Chapter 16

"Gabriella, you have a visitor."

Gabriella sat up. She couldn't stand the pain that ran through her body.

Troy walked in. He threw his backpack down and walked over to her.

"How are you doing?"

"Not very well. The pain is indescribable. And it's not in a good way."

"Well, I've been thinking of telling on my dad….."

"Troy, you can't! He'll get fired."

"He deserves it."

Gabriella sighed. "That may be true, but… that doesn't give you the right to do it."

"Gabriella, I know what I'm doing. You have to trust me. Okay?"

Gabriella looked at him. "I trust you."

He took her hands in his. "How long until you can go back to school?"

"I don't know. I don't think any time soon."

A knock came from the door. "Gabriella, you have another visitor."

"Okay."

The door opened to reveal Chad. He walked in.

"Uh, hi."

"Hi, Chad."

"I just came to apologize. Gabriella, I'm sorry for cheering those people on. I shouldn't have."

Gabriella nodded. "I forgive you, Chad. I understand you have a reputation."

Chad sat down on the side of her bed that Troy wasn't on.

"Chad, I appreciate it," Troy said. "Thanks for listening."

Another knock came from the door. "Gabriella, you have another---- aaaggghhh!"

The door opened and Sharpay came in. "Gosh, the service here is horrible. That lady out there takes so long just to get you into a room. But either way, Gabriella, I came to see you."

Gabriella half-smiled.

"Okay, so, I guess I'm sorry for just standing around. I was an idiot, I'll admit that. As your friend, I should have helped you."

"I thought I was your semi-friend."

Sharpay smiled. "You've been a true friend to me. But I have not returned that favor."

"Well, you have been good to me. You know, some of the time."

"Yeah, well, overall, I am so sorry. Could you tell me how I could make it up?"

"Your apology will work fine."

"Oh, okay."

"Do you want to take a seat? Troy, could you bring that chair over?"

"Well, I suppose I could stay for a little bit."

Sharpay sat down in the chair. After she sat down, another knock came from the door. Coach Bolton stormed in.

"Thank you, Ms. Montez, for getting me fired."

The four of them looked at him.

"Mr. Bolton, I didn't tell anybody."

"Well, somebody did. Now, I'm fired."

"No offense, Dad, but you deserve it."

"Troy, we're leaving. And you are never coming back here again. In fact, you are never seeing Ms. Montez again."

"What?!"

"This is her fault. We are leaving. Let's go."

"Dad, I am not going with you."

"Troy, if you are not out of this room in a minute, I am going to do….. Something."

Troy looked at Gabriella. "I am not going to leave you."

"Troy, I appreciate it, but…. You need to go with your dad."

Troy kneeled down next to her. "You need me."

"I think I can manage."

"Troy, get over here!"

Troy looked at Gabriella. "I love you."

Gabriella smiled. "Love is a strong word."

Troy smiled back. "I know."

Gabriella gazed into his eyes. "I love you, too."

"Well, that could turn out in an issue," Coach Bolton said, grabbing Troy, "since I'm not letting you two near each other."

Troy tried to loosen his dad's grip, but it was no use. Coach Bolton dragged him out of the room. Troy managed one more phrase to Chad and Sharpay: "Take care of her."

Chad stood up. "So, Gabriella, would you like some entertainment?"

"Wow, that's what a TV is for," Sharpay said, picking up the remote to the TV in the room.

"No, no, no, and no," Chad said, taking the remote from Sharpay. "We're going to do this the old-fashioned way."

Gabriella looked at them. "This should be interesting."

Sharpay stood up. "Do you want me to act out something? Maybe from one of my past parts in all of the musicals I've been in!"

"Sure."

"No way! How about I shoot some hoops?" Chad insisted.

"There are no hoops in here!"

"So?"

"Guys, on the other hand, I think I'm fine. I don't need an entertainment."

Sharpay pouted. "But I was going to sing."

Chad smiled. "Ha, ha."

"Shut up, stupid!"

"Guys! I think I need some rest."

"Oh, goodie! Now I can leave." Sharpay grabbed her bag and blew kisses. Then, she left.

"Well, I'll see you later, Gabriella." Chad followed Sharpay out.

Gabriella looked out her window. She felt tears in her eyes.

Now, she needed Troy more than ever.

****

Emmy rolled her eyes as she sat with Troy and his parents at the dinner table. She had no choice but to stay with them since her parents had moved.

"So, Emmy, are you excited to be spending time with us?" Mrs. Bolton asked.

"No."

Troy looked at Emmy. "Come on, Em, you used to always love coming here."

Emmy stabbed her food with her fork.

"So," Mrs. Bolton said, changing the subject, "how was school today?"

"Stupid as usual," Emmy said.

"Well, something interesting happened today," Troy said, eyeing his father. "Gabriella got beat up."

"That's horrible!"

"Yeah. It is. And guess who lost his job over it?"

Mrs. Bolton shrugged.

Troy looked down at his plate. "Dad."

"WHAT?!"

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? But that girl is trouble."

"What did you do?"

"I…. Supervised."

"You supervised kids beating a girl up?!"

"Well, either way, somebody told on me. So now I'm fired. And that person who told on me had better hope I don't find out who they are. But, I know it wasn't you two. You are loyal to me. I mean, as your father and uncle, of course."

Emmy looked at him. "Well, actually, that's funny. Because I'm the one who told."