It's been a week since Sam's death. And Charlie was sitting in the living room on the couch, he hadn't seemed to move save for meals and even then he didn't really eat them. "Charlie." his mom said, he moved his eyes to see her sitting down next to him and grabbing his hand, "honey are you going to pack for Stanford?"

"I'm not going," he grumbled, Susan-his mother-sighed, "Char-"

"I'm not leaving Sam."

"Charlie, Sam's dead..." suddenly, the luminescent figure of 11 year old Sam appeared before Charlie. His chest swelled with the hurt of seeing his little brother, "hey Charlie" his mother couldn't hear him, but Charlie could. Susan sighed, "Charlie, you can't run away from yoru problems and put off something as important as Stanford-Life doesn't wait for you."

Charlie sighed, looking at Sam "Mom...can I-can I think about it?"

She shook her head, her blond curls shaking around her face, "no I'm sorry...you've been accepted you have the scholarship. Your going."

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Gabriella walked into her apartment that she had shared with her boyfriend Troy of 5 years. she slammed the door with as she was yelling at Troy. "I can't believe you!" Troy sighed, "Will you forget about it already!" he went to the fridge opening it, and taking a milk carton, opening it and drinking from it.

She stole the carton out of his hand, "You don't drink this from the carton! and I won't forget about it! You kissed her!" Troy rolled his eyes, "She kissed me! how many times do I have to say that Gabriella dammit!"

She crossed her arms, "No, you pulled away when I caught you!" Troy sighed, "Brie, Your the only girl I love and care about, you know that, you know I wouldn't do something to screw us up.. never."

Gabriella sighed, "Troy, that just hurt me.. I thought I was gonna lose you to her, since she was prettier then me, and more popular then me.." she sighed biting her bottom lip.

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"So..." Said Sam, sitting-or rather, floating- on the bed at his brothers feet. "Are you going?" Charlie St. Cloud huffed out a puff of air, sitting up straight and rubbing his hands over his face.

"I don't know, I mean...you're here...you died-"

"Here." Sam finished, "I know, but..." it was silent for a moment. Charlie shrugged, "I made you a promise Sam." Sam's ghostly eyes gleamed, "So...we can keep the promise...can't we find a secret place to practice baseball in California?" the angsty, old boy chuckled grimly.

"Sam-"

"Mom's not going to give up unless you agree to go." Sam pointed out.

Charlie sighed, bring his feet to the edge of the bed and standing up. Stetching, he said, "I know she won't give up-"

"So go." Sam said simply, "I'll just follow you." Charlie looked at his younger brother."Are you serious?"

He smiled wryly, "totally. I vow it."

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Gabriella woke up to find Troy gone. she sighed throwing the covers off, and dangling her feet inches off the ground. she scratched the top of her head yawning. "Good Morning." A voice spoke. She turned her head to look at Troy who held a tray with a rose, a plate of eggs, sausage links, and toast, and a fresh glass of orange juice. Gabriella smiled, "what is this for?" she came over to him.

He sighed laying the tray on the bed, "Well, for the way I've been acting lately, I'm sorry I haven't been paying much attention to you lately, and that we fight constantly, but I do love you Gabriella, and you mean everything to you, I never want to lose you." she smiled taking the toast and tearing a piece off, and putting it in front of Troy's mouth for him to eat it, "Your forgiven."

Troy smiled, taking the toast in his mouth. Gabriella giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I think I'm hungry for something else." Troy chuckled, pecking her lips, "yes but..you have school and I have school."

Ah yes, Gabriella thought. She goes to Stanford and Troy goes to Berkley. She nodded, "Yeah...but, tonight then?"

Troy nodded, smirking. "Most definitely, I'll have it all planned out."

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**Few days later**

Charlie walked around the Stanford Campus with his schedule in hand, the place was huge, nothing like his high school back home. he sighed walking to his first class.

When he was his first class, he couldn't concentrate; his eyes kept moving to the window in the classroom, Sam was out in the stanford front lawn; throwing the baseball in the air and catching it with his other hand that had the baseball glove on it. He just kept staring out the window.

People already thought he was crazy, he was so zoned out that he didn't hear the teacher say his name. "Charlie." Charlie's head snapped up at the teacher. The teacher raised a brow, "you okay?"

Charlie bit his lip, nodding. The Teacher continued his lesson, Charlie turned his head back to the window, and Sam was gone.

Charlie held his books to his side, as he walked around campus, his eyes pondered over to Sam playing baseball again. His eyes just stayed there, then a figure bumped into him; he looked down at the brunette beauty.

He helped her up, "Sorry." he muttered looking back over at Sam.

Gabriella stood up, and looked at him with a confused look, "Troy?"

He looked at her, his eyes leaving Sam's ghostly figure that was throwing the ball in the air again. "Uh..no I-" she sighed, grabbing his hand, "Look I'm sorry about all the fighting too. I hate it when we fight."

Charlie's eyebrow rose, who was this girl? She certainly was pretty. "look," he said clearing his throat and pulling his hand away. "I'm sorry but you've mistaken-" suddenly, Sam popped next to him.

"CHARLIE!" he yelled, only Charlie heard, he winced slightly. The brunette looked at him strangely, "look instead of pretending like everything's cool can we talk-"

Charlie shook his head, "I'm so-" his head snapped to the side and his cheek stung, "Just for that Bolton you get nothing!"

She walked off in a huff, Charlie just stood there dumbly, was everyone in the school like this? Who the hell was Troy? Shaking his head to regain his composure, Charlie looked at a laughing Sam.

"Shut up..." he muttered, only Sam heard him. Sam was still laughing, but quieter. "Come bro, let's play ball! I found this great spot! It's really cool!" Sam said giddily, grabbing his brothers hand like he was 5. Charlie rolled his eyes, following his brother's lead.

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When Troy got home from Berkley, he wrapped his arms around Gabriella. "hey beautiful." She turned away from him, pushing him away and walking to the couch and sitting there. He raised a brow, "Brie, baby, what's wrong?"

She glared at him, "what's the point, you don't care, you didn't even wanna talk about it!"

He looked at her, "what are you talking about-"

"From earlier, at school, You.. You jerk!" she began to have tears roll down her cheeks.