A/n: So this first chapter is kind of awkwardly written. I'm kind of obsessed with kidnapping stories. This first takesplace about five years before the normal, where everyone is twelve, yet I kept Gabriella in there anyway. I just thought I'd try a different style of writing, but I think I'll go back to my regularway later.

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or the characters or anything. I got the idea of this story from something that happened in my hometown last year.

Chapter 1: Mistakes

Crying. Everywhere. Men, women, and children alike. The casket being shut, forever concealing the youthful face of the young boy, strong, muscular-he had been a fantastic basketball player-his complexion dark, his long curly brown hair-he had always prized his hair- waving in the wind for the last time. A shadow of a last smile was left on his face-he was always pulling some prank. Slowly lowering in the ground. They cry harder. A man, off to the side, the boy's father, cannot contain himself any longer. He steals away by himself, away from the crowd, all gathered to remember the one thing he had left, his son. No more. He was gone, never to return. The man had loved the boy too much. He could not accept this. Something broke within him. Weather it was his mind or heart is unclear. His son was gone. No. This could not happen. It was not true. He would do whatever it took to get his son back. He would do whatever he had to, no matter what it cost him. He would save his son.

---Chad Danforth---

It was a very sunny day. There seemed to be a very bright day ahead of the twelve year old Chad, and he smiled with delight at his plans for the day. As he walked to school, he went over the plan again; he and Troy had planned a surprise birthday party for Taylor and Gabriella, since their birthdays were only four days apart. Today was Gabriella's birthday, while Taylor's was on Tuesday. He and Troy would take them to the place under the pretext that they were going on a normal date. They would get to the pizzeria, which Troy had specially reserved just for the party, and it would happen exactly as in the movies. Everyone would hide and yell 'Surprise!' and Taylor and Gabriella scream in surprise, as intended, and then he and Troy would be deemed the best boyfriends in the world. Chad couldn't see anything wrong with the plan and predicted smooth going.

Chad hadn't been paying attention and accidentally slammed into a man who was walking the opposite way, knocking him over. The man yelled and glared at Chad as he stood back up, but his expression changed quickly. He seemed shocked but happy, but Chad couldn't tell why. He had just knocked him over, the man seemed to have been crying anyway, and he looked a mess. His hair was ragged, the stubble on his face at least five days old, his clothes torn, and his eyes bloodshot. Chad was profusely apologizing, but the man waved him off, telling him it was no problem, all the while smiling, as if he'd just realized or remembered something. After a minute of Chad babbling his guilt, the man finally held up his hand to silence him.

"What's your name, boy?" his voice was gruff, as if he hadn't spoken in days. Chad could distinctly smell alcohol on the man's breath.

"Chad Danforth, sir," Chad responded unthinkingly. The man nodded and said,

"You live around here?"

"Yeah. Down on Mantle Drive," Chad again said, wanting to do anything he could for the man he had almost hurt.

"Well, I expect you should be getting to school," the man dismissed. Chad took the final hint and was turning around when the man asked, "Where do you go to school?"

"East High. The middle school part," Chad glanced at his watch, he was going to be late and he would almost surely get another detention form his sixth grade teacher, Ms. Warn, and he needed to set up the party after school, so he had to hurry.

"Maybe I'll see you around kid," the man walked away, leaving Chad who quickly jogged to school, not remembering any of all the warnings his parents had given him about talking to strangers.

Chad arrived at school and evaded detention, and at 3.15, entered the empty pizzeria, followed by Troy and Zeke. They had a limited amount of money and therefore had to make most of the decorations themselves. They hung up a beautifully sketched banner made by Sharpay and Kelsi the previous day. They had all pitched in to buy some streamers and balloons that Chad and Troy were using to tie each other up. Money well spent. After Ryan and Sharpay arrived with Kelsi and Jason bringing up the rear, they finally got down to work. In about twenty minutes they were finished and the place looked amazing.

Troy and Chad left to get Taylor and Gabriella. On the to Gabriella's house, Chad told Troy about the strange man he'd run into that morning. "Yeah, that's weird. Who was he?" Troy asked.

"I don't know. I'd never seen him before. He seemed like, drunk or something. I don't think he's showered for days."

"He was drunk at 7.00 in the morning?" Troy asked disbelievingly.

"That's what it looked like. I guess he was hanging around that old cemetery, drinking away whatever was bugging him,"

"That's really weird. What cemetery was it?"

"It's that one on the way from my house to school,"

"Wasn't there a funeral there a few days ago? Some kid from upper town died from cancer or something, wasn't it?"

"Oh, yeah. I heard about that. Do you think that guy knew the kid or something?"

"I don't know. Something just seems weird about the fact he was hanging around, drunk, right after a funeral there. It was the first one, in like, five years there, my dad said."

"Hey Gabi, Tay! You guys ready to go?" Chad waved at the girls sitting on Gabriella's front door step. They stood and waved as they walked towards them.

"Happy birthday, Gabi!" Troy said brightly.

"Thanks, Troy," Gabriella squealed, "How many times have you said that to me today?"

"Oh, about forty million times," Chad guessed, nudging Troy playfully.

"Sounds about right," Taylor said, giggling.

"Shall we," Troy, his cheeks turning pink, motioned in the general direction of the pizzeria.

"Why are we getting food now? We usually see the movie first," Taylor pointed out.

"Uhh, why do we always have to do things the same way?" Chad said. Taylor's eyebrow rose suspiciously and Troy cut in, saving his friend.

"I already bought the tickets online so we can't go anywhere before or I'll have wasted my money." It was a good enough lie. The girls bought it and they proceeded to the restaurant.

"Is it closed?" Gabriella asked, eyeing the dark and apparently deserted building ahead of them.

"I'll check," Chad quickened his pace and reached it before them. He stuck his head in the door and said, "We're here. One minute. Keep hiding," he then stuck his head back out and turned around to see Taylor gazing at him inquisitively.

"Was anyone in there?"

"Yeah,"

"Why are the lights off?" Taylor asked, seeing the dim abandoned pizzeria, suspecting something was up.

"They said the power was off," Chad invented quickly.

"Then how are they going to make the pizza?" Gabriella asked, very confused.

"Just go in guys," Troy commanded as he pushed them through the door that Chad was holding open.

"Surprise!" Everyone simultaneously yelled.

"Surprise!" Jason stupidly yelled three seconds later.

Gabi and Taylor were laughing with joy at the sight of all their friends gathered for them.

"Thanks, you guys!" Gabi cried appreciatively.

"Yeah, thanks a lot," Taylor said enthusiastically.

It was a great party. Everyone had a lot of fun. It ended at about 10.00 and slowly the stragglers of the party helped clean up.

"Thanks again so much, guys," Gabriella said as she picked up a napkin off the ground and threw it in the trash, "This was so fun!"

"You're welcome Gabs,"

"You know you guys don't need to clean up. It's your party," Zeke pointed out.

"I've got nothing better to do. Might as well help you guys," Gabriella said, grabbing a wash cloth for the table. The agreement was they could have the place all to themselves for a few hours only if they cleaned up after themselves.

"I love my necklace, Chad! It's so pretty," Taylor touched her hand to the diamond shaped rock and smiled.

"You know it's not a real diamond, right?" Chad said, wondering why she was so happy about a piece of crap.

"I know, I just think it's really pretty. I wasn't expecting anything at all. I didn't know you had any money." Taylor said, still fingering her pendant.

"Is that the right stone?" Chad took a random guess when selecting the birthstone for Taylor.

"Yep. April babies are diamonds."

"Cool. Troy, what'd you get Gabriella?"

"The wrong birthstone," Troy mumbled, embarrassed at not knowing his own girlfriends birthstone.

"It's okay, Troy. I love the color emerald, it's my favorite!"

"Seriously?" Troy said, looking up.

"Yeah. Diamonds always kind of bored me because they're clear,"

"Cool," Troy instantly shifted into a better mood.

"Was that true, Gabi?" Taylor muttered to her friend.

"No, but I wanted to make him feel better. It's still really pretty." She glanced over at Troy who was now whistling to himself as he threw away paper plates and cups.

"Yeah. I gotta get going," Taylor waved as she walked away from Gabi. "Chad, will you walk me home?"

"No problem, anything to get out of mopping the floor," Chad cast away the mop, hitting Jason on the head, "Sorry, dude. Didn't mean to," Taylor giggled next to him, "See you guys at the game tomorrow."

Chad and Taylor walked down the dark, empty street, hand in hand and chattering the whole time. Chad had a strange feeling in the back of his head, like he was being watched. He brushed the feeling seeing as how Taylor's deep, brown eyes never left his face.

They said good night at her doorstep and Chad headed on his way home, all the while never seeing the dark figure following him in the dark.

---

A/n: Again, it was kind of awkward. Not my usual standard, in my opinion. I love reviews, so… yeah.