Beautiful Disaster

by: LunarEclipse360

Disclaimer: no

A/N: okay I want you all to pay close attention to the conversation that goes on between the two in this chapter. Not so much the conversation, but the actions. If you figure it out, feel free to mention it in a review. Only one person told me where that quote from chapter 34 was from. Gabriella said 'Troy won't talk to me and I don't know why' remember this quote 'Gabriella won't talk to me...and I don't know why?' That's right. It's from the first High School Musical when Chad, Jason and Zeke went to go talk to Troy about his change in mood. Thanks to musicalfreak for catching that.

Chapter 36

Gabriella walked into school the next day with her head down. She was tired of being in the same position day in and day out. She walked up to her locker and put in the combination.

"Good morning." Taylor said as she and Amanda walked up to Gabriella.

"What's so good about it?" Gabriella said as she packed her bag.

"Rough night?" Amanda asked and Gabriella nodded.

"I wish my father would just leave me alone."

"It'll all work out in the end. You'll see."

"I hope so."

"Come on, Gabi. Cheer up." Taylor said and they looked at her. "What?"

"You just called her 'Gabi.'"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Her sister called her that."

"Oops. I'm so sorry Gabriella."

"It's okay Tay. At one point, Michelle was my sister but not anymore. She gave me that nickname when we were actually close. Now...you two are my sisters." she said and they all leaned in for a group hug.

"Uh oh. Asshole at twelve o'clock." Amanda said and the other two turned around. They spotted Troy walking past them and they just stared at him. His eyes connected with Gabriella's before they lowered.

"Are you over him yet?" Taylor asked and Gabriella shook her head.

"I doubt I ever will be. He was the first guy I ever loved and I don't think I could love anyone else."

"After what he put you through, I wouldn't blame you."

"Enough about me and him. What about you two and your boyfriends?"

"Well me and Zeke got accepted into the same college." Amanda said.

"That's great."

"Yeah. He said that after sophomore year, we can get an apartment and move in together."

"Aww that's so cute. What about you and Chad?"

"We got into a fight last week and we're not exactly on speaking terms right now." Taylor explained.

"Oh. Well I'm sure it'll all work itself out."

"I hope so. We better get to homeroom before the bell." Gabriella nodded and closed her locker. "Later Amanda."

"Later guys."

When they walked into homeroom, Gabriella spotted Troy sitting on his desk. He seemed like he was in deep thought. But just like the first day she came, he felt her eyes on him and he lifted his head. Blue met brown and they stared at one another. Gabriella quickly lowered her eyes and rushed past him to her seat.

As she sat down, she felt something sticking her in her pocket. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a note. Her eyes immediately looked up at Troy but he had his back to her. She looked back at the note and opened it.

I need to talk to you. Meet me in the garden. I know I've been a real ass but please...I need to see you.

-Troy

Gabriella looked up and stared at the back of Troy's head. She didn't know if she should. He had been a real ass and broke her heart. She didn't know if she wanted to speak to him.

"Who are you kidding? Of course you do. You're still in love with the boy." she thought to herself and sighed. "Might as well see what he has to say."

During free period, she slowly made her way up to the roof. She really was in no hurry to hear what he had to say. If it had to do with breaking her heart even more then she really didn't want to hear it. She spotted him on the bench with his eyes closed and his head back. She bit her lip and walked over to him.

"I didn't mean it." he said without opening his eyes.

"What?" she asked and his eyes shot open.

"What I said to you that day. I didn't mean it. Any of it."

"Then why did you say it?" he sat up and leaned his elbows on his legs.

"Because I had to."

"You had to? What do you mean you had to?"

"He threatened you Brie." her heart sped up when he called her by her nickname. "He threatened you and I couldn't let him hurt you."

"W-Who did?"

"Your father. He told me that if I didn't break up with you and start dating Michelle that he would kill you while you slept."

"But that didn't mean you had to break my heart the way you did."

"He told me to do it."

"What happened to 'no one can force you to do anything'?" he stood up and looked at her with intensity shining in his eyes.

"So what? You wanted me to sit back and let him kill you?"

"He wouldn't have known."

"Yes he would have."

"How?"

"Because when I said all that stuff to you, you were even more broken than usual. You were far beyond broken. You were just...there. He knew that if I said that our whole relationship was just an act, you wouldn't be so reluctant to let him have his way with you. I didn't want to say any of it. It broke my heart just as much it did yours but I had to. To protect the only thing in this world that means something to me; you." she looked into his blue eyes, the sincerity of his words shining in them.

"Why are you telling me this now? Why not before?"

"Because I don't want you to hate me and I wanted him to see the damage and get used to it before I told you."

"You really hurt me Troy."

"I know and I'm sorry. The second I said all of it, I just wanted to take them back." he said, walking up to her.

"You...you said that you didn't love me."

"Of course I do." he said, placing a hand on her cheek. "Every word I ever said to you before came from the bottom of my heart. You mean everything to me and...I don't want to lose you. That's why I had to do what he said. If I didn't, he would take you away from me and there would be no way of getting you back."

"I-I can't do this." she said and turned away from him. She leaned against the railing and let her tears slip down her face.

"I'm sorry Brie." he said and wrapped her arms around her. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"But you did Troy." she said and took herself out of his hold, taking his hand in hers. "You did hurt me. You hurt me worse than ever before. All those things you said to me were like a stab at my heart. I felt so betrayed."

"I want to take it all back. If I could, I would. I just want us to be together again."

"I'm sure you do. But I just...I can't deal with this right now." she placed her hand on his cheek. "Just give me some time. Okay?" he grabbed her hand and held it closer to his cheek.

"I still love you."

"I just need a little time." she smiled sadly before dropping her hand and walking back downstairs.

Troy watched her go before noticing there was something in his hand. He opened his hand and saw his ring sitting in his palm. He closed it back and looked down at her. "If she looks up, things will be okay." he thought to himself. She looked up at him before disappearing downstairs. He smiled softly and nodded. "Everything will be just fine."

Gabriella went home that afternoon, knowing that her father wouldn't try to touch her but with what Troy told her running through her mind, she became paranoid. She made sure to lock her door before letting her guard down. She took out her homework and started on it.

"I still love you." she smiled softly as Troy's words rung through her head. Maybe there was some hope for them.

Troy flopped onto his bed and sighed. After listening to Michelle for most of the day, he felt like his ears were going to fall off. He, now, knew why he'd fallen for Gabriella instead of her sister, though she probably would have been a lot different before Samantha got a hold of her. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he took it out. The screen read 'one new message' and he flipped it open.

I miss you.

He smiled and pressed the reply button.

I miss you too. He pressed the send button and closed his phone. It vibrated again and he flipped it open.

What are you doing?

Nothing. Just staring at the ceiling, wishing I could see you. What about you?

Homework. I wish I could see you too.

Then why can't we?

Because you're with my sister now.

I don't have to be.

What happened to 'I just want to protect you?'

This happened. Not to mention your sister's been around Sam too long and she's annoying me.

She is pretty annoying, isn't she?

More like 'out of this world' annoying.

Troy smiled at the conversation they were having. Even if it was over the phone, he didn't care.

Question.

Shoot.

Where is that song from that you sung to me?

It's from this animated movie called 'Anastasia.'

Is it your favorite?

Pretty much. Yeah. Why?

Just wanted to know.

You're weird.

But you love me for it, right?

He didn't know why he typed that; it just flowed. Like it was natural to him.

Yeah I do.

He smiled and his heart raced.

I should get back to doing my homework.

Okay. Later.

Bye.

He closed his phone and sighed. They actually had a conversation. A normal, everyday conversation. He rolled over on his side and closed his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

A/N: looking this over, I'm not actually sure why I wrote that text message convo. oh well.