Chapter 23

Recap

"The gang's photo album. Troy should be here as well." Gabriella mumbled as she opened the heavy photo album in front of her. As she was flipping through the pages, she noticed that there were a lot of pictures of her and Troy. She smiled at each picture and desperately hoped that she remembered those memories.

"Troy and I seemed really happy together before. It even looks like we're together." Gabriella giggled at the thought. Every time she looked at the pictures of Troy and her, her eyes sparkled and she completely forgot everything else.

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Gabriella Montez was falling back in love with Troy Bolton… She just doesn't know it yet…

End of Recap

There was another knock on Gabriella's door.

"Come in!" Gabriella called out as she closed the photo album and waited for the person to enter. Who came in next left her mouth hanging open a little.

"Hi Gabi." Greeted a very familiar voice.

"Aaron?" Gabriella breathed.

"You.. probably don't want me here right now but… I owe you an apology. Gabi, I love you so much and I don't wanna lose you…. I didn't mean it when I said that the wedding is off." Aaron said softly, his head down. Gabriella's eyes softened a little as he glanced at the photo album of the gang and then back to Aaron.

"I love you too Aaron." Gabriella smiled a little as she jumped off the bed and into Aaron's arms.

"I miss you already." Aaron whispered to her ears, making Gabriella giggled.

"I need to apologise to you too Aaron. I was out of line saying that we move the wedding.. I just.. I really want Troy to be there 'cause he's so close to me. He's always there for me and I trust him." Gabriella said, looking at Aaron's eyes.

"I know. That's why I decided we move the wedding. I already called everyone and luckily, almost all of them was fine with it." Aaron smiled as Gabriella returned it widely.

"Aaron, you're the best!!" Gabriella exclaimed as she gave him a peck on the lips. They walked over to the bed and Gabriella quickly pushed the photo albums away. For some reason, she didn't want Aaron knowing that she was looking at the pictures of her and Troy.

"So… what made you come and apologise?" Gabriella asked curiously as Aaron chuckled.

"Actually.. as ironic as it sounds… Troy did." Aaron answered and Gabriella's eyes suddenly wondered at how grateful she was that Troy was in her life.

"Oh ok.. so umm.. when's the wedding?" Gabriella asked.

"Two weeks. Just as you wished." Aaron replied, proud of himself.

"That's great." Gabriella mumbled.

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Troy was just looking out the window, tears still visible on his face. He was too focused on the window that he didn't hear the door opened.

"Troy?" Sharpay's voice made Troy turn his head to face them. He looked startled when he spotted the whole gang including Camille and Casey standing by the door. He quickly wiped his tears so that the gang wouldn't notice, but he obviously too late as the gang rushed over to his side.

"Oh my gosh! What happened?!" Camille asked, concerned.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Really!" Troy convinced weakly.

"You're not fine! Is it your leg?" Chad asked as the gang turned their faces to look at the bushy-haired guy with a sarcastic look on their faces.

"When was the last time Troy cried because of physical pain?" Zeke questioned but Chad still didn't quite get it.

"Its about Gabi, isn't it?" Taylor asked softly.

"Her and Aaron fought." Troy started and the gang's eyes widened.

"Then why are you crying? Isn't that a good news?" Jason asked in puzzlement.

"I haven't finished… but then… Aaron broke off the wedding and Gabriella came running to me, crying her heart out. She was saying how much she was sorry for yelling at Aaron and how much… she.. she loves him. It hurts so much." Troy said, his eyes beginning to turn red again.

"Then I got the next visitor. Aaron." Troy choked out and somehow, the gang knew what was coming.

"Troy you don't need to say –" Ryan was cut off by Troy shaking his head.

"I gotta let this out Ry. I'm not strong enough to keep it in." Troy confessed as the gang nodded for him to continue.

"Aaron came… and asked me for help to get her girl back. To get Gabi back… Out of all the people!! Why does it have to be me he had to go to for help. I had no choice though. I gotta tell him the truth. I told him, Gabriella wanted to continue the wedding and that… she loves him. More than anyone…" By this time, Troy was bawling his eyes out. The gang just watched him in pain, their own hearts breaking as well.

"Why is life so unfair? I love Gabriella more than anyone could possibly imagine. More than she could imagine. I would do anything to make her happy. But why does she have to be happy with another guy?!!" Troy cried, desperately asking each of the person in the room for answers.
"The gang talked about this situation when you were here. We hate to say this but…." Sharpay took a deep breath, looking for someone to finish her sentence.

"..But we think its time for you to move on." Kelsi finished sadly as Troy just stared at nothing but kept his ears open.

"We hate seeing you like this Troy.. so perhaps, you need someone… new." Chad gulped waiting for Troy to yell at them for thinking such an idea.

"Maybe you guys are right." Troy mumbled which surprised the gang to no extent.

"We are?" They all exclaimed in unison.

"All of you didn't think you guys are smart enough?" Troy joked weakly making the others smile a little.

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Gabriella and Aaron walked hand in hand as they entered Troy's house. Troy was now allowed to go back at his house since it was already a week after the accident.

"Hi Mr Bolton!" Aaron and Gabriella greeted in unison.

"Oh hey guys! I haven't seen you for so long." Jack greeted with a small smile. He didn't particularly liked the idea of Troy hiding his past relationship with Gabriella but he trusted his son.

"Yeah, I guess. We just want to pay Troy a visit." Aaron said.

"Oh. He's not here right now." Jack answered.

"Where is he?" Gabriella asked immediately.

"Didn't he tell you yet? He started seeing a physical therapist 2 days ago for his leg." Jack responded.

"But I though the doctor said he wasn't allowed to walk yet.. not for another week at least." Gabriella answered.

"Turn out that he's bones and cut is healing faster. He's not exactly walking yet. Kinda just stretching out his legs. You can go see him there. Here's the address." Jack said as he grabbed a pen and paper and started scribbling the address.

"Thank you sir." Aaron said politely as Jack laughed at the name he was called.

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Gabriella and Aaron arrived at small building and they could see all sorts of people with leg injuries walking in and out with someone beside them. They entered the building and quickly looked for Troy.

"There he is!! In the corner at the back." Gabriella exclaimed with a smile as they approached Troy.

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Troy was trying to walk with both his legs but was holding tightly on the two railings in each side of him.

"Come on Troy! You can do it! You can reach the other side." His therapist named Amy, encouraged. Troy smiled at his therapist. She was beautiful with dark black hair and intense black eyes that turned brown when she was in a good mood. Amy was in his age and being an injury therapist is her part time job.

"Of course I can make it Amy! I'm the mighty Troy Bolton!" Troy exclaimed cockily. Being with Amy made him feel comfortable. But she still didn't compare to Gabriella in Troy's eyes.

"Ok cocky boy. Take a break." Amy said as she wrapped her arm around Troy's waist to help him walk towards the seat.

-

Gabriella's eyes filled with jealousy as she witnessed the scene before her. She didn't even know what it was yet because inside, she was denying that she was jealous.

"I guess Troy finally found a girl." Aaron smirked, not seeing Gabriella's frown.

"She's not even that pretty…" Gabriela said in her mind and a second after, she silently gasped, shocked at her own thought.

"Let's go over to them." Aaron said as he grabbed Gabriella's hand and walked towards his friend.

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"So Amy.. you wanna hang out sometime?" Troy asked casually but a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Not anytime soon Mr I-can-make-it-because-I'm-the-mighty-Troy-Bolton. Your leg still needs to heal." Amy said with a cheeky smile.

"Yes and you still have a wedding to attend." Aaron's amused voice startled the two teenagers. Troy looked up and the smile on his face was wiped up slightly when he saw Aaron and Gabriella's link hands.

"What are you guys doing here?" Troy questioned curiously as Amy just stood in silence watching the scenario before her.

"Can't we pay a visit to our best friend?" Gabriella questioned with a smile and leaned over to give Troy a hug.

"Dude, why didn't you tell us that you're now seeing a therapist?" Aaron asked, sitting next to Troy as Gabriella stood beside Amy.

"Well I didn't want to get into your way. You guys were sorting things out and boy, am I happy to see you guys back together." Troy said with a fake smile that luckily went unnoticed by the others.

"I'm happy too. Anyway, who's your lovely companion?" Aaron said, nodding over to Amy and winking at Troy. Gabriella inwardly frowned. Not because Aaron described Amy as lovely but because Aaron winked encouragingly at Troy as if there was something going on with her best friend and the new girl.

"Oh right. This is Amy Frale, my therapist. Amy, these are my best friends, Gabriella Montez and Aaron Kenzie." Troy introduced as they all shook hands. (I don't know if I've mentioned Aaron's last name before.)

"Nice meeting you both." Amy said with a smile.

"Nice meeting you too." The couple replied.

"I'm just gonna go buy a drink. Would you guys want any?" Amy asked as Aaron stood up.

"I'll get it myself. What drink would you want? How about you guys?" Aaron asked Troy and Gabriella. They told Aaron what they want and he quickly walked out of sight, buying the drinks.

"I'm gonna go and try to walk again." Troy said, excusing himself from the girls and walking over to the railings that would support him.

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"So you're the famous Gabriella Montez." Amy finally said with a smile playing on her lips.

"Huh?" Gabriella asked, confused.

"Troy couldn't stop talking about you." Amy laughed. Gabriella paused and turned to look at Troy, a smile curling on the edges of her lips.

"What does he say about me?" Gabriella questioned curiously.

"Good stuff… but I heard you're getting married." Amy brought up.

"Yeah I am." Gabriella said, playing around with the ring on her finger.

"With Aaron right?" Amy asked just to make sure.

"Yeah." Gabriella answered softly. There was silence between them until Gabriella broke it.

"Troy is a very nice guy. Take care of him." Gabriella said out of nowhere, confusing Amy a little.

"What are you sayi--- oh no… me and Troy are.. just friends." Amy said, shaking her head vigorously.

"Just friends? I doubt its gonna stay in that level." Gabriella laughed a little but inside, her heart was screaming but she couldn't hear. It seemed like it was trapped somewhere along with her past.

"I don't know." Amy mumbled softly, glancing at Troy and back to Gabriella.

"But do you like him?" The brunette questioned bravely, against her will.

"Yeah.. I do but… I always feel this emptiness in Troy and somehow, I know I can't fulfil that emptiness. I actually thought that it was you that his heart calls for, considering at how much he talked about you… but then, he concluded the subject by saying that you're getting married." Amy explained and Gabriella stayed quiet so Amy continued.

"I don't think Troy's heart belongs to me… But I'm sure that your heart calls for Aaron and vice versa." Amy said with a smile but Gabriella continued to stay silent.

"It does call for Aaron…. Right?" Amy questioned slowly as Gabriella turned to look at her with an expression in her eyes that made Amy frown.

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New character!! Is it a good thing? Or a bad thing?? Well, I guess you guys have to read to find out: ) I hope you like this chapter. Please review.