Christa's A/N (edited by the incredible genius braniac lady Celine in multiple spots): Didja miss us? HSM2 got us back into roleplaying. (: I still play Gabriella and Chad, and Celine still plays Troy and Taylor (ohhh so very very very well, might I add--don't you agree?). Celine and I were trying to think of a roleplay plot that wouldn't work for a one-person fanfic, but that didn't work out. It works, though (BECAUSE CELINE IS SO SMARTYPANTS and thought up wondahful ideas about it). It's a long chapter, but we couldn't break it up. This isn't a full-out fic, but it's more than a oneshot. We hope you like it. We smoke reviews behind your house.

Sighing, Gabriella Montez rested her face against the cool window. So this is it. The best years of her life were over. The best friends she'd ever known... the most fun she'd ever had. Was this going to be the end? She smiled slightly, sadly, at her friends, happily dancing... everyone seemed to randomly break out into a song and dance that nobody had ever heard before... constantly. It was kind of scary, but Gabriella always enjoyed herself in the end. She looked fondly at the friends she'd made--they came from all walks of life, all different stereotypes--nice and mean, good and bad, jock and dork (lovingly said, of course), pianist and... playmaker. She giggled a little when her mind finally wandered to him. Troy.

Troy Bolton ambled down the hallways with his hands behind his back. The gymnasium had gotten hot and stuffy, what with all his fellow Wildcats singing and dancing in there. Not long after Gabriella left, though, Troy noticed someone was missing, so he excused himself from all the excitement and decided to set out and find her. She did seem distant when he last saw her, he realized. Now he worried. Every classroom he passed was vacant and lonely, and the only light was coming from the cloudless blue sky coming on the other side of the windows. Then there came a room with someone's shadow on the shiny tiled floor, and he traced it to the familiar figure of that beautiful and musical math geek we all know and love. Smiling to himself, he silently tiptoed up behind her until his face was only inches from hers. "How's my favorite girl?"

Gabriella didn't jump. It was almost as if... as if she'd been expecting this. She laughed to herself. She knew him too well. Gabriella turned around slowly, her nose almost touching his. She closed her eyes and sighed. "She's okay. Just... thinking," she smiled slightly. "How's the former Wildcat?" After saying this, she pressed herself closer to the window, finding that she was speaking to not him, but his mouth, just three inches or so away from hers.

Troy took a small step back and leaned his side against the window. He was facing her now, not many more inches away from her than before. He smiled back at her gently, the light softly illuminating his features. "Right now, too tired to keep up with the other Wildcats," he replied. He exhaled slowly, calmly. The classroom's fragile tranquility was a relief after being stuck in the sweaty, overcrowded gym. His smile faded and he gazed at her with a serene expression. "And what have you been thinking about?"

Er... um... you. "Just... the future. Pretty much what everyone doesn't want to talk about, but has to, anyway." Gabriella forced a laugh. Taking a deep breath, she elaborated, "I mean..." she looked up at him, "I was so happy here. And I didn't even spend two years here, but I met people that I still want to know when I'm..." she wrinkled her nose, "a professional. And it's just sad that... it probably isn't going to happen." Her brown eyes dropped to the floor, gazing at the hem of her graduation gown.

Troy nodded slowly. "The future," he repeated. "It's so vague and mysterious, isn't it?" He chuckled to himself, glancing down at the floor. Again, the smile lifted from his face as he asked her a question. "But what do you mean by 'it isn't going to happen'?" he said quietly, placing a finger underneath her chin and trying to raise her eyes to his. "You're going to stay right here in Albuquerque, right?" Her words troubled him. "You know, at least... until..." His voice trailed off, but he finished the sentence in his mind: Until we get engaged, right? He eyed her uneasily. "You're not moving again, are you?" Because if you do, I'll have to move along with you.

"I... don't know, Troy," Gabriella sighed. "I'm still not really sure which college I'm going to go to... and most of them are out-of-state, and they're offering me really good scholarships. I could make a difference. And... there really isn't anything for me here. I mean, we're... all so different. There's no way that our futures could... bring us together again." Not to mention the fact that, as much as I'd like to... I can't wait forever. "My mom's company's heard about all the scholarships I've been offered. And wherever I go, they can move her there, too. It's just... sort of incredible how everything's working out." After a pause, Gabriella finally added, "I think moving to Albuquerque was the best move I've ever made."

Troy felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. He had real feelings for her, but it almost felt obvious to him that she did not feel the same way, hearing her words. Holding back a sigh, his voice changed in tone as he tried to conceal his disappointment. "I know you're right," he sighed, his head hanging slightly so he watched the floor. "And all of this change is just so hard to accept." No way that our futures could bring us together again. The whole thing made him wish that he had never met her, just so he could avoid heartbreak. But if Gabriella Montez never stepped into his life, he would have no life. He would be a basketball robot. And the thought of that made him just cringe. "I think so, too," he agreed, forcing himself to smile weakly at her last remark. "I know so. If only everything we needed was in this town..." He smiled down at her sadly.

Gabriella felt immediate guilt. But this wasn't her fault, right? She shrugged off her thoughts. "Troy, please... please don't be sad," she rested her head on his shoulder, lessening her pressure against the window. Her back was cold, and she shivered a little. "It's graduation. And I'm sure that there are a bunch of college scouts looking for you right now... to tell you that they want you to go with them." Gabriella lifted her chin to nudge his. "We're supposed to be happy right now." And, strangely... we aren't. She couldn't help but wonder what they'd be doing and saying now... if they hadn't unanimously decided that, once their senior year began, they needed to focus less on relationships and more on academics. Could they have made it? Would their grades still have been as good? Maybe tonight, Troy would have had a black velvet box in his pocket, and a sweet proposal to sweep her off her feet. Gabriella fought back tears, but they still trickled down her cheeks silently.

"Yes. We're supposed to be happy," Troy replied softly, "but... we're not." He spoke her thoughts. His thumb stroked her cheek tenderly, catching and wiping away her cold tears. "I know our futures are important, and..." He wrapped his arms around her waist as she leaned on him. "...what we do now will affect them. But if we can't smile on the road to a life of success, and wealth... if we're not happy... is it really worth it?" He sighed and pressed his forehead against hers. "I... I have to speak the truth, Gabriella," he whispered, trying to meet her eyes. "Can I tell you something?"

Gabriella sniffled, feeling just a little idiotic. Her arms reached around him, too, holding him close. I don't want to let go. Her eyes were level with his, and their noses were pressed against each other. If either of them wanted, they could just move their chins slightly... and the world as they knew it would be rocked. After that kiss, they would never be able to leave each other. And that was what Gabriella was afraid of. Wanting, needing, loving someone so much that she couldn't live without him by her side. Her mother had raised her to be capable. Independent. But this was more than the way Mrs. Montez brought up her daughter. It was a fear. She was afraid of the way Troy actually made her feel something. Something so much bigger than the both of them. The way just thinking about him sent chills running up and down her spine, and the way she'd melt whenever he did anything as simple as reach out to lay a hand on her. The way she was totally vulnerable to him. But, despite these fears running through her mind, she said... "You can tell me anything, Troy."

Her face next to his... it just made him smile. Troy felt his world close in on just the two of them. He wished he could freeze time and talk to her forever. Just be with her forever. She was all he needed for the rest of his life. And he thought he had forever, but now... he knew he didn't. He had to speak now or forever hold his peace. If he never saw her again, he thought that she should at least know. "I need you to know that..." He swallowed hard, and for the first time in a long time, his eyes stung violently with salty tears. "I..." Repeatedly choking on his words, he rubbed his nose against hers. "I love you, Gabriella Montez. I need you, and I want you." He barely noticed the distance between their lips closing as his mouth neared hers. "I love you," he whispered again, gently, tenderly, lovingly kissing her lips.

Gabriella held his face in her hands, wishing that this could last forever. She knew that if her life ended right then, she'd be perfectly happy. Maybe happier than she would ever be if she didn't die. If this kiss didn't hold the consequences she knew it did. "I... love... you," Gabriella replied between kisses, then suddenly broke away, a sheepish, guilty expression on her face. Her eyes filled with tears as the undeniable surfaced in her mind. She knew what she'd have to do. But, for now...

Gabriella thrust herself back into Troy's arms, sobbing quietly, her face nestled in his chest, her arms wrapped around him so tightly that nothing could make them let go but death itself.

A lone tear tumbled down his cheek as Troy held her close to him, his strong, safe, secure arms around her trembling body, keeping her close to him. He could feel her heart beating against his chest, and he relaxed against her, closing his eyes slowly. Silence now, except for her hushed cries. He stroked her head gently, resting his chin on her head, whispering into her ear almost silently. "I love you so much, Gabriella. And I'd hate for you to go. If I never see you again, I need to know for sure if you love me back. And if you do... then I need to ask you something... very important."

Gabriella closed her eyes, her chest heaving from all the crying. Her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid it'd burst. She liked the way his strong arms felt wrapped around her. It was like they fit together perfectly. Like a puzzle. The picture wasn't complete, unless you had all the pieces. At Troy's question, Gabriella opened her eyes, then moved back slightly to gaze into his eyes. Her voice shaking, she replied, "I love you." She pressed herself against him again. "I've loved you all along."

Troy held her body right up to his, not wanting to let this moment end. His lips brushed her ear as he spoke. "I've loved you since I first met you," he replied, closing his eyes tight, hoping for the best response to what he was about to say. "I'll love you forever... and I hope you truly feel the same way, because..." He sighed to himself and backed away from her, withdrawing something from the pocket of his suit. He bent down on one knee and presented a small black velvet box in the middle of his palm. "I've kept this for you, and I've just been waiting for the right time to say this. I wanted to wait until tonight, but I just... can't." He smiled up at her, the both of them in their white graduation gowns. Slowly, he opened the box, whispering, "I love you, Gabriella Montez. Will you marry me?"

Gabriella's eyes filled with tears. She ran towards him, sitting on his upright knee. "Troy, Troy, please don't make me answer." Her gasps were shallow and frantic, pleading. She wept, tears flooding down her cheeks like little waterfalls. If she'd been wearing a lot of makeup, she would've looked a mess. Gabriella shook her head fiercely, burying her head in the crook of Troy's neck above his shoulder. "Please don't make me answer. I can't answer. I can't."

Troy's eyes widened and his mouth froze partly open. He shoved the box back into his pocket, shocked and ashamed. Hugging her close to him again, he kissed the top of her head softly and rubbed his hands up and down her back, feeling her tears run down the side of his neck. "Gabriella, I'm so sorry," he murmured. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I was too sudden, or if you think I'm taking this too fast... but I can wait. For whatever it is, we can wait." He tried to help her up to her feet. "I'm sorry. I just... I love you, Gabriella."

Gabriella sniffled, wrapping her arms around his neck. She nodded, then shook her head, pulling wet strands of her dark hair away from her tear-stained face. "I'm sorry," she said, when she wasn't too choked to speak anymore. "I... I wish I could answer..." her voice broke, "but I can't." She rested her head against his sturdy frame once again, crumpled and broken, like a little girl's rag doll. "But I do love you, Troy Bolton. I love you more than anything else in the world."

Troy nodded back at her, holding her head close to him with one hand. Straight-faced, he stared blankly at the floor. He'd been so sure of himself; he was so sure the answer would be yes. And he asked, and here they were, and she had no answer. It felt worse than no. He saw no reason for her to refuse, however... they loved each other. That was all that mattered, right? They wanted to be together forever, didn't they? And wasn't that enough? "I love you, too." The box in his pocket felt like a pebble in his shoe.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chad came in, Taylor's hand in his. He felt happier than he ever had in his entire life. "Troy! Gab," he announced, "I'm... I'm engaged!" his face broke out in an ecstatic grin, as if the more he said it, the more of a fact it would become. "I know that... four years is a long wait," he spoke quickly, "but I couldn't stand not knowing what was going to lie ahead, y'know? So, for the past few months, I planned. And... it's working out great." Chad's happiness blinded him to the obvious tension in the silence that he had just broken. Timing never really was his thing...

Gabriella stirred, turning her head to look at their best friends. She forced a smile and tried to tuck her hair behind her ears, as if she'd never cried that night. "That's great, you guys," and she meant it. If anyone she knew deserved happiness... it was Taylor and Chad. Gabriella knew that she and Troy had put the two through a lot--what with all the difficulties with two best friends going out with another set of best friends, and the matter of when a couple quarreled, the other would likely be affected. And, usually, Gabriella and Troy were the ones who had the troubles. But they always worked out in the end. "When's the big day?" Realizing how much Troy's leg probably hurt by then, she got up and unconsciously went back to her former position, leaning against the window.

Troy got up from where he was kneeling, standing perfectly upright with his hands tightly clasped behind his back, back in his former position as well. He shook his head slowly at their friends, but still had to smile to himself. It seemed that every romantic moment Troy and Gabriella shared together was interrupted by Chad or Taylor--so much that he could swear they were doing this to them on purpose. He gave a quick, somewhat sad look to Gabriella, as if he were telling her, Don't worry; we'll finish this later. Smiling at Chad, he agreed with Gabriella, "That's great news." It was great news. Wonderful news. After all the couple had been through, he was glad to hear that they would get their happy ending, even if he and Gabriella would not.

Taylor beamed, holding one of Chad's hands with both of hers, her voice giggly and giddy. "I know, right?" she squealed, overjoyed. Her huge smile flashed at both of them. "I'm so happy... everything's going perfectly. It's absolutely terrific!" In response to Gabriella's question, she said, "We're not yet really sure when the big day is, but we plan to have a summer wedding after college, right, Chaddy?" She was practically jumping up and down in her happiness.

Gabriella smiled faintly, feeling a twinge of remorse. Taylor was obviously willing to settle down with Chad; and Taylor was to Chad as Gabriella was to Troy. What was the difference? Both couples loved each other. The difference was... me. Her face fell as she realized that she alone was in the way of the happiness she knew Troy wanted for them. She wasn't sure if she was willing to give up her dreams of grandeur... for the one she loved. Her mother had. And look where it got her. That would never happen to us, Gabriella thought quickly, then remembered that her mother probably thought that, too.

"Yeah," Chad chimed in, his arm draped lovingly around his fiancee's shoulders. "And we wanted to tell you guys first because we want you to be our best man and maid of honor... that is, unless you guys get married first." A mischievous, knowing twinkle shone in Chad's eyes. He knew what Troy had been planning to do... it was just a question of whether Chad had come in before or after Gabriella had obviously said "yes."

Troy's face fell. Chad was the only one he had spoken to about his engagement plans. Now he wished he had said nothing. I shouldn't have let myself believe it'd be so easy. He didn't even know if her answer was a yes or a no. Whether he should move on or keep chasing after her. And he preferred the latter, of course. Was there anything more he could do? He hoped so. He wanted to share his future, his life with Gabriella. "Yeah..." he mumbled back, not knowing how else to reply to Chad's obvious pride and joy. He gave Chad that look that just blatantly stated what had happened between them.

Taylor recognized that familiar rejection in Troy's eyes. Her grin quickly fleeting, she glanced at Chad unsteadily, not really knowing how to react to Troy's lifeless reaction to her fiance's proposition. "Mmhmm," she uttered quietly, nodding at Troy understandingly. And then she gave an encouraging smile to Gabriella--she must have been going through a lot. To say no to Troy... something was clearly wrong. Unfortunately, she could tell.

"Oh. So... we're going to go... spread the news to everyone else." Chad forced a smile, although he felt some of his non-biological "brother's" pain. Troy and Gabriella. It made sense. They were perfect. What could've possibly gone wrong? Chad cast Troy a look over his shoulder that said, "Tell me later," then easily turned Taylor around and headed back to the "party."

After the two left, the silence was back. And, while Chad and Taylor inadvertently barged in on many "moments," Gabriella kind of wished that they hadn't left this time. She wanted to look up at Troy, but couldn't bring herself to just yet. She stared at the floor, illumined by the moonlight streaming through the window and casting a shine on her dark hair. It had grown back out, and she twirled a strand around her finger nervously. Gabriella closed her eyes and bit her lip, trying to imagine what she could say to make everything better.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Troy nodded back at Chad, and as the happy couple left the room, he slowly turned around to face Gabriella. He fondly watched her think about the moment. It was as if more than half of his memories included her, yet she couldn't answer to his proposal. And honestly, it hurt him... but that was understandable. Speechless, he waited for her to make the first move, for her to say something to soothe his restless mind, racing to figure out what was wrong. He found reason after reason, but none of them really made sense. He wanted to know.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Gabriella said, shivering at how suddenly cold she felt. She opened her brown eyes and lifted them to look into his blue ones. She lifted her hand and lay it on his cheek, her eyes shimmering with painful tears that she was determined to not let spill. Please... just say something.

Troy's eyes peered straight into hers. One look at her shining tears and he himself was blinking furiously to hold back his own. "You don't have to be sorry," he said, "just honest... with me. I just... I need to know what's wrong... what keeps you from me." He reached for her hand kindly and gave her a sincere look. His piercing blue eyes seemed to glow in the dim room.

Gabriella nodded bravely, taking her hand from his face and using it to rub her eyes. "History repeats itself," she began. "Unless... unless we're careful." She took a deep breath and waited for a response before continuing, "I... I want to be careful not to repeat history."

"But what is history?" he asked her, taking the smallest step closer to her and closing his eyes for a brief moment to ease the stinging of the tears eager to escape. His hand gripped hers firmly, his fingers tangled in hers. "Are you afraid of us, of us being together?" Was marriage the history she yearned not to repeat?

"I'm afraid of a lot of things," Gabriella turned her head. She hated to cause him any pain. But, later, they'd look back and realize that she was right... right? Where would they be? Would Troy be married to... someone else? "And history... Troy, my mother could've had a great life. But my dad proposed to her the night of their high school graduation. Their parents didn't approve, so..." her eyes brimmed with tears, "they ran away. They ran away and got married. And not long after I was born... he left. For no reason." Gabriella was sobbing now and had pulled her hand from Troy's to cover her face.

Troy shook his head sadly. He felt his tears overflow and run down his face, and he violently wiped them away. He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to be sad. He wanted Gabriella, and she was all that mattered right now. Breathing more deeply now, he enveloped her shaking body in his stiff arms. He just wanted to hold her forever... and now he knew why he couldn't. Her actions made sense, and that was what distressed him most. She made sense. He placed one of his weary hands on the back of her head and allowed her to rest on his shoulder. "Do you think that will happen to us?" he asked her, his voice weak and rough.

"My mother threw away everything for a man she thought loved her," Gabriella cried. "She could've done so many things, and... she wouldn't need to move for her job all the time." She gazed down at their fingers, entwined, fitting perfectly in the gaps between. "She was so sure that love was enough. And it wasn't." The last sentence came out bitterly--all the hurt Gabriella felt from having to constantly leave just when she was comfortable where she was, all the pain from hearing her mother cry herself to sleep some nights, and all the confusion from the mixed feelings she felt for the father she never really had--poured into those three words.

Troy nodded and closed his eyes, everything she said swirling around in his mind. Her childhood history sounded so deep, like no one could ever completely understand who Gabriella Montez had become and what she had been through, not even Troy Bolton. She threw away everything for a man she thought loved her. Troy loved Gabriella with all his heart, more than life itself. And that was the difference between himself and Gabriella's father. If only things had worked out the way they should have between her parents... he would be in a better situation right now, and she could be his soon-to-be wife. But all the hurt in her history made all the difference. "I'm sorry," he whispered. And he was sure he would never leave Gabriella the way her father did, but she didn't want to take any chances, so he would try to accept it. "I'm sorry," he repeated, trying to understand. "I just love you so much, and I'd give anything for you in a heartbeat. But if you can't do this... I can wait... or I can move on with life."

Gabriella felt choked. Wait or move on. Either way, they both lost. Guilt and shame washed over her. This was all her fault. "You can," was all she said as she broke away from his loving embrace. The lights inside East High were dim; nobody in their right minds would have stayed when they had graduation parties to attend. Tears ran down her face, and breathing was difficult as she found herself gasping for shallow breaths of air. She blindly felt her way around the school, since the crying had made seeing difficult. She finally found an exit and pushed the door open. Gabriella felt like collapsing, but instead, she waited until she got in her car to let herself break down entirely.

Troy's arms fell as she pushed them away and fled the room. Without her, the room immediately grew darker and he felt blinded by his tears, like a mask had been pulled over his face. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe, suffocated by the darkness. He ran forward and followed her blurred shadow. "Gabriella!" he cried desperately, tears dripping from his face as he scrambled the halls after her, and it felt like hours before he realized that he had no idea where she could have gone, or where he was. He sought the gymnasium as a refuge from the hell he had just been thrust into headfirst. As he slowly and steadily regained his senses, the building became more familiar to him, and before too long he stumbled into the bright, cheerful, festive gym. He attracted many eyes as he did so, his grieved, tear-stained face being a once-in-a-lifetime sight. He quickly scanned the room for someone he knew well--Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, anybody. He felt heart sink again--a feeling he knew all-too-well by now--as the first name was eliminated from his list. He had already lost her... but he had to try and find her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gabriella continued brushing tears away as she tried to burst through her front door as quietly as possible. Her mother was probably sleeping now; no need to wake her up. She leaned against the wall, her shoulders rising and falling, her heart racing. She closed her eyes and slid down onto the floor, curling up so that she could hug her knees close and rest her head on them. She slept there for about three hours, until her phone woke her with its vibrations in her pocket. Gabriella didn't bother checking who it was. She had an idea.

All that mattered was that she was awake. And all her plans that had been hiding in the back of her mind since the beginning of the night--since Troy came and found her, began to resurface. She remembered. She remembered what she had to do.

She couldn't stay here anymore. She should've left as soon as he started meaning something to her. What started out as a harmless crush turned into seriously liking him to the point where he could break her heart. And then he became her boyfriend. And then, back again to her best friend. And then tonight... Troy had asked her to marry him. To wait at least four years until they could begin their life together.

I can't stay here anymore.

Gabriella found a suitcase and a duffel bag in the back of her closet, then pulled out some basic clothing items off their hangers and out of their boxes--sweats, jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, a jacket, and a pair of flats, flip-flops, and sneakers each. She was running out of time. In a few hours, her mother would wake up and go to work.

Running out of time.

She fumbled to throw a toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, comb, clips, pins, hairties, and other toiletries into a cosmetic case, throwing that into the duffel as well. Her laptop in its case, iPod, and a digital watch she almost never used followed.

Her wallet, made fat with her ATM card, credit card, and a few extra bills, was shoved into a pocket. Gabriella ignored the photobooth printouts of her and Troy at the mall.

Almost done.

She changed out of her graduation gown and dress into jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. After rushing downstairs to fill a plastic bag with some food, she walked out the door, turned on the ignition, pulled out of the driveway...

... and was gone.