A/N I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I ONLY OWN THIS PLOT! I have decided on longer chapter and shorter updates. Thanks to everyone who voted here is your next chapter.

A few months passed and Gabriella and Troy got closer and closer. Troy learned all about Gabriella, her likes and dislikes, the little personality things she did when she was feeling a certain way, most importantly how to see her body language and instantly know how she's feeling. Yet, he knew all that, but when it came to her past and home life she was a closed and locked diary and he hadn't been able to find that special key to open her up.

She and Kelsi were slowly getting closer to. Gabriella opened up to Kelsi a little, but nothing huge. Jackie was behaved…for the most part. Gabriella feared her and whenever she would walk by Gabriella would tense or hide behind her friends. But for the most part Jackie left Gabriella alone.

Troy was so excited because today was Gabriella's birthday. She was 14 years old today. He had soo much planned and he couldn't wait to see her face when he showed her everything.

She arrived at her locker as usual, head down, frown upon her lips looking as if a dark rain cloud was trapped over her head.

She opened her locker and jumped back with a gasp when confetti came flying out and the happy birthday music played from a small recoding inside.

Troy chuckled. "Surprise, Happy Birthday." He said coming over to her.

"You did this?" she asked surprised.

"Yep. Happy Birthday."

Gabriella shrugged and put her books inside her locker only leaving out the ones she needed. "What's happy about it?"

"14 years ago today you came into this world. That's a happy thing."

"Depends on who you ask." Gabriella replied. "Some would say it was a mistake."

"Who says that?" Troy asked.

Gabriella sighed and closed her locker. "Nobody, just forget. Thank you for the surprise, but I'd rather not do anything special today. It's just another regular day."

With that she headed to her home room classroom. Troy shook his head and ran in front of her to stop her.

"We've got time, come with me. There is more to your surprise." Troy said taking her hand not giving her time to argue.

He led her to the roof top. Then he took her over to a small space that used to once be empty. Now had a large rectangular black wooden flower bed filled with 3 dozen roses. On the outside of the back in big red letters it said "Susan's Garden"

Gabriella gasped as tears filled her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hands to force back a sob. "Troy…" she squeaked out.

"I hope it's ok. I don't know much about flowers or gardening so my mom and Kelsi helped but…"

"Oh Troy, it's perfect." Gabriella whimpered. "The best present I've ever gotten in my entire life. Thank you, thank you so much." She threw her arms around his neck hugging him tightly. Troy hugged her back and rubbed her back. He was happy to know those were tears of joy not tears because he messed something up.

Gabriella pulled back and knelt down next to the bed. She pressed her nose to one of the flowers and smelled it. Gabriella smiled and her day was instantly made better. Troy knelt down next to her.

"It's yours. You can come up here and water them and add news one, take old ones out…anything you want to do to this garden is yours."

"All by myself?"

"Depends what you mean."

"Well if I get busy and don't have time to water them I don't want them to die."

"Just talk to Kelsi or one of the girls. They'll help you, or if you show me what to do I can help you sometimes too."

Gabriella smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. Thank you so much, Troy. This is wonderful."

"This isn't even all of it. You're coming to my house after school and getting the rest of your surprises." Troy told her.

Gabriella got nervous. "I like being spoiled as much as the next girl but…Troy you didn't get me a puppy did you."

Troy laughed hard at that one. "No, no, I promise. This is the biggest surprise. Everything else is small."

"Ok."

Troy smiled as Gabriella turned her attention back to the flowers. "Susan would love this. I wish I could pick one for her and send it to her. It would make her entire day, she would happy again." Gabriella said softly.

Troy knew even though she was talking to herself, she wanted him to hear it.

"Where does she live, maybe we can mail it to her or drop by on the way home and give it to her." Troy said pushing ever so gently for more information.

Just like that Gabriella closed back up and shook her head. "We can't. I'm not allowed to go see her. We will both get in trouble and they're going to hurt her again."

Troy sighed softly but nodded. Little by little Gabriella opened up about this Susan woman and little by little Troy got a look into Gabriella's past.

At lunch Gabriella got her food and sat down at her table with her friends like she normally did. She didn't talk much which everyone had gotten used to. Only today after Troy sat down next to her a double chocolate chip cupcake with 1 small lit candle sticking out of it. She looked at her friends confused. They just smiled and..."Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Gabriella, happy Birthday to you."

Chad ended by howling like a dog after the word "you" causing Gabriella to giggle and blush madly. "You guys didn't have to do this." She said softly.

"We didn't have to. We wanted to." Chad said. "Today is a special day and we wanted to celebrate with you."

"Thank you." Was all Gabriella could say. She was surprised by her friends kindness. The last time she celebrated her birthday was 3 years ago. She had forgotten how good it felt to be celebrated.

"Now what's a birthday without presents?" Chad asked handing her a small wrapped box.

Now Gabriella lost it. Tears filled her eyes she buried her face into Troy's shoulder and cried. Her parents haven't even bothered to say happy birthday, none the less go out and buy her something special.

"Brie, Sweetie, what's the matter?" Troy asked stroking the back of her head.

"Is it just overwhelming?" Kelsi asked.

Gabriella nodded against Troy not looking up.

"Presents are overwhelming?" Chad asked.

"When you're bullied for so long sometimes you get the idea that people don't like you and nobody cares about you, so when people do show they care it's a lot to take in." Kelsi explained rubbing Gabriella's back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overwhelm you." Chad said. "I just really wanted you to see we care about you."

"It's perfect, Chad. Thank you." Gabriella said looking up from Troy's shoulder and using the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. She took the gift and opened it. It was a small red and white Wildcats keychain with the basketball team's picture on it.

Gabriella smiled softly. "Thanks, Chad it's perfect."

"Now when you cheer Troy on you can wave something like a real cheerleader."

Again Gabriella blushed and hid her face. Chad always loved to tease her about her cheering for Troy that day.

Troy chuckled. "Here I thought you'd get her a Pom-Pom or something."

"Nah everyone had those to cheer with." Chad said simply.

Everyone laughed. Gabriella giggled and looked up. She was really starting to trust her friends. They were so loving towards her.

School went by quickly and after school Gabriella went to Troy's house. She faked a call to her parents so they didn't 'worry' when she didn't come home.

The second Gabriella stepped inside Troy's house she was greeted with a big bear hug from Mrs. Bolton. "Gabriella it's so nice to finally meet you. Troy has told us so much about you!"

Troy chuckled. "Mom, she can't breathe."

"Oh...sorry." She released Gabriella who was stiff as stone. "My name is Lucille Bolton, but you can call me Lucille. Happy Birthday, we are so happy you're here."

Gabriella gulped and let out a breath of air she didn't know she was holding in. "Tha-thank you..."

"Mom, like I said on the phone she is really shy upon first meeting. Give her a chance to warm up to you." Troy said with a soft smile.

Lucille nodded and headed into the kitchen. Troy smiled and gave her head a squeeze. "Sorry, I should have warned you about my mom."

"It's ok. I just need to get comfortable."

"Come on, I'll show you my room. Then we can go outside and shoot some hoops. You're getting pretty good."

Gabriella blushed and nodded.

Troy chuckled. "I think I'm going to start calling you bashful or blushy."

That only made Gabriella blush more. "Troy, please don't."

He laughed. "I'm sorry, I can't help it. You're so adorable when you blush."

Gabriella was so red making Troy laugh even more. Gabriella looked away hiding her face.

"Oh no." Troy laughed went over to her and made her look back at him. "No more hiding, Missy. You're adorable when you blush and need to embrace it."

"Troy, please." Gabriella whined. "I don't think I can get any redder."

Troy laughed but nodded. "I'm done. Come on, follow me."

They walked down the hallway to Troy's room and went inside. Gabriella looked around and giggled softly. "Wow, I guess it's safe to say you hate basketball."

Troy laughed with her. "OH yeah, with a passion."

They both laughed at Troy's basketball themed bedroom.

"So what do we do now?" Gabriella asked shyly.

Troy chuckled. "Whatever you want to do. It's your day. Today is all about you."

That made Gabriella blush. She never even had one minute all about her, now she had an entire day? That was an overwhelming thought. "I don't know. I just normally do what people tell me."

"I'll give you options and you can pick."

"Can't you just tell me what to do?"

Troy laughed. "I did, I said you have to pick, that's what you have to do."

"That's not what I meant."

Troy smiled and shook his head. "We can play basketball, I can show you another secret hide out, we can watch a movie. If you don't like those ideas I can come up with more."

Gabriella was quiet for a minute. "Basketball...no wait secret hide out...wait no, basketball...no, secret hide out..."

Troy laughed. "Ok, movie it is."

"I can't decide between the two. I want to do both."

"Ok, we can do both. Then if you want to, after we can a movie but only if you want to."

Gabriella nodded. "Ok." She said softly and shyly.

Troy took her hand and led her outside. He let her to a huge tree with steps on it. "Climb up."

Gabriella looked at him curiously but smiled and went up. She was surprised when she walked onto a treehouse. There was a pirate wheel and an old couch and a small portable tv with attached DVD player and a few little other things.

"Wow, this is incredible." Gabriella said in awe.

"My dad and I built it together was summer." Troy said coming over to her.

"It's amazing. I helped my...Susan's husband put up a tire swing in the backyard. We always went out to play on it while Susan worked on her garden. Then afterwards I'd help Susan. We were always outside."

Troy smiled. She always had this glow and smile she got whenever she talked about Susan and her Husband. He just wished he knew who they were. Troy inhaled and exhaled he took a huge risk and asked "If I were to ask you who Susan and her Husband are to you, would you tell me?"

Gabriella was quiet but then she said one word. "Gene..."

"What?"

"That's Susan's husband's name, Gene."

Troy let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't the answer he was expecting but it was something. "Is that short for anything?"

Gabriella nodded but didn't answer. She sniffed back tears.

"Brie, Sweetie, what is it?" Troy cooed gently.

"I miss them. It's not fair!"

"Where are they? Maybe we can go visit them?"

"I'm not allowed! They said I wasn't allowed!"

"Who said that? Who said you weren't allowed?"

Gabriella didn't respond.

"Was it your parents? Are they physically abusing you and trying to keep you away from Susan?"

Gabriella walked over to the edge of the tree house and looked out. Troy sighed. He had pushed too hard and now she was shutting him out completely.

He went over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Brie. I didn't mean to push so hard. I just…I hate seeing you so sad and I want to help make you happy anyway I can. I can only do that if you talk to me and tell me the truth."

Gabriella sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"It is my parents that are keeping me away from, Susan, not they are not abusing me."

"Who is Susan to you?"

"That's all I can say. If I give away too much information my parents told me they will punish Susan and they will hurt her."

Troy sighed. He got so much information and yet, so little. He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Thank you for trusting me and opening up to me. I know that wasn't easy."

"In time, Troy, I'll tell you everything. But for right now, I just…I'm still not ready."

"That's ok. I'll wait, for as long as it takes. I promise. I'll wait. I'll never push like I just did."

Gabriella nodded and relaxed in his arms. Troy smiled.

"Troy…"

Gabriella tensed causing Troy to hold her tighter. "Just my Mom, it's ok."

"Troy, everything is ready come inside." His mother said.

"We'll be right down, Mom."

Lucille walked away and went back inside.

Gabriella relaxed. Troy chuckled. "You can trust my mom, Brie. She won't hurt you."

Gabriella sighed and nodded. That was easier said then done.

"Come on, lets go inside dinner is ready."

He took her hand ignoring the sparks and they went back down and inside the house.

Gabriella stopped when she walked into the kitchen. There was a huge banner hanging up that read happy birthday. At the head of the table was a chair with a few balloons tied to the sides. Her eyes went wide.

"Surprise!" Troy smiled.

"Wha-what? I...I don't understand."

"We made Macaroni and Cheese. Troy told us it was your favorite." Lucille said.

Gabriella blushed at all the attention.

Troy gently led her to the table and she sat down on the balloon decorated chair. A large plate was placed in front of her filled with macaroni and cheese. Troy sat down next to her.

"Eat up, Gabriella. For desert we have double chocolate chip ice cream cake." Jack said.

Gabriella gasped softly. That was her favorite desert.

"Oh, Troy go get the presents from the hall closet." Lucille reminded.

Tears filled Gabriella's eyes. She hardly knew Troy's parents and they went out of their way and made sure she had a special birthday. Her own parents didn't even bother to say happy birthday.

Troy left the room to get the gifts.

"Gabriella, what's wrong?" Lucille asked.

"It's too much, I can't accept this." She choked out.

"Gabriella, it's just dinner and desert and a few small gifts, it's not like we are giving you a free car."

"It's too much. It's just too much." Gabriella cried.

Jack and Lucille shared a look. Troy came back in the room and saw Gabriella upset. He went over to her.

"Brie, Sweetie, it's ok. What's the matter?"

"It's all too much. You're all so wonderful. I can't accept your kindness."

"Of course you can. Honey, you deserve all the kindness in the world. I'm sorry if we overwhelmed you. We just wanted you to feel special and loved."

"I do feel that way, thank you."

The two shared a hug and started on their dinner. They talked and laughed through the entire meal.

Hours later Gabriella sat back in her chair and put her hand over her stomach. "I'm so full. Thank you, Mrs. Bolton. That meal was wonderful. I haven't had a good meal like that in ages."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. The Macaroni and Cheese is home made. A Family recipe that was passed down."

"Well it's wonderful…" Gabriella said. She wanted to ask for the recipe but was too scared. They had already given her so much, she didn't want to seem ungrateful.

"Let's do presents." Jack said.

They wrapped package were placed in front of her. One was larger in a rectangular shaped box. The other was flat but long, looked like a sheet of paper wrapped in paper. The last was a small square box.

Gabriella reached for the biggest one first. She slowly and carefully opened it. She stopped when Jack started to laugh at her. "You're one of those girls."

"What girls?"

"They have to save the paper. Seriously, just rip it open!"

"Oh but…but I don't…I don't want to waste your paper…" Gabriella stuttered feeling like she had done something wrong.

"Dad, leave her alone!" Troy chuckled. "If she wants to save the paper let her, who cares."

"I…I don't have to, if your dad doesn't want me to." Gabriella said shyly.

Troy smiled softly and rubbed her back. "Open it whatever way you feel comfortable with. My Dad was just teasing."

Gabriella bit her bottom lip and looked back to the present and continued to open it. She gasped. It was a light blue journal but at the bottom right hand corner was a gold plaque with her name on it. "Mr. Bolton…"

"It was Troy's idea and Lucille picked it out. I just paid for it."

"It's perfect." Gabriella choked out forcing herself not to cry. "Thank you." Jack just smiled and nodded.

Gabriella reached for the next present and opened it. She chuckled and wiped away her tears. "The Macaroni and Cheese recipe?"

"I saw that look in your eyes. I know were just too shy to ask for it." Lucille said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lucille smiled nicely.

Gabriella grabbed the last small gift and opened it. She gasped softly as tears filled her eyes. It was small necklace with a T pendent at the end of it. "T as in Troy?" she whimpered.

"No." he whispered. "T as in trust."

Gabriella smiled and handed it to him. "Put it on me, please?"

Troy nodded and helped her put the necklace on.

"Thank you for everything you've done. This is best birthday I've ever had."

"Oh we're glad you enjoyed it." Jack answered.

Gabriella smiled happy tears. This was the first time in a long time she was truly 100% happy. This was the first time in a long time she felt like people actually loved and cared about her. It was something she missed, but secretly wanted to feel more of, at the same time was scared of getting used to it in case it was taken away from her again. If that happen she'd never survive this.

A/N Ahh such a nice happy ending :) What did you guys think? Leave me your thoughts in a review.

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