Hey guys, remember how I said that I'd be able to updat exactly a week ago, and never did? Sorry about that. I had some writing and rewriting to do. Today I am babysittingmyfive year old little brother who is screaming at me to get off the computer so he can go to the Thomas the Tank Engine website. So I have no time to rant. Enjoy reading.

Troy's POV

I couldn't believe I didn't tell her. I mean I practically let her just slip out of my hands and fall right into that other guy's arms. It was just that she just seemed so... happy with Brandon. And that was all I wanted? Right? I mean, she was my stepsister after all.

So here I was, alone, in my room, with Sharpay's Buffy DVDs. I wasn't watching them or anything... just thinking about her. Damn, I was hung up on her. And it sucked. Usually, I wasn't into the whole 'guys getting all teary and emotional over girls' thing, but this was different, she didn't even see what was going on, she was just blissfully ignorant on exactly what was happening.

"Yoohoo!" I turned around, Gabriella was at the door.

"Gabriella, what are you doing here?" I asked, seriously freaked out in her ability to get into my house when nobody (except for me) was home. "How did you get in?"

"That isn't important. What's important now is us" She grinned, stepping closer to me, pushing me down onto my bed. She grabbed the Buffy box set out of my hands "Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Since when do you watch this crap?" She asked, pulling the DVD out of my hands, throwing it in some random direction, and smashing her face against mine.

After managing to free my mouth from hers (which –surprise surprise- tasted like alcohol), I pushed her away from me, only to have her tackle me again. "Gabriella! Get off of me!" I yelled at her. For two reasons, first of all, she was kind of cutting off my oxygen supply and because she wasn't the one who I wanted to be with (call me a sap all you want... it's the truth). I finally got her off of me, and stood up

"Troy! You don't know what you want! But trust me... after tonight, you'll never think about that little Sharpay again." She said, pulling her dress over her head (revealing her latest Victoria's Secret purchase) while managing to pin me on the bed again.

"Gabriella... I want you to get off of me now." I said, pushing Gabriella off me. "Put your clothes back on." I said, tossing her dress in her general direction and getting off of my bed.

"Oh come on Troy, a month ago, you would have been begging for this." She said, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

I pushed her away from me. "That ay be true... but I'm no the same person as I was a month ago."

"You don't mean that Troy! You were perfectly happy with me before she came to Albuquerque! And guess what? She didn't even come to stay, let alone for you!" She screamed.

"Gabriella... that isn't the point! Look, just get your dress on and we can talk about everything."

"This about Sharpay and you know it! Face it Troy... she's with the one that she wants and it isn't you. She will never be with you so just get on with your life!"

I couldn't believe she was saying that. "You're wrong." I managed to mutter quietly.

"Well then how come she blew you off as soon as someone new came to town! And you know what? Right now, he's asking her to go back to the Parker Jamison Academy with him so they can be together in the big apple... and how much do you want to bet that she's saying yes?"

I stopped talking. That was a low blow, I seriously felt like I just got hit my a bus. "She's going back to New York." I said, unaware that I was speaking, it just sort of came out of my mouth on is own. It wasn't a question either... it was a statement. I saw how gaga she went over Brandon... there was no reason for her to stick around. "Gabriella... what did you do?"

"I just set the bait, Troy. I didn't tell her to take it or anything." As soon as I heard this, my sadness turned into rage. Realizing how much what she had said effected me, Gabriella looked like she was about to cry. "Troy... she's leaving! She's leaving so that we can be together!"

"We will never be together Gabriella! So get it into your head and stop ruining my life!" I screamed in her face... I'm pretty sure that it was the first time I'd ever screamed in anyone's face in my entire life. And it felt pretty damn good, I didn't want to just watch my life go by anymore... I had something to fight for.

"Troy... we were so perfect. Why did this have to happen?" Gabriela asked me, now openly crying. "I mean, we were together for years! Don't let one person get in the way of all of that! I love you Troy, and somewhere in your heart you know you love me too. Don't just throw that away because some temporary distraction comes to town for a while.

I looked at her, for a second. And for the first time, the idea that we would be together forever didn't seem inevitable. "You just don't get it, do you?" I asked. "I love her, Gabriella. And it may seem stupid, but I'm sure that I'll never love anyone like I love her."

"She's leaving you, Troy." Her voice turning icy. "She's taking the next flight out of Albuquerque, and the odds are that she's never coming back. She probably isn't even planning on telling you." The sad part of that is that she was right.

Sharpay's POV

"Pay... I need to ask you something, it's pretty important." Brandon said.

"Shoot." I said, interested in what he was about to say, I mean usually if he wanted to ask me something, he would just ask without announcing it first... this had to pretty big.

"You know how mystery girl pretty much pushed me straight to your door?" Brandon asked.

"Yeah." I nodded, I'd pretty much put two and two together and figured out that Gabriella was the one responsible for Brandon's surprise return, probably some kind of a ploy to keep me away from Troy. And even though I'd hate to say her plan was working... but it seemed like this was one of those 'everyone wins' types of situations.

"And do you remember that school that you loved so much in New York?" Brandon asked, a huge smile plastered across his face.

"The Parker Jamison Academy? Well yeah I remember, it's the only reason I came back to Albuquerque." I asked. "If you don't mind me asking Brandon, where exactly is this going?"

Brandon smiled at me, like he couldn't wait to see how I would respond to whatever he as planning to ask me. "Well, who ever she is, she informed me that there are two places secured for both us at the Parker Jamison Academy and we can go to New York to finish the year!"

"Wait... what?" I asked.

"Come on Pay! You know this is exactly what you came her for, now we can leave... together!" Brandon took my hand. "You have no clue how long I've been waiting for this Shar."

"Brandon... what if I don't want to leave here?" I asked.

Brandon looked as if I had just stabbed him. "Shar... we were supposed to be together. Remember? We never actually broke up."

"Yeah... I know, but all I needed was closure, and I think I just got it." I said, quietly. "Brandon, you know I love you... just not in the same way that I used to."

"Yeah, you mean not in the same way you love Troy." Brandon said, running his hand through his hair. Somehow everything about him seemed less mesmerizing... still gorgeous, just not as romantic as it used to seem.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Brandon smiled weakly. "Well you may not love me like you used to, but I still know you." He said, and I immediately could tell that I had been forgiven. I guess we were both looking for something that just didn't exist anymore. And even though it sort of sucked, it was good that we figured it out sooner rather than later. "You love the dude... at least admit it."

I smiled at Brandon, suddenly remembering how much Brandon rocked... even if I wasn't in love with him. "Yeah... I guess I do." I said, it felt good to (finally) admit it. "Is it weird that we're well... stepsiblings?"

Brandon shrugged. "Well, I don't mind it. I mean, if you'd dumped me for your cousin or something, then I'd be worried."

I let out a small laugh. "So are you sure that you're okay?"

"Well... yeah, as far as being dumped goes."

"That's good, because as soon as you get over the initial shock of this break up, I'm forcing you and Kelsi together against your will." I said with a smile.

"What? You mean that brunette girl?" Brandon asked, hiding a smile.

"Yes that brunette girl who you think is totally and completely gorgeous." Seeing Brandon's embarrassed expression, I smirked. "Hey, I still know you too. And just because we aren't together anymore does not mean that I won't still exploit your coffee radar."

Brandon smiled. "Well, this wasn't as excruciatingly painful as I thought it would be. I just have a feeling that mystery girl is going to be pretty pissed when she figures out that you're not planning to leave any time soon."

"Well, it's nice to know that you're not in excruciating pain." I said with a smile.

After a short (but strangely, not awkward) silence, Brandon smiled down at me. "Go find him."

"Huh?" I asked.

"You know what I mean... just go ahead." And then I realized how incredibly lucky I was to have a friend as awesome as Brandon. But at that moment, I had to go find my other favorite guy in the universe.

xXxXx

I couldn't believe that after all of this, I was at Troy's door, going to tell him that I loved him. I knocked, after an eternity of waiting, the door opened. Troy looked weird... like he was angry, and... and yet he was about to cry. "What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice was weird too.

"Um, I was hoping we could talk." I said, taking a step closer, attempting to get into the house, Troy wouldn't move. What was he up with him?

"Okay... let's talk. When are you leaving?" Troy asked.

I let out a small laugh. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb... when are you leaving for New York?"

I knitted m eyebrows together. "Who told you about that?"

"So you are leaving?"

All of a sudden I realized what this was all about. "No, Troy, I'm not. Brandon asked me to go and I said no. Whatever Gabriella told you was lie."

"Wait... what?" Troy asked, I finally pushed my way inside the house. "You mean you're not leaving?" Troy asked, confusion in his (oh so perfect, as I was starting to notice) eyes.

"Yes... Troy I stayed for you." I said, usually I would hate myself for saying something that sappy, but it was just so great to say it out loud. If only it didn't have to end.

"Troy?" I heard another voice, higher. I turned to look at Gabriella, dressed in well... nothing, except for Troy's shirt! "Why did you get out of bed so soon? You know I like to sleep in after- oh, his Sharpay! Did you come to say goodbye?"

I looked from Troy to Gabriella then back to Troy for an explanation. He was as speechless as I was. I couldn't believe this was happening. "Actually yes... I am."

Troy picked this moment to talk. "Come on Sharpay, you can't possibly believe that-"

"I believed a lot of things that were lies." I said. 'I think I'm just going back to New York, things there seem to make a little more sense."

"Oh, well enjoy yourself... and don't get mugged." Gabriella said with a fake smile.

"Thanks... I hope you two have a nice life." I said, I heard Troy calling after me, but I tried my hardest not to pay attention, I just kept walking. I was leaving, and that was that.

This was a sad chapter. A very sad chapter, but don't abandon hope my friends. Do you really think Troy would let Sharpay leave? Because I don't.

Oh, and someone asked about my next story, yes it will be a Troypay, and I hope to get it up soon. I just want to write a few chapters first to make sure that it looks on paper as good as it sounded in my head. So keep an eye out for that.

- LL4E