Sharpay's back tensed as her fingers fell down to the lock of her locker. She quickly dialed the locker's combination and tried to hurry before she accidently bumped into East High's 'Golden Boy' and 'Goody-Two Shoes'. She quickly turned around and ran into her boyfriend, Zeke Baylor.
"Hi Zeke," Sharpay said.
"Hi, Shar. I can't wait for tonight. See ya later," he winked at his girlfriend and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she thought of their dinner date. She hated him; he was cold, bitter and abusive, but if she told anyone they'd think she was just trying to be 'dramatic' like they always did.
"Sharpay, are you okay?" Troy asked as he saw her standing there, with a look on her face as if she had just taken a huge slurp of sour milk.
"Uh...yeah, bye," Sharpay walked away and ran down the hallway, accidently bumping into Gabriella.
"Sharpay, are you okay?" Gabriella asked, noticing Sharpay's eyes glittering and a few tears falling from her perfectioned face.
"Uh...Gabriella, you promise if I tell you, you won't tell anyone? Ryan, Troy, Mr. Bolton, Ms. Darbus, anyone?" Sharpay asked, taking a big chance.
"Of course," Gabriella said, pulling her into an empty classroom, assuming it was private.
"Gabriella...Zeke...he..abuses me," Sharpay said.
"What does he do to you, Sharpay?" Gabriella humoured her, assuming that it wasn't true.
"He...late last night, he..he snuck into my room and he...he raped me, Gabriella. And a few nights ago I was at the library and I told him I'd meet him around 7:30 and I met him at 7:45 and he...Gabriella, he kicked me in the leg, smacked me across the chest and then he smacked both of my arms about 10 times," Sharpay admitted, pulling her long sleeves of her shirt up, revealing dark black and blue marks.
"Sharpay...Oh my God. You have to tell someone about this, like your mom or your dad. Ryan, Troy, anyone," Gabriella said.
"Why would I tell Troy? He's dating you! He doesn't care about me," Sharpay insisted.
"Sharpay, we broke up last weekend...Troy told me he had feelings for someone else," Gabriella turned around with an upset look on her face, not letting Sharpay see her face.
"Who?" Sharpay asked.
"Uh...you," Gabriella turned around.
"Me? B-But he loves you, Gabriella. The way his eyes sparkle when he sees you, his fingers curve around your waist when you dance together...He loves you, not me, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell him," Sharpay said.
"Okay," Gabriella said as Sharpay slowly approached the door to exit the classroom, "and Sharpay?" Sharpay whipped her head around fast, looking at Gabriella, "Are we...friends?" she asked. Sharpay smiled.
"Of course," Sharpay made her way over to Gabriella and gave her a quick hug, then walked out of the room to find Troy.
-x-
East High Gymnasium
"Troy?" Sharpay wandered into the gym, finding Troy practicing free throws.
"Yeah, Sharpay?" Troy asked, shooting a basket from the free throw line.
"Can we...talk?" Sharpay asked.
"About?" Troy asked, curious.
"Zeke," Sharpay said. Troy suddenly set the basketball down and looked straight at Sharpay.
"Yeah, shoot," Troy said.
"Troy," Sharpay got close to him, "Zeke abuses me. He rapes me, hits me, kicks me, he wants action and I don't. I...I wanted to save myself until I got married but...that's all over now," Sharpay's tears came back and the memories came flooding back.
"Shar...I...I'm so sorry," Troy hugged her and suddenly they both heard the gym doors slam closed. They suddenly pulled away and looked at the doors to the gymnasium.
"Sharpay, get over here; NOW!" Zeke yelled, sounding drunk.
"T-Troy," Sharpay gasped for breath from the thought of being abused again.
"It's okay, Shar, you're perfectly fine," Troy quickly kissed the top of her head, on the crown of her golden blonde hair.
"SHARPAY GET OVER HERE!" Zeke yelled.
"No, Zeke, she's not going to go anywhere with you. She's going to go home with me and I'm going to take care of her. You don't have a right to do anything with her if she doesn't want to," Troy explained calmly.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP TROY!" Zeke yelled, as he weaved towards them, and Sharpay and Troy backed up, holding each other's torsos tightly.
"No, Zeke. Leave. Go home, talk to your mom, your dad, everyone in your family. We're leaving," Troy said, then grabbed Sharpay's arm and they ran out of the gym and out of the school, out to Troy's truck. Sharpay and Troy both buckled up and Troy started the car.
"Troy?" Sharpay said.
"Yeah, Shar?" Troy said, glancing at her.
"I love you," Sharpay leaned in for a deep kiss and pushed him down, slowly onto his seat.
"Shar, what are you doing?" Troy asked, as she slowly kissed his neck.
"I'm done with waiting, because I know who I'll marry: You," Sharpay leaned in again for another gentle kiss and Troy grabbed onto her back, holding her, gently and nicely, the way she should be treated.