Chapter 2: All That You are is Broken Inside

9 years ago…Halloween

Gabriella's eyes widened as Troy dumped the several varieties of delicious candy on the carpet of her room. He had double the amount she had for some odd reason. He had a large grin on his face that showed his brilliantly white teeth. Gabriella scooped the candy into her small, delicate hands and let it run through her fingers.

"We can share it," Troy offered courteously, something children his age had trouble doing. Gabriella smiled at her friend. He pushed some chocolate bars towards her.

"Thanks, Troy. You can have some of mine, too!" she beamed as she dumped her collection of treats into the pile.

"You look pretty, Gabriella," he said. She blushed as she fidgeted with her pink princess costume. The fake jewels on her tiara shined against the light. "If you're a princess, and I'm a prince, does that mean we're married?" he asked innocently.

Gabriella opened two ring pops and slipped one onto his finger. "Of course it does," she clarified, as she fixed her own. "I am glad that you're my prince, Troy," she said sweetly. Troy smiled in return and licked his ring pop.

"These taste yummy," he said. He then hugged her tightly showing sweet innocent affection.

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Troy: He woke up, wanting to go back into an infinite sleep. A sleep where he would be gone from the world forever, and all he did was dream. Dream of beautiful things. Things that would lighten his world and make him happy. But Troy had learned that no matter how much you want something, the chances of it happening are slim. So he rose from his bed and unplugged his cell phone from its charger. He had 5 missed calls and two voicemails. He didn't need to confirm with his caller ID to know that it was her.

He listened to the voicemails, paying close attention to her voice. It broke occasionally, reflecting the hurt she felt. She had asked him why he had returned. She asked why he had ignored her. And how even though he had ignored her, she still wanted to see him. She had said that he was still her friend, even if he had denied her that years ago. The size of her heart was simply too much for him. He put the phone down before the second message was over and let a tear slide down his cheek.

How could he have been so selfish? He grabbed the blue binder from underneath his bed and opened it to the sixth page. The newspaper article. The headline that it read. The words and sentences and paragraphs that had been written about that night. That night that had the potential to be the best one of his life, but was ruined by one small fraction of a second. Troy slammed it shut and retrieved it to its spot. "Why?" he whispered, fighting back another tear.

A week later…

He threw several rocks into the pond, watching them sink slowly. The sun was starting to go down, giving away into a dark night. He was the only person at the park today. The whistle of the wind blowing his hair away from his face was the biggest comfort he could find. The grass brushed against his old blue jeans and he sat, thinking, contemplating everything. Was there a way of escaping this darkness? Could you ever stop night from coming?

He thought about his father and his mother and how much they loved him. About how much he loved them. He didn't want them to have to suffer with him. He thought about if he would ever be able to bring himself to play again? Would he be able to find a way to be normal? The answers to all of his questions scared him. And what would happen when he returned to East High after so long? Would people recognize him as the boy he was before? He thought about how difficult it would be to see Gabriella again. In the very same hallways he had destroyed her.

The grass rustled with what seemed like the sound of footsteps. He closed his eyes, hoping that no one was there. The last thing he desired was unwanted company. He felt a small, warm hand on his shoulder. It sent shivers down his spine as he recognized the owner of the hand. It was her. He turned and pushed away.

"Don't leave," she commanded and Troy stood still as stone, rooted to the ground. "Just listen to what I have to say," Gabriella pleaded. He managed to nod. "What you're doing, Troy Bolton, is unfair. You left me behind, disregarding the fact that I was always there for you. Whenever you needed anything, I was there to help. And you pushed me away. And now you're back. You decide to show up at the Tutor Center! Where you know I work. And why?" her tone was rising. Anger and hurt stirring in her eyes. Troy's expression changing into one of empathy. "So that you could do this to me again. Hurt me again? I just want to help you and you won't let me. I am willing to put it behind me and in the past just as long as I get my friend back. But it seems like you don't care about anyone but yourself," she said, shaking her head. She refused to cry.

Troy looked down at his feet, unable to form words. "I'll see you around, Troy," she whispered and turned her back on him.

He rose to his feet and moved towards her, grabbing her hand and turning her around. "Gabriella, I-," he began. But what was there to say? He knew what he wanted to say but it would bring her closer. And did he want that right now? "I'm sorry. I would take it all back if I could. But I can't. And I don't think I can be your friend again," he said, loosening his grip on her hand.

"You can take it back, Troy. You can fix it, you just don't want to," she said, holding onto his shoulders, slightly shaking him. "Why don't you want to?"

"Because it's too hard, Gabriella. It's too hard to let you get close to me again," he admitted, removing her hands from his shoulders and walking past her once more. A thousand knives stabbed into him. It hurt so terribly, but he just couldn't do it.

"I don't care," she whispered low enough so that he could not hear her.

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Mel: "Mel, he's back," Gabriella said as she burst through the door of Melanie's room. Tears and mascara ran down her face. She stood in the center of the room, helpless. She sobbed quietly, holding her arms together. Mel pushed herself away from her desk and rose. She held Gabriella tightly and tried to stop her from shaking.

"Who's back?" she asked. Gabriella's abrupt breakdown had been entirely unexpected, and the fact that there was a male behind this was beyond her.

Gabriella took a breath before she could answer and mumbled into Mel's shoulder, "Troy," she said and moved away.

Mel's eyes widened in astonishment. "Are you sure?" Gabriella nodded. "Why is he back? You stay away from him, Gabriella. You have to be careful around him; he's a selfish bastard," Mel insulted. Gabriella didn't seem to agree with her though.

"I need to help him, Mel," Gabriella said. She was about to refute her when Gabriella continued explaining, "You don't understand; I know him. I know something's wrong and I know that I couldn't live with myself knowing he is hurting."

"Gabriella, he went on without you, knowing he had hurt you. You don't have to do this," she persuaded but Gabriella just cried a bit harder and sunk a bit more. "You do not need him to be happy. He deserves this. You do not need to help him."

"Yes, I do. Because he is my friend no matter what anyone says," she stated, sinking to the ground. Mel sat next to her and held her friend, calming her.

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