Chapter Twenty Eight! I hope you like it! Thanks for all the reviews and support!

Gabriella heard the front door slam and slumped on her bed, crying her heart out. She didn't hear the front door open again and the footsteps that came up the stairs. She barely felt arms wrap around her in a tight embrace.

"Shh. It'll be okay, Gabriella. If he loves you, he'll come back."

Gabriella turned in her father's arms and cried into his chest and shoulder, feeling like an eight year old again.

"I just love him so much, Daddy!"

"I know, sweetie. I know."

Greg knew that Gabriella had told Troy her secret. His wife had filled him in on the conversation they had had while he was getting coffee. He looked down at the girl in his arms and rubbed her back gently, feeling like he was comforting his seventeen year old daughter with a broken heart instead of his little eight year old girl.

Troy walked into his bedroom and fell on the bed, hiding his face in his hands. He looked up to see his Uncle Zac standing at the door.

"What happened?"

Troy stared ahead emotionlessly. Gabriella's words hit him hard. Tears began to fall down his face.

"She's sick. She has leukemia."

Uncle Zac walked over to his bed and sat down next to his nephew. He wrapped his arms around the younger man and let him cry on his shoulder.

"Oh, Troy. It'll be okay. Everything will turn out right in the end."

Troy pulled away from his uncle's embrace and stood. He was hysterical.

"How could you say that? How do you know? Huh? Are you God? Can you really make Gabriella live?"

Zac watched in pain as his nephew ranted on and on.

"How do you know if everything will be fine? You can't make her live!"

Troy's tears wouldn't stop flowing and he didn't feel ashamed that he was crying in front of his uncle. He grabbed his lamp and chucked it across the room in pure anger and heartbreak. Zac pulled Troy back down to the bed, holding him down.

"Stop it, Troy! Get a hold of yourself. Gabriella obviously needs you right now. You need to be strong. Not only for yourself but for her."

Troy sobbed as his uncle pulled him closer. He leaned into his uncle's strong chest and let it all out.

"I love her. She can't just leave me here."

"She's not gone, Troy. She's still here. Who knows? Maybe she'll beat it. But she needs the support of the people she loves."

Troy pulled away from his uncle, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

"I can't. She lied to me. She kept me in the dark for the whole time we knew each other."

Sharpay watched from across the room as Troy and Gabriella avoided each other again. She sighed and pulled Taylor over to her table.

"Look at them! It's depressing!"

Taylor nodded and sighed.

"I know. Lunch was so awkward. They didn't even say hi to each other. Did you see the way Gabriella kept looking at Troy? It's like she was trying to catch his gaze. He looked away every time."

"I know. I'm so confused."

Kelsi walked over to them and saw who they were looking at.

"Do you know what's up with Troy and Gabriella?"

Taylor and Sharpay shook their heads.

"No clue. It's very disturbing seeing them like this."

Taylor nodded in agreement with Sharpay.

"We should try to talk to Gabriella."

Kelsi nodded.

"I'll go ask Darbus."

Kelsi walked over to the music teacher and whispered something in her ear. Taylor and Sharpay watched with interest as Ms. Darbus seemed to ponder whatever Kelsi had asked her. They saw the music teacher nod to Kelsi. Kelsi came back with a smile on her face as Sharpay and Taylor gave her questioning looks.

"What was that?"

"Well, Tay, you said we should talk to Gabriella, so I asked Ms. Darbus if we could go to the spare music room and work on the Spring Musicale for next year."

Sharpay quickly hugged the little auburn haired girl.

"You are amazing, Kels!"

Gabriella followed her friends silently as they dragged her to the spare music room. It was the room where they kept all the instruments, including the piano Gabriella had used before. Once the four girls got there, they all took a chair and sat in a small group. Gabriella felt three pairs of eyes on her and looked around confused.

"What are you doing, guys?"

Sharpay was the first to speak up.

"We know something happened between you and Troy."

Taylor cut in.

"And as your best friends, we feel that we could help you if you tell us what is going on."

Kelsi decided to contribute to the conversation next.

"We are only doing this because we're worried about you, Gabriella."

Gabriella looked at all of her friends in shock and slight annoyance.

"Guys, I appreciate what you're trying to do but what happened between Troy and I is none of your business."

Sharpay sighed and took a deep breath, ready to go into Ice Princess Mode.

"Gabriella Montez, we are trying to help you here! So you better tell us what's up or we will never leave you alone!"

Kelsi took hold of Sharpay's arms to hold her down. Gabriella looked at Sharpay with fear in her eyes. Taylor saw this and quickly explained.

"What she means to say is: We're your best friends. If anyone can help you, it's us."

Sharpay gave Gabriella an apologetic smile.

"Sorry about that. It's just that you and Troy are so frustrating! You guys are the cutest couple in the world but you two are just really stubborn."

Gabriella felt a few tears slide down her cheek.

"I'm not sure we're a couple anymore."

Everyone's head swiveled to look at her. Sharpay's eyes were wide.

"What do you mean?"

"I think Troy and I are over. I made a huge mistake and I don't think he'll ever forgive me. I don't blame him either."

Taylor wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl.

"What'd you do? I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

Gabriella shook her head.

"No, it's bad. I lied to him. I kept a huge secret from him."

Kelsi looked at Sharpay with worry in her eyes.

"What was the secret?"

The three girls waited patiently as Gabriella told them about her illness and how she told Troy. She also told them of his reaction and how he had been ignoring her all day.

"Oh, Gabs! I am so sorry!"

Taylor wrapped her arms around her best friend again, in hopes of comforting her. All four girls had tears in their eyes as they sat there hugging each other until the period was over.

"We're always here for you, Gabs."

Gabriella smiled thankfully at Sharpay.

"Thanks, guys. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kelsi leaned in for another comforting hug.

"Troy will come around. He'll forgive you. He really loves you, Gabs."

Gabriella felt calmed by her words. She still had her doubts, but there was new hope in her heart.

"I hope you're right, Kels."

Chad and Troy were sitting on the bench in the locker room, taking a break from the intense run they had just taken for gym class. Chad watched Troy as he stared at the floor ahead of him. He had been quiet and moody all day. Chad also noticed that Troy and Gabriella seemed to be mad at each other again.

"What's up, Troy?"

Troy looked up, startled.

"What do you mean?"

Chad gave Troy a "You know what I mean" look. Troy groaned.

"Nothing, Chad."

"Troy..."

"Have you ever seen 'A Walk to Remember'?"

Chad looked at Troy, confused.

"That was random."

"Uh... Is that the one with Mandy Moore in it?"

Troy nodded.

"Yeah. You've seen it?"

Chad blushed.

"Taylor made me watch it with her."

Troy rolled his eyes.

"Anyways... Do you remember Jamie? She made the guy promise to not fall in love with her."

"Yeah. The guy's name was Landon."

"Whatever. Landon fell in love with her anyways. Why did she make him promise her that?"

Chad looked so lost and confused.

"She was sick?"

"Exactly!"

"So..."

Troy sighed.

"Gabriella made me make her that promise when we first met, remember?"

Chad slowly nodded.

"Yeah... No way! She doesn't have... Does she?"

Troy nodded and felt tears well up in his eyes but he pushed them back, too proud to cry in front of his best friend.

"She does. And she didn't tell me until yesterday."

Chad sat down beside Troy.

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry. How'd you take it?"

"Not good. I just left. She was crying and I just left her there."

Troy felt guilty that he had just left her without offering her comfort first. He started getting angry with himself.

"I was such a jerk, Chad! She tried so hard, so hard to get me to talk to her and I just ignored her. I'm an asshole."

"No you're not, Troy. You were just shocked about it all. It hadn't quite sunk in yet. You just needed time. Are you okay now?"

"I don't know, Chad. Am I still upset with her about lying? Yes. Do I still love her? Yes. Am I scared shitless that she might leave me here? Hell yes!"

Chad looked at his friend sympathetically.

"I can't tell you what to do, Troy. I can't even start to imagine the position you're in. But you should talk to her. You said so yourself: You still love her."

Troy ran his hand through his hair.

"I know, Chad. I know."

"I just don't know if I can face her."

He has to talk to her! I'm sorry. I'm getting emotional over my own story! LOL. So... please review. My goal was like 200, but you guys have surpassed that so much. New goal: 400! Please help me reach it. Thankies. BTW, I finished all my exams, so... SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!!! Yupperz! Now I just have work. :( Okay, I won't be updating until Sunday or Monday because I'm going out of town. Anyone heard of the Big Ticket Festival?

Jay