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"What do you want Troy?" asked Gabriella, not even having to look up from her diary to know that he had entered her personal lounge. "Ignoring your calls should have said something to you."
Troy stared at the love of his young life and felt sadness spread through his body as he saw that she didn't even deem him worthy to look at. "I know Brie but I had to come to you tonight, if not to at least see that you were okay after testifying but to also tell you something happened at school today. From the very little Paul said to me, I think you saw something that happened in the halls of East today, something you should never have seen."
Gabriella's head jerked up at this so she could stare at Troy. "Something I should have never have seen? Troy, if it isn't bad enough to get a picture of you kissing another girl right before I went through hell on the stand, you have the audacity to stand there and tell me I shouldn't have seen it? That your little cheating should have been kept a secret from me?"
"No! That's not what I meant Brie, honest," defended Troy. "I meant that you found out before I could tell you, like I wanted to. I also meant that you should never have seen what happened because it never should have happened. You don't deserve that."
"You're right, I don't, not after everything that's happened especially," agreed Gabriella. "So why'd you do it Troy?"
Troy took in a deep breath before venturing to sit down on a couch near the yellow accent chair Gabriella was curled up on. He looked into the crackling fireplace for a few minutes before he found the courage to look back at Gabriella. "You aren't going to believe me but I'm going to tell you the truth anyway. I was walking with Chad down the hall and dropped him off at his locker when we saw Taylor waiting for him. I continued on walking to our locker and was about to round the corner when Stephanie, a member of the cheerleading squad, launched herself towards me, wrapping her arms around my neck as she smashed her lips against mine. I tried pushing her off gently but ended up having to use greater force to break her hold on me. I didn't kiss her back but I know that her lips should have never touched mine and that I should have been faster. I'd understand if you hated me right now. I hate myself."
Gabriella looked at Troy, trying to decide if she believed him or not. Her mind was telling her that Troy was just trying to cover up his treachery while her heart was telling her that this young man in front of her never showed signs of straying before, that in fact Troy had proved over the last few months how very much he loved her. Her brown eyes searched his sad blue ones, seeing not only the depression but also the hurt he felt just then himself.
Suddenly, the door to her bedroom opened and Gabriella glanced up to see Taylor, Sharpay, and Tessa in the doorway. 'Oh God, Tessa is going to murder Troy,' thought Gabriella, surprised when the other girl didn't launch herself at Troy immediately or give him a dirty look. 'Or not…'
Taylor and Sharpay anxiously looked between Troy and Gabriella and both concluded they had gotten there just in time. "Gabriella, can we talk to you in private?" asked Taylor, looking at her best friend.
Troy, without saying a word, got up and left the room, leaving the three girls to sit on the couch he had been occupying.
"What is it Tay?" asked Gabriella, finding herself very tired all of a sudden.
"Can I see your phone?" asked Taylor, reaching out and taking the cell phone from Gabriella's hand. Taylor fiddled with it and brought up the picture text message, shaking her head sadly. "That really was what she was doing today then."
Gabriella looked back at Taylor confused. "What are you talking about?"
Sharpay stepped in and started explaining what she and Taylor had pieced together after school. "I lost my cell phone this morning in one of my first two classes, I think it was my second. I had it on my desk and then the next thing I knew, it was gone. I didn't find it until my last period when it mysteriously appeared on my desk before I even got into the room."
"Wait, so it wasn't you that sent me that picture?" asked Gabriella, not really knowing if she really cared or if that would make a difference.
"No, it wasn't me," replied Sharpay. "I'd kick Troy's ass before he kissed another girl instead of just taking a picture of him doing that, trust me."
"That's why I didn't jump him and throttle his behind when we first came in," added Tessa. "Taylor and Sharpay called me just after I was dropped off at home and came to pick me up, knowing you would need your best friends here for you right now. I had tried calling Sharpay secretly in that holding room but she didn't answer and I didn't dare leave a message with the guard in the room. Anyway, Sharpay and Tay explained to me in the car that Sharpay's phone was missing for most of the day and that Taylor thought Alicia was up to mischief today by little snippets she heard from the girl and the way she was behaving. I called Zeke on the way here and he told me he actually saw what happened as you know his locker is close to Troy's."
"What did Zeke say?" asked a quiet Gabriella, trying to absorb everything.
Before Tessa could say anything, Taylor asked, "Deep in your heart Gabriella, what do you think Zeke saw on his way to his locker?"
Gabriella blinked a few times as she looked back at one of her best friends and replied, "My mind is arguing this point out with my heart but since you asked about my heart, it believes there was a set up, that Troy didn't seek out this girl to kiss her or to make any advances on her. My heart believes he was in a situation he couldn't control and that he didn't in his heart betray me."
Sharpay, Tessa, and Taylor gazed back at their friend, all three realizing how much love the young woman had for the young man in her life, even after she saw something that should have in all rights completely destroyed that emotion.
"Let me guess, your mind says not to trust him right? That he hurt you bad?" returned Sharpay, knowing she was right especially after Gabriella nodded her head in agreement. "I think you should listen to your heart."
"Troy really does love you Gabriella. I even have proof in pictures and such that you two have that rare and genuine thing called love," stated Taylor. "Don't let some stupid and desperate plan to make you miserable succeed Gabriella."
"So you really think it was a set up?" asked Gabriella, somehow not all that surprised at how easily she accepted the suggested explanation.
Tessa moved and took Gabriella's hands in hers. "We don't think it, we know it was. Zeke saw the whole staged kissing scene in the hall with his own eyes and Zeke never lies, that much I know, especially when it comes to his friends. He told me on the phone that he was about to call out to Troy when he saw two girls talking before one indicated Troy was coming while the other launched herself on him, catching him by surprise. I even now know who stole Sharpay's phone and I'll give you one good guess with a hint. The hint is whoever stole Sharpay's phone is the same girl who took the picture and sent it to you, and is the same girl who probably led this whole little scheme for the cheerleader to surprise kiss Troy. She is also one very jealous and upset East High girl."
"Do you know how many girls I wouldn't put that past, now that everyone knows I'm a princess? I haven't gotten the warmest welcome at school lately but I can't blame them. More people seem to be friendlier than when I first got there but those who don't like me, really don't like me," responded Gabriella.
"But isn't there one out of all of them who you recognize would give anything to hurt you, as much as she believes she has been hurt by you?" pushed Sharpay.
Gabriella thought for a few moments before she realized who they were talking about. "Alicia," whispered Gabriella, looking back at her three best friends. "How could she?"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," remarked Sharpay.
"Oh God, how I just treated Troy," said Gabriella, misery overwhelming her. "I don't even think I let the possibility of the picture being fake enter my mind when I saw it earlier today, I just jumped to the conclusion he cheated on me."
"Hey, I'm sure you had a lot on your mind Gaby, that is to be expected. You aren't Superwoman who can handle all these situations at once and be expected to be rational full time," soothed Taylor. "I mean, even just hanging out at East and seeing Chad with his lips on another girl would make me crazy and would cause me to assume he was cheating too. It's natural human instinct. You may be sweet and understanding but you are no real perfect saint, you're human."
"Still though, I was so terrible to him. I need to talk to him. Oh God, what if he left and I'll never get the chance to talk to him again?" asked Gabriella.
Tessa gave her a half smile. "I bet you he's still here. Go out and find him Gaby, we'll wait here."
Gabriella looked one last time at her best friends before giving them each a hug and then running out of the room, tracking down her favorite butler to see if he knew where Troy was, which of course he did. She came to a screeching halt as she ran out to the back patio, seeing Troy lounging on one of the teak cushioned chaises, looking up at the dark sky. "Troy," said Gabriella in a quiet voice.
Troy heard his name softly called and quickly got up from the chaise, standing up just in time to catch Gabriella as she rushed into his arms. "Brie?" he asked, surprised to say the least to have her in his arms. He heard some muffled sniffling as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, letting her bury her head further into his neck where he felt warm moisture from her tears. "God Brie, I am so…"
"No, don't," begged Gabriella. "You don't have to be, I do. Troy I'm so sorry for the way I treated you earlier and for thinking the worst of you. I'm so sorry Troy."
Disbelief was written clearly across Troy's face as he heard his girlfriend's apology. He pulled away a little to look down at her as he wiped away some of the tears lingering on her cheeks with his right hand. "Brie, you aren't at fault here, I am."
"No, I am. You've stood by my side through so much, through the rivalry violence, the gossip at school, and most importantly through a time that was very rough for me after Riley raped me. That you could even look at me let alone touch me after that means so much to me that I can't believe I almost threw all that away over some stupid picture," said Gabriella.
"But my lips did touch another girl's today Brie, I'm not going to lie," argued Troy. "I am sorry for that."
"Did you kiss her back?" asked Gabriella, now looking directly into Troy's eyes. "When her lips were on yours, did you kiss her back, did you welcome it?"
Troy furiously shook his head. "No, of course not! I was shocked at first and then angry that she felt she had the liberty to do that. I pushed her away, I swear it. I should have shoved her but I didn't want to hurt her until it became clear that I needed to use force to untangle myself."
Gabriella gave him a small smile before she wrapped her arms around his waist again, stepping closer to his body. "And that's who you are, not wanting to hurt a girl unless you really had to and even then, reluctantly. Let's just call this a mutual apology, all right?"
He blinked a few times down at her while she looked up at him from where her head was resting on his chest. "So we're okay?"
Gabriella nodded her head. "More than okay Wildcat. We're survivors."
Troy grinned, knowing that they would make it through this event just as they had everything else, together and in one piece.
Gabriella felt a nudge in her side and looked over to see Troy smiling at her from where he was seated on her right with her parents on her left. All four were now seated on the bench behind the United States Attorney's table in the courtroom all four were now too familiar with.
Annette glanced over and smiled at the small moment of happiness just shared between her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. 'I just hope they really can survive whatever is coming their way, starting with today's final judgment,' thought Annette before squeezing Stephen's hand back, which held hers in his.
Paul glanced over at the royal family of his home country and the one individual who could and could not be part of that family one day and felt his heart tug at the scene, especially as he watched Troy wrap a comforting arm around Gabriella's shoulders, kissing the top of her head. 'Two weeks ago, I thought those two were a goner but they've shown the romantic cynic in me what real love is about. They really don't deserve to go through any more.'
Stephen was looking around the courtroom at all the tense faces although none caught his attention more just then than that of Riley's family, his mother and father along with his brother. Tom looked up at that moment and gazed right into Stephen's eyes, both looking away at the same time, not being able to stand the emotions on both of their faces. Instead, Stephen turned his attention to seeing how his daughter was doing. They had arrived in the courtroom and had the entire morning session on this last day without Riley being present for an unknown reason. Now everyone in the courtroom was waiting for Judge Warren to return with his verdict. Stephen looked up as he felt a firm pressure put on his left shoulder, seeing Walter Bayley standing there, a serious look on his face.
"What is it?" questioned Stephen.
Walter hesitated as he looked at Gabriella and Troy who were now looking at him as well as Stephen and Annette. "I was just informed as to why Mr. Sutton was not present this morning. He has been in the prison's hospital ward for the past fifteen hours receiving care."
"The hospital ward?" asked Troy, not understanding what could have happened to Riley in prison.
Walter nodded his head as his voice dropped so only Troy, Gabriella, Annette, and Stephen could hear and understand him clearly as they leaned in. "Apparently last night, Mr. Sutton was attacked by some inmates who had heard about the real reason why he was among them. As you know, several news stories have broken in the last forty-eight hours about the princess here being involved and her being, as I have to call it until after the verdict, 'allegedly' raped while more and more details have come out than were supposed to at this time. Inmates at the prison he is in are notorious for violence within those walls against each other and it sounds like two of the gangs united against him for what he did to you Princess Gabriella. It's actually a trend that many prisons have seen, a convict who is in jail for hurting a child or a woman getting themselves in trouble and in danger for their crime with other men there. By the time the guards were able to break it up, Mr. Sutton was on the ground and unconscious. He will be present for his sentencing, which is why I'm telling you this now. I want to make sure you are prepared for what you are about to see."
Just then, a court representative announced that Judge Warren would be in shortly so Walter stood back up and gave one last look at Gabriella before he walked through the wooden gates to the other side of the wall and stood next to the desk. A side door opened giving Gabriella her first view of a very bruised and injured Riley as he limped into the courtroom between two sets of guards as was usual. Their brown eyes connected, Gabriella surprised by the negative energy that was still there in his eyes. 'I guess getting beaten up by some of the toughest men isn't enough to rid Riley of all that hatred and evil essence.'
Riley was led to the defense team's table and was kept standing until Judge Warren entered the courtroom, noticing again just as he had on the first day that Riley was staring back towards Gabriella again. "I see that over the past few weeks nothing has really changed in your case Mr. Sutton. Please turn your attention up here," instructed Judge Warren, knowing what he was about to deliver was the right judgment. "Everyone, please be seated."
Once they were seated, Troy wrapped a protective arm around Gabriella's shoulders again and drew her closer to his body, holding her right hand in his on his left leg. He glanced over at Riley but was glad that Riley was now looking at the judge for he was afraid of what he would do if he saw the former West High basketball captain leering at Gabriella one more time.
"After several weeks of testimonies, evidence presented, and deliberation, I now have in my hands my prepared final judgment that I will deliver this afternoon on this case. Before I do though, as is normal custom here, would the defendant like to say anything?" asked Judge Warren, already anticipating what would happen next.
"Stick to what we rehearsed and prepared Riley, nothing more, got me?" murmured Rick low into his client's ear.
Riley stood up with the assistance of two of the guards and looked back at the judge, trying to straighten his back while hiding the pain that shot through his body as he stretched one of the sets of stitches he had. "Your honor, I would like to, umm, I would like to… God Rick, I can't do this," muttered Riley, looking at Rick, who was now glaring at him. "Yes, I would like to talk but I can't say this crap Rick has prepared for me to say. To be honest, I'm not sorry, I'm not sorry for what has happened. Everyone has been very 'poor Gabriella, she's hurt' but that's absolute bullshit! She was supposed to be mine, Gabriella was going to be my conquest and that asshole over there ruined it all. They hurt me, he took away the one thing I wanted. Well Troy, I hope every time you look at her, you remember one thing, I fucked her first and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it!" He turned his head and glared right at Troy, who shot him an equal look of hatred back while his arm tightened around Gabriella, feeling her tremble a little from the pure hatred and edge she heard in Riley's voice.
Before Riley could say any more, Rick shoved Riley back down in his seat while two of the guards stood right behind him, letting him know that they were armed and ready to use their weapons if he pulled anything funny. Judge Warren was using his gavel to gain control and order back in the courtroom as loud bursts of conversations started echoing off the walls of the courtroom. "Order! I demand order! Mr. Sullomon, you best get your client under control or he is looking at extending his stay," stated Judge Warren, giving Rick some time to try to talk sense into Riley who looked ready to have another outburst.
Troy and Annette took this time to look over at Gabriella who seemed to be gathering her thoughts and her focus together again. "Are you all right sweetie?" asked Annette, brushing back some of her daughter's dark brown hair back.
Gabriella nodded, giving her mom a tiny smile. "Don't worry, I'm all right," assured Gabriella, squeezing Troy's hand with hers at the same time. She also saw Paul and Stephen shoot her worried looks to which she gave them the same type of smile which didn't seem to reassure either of them that she would make it out of this afternoon in the same condition she came into it.
Seeing that everyone in the courtroom had finally settled down, Judge Warren cleared his throat and began announcing his verdict. "As I started saying a few minutes ago, after much consideration and many things to mull over, I have come to my final verdict in this matter. Mr. Sutton, please rise."
After seeing Riley not making any attempt to stand, two of the guards roughly pulled him up, forcing him to keep standing and looking forward towards the judge.
"The counts against you are one count of sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a weapon. You have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Is this still your plea?" questioned Judge Warren.
Not trusting Riley to speaking again, Rick stood up next to his client and nodded his head. "Yes, your honor."
Judge Warren nodded his head and wrote some notes down on his legal pad. When he was done, he looked back up first at Gabriella and her family, then to Riley's family, and finally on the defendant himself, who was still standing. "After much examination of the evidence presented by both sides in regards to this case, NM-Z2895, I have found beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, Riley Sutton, is guilty of the first charge against him, which is the one count of sexual assault. Furthermore, I also find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the second and third charges against him, which are the two counts of aggravated assault with a weapon."
Voices filled the room immediately upon the judge's words while a few sobs could be heard among the growing volume of noise. Gabriella looked to her left for the source and felt a tug at her heart as she saw Riley's mother crying into the shoulder of his father, Tom rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her. The happiness she felt moments before when she learned that Riley was receiving the justice he deserved for raping and assaulting her, along with assaulting Troy and Paul, dimmed as she took in the pain that Mrs. Sutton must be going through. In fact, Gabriella was surprised to find a single tear rolling down her cheek, something that Troy caught as well.
"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Troy, confused as to why Gabriella seemed so sad after hearing that the trial was almost over and that Riley was found guilty for everything he had put them all through, especially Gabriella. "Brie?"
Gabriella wiped away the tear and tore her gaze away from Riley's family to look back at Troy. "I feel bad Troy. They won't be able to see their son again for a while I think and it's my doing."
"Oh Brie, don't think that way," soothed Troy as he brought Gabriella into the best hug he could give her. "This isn't your fault. You didn't do the attacking here, you didn't hurt three other people. Riley did, he did this to his family, not you."
Troy let go of Gabriella so she could face forward as Judge Warren used his gavel again to gain order in his court. "In terms of your sentencing Mr. Sutton, I took into consideration that the weapon was not introduced by yourself but was used by you against your victims as well as the fact that this is your first offense, having no prior record. For finding you guilty of one count of sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, I am hereby sentencing you to forty-five consecutive years in prison with no chance of parole. I hope you use this time wisely Mr. Sutton to come to terms with the pain and suffering you have caused not only your victims but their own families as well as your own. This case is now dismissed."
While Stephen and Annette were busy thanking Walter and his office for a wonderful job well done, Gabriella watched with Troy's arm around her waist as Riley was embraced tightly by his mother as his hands were now handcuffed in front of him. Gabriella and Troy stood up and walked behind her parents to start making their way out when an orange flash seemed to catch their peripheral vision as Riley saw them get within striking distance and used that opportunity to make one last move. Troy was quick enough to shove Gabriella behind him but it was for naught as the guards that had escorted and kept watch over Riley during the day's session tackled Riley mid-jump over the barrier while Paul and Curtis rushed to Gabriella and Troy's side with a few of the other guards to make sure they were there in case anything else happened. Paul noticed the tension in Troy's body and put a firm hand on the young man's shoulder just before he saw Troy move forward towards a wrestling Riley, who was now getting hauled back onto his feet.
"Easy Troy, he's not worth it," advised Paul, keeping his hand on the teenager's shoulder. "It's done, Riley's been found guilty and is sentenced for a long time. He's not worth getting time in the joint for Troy."
Troy took in some deep breaths and managed to tear his eyes away from Riley, who was now being shoved towards the side door again. He looked at Paul and nodded his head. "I agree Paul, thanks for catching me."
"Sure thing. I know how much you care for Gabriella and want to protect her but that just isn't the way. Trust me, I've thought long and hard about that," replied Paul with a smile.
Gabriella watched as Riley was led through the front of the courtroom and towards the side door, holding her breath as she saw Riley struggle all the way. Just before he left the courtroom all together, Riley turned and searched out Gabriella's face from the crowd, smirking one last time at her. "You'll always be mine Gabriella! You'll always be my royal slut!" he called out before he was shoved one last time through the doorway and the door was slammed behind him.
She stood there for a few moments, staring at the now closed door in a trance as thoughts ran through her mind at high speeds. Memories of her rape mixed in with recent encounters with Riley eventually led to the happy memories she had shared with not only Troy but with her other friends and her parents, even with Paul. Gabriella thought of what her life had been like since Riley raped her, how she had seen the true character of so many of those she loved. The last thing she reflected on were the last words she would ever have to hear Riley say again. "I may have been damaged and hurt by you Riley, but I will not allow you to have my soul, mind, or body ever again. This is over, it is all finally over, and I am never letting you and your memory control me as it did before."