"Hey Jakie, when did you get home?" I walked over to the small boy sitting on the living

room floor.

"Yesterday.." he giggled.

"Yesterday? You mean last night." I smiled and threw him onto my hip.

"Mhmm..Momma what's on your face." He easily touched one of my bruises and it began

to sting.

"Ow! Sweetie, don't do that.." I pushed his small finger away from the bruise on my

forehead. He instantly began to cry from my tone of voice." Aw,Jake. Don't cry. You just made

mommy's boo-boo hurt that's all. I'm not mad."

"What on earth? Oh my God! Gabriella what happened to you?" Isabella ran over with

shock on her face as she saw the green,blue,purple, and yellow bruises that formed on my upper

body.

". Well, Yesterday, I well, I went for a walk and umm.. I, uh, I tripped over my own

feet." It blurted out of my mouth before I even realized that I had lied to Isabella.

"Are you serious?" She raised an eyebrow. Nausea soon consumed my stomach.

"Well...yeah, I mean, I guess, I am clumsier than I thought.." I shrugged as if it was no big

deal, but really it was killing me inside to lie to her.

"Okay.. I'm going to pretend that I actually believe you.." She turned and took the crying

child out of my arms.

"Where's Troy?" I asked. It seemed like forever since I had seen him, but it probably had

only been hours.

"He went to meet up with Chad, Taylor, Ryan, Sharpay, and I think Kelsi." Isabella walked

into the kitchen. Sharpay?? What would he be doing with Sharpay?

"Izzy, did you say Sharpay??"

"Yeah.. He said he knew for a fact that she would be there.." Izzy sat Jake down in his

highchair. Pain ran through my body. What was he doing with Sharpay? Was he screwing her like

he used to?? I walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Why were they out meeting

before school? SCHOOL!! I have to go get ready for school.

I ran up to my room. I threw on a small red tank with a red and white jacket over

that and a pair white short shorts that made my skin look gold.(East High colors). Smoothed on some gold

eyeshadow and pulled my hair up into a messy bun. I glanced in the mirror. GOD! I looked like such a prep, what was wrong with me??

Once I was done I ran out the door and jogged to East High.

______________________________________________________________________________

I twisted in the locker combination and grabbed my books. It seemed like forever since I

had been to school. I glanced at the picture hanging in my locker. My mom. I missed her so much.

I wish she could be here to meet Troy. She would like him a lot.

A silent tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away and smiled.

"Te amo, mama. Te amo." I whispered and shut my locker. I took a deep breath and

walked to home-team. When I got there I saw Taylor sitting alone in a corner reading a book.

I giggled and walked over to her. She glanced up and chuckled.

"Wow! Gabriella Montez is actually at school!" I rolled my eyes and sat next to her.

"Yeah, and can you believe that before I moved here I had never missed over 7 days in all

of my school years." I giggled

"I tried to tell you Troy was bad luck. I mean...look at your outfit...hooker..just kidding but seriously...."

"Yeah, Yeah. Whatever you say. As far as I know he was hanging out with Sharpay this

morning." I felt the pain ripple through my body again.

"Seriously? Aw, Gabby. I'm so sorry." She cooed. I shook my head fighting back tears.

"Really, Tay. Its nothing. It doesn't hurt. I don't love him. I don't." If only I could make my

heart believe that.

"I don't understand why you guys are always fighting one minute and then so totally in

love the next..." Her voice trailed off. I glanced up to see the one and only walking in the doorway.

I swiftly turned my head back to Taylor."Did he see me?"

"Umm...Yep." She made a plop noise on the 'p'.

"Great." I mumbled sarcastically. Someone sat in the desk behind me and wrapped there

arms around my shoulders.

"Hey." His voice was smooth and his breath smelled delicious.

"Yeah." I mumbled looking down. I could feel his body tense up.

"What's wrong?" He spun me around easily.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Romeo." Taylor scoffed. Troy shot her a glare and then turned

back to me concerned.

"What happened?" His face was only inches from mine.

"Nothing. Doesn't matter." I planted a fake smile on my lips and caressed his face.

"Here we go again." Taylor sighed sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"God, you scared me, Gabriella." Troy sighed leaning away, ignoring Taylor's remark.

"Sorry." I whispered and turned around in my seat.

"Gabriella."

"Yeah?" I took a deep breath. He wasn't gonna let this go.

"I love you?" He made it sound more as a question. Inside my heart was screaming 'I love

you, too.'

"Yeah. Me too, Troy." My mouth could only force these words out. He gave me a puzzled

look. I loved him with all my heart, but was it right to love him and put him in this kind of danger?

And if he still had feelings for Sharpay it was probably best to let him be with her than risk his own

life..

"Gabriel--"

"I think I'm gonna go home. I feel sick." I jumped out of my seat and ran down the hall.

"But you've already missed a lot of days!" His voice was faint as I pushed my throbbing feet forward. Oh, Troy...what's wrong with me?

I collapsed at my locker, drawing in sharp painful breaths," Help me, please mama...Help me

God.." I pleaded. I needed some kind of sign. I needed to know whether to keep him or let him go.

Our heartbeats should have been a sign but I needed something more.. Something that I knew we

belonged together... Why couldn't I stop being so stubborn??

"Gabriella?? GOD!! What's wrong??" My vision was foggy and blurred. I could only make

out shapes. My body was shaking hysterically. Was I having convulsions?? What was happening?

Suddenly I was in someones arms and the wind whooshed passed us as he ran for help.

"Gabriella. Mija." Someone else's voice. I knew this voice better than anyone else' better than Troy's. It was

my mama's...