A/N: New story. It sort of plunges in because there will be flashbacks. So, I'm sorry if it's dodgey. Ryan and Sharpay are FRIENDS not brother and sister

Disclaimer:

Don't own HSM

I do own:

Nala

Storyline

Chapter 1

I sat down in the cafeteria next to my best friend, Troy. "Hey guys."

Troy smiled at me. "Hey, Brie."

I sat down and pushed my lunch away, starting to do my English homework. "How is everyone?"

"What are you doing?" Troy asked.

"English homework. I forgot to do it and now I'm stressing." I quickly explained, writing furiously.

Taylor looked worriedly over at me. "Gabs, why did you forget?"

"I was busy." I mumbled, not wanting to go into detail.

You see, my life is complicated. So complicated it makes my head hurt. It's not anybody's fault. I know it's mine because I never have the guts to tell people how I feel but it's still complicated.

I felt Chad's frown bore into my head. "Doing what? You weren't with us and you don't have a boyfriend...You don't have a boyfriend, right?"

I lifted my head. "No." That's another thing. I've only ever had one boyfriend: Ryan Evans. I ended things with him because he had changed...not for the better. And now I'm confused because he's going out with Sharpay, my other best friend.

Troy placed a hand on my back. "Then what is it?"

I stood up, lifting my books up. "It doesn't matter. Get it into your thick skulls that I don't want to talk about it!" I screamed, storming off towards the library. I sat down at a table in the corner and stared down at my homework. We had to write a poem and that is fine if I could find time to think what I really want to write about.

The door opened but I continued writing until I felt someone sit next to me. "Brie, tell me what's wrong." Troy pleaded.

I closed my notebook and looked up at him. "Troy, my life is really complicated right now and I want to tell you why but not right now. I'm just...not ready."

Troy's blue eyes looked pleadingly into my own. "I want to help."

I took a deep breath. "If you want to help, you'll give me some space. I just need to think. Now, let's go to English."

Troy followed me towards English. "You want to hang out tonight?"

I thought. My dad was at work and Anna will be hanging out with her boyfriend. "Yes...but no. I can't."

"You're not grounded. I know that because you're never grounded." Troy pointed out.

"Unlike somebody else I know." I smirked. "Troy, of course I want to hang out but I can't." I sighed, sitting down at my desk with Troy behind me.

Mrs Larkin walked in. "Okay class settle down. This lesson you will stand up the front and read your poems out."

I groaned. I hate speaking in front of people. The only way I can is if I only look at Troy which turns out to be embarrassing because then people think I like him. And I don't like him.

Mrs Larkin glared over at me. "Ms Montez. Would you like to start us off?"

I shook my head. "No, Miss. Sorry."

"Ms Montez, are you disobeying me?" Mrs Larkin asked.

I slowly stood up with my book. "No miss." I muttered, making my way to the front. I coughed slightly, gaining eye contact with Troy before I continued.

Confusion

I didn't choose to be here today,
Some things hurt too much to touch,
Some things hurt too much to say,
Life just hurts too much.

Tears drop from my eyes,
Onto my broken heart,
So much here that I despise,
I think I've fallen apart.

I'm sorry to my friends,
That I never told you the truth,
The fact that this is the end,
Scares me of my youth.

So, my friend, I'll tell you,
When the time is right,
There's so much I don't have the guts to do,
Before the end of my life.

I stopped reading,blinking back a few tears. I sat back down, feeling by face flush with embarrassment until I heard Troy start to clap slowly, building up the speed of the rhythm. Mrs Larkin joined in and soon the whole class was applauding. And not the polite applause I was expecting.

Mrs Larkin silenced the class and smiled encouragingly at me. "Well done, Ms Montez."

Troy and I were walking home because we live next to each other. "How's your mum? I haven't seen her around."

I nodded my head, wanting to avoid the subject of family. "She's fine. She just doesn't work anymore."

"And your gran? You told me she was in the hospital." Troy enquired.

"She's back home. I haven't seen her since she got out though." I replied.

"Why's that?" Troy asked, putting his arm around my shoulders.

I shrugged slightly. "I don't like her so why should I go out of my way to see someone who I don't like."

"Why don't you like her?"

"So many reasons." I whispered. "Besides, what is this? Twenty questions?"

Troy looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. I just worry."

I nodded. "I know. I'll see you tomorrow." I walked into my house to be greeted by my cat, Nala, who started rubbing my legs. I picked her up and hugged her. "Hello, Nala." I walked into the lounge and saw my mum asleep on the couch. I placed Nala on the floor and placed a blanket over my mother and I kissed her forehead. "Things will get better." I whispered softly.

I turned around and sat down on the couch and I turned the TV on, not looking at the screen but my mum's sleeping form. This is what she resolved to. She has nothing to do anymore so she sleeps. Why? My gran. My gran has never treated my mum properly and that's why I have been forgetting things.

My gran made my mum clinically depressed and now I suffer.