When You're Gone

I remember how I was before Troy arrived into my life, and eventually my heart. I had changed once I met him. Before him, things were different. I was very independent before him, but not so much after. And once I met him, I had let down all my walls for the first time in my life, and before I knew it, I was depending on him for everything. He was the one I turned to when I was down and crying. This was unlike before, because before I knew him, the only one that had ever seen me cry was myself. I would have locked the doors to my room and wallowed in my own self misery. Now, when something gets tough, Troy is always the one I turn to. He was the only thing I felt I need in life.

I remember whenever I was angry I would keep away from everything, shut everything out. Stay away and let myself calm down. Since I met Troy, every time he got near me while I was angry, all he had to do was pull me into his arms and I would be calm before I knew it.

I sighed as I turned around in the bed that I shared with Troy. I could still smell the faint smell that was simply him and still feel the warmth that still remand on his side of the bed, telling me he hadn't been gone for long.

I slowly rose out of bed, myself clad in Troy's button up shirt and his boxers, I made my way down the stairs, saddened at how I knew in a few hours I would be alone in this house once more.

I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cry
And the days feel like years when I'm alone
And the bed where you lie
is made up on your side

I reached the main floor of our home that we shared in a quiet, secluded area and stepped into the kitchen where I saw Troy bustling around, glancing at his watch now and then.

After some time I saw him look up from pouring himself a cup of coffee to see me standing in the door way.

He quickly walked up to me, putting his cup down, and pulled me into a tight hug. After a minute locked in each others embrace I pulled back and pushed a piece of my hair behind my ear. He stared intently into my eyes.

"You should get ready if you're going to come with me to the airport."

I nodded sadly and turned to walk back upstairs but he turned me around, dropping his lips so they could meet mine.

I was the one who pulled back and smiled meekly at him. I then turned without him pulling me back and walked up the stairs.

Entering the bathroom, I stripped off my clothes, quickly stepping into the running shower.

I felt the hot water pelt at my skin as tear rush up into my eyes. I stood straight, determined not to cry and took a quick shower. After about ten minutes I stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around myself and went of to the mirror. With a sigh I began to get ready.

---

Troy stared at me as one of his team mates called him over. He glanced up, telling him that he would be there soon before looking back at me.

"I have to go babe," he told me as if restating a fact, which I knew he was.

I looked down and nodded sadly. "Yah."

"Come on Gabi, don't be like this." He looked at me helplessly putting his hand against my cheek. I closed my eyed savouring the moment. "I'll be back in a couple of weeks, okay?"

I nodded once more and with a small kiss on my forehead his hand dropped and he picked up his luggage and began walking toward the boarding area.

One step. Two. Closer and closer to leaving me. Three. Four. I closed my eyes as a tear leaked out. I quickly wiped it away and reopened my eyes. Five. Six.

"Troy!" I shouted as I broke out into a run after him. I couldn't take it. He spun around as I jumped into his arms, burying my head into his chest and sobbing. Troy quickly dropped his luggage and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me even closer.

After a moment I pulled away and kissed him firmly. Troy hand went up to my neck, deepening the kiss.

Soon one of Troy's team mates called him and Troy broke the kiss to turn towards him. He turned back to me, his eyes saddened.

"I love you Gabriella," Troy whispered, giving me one last kiss.

I nodded. "I love you too Troy," I whispered, my voice cracking from suppressed sobs.

And with that he turned and was gone, leaving my tears running silently.

When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?

I wrapped my body tighter in my warm blanket as I snuggled in deeper, ice cream rested in my lap and spoon in my mouth. I watched the television screen, blurry as it was from my tears and I wasn't sure if I was crying from missing Troy, or if from 'The Notebook' playing in front of me.

The phone rang in the background and I sprung up, quickly grabbing the phone. I check the number and seeing it wasn't Troy my heart dropped. This was the fifth call today and it was playing havoc on my heart. I furiously threw the phone against the wall and it fell with a dull thud on the carpeted floor as I had not thrown in with enough force to break it.

I needed to hear Troy's voice. Just to hear it for a second. To see his face. To be let into his arms. I didn't know how I could get up tomorrow morning.

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
All the words I need to hear to always get me through the day
And make it OK
I miss you

Not feeling up to watching sappy love stories I turned of the movie and put the ice cream back in the fridge.

I glanced at the clock as I leaned against the kitchen counter and seeing it was getting late I decided to head off to bed early. It wasn't the best decision on my part.

As I walked into mine and Troy's room I felt my heart break further. He had left all his dirty clothes still resting on the floor. Tears rushed up into my eyes as I slowly bent down and picked up one of his shirts. I made my way to the bed and sat on it staring at the shirt. I quickly pulled my own over my head and slipped Troy's on. I brought the collar up to my nose and I could smell faintly his cologne as it lingered on the cloth.

I couldn't handle it anymore as I broke down into a fresh batch of tear. I let out the sobs that I had been holding in all day.

I miss you Troy, I thought sadly.

I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do
Reminds me of you
And the clothes you left
they lie on my floor
And they smell just like you
I love the things that you do

When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?

The phone rung again but I was to broken to answer it so I let it ring. There was a knock on the door but I was too exhausted to get up and answer it. I faintly heard the door open and someone walk in but I was to emotionally drained to be scared of an intruder.

"Gabriella?" I could hear Taylor call but I lay there, staring at the ceiling.

Taylor soon found me. "Oh Gabi." She came over to me and pulled me into a sitting position and hugging me close to her. "I've been calling you all day. Why didn't you pick up?"

But I just cried in her arms and realizing I couldn't talk she just pulled me closer. "It's okay Gabriella. He'll be back soon."

But my shoulders shuddered and she tried calming me down. It didn't work.

"I need him," I whispered to her.

"I know Gabi. I know."

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
And when you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day
And make it OK
I miss you

I heard the phone ring again and Taylor took one arm from around me and stretched to get the cordless phone from the bedside table.

"Hello?" Taylor answered and I glanced up at her as my sobs slowly subsided, hope rising up in me.

"Yah she's here." Taylor handed me the phone with the smile and told me she was going to the other room to give me some privacy.

I slowly brought the phone up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Gabi?" Troy asked into the phone and I felt my heart melt at his voice.

"Troy," I said with a small smile.

"I'm sorry I didn't call earlier. We just got into the hotel. Are you okay baby?" Troy asked worriedly.

I laughed a tiny bit at how worried he seemed. But then again he knew how I would be right now and had a reason for being so. "I'm better now."

I laid back down and closed my eyes.

"Gabi, have you been crying?"

"Just a little," I lied as I rolled over in the bed.

"Gabriella," Troy scolded.

"Well you took a long time to call," I reminded him.

"I'm sorry Gabs," he said and I knew he felt guilty. And causing him to feel guilty made me feel the same way.

"No, no. It's okay. I just missed you is all."

We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were
Yeah Yeah

After an hour of talking, Troy told me he had to go.

"I love you Troy. You know that right?"

"Of course I do. And hey, no more crying for you okay? Promise?"

"I'll try," I told him uncertainly.

"Well that's all I can ask for." I could hear a small smile in his voice.

I frowned at the prospect of him getting off the phone. "I miss you Troy."

"I know. I miss you too. Just stay strong, okay babe? I'll be home soon."

"I love you."

"I love you too Gabi." And with that we said good bye and got off the phone. I still wanted to say so much to him.

All I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I do I give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe, I need to feel you here with me
Yeah

Two weeks had come and gone with me only crying on a few occasions. Troy and I had talked almost everyday except when he was to exhausted from his basketball we would only talk for couple of minutes.

I sat at the airport waiting for Troy to arrive. Waiting. How I loathed it. I missed him to much to just be sitting here and waiting. The flight had been delayed. Half an hour. Half and hour was how much I had long I had to wait to see the love of my life again.

I waited. And waited. Twenty minutes left. Ten minutes left. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Thirty seconds. Ten. Nine. Eight.

I scolded myself and tried to calm down. Five. Four.

The team all came out. One by one and went to the people who were waiting for them.

I stood up and waited in anticipation for Troy.

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear will always get me through the day
And make it OK
I miss you

There he was. Glancing around until his eyes landed on me. A smile broke on my face I and ran up to him, jumping up into his arms. He spun me around in circles before placing me down and looking at me.

"I miss you," he whispered as his lips fell down upon mine.

"I miss you too," I mumbled against his lips.

I sighed into the kiss as I pulled him closer. Soon we both had to breathe and as he pulled away he leaned his forehead against mine, breathless.

"Lets go home," he whispered as he pulled me into a tight embrace. I just wish he knew how truly I miss him, when he's gone.

A/N: What do you think. Ending might now have been good but oh well. Hope you like. Song is 'When You're Gone' by Avril Lavigne.