The Note: WOW. I cannot believe the amount of reviews I get!

(Since I'm rather wordy, I put my entire author's note and such in my freewebs homepage. It has interesting updates, such as, sneak peeks at this story, rating changes and a PERSONAL SHOUTOUT TO FANFICTION FROM VANESSA HUDGENS) Please check it out!

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Part I

"It's me. It's Gabriella."

The words encircled his mind as Troy tried to think back. Gabriella Montez? The girl who had vanished without a trace six months before—who is now standing in his living room covered in blood? Surely it couldn't be her. His parents are making this up because he got a bad grade.

He lifted his hand to take Gabriella's from her forehead. She winced slightly in pain. Her hand was cold and scared, rugged and bumpy. Angrily, he let go of her hand and looked around. He first looked from his silent mother to his gawking friends, then to the very confused girl standing in front of him. "No." he said simply.

"Huh?"

"No." he repeated, the words coming out harsher then before. "You're not Gabriella. Gabriella …the real Gabriella …she's dead. I don't know who you are, but whoever you are, get out." He growled, his head hung. Tears behind his eyes began to gather. He held them in before they spilled out. Gabriella took a step back and wrung out her hair, even if there was nothing in it. Call it her new nervous habit.

"What do you mean, Troy?" Mrs. Bolton asked, placing a warm hand on his shoulder. "Of course it's Gabriella! She's back, Troy!" Mrs. Bolton was almost snarling. Even Coach Bolton couldn't understand why his son wouldn't believe that this was Gabriella. "Troy, Gabriella needed help so badly, she couldn't even make it to her house!"

"Oh yeah?" Troy looked up at his mother. "Where is back from, huh, Mom? Why didn't she go to her house first? Why ours?" he asked, turning to face his friends. "Guys, it's not Gabriella. Gabriella's dead. We had a funeral for her, remember? And that Black Week at school? Does that not count for anything? This girl, this girl is an imposter." He yelled. He turned to his parents once again. "This is a cruel joke."

"Troy it's not a joke!" Mr. Bolton snarled, stepped forward. "All of the stuff you just listed doesn't prove a thing. How can you be so sure that this girl right here is not Gabriella Montez?" he asked his son. Troy looked into Gabriella's watering auburn eyes.

"I can tell," he started, "I can tell it's not Gabriella because …she's not what I remember. Her hand …it was cold and hard. And dead. Gabriella Montez's hand was warm and soft …it made my knees week whenever it brushed against my skin." Troy looked up at his family and friends behind him. His eyes were pleading. "Her hand only makes me shake with anger."

"Troy," Gabriella began, rubbing her wounded throat. "It's me, Troy. It's really me. I've been hurt, can't you tell?" She held out her arm, and lifted what was left of the sleeve. It was covered in dark bruises, slash marks and random incisions, probably made by a knife. "Troy, I'm hurt. My skin is not what makes me, me. I'm still Gabriella on this inside. No matter shattered I am …" she added quietly. Most of the group still heard her.

Troy took one cautious step forward and brushes his finger over the scar marks left on her thin, unbandaged arm. Slowly, he closed his eyes and imagined it was six months ago, and she and him to just hanging out. He imagined her soft skin brushing against his. When he opened his eyes, he searched for the same feeling on Gabriella's injured arm. And finally, he found one.

"Gabriella?" he whispered. Gabriella slowly lowered her arm. "Is it really you?"

"Yeah …" Gabriella croaked, her throat choked up. It was painful to cry. "Troy, it's really me."

And just as quickly as she disappeared long ago, Troy took another step forward and engulfed her in a warm hug that he's been waiting to do for so, so long.

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End Note: OKAY. I know I have short chapters, but this one is only Part One of the REAL second chapter. The real one was too long and I figured right here was a good cut-off point. Please review! I like them, keep them coming! And I swear, the chapters will get even better as I get more reviews ;) Bye!