"You're so fucking worthless! Jesus Christ Maria!"

Gabriella's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the alarm. She shifted slightly, shutting the alram off, but quickly being pulled backwards into his warm embrace. Tears suddenly gathering in her eyes, she pulled away, stumbling out of bed.

Troy awakened, rubbing his eyes and seeing his girlfriend of almost 4 years staring back at him with fear, tears clouding her beautiful brown eyes. He sat up slowly.

"Baby girl, what's wrong?" he whispered, slowly climbing out of bed.

He reached his hand out slowly to hopefully embrace his girlfriend, but at his reach she whimpered and backed away from him.

She continued to stare at him. Tears falling silently down her face.

"I can't do this..." she wimpered. And then she ran.

"Wait! Brie! Baby, what's wrong?" Troy yelled as he ran after her.

Troy reached the living room and found his girlfriend crumpled on the floor. He slowly approached her, kneeling down and wrapping her up in his embrace. He held her tightly, rocking her back & forth as she heavily sobbed. She turned her body around, tightly wrapping her arms around him and hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry. I just can't..." she whispered against his shoulder.

And then she was gone.

T>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&G

Sharpay Evans was laying her baby girl down as she heard knocking on her front door. She walked out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Opening the door she found her best friend pacing impatiently on her front deck.

"Ella? Sweetie, what happened?" she asked as she gathered her best friend in her arms and brought her inside.

Sharpay sat them down on the couch, and Gabriella looked into the eyes of her best friend. "I had the dream again Shar...I don't know what I can do."

Sharpay once again gathered her best friend in her arms and swayed gently back & fourth. "Ella. It'll be okay sweetheart. It was just a dream."

"Shar you & I both know it isn't just a dream. I'm reliving the past. Only this time around...we didn't get away."

The ringing of Sharpay's cellphone echoed throughout the room and she reached in front of her to grab it off the table. "Ella. It's Troy. Do you want me to answer it?"

" ahead. I'm just gonna go get some air."

As Gabriella got up and walked outside, shutting the door behind her. Sharpay answered the phone.

"Hey Troy.."

"Where is she? Please tell me she is with you?" he whispered painfully.

"Yeah. She is. And she is safe. Just a little shook up." she answered.

Troy sighed "What did I do? I..I don't get it."

"Troy, first off, you have to know you are not too blame. This is an issue that Ella has always dealt with. Sometimes she's okay, and sometimes...she's not. But you have too know, it's not my place too tell you."

"I know! I completely understand. I'm just worried." he said

"I know Troy. Now let me go get your beautiful girlfriend, and you can talk to her."

"Okay. Thanks Shar."

T>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&G

It was almost noon when Gabriella quietly closed the door to their shared, one bedroom flat. She tiptoed quietly through the kitchen, almost making it past the doorway to the living room.

"Hey Brie."

Gabriella turned her head to see her gorgeous boyfriend, sitting on the sofa. His arms resting on his legs and his head cradled in his hands.

He looked up as she quietly began to move forward. Sitting back on the couch and patting his knee, silently telling her to come sit down.

As she gently sat on his knee, he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, wrapping her in his strong embrace and once again...she cried.

He looked up at her, lifting his hand and gently swiping her tears from her cheeks.

"Baby... what's wrong? Please! Just talk to me." Troy pleaded.

"Troy..I don't know where too begin." she sobbed. And he pulled her closer into him.

"The beginning. Just tell me everything." He whispered against her neck.

*FlashBack*

14 year old Gabriella sat in her room, rocking back & forth on her bed. Her face buried in a book. Lately readong was the only place she could find comfort. Reading was her safe haven.

From what you ask? Her Father.

It wasn't really something she understood. She couldn't even say she really understood it now. She knew what he was doing, but she didn't know why.

She remembered when she was little. She would wait impatiently by the door for her father to return home from work. She loved her father. I guess you would call her Daddy's Little Girl. Until the day he came home. Drunk.

He walked in the door, completely ignoring his beaming young child. He threw his briefcase on the couch and stormed into the kitchen.

The next thing she remembered was yelling coming from the kitchen and as she silently tip toed to the archway, she heard a piercing scream and seeing her mother, crumpled on the ground.

*End Flashback*

Troy held her tighter in his arms as she sobbed harder.

"That's when it all started. That is why we eventually ended up i Albuerquerque. Not because my Mom got tranferred. But because my Dad... my Dad- he abused us."

"Oh baby. I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say." he whispered.

"Troy you don't have to say anything. You know I made a promise to myself when I was younger that I would never love a man again because of what my father did too us. I couldn't & wouldn't allow myself to go through that kind of pain...ever again!" she said

Troy cupped his girlfriend's face tightly within his hands. "Baby. You know I would never do that too you. You are my life, my whole world Gabriella Marie Montez. I love you with my whole being."

"Troy..I know that. I guess that is why I allowed myself to make the exception. Troy Alexander Bolton I love you & that is why you are the only exception."

THE END

T>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&G