Author's Note: Hey! I was really in the mood for writing so I decided to update. And I want to finish this story before I start on my new one "Confessions of Broken Heart" and there's only one chapter left!! Aaaah!

Chapter 26: Speeding and Pepper Spray

Lydia was circling Troy's chair, the clacking of her stilettos on the polished floor was getting on Troy's nerves.

Lydia: So what will it be Troy? Me or her? Me or her suffering?

Troy:(thinking) Okay lets think rationally. She's threatening to hurt Gabriella. And lets face it, she can do that...

Lydia: Why so silent Troy? It can't be that hard a decision (giggles)

Troy:(thinking) So... wait, if I say that I'll break up with Gabriella, she'll let me go so I can do that, I find Gabby, we both get on the next flight to Albuquerque, I never see Lydia again and I don't break up with Gabby. Problem solved!

Troy: I, uh...I've decided...that I'm going to ...break up with Gabriella.

Even through he was blindfolded, Troy could tell that Lydia was smiling.

Lydia: Great, now Benson, one of the guys that brought you here, gave me your cell phone from when he took it off you in the car. So why don't we just make it quick and easy and you can break up with her over the phone.

Troy: What? No!

Lydia: Well why not?

Troy: I...I can't break up with her over the phone! I have to do it in person.

Lydia: Why bother? You can just do it over the phone. It's quick, it's easy, and you don't have to deal with the discomfort and all the crying and stuff so just do it.

Troy stayed silent. He now didn't have a choice.

Chad:(yelling) That stuck-up princess kidnapped my best friend!

Sharpay: Yeah and she kidnapped Gabriella's boyfriend. Now will you shush, you're making a scene.

The group entered the hotel and walked towards the main desk.

Sharpay: Let me handle this.

Sharpay walked up to the desk and smiled brightly at the receptionist.

Sharpay: Good evening

Receptionist: Good evening.

Sharpay: Could you possibly tell me if a miss Lydia Darlton has checked into her room.

Receptionist: Certainly.

As the woman started typing and clicking away at her computer, Sharpay turned round and flashed the gang a encouraging smile.

Receptionist: I'm sorry, it appears that Miss Darlton has not entered the hotel since last night.

Sharpay's smile faded.

Sharpay: Are you sure?

Receptionist: Positive.

Sharpay: Oh. Well, thanks anyway

Sharpay strutted back to the group.

Sharpay: She's not here. Everyone, back in the car.

Just then, "Start of Something New" started ringing from Gabriella's pocket. She took out her cell phone and looked at the screen. She gasped.

Gabriella: Oh my God, it's Troy!

She answered it as everyone got excited.

Gabriella: Troy?

Troy: ... Gabriella?

Troy sounded weak and also close to tears. Gabriella became frightened.

Gabriella: Troy, where are you?

Troy: I'm sorry Gabriella.

Gabriella: What?

Troy: I...I CAN'T DO THIS LYDIA!

Gabriella's eyes widened when she heard the name. There was a thump in the background.

Troy: I...I'm sorry Gabby, but...I have to end it with you.

Gabriella: What? What do you mean?

Troy: I mean that... Oh god. I'm sorry Gabby but I have to break up with you.

Gabriella:(getting teary) Wha...why?

Troy: Believe me, it's for the best. I have no choice.

Gabriella: You do have a choice Troy, just...

Troy:(also sounding teary) I'm sorry Gabby... I love-

He hung up.

Taylor: What did he say? Where is he?

Gabriella: He...he broke up with me.

Everyone else: WHAT?

Gabriella: He's with Lydia. I think Lydia's forcing him to break up with me. He never told me where he was but when he yelled, it echoed.

Sharpay: Meaning he's probably in the dance studio. I knew it! Everybody, in the car!

Jason:(mumbling sarcastically) Great, I love getting in a small car with 6 other people.

Everyone hurried towards the car and as everyone got in, Gabriella realised something.

Gabriella: Troy almost said he loved me. Troy loves me.

Lydia tucked the phone back in her pocket while Troy cried uncontrollably.

Troy: Why did you make me do that? Why?

Lydia: You made that choice Troy. You chose to do that. And if you hadn't barked my name over the phone, making everyone aware of who's behind this, then I would have left little Gabriella alone.

Troy: What do you mean?

Lydia: I mean that once I'm done with you...

Troy: Don't you touch her! I love her!

Lydia: Do you really? I find that hard to believe after what you just did.

Troy: Don't you turn this around on me, you were threatening to kill her!

Lydia: Did the word "kill" come out of my mouth at all? Hmm? Someone jumped to conclusions.

Troy: I HATE you!

Lydia: You'll grow to love me

Troy: No one will ever love you as much as I love Gabriella. Absolutely no one! And I would die than be with you any longer.

Lydia: ... that can be arranged.

Sharpay was driving her BMV through the quiet streets at 70mph. The others were gripping on to whatever they could for dear life.

Jason: You know, Sharpay? There is such a thing as a 30mph speed limit!

Sharpay: Yes Jason, I am aware of that but if I stuck to it then who knows what Lydia could do to Troy in that time so everyone just sit back and hold ON!

They all squealed slightly as Sharpay swerved the car round a rather tight corner, the brakes screeching. Once they had avoided the brick wall, she accelerated again.

Chad: Sharpay, remind me, how many times did it take you to pass your driving test?

Sharpay: About 7 times. But Daddy bought the instructor a Mercedes the last time and he just passed me without really testing me.

Chad: So technically, you didn't really pass your driving test?

Sharpay: Not really, but at least I have a licence and really high insurance.

Chad: (turning a little green) Oh... that's comforting.

Suddenly, sirens were heard behind the car. Sharpay looked in her rear view mirror and saw a police car.

Sharpay: Oh god, we don't have time for this! (slows down and stops the car.)

Gabriella: Sharpay, what are we going to do?

Sharpay: I...I'll think of something...

A middle-aged police officer got out of his car and walked over the driver's window. Sharpay opened her window.

PO: Miss do you realise how fast you were going?

Sharpay: Yes sir, I do but you don't understand, you see, we're kinda in a hurry.

PO: That is no excuse to break the speed limit.

Sharpay: I know, I know, I'm sorry but please, can you just give me my speeding ticket quickly please.

The officer gave her a stern look but then sighed and just walked over to his car to write out the ticket. One Sharpay saw that he was at his car, she turned on the engine, and accelerated away, much to the surprise of everyone in the car.

Zeke: Jesus, Sharpay!

Sharpay: Sorry

Taylor:(looking behind her at the angry police officer) You're gonna get in so much trouble for that!

Gabriella. Gabriella... Troy had to break up with her just to keep Lydia happy and it tore him apart. She probably hated him now.

From what Troy could tell, Lydia hadn't moved from her spot next to Troy, probably thinking about her next move. Then, he heard some shuffling, and then some beeping. Troy guessed that she had taken out her cell phone.

Lydia: Hello, Benson? Yeah it's me. Look I need one of you two to come in here. I need you to finish off something for me... Yeah, just one of you, should be an easy job... Okay.. but then Paul needs to stay there and keep watch, okay? Okay, see you in a minute. Oh don't worry, you'll still get paid, heck might even get a bonus. Okay bye.

Just then, Troy felt a pair of lips, presumably Lydia's, crash against his own. He was disgusted and tried to get her of him. Then she pulled away.

Lydia: If I can't have you Troy, nobody can.

Then all Troy heard was the slow clatter of her stilettos on the polished floor then the screeching open of the door...

Lydia: I do love you Troy, and I'm going to miss you.

Then she was gone. Troy was all alone. He wasn't sure what was happening now. Benson? It suddenly occurred to Troy that he was one of the big men that brought him here. "Finish off something for me"? That did not sound good. And when Lydia said, "I'm going to miss you"? Troy guessed that this situation did not have a happy ending...

The gang slowed down when they saw the building that held the dance studio.

Chad: Well there's nothing here that suggests she's anywhere near here.

Sharpay: She's got to be...

Kelsi: Look! There's a dark alleyway over there. I'll bet money that that's where they've gone.

Sharpay: All right, everybody out!

Everyone bustled out of the car and started sprinting (or in Chad's case, hobbling) towards the dark alleyway. As they ran down it, they saw a large man outside a door, almost as if he was guarding it.

Man: What are you lot doing?

Before anyone could answer, Lydia appeared from the doorway. Everyone was about to lunge at her, when someone beat them first. Gabriella went and punched Lydia.

Gabriella: That'll teach you to steal my boyfriend!

Lydia fell to the ground due to the force of the punch and both Gabriella and Taylor tried to jump over her into the doorway but the large man stopped them.

Man: Oh, no you don't!

Then Sharpay whipped open her purse and pulled out some pepper spray and sprayed it directly in the man's eyes. As he yelped in pain, Jason and Zeke both pushed him out of the way of the door so then everyone jumped over Lydia (who was still on the ground) and ran down the corridor, just enough to hear Lydia yell...

Lydia: You're gonna be too late!

To be continued...

A/N: One more chapter left!! Then I will officially have finished my first fanfiction! R&R people! xxx