My first Story EVER, so please read and review critically not meanly and let know what you think. I don't own any of the HSM characters, I just own the plot.

Feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you. No truer words were ever spoken; no one can feel that rain for you. No no-one can explain just how soft and sensuous those drops of water feel against my brown skin. Natasha Bedingfeild was right, and that's why I loved that song. It meant something more than just a few words against a background tune. I had a depth that seemed much beyond my understanding and my years. I happen to like things I don't understand; things that keep me thinking and keep my mind racing. An idle mind was never very becoming in my opinion. But that's just my opinion; I have an opinion on many things my most passionate being my religion and my God, my Jesus. Who has helped me through just about everything that I have faced or will face or anything in-between.

But then there was Troy. Troy Bolton, he made my mind race and I didn't understand him, I still can't. I haven't figured him out and I don't think I ever will, sometimes I don't think I want to but still, still I continue to love him and have done for the last four years. Here how he managed to let me share my heart which so rightfully (and still does) belonged to Jesus with him. Here's how he made me compromise.

Four Years Ago…

It was the first week back to school after the summer holidays. Everyone in East high was sporting their newly acquired darker shades of Brown, White, Mocha, Caramel and Bronze. I, Taylor Mckessie walked through the doors confidently, sure I wasn't popular but I wasn't afraid either. I smiled at everyone, those who I did and didn't know, it's just who I was I was happy. Sure the last year wasn't the best year for me having lost my mother but my heart was still beating and I was still as determined as ever to live my life. Besides that no matter what this year held for me, I had my Jesus who had gotten me through the pain of loosing my mother. The there was my cousin Zeke who liked playing my older brother and My Dad who was well my Dad.

"Taylor!" I heard someone call; it was a male voice I turned around trying to figure out where it came from.

"Taylor!" I heard again , it was coming from my right. I smiled when I recognized it was Zeke was smiling at me from his locker. He was surrounded by his Basketball team, I inwardly groaned before approaching him, he knew I didn't want to be surrounded by his friends. Not this early in the morning anyway, but I smiled and walked over anyone.

"Hey Z" I said hugging him, "did you want something coz I really need to go to my locker before homeroom" I asked "Hey guys" I added addressing the rest of his friends who in return nodded and grunted their own versions of hello.

"Oh no, I was just making sure you coo… are you?" He asked leaning forward to examine my face as though I was ill. I chuckled at his ridiculous behaviour and patted his shoulder.

"Yes Z, I am and I will be when you ask me later on at lunch and I will be when you ask me after school, seriously I'm cool now will you please relax" I reassured him, I knew he was just trying to be caring but it was beginning to get irritating.

"okay, okay" He held up his hand defensively "just making sure… you know you don't have to be here if you don't feel up to it" He whispered, I smiled

"It's okay Z seriously, I lost my mum I know but I promised her I'd live life and I can't do that if you keep reminding me of that"

"I know, I just… okay I'll let you go but call me if you need anything!" He said as I begun to walk away

"We both know you can't use cells in school!" I said laughing as I heard him sigh

"Oh I forget you're a nerd!" He playfully replied as I disappeared in to the crowds searching for my locker. It was going to be a good day, that's if I make it to Home room on time I thought. I sped up.

"Sorry I'm late! " I breathed out just as the bell went, scanning the room for a spare seat. This why you should never be late, you don't get to choose. I spotted on in the corner and smiled thanking God that I didn't have to sit next to someone I wasn't particularly well acquainted with. I smiled at Gabriella as I made my over to the seat.

"Don't let it happen again Miss. Mckessie" I heard Mr Smith say from his chair.

"OKAY!, now class, seeing as this is your senior year and all, the principle wants to spice it up a bit and this project will count towards your final mark so make sure you approach it with an open mind" the class grunted as they heard the word project, It was only the first day and already we had a project! WOW!

"Now as I was saying, you have one month to complete and hand in a final project" He said as he handed each and every one of us disposable cameras. We all started looking around in confusion

"You guys are going to spend the next month with a partner preparing and presenting a project complete with pictures hence the cameras and this project will be about you getting to know each other. Your partners have been pre-selected and each week you will be given a different topic in homeroom to discuss with your partner and present on them at the end of the month, hopefully all of you will learn something useful, some life skills and maybe we can integrate a bit more rather than stay with in our cliques all the time. Your partners will definitely surprise many of you"

This is going to be interesting, I thought. I like it.

"Okay lets get started! Once you know who your partner is you will change seats to sit next to them and this will be your seat for the rest of the month!" little did we know we would remain in these seats for the rest of the year, well many of us would. "So Sharpay and Ezekiel, Kelsi and Ryan, Chad and Gabriella…."

This went on as everyone got up and swapped to their allocated seats. I caught Gabriella's eye as she nervously made her way over to he who was Chad Danforth. I laughed knowing Gabby had had the biggest crush on him since I can remember. She sat down politely in the seat next to him smiling as she began to make small conversation. What they conversed about I really don't know, I'd find out later at the Decathlon meeting I thought. I waited patiently for my name to be called out.

"…Taylor and Troy" Mr. Smith said WHAT! I looked around and found Troy smiling at me from the back row. I. me… ME! My thoughts getting louder in my head; ME! Church attending, law abiding citizen, straight A student was going to be partnered with Troy Bolton. I wasn't trying to sound conceited or arrogant or anything else that was in any way rude or condescending, I was just scared, not to mention scared to admit I was scared. I told you liked things that made think, this was going to make me think, it already was.

I gathered my things as frantically raced through my mind whilst I made my way over to Troy. Troy. Troy. Troy Bolton, Basketball Team captain, not to mention your average tear away teen. Troy was bad and I knew from the mischievous smile on his face this project was definitely going to be interesting. I sat down next to him and smoothed down my yellow maxi dress, a bad habit I'd acquired whenever I got nervous. He must have noticed because that's when he chose to talk.

"Don't worry, I don't bite" he whispered into my ear causing me to turn and face his piercing blue eyes. Why couldn't he be like everyone else and say hello, how are you? I thought. Oh great, he had to be the one to read me like a book. In the 17 years I'd known him and seen him the only time I'd talked to him was whenever I had to, like REALLY had to, or when I said hey if he was with Zeke, like this morning and even then I didn't say his name. Yes this was definitely going to be an interesting project.

"I didn't think you did" I said back calmly after a while whilst returning the favour of studying his face just because he was studying mine. Just because, I'd never been a just because person, I did things for a reason yet my reason for this was just because. I'm probably just tired I thought lying to myself and promising I'd figure out a just reason for staring at him so intensely later, even though I knew I wouldn't and the reason was just because.

Taking in those searching eyes for a few more moments I knew he was looking for something; I could see him searching my soul, what for? I didn't know. I didn't even know how he'd managed to find my soul, I just knew he was searching my soul for something and his intense stare was scaring me, except I wasn't scared because I, Taylor Anne Mckessie feared no one but God… and at this moment those deep searching blue eyes. I said a silent prayer and hoped for the best.