Miss You Already

Why am I running I know he doesn't like me, she thought to herself. I guess the pain of knowing that just does it. Gabriella was running through the halls of East High. While she ran, tears formed in her eyes which slowly fell onto her face.

-Flashback-

Gabriella was walking to the music room to meet up with Kelsi. She was almost there until someone pulled her aside. It was Victoria, the girl that had the biggest crush in history on Troy Bolton.

"You listen and you listen good 'cause I'm only saying this once. Got it." She said it with such venom in her voice which scared Gabriella.

"Yeah." Gabriella replied feebly.

"Good, I don't want you anywhere near Troy. Stay away from him. He's mine." Victoria said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gabriella said.

Victoria snapped back, "You know very well what I'm talking about, the fact that you're always with him. I know you like him. I think everybody knows, even Troy. He's just too nice of a guy to tell you he's not into you."

Tears formed in Gabriella's eyes, but she blinked them away before they could fall.

"He doesn't want to hurt your feelings. Now I want you to turn around and go home." Victoria said.

"But I have rehearsal," Gabriella tried to fight back.

"No you don't. You're missing it today. Now go home and tell no one about our little meeting today, okay?" Victoria smiled evilly.

Gabriella didn't want to miss rehearsal, she never missed rehearsal. They would know something was up, especially Troy. But she agreed, since she had no idea what Victoria would do to her if she didn't listen.

She walked out of the room.

-End Flashback-

Gabriella ran home with Victoria's voice still in her head, everybody knows…he's just too nice of a guy to tell you he's not into you. It kept repeating in her head.

Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she closed the door. She slid down and cried into her knees.

"I guess she isn't coming." Kelsi said with a certain surprise in her voice.

"No that can't be she must be late or something," Troy said looking at the clock.

"Troy, be serious has she ever been late?" Kelsi questioned him.

"Well has she ever missed rehearsal?" He said returning her question with another question.

She turned to face the piano. "I guess we have to cancel. This rehearsal required both of you to be here."

"What? Yeah. Sure. Whatever." He said, not having a clue to what she said.

"Okay. Then I guess you can go." She said and without hesitation he was out of there with one thing on his mind.

Gabriella had transferred to her room and was now standing on her balcony. She watched the setting sun.

Troy quietly climbed her tree that led to her balcony, seeing that she wasn't facing him, he was quiet.

Gabriella looked down tears falling onto the railing. Not bothering to wipe them away. She sighed, I wish he were to cheer me up, he can always make me smile. But the voice of Victoria kept ringing in her ear. He's just too nice of a guy to tell you he's not into you.

"Missed you at rehearsal." Troy said startling her a bit. But she didn't bother to turn around to look at him.

"You're not supposed to be here."

"Why not?" He said coming behind her and wrapping his arms around her, only to have her pull away.

"Because, you're just not, okay." She said still not turning to him. But he slipped his hand into hers, bringing her to him.

"Tell me the truth." He said looking into her eyes for an answer and wiping the tears that fell onto her face. Letting it linger there to caress her cheek gently.

She hugged him and began to cry into his chest as he hugged her and stroked her hair.

She cried and cried for about ten minutes and after that her tears subsided. It made a big wet spot on Troy's shirt.

She laughed, "Sorry."

He smiled, "It's fine. Now, do you want to tell me what happened? Why did you miss rehearsal?"

She bit her lip and looked down. She knew she wasn't supposed to tell, let alone be with Troy. He lifted her chin to look him in the eye. He was not leaving until she explained what had happened.

Gabriella took a deep breath, proceeding to tell her story. She told every little detail. From her being pulled into a closet until she entered her house.

He listened intently. Listened to every little detail she said. It dawned on him that she actually believed Victoria when she said that he didn't like her. That was so wrong. Troy was absolutely, head-over-heels in love with Gabriella. And once she finished telling her story he was going to straight out tell her.

She stopped and took a deep breath. Victoria is definitely going to kill me.

"You know Gabriella, only one part of that story I will agree with Victoria on." Troy said with a slight grin.

"Which part?" She questioned looking at him completely befuddled at his statement.

"Well the part where she said that I don't like you." He said and she put her head down and said a quiet, "oh."

He smiled and lifted her chin. He saw tears in her eyes that fell which he wiped away from her face.

"Because, I love you." He said with a smile on his face.

She looked at him in complete astonishment. He loves me! She smiled and her eyes twinkled, "I love you too."

He leaned down and kissed her. It was soft and gentle kiss.

When the need of air became mandatory, they pulled away. They smiled at each other each of them forgetting the world around them. Troy pulled her into another kiss, but this one was filled with more passion then the last one. That lasted a few minutes more before they needed air again.

They pulled away, eyes still closed. Listening to each other breath. His hands cupped her face as her were woven around his neck. He spoke, "Do you know that I love you?"

"Yeah. Did you know that I love you too?"

"Yeah."

She leaned onto him and her head rested in the crook of his neck. She rewrapped her arms around his torso. And his were loose around her waist as they stood there and watched the sunset. Occasionally they would steal kisses from each other. And they stood there until Troy had to go home.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said reluctantly pulling her out of their embrace.

"Of course," she said.

"I love you."

She smiled and replied, "I love you too." As he was about to climb down the tree she said, "Why don't you use the front door for a change?"

"Aww come on! Where's the fun in that?" He joked, but followed her into her room and down the stairs to the front door.

"Bye." She said while he stepped out onto the porch.

He smiled, "Bye. I love you."

"I love you too. Oh! I forgot to tell you something." She said and ran to him. Then she whispered into his ear, as they were caught in another embrace, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For telling me that you loved me."

"Any time Gabi."

She smiled and whispered, "I love you."

He whispered in her ear, "I love you too."

She went back inside her house, closed the door, and smiled to herself. Her mom walked out from the kitchen, "Is there something I need to know?"

Gabriella smiled, "I told Troy that I love him." Her mother smiled and said, "'bout time." Gabriella laughed and walked away. Oh jeez I miss him already, she said to herself as she walked in her room and onto her balcony.