Chapter 1

Gabriella entered East High, humming to the song that was blasting through Her ears. It was " The A team" by Ed Cheren. It was Her song at the moment. She had found it when She had been surfing through the internet. Gabriella turned in the hallway, not looking where She was walking she hit someone. All her books and Belongings fell to the floor.

" Im so sorry! Here let me help you." He offered bending down. Gabriella still didn't look up.

" No, Don't be sorry. It was my fault. I wasn't looking." She said. Gathereing up all Her papers. When They were done, they both stood up. Thats when She looked up. Everybody Froze. They Froze. Her eyes met with the oceanic Blue eyes. The eyes She has been trying to forget. The eyes that Gabriella had onced loved, Now were turning grey from fury. It was Troy Bolton.

" Oh its you." I said simply.

" What do you mean by.." Oh its you".." He says in a girly voice, i never knew he could pull off. I couldn't help but giggle a little. But stopped when i saw him glaring at me.

" I mean it could of been anyone in this school but it had to be you. Why did you even help me anyways?" I said waving my hand in his face. Troy moved his head back a little.

" Well, excuse me if i wanted to help someone. What was i supposed to do, just keep walking and let everyone walk over the person. And by the way! I didn't even know it was YOU!" He said pointing at me.

We both started a staring contest. Our eyes didn't move. As if on cue the bell rang for homeroom. Everyone rushed inside their rooms. But, Me and Troy stood there both knowing that this was not over. They both went to their homeroom which unforunately they both had together. They pushed each other in the process of getting to class.

Troy slumped in his seat and sighed. He looked over at Chad and his arm was hanging off his desk with his head in his arms and he had his hoodie covering his face. The girl in front of him was trying to wake him uo so she could hand him his paper, But he didn't move. He laughed a little. He then moved a little closer to him and whispered.

" CHAD! LOOK, THEIR HANDING OUT FREE TACOS!" He said loud enough so he and the girl could hear me. Chad shot right up.

" I WANT TACOS!" He screamed. Everyone laughed. Chad looked around confused and saw no Tacos. He looked at Mrs. Darbus and saw that she was glaring at him, telling him to sit down.

" DANFORTH! What do you think you are doing?" She exclaimed.

" ... I.. I... Tacos." He started to say but spit out tacos. Troy started laughing so hard. His face was turning red. CHad looked over at Troy and gave Him his deathly glare. Troy stopped laughing for a second but started again when Chad sat down. The teacher stareted her lesson... Again...

" Dude, So not funny! Stop laughing! I seriously thought there were giving out free tacos. Speaking of tacos, Tacos sound good for lunch today. Thanks Troy!" He said excited. Troy rolled His eyes at him wondering how he suddenly forgot what happened so fast. Troy looked in front of the room and saw those chocolate brown eyes staring back this way. He could swear he saw her staring at him but when Troy looked at her she turned away quickly. What was that? She probably was planning something. She's always planning something. Troy groaned and put his head down.

Had she really just locked eyes with Troy Bolton. No, That was not possible. BUt damn, those eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. All the memories came flowing back into her head. She felt her eyes watering, but she stopped herself before she bursted into tears. She put her head in her arms wishing this class would already end.

" Bolton, Danforth, Montez! Detention!" Mrs. Darbus yelled. The Three heads shot up.

" WHAT!" They all exclaimed.

" NO, Mrs. D! You can't do that! I have to be somewhere after school!" Gabriella protested. Troy and Chad just sat in their desks smiling to themselves. The one advantage of thaving a parent working in the same school was getting out of trouble.

Chad couldn't help but feel a little guilty for Gabriella, After all she was like a little sister to him.

" Ms. Montez, You should of thought of that when you were sleeping in my class." She explained. Gabriella was one of her favorite students. But favoritism gets you nowhere.

" I only put my head down for like 2 minutes!" Gabriella protested again.

"Oh, Suck it up! Its just one day! Its not like its going to ruin you reputation... Oh wait... You don't have one!" He smirked. Gabriella just shook her head disbelievingly.

"Oh and Mr. Bolton and Mr. Danforth. Don't get so happy there. I have already talked to you coach and emailed the principal. So you won't be getting out of this one." She smiled devishly.

Troy and Chad's face was drained of all color. They both went silent and slumped back in their seat covering their couldn't help but giggle. WHere was her camera when she needed one.

The three teenagers were sitting here for about 20 minutes now. They were bored out of their minds. Chad and Troy sat in the back maknig airplanes. Troy would once in a while throw one and it would hit Gabriella, who unfortunately was sitting 2 seats in front of Troy. She would turn around and yell at him. He was enjoying it. Chad would send her Sympathetic Smiles, And She would return then. Troy noticed this but he didn't really care. After the breakup All his friends had stayed close with gabriella. One side of him was happy but the other side was telling him, Why and How could they still be friends with her? He just shook those thoughts out of his head As if on cue, The teacher came in and told us we could go. The three teenagers shot right out of there seats and headed out.

" Troy! Do you want to come shoot some hoops in the Gym? Since we missed practice today?" Chad asked. Troy looked at him for a second.

" Yea! Sure. Let's go." The two boys headed towards the gym, While gabriella was in a hurry to get home. She was worried how mad her mother would be at her for not calling and telling her she would be late in coming home today. She rushed out to her car. She Walked up to her car and noticed an Midnight Audi parked right behind her, Blocking her way. She didn't even have to read the licence plate that read: HOOPZ. To figure out who's it is. She groaned and pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number.

" Big Man here, Talk to me." Chad answered. Gabriella rolled her eyes.

" Really, Chad? Really? BIg Man?" Gabriella asked amused.

" Hey, Don't Hate on it! So whats Up? Im pretty sure you don't need a ride, because i saw your car out in the parking lot." Chad said. Thinking what she needed. Gabriella smiled at his gratefulness. They lived like 2 houses down fro each other. They would give rides to each other.

" Uh, No. But is your Friend There, He's blocking my way. And i really need to get home.." Gabriella said impatiently witha lttle fear. Chad noticed this.

" Gabriella, Whats wrong? Is everything okay?" Chad asked worried. Troy who was walking over to see what was taking his friend so long heard this and also felt himself worrying alittle. What was Wrong? HE continued standing there waiting for Chad to Get off the phone so he could know whats happening.

" Chads, its nothing. I just really need to get home. Could you please come and move it for me? I don't really want to start anything with him." Gabriella said trying to convince her friend nothings wrong.

" Ok, But you know gabster, Im here for you right? YOu can tell me anything." Chad said sincerely. Gabriella smiled. Chad had always been there for her. Even thorugh the break up, He comforted her not like Sharpay or Taylor could of done.

" Thanks, Chad. That really means alot." SHe said. Then hung up.

" What was that all about?" Troy asked curiously. Chad rolled his eyes.

" Nothing, You need to know. Can i have your keys, Your blocking her way. And she really needs to go home." Chad asked holding his hand out.

Troy digged through his pocket and handed him his keys. He watched as Chad ran out the door. Troy stood there wondering why Gabriella needed to go home so bad. Before, She never wanted to go home so badly. In fact, She would beg me to drop her off late. What happened? Hold on.. Why are you thinking about her? She's your EX Girlfriend. He ignored it and went to shoot a basket. It missed.

" Damn," He muttered.

Gabriella Sped like the wind to get home. She feared for her life. She never was this scared in her whole life. Her tires screeched as she turned up into her driveway, she saw her moms car already parked in the garage and mentally cursed herself. She ran into the house. When she opened the door, She scrunched up her nose as the whole house smelled like alcohol. She walked into the kitchen and saw plates and glasses shattered on the floor.

" MOM! IM HOME!" She yelled looking for her mother. Then She heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She was sturggling to walk straight. She had a alchohol bottle in her hand and was using one hand to hold the wall.

" WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?" She Screamed. Gabriella wanted to burst into tears right there but she had to be strong for her brother. She had an older brother who is right now going to U of A. She is relieved that he is not here to see what is happening. If he saw what she was doing to her daughter, she didn;t know what he would do. She loved her mother, this was just a bad phase in her life. She had just recently lost her job 2 weeks ago. Our dad, just decided to leave Just weeks ago. He never came back. Gabriella was a mess. Nobody knows what she is going thorugh besides her 2 Best friends. Sharpay and Taylor. Even her older brother doesn't know.

" I.. Ha-d.. To... Stay after...f.r...d..ete.. ." She stuttered.

" Who knew? Ms. Goody-to-shoes, can get detention?" She chuckled bitterly. She finally made it to the bottom of the stairs. She walked closer to gabriella. She was so close to her that she could smell the alcohol cominng from her breath. Gabriella backed away a little.

" What? Can't even stand near your own mother?" Maria asked taking another sip of her drink. Then she turned serious.

" You stink, mom. Please, Stop drinking, Please" Gabriella begged, trying to take the bottle away from her.. The tears now falling from her eyes.

" Oh, Stop crying! Cry-Baby! And give me back my bottle.!" Maria screamed. Getting angry.

" Mom, Pleas this is killing you! I love you and i Don't want to lose you either! Come on, Me and Brandon need you!" Gabriella begged. Maria could see the pain in her daughters eyes. She loved her children but all this was too much for her. THe pain was too overwhelming. She wanted the drink, not only wanted but she NEEDED it. She tried grabbing it from her. But it didn't work. The only thing that Maria though she would ever do, she did it. She hit her daughter. She punched her right in the face.

Gabriella fell back into the wall. She held her face in her hands. She cannot believe her own mother had just punched her. It never got this far, She would only verbally abuse her, not Physically. Gabriella burst into tears. Why is this happening to her? Why?

Maria stood there shocked at what just happened. She had just punched her only Daughter. She saw the pain, hurt and a hnt of hatred in her eyes. She was almost certain she had lost her daughter forever and probably was never going to be forgiven. So she did the only thing she could think of. She picked up her car keys and walked out the house forever. She knew this was a mistake, but she had to do it for her childrens sake. She could not stay in the same house with the daughter that probably will never look at her the same again.

Gabriella watched her mother walk out. She was broken. Everyone that she had loved left her. Her dad, Troy, and now her mom. Gabriella burst into tears. She could not stay here any longer. She ran out the house but before she did she made sure her doors were locked, jus tincase she came back later. She ran ignoring the pain and bruise that was developing on her face.