"I'm gunna show him what little girls are made of Gunpowder and Lead"
-"Gunpowder and Lead" Miranda Lambert

Things have been going great for a couple of weeks. Matt was still locked up and I was hanging out with Troy a lot more. He was a nice guy. Shar found a new boyfriend, some actor that moved a couple doors down from her. She was preoccupied with him. I was still looking for a place to move.

I finished my article and sent it in. I got up and grabbed my purse and walked out side. I lit a cigarette and took a drag. I leaned on the rail. Troy walked out and stood next to me. "I haven't seen you smoke since my first day here."

I shrugged. "I quit slash only smoke when I'm stressed out." I smiled a little taking another drag.

"What are you so stressed out about?" He asked me, he didn't seem to be bothered by the smoke like most of the non smokers do.

I ran my free hand through my hair. "I still haven't found a new place and I need more boxes but I hadn't had anytime to get any all week. I still have a room to pack up and I need to take Matt's things somewhere."

He pulled me in front of him and started massaging my shoulders. "You need to relax." I smiled a bit to myself.

"Maybe when everything is finally settled." I took another drag and leaned against him. "I'm just tired."

"Well maybe this weekend I'll get you some boxes and help you pack. Then we can drop off Matt's stuff on our way to my place." He said, still massaging my shoulders. "What do you say?"

"I don't know what to say Troy…" I was speechless. I told you he was nice. "Are you sure about this?"

He turned me around and looked at me. "I'm positive. I have more than enough room." He said shrugging.

"I'll think about it." I took one last drag then threw it on the ground and stopped it out. I picked it up and threw the butt in the garbage. I walked over to him and kissed his cheek softly. "Thank you."

I started walking away and I felt him watching me. "You are very welcome." he said after me.

I walked back to my cubicle and checked my phone. There was no messages and I loved it. I finished up for the day then packed my things up and walked out of the office. I got to my car and got in driving back to my house. I walked in my house and sat down on the couch. My cell rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello Miss Montez, This is Jack Bolton." He sighed, "I'm sorry to inform you but Matthew Gray broke out of Jail last night and we lost track of him this afternoon."

"Why didn't you call me earlier?" I asked. Suddenly feeling on edge again.

"We almost had him but we lost track of him. I'm sorry Miss Montez, please call us if you hear anything." He said. Bullshit.

"Thank you Officer." I hung up and walked out to my car. I pulled the briefcase out of my trunk that was my dads. I walked inside and opened it. It was my dad's old shotgun. I've seen him shoot it a million times when we were out in the desert. I polished it up. He was coming for me. I wasn't going to let him hurt me anymore. I loaded it up. I walked outside and hid it behind the plant.

I took a deep breath and walked outside. I lit up another cigarette. I took a deep drag. I could feel him in the air. I flicked the ashes and took another drag of my cigarette. I watched the cars drive by. Blue Camry, red van, taxi, taxi, black beamer. I leaned against the cold brick wall. Blue Camry, taxi, taxi, white pick up. I finished my cigarette and stomped it out on the ground. The Blue Camry drove by again and parked across the street. This is it. I watched two men get out of the car. One sat on the hood and one made his way over towards me. It was matt. He flicked his hood up and looked at me.

"Gabriella." He said. His eyes were bloodshot.

I stood up straight, 'Matt."

"Did you have a fun little vacation away from me?" He asked me. It was rhetorical but I was going to answer it anyway.

"It was fabulous. I didn't miss you at all." I smiled at him.

"You're a stupid bitch." He clinched his fists and pointed at me. "You got me fucking locked up and now you are going to pay."

"Why don't you just go away? You know their going to find you." I said.

"Shut the fuck up Gabi!" He threw a punch and hit me in the face. I got knocked back and fell to the ground. I crawled back onto the porch and grabbed the shotgun from behind my plant. He laughed. "What are you going to do with that?"

"You are going to Shut the fuck up Matt!" I yelled at him. "You are going to leave right now, and turn yourself back in or I swear to god if you even come close to me I will blow your fucking brains out."

He smirked at me. "You are so sexy when you are angry." He took a step closer to me and I cocked the gun. "What you think you can shoot me? Go ahead and try. You cant do it. You're nothing but a stupid bitch."

"You know. Any guy that beats up a woman is a worthless coward. You are going to rot in hell." My hands were shaking but I kept the gun aimed at his head.

His friend started walking over towards us. "What the fuck is going on Matt?"

"This stupid bitch is going to try to shoot me." Matt said laughing.

"He fucking abused me for years and I sat there and took it. I'm not taking it anymore." Matt took another step closer to me. "One more step Matt. I swear to god."

He picked up his fist and swung it at me hitting me in the stomach. I grunted and pulled the trigger. A bullet shot through his head. He fell to the ground. I put the gun down.

"He just paid me, I swear!" The other guy put his hands up. "I had no idea what he was coming to do."

"He is never going to hurt me again. Never." I looked at him. "I finally protected myself. Just go. I wont sell you out if you don't sell me out."

He nodded and ran back to his car ad drove away. I picked up my phone.

"911 What is your emergency?"

"Can I get a hold of Jack Bolton?" I asked.

"One moment please." The lady said.

"Jack Bolton."

"Hi Officer Bolton. Its Gabriella Montez. Matt found me. I shot him. Self defense I swear." I said calmly. "I'm turning myself in. I'm at my house."

He sighed. "We will be over in a moment." He hung up and I called Troy.

"Hello?" Troy said.

"Hi Troy." I said shortly.

"Hey Brie, what's up?"

"You don't have to worry about me moving in." I said.

"What? Why not?" He sounded disappointed.

"Matt broke out and came to get me. He punched me twice and I shot him in the head. Your dad is on his way to come get me." I said.

"WHAT?" I could only imagine his eyes bug out of his head.

"I'm sorry Troy. Thank you for everything. I won't forget you I promise." I bit my lip. "have a nice life."

I hung up the phone and pulled out another cigarette and lit it. I sat down next to Matt's body. I took a long drag and put my head in my hands. I heard the sirens and took another drag as they marked up the place. They took my dads gun and the paramedics were called. I threw down my cigarette.

"Miss Montez." A man came up to me. His striking blue eyes glistened. Jack Bolton.

"Officer." I nodded my head at him.

"Your lip is bleeding. Lets get you to the medic." He walked me over to the medic who checked me out. I showed him all the fading bruises and the fresh one on my stomach.

After they were finished Jack read me my rights and took me into the cop car. I closed my eyes and leaned back on the seat. The cops blocked off my house and were cleaning it up. Jack drove me down to the station and pulled me out, walking me up the steps.

I sat in the interrogation room waiting for the lawyer they appointed me. A woman stepped in, she was a short very pretty African American woman. "Holly McKessie." She held out her hand and I shook it

"Gabriella Montez." I rubbed my wrists which were sore from the hand cuffs.

"What do you do Miss Montez?" She sat in the seat next to me.

"I am a columnist at the Times Newspaper." I relaxed.

She raised her eyebrows, "My daughter works there, she writes pieces in the Art and Living section."

"Taylor right?" I asked and she nodded. "I think I've met her once before."

"So tell me how did a girl like you get caught up in this?" She pulled out a paper.

"Well I've been in a relationship with Matthew Gray for a couple of years. He started abusing me physically, sexually and emotionally for most of it. I just put up with it because I knew he would try to kill me if I ever left." I wiped the tears starting to fall from my eyes. "My dad always told me he would be here to protect me, but he isn't. He passed away 10 years ago and I had to protect myself." She looked at me and nodded for me to continue "A couple of months ago I stopped caring about everything. I showed everybody what he did to me and my friend Sharpay took me to a doctor after a rough beating a month ago. Dr. Danforth called the cops and they arrested Matt for possession of cocaine and domestic violence."

"Any other drugs?" She asked me.

"Marijuana and cocaine is all he did." I said. "I got a call today that Matt broke out yesterday and they lost track of him and I knew he was coming for me. So I pulled out my dad's old shot gun and I waited for him to come. About an hour later he shows up and starts yelling at me. He hit my face and I fell and picked up the gun and pointed it at him. He punched me in the stomach and I shot him in the head." I looked at my shaking hands then back at Mrs. McKessie. I took a deep breath. "I called Officer Bolton and now we are here."

"Well then. Let me go get an officer and we can talk about this." She walked out and I took a sip of my water. I knew what I was getting into when I took that gun out of the storage. I was just paying the consequences of it. The officers came in and I told them the story I told Mrs. McKessie. I had to stay at the jail for a week then I was going to trial.

Being in Jail was just as I thought it would be. Terrifying and boring. Shit food and shit mattresses. I kept to myself the week that I was in there. I was going on Trial today. I got out and got changed into some decent clothes. Officer Bolton put my hand cuffs on and lead me up the stairs of the courtroom. There wasn't much media attention which I was grateful for. I walked in and sat down next to Mrs. McKessie. She was firm that I was going to be fine. I had nothing to worry about.

The trial started and each lawyer reviewed the case. They put a couple of neighbors and Dr. Danforth on the stand. Then they called me to the stand. I walked up there and sat down. I looked out in the crowd and saw Troy, Sharpay and Ryan sitting in the back of the room. I knew I couldn't show any emotion. I cut myself off of emotions for the past week and a half. Each lawyer asked me questions and I answered them honestly. They told me that Matt was pronounced dead at the hospital a couple hours after I shot him. He was never going to hurt me anymore.

I got off the stand and the court was called to recess for the jury to come to their decision. I sat in a back room by myself. I heard the door open. "They let me come see you." I heard Sharpay say from behind me.

I turned to her and got up and hugged her. She was the closest thing to family I had here. "I missed you so much." I squeezed her and wiped my eyes. "I was so scared! He can't hurt me anymore Shar"

"I know" She rubbed my back. "I know. Troy misses you." She said, pulling back and smiling at me.

"I miss him." I smiled slightly. " A lot."

"He never stops talking about you. He totally likes you." She smiled at me. "They only gave me like 5 minutes so before they take me away I gotta go." She kissed my cheek and walked out.

I sighed and sat back down and closed my eyes. I heard the door open and closed again. "Hello beautiful" I saw Troy lean against the table.

I looked at Troy and smiled slightly. "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm alright, how are you?" He ran his fingers through my hair.

"I really need a cigarette." I laughed slightly. I leaned my head against his hand. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He smiled at me. "I'm hoping you get out today. All your things are at my house already. I fixed up your apartment too. All you need to do is sell it."

I smiled at him. "Why are you so nice to me?"

"You've been through so much shit. You deserve something good and stable in your life." He smiled at me. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you later."

"Thank you Troy for everything." I said watching him walk out. He just winked at me and closed the door.

Officer Bolton and Mrs. McKessie came in and took me back into the courtroom. I sat down and they reviewed the case briefly.

"The jury has come to a verdict."

I walked out of the courtroom with Troy. They ruled it as self defense. I got to go to my new house with Troy. He was such a sweetheart. We decided to give our relationship a chance and we have been together now for 6 months. Things have never been better. I got my job back and I lived with my wonderful boyfriend and I knew he would never hurt me. My dad would be so proud of me. He would have loved Troy. I wish that they could have met each other.