A/N- Okay, I really really love this song no matter how sad it is! Please read and hopefully this sonfic will touch your hearts and you'll 'Think before you act.' And hopefully in other cases, you WILL actually act. Read and you'll understand what I'm getting at here...
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Stole
Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Stole" by Kelly Rowland or the HSM characters.
BeepBeep! Slamming his hand on the snooze button,Ryan sighed and tried to buck up the courage to go to school. Heck, at least the courage to walk into his family's small kitchen and see his mom with a black eye or a broken limb. Everyday, his mom got beat by his S.O.B. of a dad. The only reason he never did anything about it was because she wouldn't let him, but mostly because he threatened to hurt his little sister Mariah and his little brother Ben if he ever went to the police. Yeah, he loved learning, but he'd rather stay at home every single day and just crank up the rock music while reading his favorite books, mostly science books. Even though, nobody knew it, he was the smartest kid in school. But, still, nobody treated him like an average human at school, no matter how much he tried to just not exist. They always gave him the hardest time, they were always horrible. And he never EVER did ANYTHING to them! But, did that matter? No, it didn't. As long as he lived on this earth, he'd always be 'bullied' if you could call the hell they put him through everyday that. Sometimes, he just wished that he wasn't alive, that way he wouldn't have to endure the pain and hate everyday of his life.
He walked into his kitchen and there was his mom with her head down picking at her breakfast consisting of eggs and bacon and juice. When she sensed his presence, she brought her head up heavily, to reveal a black eye. You could see shame in her eyes. Anyone could tell that a long time ago, she had a different plan for her life instead of hell in her first life. There was 10 year old Mariah, looking on at her mom with concern showing in her dark brown eyes while eating her cereal.
"Where's Ben?" He always made sure that he knew where his brother and sister were at all costs. If he didn't, he'd search until he found them, even when he had school.
"He left earlier this morning before you woke up." Mariah's little feeble voice broke his heart.
He walked into his school with the world on his shoulders, not wanting to deal with everybody's horrible crap today. At lunch, people laughed and snickered at him with disgust and hate, but mostly in pleasure. He looked at them wondering what the hell they were laughing at. Whatever, he thought…
He was always such a nice boy
The quiet one
With good intentions
He was down for his brother
Respectful to his mother
A good boy
But good don't get attention
One kid with a promise
The brightest kid in school
He's not a fool
Reading books about science and smart stuff
It's not enough, no
Cause smart don't make you cool, whoa
Ryan, hurt, decided that he couldn't deal anymore. He couldn't live like this anymore. He just couldn't take it anymore. It hurt too much, too much pain.
So, he walked slowly and hesitantly into the boys' bathroom. Once he got into the stall, he unzipped the smallest pocket of his backpack and took out a piece of glass that he got from his bedroom bathroom mirror at home. "Ahhhh…" The first one hurt, but the next couple, the next few, and the next few dozens were barely felt…
He's not invisible anymore
With his Father's 9 and a broken fuse
Since he walked through that classroom door
He's all over primetime news
Hearing the "Ahhhh", Gabriella Montez jumped and her gaze landed on the boys' bathroom door. Curiously, she walked into the bathroom and to the stall she saw feet lying out of it. When she opened the door, the sight was alarming. She ran out of the bathroom crying and screaming, forgetting about the note that she was supposed to deliver to the office.
Running through the classroom door, everyone directed their attention on her. All she could do was sob and try to speak through all of them. Troy, her boyfriend, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Taylor, Chad, and Sharpay all looked startled. Wondering what was wrong with their friend and in Troy's case, girlfriend; they all stood up and ran to her. Troy spoke first.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Gabriella looked up into his penetrating blue eyes with tears.
"He… he… he killed… himself. Oh… my God!" Everyone looked at each other confused.
"Gabs, who killed himself?" Sharpay was so bewildered at her friend's confession.
Gabriella looked down and gave them their answer. "Ryan… Ryan Evans."
The gang's world came crashing down on them with guilt, pain, hurt, horror, terror, and every other horrifying emotion…
Mary's got the same size hands
As Marilyn Monroe
She put her fingers in the imprints
At Mann's Chinese Theater Show
She coulda been a movie star
Never got the chance to go that far
Her life was stole
Now we'll never know
No no no no oh
The ambulance showed up and the sirens could be heard everywhere. All the students, including the gang were outside either talking to the reporters or crying in shock. With Troy behind her, comforting her, Gabriella tried to talk to the reporters, but just couldn't- no words would come out of her mouth.
The gang kept looking around, in horror at all of the students crying. It seemed as if a massacre had occurred. They listened and heard lots of students talking to the reporters. Some sounded like idiots trying to sound sad and talking some fake crap. But, some cried and was telling on the real.
"At the parties, there were some guys bullying him around and treating him like freaking scum. They just invited him so they could humiliate him and get their kicks. He tried to get away lots of times, but didn't achieve very often unless they let him leave."
"Shoot, I'm surprised the guy put up with all the crap as long as he did."
"They never cared! We never cared enough!"
Gabriella wished that she would've just talked to him. Maybe if she would've been something at least close to a friend, maybe he wouldn't have gone this far. To everyone it seemed he was an outsider…
They were crying to the camera
Said he never fitted in
He wasn't welcomed
He showed up to the parties
He was hanging in
Some guys puttin' him down
Bullying him round round
Now I wish I woulda talked to him
Gave him the time of day
Not turned away
If I woulda been the one to
maybe go this far
He might have stayed at home
Playing angry chords on his guitar
Seeing the black bag that was zipped being moved into an ambulance on a gurney, the gang had a million tears falling from their eyes. Nothing could describe how they felt at that moment.
The principal turned to the gang's English teacher. "Everybody in the whole school knows his name now."
He's not invisible anymore
With his baggy pants and his legs in chains
Since he walked through that classroom door
Everybody knows his name
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Gabriella's older sister, Amy, walked into her bedroom bathroom. After getting permission to enter after knocking, Amy found Gabriella leaning against the cold tile wall. Amy walked over to her and held up the brown paper sack. Gabby took it with some hesitation.
Amy spoke softly to her. "Do you want me to stay with you while you do it?"
Gabby shook her head no. If she was going to do this, she wanted to do it alone. She wanted to think by herself afterwards also. Amy walked out with a sigh. God, please let my little sister get through this. It was just one mistake. Please, that's all I ask of you. Amen.
Gabriella checked her watch, and then stumbled to the bathroom to check the one little stick that could change her whole future. All the dreams that she had of ever becoming a famous actress could be shot by this tiny stick. That one night at Mann's Chinese Theater Show, her and her friends finding out that she had the same size hands as Marilyn Monroe, wouldn't matter.
Picking it up, she saw a pink line. Pink…is positive. Pink line means positive. Oh my God!
Already sobbing with black streaks of mascara, she tossed the used pregnancy test into one of her dresser drawers.
The next day, at school, she could be found inside the nurse's office- sniffling with tears running down her eyes. She'll never get the chance to see how far she could go with her fantasy life she had seen so many times in her dreams…
Mary's got the same size hands (Oh)
As Marilyn Monroe
She put her fingers in the imprints (Ooh)
At Mann's Chinese Theater Show
She coulda been a movie star
(She coulda been a movie
star, oh)
Never got the chance to go that far
Her life was stole
Now we'll never know
(Now we'll never know, oh)
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Troy was talking to Chad with excitement and encouragement in his voice. "Man, you are definitely going to make the Sixers' team. For sure dude!"
Chad smiled at Troy, and then ran for the hoop in the school yard to make a slam dunk. He had dreams as big as anybody's and in a few days, there was no doubt that they were going to come true. Seeing his girlfriend, Taylor, walk up, he walked over and gave her a sweet kiss on her luscious smiling lips. She ran her fingers through his mop of curls with loving strokes. There was no way to describe how much she was proud of him, how much she loved him with all her heart, and the loving promise that she would stand by him forever no matter what.
Troy, thinking about how his best friend Chad could get net from like 20 feet or more away and how crazy mad his b-ball skills were, was the first one to notice the most dangerous gang in town walk across the school grounds with sly faces. Troy nudged Chad quickly and signaled to where the gang was. Taylor's face contorted with disgust and fear for her boyfriend's life. Everybody knew that the leader of the gang, Blade, hated Chad and was even more jealous than usual over the fact that the recruiter for the Sixers' that came into town a couple weeks ago chose Chad over him to play for the professional team.
Taylor put her hand over Chad's chest in terror. Before anybody knew it, a shot was heard across the grounds. Startled, Taylor jumped before she realized that Chad collapsed onto the pavement. She screamed, horrified that jealousy had led Blade to go that far. Immediately she dropped to the ground on her knees, crying and screaming Chad's name. There were screams and Troy noticed everyone running for their lives before he, too, dropped down by Chad's side.
"Chad! Oh my God! Baby, no… stay with me! Don't leave me! C'mon Chad… hang in there!" Taylor's sobs over Chad were heartbreaking. Having to think fast, Troy whipped out his razor and called an ambulance as fast as his trembling hands would let him. Neither of them realized that Chad's eyes closed… and that they would never open again. Unfortunately, he would never EVER play for the Sixers…
Greg was always getting
net from 20 feet away (20
feet away)
He had a try out with the Sixers
Couldn't wait for Saturday (Saturday)
Now we're never gonna see him slam
Flying high as Kobe can
His life was stole (Stole)
Oh now we'll never know
Now we'll never never never know
Mmm now we'll never never never never know
Stole (Stole)
Oh whoa yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
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Kelsi, Jason, Sharpay, Zeke, Troy, Gabriella, and Taylor all stopped in front of the mural that they stumbled upon on accident in the mall during their 2nd year of college. There was a picture of Ryan there, mixed with different light colors, mostly tan and white. The memories crashed upon them suddenly. If only they had cared more. If only they had been mature people. If only they had been better than they had been that year. If only… that's all they could say… ever.
Mary's got the same size
hands (Same size hands)
As Marilyn Monroe (Oh)
She put her fingers in the imprints
At Mann's Chinese Theater Show
(She was gonna be a star)
She coulda been a movie star (Oh no)
Never got the chance to go that
far (Never got the chance)
Her life was stole (Stole, stole)
Oh now we'll never know
(Now we'll never never know, no)
Taylor choked up when she saw the painted face of Chad. Why did it have to happen to him? That wasn't fair, to her or to him. His dreams were in reach, they were so close. And she loved him so much. Her heart ached when she remembered what would've happened when they graduated in one and a half years from now if he were still alive. They would've gotten married, they would've had a couple kids, and they would've had a wonderful life… because they loved each other more than they loved life, but not now… not now. All of it happened just because of someone not being able to deal with jealousy… all because of something as ridiculous as that. A single tear ran down her dark cheek.
Greg was always getting net
from 20 feet away (He had
game, oh)
He had a try out with the Sixers
Couldn't wait for Saturday
Now we're never gonna see him
slam (Never see him)
Flying high as Kobe can
His life was stole (Stole, oh)
Oh now we'll never know
(Now we'll never never know)
Gabriella looked down into the stroller she had been pushing when they had stopped and saw her son, Christian, sleeping peacefully. He had Troy's blue eyes, her curly hair, and a mix of both when it came to the rest of his features. When Gabby had told Troy, he had been scared, but nonetheless ecstatic. She'd been kicked out of her house and had to move in with Troy's parents. As soon as high school graduation came around, they had a small apartment already prepared to be lived in and moved in as soon as possible. Troy's parents paid for the first two monthly rent payments, but stopped helping afterwards. It had been so hard for the past two and half years, but they had made it through. No matter what, she never regretted getting pregnant in her senior year in high school, because her one and a half year old son had been worth conceiving. She and Troy loved him with every bone in their bodies. Of course she wished she could've achieved her dreams, but that didn't matter anymore. But, maybe one day, it'd happen.
After giving her son a loving, gentle kiss on the cheek, Gabriella looked at her now husband, Troy, and then at her friends. She walked up to the mural and picked one of the many huge black markers that were lined against the wall of the mural. She picked it up and wrote in the most beautiful penmanship on the wall:
Think before you act.
When she turned around, all of her friends nodded at her with approval. Gabriella snapped the cap back on the marker and walked back to her husband and baby boy.
Troy: "In loving memory…"
Gabby: "In loving memory…"
Zeke: "In loving memory…"
Sharpay: "In loving memory…"
Taylor: "In loving memory…"
Kelsi: "In loving memory…"
Jason: "In loving memory…"
After going down the line, they walked away and back to the world. The world that would one day hopefully be better… when not that many lives would be stole.
Oh no no no
Yeah their lives were stole
Now we'll never know
Stole
We were here all together yesterday
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A/N- Hope everything I said at the beginning has taken affect by now! Please review and let me know what you think about it. I'm interested to hear what you guys have to say about these situations and about this story! Review, because I want you too! (I know, cheesy! But y'all love me for it! LOL!)