Hey, just you know, I really want to focus on my new story "Life's What You Make It", so I'll try to get this story done as soon as possible.
Please check out the other one and review. :)
So enjoy this chapter.
Mitchi
"How long has this been going on?" I demanded.
Troy dropped the basketball he'd been holding and gulped.
Gabriella
"Troy, you're either going to tell me or I'm going straight to the police. She can't do this to you! She can't get away with it. The twins will be raised by Margaret and nobody else."
He looked down, unsure of what to say. "Gabby – I thought it would stop soon. I think she'll stop sending me these text messages."
"Just like you believed he would stop?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. "How long has she been sending you these messages for?"
He looked up; his eyes were filled with sadness and fear. "Yesterday evening she called and told me to tell my mom not to do anything about her giving the twins to her sister." Her sister lives about two blocks from here and so she'd have a right to visit them… but for that to happen, my mom can't say anything about her or anyone else raising the twins." His eyes found mine again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"Don't be. We'll just go inside and tell your mom," I smiled, trying to encourage him.
His eyes widened, and he shook his head. "NO! Not now… I – I promise I'll tell her… but not now… if it doesn't stop, I'll tell her – promise!"
I narrowed my eyes and sighed. "If Sarah doesn't stop texting or calling, you will immediately tell your mom, okay?" I said sternly. Troy nodded his head.
I sighed again and took one of his hands. "Let's go up to your room, it's getting cold out here."
"Gabby?" I turned around to face him and narrowed my eyes.
"What is it, Troy?" He looked down shyly for a moment and then looked back up.
"I was wondering if you would like to spend the night," he said in a shy, calm voice that no one could resist.
I sighed. "I have to call my mom and you have to talk to yours, but I will if I can." I smiled at Troy slightly, and he smiled back.
Later That Evening, Troy's Room
Troy sat on his bed with Gabriella on his lap. Gabriella's mom allowed her to stay the night at Troy's, but not without the typical "Don't do anything we wouldn't do," speech. They both decided to give Troy and Gabriella a little space and sent Nick to spend the night at a friend's house while the two of went out for an enjoyable night on the town. Gabriella leaned against Troy's chest, his head resting atop of hers, while they watched "Finding Nemo". Gabriella insisted on watching the kid's movie, and Troy grudgingly agreed. As the film was nearing its end, Gabriella began feeling really tired. Since the two of them had school the next day, they decided to go to bed.
During the Night
Troy and Gabriella lied in his bed with their arms wrapped around each other. The night went blissfully until Gabriella woke up in the middle of the night when she felt someone stirring next to her. She opened her eyes, rubbed the sleep off them, and turned her head while adjusting her eyes to the darkness. She felt the stirring again and turned her head, where her eyes fell on Troy, thrashing and shaking in his sleep uncontrollably. Gabriella's eyes widened – he couldn't have a nightmare! He hadn't had one in such a long time… it had to be over!
She gently laid her hand onto his shaking shoulder and began shaking him gently. "Troy! Troy, please wake up!" she cried desperately. She continued shaking his body in an attempt to wake him up, but to no avail. She was on the verge of crying and didn't know what to do. She stopped shaking Troy when he began flinching. She pulled her hand back slowly.
Troy began whimpering slightly and cried out in desperation, "NO! NO!"
Gabriella put her hand over her mouth as she witnessed her boyfriend having such a horrible nightmare. No matter what she did, Troy wouldn't wake up, and she couldn't stop it. Gabriella couldn't control her tears any longer, and they began falling as she watched her boyfriend whimper, flinch, and beg for his life.
Troy's Dream
I stood in front of East High. The sky was blue and there wasn't a single cloud. I smiled as I turned and saw Gabby approach me, smiling as well. Just then, I heard a car horn honk from nowhere, and I turned around, my smile fading. The sky turned dark, with clouds beginning to cover it. I watched as two people got out of the car and walked toward me. I tried running away, but my feet remained glued to the ground. I swallowed heavily – there was no escape! The two people got closer to where I was standing. When they finally came up to me, I realized they had no faces; but when I closed my eyes and opened them again, my dad and Sarah were right in front of me. I froze completely at that moment.
"You knew it was time…" They smiled as they pulled me harshly into the house I'd learned to fear and avoid.
As I was dragged into a small black room, I could only scream the word "NO!" I continued screaming as the door closed, leaving me in the dark, standing there, still unable to move or comprehend what'd just happened. I heard harsh and unmerciful voices from outside.
"NO! NO!" I shouted, for it was the only thing I could do for my dear life. Someone had to hear me!
"NO! NO! NO!" Shouting the word was the only thing I could do at this point, but that didn't even help as the room began spinning, people appearing from everywhere, laughing at me and pushing me down. I looked up and met the eyes of two babies – twin babies…
"I'm glad they're staying in a place where I can visit them anytime I want to. DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S GREAT, TROY!?"
I shook my head furiously, as the room continued spinning. Four pairs of eyes met my own – my dad's, Sarah's, and the twins, as I continued shouting "NO!" repeatedly.
Gabriella
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
He sat up, his fringe sticking to his forehead due to all the sweat he'd accumulated there. His breathing was uneven and quick and he was shaking violently. I reached out to touch his shoulder, but pulled back immediately when he flinched. Troy turned his head toward me, his eyes widening madly. When he saw that I was the only one in the room, he relaxed slightly. He quietly got up and walked over to his desk. I narrowed my eyes and followed him, scared and curious of what he was doing.
Troy sat down and put a sheet of paper in front of him as he searched clumsily for a pencil. When he found one, he began hovering over the sheet, drawing furiously. I stepped closer so that I could see what he was drawing, but to no avail. After a few minutes, he finished and leaned back slightly, no longer shaking, his eyes now relaxed and no longer filled with fear. I stepped toward the desk again and peeked over his shoulder; Troy's eyes were closed, and his face, contemplative. I picked the piece of paper, my jaw nearly dropping – his artwork was amazing! Lucille and Nick had told me that Troy could draw, but his drawing was incredible! The picture was of a boy and a girl hugging each other tightly, their hands clutching each other's shirts. They both wore sad expressions on their faces, but the side of their faces that touched the other was colored nearly in all white, and wore a happy expression while the side facing away was dark and sad. Their hands seemed to have been intertwined at one point, but were forcibly separated. A red line was visible on their hands and something that looked like blood droplets were lying beneath them.
I laid a hand onto Troy's shoulder and saw him flinch before he finally relaxed. I carefully sat on his lap and put my arms around his neck as his arms encircled my waist. I rested my chest against his, smiling because it was less boney, and his muscles had returned.
I shifted in Troy's lap, and then looked at his as he looked up as well. "Troy? You know that picture you drew – it's amazing. You should ask to attend art class," I said seriously.
He tore his eyes away from mine and slightly nodded. I remembered what I'd thought of that picture, and told him, "You know I won't leave you… never."
"Promise me?" he croaked.
I nodded my head and hugged him tightly. "Never," I whispered.
The Next Day
I woke up to Lucille shaking Troy and I awake – we'd both fallen asleep in his computer chair. We slowly got up and got ready for school. It was Friday, which meant only a short day for me, and since Troy's new basketball coach wasn't here yet, it meant a short day for him as well. We walked downstairs into the kitchen, to be met with Lucille making breakfast for the both of us. I smiled at her and sat down on a chair next to Troy, who still hadn't said anything all morning.
"Good to see you in here. I just got a call from Mr. Doer, who told me that Sarah already registered for the twins to go to her sister! It's impossible, though – Margaret and I were faster than her!" she said in a rage, not knowing what to do. After setting two plates in front of us, she sat down with her head in her hands.
I began eating my slice of toast and glanced toward Troy, who didn't say a word, let alone touch his food.
Lucille looked up again, sighing. "Come on, Troy, eat a bit." I looked at him and knew he was thinking of something by the way he looked into the distance and bit his lower
"Mom?" He looked up, and his eyes met hers. She narrowed her blue eyes and he continued biting his bottom lip, like a little child who disobeyed. He looked so vulnerable at that moment.
"Troy? What's wrong?" Her eyes filled with worry as she watched her son struggling with himself, wondering whether he should tell her about Sarah's threats.
"I… Well… Sarah, kind of… She just called me and… sent messages." He looked away, breaking the eye contact between the two of them. "She told me shut up, so that you wouldn't know about her giving the twins willingly to her sister so that she'd be faster than you." He grew quieter with every word he said and continued avoiding eye contact with his mother. His lips were now a thin line.
"Thank you for telling me, Troy," Lucille said softly, softer than I expected it to be. He looked up slowly and smiled a bit as his mom's lips formed into a small smile as well. She stood up slowly, leaving Troy and I with our breakfast.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Troy asked.
"I plan on phoning Mr. Doer and telling him what you just told me. Could you leave your cell phone with me so that Mr. Doer can see the messages as proof?"
Troy nodded, "Yeah, I can."
Later, During School
It was lunchtime, and instead of sitting in the cafeteria with our friends, Troy and I sat in a corner of one of the hallways, far from the cafeteria, where no teacher would show up. Troy didn't want to be around everyone since the football team was still being mean to him. I sighed as we just sat there in each other's arms and enjoying each other's company.
"Troy?" I asked carefully.
"What?" He looked at me intently.
I studied his face for a moment and sighed again. "Are you going to start telling people soon?" I whispered while keeping eye contact with him.
He narrowed his eyes and said, "Actually… I only know that I'll tell the team first. When the time is right, and I have no idea when I'm going to tell the rest of the school." He paused and mused momentarily before saying, "The football team will freak out when they know…" A small smile formed on his lips.
I didn't think it was funny, but I couldn't help but smile along.
So that's it. I'll try to update soon, and finish it as well - only a few chapters to go then. :)
Mitchi