A/N: Hey guys! What's up? So, thanks for reviewing! It just makes my day! It tells me that you guys like my story! So yeah, if you didn't read my last author's note, I'll just repeat what I said. I'll be moving to New Jersey on Friday. Don't worry, I'll finish this story before then so I won't leave you guys hanging. I'm typing as fast as I can. I'll probably write a sequel and an alternate ending but I won't post it until we get internet connection. We're just starting out, so it's going to take a while, and by a while I mean, a couple of months. So if any of you Jersey guys or girls have any tips for me, I'm open for advice. Thanks to my new reviewers: Do.You.Remember.Me and perfectpeony.

Do.You.Remember.Me - Thanks for the info! Well, I'm going to see if the rumor about you guys having accents is true. Actually, I'm moving to Highland Park, NJ. I'm not sure what part of New Jersey that is, but yeah, that's where I'm moving to. Just don't stalk me!

Ann-Krol - Thank you very much! I know, isn't Ryan the sweetest?

laguanabeachfreak442 - I know! I'm sad that it's almost over! I had fun writing it! And hopefully, you guys had fun reading it! Thanks for the greeting! Even if you said "don't ask", I'm gonna ask. What's with the super spoiler story senses?

lol925 - You're close. You're like between warm and hot.

perfectpeony - Thanks!

Okay, anyway, here's chapter seventeen. Hope you guys like it!

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Something Has Changed

Chapter 17: The Things She Does For Love

The next couple of days flew by quickly for Ryan, mainly because he has been packing and repacking most of the time. He didn't even attempt to impress Gabriella anymore.

His tickets came on Thursday and he told the gang what time his flight is.

The whole gang was quiet during the whole week. They weren't talking to each other that much anymore since they know Ryan is leaving.

Friday, after school, Ryan bid his last goodbye to the gang. They met at the big oak tree at the front of the school.

"So, I guess this is goodbye." Ryan said. Nobody responded.

"Look, I know you guys are upset because I'm leaving but I bet that everything's going to be exactly the same without me. You have Sharpay here." Ryan said. Still nobody answered.

"Ryan, it's just that, you're the only one who seems to keep us together. Like when we fight, you're there to stop us, when we're in trouble, you're there to get us out of it, and when we need some cheering up, you're always there for us. And it won't be the same without you." Kelsi said. Everybody nodded in agreement.

"Don't get us wrong. We're happy for you. It's just that we're going to be losing one of the greatest friends we've ever had." Zeke said, and again, everybody nodded in agreement.

"Well, thanks. That meant a lot." Ryan said. He was about to cry, but he held it. Nobody said anything for a moment. Everybody was still.

Then Taylor was the first one to stand up. She came up to Ryan bent down and hugged him. Then Chad followed suit. Pretty soon, the whole gang enveloped Ryan in a hug. Then they broke apart.

"Well, I think I better go. I still have a lot of things to pack. But guys, I promise I'll visit whenever I can." Then everyone nodded. "So, I guess, I'll see you guys." Ryan said and then he and Sharpay walked to their car silently.

The next day, all Ryan did was repack everything. He didn't want to leave anything valuable behind. His flight was at ten past seven but he left two hours early because the airport was a thirty-minute drive and there was still the paperwork to be done.

The basketball team's party starts at six. Gabriella was coming as Troy's date. But before they went to the school (it was held at the gym), they tried visiting Ryan one last time.

"I'm sorry, but Ryan already left." Summer said.

"What about Sharpay?" Troy asked.

"She drove him to the airport to bid him goodbye." Summer replied.

"Oh… okay, thank you Mrs. Evans." Troy said politely and turned around to walk back to his car. He then told Gabriella that he wasn't there anymore. Then they drove to the school.

By that time, Ryan was already at the airport with Sharpay. They were checking in Ryan's luggage. After he got his luggage checked-in, Sharpay bid goodbye.

"You gonna make me proud?" Sharpay asked.

"Consider it done." Ryan replied. Then they hugged for a very long time.

Troy and Gabriella arrived at the party a few minutes late. People were already dancing to the songs and talking.

"May I have this dance?" Troy asked Gabriella.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure." Gabriella said taking his hand. They danced to a slow song. The whole night, Gabriella was just out of it.

"Gabby, what's wrong? You don't look so good."

"It's nothing, really." Gabriella replied. Troy knew better than that. He knew something was bothering Gabriella. He knew exactly what it was. That's why he had a plan to set everything straight when the right time comes.

At a quarter past six, Ryan was getting his paperwork done. He was getting out his passports and visas. When he got all the necessary things done, he went through the metal detector with his hand-carries.

At the exact same time, Gabriella was drinking punch at the party. She was definitely not having a good time.

At six-thirty, Ryan got all of his paperwork done and all his luggage checked-in. Now he was just waiting 'til he could board the plane.

Meanwhile at the party, Jack came to the front of the gym with a microphone.

"Excuse me everyone! Yes, hi! Now, before I forget, I want to congratulate our basketball team for a great season!" Jack said, and then everyone applauded. "Here's the captain, now. He's gonna say a few words." Jack said, and then Troy took the mike.

"Hey everyone. Hi, how are you tonight? Yeah, I just wanted to say, great job team. We really did great this season. I couldn't have done it without you guys. And I couldn't have done it without the support of my friends and my girlfriend. Speaking of my girlfriend…" Troy said while walking towards Gabriella. "… Gabby, these pass few weeks have been great. I really like you and all, but I think that you like someone else. I can tell. I won't say who, but I can tell. Now, I don't want to see you crying all the time because he's gone. That's why I'm breaking up with you so you can be with him. Now go, catch up with him. Before it's too late. You can still change his mind." Troy said. Then without hesitation, Gabriella kissed Troy on the lips one last time and then ran out of the gym.

"She's not gonna run all the way to the airport, is she?" Chad asked Troy. Then Troy realized what he said and then chased after Gabriella. He at least wanted to give her a ride.

Five minutes passed. It was 6:35 and Ryan was still waiting. And then the intercom came on. Ryan took his ticket out.

"Flight number 81 to New Jersey, is now ready to board. Again, flight number 81 to New Jersey, is now ready to board."

Ryan put his ticket back in his folder.

Meanwhile, Gabriella just ran past her house. She took off her heels in an attempt to run faster. It helped a little. But by then, she's tired. A few seconds later, Troy came up by her side in his red corvette.

"Need a ride?" Troy said.

Meanwhile at the airport, ten minutes later, 6:45, Ryan was still waiting at the terminal. Then the intercom came on again. Ryan took out his ticket again.

"Flight number 164 to Los Angeles is now ready to board. Again, flight number 164 to Los Angeles is now ready to board."

Ryan sighed and put his ticket back in the folder.

Meanwhile with Troy and Gabriella, they were at the freeway. Troy was driving over the speed limit.

"Are you sure we're gonna make it?" Gabriella asked.

"I'll make sure that we make it."

"Police! You better slow down." Gabriella said as they saw a police car on the side of the road. Troy slowed down.

"Okay, great. At this rate, we're never gonna catch up to him!" Gabriella shouted.

Ten minutes later, at 6:55, Ryan was still waiting at his terminal. He was playing with his fingers. Hey, he had nothing else to do. Then the intercom came on and then he sat up and took out his ticket.

"Flight number 403 to New York is now ready to board. Again, flight number 403 to New York is now ready to board."

Ryan got his ticket and stood up. He went in line at the gate. He couldn't board yet because they let the disabled people go first.

Troy and Gabriella were only a few minutes away from the airport but they seem like they're going to be a while because they're stuck in traffic.

"The airport is five minutes away, and we're here stuck in traffic. I have a better chance of catching up if I ran to the airport." Gabriella said. Then she and Troy looked at each other.

"Gabby, don't do it. You'll be tired as heck and I won't be there to pick you up again."

"Well, I'm just gonna have to deal with it." Gabriella said as she got out of the car and started running to the airport.

Troy just shook his head. "The things she does for love."

Five minutes later, at 7:00, Ryan was walking in the plane aisle. He had already given his ticket stub to the attendant at the desk. He finally got to his coach seat. He then picked up his hand-carries and placed them in the bin above his head. Then he took a seat by the window.

Gabriella was halfway to the airport. Sure, the airport was five minutes away, but that only applies when you're driving a car. If you're running, then it'll probably take you ten minutes. Too bad nobody told Gabriella that.

Five minutes later, 7:05, five more minutes until take-off. A kid sat next to Ryan and started talking non-stop.

"Hi, my name's Carl. What's your name? Are you a teenager? You look like a teenager? How old are you? Why are you flying alone? Do you hate your parents? What did they do to you? Where are you headed? What…" He just kept on talking non-stop. Ryan sunk lower in his seat. I should've made dad upgrade my ticket to first-class. He thought.

Gabriella finally arrived at the airport. She rushed right past the front doors, ran past luggage check-in and ran through the metal detector. The metal detector went off because Gabriella was wearing a watch, and hoop earrings.

"Ma'am, I'm gonna have to ask you to stop." The metal detector person (A/N: Or however you call that) said. Gabriella just kept on running and didn't say anything back. The metal detector person called security to go after Gabriella.

Then Gabriella looked at the screen to see which terminal Ryan was at. She found out that he was at terminal 24A. She looked at the clock. 7:08. Two minutes until take-off. She rushed to the terminal as fast as she could. To her dismay, the terminal was at the other side of the airport.

A few minutes later, while she was running, she saw a couple of police officers running after her. She knew why they were running after her. It's just that, she doesn't want to stop right now. Not until she sees Ryan.

She finally arrived at the terminal but only to find that the doors were shut and the plane was about to take off.

"Excuse me ma'am…" Gabriella said to the attendant at the desk while catching her breath. "But I need to get on that plane."

"I'm sorry miss but that plane is about to take-off, why don't I just reschedule your flight?"

"No, you don't understand. I need to get on that plane." Gabriella pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I really can't do anything about it." The attendant said. A few seconds later, the security people arrived.

"There she is!" One of them shouted and then ran to Gabriella and held her hands behind her back.

"No! Let me go! I need to get on that plane!" Gabriella said as she saw the plane backing away from the building.

"Miss, please calm down." The officer holding her said. But Gabriella still wriggled. The other policemen had to hold her feet from kicking the policeman that was holding her arms.

Meanwhile, in the plane, Ryan just closed his eyes and tried to ignore the kid. But it was useless. He decided to take one last look at Albuquerque. He looked at the sky, and then he looked at the airport. And he could've sworn that he saw a struggling, dark-haired girl at his terminal being held by policemen. Is that Gabriella? No… couldn't be. She's at the party. Ryan thought and then he just shrugged the thought off.

A few minutes later, Gabriella found herself outside of the airport, sitting at the curb. The officers kicked her out of the airport saying that she needs to get her act together before she can get back in. A few seconds later, Troy drove up to her, got out of the car, and sat next to her.

"Hey! So, what happened?" Troy asked. Gabriella just looked at him blankly.

"I'm guessing you missed him." Troy said. Gabriella nodded.

"But why are you sitting out here on the curb?" Troy asked.

"Because I got kicked out of the airport."

"You got what?" Troy asked.

"I got kicked out of the airport. I was there at the gate, but the doors were already closed. I asked the attendant at the desk if I could get in but she said she couldn't do anything about it. Then a couple of policemen that were chasing after me caught me. They had to carry me and hold my hands and legs to make sure I don't get free because I was struggling. I really wanted to get in the plane."

"But why were they chasing you?"

"Because I went through the metal detector without stopping."

"Oh, I see." Troy said. Then he enveloped her into a hug.

"Ssshhh. It's going to be okay." Troy whispered. Then Gabriella let go.

"No, it's not going to be okay and it's never going to be okay! I was too late! I should've told him even before he got the offer but I didn't, I chickened out! And now he's gone and I can't even do anything about it! I could've at least tried to change his mind but I didn't! I am such a loser! And now I'm not going to be able to see him again all because I hesitated to tell him that I love him!" Gabriella said while fighting back the tears that were forming in her eyes. She was unsuccessful and they slid down her cheeks. Then Gabriella hugged Troy again.

"He said he'd visit." Troy told Gabriella.

"When? Between shows? He's never gonna have enough time! He'll be too busy with his shows! Troy, I don't want to lose him! I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye!"

Troy couldn't say anything. He knew she was right so he just hugged back.

Ryan, I know you like Gabriella. I could see it all along. But if you love her, you're going to come back for her. I just don't want to see her hurt. I trust you dude. I know you'll come to your senses. Troy thought. He hoped that somehow, Ryan got his message.

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Okay, you guys probably hate me now. But don't worry! It'll end well! I promise! There's only about one more chapter after this. If I can't fit it into one chapter then make that two! But I'm on a really tight sched. so bear with me!

PS - If you guys want to get mentioned in my thank you chapter and haven't reviewed yet, then I suggest you review before Thursday night because I'm not gonna have much time left. Thanks!