I don't own any of the characters, or the High School Musical (although Corbin Bleu's locked in my closet).

Don't You Dare

Taylor's P.O.V.

I woke up this morning as scared as hell. What if I saw him today? I walked into my bathroom and freshened up, trying to hide all signs of what happened last night. Then I walked back into my room to change into my outfit for the day. I walked down the stairs and noticed that my parents had already left for work, so I grabbed a piece of toast and left for school.

The whole way there, I kept looking around as if I expected him to jump out and grab me. When I got to school, I ran through the halls straight to the basketball group. When I got there, all the boys where laughing at something that happened at a game. By the time I got there, I had tears streaming down my face, and I felt like the whole school was watching me.

"Taylor?" Troy noticed me coming up.

"Taylor? Baby?" Chad's face changed from pure enjoyment, to complete concern. "Oh, God, what happened to you?"

"Chad!" I sobbed, "Chad I need to talk to you, now!" Chad immediately walked over to me and enveloped me into one of his bear hugs that I love so much.

"Guys, can we, umm… have a minute?" Chad asked the guys.

"Yeah, Chad, sure," Jason answered. The guys all walked away, staring at me. Chad then brought me over to the lockers and set my on the ground.

"Oh, God, Taylor, what happened?" Chad asked, concern glowing in his eyes, and his protectiveness showing.

I tried to stop crying, but it only made it worse. I took a deep breath and whispered with a shaky voice, "last night," I swallowed hard, "someone… someone came into my room and… and…" I was crying harder and Chad pulled me closer. "And he…" Chad kissed me on the top of the head, "he raped me," I looked up and noticed that Chad was looking at nothing, rage now replacing the concern in his eyes.

"Who?" Chad asked between clenched teeth.

"I don't know…" I sobbed. Chad held me closer to him, and I held onto him for dear life, crying into him.
"Taylor, babe, calm down," Chad said, calming himself down, "should we tell the principle?"

"No!" I nearly screamed.

"Taylor…"

"No! No one can know about this!" I was crying even harder now. "No one! I shouldn't have even told you!" Chad pulled me back to him and just held me, waiting for me to calm down.

I finally calmed myself down and sat back away from Chad. "We should get to class," I said, trying to fix my makeup. Chad nodded and wiped the rest of my make up off. He looked at me like I was a ghost. I pulled out my makeup and started to apply it again, when I realized that my black eye hadn't healed. "Chad," I said.

"He didn't…" he was mad.

"Chad…"

"No, he did NOT hit you!" Chad was furious, and I didn't know how to calm him down.

"Yes, but…"

"And you don't know who the HELL it was?" Chad was nearly screaming by now.

"No, Chad, I don't, but I'll be fine."

"When I find him, he's dead," I heard Chad mumble under his breath.

I reached over and grabbed his arm. He looked up at me, and what I saw took me by complete shock. Chad was almost crying! I finished putting my makeup on, and Chad helped me to my feet.

"I'll walk you to class." Chad said.

"No, you be late for your own class,"

"I don't care, I'm walking you to your class," he looked me in the eye and I couldn't say no, "and I'll walk with you between other classes as well."

"No, Chad! I'll be fine, you don't have to be late for class because of me. No buts! And you will NOT argue with me on that!" at least I still know how to talk people out of being so overly protective, even though I knew I needed to be protected.

When we got to my class, Chad kissed me good-bye and whispered, "Don't get yourself hurt." I nodded and walked into class.

LATER THAT DAY

I was walking to lunch when I felt a person breathing down my neck.

"I told you not to tell anyone," I heard him whisper into my ear. I swallowed and stopped walking. "Now," I felt his hands snake up my shirt, "come with me."

"No…" I said. "No! Please!" I screamed as he dragged me into a closet, "NO!"

Chad's P.O.V.

I was walking to lunch when I heard a scream coming from down the hall. I walked a little faster to see what it was. When I reached the custodian's closet I heard what sounded like Taylor screaming. I looked around and opened the closet to find Taylor crying and almost naked and this football play in my second hour – John Rossi – on top of her.

"What the hell to you think you're doing, Rossi!" I screamed, running into the closet. I threw my arms around Taylor, and she clung to me for dear life, crying to my shirt. I looked back at Rossi, waiting for an explanation.

"I was having some fun," he stated simply.

"Fun?" I asked.

"Yes, fun," I got up and punched him in the eye as hard as I could.

"Chad!" I heard Taylor cry. I looked behind me and saw Taylor reaching for me. She had another black eye and cuts on her stomach and bruises all down her arms. I turned back around, angry as hell. I noticed Rossi was trying to get up after the punch and I kicked him in the stomach to make him lay back down before kicking him in the head to knock him out. I ran back to Taylor and inspected her eye, arms, and stomach.

"Taylor, oh, God!" I said, "I knew I should have walked with you!" I scolded myself. I pulled Taylor close to me and picked up her shirt and skirt that she was wearing. She was still crying too hard to talk, so I helped her put on her clothes and helped her up onto her feet. "Oh, baby," I shook my head and just held onto Taylor for dear life, and let her cry into me. I couldn't believe that I had been so dumb to let her walk by herself! We walked to the lunchroom and Troy and Zeke jumped all over us.

"Oh God, Chad! What the hell did you do to Taylor?" Troy was all over my case.

"Taylor, who hurt you? What happened? Where did it happen? When did this happen? Why did someone hurt you?" Zeke bombarded Taylor with rapid-fire questions.

"It's nothing," Taylor managed to sob out. My arm around Taylor's waist tightened.

"Guys! Back off! She's been through enough today! Think Lori was here," I stopped… what the hell? BEX! Typo!

"Oops, sorry, Corbin, Lori took over the computer!" the ever famous author Bex said between fits of laughter.

"Just give us a re-type, please, one that's correct!" Monique said, trying to make the makeup of her black eye look better.

"Monique, your black eye already looks good! QUIT MESSING WITH IT!" Bex yelled. "You already have Corbin, the hottest person alive, so let me torture you for a little bit longer, ok?"

"Alright!" Monique gave in.

REWRITE

"Guys! Back off! She's been though enough today! Ok? Think you can back off of her?" I asked. "Taylor, why don't you sit down with Gabi and Sharpay? I'm gonna talk to the team, I'll walk ya to class after lunch, ok?"

"Ok," she mumbled. I kissed her on the cheek then walked to the table where the guys where.

"Guys, I'm worried about Taylor's safety," blunt, real blunt, Chad!

"Why?" Jason asked, looking over at Zeke who just returned from giving Taylor a crème briolette (is that how you spell it?) in an attempt to make her feel better.

"Because, well, this morning, when she came up to us, she was crying," everyone nodded there heads, "well, she was crying because… because someone… last night… raped her," I watched the guy's faces do exactly what I'm guessing mine did – turn to pure rage. "Well, then walking here, I heard her screaming, and I opened up the closet where I heard her, and John Rossi was there pulling off her clothes. I'm afraid he's gonna try it again. I mean, if he's that thick to rape her at school, who knows what else he's capable of doing? Think about what could happen later?"

"I'll walk with her to next hour, then you won't be late, and Taylor will be safe. Plus, Taylor and I have the same class," Troy volunteered.

"And I'm sure that Gabriella will walk with her to her last hour, since they are best friends and have the same class," Zeke suggested. Troy and I glared at him. "Ok, and I could walk with them as well. They will both be safe,"

"Yeah, that'd be good." I commented, mainly to myself. "I'll walk her to my house after school, and we could watch some movies, or talk, or call the cops on Rossi…"

"I'll call the cops on Rossi when I get home, that way Taylor doesn't flip on you for doing so," Jason was just about as protective as I was. I nodded my head to tell him that I agreed.

"Maybe her parents will let her spend the night at my house tonight?" Gabriella came up behind us.

"That'd be the smartest thing to do," I said sarcastically. Gabriella looked insulted. "I mean, Gabi, if he's going to be stupid enough to rape her here at school, think of what he could do if he had both of you,"

"Good point…"

AFTER SCHOOL

"Hey, Taylor!" I yelled, running to catch up to her.

Taylor looked behind her, almost dead, fear evident in her eyes. "Hi, Chad," she said with little enthusiasm.

"Baby, why don't you come with me to my house? We could watch some movies, or talk, and then I can walk you home later tonight," I suggested.

"Yeah, sure," Taylor answered. I put my arm around her waste so she wouldn't fall, and we walked in silence to my house.

When we reached my house, I led Taylor up to my room and to my bed. When she sat down, I turned towards my TV and movies. "So what do you want to watch?"

"I'd rather not watch a movie, Chad," she said through a yawn.

"Ok, then what do you want to do?" I asked.

"Cry…" I heard her mumble under her breath. I felt my heart shatter and sink low into my stomach.

"Taylor…" I whispered.

"It wasn't suppose to happen like that!" she cried. I walked over and pulled her into me, "It was suppose to be you! Not…not… whoever that was!" her voice softened to a whisper that I could barely hear, "It was suppose to be you who took my virginity!"

My eyes filled with tears, but I quickly wiped them away. I was Chad Danforth, star basketball player – I didn't cry. "It'll all be ok, I promise you. I promise." I whispered into her ear. Taylor wiped her tears away and looked up at me, a fire burning in her eyes.

"Chad," she said with an inner strength that took me by surprise, "I need you," it was three simple words, but they had power that I didn't understand. I knew she needed me, but she wasn't talking about protection, or something that I could understand.

"What?" I asked.

"I need you," she stated simply again. Taylor moved her hands up my shirt, and I immediately understood. I let her take my shirt off, and then started to kiss her slowly. I gradually lifted Taylor's shirt up, inch my inch to reveal her stomach, then her breasts, and then finally, it was on the floor with mine. I moved to kiss her neck, and pushed her down into a lying position on my bed.

LATER

"Taylor, babe," I whispered to the almost sleeping Taylor who was sprawled across my chest.

"Hmm?" she mumbled sleepily.

"We need to get you back home," I chuckled as I heard her grumble and attempt to pull the non-existing sheets over her head. "Taylor…"

"Ok, ok, ok!" Taylor grumbled as she got off of me, making me regret every word I had just said. Taylor slowly got off of the bed and turned to look at me as I sat up. I tried to tell myself over and over again that she had to get home, but it failed me when I looked up at her. Soon, I found myself on top of Taylor again; kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

Attempting to re-gain some common sense, I broke away, leaving Taylor breathless. "Taylor, we need to stop," I panted. Taylor looked up at me, disappointed. "No, Taylor, we need…" Taylor started to kiss me again. For the second time, I broke away from her, and panted out, "to get you home."

"I'm scared, Chad. I don't want to go home! I want to stay with you, for the rest of my life. Not just tonight. I don't want to go home, what if he's waiting there for me?" Taylor started to cry. I felt horrible for telling her that she needed to go home, but it was true, she did need to get home. I held Taylor close to me as she cried, whispering sweet nothings in her ear (A/N I'm sorry, I couldn't come up with any other thing to say, it's the tackiest line I've ever heard, but it was the only one I could think of, sorry!).

"He's not going to be there, I promise! I won't let anything happen to you. Remember? I will ALWAYS protect you. And if something did happened to you, I'd kill myself just to be with you again. Life is nothing without you, I promise you won't get hurt."

"The same goes for me. I would die for you, Chad. If you died, I'd follow. I couldn't live without you. Don't ever leave me!" Taylor started to cry again. Kissing the top of her head, I started to put her clothes back on her. After she was finally dressed – I couldn't believe how many pieces of clothing she had to put on! – I started to put my clothes on when Taylor came up me and hugged me from behind. Smiling to myself, I put my shirt on and turned in her embrace and kissed her lightly.

"Let's go," I whispered, "I'm walking you home."

"Ok," Taylor said, sadly. She still wanted to stay here, with me. It was dark, and I knew that Rossi would be out looking for her, so I decided to take her straight home, no short cuts, no back roads, no different little ways to get there faster, because that would probably be where Rossi was.

Walking to Taylor's house was silent and quite a long walk. Every once in a while we would look at each other and smile, or kiss, but mainly we walked hand in hand, staring straight ahead. We where about a block away from Troy's house, and about two blocks from Taylor's house when we heard someone walk our way.

"Taylor, honey," I stopped dead in my tracks, and Taylor tightened her grip on my hand. "I told you not to tell anyone, and then you when off and told him, here, and he told the whole basketball team!"

"Rossi," I threatened.

"What, afro man?" Rossi sneered.

"Chad…" Taylor whispered, her voice shaking.

"Hmmm?" I asked, still not taking my eyes off of Rossi.

"He has a gun…" she whimpered, barley audible. As soon as she said that, Rossi pulled a small revolver (A/N it's like a hand gun) out of his back pocket, and before I could even comprehend what was happening, Rossi had shot Taylor.

"Taylor!" I screamed, dropping to my knees beside her. Blood was streaming from her, and the sidewalk was now a crimson red. "Taylor, no! Don't you dare die on me, baby! No, please, don't!" I sobbed. I felt for a pulse, praying to God that he missed her heart. The only thing that I felt while checking her pulse was cold hands and no movement. She was dead. I looked around and noticed that Rossi had taken off running, and the distant sound of a police car chasing him, but his gun was still on the ground.

Does it have any bullets left in it? All I need is one. Should I try? It's worth it, to be with her.

I picked up the gun and looked at it. Looking at Taylor I whispered, "I'll meet you soon," and put the barrel of the gun up to my head.

Troy's P.O.V.

I was sitting in my room, thinking about today's events when I heard gunfire and then sirens. I walked out of the house and down the street to figure out who the hell would be firing a gun at this time of night. About half way down the street I heard what sounded like Chad when we lost the game last week. I broke into a run and got the corner and saw Chad kneeling next to Taylor, who was on the ground. Noticing the gun in his hands, I quickly walked up to him, but it was too late, he had put the gun to his head and shot himself. Realizing what had happened, I looked up to the sky and yelled at God for taking my two best friends in the world. I would never see them again on this earth.

This is dedicated to my uncle who passed away the Sunday I got back from vacation, and to anyone else who has lost a loved one. Peace and Love.

PS – don't kill me for killing off Chad and Taylor, I love that couple as much as ChaylorPrincess (or whatever your name happens to be right now) but I was getting sick of happy endings, sorry!