Another blow like the one he just dealt Gabriella and she knew she wouldn't be able to take it. God, she should have seen it coming. She had hurt him, she deserved it. She deserved what he had done to hurt her and she knew it. She tried to convince herself that he had not just said what she knew he did. She would give anything not to have heard those words, but even if he hadn't told her, the fact remained the same. He had fucked her... to hurt her. To make himself feel better. Whatever reason he had done it for, it did hurt and she wanted anything to wish that it wasn't the truth.
She wanted to scream at him to take it back, say it isn't so, but she sat there, her arms wrapped around her legs, forehead resting on her knees. She wanted him to say he didn't fuck her Anything but that! It was like a nail in their coffin. She had never slept with anyone but him. She had never given herself to anyone but him. Yes, she knew that he had been with Sharpay when they weren't together, but that was different. They had still been together when he... She wished he would say he didn't fuck her.
She had lost him because she had cared more about her career and her fame more than him and the family they could have and should have had. It wasn't true, but that's how he saw it. And if anyone else were to see what Gabriella had done, that's what they'd think too. She wanted her career, but she wanted all of it. She wanted him and Tori too, but she had made the decisions she made and couldn't take them back.
She was left with nothing. She needed Troy. She needed him more than anything, but he was gone. She needed him more than anything, but she didn't now what to do to get him back. He was too pissed at her, and even though he had the right, she still wanted to have him back. She wanted his forgiveness, even if she didn't deserve it. She had nothing without him and she knew it. She had tried her best to get him to understand how sorry she was and how badly she knew she had messed up, but he wasn't having any of it. She deserved everything she got from him and then some.
The rest of the flight was quiet. He wouldn't even look at her. He did his best not to touch her, and she tried harder to keep her tears from falling. But she had to stay strong. They rented a car from one of the rental kiosks and Troy drove as Gabriella sat in the passenger seat, one leg crossed over the other, keeping her eyes off of him. It was the only way she could stay strong.
She directed him how to get to her aunt's house and that was pretty much all that was said. He parked the car and she opened her own door, knowing he wouldn't come open it for her. He hadn't opened it for her to get in back at the airport. Pulling her purse more over her shoulder, she walked ahead of him toward the door. She knew she had to keep her head held high, it was the only way she could get through this.
Reaching up, Gabriella rang the doorbell, pulling her arms back and wrapping them around her small frame, waiting for Titi Esmeralda to open the door. It was about almost two, so Tori was most likely at school still. The door opened and Esmeralda Romero was wiping her hands on a towel. Her eyes widened, looking between the two of them.
"Gabriella..."
Gabriella knew she had caught her off guard, and should have called, but Gabriella hadn't even thought about it until this moment. Esmeralda slowly smiled, the brightness in her eyes increasing with her smile, before stepping out toward her, wrapping her arms around her niece. Pulling back, Esmeralda shook her head, her smile remaining on her face.
"What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you. I am! I've missed you!"
She looked over at the guy again and back to Gabriella. "¿Quién es este?"
Gabriella looked over at Troy for a moment before looking back at her aunt. "This is Troy Bolton, Titi Esme... Tori's father."
Esme turned back to look at him, smiling over at him, taking a step back. She knew what this meant. Gabriella wouldn't be here, especially with Tori's papa if she wasn't here for her, if they weren't here for her.
"Come in. Tori and I were getting ready to go shopping. She's in her room."
Troy's stomach was in knots all day, he was almost sick when we finally got there because he was so damn nervous. He was about to meet his daughter. His little girl. The child he had helped to create. The child he never knew existed until a few days ago. That would make anyone sick.
When her aunt opened the door, he couldn't help but feel his anger rise inside. She was another person that took a man's child away and didn't feel sorry about it. Troy let Gabriella walk in ahead of him, but remained by the door.
"You know, I just, found out, that I have a daughter, and as nice as you're being, I would really like to meet my daughter now. It's enough she probably believes that her mother and I never loved her, I don't want her to believe she has to be afraid of me, or that she has no right to be with me alone."
Gabriella had never seen Troy be so cold in her entire life. Yes, he was hurtful toward her last night and this morning, but he was here, berating her aunt because of a decision Gabriella had made. She hadn't even known who Troy was before now. Gabriella never told her who Tori's father was. It wasn't as though she knew she was keeping her from him. Esmeralda was innocent in this. He didn't need to yell at her for this.
Gabriella wanted to tell him that he was out of line, but aside from getting upset with my aunt, Gabriella knew he had every right to feel what he did. And if she didn't let him get it out, he'd be even more angry at both of them. Instead, she wrapped her arms tightly over her breasts, looking over at her aunt. She was a gentle woman. She wouldn't yell at him for what he was doing either. She was too nice of a lady.
"I'm her father. And I want my time with her, something I was never granted before because of Gabriella, to be alone." He looked between the two of them before continuing. "Could I take her out? Maybe she and I can get to know each other. I suppose Gabriella can come so she doesn't get scared. But I'd really like our time be alone. Just me and her. Because any parent's first moments with their children are personal, are they not? It's not my fault Gabriella believed I didn't have the right to that. And I think you've people have taken enough of my rights away."
Esmeralda shook my head, looking between my niece and Tori's father, smiling at Troy. Even though her heart was aching. When they were done, they'd take Tori with them, and Esme would probably never see her again. She knew this day would come. From the moment Gabriella told me she was leaving her with me, Esme knew that she'd never be able to stay away. She could tell when she gave birth to her that she loved her, even though she was determined to give her to her aunt to take care of her. Esme knew she'd never be able to stay away. To say the least she was surprised she had stayed as long as she had.
"Troy, in all fairness, I didn't know about you, just as you didn't know about your daughter. My niece never told me who Tori's father was, and honestly, knowing now that she knows you are her father, I'm sure she knew at the time, and that disappoints me." She turned her stern gaze over to Gabriella, still speaking to Troy. "It disappoints me even more that she would keep this perfect little girl from you." Then she looked back over at Troy.
"I can understand how you're feeling. You have every right to feel it. I will go get her. I told her to come down a few minutes ago. So, I will bring her down to you. Stay here and I'll let her know you're here."
Turning to Gabriella, she gave her a disappointed shake of her head. "I really hope this was worth it." And with that, she turned and walked up the stairs, leaving the two of them alone.
"Tori," Esme said, opening up her door and walking into the room.
She looked back at me from where she was laying on her bed with her laptop on as usual, managing her fantasy basketball team.
"I said it was time to go, Tori."
Tori winced, logging of of the site and turning her laptop off, biting her lip, wincing. "Sorry, Titi. I'm coming."
Shaking her head, Esme sat down on the bed, patting the bed. "Ven a sentarte conmigo."
She slid over on the bed to sit by her aunt. "Am I in trouble?" she asked, seriously upset that she was going to get in trouble. "I'm sorry I didn't come down."
Esmeralda shook her head, smiling softly down at her. "Some one is downstairs to meet you."
She looked up at her aunt expectantly. "Who? Is it Mitch Kupchack? Did he bring my season tickets?"
Esmeralda laughed shortly, shaking her head softly. "Your parents are downstairs. Both of them."
Tori's eyes widened. She knew Gabriella was her mother, or rather the actress Ella Leigh was, but because Esmeralda never knew who her father was, she couldn't ever tell her.
"She brought him?" she asked, standing up, waiting for my answer.
"Yes." Her eyes brightened even more and she ran out of her room and down the stairs to see them.
Troy had meant to say sorry before Esmeralda left, but hecouldn't muster up the words to do so, so he kept quiet, not even looking at Gabriella. He wondered what his daughter looked like... like me... more like her mother. Dark hair. Light hair... blue eyes... brown... Was she tall? Was she short? Troy was certain whatever she looked like, she'd be the most gorgeous girl in the world. He felt unsteady on his feet, his breathing picking up slightly at the thought of seeing my daughter.
Lifting his head, he heard feet, instinctively turning to Bri, giving her a weak smile out of pure habit and snapped my eyes back to the stairs when he realized what he was doing. He saw a little girl, dark brown hair, who reminded me of a perfect mixture of her mother and me stop at the top of the steps and gasp. His heart did a flip and he found himself fighting the tears. He was smiling so big, he was sure it would break his face.
"My daddy is Troy Bolton! No way!"
Running down the steps, she didn't even give him a chance to step toward her before she jumped from a few stairs up into his arms and hugging his neck tightly. He hugged her back just as tight, tears rolling down his face as he buried my face in her hair.
"I can't believe Troy Bolton is my daddy!" She said, pulling back to hold my face, brushing at my tears. "Why are you crying, daddy? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Troy took in a sharp breath, wondering how she knew who he was, but not really caring. "I'm just really happy. Really really happy. I have never been happier than I am right now. Of course I'm happy, Princess." He had imagined for years what his and Bri's daughter would look like and she went above and beyond how perfect he believed she'd be. "You're beautiful," he told her, sniffling some and wiping his face with one of his hands as he held her in his other arm.
Gabriella's heart was in her throat. Titi Esme had sent her a few pictures throughout the years through her email, but she couldn't save any of them. Someone would have found out. She always had to delete them as soon as she got them. But she was even more amazing than Gabriella could remember. She was beautiful. She looked just like Troy with a little of Gabriella thrown in.
She knew who he was... How, Gabriella had no idea, but she knew him. She was about to cry. This was the most perfect moment Gabriella could ever remember. She knew things weren't good between the two of them right now, even if she could have sworn he smiled at her for a brief moment before Tori came running down into his arms. They were so perfect together. Gabriella bit her lip, doing her best to keep her tears back. She took a step closer to them, taking a shaky breath.
"Hi, Tori," she spoke softly.
Tori looked to glare at her like she was interrupting something she shouldn't have. Gabriella pushed forward anyway, doing her best to stay strong.
"Your daddy and I would like to take you out for breakfast. Would you like that?"
She looked back at Troy. "I want to go to breakfast with you, Daddy!" She hugged him tightly, pretty much ignoring the fact that Gabriella was even there. She pulled back, looking at Dante, her face bright. "I always knew you'd come! I knew that you'd come for me! You would have come before, but you didn't know about me, right? Just like my Titi didn't know who you were? I can't believe you're my daddy! I can't believe my daddy is Troy Bolton! You're like the greatest point guard of all time! I know I should probably like the Warriors, because I live here in San Francisco, but the Lakers are the most awesome team! And you're my daddy! This is sooooo cool!"
Well, that explained it. She was a basketball fan. Gabriella never would have imagined that, but she wasn't surprised. It was her daddy's favorite sport. It wasn't a shock at all that she would love the sport too. Gabriella couldn't have asked for anything better than this for them meeting the first time. It was perfect... now only if Troy could forgive me.
Troy found himself chuckling. "I never met a fan bigger than you, Princess. That makes me very happy. Why don't you go pack and make sure you get exactly what you want. We're going on a trip." She said okay and run up the steps after he set her down and he turned to look back at Gabriella "Thank you. For giving birth to her. Thank you for finding her a home, a family that loved her till I could get her. I see this was best for her. If she had been stuck with you... she wouldn't be this happy."
That was cold, even for Troy, but in his heart of hearts he believed it. She would have shipped the poor girl all over the world, chasing her dreams and forgetting she existed. He knew she would. She was that focused on being the best actress, the top, that she wouldn't even see how miserable her own child was.
"I'm going to apologize to your aunt. Because she didn't deserve my anger. She did the best she could... and you are the one to blame. Seems you lied to everyone." He shook my head, and left to talk to Esmeralda.
His words stung like no other. Gabriella knew she had no right to be feeling like she was. She had brought this all on herself and she had to face the music. He was angry with her. More than she could have ever imagined. She knew he was going to be, but she never imagined this much. Even if his words hurt, he was right about giving Tori a happy family. Gabriella gave her what she needed. Gabriella knew she couldn't be the mother Tori deserved, so that's why she asked her aunt to take care of her. It wasn't ideal, but Gabriella knew this way Tori would be happy. But Gabriella didn't do it because she didn't love her daughter. She loved her with all her heart, just like she loved her daddy. Gabriella wanted what was best for her, and since she couldn't give her that with Troy, he gave her to my aunt to raise.
"In spite of what you think, Troy, I love my daughter, and even if you are angry with me, I love you too. I will never stop loving you. I want to be able to make this up to you two, and I'm not going to stop trying to prove to either of you that I love you. I know I've made my mistakes, but that doesn't mean I should be able to fix things. I know I hurt you. I know I hurt her, but we're a family, Dante. We should give that to her. Even if I don't deserve it, she deserves a family. And I can be the mother she deserves."
Gabriella wanted to say she could be the wife he deserves, but they hadn't even talked about marriage since we had gotten back together, and now she wouldn't even dare bring it up. She know she was still scared, but she could do it... for their family. Before Troy could respond, Esme had brought down a few bags for Tori and said she'd get the rest of her things packed up for when they could take them back to L.A. with them. Troy had apologized to Esme for the way he had treated her and she told him not to worry about it, giving Gabriella another stern look. Tori brought a Laker's jersey with the number Troy had worn as she ran back down the stairs with her laptop bag and her basketball.
"Daddy, would you sign my jersey and my ball for me?"
Troy leaned down, picking up his daughter. "I will sign whatever you want. But for now, why don't we go to the zoo? You like animals?"
Tori's eyes brightened as she nodded. "Can we see the polar bears?"
Troy laughed, nodding his head happily. "Of course we can. Are they your favorite animal?"
"Yep! What's yours?"
"Lions are my favorite," he told her, heading out the front door with his daughter and the suit case.
Gabriella leaned over, picking up the other bag her aunt had brought down as Esme grabbed her arm.
"You make sure you fix this mess, Gabriella. You're the only one who can."
She couldn't say anything to that, all she could do was nod. "Grasias, Titi." And with that, she left, walking out to join Troy and her daughter at the car. They were a family now and even though they weren't picture perfect, they would pretending. Gabriella was an actress, wasn't she? This was going to be the hardest act she'd ever have to pull off. But it was worth it. She would do anything for Tori and Troy. Anything.