A/N: So, this chapter is extremely jumpy, but I hope you guys like it anyways. I definitely stayed up pretty late to finish it, so I apologize if it suffers a bit. But anyways, the long (and short) reviews from everyone keep me going! I'm so happy you guys are reading, because it really means a lot to me.

"Gabriella, move!" The deep voiced ordered which caused Gabriella's tiny arms to fold and a pout stretch across her face. The bright lights flashed in the room, with paint stained everywhere on the black shirt that clothed the tall man. His bold chest and arms were built, with a thin mustache that hugged his upper lip. The spiky jet black hair that clung to the top of his head was matted down by slight sweat. He was holding a giant rolling brush with lime green liquid dripping from it.

"Shh! Jose, please!" Maria scolded as she bobbed the sleeping infant in her arms.

"I'm sorry but do you know how many times I asked Gabriella to leave?" Jose Montez shot back before giving Gabriella a hard look that made her shrink a little in her bright pink shoes. He had been a lot angrier the past couple months than normal, ever since Ari had been born. It didn't go unnoticed by Gabriella.

"She's just watching!" Her mom defended before the baby in her arms let out a small wail. "Shhh… It's ok Arianna…"

Gabriella watched jealously as Maria bounced her new daughter in her arms to attempt to silence her. It was painful to watch both of her parents share the attention between the two of them. For nine years, Gabriella had been the one who they doted upon. But now that there was a new baby in the house, the game had changed drastically.

"Maria, please do something with her? The fumes are giving me a headache." Her father complained furiously before Maria glared at her husband, then turned to her daughter. Gabriella couldn't help but noticed a light green disfiguration of skin on her neck that was not there yesterday.

"Stay out of your father's way ok?" Maria ordered Gabriella, not out of irritation, but out of fear for her daughter. Gabriella had no idea why, but slowly things were starting to piece together. She left the warm room with Ari in her arms, and almost the moment she did, the air turned brisk cold. Gabriella rocked back and forth in her shoes, the fearful silence filling the air.

"Daddy, when are we going to paint my room?" Gabriella asked selfishly, but who could blame her? The new baby kicked her out of her room and out of part of her parents' eyes. It stunk.

"When we finish Ari's." Her father grumbled without looking at her with his hard eyes.

"But why does she get my room? I like my room!" Gabriella complained before Jose's eyes dug daggers through her soul as he spun around and narrowed his gaze on her.

"Gabriella, you're being selfish. Stop it." Jose growled before stepping down the latter and gazing upon his work. Gabriella crossed her arms and felt a pout slip onto her features. She hated when her dad got mad at her, and it seemed like he had been doing it a lot lately.

An older person would have just walked out the door, but Gabriella was too young to realize that the tension circulated the air. So Gabriella bounced over to a wall that he had painted a few hours ago, and gently lifted her finger up. "Is this dry?"

"GABRIELLA!" Her father roared as she carelessly swiped the wall with her finger. Time then stood still, before Gabriella even knew what was happening.

One moment she was standing in front of the wall, and the next her back was pushed up against the off white rickety crib that rested in the middle of the room. Tears rained down her face causing her father to grip her arm even tighter if that was possible. It felt as though a snake and squeezed around her muscle and was tightening painfully. Whimpers were escaping her mouth as the twisted hard features shot fire into her skin.

"I told you to look out," he seethed poisonously. Gabriella's eyes were similar to a dear in headlights. She was helpless. There was absolutely nothing she could do. "Go help your mother."

With that he forcefully let go of her and walked back to the paints. Cries of fear slipped through Gabriella's trembling lips. He had never done that before. Sure he had been angry, but never once had he touched her like that. Hurt her like that. Jose refused to look at her as though she was too pitiful to, as Gabriella's tiny feet hurried out the empty room. She had no idea that moment had just changed her life.

She had no idea that was the first time her father formed a bruise on her innocent skin.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not listening."

Troy sighed irritably again before painfully letting his fingers slip through his chestnut locks. The angry cascading waves bounced as she leaned down into the bottom of her locker to grab a book, refusing to look at him in the eye. He knew he deserved it, hell he didn't deserve any of her. But desperately he was trying to get back on her good side. After yesterday, that's all he wanted.

"I know, I'm an ass ok?" Troy commented before slamming his shoulder dramatically against the locker next to hers. Lunch would be over soon and he needed to secure that everything was ok between them. But from the looks of it, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"Really?" Gabriella sarcastically questioned. "You stand me up for the second time in the past week and you think you're just an ass?"

Troy leaned his head against the cold metal just before he received a round of fire arms from Gabriella's dark eyes. "I know an ass is an understatement, but in my defense, I did call."

A sarcastic laugh rippled from Gabriella's throat as she stood her full ground, which was several inches shorter than Troy so it didn't make that much of an impact. They had planned to hang out last night, but for the second time this week, Troy had to bail. It wasn't his fault though. Since the holidays were only a few weeks away, Sydney always went crazy this time of year. She had it planted in her head that Troy needed to feel as though he had an actual family during Christmas. It was annoying, since Troy didn't even care, but that was the rule. He listened to what Sydney said, or the house he was in would be stripped from him. Stupid government papers.

"Well good for you." Gabriella spit out with fire bubbling in her orbs. "Can you be honest with me for like three minutes? Are you with another girl or something?"

Troy's eyes enlarged to two moons. "What? No!" he denied before gently placing a hand on her toned bicep. He darted his head left to right before dropping his voice. "Gabi… I haven't even fucking looked at another girl since we've been together."

Gabriella's thin eyebrow rose in hysteria. "Together? I thought we were just fuck buddies."

Troy rolled his eyes annoyingly. "You know what I mean. And don't call us fuck buddies."

It was a good thing the jungle of the lunch hallways shielded others ears from their conversation. "So we're an 'us' now? Damn it Troy, fucking make up your mind!"

Troy knew she was just agitated right now. He couldn't blame her. But there was nothing he could do, or could he tell her either. "I'll make it up to you ok? I promise."

Gabriella closed her tidy locker and folded her slender arms. He could tell her guard was letting down though, because the storm in her eyes was only now a heavy down pour and not a hurricane like before. "What do you have in mind?"

A smirk painted on Troy's face. That was exactly what he was hoping for. His strong teeth chewed on the inside of his cheek before letting his gaze fall on her like he was staring at her while she was in a white dress and a priest was beside them. "I'll take you to dinner tonight. Like real dinner at a real restaurant."

Troy's insides were fighting a huge Word War II battle in his chest. One side of him was shooting cannons to tell him that Gabriella would be hurt if he kept doing little things like this, kissing her just because he wanted things of that nature. That side was attempting to protect every part of her from him. But the other side? Shooting arrows of love that just wanted to be with her, normally. Just wanted her to be his girlfriend. The more he was with her, the more desperately he wanted to just be with her. "Like… a date?" She bit her bottom lip hopefully as Troy's eyes closed almost as though the war was causing him pain.

"Gabriella… you know…"

"You said you'd make it up to me," she pointed out, her anger completely gone, and now her olive face lit up with hope radiating from her brown orbs. Her hair sprung perfectly around her face as her eyes twinkled in a way that Troy could get lost in forever. "Please Troy?"

Almost as if saving him from becoming a traitor with himself, he suddenly found his best friend lumbering slowly towards them. "I'll meet you at Stephan's at seven alright?"

Gabriella stared at him with confusion stretched across her features. Was it a date? Troy didn't even know. Deep down, he really wanted it to be, but knew that couldn't be an option. Protecting her was the most important thing. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he broke her heart. Even if it meant it smashed his non-existent one in the process.

"Dude, you should have seen it, some sophomore shoved like twelve Twinkies in his mouth. Not kidding." Chad laughed amusedly as he approached them, Gabriella's eyes still sparkling with hope and confusion.

"You need a life man." Troy patted him on the back teasingly before his eye caught another person striding towards them. She had a curious look on her face as she approached, Gabriella's eyes lighting up at the sight of her best friend.

"What's so funny?" Taylor asked curiously while looking at Chad. His face immediately let the smile slide off as a glare crossed it.

Ever since the fight on Monday, Chad had been avoiding Taylor like she was carrying a deadly virus that could not be cured. Taylor, on the other hand, and completely switched gears. She seemed to be grasping every chance she could get to get him to communicate with her. But Chad would have none of it. "I think Zeke wanted me to meet him somewhere." Chad grumbled before storming off in the opposite direction.

Gabriella sighed sadly as her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, Troy still gazing at her like she was his world. "He's still not talking to you?"

Taylor's face fell to the floor painfully. "No…"

"Give him time alright?" Troy coached before an echo of the bell rung through the hallway. He wrapped a comforting arm around Taylor's shoulder before narrowing his brow at Gabriella. A small smile coursed his face as his left lid came down into a wink.

And the war raged on.

Troy never felt more like a girl in his life. "I look ok right?"

He stood in front of the large bathroom mirror surrounded by a light wood covering the edges of the walls and floor. The bright florescent lights shone down on his freshly shaven face. The sparkling blue eyes expanded out even more in the navy blue long sleeved shirt which buttoned down to the top of his pecks and was so dark it was almost black. He left the top two buttons unclasped so the hint of his tan skin peaked through. The dark jeans covering Troy's muscular legs clung to his body as he continued to gaze into the mirror.

"How's the hair?" Troy questioned the only other presence in the small bathroom. The slender husky's head perked up from its lying position as Troy glanced down at her. "Don't look at me like that Sade! She told me to make it up to her."

He was completely torn. More now than ever did he want to just be with Gabriella. He wanted this to be an official date, not just the two of them going to get something to eat. But his head kept holding him back. It knew that his pile of mush that represented his heart would not be able to handle watching her break down because he couldn't love back. Could he? So many questions now swam around in his head.

Troy Bolton didn't love. How could he? He didn't have a heart to love. His mother stabbed it and injected it with heroine. But if Troy could love, he imagined this might be where in a normal body, he might start to believe he was in love. The fluttering butterflies in his stomach when he looked at her, the way her laugh made him want to join in, the way when he held her in his arms it felt like he was holding his entire world. If this is what love felt like, then Troy wanted an in.

But he knew this wasn't what love felt like, because he didn't love. He had never been in love before, nor would he ever. It was sad actually, that Troy had no idea he was falling in love and couldn't stop himself. His mind was shadowed with protection of Gabriella; it was the first and most important obsession in his mind, which might be the strongest love of all. The sacrifice he was giving up was more powerful than any needle or any drop of heroine.

"It's not a date. So I shouldn't be worried about it." He spoke to Sadie, though he was more speaking to himself. She whimpered softly and Troy's nerves were jittering through his entire body. He inhaled a deep breath before looking down at his favorite girl in the world and sighed nervously. "Wish me luck."

Just as he was about to step over his sleepy dog and walk out the narrow doorway, the door bell rung loudly through the house. His eyebrows narrowed in confusion. What? No one should be here right now. Slowly, he exited the bathroom and lumbered down the soft white carpeted stairs before turning to reach for the gold door knob glinting in the light.

He gently swung the door open and his face fell to the floor in horror. Shivering in cold, Sydney twirled her midnight locks with fluffy snowflakes in her hair. What the hell was she doing here? "It's freezing out there!" She exclaimed before inviting herself in with the privileges she had, though a solum black look stretched her face.

Troy's eyes were the size of the glowing full moon outside. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Sydney glared her sharp eyes at him before letting the door swing shut to stop the brisk air from entering. "It's almost the holidays and you still can't get in a good mood."

Irritation built up in Troy's veins. "I sorta have somewhere to be." He rudely commented before shooting his thumb towards the door.

Sydney shook her head violently. "Not right now you don't."

Troy's lips curled in anger. Gabriella was waiting, and she would kill him if he didn't show up again. Murder him and slash his body into a thousand pieces. "Syd, I saw you yesterday, it can't be that important."

Sydney let out a sad sigh. "Since your birthday is in less than two months, they're already on your ass about not being under age. You have to sign some things. The DA wants you to take a physical soon, for your 'well being or whatever'." Sydney rolled her eyes.

"We're gonna have to do it later Syd, I have someone waiting for me." Troy desperately attempted to get around her, but Sydney just shook her head.

"I have to fax them so they'll get to the hospital by Monday." Sidney sighed painfully before biting her bottom lip nervously. "You're due for a meningitis shot before you go to college."

All thoughts of Gabriella's sweet body were killed as Troy closed his eyes painfully. He didn't hear anything after the world 'shot'. "Shit." He mumbled fearfully.

Light snow sprinkled from the cloudy midnight sky. Gabriella slender body shivered even within the warmth of the archway of the restaurant. Her burnt red knee length flowing dress fluttered in the artificial heat beneath her snug pea coat. The hopeless eyes gazed out the glass of the doorway, her heart lifting at every flash of two headlights, but fall sadly as she realized it was not that small black car she had been looking for. Another tremble of her skin from the cold and lack of skin on skin contact with the one she was waiting for.

"Miss?" A tender touch on her covered shoulder made her turn around to sadly look at a girl who couldn't be five years older than she. Her blonde ponytail strapped to the top of her head. "Is your party coming anytime soon? It's been an hour."

An hour. At least Troy had the decency to call her within the half hour that he couldn't be with her the previous nights. But tonight had been important. Gabriella actually had hope welded in her heart that maybe, just maybe this would be a date. An actual date and not just them screwing around because one wasn't happy. This was real, and Gabriella's pattering heart was slowly being punched over and over again with every second that ticked by him not being there.

But then it hit her. He was an hour late, and he hadn't even bothered to call. Hadn't bothered to just let her know that something came up. A singe of panic struck her body. What if something happened to him? She knew deep down that wasn't the case, but she almost wished that something had happened to him so maybe he wasn't just being heart wrenching. Gabriella knew though. It was painfully obvious and extremely hurtful, but it was the truth.

He stood her up.

Anger clenched in her heavy jaw. Almost in a ripple of the wind, an angry wave of furry crashed over her body. The normally smooth side of her mouth twitched as rage trickled slowly through her veins. She had the sudden desire to rip, bite, smash Troy's emotions and pray that his heart would pain because of this. "No… thank you though." She seethed before ripping the cold cell phone from her pocket and furiously dialing the numbers she had gotten to know so well.

Normally, if Gabriella was calm, she would have thought things through and just called Troy himself a half hour ago to ask where he was. But ration wasn't in her demeanor right now. He was failing her. But was it her fault? He told her not to get attached, was he just proving his point?

The rings on the other line were going too slow and Gabriella was certain everyone in the restaurant was giving her drilling looks. She could have cared less. After what felt like hours, finally a groggy voice grumbled on the other line. "'ello?"

"Give me Troy's fucking address." She demanded, causing several people attempting to enjoy a meal seated close to where she leaned up against the dark canvas wall glared at her. Gabriella wasn't paying attention. All she cared about was the man on the other side of the phone line yawning.

"Gabs… I was taking a nap…"

"Where the hell does he live?" She seethed before almost hearing Chad spring out of his bed.

"What? Oh hell no Gabriella." The painted image of Chad shaking his ringlet head formed in her mind. "No no no… there's no way in hell."

That wasn't the answer she was searching for. She wanted to go to him. She wanted to scream at him for letting her down like her mother did. Nothing else mattered to her, the only thing she could think about was the fact that he didn't show up. Not even a phone call. He didn't care. "Chad… tell me."

"He's my best friend. I can't tell you. Why the fuck do you want to know anyways?" Chad questioned as Gabriella sighed irritably, her high black heels tapping against the oak floor annoyingly.

"Because he was supposed to meet me somewhere an hour ago and he hasn't even fucking bothered to call!" Gabriella's voice trembled at the rising level. Furry ran through her blood stream like poison. She knew that there was no strings attached, but come on! The least he could do was call. It was bad enough he was holding her back from actually being with someone she was falling hard for. But now he was just being an ass to her, and she hated it. "This is the third time he's done this! This week!"

"It's not like Troy Gabs…" Chad tried to convince her, but she could hear the sudden concern weaving through his voice. "There must be something going on…" He spoke to himself, heightening Gabriella's anger towards him.

"I'm gonna go see if…"

"Chad!" Gabriella screamed, making others glare at her again. The waitresses where mumbling amongst themselves in the red dim glow, probably talking about throwing her out. She didn't care. She was sick of doing this tango. The tango that she was beginning to reveal herself to him and he wouldn't let her in at all. It was driving her crazy. "Give… me… his… address…"

"I can't." Chad sighed. No was not an answer.

"Either you give me the fucking numbers and street name or I'm going to drive around the whole damn town until I find that piece of shit car. And by that time I will not be happy, got it?" Gabriella yelled into the phone after she stomped her sharp heel in protest. "No matter what I will find his house, with or without your help and it's a hell of a lot messier if you don't tell me."

A defeated breath echoed through the phone line, Gabriella's rage still boiling through her skin. "Tell Taylor I love her at my funeral, because he's gonnna fucking kill me."

That's just what fuming Gabriella wanted to hear.