Based on the song Flowers on the Wall by The Statler Brothers (in the 60s) and later on by Eric Heatherly (in the early 00s).

Troy pulled on a pair of shoes and sighed. He really didn't want to go outside, but he really wanted something to eat. He had absolutely nothing unless you counted the ketchup, mustard, moldy bread, and expired cake mix. Dang.

"Hello Troy dear!" Sang his neighbor, old Mrs. McGovern. He used to help her out around her apartment a lot, but then something happened. He didn't respond and kept walking. He didn't really care about much of anything anymore.

"The young Mr. Danforth keeps asking me about you since you don't answer your door!" She called after him as he picked up speed and took the stairs so she wouldn't follow him. What? She was almost ninety, it's not like she could keep up on the stairs.

He sighed in relief when saw the grocery store in sight. He hated this grocery store before everything happened. Now he could care less about pretty much everything.

Once inside the store he grabbed a basket and started throwing random things in it, not really caring what he got as long as it kept him alive. Then again, he didn't really care about that very much anymore even. What was the point? He was a single, jobless, 20 year old college drop out that hadn't left the apartment in the last two weeks. He had disconnected the phone from the wall, didn't check his email, never answered the door, let the battery die on his cell phone, and kept the curtains closed on his windows at all times.

Troy got in line to pay for his food, hoping he had enough money. Fortunately he did, and was handing it to the cashier when another person came behind him in line.

"Troy?" Asked a disbelieving voice from behind him.

He hadn't heard that voice in awhile. He quickly attempted to make his hair look better before turning around to look at the person. Did he mention that he hadn't taken a shower or looked in the mirror for about a week?

"Gabriella." He answered in an extremely hoarse voice. Apparently that's what happens when you hardly use it except to rarely sing along with a depressing love song that comes up on iTunes. She looked stunned. He probably should have checked to see what he looked like in the mirror before he left. The one person who he would want to impress he just happened to run into. Dang.

"Where have you been? Everyone has been trying to get a hold of you! How dare you not contact anyone!" She said dropping her own basket on the conveyer belt before putting her hands on her hips, she then looked more sympathetic and continued, "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Never been better." Troy said as he took his change from the now irritated cashier. "I'm just Countin' flowers on the wall that the previous owner put up that you said you really liked. That don't 

bother me at all! Playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one that you gave me, smokin' cigarettes, and watching Captain Kangaroo at two in the morning since that's the only time it comes on because it's so old and Sesame Street wasn't on." He continued in his head, most parts sarcastically.

"Troy…" She said sadly looking at him and touching his arm as he picked up his bags.

"Honestly, I got all dressed up last night and had a night on the town. You know me, I'm a party animal." He replied, and then once again continued in his head "I even got dressed up in tails! As long as I can dream, I'll always have you, and you won't be with your new boyfriend. I'd also have a job and classes to go to."

"Troy, talk to me." She replied putting her other hand on his arm too. It absolutely killed him.

"Gabriella, please don't give a thought to me I'm really doing fine. You can always find me here and having quite a time. I'll talk to you later. I've got a game to finish." He replied.

"You're still playing basketball?" She asked, looking extremely hopeful.

"Sure." He replied before hurrying off to go finish his 215th game of solitaire of the day. It was only 10pm, he had plenty of time to beat his record of 273 games in a day, right?

"Troy!" She said running after him, leaving her food and a very mad cashier.

"It's good to see you I must go I know I look horrible." Troy responded running away from her now and continuing on in his head "Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light, and my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete."

"Troy Bolton!" He heard the love of his life yell after him as he hurried down the sidewalk. Maybe he'd try playing solitaire on his computer tonight instead. He needed a change of scenery.

So leave the story here on an extremely depressing note, or continue it and make it happy? You all choose and let me know. I can't decide. Thanks for reading! Oh, and yes, I do have a thing for depressing love songs. I don't know why either. A link to the song is on my profile (or will be soon, I just put it up).