(A.N. I'm so sorry this has taken a while, I have been so focused on my exams that I haven't had time to write and couldn't really stick to the original schedule I planned. Here's the next part, I hope you enjoy and thank you to everyone who's reading and giving feedback :) )

At the end of the day, Gabriella put her books in her locker and wasn't surprised when she turned to find Sharpay next to her. She'd been expecting this since the conversation at lunch. Deciding she wanted to tease her friend for a minute, she didn't acknowledge the girl's expectant look. "Yes Sharpay?"

"I knew you and Bolton were a thing." Gabriella only shrugged slightly. "I have been bugging you about this for ages. When did you get together?"

"When we went to Denver."

Sharpay looked at her curiously. "Was that before or after the party?"

"Before."

The blonde playfully hit her across the shoulder, missing the way the girl flinched slightly. "Oh my god, I knew it, I knew it! I can't believe you kept it a secret for so long."

Gabriella nodded and smiled softly, her eyes drifting to Troy and Jack waiting for her at the boy's locker. "I'll see you tomorrow Shar, I've gotta go, I don't wanna keep Mr Bolton waiting."

"Alright, later Gabs."

She walked over to her boyfriend and his father and they walked out to the car. Once inside, Jack turned around to the juniors. "Did anyone bother you today Gabriella?" She shook her head slowly, somewhat confused by Jack's behaviour. "Alright, well I spoke to Matsui and the receptionist was fired for child endangerment and no more reporters are allowed on the premises."

"Thank you Mr Bolton."

He shook off her statement. "And Gabriella, just call me Jack, the formalities are unnecessary." She nodded and the ride home after that was relatively quiet.

They walked inside and found the twins in the living room watching TV. Upon seeing the juniors, Jacob yelled out. "Gabi, you're on TV!"

Looking at the screen, the news was on and footage from that morning as they entered school played through the story. She tore her eyes from the screen and looked down. "Can we please turn it off?" Troy grabbed the control and switched it off as Lilliana hugged the girl and Jacob looked down, apologising.

"I'm sorry Gabi."

Gabriella shook her head. "No Jakie, you don't have to be sorry, I just don't really want to watch it."

The juniors sat down with the twins to hear all about their day, Gabriella distracting herself from the story she knew was running on the off TV screen.

Later that night, the twins were asleep in their rooms and Troy was distracting himself in his own when he heard wincing. He walked out of his room, only to see Gabriella coming out of the bathroom with her hands full of bandages, plasters and antiseptic cream. "Are you ok?"

Gabriella nodded. "Yeah, I'm just sore today so putting everything on kinda hurts."

"Do you want me to do it?" She nodded shyly, making him chuckle. "Let's go into my room." Setting themselves down on the bed with the first aid materials in front of them, Troy looked to his girlfriend. "What do you want to start with?" She silently answered his question by putting her wrists out and Troy complied, applying the antiseptic cream to the nasty rope burn and lightly wrapping her wrists. Looking down at her legs, Troy chose to move to the angry scars on her thighs. As he placed his hand on the skin, he felt her tense. "Is this alright?" She nodded so he pushed further. "I can stop if I'm making you uncomfortable, you have to tell me though."

She shook her head. "It's not that, I just, I don't want you to see me like this, I'm disgusting right now."

He took her chin between his hands, gently speaking. "Stop that now, you are not disgusting, you were hurt and it's going to take time for you to heal up but please don't think that any of this makes you disgusting." He stroked down her cheek. "You're beautiful Baby." He put his attention back on the cuts on her leg and noting her insecurities, he placed a kiss just above the scars. He smiled at her blush from the gesture before applying the cream and covering the wounds. "Do you have any more that you need help with?" Gabriella hesitantly lifted her shirt, tying it in a knot, revealing an angry purple bruise taking up a fair portion of her stomach. "Shit Brie, I didn't know you had this one." He traced along the outline and heard her wince. "Sorry, why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged slightly. "I didn't want to give you anything else to worry about, it's mostly not too bad."

He shook his head in disbelief before he wrapped the bandage lightly around her stomach. Placing all the materials down, he gave himself the opportunity to fully take in his girlfriend's appearance. He knew the stitches in the back of her head would be removed soon and that she was grateful she was able to hide them at school. Finally free of makeup, he could see the true bruising on her puffy eyes which she was able to hide well during school as well as the bruising on her left cheek. Placing his hand on the opposite cheek, he gently kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry you had to go through this Brie."

Gabriella shook her head. "It's not your fault." After a few seconds silence, she spoke again. "Thanks for helping me."

He shook his head. "Of course Baby, don't even mention it... Do you wanna watch a movie before we head to bed?" Gabriella nodded and they decided on Grease. They settled back, Troy pulling Gabriella against him, the girl settling on her side, laying her head on his chest as his fingers threaded through her hair.