My Best Friends Brother
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Chapter 28
"One chicken and mayo sandwich coming right up" sings Troy as he appears at Gabriella's table with two plates in his hand.
"One?" asks Gabriella confused as Troy sits down opposite her.
"Yeah, I'm having a jacket potato with cheese and beans" explains Troy.
Troy pauses about to eat his food and looks at Gabriella who is sitting motionless, staring at her plate. Gabriella feels Troy's eyes on her and lifts her head giving him a smile.
"Don't worry Troy, I'm ok" she says before tucking into her sandwich. Troy too begins eating after he has seen Gabriella swallow two mouthfuls.
One week ago Gabriella had been diagnosed with mild depression, caused by her grandfather's death that had affected her self esteem and eating habits. With Troy's help, the smiling, cheerful, caring Gabriella was beginning to return and Troy was incredibly proud of the way she was fighting back. He wouldn't admit it, but seeing Gabriella's vulnerability showed Troy how much she needed his support and gave him an additional desire to protect her.
"You ok Troy?" asks Gabriella concerned, "You look troubled"
"Yeah, I'm just thinking" he reassures her.
"About…"
"You." replies Troy smiling as a blush forms in Gabriella's cheeks. There is a pause as the two resume eating which is broken by Gabriella's tentative voice.
"Troy?"
"Yeah" he says.
"Thanks… for being here for me, for helping. I think I can do this and I promise I'll be happier for you now or at least try." She says to him.
Troy smiles and takes Gabriella's hand. "Are you ready to enjoy your holiday now?" he asks.
"Our holiday Bolton." She corrects with a smile, "and I'll try". The pair make their way out of the café and across the street into their hotel to get changed before heading to the beach.
Troy and Gabriella have spent five hours relaxing blissfully on the beach, including activities such as sunbathing, walks and gentle floating in the sea. They emerge from the sea hand in hand, Gabriella wearing a black and white spotted bikini, and Troy wearing red beach shorts. They collect their stuff and head back towards the hotel chatting away until Gabriella abruptly stops walking and talking mid sentence. Troy worriedly follows Gabriella's tearful gaze and sees an old man wearing a cap sat alone reading the paper on a bench just outside their hotel. Gabriella drops everything and rushes into the hotel as tears begin to stream down her face. Troy picks up their belongings and chases to their room to find her collapsed on the bed sobbing her heart out. He sits on the edge of the bed and wraps his arms around her allowing her tears to stain his shirt as she lets out her grief.
Eventually Gabriella's tears cease and she raises her eyes to meet Troy's wiping them on the back of her hand as she does so. "I'm really sorry Troy, I'm such a mess" hiccups Gabriella. "It's just that my granddad always read that paper and…" she hiccups violently before continuing, "he always wore a grey cap like that…" Gabriella chokes on the sobs building up in her throat and her voice trails off into silence as Troy gently strokes her hair.
"I'm sorry Troy" she whispers.
"It's not a sorry, don't apologise to me" he says softly.
"I think I'm going to be okay now Troy" Gabriella whispers again. Troy looks at her in slight confusion and prompts her to explain.
"I realised that I never cried for him, I've been grieving, but not the right way. I've been shutting the world out and feeling guilty for being alive. I've been… I've been wrong. I shouldn't feel like that, he wouldn't want me to be like that he'd want me to move on and be happy and let him go. Crying is my way of letting go. I'll always love him and never forget him, but it's not my time to die yet, it's my time to live and that's what I have to do."
Troy kisses Gabriella's head softly and hugs her to him gently. "I'm going to be okay" she repeats and this time he agrees.
They will both be okay.
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Gabriella Somerfield