HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACHARY DAVID ALEXANDER EFRON!!
Now that I have that off my chest, on with the story.

A/N: Thank you to all the brilliant people who have reviewed the chapter! I love you all! There is only one more chapter to go on this story, so if you've had it on alerts but not reviewed then please do so, even if it's only one or two words! Love, Izzy.

Disclaimer: Nothing, unless you count a bigger than lifesize picture of Zac Efron!

Gabriella stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom and took a long hard look at herself. The hand that clutched the sheets of paper were sticky and she was breathing heavily. Gabriella opened her mouth and nothing happened.

"Come on, you can do this" She mumbled to herself, moving to look at the picture of herself and Carlos hanging on the wall by her bed. "I'll do it for you, Carlos" Gabriella whispered, wishing she was anywhere but here.

A few streets away Troy Bolton sat in his room reading the email he had just received from Mia:

Dear Troy, I know you're not happy being with me, that's why I've chosen too end it before I fall any deeper. I know you're going to be sat in your room denying this so please don't, if you look deep in your heart you will realise that I'm right. Both you and I know that there is only one girl for you, and I'm not that girl. I know you loved me once but it soon became clear that you were in love with someone else; I hope you find happiness in this girl. I am not going to name her because I think you need to realise that for yourself.

All my Love, Mia xx

Troy just stared at the words on the screen in front of him, he felt a kind of cold numbness flow over his body as the message sunk in. that's why I've chosen too end it, these seven words were spinning around his head like an out of control carousel. He'd never been dumped before; he's always been the one doing the dumping; now the tables had been turned. Anger and humiliation were coursing through his veins like water through a tap. How could she do this to him? He had never shown any inclination of loving any other girl had he? He didn't love any other girl; there was no one in this world that he cared for like that. But hang on, a picture started to swim into his mind. Himself and a brunette beauty sitting in a smelly hospital in England, himself and the same girl in the park not so long ago. And then he had it, he knew who he was in love with, who he had always loved. The shock of realization washed over Troy and he knew then that he had to do what he should have done years ago.

Gabriella sat alone in her room. A single tear rolled down her perfect cheek and onto her pink lips. Every time she tried to sing the pain of loosing her little brother just came flooding back, she used to sing to him every night before he fell asleep.

Flashback

"Just one more song, hermana?" Mumbled Carlos sleepily.

An eleven year old Gabriella Montez smiled and moved to kiss her little brother on the head. "Just one more cariño." Said and she began to sing.

"Can I have the Mikey Bubble one?" Muttered Carlos, Gabriella could tell that sleep was very near to overcoming the small boy.

"Do you mean Michael Bublé?" Chuckled Gabriella, rubbing the small boy's back as he turned over.

"Mm" Came the sleepy reply.

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

The sound that issued from the young girl's mouth was like nothing you've ever heard before, so sweet and caressing. Each note like a spoonful of your favourite Ben and Jerry's ice cream, like a swimming pool on an August day and the only people who'd ever really appreciated the talent Gabriella had been the people at school. Her parent's didn't know or care, whenever Gabriella was in a show she's say that she was staying around a friends. She couldn't let her parent's know because it was the one thing that her Dad didn't control, her singing.

End Flashback

Gabriella came out of the memory with a cascade of tears rolling down her cheeks and onto her mouth. She thought longingly of the little boy with the chocolate brown eyes and her sobs deepened.

"Gabriella?" came a worried voice from the door.

Gabriella looked up to see Chad standing in the doorway, worry and pain written all over his handsome face. "Chad" Gabriella managed to mumble.

Chad moved to sit by Gabriella on the bed, wrapping her up in his strong arms."Shh, Gabstar, what's wrong honey?"

"N-no-nothing" Gabriella stuttered, not fooling anyone.

"Yeah, and Sharpay has just admitted she's as much in love with me as I am with her" Said Chad sarcastically.

For a moment Gabriella was stunned, she had been right about her best friend. He was in love with the ice princess. "You love Sharpay, I knew it!" Gasped Gabriella, forgetting her worries for a microsecond.

"Did I say that out loud?" Chad gasped, clasping a hand to his forehead. "What in the name of the Lord of all afros did I do that for?"

Gabriella chuckled through her renewed tears. "You are a doofus, Chaddy"

"Thank you" Chad beamed like he had just won the lottery. "Anyway Missy, no changing the subject, what's the matter? I swear if that Bolton boy has done anything to upset you then I will insert my knee where the whole of female population is dying to go." Chad finished off.

"But he's your best friend" Gabriella said.

"That won't stop be applying my knee to his boll-"

Gabriella cut Chad off, "It's not Troy."

"Oh good, I wasn't looking forward to explaining to Coach Bolton why I crippled his star player and son." Chad grinned.

"It's my brother" Gabriella said, tears reappearing in her eyes.

"Brother?" Chad asked as though he'd just be told that he'd aced a Biology test.

"Yeah, my brother, Carlos Montez." Gabriella whispered.

"I didn't know you had a brother" Said Chad.

"He died." Stated Gabriella simply.

Chad needed to know no more, he just took the small girl in his arms and waited for the tears to stop falling. He knew the pain would never go away but he also knew that Gabriella could and would be happy.

Two hours and several tubs of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice cream later Gabriella and Chad were laughing away like nothing was ever wrong.

"Chad?" Gabriella asked, biting her lip.

"Yes, 'O wonderful one" Said Chad, his eyes half closed.

"I'm going to enter the talent contest." Gabriella said, so quiet that Chad wasn't sure he's heard her right.

"Sorry?"

"I've decided I want to be in the talent contest" Gabriella said, slightly louder this time.

"That's brilliant Gabriella" Yelped Chad, leaping up from the sofa and engulfing Gabriella in a man sized hug. "What made you change your mind?"

"It was something Mia said to me" Gabriella said.

"As in the bitch that's going out with your man?" Said Chad

"That's the one, but she's not a bitch and Troy's not my man." Gabriella felt a ping in the region of her heart; she hoped that after the talent show all that would change. "Anyway, Mia's going to dump Troy." Gabriella added, offhandedly.

"What?" Chad gasped.

Gabriella smiled and recounted the conversation between herself and Mia.

"That's awesome. You can now claim your rightful man" Chad grinned.

Gabriella just smiled. Hopefully, she thought.

A/N: Sorry for the second authors note, that I doubt anybody reads, but I just wanted to get something off my chest. My school is putting on the production of High School Musical and opening night is 22nd October, same day as HSM3 is released! How bogus is that?? I have to wait until the 25th to see it now! Oh my lordypops! Love, Izzy.x