After Troy squeezed her hand, Gabriella reported it to his doctor as well as everyone else. By the end of the night, everyone else had gone back to see him, but he didn't make any progress. However, when Gabriella went back in to tell him goodnight, she held his hand and once again felt him grip hers.

For the following three days, she stayed with Troy everyday after school until the end of visiting hours. Even though nothing had happened since the first night, Gabriella's confidence continued to grow. She never felt more connected to him than she had within the last few days. He may not have been there to talk to her or kiss and touch her, but being able to be there for him was satisfying enough for her.

On the fourth day, Gabriella was unable to visit with Troy directly after school, much to her disappointment. Instead, she and Maria had to meet at the police station after school. Because she was involved in the shooting, police had requested her to come in for questioning. Although she didn't want to, she knew in the long run it would be best, especially for Troy's sake.

As they walked inside the police station, Gabriella gripped tightly to her mother's hand, nervous about meeting the detective.

"Right this way." A police officer led them down the hall to an interrogation room, where they were directed to sit at the table in the middle of the room, across from a female detective.

"Gabriella Montez, correct?" Gabriella nodded. "Hi, I'm detective Allison Perez. I'm just going to ask you some questions."

Gabriella nodded as she started. "You and Mr. Matthews were dating, correct?" She nodded. "For how long?"

"Around three weeks," she answered.

"Did anything abnormal happen in that time?" the detective asked.

"H-he started getting really mad at me, especially when he'd see me talking to Troy. It led to him starting to hit me and it got worse each day," she recalled. "And, one night, he came to my house, drunk, and I was alone. He tried to get me in bed with him and he hurt me badly in the process, but my mom got home before he could rape me."

Allison nodded, scribbling down notes on a piece of paper. "This is the same Troy he shot, correct?" Gabriella nodded, wishing she wouldn't bring Troy into subject. "How did he find out, or did he know?"

"He knew because he saw him hurt me once," she answered.

Allison nodded again. "So before this, was he involved?"

Gabriella nodded. "He saved me from him twice. When he was shot, that was the second time he had saved me."

"What exactly happened that led to the shooting?" she questioned.

A slight blush appeared on Gabriella's cheeks as she spoke, "Well, Troy was holding me and telling me that he loves me after he had just kissed me, and, then, Lance came and told him to get away from me but Troy got in front of me and so he shot him."

"So, why did you never tell police about what was going on?" Allison asked. "Did he threaten you?"

Gabriella nodded. "He told me that if anyone told, he'd come back after me."

The detective nodded. "I see."

The interrogation continued for what seemed like hours to Gabriella. It seemed as though the questions were starting to sound alike-what happened after the shooting, why did Troy never tell, did her mother know, etc. When Gabriella was finally done, she almost ran out of the station. Maria laughed at her daughter as she ran towards the car.

"In a hurry?" she teased.

"Yes! I need to see Troy!" Gabriella answered.

"What makes you think that's where we're going?" Gabriella glared at her mother as she laughed. "I'm kidding! Of course we're going to see him. I'm not going to deprive my daughter of seeing the young man who saved her life."

"So, you approve of me possibly dating him?" Gabriella queried.

"Of course I do," she answered. "He saved your life, he's a good person. And, it's obvious that he really cares about you."

Gabriella sighed. She wanted to believe her, but then the memory of his hurtful words from that fateful afternoon flooded her mind. "Yeah, but what if it's too good to be true? I mean, sometimes he just seems too charming for his own good."

"Oh, don't worry about that. It's not like he's trying to charm other girls, right?" Maria pointed out.

"Yeah..." she agreed. "So, do you think he'll make it?"

"Of course he will," she answered confidently

"But, you know the saying. Only the good die young," Gabriella reminded her.

"Don't believe that. Sure he's a good person but not all good people are going to die young," Maria stated.

"But he might," Gabriella quipped.

Maria sighed, knowing something her daughter didn't know. "Trust me, he's fine. Just wait till we get there."

"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes.

Chad wondered through the hospital halls until he found Troy's room. According to a nurse, he had been moved into a regular room, meaning he was making progress at least. When he arrived there, however, he got a surprise.

"Tr-Troy?" Chad was in shock. There was his best friend, sitting up, wide awake, and only hooked to one IV.

"Ch-Chad?" Troy mocked, grinning from ear to ear.

"When did you...how...?" Chad stuttered.

"Last night," he answered. "My parents came in to see me earlier, they called everyone's parents but I told them not to relay the message to you or Gabriella because I wanted it to be a surprise, and I have a little scheme planned for a certain brunette."

Chad chuckled. "Dude, don't freak her out. She's scared enough!"

"Don't worry, it's just for fun. I'm not going to hurt her, of course I won't," he replied. "I just thought it'd be funny if I hid before she came then let her get worried then I'll come out and everything will be fine."

"For your sake I hope so," Chad replied. "So, what happened when you woke up?"

"I don't know. I heard Gabriella's voice last, and I felt her rubbing my arm, so I guess I just wanted more of her, but, when I woke up, everyone was already gone," he answered.

Chad laughed. "Dude, you got it bad."

"I know," he replied. "Anyway, when will she be here? Doesn't she normally come with you?"

"Oh yeah, she'll be here soon. She's at the police station," Chad answered.

Troy's jaw dropped. "What? Why?"

"They arrested Lance and they needed her for interrogation," Chad answered. "But, she should be here soon."

Troy nodded. "So, she's okay, then? He didn't do anything to her, right?"

"She's fine. She just misses you, like the rest of us," he assured his friend. "But, if you still want to scare her then I'll keep a watch out for her then come back when I see her since she doesn't have your new room number yet."

Troy nodded again. "All right. Hopefully we don't scare her too badly."

"Let's hope she has a good sense of humor," Chad stated, walking out of the room.

"...So, mom, why did they put him in another room?" Gabriella queried.

"I don't know, that's just what I was told," she answered, holding in the real reason why he was moved.

"Does it mean he's getting better?" Gabriella asked.

"I suppose," Maria replied. "I think he's on the third floor. I need to use the restroom, will you be okay going up alone and asking for his room number?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I'll see you in a few, then."

After separating from her mother and going to third floor via elevator, Gabriella quickly found a nurse and was directed to Troy's room. Once in his room, however, she found it to be empty.