Month after month after month, Troy found himself not only in self-destruction, but engulfing himself in a habit that he really didn't want to be in.
It was his lifeline. He lived on it. He couldn't wait to come home every day, hand Talon off to the babysitter, and ride off into the sunset surrounded by stripping girls, drunk friends, and most importantly, the drinks themselves. He found joy in spiking his friends' drinks and watching them slowly go into their drunken modes. They all danced around with the strippers and acting like nothing else in the world matter. There was no Talon, there was no mom and dad, no Ally, no Gabriella, nothing. It was heaven on earth to Troy.
Troy became annoyed at the consistent sound of the construction next door and rolled in his drunken sleep. He covered his head with the dainty white pillow and snuggled deeper into the warm blankets.
It was now the end of June, going on July.
He groaned and sat up, rubbing his blood-shot eyes and wondering what he did the night before. He could never remember anything.
Nor could be remember that he had a son to take care of.
At least he remembered to call the babysitter.
He grabbed his jeans that were hanging off the side of the bed and slowly slipped them on, being careful not to upset his sore body.
He suddenly heard Talon's screams of terror.
It sounded like Talon had just woken up from a nightmare.
Troy immediately grabbed his phone, sighing, and dialed a number that was inscribed in his heart. He knew it so well he could say it without fault.
"What now, Troy?" A girl's voice came over the phone. She sounded irritated.
"Hi Wendy, how are you doing?" Troy tried to seem as innocent and as sweet as possible.
"Don't sweet talk me, Troy. I thought you said you were going to spend your weekend with Talon." Obviously, Talon's screams were heard in the background.
"I just need you to watch him for today. Just one day, Wendy."
"Troy, you said I could have weekends off. That hasn't happened since early December, since I started babysitting him."
"I'm sorry! I have things to do today. I'll pay you extra, I promise. Just for one more day!"
The girl groaned over the phone. "I'll be there in five minutes. But this is the last day this weekend that I'm watching him. And go stop him from crying! Jesus Christ Troy, you're not even giving him the love he needs!"
"I will, I will." He said. "He just woke up."
The phone died and Troy threw it on the bed with a sigh.
Troy walked directly past Talon's room and into the kitchen, where he grabbed some milk and a bowl of cereal. From a bottle, he poured clear, sparkling juice into a cup. He sat down with it as a migraine rolled into his head.
"Damn it… " Troy set his head on the table. "I need another fucking hobby… "
His door opened and shut, and a small, skinny girl with auburn hair around eighteen walked inside.
She walked right past Troy.
"You're a screwed up father, you know… " Wendy said.
"Hello to you too, Wendy."
Talon's cries were immediately hushed as she walked into the room. He could hear Wendy cooing to Talon, and he sobbed a couple times as the word "daddy" came from his mouth. She still shushed him and told him how much of a good boy he was.
She walked out of the room with him and stood at the opposite end of the table in front of Troy. He slurped up some milk and set his bowl on the table. "What?"
"You are the worst father on this planet, Troy Bolton. This is your son. You should be taking care of him, not me."
"I'm just so busy with college and- "
"Don't give me that bull!" She yelled. "You were kicked out of college back in April, you ass! You're such a liar, a cheating, lying asshole. That's all you are. You can't take one day out of your boring life and spend a little time with your son."
Troy sat there like he was the victim of his own pride.
"You're a low-life." She moved towards the door. "Straighten your act up before you lose your kid." She slammed the door behind her.
Troy took a sip of his drink.
Spiked water, one of his favorites.
When life needed him, he wasn't there.
He was invisible, like Gabriella.
But life moved on while he stayed back.