Heeeeeeeeya! Wellzers, sorry to have to upset you all with Mackenzie's death :( It was sad for me to write too. As was this chapter. Man. It was physically paaainful. But I love writing Perfect!Troy! so there is a lot of him in this chapter, I hope you like reading him as much as I like writing him.
Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! I hit and bypassed the 500 mark which is totally overwhelming. That's an average of around 20 reviews per chapter! I love you guys!
Here is chapter 27. I only hope I did it justice, and you can all feel the many emotions I tried to portray here.
Charli xox
PS. Totally dedicated to my homegal Jessss for being my awesome 500th reviewer! Cyber cookies and lamingtons and some awesome mix music and a virtual Perfect!Troy! for you!!
Chapter 27
Troy opened his mouth in shock, still trying to process the news, a look of horror upon his face. Maria continued to rock Gabriella back and forth as she cried.
"Why, Mom? Why? Why did she have to die? Why did she leave me? Why didn't I go and say goodbye to her this morning?" Gabriella sobbed. "Oh god...I promised her the day I was admitted that I would go back and see her again and I never did, she must have thought I didn't care, Mom – what if she died not knowing how much she meant to me?"
"Oh honey," Maria said tearfully. "There's not a chance in the world that Mackenzie didn't know how much you valued her friendship. What did you tell me she said to you that last morning you spent together?"
"She said I was the best friend she'd ever had," Gabriella chocked back a sob.
"Exactly. There's no doubt in my mind that you made Mackenzie's last few months that much more special just by spending the time you did with her. I know she made a difference in your life, and I'm betting you did the same for her."
Troy felt himself increasingly unable to fight his own tears as he watched his girlfriend pour her heart out. He had only met Mackenzie on a few occasions but he knew how close Gabriella had gotten to her in the short space of time that they had known one another. The other thing that was upsetting him, though, was the thought that it could just as easily been Gabriella that had died today. She was doing well at the moment, but - at some point in her treatment - Mackenzie had been doing well too. Relapse was a one of the scariest words in the English language to Troy – to him it meant that the chance of his Gabriella being taken away from him was increased dramatically and the thought of that was just too painful for him to even consider.
Reaching out, Troy placed a gentle hand on Gabriella's back, rubbing his thumb back and forth.
"Gabi?" he said softly. She turned her head and looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. "I'm really sorry, El. Mackenzie...she was a great girl."
Gabriella nodded tearfully before hurriedly covering her hand with her mouth, her body shuddering a little as she tried to hold back that familiar feeling washing over her. Unsuccessful in doing so, Gabriella slipped off her mother's lap and raced towards the bathroom, throwing back the lid of the toilet just in time as those precious few spoonfuls of ice cream and wafer came back up.
Maria leaned forward, resting her face in her hands and tears spilling over her fingertips.
"That poor family," she cried into her hands. "Oh Mackenzie...and my Gabi...everything is so messed up."
Troy patted her back awkwardly, wondering whether to go after Gabriella or stay and comfort Maria. His dilemma was answered as Maria seemed to snap out of her grief for a moment, and into 'Mom-Mode' - hurriedly wiped her eyes and standing up, heading in the direction of the bathroom. She stopped, however, when the phone rang – torn between attending to her distraught daughter, and answering the call.
"It's ok, I'll go – you get the phone," Troy said. He knew it would probably be someone from the hospital, or one of the other 'cancer Mom's' regarding the afternoons tragedy. Maria closed her eyes and nodded before hurrying from the room to answer the phone.
Troy rubbed the back of his neck, shoving his other hand in his pocket as he made his way towards the bathroom, where he could hear his girlfriend sobbing. These weren't just little tears of sadness. What he could hear – and see as he stood in the doorway of the bathroom – were body-shaking, energy-draining, heart-breaking sobs. Sobs filled with grief, loss and despair.
Gabriella didn't need to look up from her spot on the floor next to the toilet bowl when she heard someone enter the room.
"Don't look at me, Troy – I don't want anyone to see my like this," she pleaded.
Troy crossed the bathroom floor and sat down next to her, pulling her to him without a word. As soon as she felt his arms around her, Gabriella broke down, soaking his t-shirt with her tears.
"She's really gone, Troy. She's never coming back..." Troy just held her close, peppering her forehead with tiny kisses. "She was so strong, Troy, she was a warrior...and she...she just...what hope is there for the rest of us? What hope is there for me...?" Gabriella was out of Troy's arms in a flash, leaning over the toilet bowl and retching as her stomach tried to empty itself of food that wasn't there. An acrid sting filled her throat as she gagged, over and over.
A few moments later, she slumped against the ceramic bowl. Troy helped her up, closed the lid of the toilet and flushed it, before sitting her down on the lid. She sat without complaint, her eyes fixed, silent tears running down her cheeks. Troy quickly grabbed her toothbrush from the cupboard behind him and squeezed some toothpaste on it, running it quickly under the tap before turning back to Gabriella and holding the toothbrush out to her. She remained in an unmoving daze, so Troy knelt beside her, gently pulling her chin down with his thumb and index finger to open her mouth then poking the toothbrush in and swirling it over her teeth. He pulled her up carefully and ran the tap in the sink again, allowing her to spit and rinse which she did robotically, almost like her body was suddenly on autopilot.
Troy helped her up the stairs and to her bedroom where he laid her down and kissed her forehead.
"I know it's going to be hard to relax, but you try and get some sleep Bella," he said softly. "Do you want me to stay with you 'till you fall asleep, or do you want me to go?"
Gabriella didn't reply - she lay silently, staring at the ceiling.
"Ok," Troy sighed, leaning over to kiss her forehead once more. "Try and have a good night's sleep and I'll call you before school tomorrow to see how you're doing. Love you, Gabs."
Troy turned towards the door but had barely taken two steps away when Gabriella let out a strangled cry and was suddenly off her bed, clinging to his chest.
"No, no – please don't go, don't leave me," she begged, growing more and more hysterical by the second.
"Gabi! Gabi, shhh – it's ok, I'm here...I'll stay, I'm right here," he said quickly, hugging her close.
"Everyone close to me leaves," she cried. "My grandparents when I was little, my Dad, now Mackenzie...please don't go Troy, please don't die too...I can't lose you, I couldn't bear it!"
"Heeey, shhh – I'm here Ella, I'm not going anywhere. Ever. I love you."
"I love you, Troy," Gabriella choked out through her tears. "I don't wanna ever say goodbye..."
Troy shushed her as he lifted her easily and laid her back on her bed before laying her down beside her. They pulled each other as close as they possibly could – forehead to forehead, nose to nose, stomach to stomach and knee to knee.
"Do you want me to stay until you fall asleep?"
"Longer."
"How long?"
"Forever."
Troy smiled at Gabriella's reply. She closed her eyes and nudged his nose with her own.
"Troy?"
"Mmm?" Troy bought a hand up between them and began to trace her facial features with his finger, outlining every detail – nose...eyes...mouth.
"I don't want to die..." her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Troy placed a hand either side of her face and looked her straight in the eye.
"You are not going to die, you hear me? I'm not gonna let that happen."
Tears slipped down her cheeks and washed over his hands.
"How, Troy? If it's my time...how can anyone stop it?"
"But it's not your time, Gabriella. Mackenzie...Yeah, Mackenzie was far too young to die. And I know it's hard to fathom sometimes, but you have got to believe that everything happens for a reason. I might not have known her as well as you did, but it seems to me that in her short life, Mackenzie taught so many people so much – about strength, hope, friendship, bravery...she was the epitome of a warrior. She fought a long, hard fight and her body was too tired to fight anymore. She might have passed on, but her memory and her spirit will live on forever, through those who loved her. And you, Gab – you have so much living left to do. You're strong, you're brave," he laughed softly and kissed her on the forehead, "...you're stubborn! You have many years ahead of you, filled with dream after dream I have no doubt you will achieve. I also have no doubt that what you are going through will allow you to help others in the future. You're destined for big things, Gabriella, and I hope you know that I will be right there by your side through every goal that you reach, cheering you on and making sure everyone knows that that amazing girl right there...she's with me."
Gabriella clutched fistfuls of Troy's shirt in her fists as she cried and cried – tears of sadness, of grief, of fear. Tears for a friend lost, for an uncertain future. Tears of thankfulness for the young man beside her, and everyone who loved her.
Troy rubbed her back as the emotion and exhaustion of the day were released through her tears. Curled tightly into his chest, Gabriella eventually cried herself to sleep in his arms.
HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM
The next morning at school, it took Chad and Taylor all of 30 seconds to figure out something was wrong. Troy looked tired and emotionally drained, barely speaking two words as he rustled through his locker for the books he needed for the morning.
The couple exchanged a concerned glance before Chad spoke.
"Hey what's up, Captain – are you ok? You look a little out of it...is it Gabriella? Is she ok?"
Troy closed his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger before turning to face his friends.
"Yeah, it's Gabi...Her friend Mackenzie died yesterday. She's taken it pretty hard...she's a bit of a mess."
"Oh man, that sucks," Chad said solemnly. "I'm sorry, dude."
"Poor Gabi," Taylor sighed sadly. "Mackenzie was a great friend to her. She understood what Gabi's going through in a way none of us can. It's so unfair...such a young girl."
"Do you think Gabs would be up for Tay and I to visit her this afternoon?" Chad asked. "Or would we be better off leaving her to have some space for a few days?"
Troy shook his head. "To be honest, I think Gabriella could use all the support we can give her right now. She's going through a bit of a down patch and letting her know we are here for her can only help."
Chad and Taylor nodded their agreement.
"My Mom was heading over there this morning to spend some time with Gabi and her Mom. She said something about taking some chick-flick DVD's over so hopefully her and Maria are keeping Gabi's mind off things. I might give Mom a call at lunch time and see how she is."
"You know man," Chad commented, placing a hand on his best friend's upper back. "You are one pretty awesome guy. We can all see how Gabriella has been so strong through everything but you man...you've been just as strong for her."
"He's right, Troy," Taylor added. "No one could ever question your commitment to that girl. It must be so hard to sit by and watch her suffer but I would be willing to bet that the thought of walking away from it all has never even once crossed your mind."
"Our Gabs is a lucky girl, mate."
Troy looked at his friends, chills running down both of their spines at the sincerity in his eyes and emotion in his voice.
"I love her. It's just as simple as that."
Ok, so I want a Perfect!Troy! to keep. Hope you liked the chapter. Next up, an interesting assignment (I'd love to hear your guesses as to what this might be...), and a funeral for a friend. Please review! I love reading them so much!
Charli xox
