyes.
Gabriella was confused, "What?"
"How long have you been seeing him?"
Gabriella swallowed, "A few months" She whispered.
Chad blinked his eyes in disbelief. He'd been living without knowing, for a few months!
"You mean to tell me, you've been seeing my closest friend behind my back. I've been in the shadows of all this for, a few months!"
"I couldn't tell you! You wouldn't understand!"
"How do you know Gabriella, you never let me close enough to understand" He shouted. "You need to let go of the barriers, because I'm your brother. The guy thats supposed to stand up for you against guys, the one who's supposed to love you in a way no other guy could."
Tears came to Gabriella's eyes. It was true; she'd never let Chad in, but she didn't realise it.
"You've gotta let me in Gabriella" He finished, and sighed.
"I...I build barriers. Because I feel safer with them. No-one can hurt me if I have them"
"You know I don't want to hurt you Gabriella"
The tears rolled down her face, "Another thing a brother's supposed to do was approve of their sisters guys. Do you approve of Troy?" She choked.
"I don't know Gabriella, I just don't know" He sighed, drained.
She stepped back, towards the door, tears still running, "You mean to tell me, you don't trust your best friend! How stupid is that?"
"It's not that I don't trust him, I'm not sure of anything at the moment!"
"Fine, I'll just leave then" Gabriella turned and pulled the door open.
"You know I didn't mean that!" Chad shouted after her. But it was too late, she'd already left.
Gabriella ran to her car, the tears still running down her face. She'd grabbed a jumper on her way out, and she fiddled in the pocket for the keys. As people walked passed, she recieved funny looks. She guessed it was because she was still in her pjamas. She tried her best to gain control, and she finally got her shaky hands to open the door. Once inside she started the engine, not wanting to look back. But there was nothing to go back for, Chad wouldn't listen anyway.
Driving along, she knew the route perfectly. It was like it was tatoo-ed on her brain. This left, the next right etc. She wiped her eyes to clear her vision, and grabbed her phone out of her pocket. Dialing a number she knew very well, he soon answered.
"Gabi, I'm so sorry I left!" He said down the phone the moment he picked up.
"Troy, don't worry about it" She sobbed down the reciever.
"Are you crying? What's happened? Are you ok?"
"I'm on my way over now"
"Good. I was so worried, I kept looking back, but not knowing if I should - "
"Stop babbling. It's not helping."
He sighed, "Sorry"
"It's ok, it's not you fault. But, oh Troy, It was terrible, we had this massive fight and -"
"Shhhh. Wait until you get here"
But she was never going to arrive there. Not yet anyway.
At that precise moment, the tears she shed covered her vision, and she drove the car straight into a tree, the one just beside Troy's house. From his window he saw the whole accident, and the shock hit him fast.
The car collided, and a sharp scream was heard from the phone.
"GABI!" He sceamed.
"Talk to me, please" He sobbed.
But nothing came.
Nothing as he ran out of the room.
Nothing as he shouted her name, when he'd exited the house.
And nothing when he lay beside her fragile body, lying limp.
She was wordless.
I do not like this chapter at all! Not only because it was a sad chapter to write, but also because I wrote it awfully :(
But at least it's an update :) So things are really heating up! Chad and Gabriella are fighting, Gabriella has just been in an accident, and everything seems to be going wrong. But, I hope you've not forgotten about Troy's past - that'll be back in the next chapter :)
The next chappie is called ' Talking To A Sleeping Object', so look out for it. Since I updated quicker than usual, I'll probably not update until next week. But early next week - you won't be waiting too long!
You'll notice that Sharpay and the rest of the gang haven't been in it much. I don't know why that is, but I think it's coz there's so much plot drama, it doesn't need a lot of extra people. Sorry if I've disappointed anyone there.
Only a few more chapter's to go. And i've decided not to do an epilogue, because the way I'm finishing the story, I think is the perfect way to end it :) Please keep reading until the end!
Anyways, review and tell me what you think :)