The Diary of a Nerd

Chapter 17

Thursday, October 8, 2007. Troy's Living Room Couch, 3:12 PM

I've calmed down quite a bit since I've reached Troy's house. He hasn't tried talking to me just yet, but he's already called my mom on the phone and informed her that I was safe. I suppose my dad called her as soon as I ran away and then disappeared. Not that I really care, though. My dad is even more dead to me now then he was before. But Troy doesn't know anything about that . . . Yet.

He's in the in kitchen making me some soup or something. Luckily his parents are at some charity dinner for East High, so we're all by ourselves. With the maids, of course. But it's not like I can kick them out or anything. Especially when one of them gave me this really soft blanket that I'm sitting on at the moment. I have got to find out what material this blanket is made from!

Oh, Troy's back. But he isn't holding any soup. He's holding a container of fudge.

"So, I couldn't find any soup," he said lightly, setting the container of fudge down on the coffee table. "The only thing I'm good at is making are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, anyway. And that's not a comfort food, so we have this."

I nodded, starring at the container. It seemed so long ago that Troy and I were sharing a container of fudge in his kitchen after I had almost drowned. And here we were today, Troy looking at me expectantly, waiting for my explanation.

"Um, your mom said something about you meeting your dad today," Troy started slowly, cautiously. "Do you maybe want to talk about it?"

Weren't we just in a fight? He had called me a slut, after all. Can I just let that blow away like it never happened? One look into Troy's eyes told me I could. C'mon, have you seen Troy Bolton's blue eyes? They're like, never ending pools of water. It should be illegal to have eyes like he does. Besides, I have to admit that I missed him.

"Do you remember that day in my room when I told you about my dad?" I asked softly, twisting the my blanket around my fingers. "I didn't exactly tell you everything."

Troy sat down on the squashy chair opposite me, watching intently. His expression was so comforting, so safe that it was easy to continue. It actually felt nice to be able to let go of everything that had been crushing my chest for my entire life.

"I told you my mom and dad got a divorce and that my mom received full custody of me. What I didn't tell you was that he didn't even bother fighting for me." I sighed shakily, willing myself not to cry again. I was done with tears. My father didn't deserve them.

"What an asshole," Troy muttered, shaking his head slightly.

I couldn't help smiling. Troy was still the same person he had been before this whole . . . Ordeal. I could always count on him to make me laugh, even if he wasn't trying to make me giggle.

"For once I'm going to agree with you on that one," I said. "But it gets . . . Worse."

Troy clenched his teeth. I could see the muscle in his jaw tightening, but he didn't say anything. I continued.

"Remember when he called a while back?" I asked. "Well, he wanted to tell me he was getting married."

"Married?!" Troy exclaimed loudly. "What the hell, that's the first thing the guy says to you after not talking for eight years?"

I nodded, leaning forward to grab a spoonful of fudge. It tasted even better than the last time. "And he has a kid."

Troy launched himself forward and snatched a spoon, angrily scooping a large amount of the fudge into his mouth. "How the fuck are you so normal, Elle?" he asked through a mouthful of chocolate. "Look at how I am, and that was with good parents."