Summary: Sharpay Evans was found, tears streaming down her face, fingers tracing small cuts on her arms, by Troy Bolton. [Troypay[oneshotT for self-mutilation

Okay. So this is different then any other fic I've written. It'll be a wee bit darker, and more real. I got the idea from HSM 2 at certain parts when they show the whole Evans family. And an episode of One Tree Hill. So, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own the plot. I own the idea. I own the writing. I do not own HSM or the characters involved in it.

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Good Enough

"Bye Chad!" Troy Bolton called as he made his way to the auditorium. Earlier that day, he had left a few books in there so he didn't have to carry them around, and he needed to go get them before he left school for the day.

Troy walked to the back dressing rooms, and into the one he was currently using as a second locker. He whistled softly to himself as he grabbed his books. As he walked out the door, he heard muffled sobs. He stopped whistling and strained his ears to hear if it was really what he thought it was.

A sniffle, then another broken sob. Troy dropped his books to the ground and went to the small closet in the room. He pressed his ear to the door, and listened. The sobs were coming from that closet, he was sure of it. Troy hesitated slightly, not wanting to disturb the person. But as he listened more closely, he knew how hurt this person was.

Without a second thought, Troy flung the door open, and gasped.

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Sharpay Evans fled through the halls of East High, tears streaming from her chocolate brown eyes. She flew open the auditorium doors, and into the closet of a random dressing room. She sunk to the ground, her broken sobs seeming to take up the whole space of the closet, suffocating her. She took heavy breaths, but they didn't seem to work.

The blonde slowly rolled up her sleeve, and traced the tiny scars decorating her arm everywhere. The salty tears fell onto the pale arm before dripping to the ground. She stared at the many slits, willing herself not to. She knew it was bad. She knew it wouldn't help anything, but it helped ease the pain just a little. She shook her head. No, she couldn't do that again. She'd stopped, and she was done.

But the sharp compass in her pencil pouch seemed to taunt her, visible from the clearness of her bag. She could do it…just once more.

Her shaking hand pulled the tool from her bag and set it on the ground in front of her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she picked up the silver object. She placed the cool metal onto her skin, pressing down with a force. She gently pulled, a thin line of blood slowly forming on her exposed arm. Sharpay breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, but deep down she knew she had only added to it. Sharpay repositioned the point, and dug across once more.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Suddenly, she had many fresh cuts on her arms, but she only cared that it was helping. The tears from her eyes mixed with the blood, causing lines of crimson to slip down onto the ground.

A few more cuts later, Sharpay dropped the compass back into her bag. Her fingers immediately went to trace the fresh cuts, leaving blood on her finger tips. The girl's broken sobs became heavier and heavier until she could barely breath.

The Ice Queen had snapped.

She knew she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take the screaming in the middle of the night. She couldn't take the constant pounding to be perfect. She couldn't take not being good enough.

A few more tear slipped out from the girl's chocolate brown eyes as she let her fingers trace the cuts again.

"Sharpay?" a voice said as the door swung right open. Sharpay shoved her sleeves down, and ferociously wiped away her tears. She stared at the person with a mask of coldness, but the person could tell something was wrong.

"What do you want, Bolton?" she snapped.

Troy Bolton stood staring, mouth slightly agape. If he had just seen what he thought he saw, then…

No. He didn't even want to go there. It had to be some sort of mistake. That's when he saw the small droplets of blood on the ground in front of the blonde. He saw the tear stained on her face, he saw the running mascara.

"Sharpay, what's wrong?" he asked softly. Sharpay struggled to keep her façade on. She stared deep into Troy's blue pools, and immediately saw that he was sincere. He really cared about her. She didn't know why, but he did.

Without warning, Sharpay stood up from the ground and stormed away. Even if he did care, she didn't need him. A hand wrapped around her wrist and stopped her. She winced in pain, and Troy loosed his grip slightly.

"Sharpay, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She attempted to make it sound harsh, but it came out more as a whisper. Troy turned the girl to face him.

"Why do you do that to yourself, Shar?"

"Do what?" Before she knew what he was doing, he sleeves had been pushed up, revealing the slits on her arms.

"Do that." He whispered. Tears welled up into Sharpay's eyes.

"Troy, you don't know what its like. You don't know what its like to never be good enough. To always try your best, but nobody ever cares. You don't know what its like to not be loved, even by your own family. You don't know what its like to have your own world crumble down around you while everyone else goes about with their happy perfect lives, not a care in the world. You don't know what its like to be completely alone. Troy, you don't know what its like to be me."

"You're wrong Sharpay. You are very, very wrong." Sharpay's eyes flashed.

"Who the heck to do think you are, Bolton?! I know what my pro-"

"I never said you didn't. I said you were wrong, and you are. Sharpay, you're the most amazing person I've ever met. Your voice is beautiful, the most beautiful sound in the world. You're smart. You're tough. You can handle anything; you're just doing it in the wrong way. Shar, you may not believe me, but you are loved. And you are not alone. Ever."

"Then who's there for me, Bolton? You?" Troy nodded. "Right. That's why you never notice when things aren't going well for me. That's why you never bother to stop your dumb friends from calling me 'Ice Queen'. That's why you can't see that my own parents, love Ryan more then they will ever love me."

Troy was slightly taken aback by her last comment, not knowing what to say. Instead, he wrapped her into a hug, pulling her close to him.

"Sharpay, I'm so sorry I didn't notice. But you listen to me, and you listen good." Troy took a deep breath, ready to reveal his biggest secret to her. "I love you. More then you'll ever know. I've loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Sharpay, I don't know who is making you feel like you're not good enough, but you are. Sharpay, you are all I ever wanted, and all I ever will need. You are better then anyone I've ever known at anything. You can do anything you put your mind to. You're simply amazing, Sharpay. And I love you. I want you to remember that, and that I will always be there for you. Always."

Sharpay listened carefully to his speech, wanting so hard to believe it, but couldn't. Somehow, she just couldn't believe him. She tore away from his grasp.

"No Troy. That's a lie and you know it is. I don't know what kind of a stunt you're trying to pull, whether it may be to stop me from what I'm doing, or just to play some cruel Ice Queen joke, but don't bother." She spat coolly. Troy stared at her.

"Sharpay, I am not lying. I love you."

"Sure you do, Bolton. How 'bout you prove it to me." She said sarcastically. Troy took this seriously, and pulled her into his arms, colliding his lips with her own. He put every ounce of emotion he had, desperate for her to know that he was not lying. And Sharpay felt it. She knew he was not lying. He truly loved her.

They slowly parted, and Sharpay finally chose to tell him.

"I love you, Bolton." She admitted quietly. Troy smiled, and leaned down to her ear.

"I love you Sharpay. And never forget that you are good enough, and you always will be good enough."

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Okay. It may not have been very good, so criticize away if you feel like you need to. I can take it.

Review please!

--Lani