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Chapter 21: A Friend
Gabriella was standing at her locker. She was putting books away. The lunch period had begun about 10 minutes before and the girls were already in the cafeteria. The guys had a team meeting and was meeting them. Gabi was alone for the moment. "Montez." An obnoxious voice brought her out of her thoughts. Turning around she was face-to-face with Meredith.
"What?" Her voice was tired, as was her body.
"So…" Meredith paced around her, "abuse eh?" Gabi stopped what she was doing for a split second, before returning as if nothing was wrong.
"What'd you say, I tend to drone out noises that are a certain frequency." Gabi explained, referring to Meredith's too high pitched voice.
Meredith scoffed, "If only Troy knew about you past."
Gabriella stilled, "He does know. He saved me from it." Meredith's face fell.
"Even so, it's too bad you're his charity case. He's simply not worthy of a girl who turns her father into a monster and then makes herself look like the victim." She sighed, "I must be off, toodles." And with that she was off.
Gabriella stood in the hallway, relishing in the silence. Suddenly feeling the need to be anywhere but there, she closed her locker and began wondering around the school. Somehow she ended up in the theater. She looked around. The big room appeared empty. Walking up to the stage, she sat down at the piano. Her mother had taught her to play all those years ago. Her fingers slid over the keys.
Resting on Middle C, she began playing a tune she had come up with during her lower times.
I am moving through the crowd
Trying to find myself
Feel like a guitar that's never played
Will someone strum away?
And I ask myself
Who do I wanna be?
Do I wanna throw away the key
And invent a whole new me
And I tell myself
No one, no one
Don't wanna be
No one
But me
You are moving through the crowd
Trying to find yourself
Feelin' like a doll left on a shelf
Will someone take you down
And you ask yourself
Who do I wanna be
Do I wanna throw away the key
And invent a whole new me
Gotta tell yourself
No one, no one
Don't wanna be
No one
But me
Your life plays out on the shadows of the wall
You turn the light on to erase it all
You wonder what it's like to not feel worthless
So open all the blinds and all the curtains
No one, no one
Don't wanna be
No one
But me
We are moving through the crowd…
She sighed. Unaware of the brown eyes on her. "That was beautiful Ms. Montez."
Gabriella spun around, almost falling off the piano bench, "Ms. Darbus." She choked out.
"Yes, why didn't I know you were so talented?"
Gabriella shrugged, "I guess I didn't know I was talented."
Ms. Darbus made her way up to the stage, "Well my dear, you are. But what brought you here? I've never seen you in the theater before."
Gabi shrugged, "I needed to think and I just ended up here." She looked up at Ms. Darbus, the crazy old bat of a homeroom teacher.
"Well, this is a good place to think." She motioned around, "It's serene."
Gabi looked around at all the empty seats, the half-way constructed set and realized how right she was, "Yeah, I guess it is."
"If there's anything you want to talk about darling," Gabi glanced up at the woman, whose tone had gone from superior to motherly in a split second, "I am always here."
Gabi smiled, "I might have to take you up on that." She looked around, "I just guess I'm sort of lost right now."
Ms. Darbus picked up a chair and set it next to the piano bench, "Lost?"
"Yeah, I mean I've been having." She closed her eyes, unable to finish the sentence, "I just can't believe I ended up here. This isn't how it's supposed to be." Tears were beginning to form, threatening to collapse over the threshold of Gabriella's eyes.
"Here in Albuquerque?" Ms. Darbus gently took her hand.
Gabi nodded, letting the tears fall and doing nothing to push them away, "I'm supposed to be in Jacksonville, with momma and daddy. Life is supposed to be perfect."
Cathleen Darbus pushed her glasses back up her nose, "Life hardly is." She smiled at the petite girl who seemed so lost, like a child, "You seem to have lots of people who care about you here though."
Gabi nodded, "They're the best. But for some reason, my past," She stopped again. The bell sounded. It was time to head to English, ironically with Ms. Darbus.
"Class can wait darling, you can't." Gabi looked at the older woman with wide eyes. A new-found love and respect shown through the young mocha eyes that held too much pain. "Tell me about your past darling."
Gabi smiled, "It was perfect. I was both a daddy and momma's girl. Then momma died. A boating accident. Then it all changed." She cringed. Feeling the weight of the punch as she clung onto her teacher's hand even more.
"What happened." The second bell rang. They were both late.
"Daddy started drinking. One thing led to another and he got abusive." A tear trickled down the side of her face. "I took it." Another tear, "And then I ran. To the Bolton's."
"Why here?" The question was simple.
"Momma and Lucille went to school together. They used to be best friends. One summer momma gave me their address. Telling me they would always be there for me." She smiled. "And they were." She laughed, "They fought my aunt and uncle for custody. Well my aunt really." Then she sighed "They're amazing and Troy is the best. He's like my rock."
Darbus nodded her old head, "Does he know all of this." Gabi nodded, "Why aren't you telling him how you feel?"
"The game. We need to win. I can't burden and distract him I've done all that before." Cathleen Darbus saw that there was more there. Something that Gabriella Montez was holding back. Something that she would get in time.
"Why don't we talk daily?" Gabi looked up at her, a small amount of fear in her eyes, "Not about this necessarily, you could play more songs. We could do monologues. Anything to maybe channel some of your distress out in a productive and not harmful manner."
Gabi seemed to consider this, "Okay. That sounds great. Thanks Ms. Darbus." The old lady smiled.
"We're late for class, let's go." She stood and gave Gabi a small hug. The two walked to class quietly, Ms. Darbus even waiting as Gabriella went to grab her books.
Troy sat fidgeting nervously. The gang looked at the clock. Then the door. Then each other. Then back at the clock. Gabriella had not been seen at lunch. Now she wasn't in class. No one put together that her and Darbus' absences could be connected. Until the door opened.
Gabriella held the door open as Ms. Darbus entered in all her whimsical glory. The noisy class fell silent. East High's queen was right behind her. Her books clutched protectively to her chest. The Wildcats simultaneously breathed out a sigh of relief.
Gabi took her seat. Ignoring the looks her friends were giving her. Troy tossed her a note.
Where were you. I've been out of my mind with worry.
Wildcat
Gabi looked at the note and responded
With a friend
El
She ignored the tapping on her back from Taylor, Chad, and Sharpay. Instead she focused all her energy on English and their crazy teacher who had a huge heart and was definitely going to help Gabi get through everything.
After class everyone filed out to go. The Wildcats watched curiously as Gabi stayed in her seat. She finally stood and approached Ms. Darbus. Darbus looked at them all and took her over to the corner.
"Do you have some time after school today?" Gabi averted her gaze, hating that she was already dependent upon the older woman.
"Of course my dear." Cathleen gave her grin that shocked everyone, including Ryan, Sharpay, and Kelsi.
"Thank you." Gabi nodded her head before walking over to Troy. Troy gave her a look that she ignored and led him out of the room.
After school the gang was once again gathered around Gabriella's locker. They all wanted to know what was going on with her. They all wanted to know why she and Darbus had been late and what she had spoken to the older woman about after class.
"You all going to watch us practice?" Zeke asked.
Everyone responded positively with the exception of Gabriella, "I actually have something to do." The gang gaped at her.
"Um, don't we do everything together?" Kelsi's voice was small.
Gabi glanced at her, "This is something I have to do alone." She ignored Troy's glare. His look was so questioning. His ocean blue orbs were clouded over to a storming gray that were burning into her soul. "No." she responded. Closing her locker, she walked away, leaving everyone stunned.
Meredith watched from a distance. A small break was already forming between the group. Soon enough, Gabriella was going to be gone.
The theater door opened with a creak. Gabi saw the figure of Cathleen Darbus lurking in the shadows. "Hey Ms. Darbus."
She walked up to the older woman. She smiled, "Gabi darling you may call me Cathleen here."
Gabi gave her a radiant smile, "Cathleen." The two sat down and silence overcame them.
"Nightmares." Cathleen looked over at her. "They've started coming back."
"Do you know what sparked them?" Her voice was calming.
"No. They just came. And he's chasing me and he always catches me. He, he…" She stopped. She just wasn't ready.
Cathleen nodded, "So how long have you written songs?"
Gabi smiled glad for the change in topic, "Um, my entire life."
"Would you play me something else?" Cathleen almost sounded like a school girl. Gabi giggled and nodded, walking up to the stage she sat down at the piano. Cathleen followed her up and sat in the chair that was still on the stage.
She thought for a minute. Her fingers rested lightly on the keys.
There's something about the way
The street looks when it's just rained
There's a glow off the pavement
You walk me to the car
And you know I want to ask you to dance
Right there in the middle of the parking lot
We're driving down the road
I wonder if you know
I'm trying so hard not to get caught up now
But you're just so cool
Run your hands through your hair
Absentmindedly makin' me want you
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst
Fearless
And I don't know why
But with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
So baby drive slow till we run out of road
In this one horse town, I wanna stay right here
In this passenger seat
You put your eyes on me
In this moment now
Capture it, remember it
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst
Fearless
And I don't know why
But with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
Well you stood there with me in the doorway
My hands shake, I'm not usually this way
You pull me in and I'm a little more brave
It's a first kiss, it's flawless, really something
It's fearless
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst
Fearless
And I don't know why
But with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me headfirst
Fearless
And I don't know why
But with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
Oh, oh
Cathleen clapped, "You have a beautiful voice Gabi. I'd love to have you sing in our talent show." At the look she received she tried again, "Just think about it."
Gabi nodded, "I will. I might just take you up on it." Glancing at her watch, she stood, "I have to go. Troy's practice is done and he's my ride home."
Cathleen gave her a hug, "I'm glad you're here with us in Albuquerque Gabi."
Gabi returned the hug, "Thank you Cathleen. I think I am too."
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Mollie XOXO