Killing me softly

Chapter 24.

Note; English isn't my main language! So I'm sorry if I made any mistakes, I hope you'll enjoy reading this story though!

Gabriella's POV.

Two few days after I told Sandra about Shar's past, I received a package. There was no return addres, only a note taped on it saying "Thanks for everything".

I went back upstairs, to my room, as I ripped the brown paper from the package. Still confused I looked at the magazine. Why would someone send me a magazine to thank me for something? And on top of that, why did they send me a magazine I didn't even réad?

My eyes widened when I looked at the cover again. This couldn't be true. Slowly I started to realise what was happening. She used me. To tear them apart. And even worse, I was part of her plan. And Í was so stupid to listen to her, and to believe her. I quickly threw the magazine in a corner, just so I wouldn't have to look at it any longer. Then I suddenly realised what it would mean if théy would find out. Would they blame me? Would they blame each other? I got mad at myself. How could I do this to my best friend! Yes, I was angry with her for some stupid reason, but was that the reason why I had given in to hér? Was that the reason whý I spilled everything I knew? I had to call Shar. Immediately. Before she'd find out.

I searched my room for my phone. Why was it always that if you needed something, you were never able to find it? I threw the blankets from my bed, in the meanwhile asking myself why the heck I would leave my phone in my béd. But knowing myself, I knew it could be éverywhere. I eventually found it downstairs, somewhere hidden in my bag. I dialed Shar's number. Then I started hesitating. What if she got angry? Dúh, of course she'd get angry! I told someone I barely knew about hér past, and I promised her not to tell anyone ever since I knew her. And I broke my promise. Damn it. I hung up and sat down on the couch, disappointed in myself. I didn't even know how to tell my best friend.

My phone started ringing. I looked at the display, startled. I freed a relieved sigh as I noticed it wasn't Sharpay calling. I didn't recognize the Caller-ID though.

"Hello?" I answered after I picked up my phone.

"Gabriella. It's Sandra. You know, Troy's manager?" The voice from the other end of the line sounded.

I swallowed hard. "Oh. Hi."

"Did you receive my package?" Sandra asked.

I closed my eyes and counted to ten. Then I exhaled deeply. "Yes."

"Great. I hope you're not too mad..-"

Not too mad! Was she kidding me?

"How can you do this to them? You'll tear them apart when they'll find out!" I replied incredulously, still not understanding why she gave the story away.

"Trust me, it's for the better." Sandra said calmly. "This way Sharpay can completely move on from her past."

"And if that means you have to break them up!''

"Then maybe they just weren't meant to be."

Anger rised up from the pit of my soul. She was such a heartless, pathetic bitch.

"You've got to be kidding me. They líve for each other. Shar's past won't stop them from loving each other."

"I'm not so sure about that.." She paused. "Listen, I'm sure that.. Deep down inside of you.. There's a part that wants her best friend back, right? I know you two haven't been getting along very well the past few weeks.. Don't you think this is the perfect way to get things back to the way it used to be?"

I bit my lip, so hard it hurt. So hard that it made tears welling up in my eyes. She did have a point.

Sandra assumed my silence was a sign for her to continue.

"Don't you think Sharpay's becoming a bit.. selfish since she's famous?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah.."

"And don't you think that's all because she and my dear Troy got together?"

"Y-yeah.."

"Then don't you think it's better if we help them a bit to get things back to its normal way of going?"

I swallowed again. "M-maybe.."

"And you know what it means if they split up? It'll mean Troy's single again.."

I don't know why, but my heart skipped a beat when she said that. That would mean..-

Sandra interrupted my thoughts. "The way I see it, things will only get better if we keep our mouths shut."

I was still hesitating. "I don't know, it doesn't feel right."

"Would you rather lose your best friend instead?" Sandra snapped. The sudden coldness in her voice made me shiver. She was right.

"No.."

"Then it's better not to tell her, right?"

"I.. guess.."

"Good, so we got a deal? We won't say anything, you'll get your best friend back, and I get Troy back."

"Y-yeah." I answered, still stuttering. She convinced me, she was completely right. But why didn't I feel comfortable with it then?

Her smile sounded through her voice. "Great! And I'm thinking.. Maybe I can take care of some stuff, you know.. How would you like to go out with Troy sometime?"

I literally stopped breathing for a few seconds. "W-what? You'd do that?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah.. You deserve a reward for your great work, right?"

I was sold. "That would be amazing! Thanks so much!"

"No problem, honey. As long as you promise me to keep your mouth closed, I'll get you that date."

"I will. Promise." I replied even faster than I actually realised what she said to me. But I didn't care.

Troy's POV.

I spent day after day writing and recording new songs. It took all my free time. Not that I didn't like it, but I just didn't want my job to take over my life. Sure it was important, but there were more important things in my life.

We had been recording songs for two hours, and my throat was getting sore. Janice noticed that. Unlike Sandra, who kept telling me to do it over again because it didn't sound good in her opinion. I didn't even waste my breath to reply to her. Maybe it was better to just act like she didn't exist. Her contract would expire in a few months, so I just had to deal with that. She didn't know I wasn't planning on firing her. I didn't take the effort to tell her. I'd tell her, soon.

I was exhausted. Sick of doing the same song over and over again. Sick of being told that I didn't do good. Sick of the entire day. I hadn't been in a very good mood today. Everything went wrong. I missed the notes, lost the lyrics couple of times, started singing too late, ended too soon and so on. I just had a bad day. But it gave Sandra an even better reason to tell me how bad I sounded. Just so I would do it right.

We just finished the song for the fifth time. And it still sounded horrible.

"Troy, maybe it's better to take a break for a while." Janice told me. I nodded thankfully and took my headphone off.

Then Sandra started complaining again. "Oh, no. That's not happening."

I rolled my eyes. "If you want me to have no voice left by the end of the day we should really go on."

"I don't care. We have to get this song, and another one done by today."

Janice came between. "It's either going on when he has a sore throat and sounds terrible..- No offence, Troy." She paused and glanced at me to see if she offended me.

"Or he takes a break now and continues the song later on. His voice needs some rest. We can record the other song tomorrow aswell."

I smiled slightly. How come Janice could be so calm when she was talking to Sandra? Everyone would freak out if they had to convince Sandra to do something.

Sandra freed an annoyed sigh as she threw her hands up in the air. "He has other things to do too!"

"Then you reschedule." Janice said, with a tone in her voice that meant that she was done talking. She gathered her stuff and headed to the door, quickly giving me a nod to make clear that I was off for a break.

I walked to the door, and over to the lobby. "Thanks for that." I said to Janice as I noticed she was already there.

She smiled. "That's alright. She just doesn't realise what it means if you have no voice left by the end of the day."

I shook my head as I sat down. "She never realises anything." I said, half-laughing.

There was a short silence between us.

"Troy? What's going on today?" Janice suddenly asked.

I looked at her, being dragged out of my thoughts. I shrugged my shoulders. "I have no idea. I guess I'm just having a bad day today."

"You sure that's it?" She looked at me, intriguing. "I mean, nothing has happened? I don't know, between you and Sharpay or anything?"

I shook my head again. "No. We're doing good." I said. "It's just.. Recording takes so much time. I have no free time left."

"Look at it from the brightside. You will be busy for another few days, but then after that you'll have a few days off. Then you can catch up the time you don't have right now."

I sighed as I closed my eyes, tired. "Yeah, you must be right. It's just really exhausting." I re-opened my eyes.

"I know that. And with a manager like that.." Janice trailed off, but I knew she was talking about Sandra.

I laughed slightly. "Trust me, it's not easy."

She laughed along with me. "Yeah, I noticed that."

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