Here's a longer one for you guys!

Troy knocked on his uncle's office door, hoping to find him in there.

"Come in."

Troy opened the door and saw his uncle sitting at his desk, facing a computer. Zac turned towards the door and saw Troy standing there, hesitant about coming in.

"Hey, Troy. What's up?"

Troy walked further into the room, closing the door behind him and took a seat in the comfortable chair facing his uncle's desk.

"Hey, Uncle Zac. Are you busy? Cause I can come back later if you are. You look like you're doing something so I'm just gonna go..."

Troy stood to leave but his uncle stopped him, laughing at his rambling.

"Troy, sit. I'm not really busy. Care to tell me what's got you rambling?"

Troy sat back down and sighed, looking at his uncle, who was resting his chin on his hands. Zac waited patiently as Troy nervously played with his fingers. Uncle Zac had an idea about what this was all about, but decided to let Troy bring it up first.

"You know Gabriella?"

Zac nodded, inwardly grinning because he had been right.

"What about her?"

Troy looked sheepishly at the floor.

"I think... I'm not sure, but I think I like her."

Zac grinned.

"It's about time he came out with it."

"As more than a friend?"

Troy looked at his uncle and hesitantly nodded.

"As more than a friend. But I don't know. When I'm around her, I feel different... like I can be myself, but better. She makes me want to be a better person. Great, I sound like a girl."

Uncle Zac laughed.

"I was the same way when I met your aunt. I had this conversation with my dad, and he said I sounded like a girl."

Troy shot his uncle a glare and mumbled.

"Thanks a lot."

Zac chuckled.

"No problem."

This earned him another glare.

"Troy, if you like her, why don't you ask her out to dinner or something? You were always a ladies' man. What makes this so different from the other girls you've dated?"

Zac knew the answer, but wanted Troy to admit it to himself.

"I don't know, Uncle. She's different from the other girls... And her mother's in the hospital so I'm not sure this is a great time."

"Is her mother okay?"

Troy shrugged.

"I'm not sure. She has a brain tumor, but Mr. Montez said it's pretty small. He did say it was growing though."

Zac nodded in understanding.

"How is Gabriella taking it?"

Troy sighed.

"Not well. She came to school today and started bawling. I don't blame her, but it... It hurts to see her like this. I just feel so useless."

Uncle Zac leaned forward in his seat, looking Troy in the eye.

"Troy, do you love Gabriella?"

♪

The next morning, Gabriella woke up late, grateful it was Saturday.

"No school! Yes!"

Gabriella went into her bathroom and took a long, hot shower. She slowly got dressed in a pair of grey and pink sweatpants and a pink t-shirt that said "Daddy's Princess". She quickly opened her night stand and grabbed her pills, swallowing them dry.

Gabriella heard and felt her stomach grumble, so she went down to the kitchen to find something to eat. She had been unable to keep anything down the day before, so she was extremely hungry. Gabriella made herself a piece of toast with butter and sat down at the counter, grabbing the newspaper.

She read the front page story while chomping down on her toast. It was about a car accident that happened the night before. No one was killed, but a teenage girl was severely injured.

Gabriella finished her toast and took her plate to the sink, where she washed it. She was drying her hands when she heard the front door open. Gabriella walked over to the door and was greeted by her mother.

"Mama! You're home!"

Mrs. Montez wrapped her daughter in a hug.

"Gabriella! Have you been eating? You look like a stick."

Gabriella giggled.

"I just had toast."

Mrs. Montez smiled.

"Good. You are way too thin as it is."

"Gabriella and her mom went to sit in the living room.

"How are you feeling, Mama?"

Gina smiled at her caring daughter.

"I'm fine. We have to wait and see what happens. Don't worry about it, honey."

Gabriella nodded as the phone rang. She jumped up and picked the phone off its cradle.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Gabi?"

Gabriella smiled.

"Hey, Troy. Hang on a sec."

Mrs. Montez smiled as her daughter held the phone, silently asking to be excused.

"Go ahead, dear, Tell Troy I said hi."

Gabriella gave her mom a quick hug and bolted up the stairs, shutting her bedroom door. She laid on her bed and put the phone to her ear.

"I'm back."

"Hey, Gabi. What's up?"

Gabriella giggled.

"Not much. My mom's home."

"Really? That's great."

"Yup.

There was an awkward silence when Gabriella decided to break it.

"So, um, Troy? Why'd you call?"

"Oh, uh, did you do your homework yet?"

"Not yet. You?"

"No. Uh, I was wondering if you wanted to work on it with me."

"Um, sure, Troy. Over there?"

"Yeah, if that's okay."

"Sure, no problem. Um, I'll be over in a few."

"I'll come pick you up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll be over there in fifteen minutes."

"Okay, bye, Troy."

"See ya, Gabi."

Gabriella hung up the phone with a large grin on her face. She headed downstairs, where her mother was still sitting on the couch, reading a book.

"Hey, Mama, I'm going to go over to Troy's for homework. Is that okay?"

Mrs. Montez smiled, looking up from her book.

"Go ahead, honey. Do you need the car?"

Gabriella shook her head.

"No, Troy's coming to pick me up. He insisted."

"Mrs. Montez smiled and nodded.

"Okay, dear. Go get ready."

"Thanks, Mama."

Gabriella gave her mom a hug and ran back upstairs to gather her school bag.

♪

Troy hung up and threw hid phone on the bed. He straightened up his room and grabbed his keys. Troy listened to the radio, softly singing to himself as he drove to Gabriella's. Ten minutes later, he pulled up into the driveway and parked his truck. Troy walked up to the door and knocked.

Gabriella appeared at the door and smiled, opening it wider to invite Troy in.

"Hey, Troy."

"Hi, Gabi. You almost ready?"

"Yeah, be back in a sec."

Troy chuckled as Gabriella ran back up the stairs and came back with her bag.

"Mama, I'm leaving!"

Troy heard Mrs. Montez answer from the living room.

"Okay, dear. Have fun! Hi, Troy!"

"Hey, Mrs. Montez. I'll have Gabi home by dinner."

"Okay, Troy. Bye!"

Gabriella giggled and pushed Troy out the door.

"Let's go, Troy."

The two walked out into the yard, Troy walking backwards to face Gabriella.

"How much homework do you got?"

Gabriella giggled, noticing Troy walking towards the large tree in her front yard.

"Not much, but Troy? Watch where you're going."

"What?"

Troy turned and walked straight into the tree. Troy clutched his head and shook it, trying to get rid of the stars he was seeing.

"Ow! Thanks for the warning, Gabriella."

"Troy! Are you okay?"

Gabriella tried to contain her laughter behind her hand, but it became too much for her to bear. She collapsed into a giggle fit.

"Hey! It's not funny. The tree just came out of nowhere!"

Gabriella didn't stop laughing, causing an agitated Troy to break down and join her.

"You just walked into a tree that's been there for years, Troy. It's a pretty old tree."

Troy watched Gabriella as she continued to giggle at him. He knew that he liked her and seeing her laugh was making him like her more.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a klutz, I know. Now let's go!"

Gabriella giggled as she followed Troy to his truck. She smiled at him as he opened the passenger door for her.

"Why thank you, Troy. Who knew you were such a gentleman?"

Troy rolled his eyes and closed the door, walking around the front to his own. They drove in silence for the few minutes it took to get to Troy's house. When they pulled into the driveway, Gabriella gasped.

"You're house is gorgeous!"

"Oh, thanks. It's actually my uncle's. I live with him and his wife and their daughter."

Gabriella nodded, wondering why Troy didn't live with his parents.

"Oh."

Troy looked over at Gabriella, noticing the confusion on her face.

"My mom left and my dad died. I've lived with my uncle for a while."

"Oh, sorry."

Gabriella felt really bad for Troy. He had lost his parents. Gabriella didn't know if she could deal with it of her parents left her.

"It's no big deal, Gabi. I learned to cope with it and my family really helped. Now let's go!"

Troy got out of the truck and walked around to open the door for Gabriella.

♪

"Yes, Ty, you have to... You'll get a date with me. That and a hundred dollars in cash... No, Vince and Charles are helping you... I already called Charles... Troy needs to get refocused in the game... Good. Pleasure doing business with you."

Sharpay smirked as she hung up the phone. Her plan was now in action. Next Monday, Gabriella would be getting what she deserved. She picked up the phone and dialed another familiar number.

"Hi, Vince? I need you to do something for me."

♪

I'm about to rip Sharpay's hair out. If you are, too, hold back for a few chapters.

Jay