"Mom, I'm not in the mood to talk right now," I yell through my closed door and bring my covers up a bit.

But then the door opened and I realized it wasn't my mom. It was Savannah. And she was carrying a little white box and I knew exactly what she was bringing me. God bless her soul. I love my friends so much. So much.

She took off her coat and tossed it on my chair and immediately came over and sat on my bed, "I hate seeing you like this, Gabs. I haven't seen you this torn up since... well, never. I've never seen you like this. I don't think Ryan had this kind of affect on you which is weird considering how long you two dated for."

"Don't remind me," I sit up, "I'm so pathetic. This guy wasn't my boyfriend, yet here I am, in bed crying over him. Who does that?"

"You're not pathetic," she tells me, kicking off her shoes and bringing her feet up, "you're just infatuated which is perfectly normal at our age. You're fine."

I sigh and sit up a bit and pull my hair back into a bun and wipe my eyes. I can't believe how depressed I'm being. The first time I ever broke up with Ryan before knowing how it would be, I turned my back on him, went to get sushi with my friends and laughed all night long. I thought it was the end of Ryan and Gabriella right there and that's the way I reacted. But that turned into two years.

And this guy who I've only known a couple months has me laying in bed, sulking. Sulking. Eating ice cream and watching romantic comedies. Like they do in movies. This is my life. And it's only been THREE FUCKING DAYS. Three days. Like, how pathetic am I?

Savannah gave me the box and opened it up, "it's your favorite. Thought it'd cheer you up. I also came to tell you that you're not completely alone in this."

"What are you talking about?" I take it from her and smell the red velvet goodness coming from within. Gah, I love cheesecake so much.

"Well, I'm sure Troy's putting on a different act around you, like in class, but Will told me he's not acting like usual," she tells me as she hands me a fork, "so he's hurting, too. And I think you should just talk to him. Sort this out. I know yo know he's worth it and I know you're not over it. I know you like him a lot."

Yeah, but I tried. I tried talking to him. And that ended up being stupid.

So should I really put myself back out there? "I don't know, S, he made it pretty clear he wanted nothing to do with me."

"He's had a few days to think it all over," she argues, "I know that if I were him, I'd be upset, too. The girl who has a reputation of always going back to her ex boyfriend once again proved that it might happen. It's not easy. And I don't blame him for being upset. But if what you've told me is true, then I can't imagine him not laying in bed thinking about what an idiot he is for not fighting for you."

"I'm not gonna beg him to talk to me or to even give me a second chance, Sav. I'm not. And I'll be okay. It just hurt more than I thought. It sounds SO crazy to even say out loud, but I didn't see an end to this."

Savannah's eyes almost bulged out of her sockets and I couldn't help, but laugh. "What? You wanted to marry this guy? Are you for real?"

I shake my head and roll my eyes, "No, are you crazy? I'm barely 18 years old. I just, I didn't think about my future with him or think about how it'd be like if he wasn't in my life. I was just very present with him unlike every other relationship. I just focused on what was happening at the time and yeah."

"Oh okay, yeah, I get it. I think I'm the same way with Will so I feel for you," she gives me a frown, "just try talking to him. It's been a couple of days..."

"He doesn't want to talk to me."

Troy made that perfectly clear to me yesterday afternoon.

The bell rang and I was so excited because school has been dreadful these past two days. DREADFUL.

Do you know how hard it is to sit behind the guy you like, the guy you've been falling for these past couple months? Who now won't pay you any attention? He won't even turn around to pass some papers to me. That's how dramatic is it. And I get it, I do, but if he likes me as much as I like him, I think we owe it to ourselves to talk. Either sort this whole thing out or come to an understanding that this is over. And as hard as that'll be, at least I'll know that's what he wants. Because right now, yes, I know he's angry and he kicked me out, but he left it so... out there. Does he just need a couple of days or what?

I waited by the gates leading out to the front from the quad because I know that's where he'll be coming from and the minute he saw me, his face went blank. Which hurt. But I expected it. I didn't expect him to be smiling or anything.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" I hold on to my books, as if I'm using them for protection or something.

"I don't have time," is all he says before zooming right past me.

It's bullshit. I know it is but obviously I'm in no position to call him out on it. I get that. But ugh, it's still so annoying. "Troy, please, I'm so sorry. I just want to talk to you and let everything out. I need to know if you'll ever..."

He turned around, his blue eyes looking icy, "if I'll what? Forgive you? Take you back or some bullshit like that? You lied to me. I don't like liars."

Technically, I didn't lie. I didn't tell him I was in one place and then ended up with Ryan. I just didn't tell him anything about it.

And also, what he said just made my stomach turn. Of course I want him to take me back, but he obviously isn't into that right now. Or maybe ever again. And that makes me so incredibly sad because I'm crazy about him. I'm crazy about him in such a short period of time. I mean, HOW CRAZY. How is this even possible? It's just a testament to how amazing he is. I'm so stupid. I know I am. But I just want to make everything right... I have to.

"Please. I'm sorry. I know you told me to leave your house that day and I don't know if that meant you never wanted to see me again or what, but I have to talk to you. I have to explain things..."

"Explain what?" he says with a laugh, "I walked in and saw you holding hands with your ex boyfriend. What the fuck is there to explain?"

Okay. Um. "I'm not gonna deny that, but it really isn't what it looks like."

He threw his head back in pretend laughter, "Of course it's not. No one ever says that. I don't want to talk to you, Gabriella. I just, I need..." it seems like he's about to say he needs time, but he stops, "I just don't want to talk. I'm really not in the mood."

By nature, I'm not a begger. This was really big for me- approaching a guy first and wanting to talk things out. So I was done. I'm not gonna keep trying.

Troy turned around and left, leaving me there with tears forming in my eyes.

Again, I could not believe this guy had this much of an affect on me. And it honestly freaks me out. I want to work out what we had so bad even though it's only been a month yet I don't want a two year relationship with Ryan to be worked out? That's so freaking crazy to me.

Troy Bolton is something else and I cannot believe what an idiot I was at blowing it.

I hate myself.

"Gabriella!" Savannah snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry," I shake my head a bit, trying to forget that afternoon. It was only yesterday, but ugh. I want it out of my mind forever. It wasn't only embarrassing, it was hurtful. The fact that he can't just talk it out like an adult is so annoying, too. Like, at least I'm trying here. "what were you saying?"

She smiled at me, put this cheesecake on my nightstand and then turned back to face me and I knew she was going to give me a little speech of hope because that's just who Savannah Morgan is.

And yep. I was right. "honestly, he is an idiot and you don't deserve him if he doesn't want to work this out because you're trying. And besides your lack of judgement for a bit, you're the best there is. You really are. No guy has ever said, well, Gabriella's missing something, let me break up with her. No. That's why none of them ever did... except for Ryan, but he probably thought you'd go running back. You're a catch, Brie. Any guy would be lucky to have you. And if he doesn't realize it, then let him go. It's easier said than done, I know, but you can't keep fighting for him if it's not reciprocated. So talk to him and if he's still not budging, let it go. There are so many other guys who want to date you. You'll be fine, I promise."

But what do I feel like I won't be fine unless he's in my life? Why?

Ugh, this is so hard.

"Hello, anyone home?"

I perked my head up and saw my grandma standing in our foyer. "Grandma."

She turned to me and gave me a small smile. "Gabriella, darling, what are you doing here by yourself?"

Uhhh. Why is she here? "Um, I don't really feel good so I didn't feel like going with them, what are you doing here if you knew we were all gonna be out?" That's the better question, isn't it?

She laughed and put her purse down on the table before coming over to the living room, "Oh, I knew you were here."

"Okay?" I'm confused, "what are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"The better question is, why aren't you with your family? It's your favorite event of the year!"

"I'm just not really in a party mood, grandma," I tell her as I lay my head back down on my comfortable pillow. "And besides, I go to to many events anyway, don't you think? Maybe I should cut back a little. Stay home some more. Read, write, I don't know."

My grandma looks at me as if I've gone crazy. "Okay, now I know you're not dying to go to these events, but they're apart of you. What's wrong?"

Ugh. It's been a week since that fight with Troy. Exactly a week and we've avoided each other like crazy. My friends are sad for me, I'm sad for me and my parents are sad for me. He's literally such a good catch and I blew it. But at the same time, he didn't fight for me and it just seemed like he was over it and he used what I did as a way out, I think. I truly think that.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Oh please," she tells me, taking a seat next to me, "I've known you for 18 years."

I sit up a bit and look at her before taking a deep breath. I had to tell her. "It's so pathetic, but it's over a boy and he pretty much dumped me and it sucks because I really liked him and it's all just a mess."

She puts some of my hair behind my ear before putting her hand on my face and giving me a smile. "Troy?"

What? How does she know...? Oh, right. "Did my mom tell you? I'm sorry I didn't tell you grandma, but even you know how you could be and..."

"No," she interrupts, "your mom didn't tell me. No one in your family told me."

"Then how do you know?"

She gives me a small smile before getting up and going over to her purse. She pulls something out and then comes back and sits where she was. She hands me a white envelope that says her name on it. "Here, open it."

What is this? And why is she giving it to me? "Grandma, why are you giving this to me?"

"Just open it."

So I do. And I'm blown away. It's an invitation to a birthday party. My birthday party. My surprise birthday party in two weeks at the Hudson Hotel.

And I know exactly who's throwing it. "Troy gave this to you, he went to your house and gave it to you?"

She smiled at me and gave me a small nod.

I looked back down at the invitation. I could not believe it. Hudson Hotel. A surprise party for me. For my 18th birthday. Thrown by some guy who I thought didn't see this going anywhere. But that wasn't the case at all... obviously. He was planning me a surprise party. For a girl who he's only been dating for, like, a month. Who does that? Who honestly does that? This is absolutely insane and the sweetest thing any guy has ever done for me.

Honestly. No guy has ever done something this nice for me.

"I didn't know you were meeting up with Ryan" my grandma tells me which causes me to look up, "you were literally on a brunch date with him as Troy was dropping off my invitation."

That explains why he was at Fred's. On the Upper West Side. Where my grandma lives.

She continued, "You weren't supposed to know about this party and the only reason I'm telling you is because your mom told me you guys broke off whatever it was you guys had and you're a wreck and I know how stubborn you are. You won't go chasing him. But you have to. He's worth is. And he's a wonderful young man. I approve, wholeheartedly."

This is absolutely crazy. Troy went to my grandma's to give him an invitation to a surprise party he's throwing me?

"You like him?"

"I like him," she tells me, "he sat down and talked to me for thirty minutes."

"Are you mad I didn't tell you about him?"

My grandma laughed and shrugged it off, "I know I can be hard on your guys but it's because I want the absolute best from my granddaughter. I mean, he pulled your grandfather away from the TV for thirty minutes and joined the conversation. He's a keeper."

I closed my eyes for a second and smiled. And then got sad because of our fight. What if he wants nothing to do with me anymore? "I wanna fight for him, but honestly, I think I hurt him pretty badly with the Ryan thing. And I tried talking to him, but he wasn't having it at all, grandma."

My grandma put her hand on my leg and squeezed it a little, "trust me. Grandma's know everything and that boy is crazy about you. You can fix this."

"Wish me luck," I tell her.

I give her a hug, thank her, and then get up and go to my room to change. I wasn't going to sit here any longer.

Nope. I was gonna go fight for him... again.