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"I can't believe today, right now, marks one whole week since Riley's attack," said Gabriella quietly to herself as she stared at her packed suitcases in her bedroom after she looked at her watch on her wrist. Everything else in her bedroom had been packed up this past weekend, her stereo, her stuffed animals, her pictures on the walls, her picture frames. Not a single thing was left in her room but her clothes, the sheets on her bed, and a few personal items. There were also two picture frames still out. One of her with Taylor, Tessa, Sarah, and Beth taken a few weeks back when they were hanging out at Tessa's house and one of her and Troy on the night of the Masquerade Ball, given to her by Beth and Sarah in the light brown wooded frame with the word romance etched into the wood with two hearts on each side.
Despite everything Gabriella had agreed upon with her parents, after last week, there was no stopping what was happening today, an early departure for their summer destination. 'Unlike little than a week ago though, I couldn't agree more with my parents on our departure now. I can't stay here, not after everything,' thought Gabriella, closing her eyes against the memories of her numerous breakdowns in the past week, especially the one that sealed the decision on the Montez family leaving town and this house behind them.
After being careful over the last four days to avoid the formal dining room, the living room, and the entryway and confining herself mainly to the upstairs rooms, Gabriella decided that it was time to face her fears on Saturday afternoon. As she slowly crept down the stairs, taking her time, Gabriella was comforted by hearing her mom singing softly to some song on the radio in the loft, giving something for Gabriella to cling to that represented safety. Gabriella stood on the last step of the stairs, giving herself enough time to run back up the stairs if she wanted to before she set foot in the entryway hallway, relieved that nothing happened. 'Stupid Gabriella, what did you think was going to happen?' she silently chided herself. She became more adventurous and stepped a little more into the entryway, forcing herself to look around, grateful that everything was now cleaned up as the evidence had all been collected.
As she looked around, Gabriella was happy that all she saw really was just furniture and cream colored walls, no blood, nothing broken. She walked into the living room, running her hand over the back of the couch where she had laid her head that day before Riley appeared, having apparently snuck into the house via the unlocked door when Paul had gone out to get her bag from the car. Gabriella steeled herself for the flashbacks but thanked her lucky stars when nothing happened. Feeling a bit more comfortable and brave, Gabriella turned around and moved down the hall to the formal dining room.
Gabriella paused at the threshold, taking in a deep breath of air before she moved and felt the hardwood floor under her feet. That's when it hit her, every vivid detail from Riley's violation replaying and replaying in Gabriella's mind until she was down on the ground, sobbing from the feelings that played out again. In her mind, all Gabriella could see, all she could feel was Riley on top of her, his breath on her neck, his hands and cold steel touching her skin, the feeling of being ripped apart as he gave no care to her and what he was doing to her. The tears came and poured out of her as if she hadn't been crying for days before off and on, increasing as the memories increased in frequency, certain sounds replaying and replaying in her mind, the ripping of her clothes and underwear, Riley's grunts, her own screams. Just staring at where it all happened, the side of the formal dining room that was now spotless but having that soundtrack in her head began to drive her mad as she brought her legs up to her tightly and hugged them close to her body, unconsciously rocking back and forth until her father came rushing into the room from the family room.
"Gabriella? Gabriella? Sweetie, shh, it's all right, it's over," comforted Stephen as he held his daughter tight to him, as he and Annette had done countless times in the last few days. However, as many times as they had endured this same episode, Stephen found that his heart had never ceased to break with each tear his daughter shed, his only comfort being that the boy who did this to his baby girl wouldn't have a chance of seeing freedom until the trial set for the fall. Stephen had used his connections to make sure that Riley Sutton's bail was set too high for anyone to actually pay to get him out while also making sure that the victims names were not released, easy to do since they were minors, except for Paul.
After hearing the sobs and the sporadic screams from downstairs over the music Annette was listening to, she ran down the stairs to see that Stephen was already embracing Gabriella, letting her cry as she was tortured by the same flashbacks that seemed to haunt her without mercy. Annette sat down next to her family and wrapped her own arms around Gabriella, kissing her head as she felt Gabriella's body heave with another sob.
Stephen caught Annette's gaze and shook his head. "We need to leave here, we need to go early to Copanvy. She can't stay here in this house like this and we are only torturing Gabriella by staying here longer. We'll pack up and sell the house immediately. I'll have someone handle the business part here while we are gone."
"But what about our promise to her to come back?" questioned Annette, knowing that visiting was one thing but staying in Copanvy was a whole different story, not wanting to add something else for Gabriella to worry about.
"We will come back, I gave you and Gabriella my word on that, just not here. It's obvious that she needs to be in new surroundings and needs help. My mother already has been advised of the situation and has found someone discreet to help Gabriella while we are there," stated Stephen. "You must see this is the only option we have."
Annette bit her lip, a trait Gabriella had inherited from her, and reluctantly nodded, noticing at the same time that Gabriella's breathing was becoming more even. She pulled her daughter closer to her so that Gabriella's head was resting on Annette's shoulder as Stephen stood up and started making phone calls to get everything going.
"So we're leaving?" asked a quiet Gabriella, wiping away her tears.
"Just for the summer," replied Annette. "We'll come back to a new house and start again new, all right sweetie?"
Gabriella nodded her head, knowing that her parents knew better than her what she needed at the moment. 'I can't even live productively these days, how can I make my own decisions?' wondered Gabriella before she closed her eyes again, not wanting to look back at the formal dining room. She turned her head away and looked at the entryway, her eyes landing on the same spot that Paul had been knocked unconscious and knew that this was what she needed, to leave this house and hopefully the memories.
Gabriella was startled out of her memory at a knock on her door, surprise showing on her face at seeing Tessa and Taylor standing there. "Hey," greeted Gabriella, forcing a smile on her face, a sight that was too familiar to her two best friends.
"So today is the big day you're leaving, huh? We'll miss you all summer but at least you get to communicate with us this time, right?" stated Tessa. "No disappearing like the last time you left town?"
Gabriella shook her head. "No disappearing, promise. I guess you are here to say goodbye, huh?"
Taylor nodded her head. "Yes, we wanted to make sure we got one last visit in. It's going to be a long summer after all."
"Did you say good-bye to boyfriend yesterday?" asked Tessa, knowing she may be pushing it a bit.
Gabriella sadly nodded her head. "I don't think that term can rightfully be used with him right now though," replied Gabriella, staring off into the corner of her soon to be old room, remembering what happened yesterday.
It was Sunday morning and Gabriella knew that with them leaving tomorrow that she needed to see Troy and needed to tell him everything, including the secret which she knew he was close to piecing together on his own anyway. The previous night, after Gabriella had gone back upstairs and managed to get a grip on herself again, she had talked to both of her parents about telling Troy, Tessa, and Taylor the truth of who she and they all were before they left. Stephen and Annette had agreed that this was the best thing to do as no one knew what the media would spill and with these days of having sources everywhere, the truth or some sort of version of it was more likely to get out as each day passed with Riley's trial coming up in a few months. They, well her mother more so than her father, also trusted in Gabriella's judgment of these three teenagers to trust them enough to not do the wrong thing with this new information Gabriella was about to share. That and they wanted to make everything as easy as they could for their daughter, who was already battling more than she should have to at her age.
By the time Gabriella stood on the Bolton's front porch, sudden doubts had wormed their way into her mind as she waited for someone to answer the doorbell. Mrs. Bolton opened it and gave Gabriella a smile. "Hello Gabriella. Here to see Troy?"
Gabriella nodded her head. "Is he here?"
"Out in the back, playing basketball with his dad," informed Mrs. Bolton. "Why don't you come in and we'll go through the house to the backyard together? I need to get Jack in to get him ready for a visit with our friends across town anyway."
"Thanks," returned Gabriella before she stepped into the house, following Troy's mother through the house and to the back door that led to the backyard.
"Boys! Time to call it quits! Jack, you have twenty minutes to get ready if we are going to be on time for the visit with the Smiths," called out Mrs. Bolton, earning both her son's and her husband's attention.
Troy's gaze quickly switched over to Gabriella, who had a worried look on her face as she nibbled at the corner of her lip. The good mood and adrenaline he had going through the game vanished as he knew something serious was going on with his girlfriend. He barely noticed when his dad patted his back before running inside the house with his wife, greeting Gabriella in passing.
Once they were alone in the backyard, Gabriella walked down the steps of the back porch and slowly approached Troy, each step giving Troy a clearer view of her face, especially her eyes that now held tears. "Gabriella, what is it? Did something happen? Riley didn't escape and attack you again did he?" asked Troy, concerned with Gabriella's current state.
Gabriella shook her head immediately. "No, nothing like that. I think it's time we talk though Troy," said Gabriella in a small voice, bringing herself to finally look Troy in the eyes. "You need to know the truth of who I am, from me, before I tell you everything else."
Troy nodded his head, knowing that Gabriella was about to tell him the answers to all the questions that had been running around in his head since Monday. The two sat down on the grass next to the basketball court, Gabriella fighting the urge to lean into his shoulder as she usually did. 'God this is so hard,' thought Gabriella before she looked back at Troy.
"You mentioned something to me in the hospital about how you were curious as to who I was to have armed guards of sorts around me. I think you convinced yourself I was some secret Hollywood star. I'm not that, I couldn't act my way out of a bag," stated Gabriella. "The secret then? It can maybe be best explained by telling you who Paul is. Paul is my personally assigned bodyguard."
"I figured that much earlier this week," returned Troy, nodding his head again.
Gabriella took in a deep breath, breaking off a blade of grass from the lawn and playing with it before she spoke again. "I have a bodyguard, well now a team who is probably stationed discreetly in different parts of this backyard and in the front as we speak, because I'm not your average girl, as much as I wish I was. Since I was seven, I've known who I was but it never was real to me, not until my father came home and announced something had happened, something had changed to make it all that much more real and permanent. Troy, I'm a princess of a small country somewhere in Europe, a country called Copanvy."
After not hearing anything from Troy for several moments, she turned her head to see Troy swallowing hard, looking deep in thought as he looked off in the distance. "Wow," he finally murmured, not able to find a better word for what he was feeling at the moment. "An actual princess?"
"Yes," whispered Gabriella, hating this awkwardness. "When I vanished for three weeks, my father came home to tell us that his parents, the current King and Queen of Copanvy, had agreed to finally officially recognize us as his family. Our family's history is long and complicated but the summary is that my grandparents forbade my father from seeing a commoner like my mother when they met on my mom's travels during college when she was studying abroad. My father is a second son so he was always allowed to dress normally and was less recognized as he wasn't heir. However, that leniency was revealed to not extend to his choice in a bride. My father and mother continued to sneak around seeing each other until one of his friends betrayed him, exposing the relationship to my grandparents, who immediately gave him an ultimatum. Life as a royal or be with my mother. My father chose my mother and they secretly wed, setting up a life in the United States, a far distance away from my father's family, at least they thought. My father was around for the first seven years of my life until my grandparents reached out to him and asked for him to come back to Copanvy.
"At first, my father didn't want to go but as he had grown up there, my mother saw that he really did miss his home country and knew that my father's sense of duty to his country and now to his new family was tearing him apart. When he dared to ask if he could bring myself and my mother along, my grandparents outright refused, not willing to recognize the legitimacy of our family so my mother made the decision for him and told him to go. Since then, my father has visited us here and there every year, always keeping tabs of where my mother and I were despite the moves. My parents still love each other a lot but my mother made the decision for us all that my father needed to return while they agreed they wanted to raise me as a normal child and later teenager, that is until this year.
"When the end of March came, I couldn't have been happier. You and I had just gotten together, I was settling in all right into the new school despite Riley, and I had found some great friends here too. Then came the phone call from my father to my mother the night of the Spring Fling. My uncle, the first son of the royal family of Copanvy, got into a pretty bad car accident and eventually died while we were there for those three weeks. My father flew to Albuquerque to escort us there early on Sunday morning and I was told that I was going back with him, that I couldn't say anything to anyone. Everything happened so fast that I didn't even think to sneak a text until we were there in a limo on the way to the palace. My dad saw me with my cell phone on and poised to send a text to you when he took it away, knowing then that he couldn't trust me not to get in touch with you or Tessa or Taylor. He was right since I was after all trying to get in touch with you but that's why you never heard from me. There were some computers but they were in random places and even when I got into the city where there were cafes I always had someone with me, watching me."
Troy took some time to absorb everything in, a bit shocked at how much bigger the secret really was than just Gabriella being some famous singer or actress or model. "So that's why you came back with new guy Paul? He was to watch over you? How come you got hurt then when he was around?"
"Because as much as he was there to protect me, he still had a duty to respect my orders and wishes. I told him not to interfere when Riley bruised my arm at school that day but after that, he did everything he could. He got stabbed because of me, just as you were stabbed and hurt because of me on Monday," replied Gabriella, tears gathering in her eyes again at the memory. "God I feel so, so guilty still."
"Hey, come here," said Troy, wrapping his arms around Gabriella and bringing her closer to him, letting her tuck her head in the crook of his neck, her favorite spot as she cried a little. "I'm sure Paul doesn't blame you Gabriella, just as I never could."
"He says he doesn't just as you don't but you both are just being the nice guys that you are, you should be blaming me," returned Gabriella. "If I had never been born, none of this would have happened."
"No, no more talk like that Gabriella," stated Troy in a much stronger voice, pulling away to look into Gabriella's now drying eyes. "You would have deprived the world of so much had you not been born, you would have robbed me of the chance to learn what real love was like, to realize that there are many more sides to people than where they go to school and their favorite sport. If nothing else, I am glad you were born, that you came into my life, don't you forget that!"
"I don't know what I did to deserve you Troy," mumbled Gabriella, not believing how very caring he was of her. "So it doesn't faze you that I'm a princess, huh?"
Troy thought for a few moments before he replied, "To be honest, it does, it actually intimidates me a lot but that's what you are, not who you are. Who you are is still the sweet girl that stole my heart away by just singing with me during some stupid teen club thing up in the mountains. I don't know how I'd fit into your life now though."
Gabriella didn't have an answer for that. 'I don't even know how I fit in my own life,' sadly thought Gabriella. "The other reason why I came over was to tell you that I'm leaving with my parents for Copanvy tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? I thought you were going to stay for another few weeks at least," returned Troy, surprised at the sudden change in plans. "Did something happen?"
"Me and the stupid mess that is me," replied Gabriella, refusing to look Troy in the eyes again. "I'm just so messed up Troy, even I can see it. I hate who I am, what I've become in the last week. I tear up and sob at the smallest provocation, I have flashbacks to that afternoon, I can feel Riley on me all the time without even realizing I do. I'm just no good to be around right now Troy, at least not as I am currently."
"Whoa, hang on for a second, what are you saying Gabriella? Brie, please, we can work through this together," pleaded Troy, moving so he was now sitting right in front of her, giving her no choice but to look at him. "You don't have to shut me out like this. I know this is a lot to handle on both of our parts but I'm not ready to see you go, not like this."
"But this isn't fair to you Troy. Can you really look me in the eye right now and tell me you have no issue with how clingy I have been this past week? That you really aren't bothered when I flinch when you touch me, wake up screaming from naps, zoning out as I have? You can't tell me you aren't affected and look me in the eye, I've seen those hurt looks on your face Troy and I don't blame you at all for feeling that way, but at the same time, I can't help the way I am now. I wish that I could and I do plan on working on getting better while I'm gone, but it's not fair to keep you tied to me when I don't even know what's going to happen," said Gabriella. She reached out and placed the palms of her hands on both of Troy's cheeks. "I want you to be with me when I can offer you everything I have before, not when I can only offer you what little I have now. Right now, especially because I don't even know what my life will be like this summer, I think it would be best for you to keep your options open."
Troy bitterly shook his head. "So this is it then? You're giving me no say in the matter?"
Gabriella allowed a tear to roll down her cheek, letting it flow and drop down to her shirt. "I'm doing what I think is best for us Troy, what's best for you. It's bad enough I feel so unworthy to even be in your presence right now and we've had this same talk several times this week but I can't get over it, how you deserve better than some used girl like me."
"Listen to me, you aren't used, you aren't a slut, you aren't all those terrible things you keep saying you are," stated Troy, bending his head so he could see Gabriella's eyes that were now downcast. "You aren't, honestly."
"But I feel that way Troy, that's what I feel I am," replied Gabriella. "I just need this time to make myself whole again. I need to get away from a house full of bad memories."
"Also good memories too Brie," Troy gently reminded her. "Like our movie nights where you and I would watch a movie each of us picked out and share a huge bowl of popcorn, or the game nights we would have with your mom and Tessa or even the few times the whole group of our mismatched friends hung out there. Don't let Riley rob you of all those, please."
Gabriella nodded her understanding. "You're right, you always are. Look Troy, either way we end this, I'm leaving tomorrow for Copanvy. I promise I'll be in touch but I don't know what else will happen between today and when I return."
"So there are still plans of returning?" questioned Troy, hope in his voice.
Gabriella smiled at hearing this. "Yes, as far as I know we are. Just promise me Troy you'll keep your options open okay? We both have a lot to think about and work out in the next few months and I just don't want to hold you back."
Troy let out a heavy sigh. "All right, if this is what you need, I'll give you the space but I am not promising to date anyone else."
"Thank you," whispered Gabriella before she leaned in to share one last passionate kiss with the young man who occupied more of her heart than she ever thought possible.
"Hello! Earth to Gaby!" yelled Tessa, waving her left hand in front of Gabriella's face for the fifth time. "Come back!"
Gabriella blinked a few times as she refocused on her two best friends, who were now sitting on the bed beside her. "Sorry," apologized Gabriella. "Got stuck in the memory from yesterday."
"Hopefully it's a good memory. How did you leave things with Troy?" asked Tessa.
"We're giving each other space, well he's giving me the space I need while I have given him leeway as well. I don't want to tie him down while I deal with my issues, both those related to last week and the ones related to what I am, which is also why I am glad you came, both of you," said Gabriella, looking at Taylor and Tessa both in the eyes. "What I'm about to say to you is something I want to tell you as you are my best friends and I trust that you will use your discretion with the news I have for you. In fact, I'm asking you to please promise me you won't say anything of this to anyone."
"Promise," replied Taylor while Tessa nodded her head in agreement.
"Tessa, remember the time you found the tiara in my closet when you were trying to find me something to wear, I think it was for the Spring Fling?" asked Gabriella.
Tessa thought for a moment and nodded her head, Gabriella's true identity that she had pondered over for the last few weeks slowly starting to be confirmed in Tessa's mind. "Yes, you said it was from a previous Homecoming Court princess thing at some old school."
"Well, I sort of lied. I was a Homecoming Court princess but I got a stupid sash with the title and a small plastic crown. The tiara you held that day in your hands was a real tiara, with real jewels, made out of real metal," explained Gabriella, holding her breath as she saw both girls absorb this news in, Taylor becoming pale while Tessa beamed back at her.
"I KNEW IT!" exclaimed Tessa. "I knew there was something special about you as soon as Paul started hanging around you! I didn't think you were necessarily a princess though, that's so awesome! Did you find out when you disappeared those weeks ago? Is Paul your bodyguard?"
"Not exactly and yes, Paul is one of my bodyguards. Tay, you aren't mad at me are you?" questioned Gabriella, seeing that Taylor still was quiet on the matter.
Taylor immediately shook her head, color returning to her face. "How could I be mad at you for what you are Gabriella? You're a princess, not the devil incarnate. I'm just surprised is all because that was the last thing I expected you to say. Not that many royal families exist in today's times though."
Gabriella nodded her head in agreement. "You know your stuff Taylor. I belong to the royal family of Copanvy."
"If I remember right from Geography class, that's a small country located in Europe, right?" returned Taylor, Tessa staring at her best friend in shock.
"You are correct," replied Gabriella with a smile.
"How did you know that?" asked Tessa.
Taylor shrugged. "I pay attention to everything at school, just like you do, but I try to store more information long term because of the Scholastic Decathlon team."
Tessa rolled her eyes. "Leave it to Taylor to actually make me feel stupid," muttered Tessa before Taylor and Gabriella smiled at their friend.
"God, I am so going to miss you guys," stated Gabriella, giving each of them a watery smile.
"Hey now, no more tears! Especially on our account!" demanded Tessa. "You'll be back in three months and you have email and your cell phone or something like it to keep in touch. You aren't allowed to go underground this time or I will personally fly out there and kick your behind."
Gabriella genuinely laughed at Tessa, the first time in the last week either Taylor or Tessa had heard the sweet sound. "I wouldn't put it past you Tessa to actually do that either."
"You know it!" returned Tessa. "We will miss you too though, don't you worry. While you're gone though we'll keep an eye out on lover boy. If he steps one foot out of line, we'll be on his behind, promise."
"Be easy on him Tess, he's only going to be enjoying the space I gave him. Troy has a lot of things to deal with if he wants to still be with me at the end of these next few months so I expect he'll be thinking a lot, just like I will be. Part of the reason why I'm doing this is to fix myself. I hate seeing the hurt look on his face when I freak out at his touch and the concerned looks you guys exchange when I start crying or the moments we share where I just snap at you guys for no reason. That's not me and I need to get the help I need while dealing with who I am now," said Gabriella. "I don't understand how I can be fine like I am now and then at the smallest thing flip out as I have been and that worries me."
Gabriella moved her head towards her door when she heard a discreet cough and saw a smiling Paul there. "Gabriella, we have to get you going. Your parents sent me up to let you know you need to say good-bye to your friends and for us to start bringing down your bags."
She nodded her head in understanding as she stood up, looking at her best friends again. "I guess this is it then. I know you probably have so many more questions about things and I promise I will answer everything, especially for you Tessa as you always have an inquiring mind, but I guess that's it for now. Please don't treat me or judge me any differently for it."
Both girls shook their heads. "Never," replied Taylor, being the first to hug Gabriella tightly before Tessa did the same.
"No matter what you are, you will always be our girl," stated Tessa with a grin. "And hey, how many girls get to say their best friend is a true freaking authentic princess?"
Taylor laughed while Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Remember, this is between us."
"I know, I know," Tessa fake whined. "You never let me have any fun."
Gabriella slid the two remaining picture frames into her carry-on along with her personal items and then zipped up her bag, leaving the teddy bear to be carried with her in her arms.
"Troy's teddy bear? Even apart you are still all gushy," teased Tessa before getting hit lightly on the arm by Taylor.
"Thank you Taylor," said Gabriella before the three girls followed Paul and some of the other security team members downstairs, Gabriella being careful to not look to her left and leaving the house immediately, not allowing herself to linger downstairs. Before she got into the chauffeured sedan, Gabriella gave both of her best friends one last hug before sitting down next to her mother, who waved at the girls before Paul closed the door.
Tessa and Taylor watched as the sedan drove off, both lost in their own thoughts of what they had just learned about their best friend, neither of them seeing Troy, who had watched everything half way down the street, a few tears escaping his own eyes as the sedan disappeared from view.