So million thanks for reviewing, no Troyella just yet but lets say a big hurray to the end of Christian. . .for now. . . I hope you all enjoy. Please be warned this chapter has some swearing and some implied naughtiness.  Love Tink.

Troy kissed Andi's neck but knew he was making a mistake even as he did it, he didn't want the blue eyed blonde. He wanted the girl with the hair the color of bittersweet chocolate and the haunted eyes, he wanted Gabriella. As he'd seen her make her way to where Sharpay stood grinding with Christian, he'd felt a surge of anger so strong, that he'd reacted by cuddling up with Andi, see how Gabriella liked it when he was with someone.

But judging by the way Christian was grinding with Sharpay, he didn't think they would be together long. He couldn't believe that Sharpay would do that to Gabriella, it was so unlike her. He watched as Christian attempted to kiss her and she pulled away, as angry as he was, he was pleased that Gabriella had not witnessed the almost kiss. She deserved better than that, he felt like punching Christian but knew if that happened then Gabriella would never speak to him again. Feeling almost as angry with Sharpay as he did with Christian, he watched her turn and dance away and excusing himself from Andi he followed determined, to have it out with her.

Troy caught up with her as she reached Taylor and Chad who stood in the kitchen talking, looking serious.

"Sharpay! What the hell was that?" Troy said grabbing her arm and spinning round to face him.

"What the hell was what?" she said puzzled by his anger

"You and that jerk Christian, grinding" he snapped "In front of Gabriella, Jesus Sharpay, she doesn't deserve that"

Sharpay just beamed at him, thrilled by his reaction, glad to know he still cared about Gabriella.

"Calm down Bolton, I'm doing this for her own good"

"You're trying to steal her boyfriend for her own good" he repeated "Do I look stupid?"

"Do you want me to answer that question" she countered sweetly "Chad you talk to him will ya"

Troy looked at Chad expectantly, confused by what was going on.

"Troy man, I tried to tell you before, there is something seriously weird about that Christian dude, he's like turned Gabi into some sort of Stepford wife"

"What are you going on about?"

"Listen Basket ball boy, Gabi's changing or haven't you noticed?" Taylor snapped angrily." She won't do anything without the bastards say so, that includes, eating, drinking and dressing. It's like she's been brainwashed. Can you believe he's told her she has to lose more weight?"

"Yeah and when I was dancing with him, he made like she's so insecure and clingy and can't bear to be away from him" Sharpay sniffed

"Then she gets to telling me, how much he likes her and how happy she is, but if you ask me he gets off on controlling her. She never sees us anymore, he goes every where with her" Taylor told him, joining in.

"He even told me she wasn't giving him what he wanted and then he tried to kiss me, told me Gabi had issues"

Troy was horrified, that was mental and emotional abuse.

"So why don't you talk to her, tell her" he said

"I tried, that's why Shar was dancing with him to keep him out of the way . . . You know the son of a bitch told her that I would try and do this to split them up because I was jealous of their relationship" Taylor fumed then carried on,

"Now do you see? We're really worried about her Troy, maybe you can try, get through to her . . . She thinks if she's not with him no one else will want her, she told me that. And she's totally mad at Sharpay for flirting with Christian, especially since he's just being friendly"

Troy couldn't believe she was putting up with his crap, that wasn't the Gabi he knew

"I don't think she'll talk to me and if Christian is as controlling as all that then he won't let me near her"

"You have to try Troy, we're losing her" Tay said tears coming into her eyes and Chad pulled her into his arms.

He nodded "I'll see what I can do, Sharpay can you get rid of Christian for a while?"

She sighed and nodded "If I have to, but please don't be too long, I can't stand him . . . I'll wait till he comes for a drink and corner him, show him the grounds"

"Kay, but guys I'm warning you I don't think she'll listen to me, she's too mad that I wouldn't accept them being together in the first place"

Tay shrugged "You have to try, make her see sense"

"No promises" he said and went back into the next room.

Standing by the door, he watched them unobserved, as they danced. Gabriella had lost weight, he could see that now and that wasn't the only thing she'd lost, her sparkle had gone too. Although she moved in time with the music, he could tell her heart wasn't in it, behind her Christian grinded, holding her hips with his hands, rubbing himself against her. She looked slightly sick as he moved his hands up her body and tried to stroke her chest through her shirt, she moved twisting away from him slightly. Troy watched as Christian said something in her ear and she thought for a second before she nodded.

Again and again Christian stroked his hands up her body, each time getting closer to her breasts. Gabriella hated it when he touched her like this, especially in public and she'd tried to move away.

"Don't you like me Gabi, don't you want to show me you like me? Am I not good enough for you is that it? Lets me feel you, show me you like me too" he'd said in her ear as he danced behind her, rubbing his hips against her.

So Gabriella had allowed him to touch her in public and she shuddered, not in pleasure but revolution when he'd groaned in her ear. Kissing him was one thing but going further was something else.

Troy stared, willing Gabriella to tell him to stop, she wasn't the kind of girl to indulge in explicit PDA's, he shouldn't being doing that to her. But she seemed to have no back bone, none of her old fire; she just stood there and let him feel her up. Her eyes were blank, she was numb. Troy felt his heart begin to break a little as he realized just how bad things must be for her to do that.

Christian took her hand and led her through the crowd, to one of the many hall ways where kids gathered some making out, other just talking. He stopped where it was a little quieter and backed her against the wall. Gabriella felt uncomfortable when she recognized the look in his eye, he wanted her, and what he wanted to got.

"You are so damn hot babe" he muttered against her neck, biting her hard and she jumped.

"Do we have to do this here?" she asked quietly

"Gabi, babe, look around everyone's doing it. Don't you want me? Don't you like me?"

"I do like you Christian, but it's just so public"

"What better way to show everyone you're mine, now kiss me babe"

Gabriella reached up and placed her mouth against his, kissing him for a second. But all too soon he took control of the kiss and kissed his way down her cheek to her neck, before biting her again and sucking for a second, leaving a mark.

"Now everyone will know you're mine" he breathed and captured her mouth again, running his hand down her body and stroking her bottom pulling her closer to him as he rubbed himself against her.

Gabriella felt sick, she hated when he touched her like this and now he'd given her a hickey. It just felt so wrong to do this with him, she thought it she should feel passion and wildness but all she was felt was repulsion. Maybe it was her problem, because she didn't like him enough, she thought as he tried to touch her through her jeans. She squirmed away and pulled her mouth from his

"Don't, not here"

Christian made a sound of frustration "God Gabi, what is it with you, don't you want me to touch you? You are my girlfriend it is allowed you know"

"I'm sorry but it's just too much, too soon"

"We've been together weeks now, but hey if you have a problem then I understand if you're not normal, it won't affect the way I feel"

So she had been right, it was her fault she felt nothing, she had a problem. But what about Troy, she wondered briefly; when he'd kissed her and touched her she had felt amazing, like she couldn't get close enough to him and wanted to climb inside his skin.

"Thank you" she said with a forced smile

"There's nothing to say that you can't touch me though" he leered and Gabriella felt the sick feeling return. She looked around her face flaming, all around them couples were making out, lost in each other, some with arms and hands exploring.

"What? Here?"

He nodded "Show me how much you care Gab, touch me, go on, it won't bite"

Gabriella swallowed the bile that rose in her throat and shook her head "I'm not ready Christian, don't push me please, not here, not now"

"Later then, when we're alone. All normal girls do it Gab, its okay, you might even like it" he chuckled at the expression on her face and rubbed himself against her once more.

"Can we get a drink Christian?"

"Sure, as long as it's a diet remember" he said and led her towards the kitchen.

Sharpay's eyes widened as she saw Gabriella enter the kitchen with a hickey on her neck. Exchanging a look with Taylor she made her move.

"Christian, have you seen the grounds, Daddy is so proud of them, would you like to see?"

Gabriella glared at her "No Shar, he's okay"

Christian smirked "Gab babe, it won't take long; you and Taylor can have a nice little chat about what people in relationships do… I promise nothing bad will happen to me, I'll be back before you can miss me"

Gabriella knew he was going and she felt her heart sink, she knew what Sharpay could be like and she always got what she wanted and right now, it seemed she wanted Gabriella's boyfriend.

"Sure, I'll stay here"

And she watched as Sharpay headed outside with her boyfriend.

Taylor crossed the room and opened her cell, sending a quick message she closed it again.

"Are you still mad at me?" Taylor asked and Gabriella shrugged

"A little, I just want everyone to be as happy as I am"

"Oh Gab, you don't look happy though, we're all worried about you, especially Troy"

She snorted a spark of anger lighting her eyes "He didn't look too worried when I saw him dancing with Andi"

"Jealous Brie?" came a voice behind her.

She spun around to see Troy stood with a small smirk playing across his mouth.

"No, why should I be" she said coolly, not meeting his probing blue eyes.

"Brie, we should talk, we need to sort things out"

"My name is Gabi or Gabriella, and we don't need to talk, things are fine"

"Yeah, that why you won't look at me, that why you look like you dying from the inside out?" he challenged softly "I miss you Gab, I miss my best friend"

"Well I don't miss you, I have Christian now" she lied

"You do, but we all still need friends and we were best friends. You need your friends, especially now…" he paused "He's no good for you Brie"

"Yes he is, he makes me a better person"

"How by telling what to eat, what to wear, who to talk to?"

Troy hated to see the pain in her eyes as he attempted to make her see what he was really like.

Gabriella looked at the floor, did he really do that? Did he control what she ate, wore and who she saw? If he did it was for her good, because he cared for her and wanted what was best for her. Tears clawed at her eyes and she was suddenly confused, all the feelings she'd buried rushed to the surface and when she lifted her head Troy could see them in her eyes.

"Leave him Gab, you deserve better" he said softly, touching her soft cheek and her eyes shut as pleasure shimmered through her entire body.

How was it when Troy touched her she felt alive and when Christian touched her she felt numb?

"I can't Troy, I just can't, I don't want to be alone"

"You wouldn't be alone, you'd have me and Shar and Taylor and Chad and the rest of the gang . . . Please Gab we're all so worried, you're changing right before our eyes"

She shook her head, her hair moved revealing the hickey on her neck and Troy swore.

"I can't do it, I'm his and he's mine"

"That why he branded you like some common slut?" Troy said harshly, angry to see the hickey, purple against her perfect skin.

"Don't call me that, it's okay, it's what everyone does"

"You're not everyone Gab, have you slept with him?"

"That's none of your business Troy but for your information I have problems okay? We're dealing with it, Christians going to help me" she snapped

"What out of your panties? Gabi don't sleep with him please… you don't have any problems"

"Troy, its none of your business, we're gonna be together"

"If that's true, where is he now?"

Gabriella felt her bottom lip quiver "Shar is showing him the grounds"

He snorted "Yeah and a lot else besides"

"What do you mean?" she felt tears build up again.

"I mean right now your guy is probably making out with Sharpay"

"You're lying" she accused

"Don't believe me, then follow me" he said and strode towards the door, leaving Gabriella with little choice but to follow.

Gabriella had to walk quickly to keep up with Troy's strides, her head spinning with all Troy had said to her. Was she changing? If she was surely it was for the better, that's what Christian had told her. As Troy rounded a hedge he came to an abrupt stop, so suddenly that Gabriella bumped into his back, banging her nose.

"See for yourself" Troy said and pointed to where only a few feet away, Christian and Sharpay were locked in an embrace.

Gabriella felt sick, how could they do this to her? Sharpay was supposed to be one of her best friends and Christian was her boyfriend. She began to cry and felt her knees begin to shake. Troy felt bad for showing her but knew there was no other way to make her see what Christian was really like. Gabriella started towards the couple and saw Sharpay open her eyes over Christians shoulder, rather than pull away from him she carried on the kiss.

"Hey Christian" Troy called and he pulled away from Sharpay slowly, reluctantly without turning around.

"Bolton you better have a damn good reason for interrupting me with this little hottie" he snapped his voice ice.

"How about me?" snarled Gabriella with some of her old spunk.

Christian spun around "babe, its not like it looks, tell her Sharpay"

Gabriella looked at her friend and fought the urge to slap her

"Yes Gabriella it's exactly like it looks, I was making out with your boyfriend" she said smugly and stepped away from him wiping her mouth on the back of her hand as she did.

Gabriella was confused when Sharpay said "Eww!"

Christian threw Sharpay a look and snapped "Bitch"

Then he turned to Gabriella "It's not what it looks like, she came on to me babe and you know how frustrated I've been, what with your problem, I couldn't help myself. If you'd have done what I asked, this would never have happened"

Gabriella blinked as though seeing Christian for the first time, had he really just implied that it was her fault he had been kissing Sharpay? Did he think she was stupid? Oh God, how blind she had been, the guy was a total control freak. Suddenly everything they had all said about him seemed true.

"Christian, you're right" she smiled sweetly at him "If I'd have done what you asked, I'd be feeling very sick about now, you are an ass hole"

Sharpay and Troy exchanged wide smiles; she was coming back to them.

"I can't believe I didn't see it before, you are an evil manipulating bastard" she told him, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Christians face changed and he stepped towards her

"You know what Gabriella, you have issues you really do, you're fat, stupid and frigid, it's a wonder I could get turned out with, you dumb bitch"

Troy clenched his fists as Christian stepped closer to Gabriella and reached out as though to touch her.

"Fuck this" muttered Troy and he swung a punch at Christian, catching him on the jaw and knocking him to the floor.

"Don't you ever speak to Brie again, don't even look in her direction, understand me? Or me and half the wild cats will kick your ass"

Gabriella looked down at Christian who lay holding his jaw and she couldn't believe that she had given herself over to his control for so long.

"Oh and Christian, see you around, Babe"

With that she turned and walked away, leaving Sharpay and Troy applauding in her wake.