A/N: Hello, I tried to make this one longer, but I think I failed miserably (it's only three pages in Word) The next chapter is going to be a biggie though, I can tell you that. Now the beginning of this chapter is not very Troyella, actually the beginning is about Troy's past relationship with his high school love, Grace, but don't worry it is TROYELLA (there are just some bumps in the road). I hope you all enjoy and I am improving in my updating rate!

Disclaimer: None of it is mine, not even the plot

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"You can't just leave… your past will follow no matter what." The words stopped the young teenager in his tracks. Looking back, through the thick rain and fog, he could make out the speaker's figure. Her hair matted to her forehead and deep breaths exiting her mouth, her words spoke volumes, but despite that, he just couldn't stay.

"But at least I am trying!" he screamed in anguish through the rain, trying to justify his own actions. He knew that getting out of this place was his only option, it held too many dark secrets that he just couldn't face. Without looking back, he ran into the shelter of his best friend's apartment, tears falling down his cheeks. It didn't really matter that it was raining, because even if it wasn't, his clothes would be soaked anyways.

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Troy never thought that his escape would cause Grace to do the same. Yet, it had been years since Grace left the small town and ironically, Troy was the one to find himself stuck in the place that he spent years escaping. For those first four months that he spent in New York for Grad School, he never regretted a second. Having freedom and space seemed like an eye opener to him, he had spent the last four years sharing an apartment with the girl that he loved, and now, he never knew why he did it in the first place. But despite the freedom, and the pleasure of coming and going as he pleased, there seemed to be an air loneliness around him, one that he felt could only be repaired by the presence of Grace, the women he knew he couldn't live without. That was why, that Christmas when he headed home he knew exactly what he was going to do- a proposal, so hopefully, Grace could come and join him in New York. Even though that last conversation before his departure ended up going bitter, he thought for sure that she would be waiting for him back at home. But that Christmas, when he knocked on her door and expected a pair of thin arms to pull him into a hug, he was faced with a harsh reality. Just as easily as he slipped away, she had done the same. Not only had she left, but she left with Troy's number one enemy, Tyler Pike. Tyler was always a show off; the king of the school, and for that, Troy hated him. He knew at that moment that the life he had dreamed for them was destroyed. As he left her house that heartbreaking day, he fingered the ring in his pocket and cursed his life. Grace's departure changed Troy for the worst and upturned a life that he tried so hard to achieve. Now, eleven years later, his life that he tried so hard to keep relatively calm was being torn apart. His dreams of law school were shot, the boys were his life, and now, Grace, although dead, has found a way to cast a shadow on Troy, yet again. Walls were breaking, memories were returning, and Parker was in the middle of it all. Parker… Troy couldn't get over the fact of how much that boy looked like her, the light blonde hair, brown eyes; they were all traces of the teenage girl and young woman that he once loved, the one he expected to spend the rest of his life with. The love of his life that abandoned him right before the rest of their lives

"Uncle Troy…" his thoughts and memories were quickly disturbed by the voice of Jeremy. Troy quickly covered up the photograph he was staring at along with wiping away his tears. Maybe the dining room table wasn't the best place to reflect on his past. It had been a week since Parker showed up, that meant a week since his memories started to haunt him again. But despite the sadness, he looked up at the young boy with a hint of a smile.

"Parker won't come out of his room and Mark wants to get into the room to get something." Troy released a sigh and his smile faltered, despite the boys' and his attempts at making Parker feel involved and lend a helping hand, none of it had worked. "That kid is stubborn."

"Just like his mother," was all that came out of Troy's mouth, muttered of course, for none of the boys, even Jeremy knew about the situation.

"What?" Jer's confused question snapped Troy out his trance.

"I'll come talk to him." He pushed back his chair and got up, making his way up the old staircase.

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It had been a few days since Troy's reflection on the past and he was now on a mission. With the kids in school and bills piling up high, he realized it was finally the day to confront the Gabriella Montez who has already gained quite a bitter reputation. Despite the remarks that he had heard, he was determined to gain some much needed money. With all his courage and of course, charm, he approached the secretary propped in front of the department store main office. He leaned his elbows on the desk and cleared his throat, quickly gaining the secretary's attention. The secretary was scared a little from the close-up contact but she quickly recovered.

"Hi," he looked at the secretary's name plate, "Mary, I'm just here to talk to Miss. Montez." He pointed in the direction of the door and before she could respond he started to head for the door, "Oh thank you, I will just go right in." Before he could turn the door knob though, Mary stepped in front of him.

"No one can go in without an appointment." Troy scoffed at this and tried to get hold of the door knob.

"I did though Mary." He tried to sweet talk the old lady. She gave him a questioning look before abandoning her post to look at the schedule book. It was at that moment that he took the time to go in.

"Mary, I thought I told…" Gabriella quickly stopped her words when she looked up from her work to see a young man standing in front of her. Mary came up behind him quickly muttering apologies to Gabriella; she quickly waved Mary out, though, as she kept staring at the pair of Aquarius blue eyes across from her.

"Hmmmm… do I know you." She finally got out as she stood up from behind her desk and slowly approach the man.

"No, but you really should," he held out his hand, "Troy… Troy Bolton." He introduced himself with such confidence that he was bound to get some type of help. Gabriella quickly snaps out of her daze though at his introduction and she starts to remember the past.

"Why are you in my office!" She snaps within a second, startling Troy.

"Well, I feel that you could help me greatly, you know I am the local boys' home…" he kept his act up, knowing his charm can succeed.

"Actually, it really doesn't matter who you are, but you can't just come busting in here. It's called an appointment." Her temper was running short, where was Mary? "MARY!" The older woman came quietly into the room.

"W-wh- what do you need Miss. Montez…"

"Take him out… and next time, don't let anyone in that doesn't have an appointment." She sends a cold stare in Troy's direction, which surprises him; no one can usually turn away his charm.

"Yes ma'am." Mary quickly moves over to Troy and pokes him in the side; he turns his attention towards her with a questionable look. "Move." She mutters poking him so he moves out of the office.

Before Troy knew it, he was exiting the department store, somehow, he just figured out Gabriella Montez wasn't going to be that easy to win over. What was he to do next?

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Gabriella Montez sat at her desk working at yet another paper for the business men she was dealing with from New York that was until she heard singing and the strumming of a guitar for the street. With a frustrated sigh, she walked over to the blinds and peered down to the street below, from her elevated standpoint from a third story window, she could identify the cause of the distraction. Below, looking straight up at her window, were that Troy Bolton character and seven young boys, one of which was sulking against the wall of the department store. In Troy Bolton's hands was a gutair and most of the boys were joyfully singing. She rolled her eyes and glared down at the man, when was he ever going to give up? In the past week, he had busted into her office not once, not twice, but three times; sent about a dozen different letters; and has tried to call more times than she could count. All in all, the man was up to something and she was beyond frustrated. Finally, after receiving a friendly smile from the man below, she unwillingly pulled herself from her chair and made her way down stairs before exiting into the cold. She was soon in the presence of the small group in which she continued to glare at the eldest of the males. "What is this?" she tried to keep her tone nice, since children were leaning in to listen.

"Well, we decided that if you weren't going to come find us, or contact us, or even try to help us at al…" She held up a hand, a protest to get him to be silent.

"Okay, I get it." She released a deep sigh full of annoyance and turned to the group. "What will I have to do in order to have you guys leave me alone."

"A visit, that is all I ask, one visit and if you don't agree to help us then, that's it, we will leave you alone." He looked her in the eyes with a hint of hopelessness. Gabriella, realizing there was no alternative and he was not going to give up soon, she relinquished.

"Okay…okay, fine." The young boys cheered, "BUT… only for a little while."

"Hey, at least we get that." Troy reasoned with as he cocked his head towards the direction of the house. "Why don't you follow us to the house." The group made their way to the respectable vehicles before going to the house. It was finally time that Miss. Montez experiences something new.

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As Gabriella pulled up to the house, she let out a gasp. It was her childhood home, the last place in which she saw her father. As she parked on the street and got out, she knew that whatever lied ahead would not be so easy.

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