She was lying on the floor. She could feel the hardness and wetness of the wooden floor… Wetness. Floors weren't supposed to be wet. And then she realized that it was hot, sticky blood that she was lying in. And she was bleeding from anywhere and everywhere possible. She was lying in a puddle of her very own, metallic-smelling blood.

And he was bending over her. He was the one who was crouched down on the ground next to her, smiling down at her like a freaking obsessed maniac. He was the one who's hand was placed on her left arm, closest to him. And she was struggling. She had to get away. She had to break free from his grasp. She couldn't be here any longer. She needed to get out, before she was dead. He laughed. He watched her struggle and laughed at her. He raised his right hand, revealing the knife there and plunged it into her side as hard as he could.

A blood-curling scream brought Gabriella back to her senses. Her mocha eyes flickered open. She was panting, covered in an icy sweat, tangled up in the white hospital sheets. She was shaking violently, scared out of her mind. It took her a second to come into reality and realize that it was she who had screamed so loudly. And suddenly, there were people at her side. Two on her left. Two on her right. And she was screaming again, flailing frantically around her bed, struggling for an escape.

Gabriella didn't know why she was struggling, but she knew she was scared. Then she realized that the two people on her left were Lucille and Troy. Why Troy was here this late at night, she did not know. All she knew was that he looked weary and tired and pale and concerned and most of all, panicked and freaked out. Lucille looked similar. She looked exhausted as well, and her hand was on Gabriella's left arm, and Gabriella realized that it wasn't he who had been touching her after all.

"It was just a dream!" A lady on her right was saying. She was completely unfamiliar. Gabriella had never seen her before. She was short and chunky, with gray-blonde hair that was pulled into a tight, slick bun on the very top of her head, with half-moon spectacles that were hung on a chain around her neck. "It's okay. It was a dream. You're okay now."

"Breathe," the doctor next to her was saying. He was the same doctor as earlier. "Take a deep breath and hold it." He was fidgeting with something at his side, on a small metal tray, held up by a metal stand. He held it up to his eyes, staring at it.

A needle. "NOOOO!" Gabriella screamed at the top of her lungs, when the doctor handed the needle to the nurse, who prepped it. The doctor held Gabriella down on the left, pushing his hands on her right leg and right arm, holding her down. She tried to struggle. But he was much stronger than her. "PLEASE! NO!" She was begging him. Lucille had her pinned down on her left side, so she couldn't move either. Troy was standing at the foot of the bed, biting his lip nervously. "DON'T!" She shrieked.

"Please!" She cried, sobbing hard now. "Don't do it!" She could barely choke out her pleading words.

"Calm down, Gabriella," the doctor was saying into her ear.

She shook her head frantically, pleading with them not to put the needle into her skin. She didn't need to calm down. She needed to escape, to have some time to herself, to get away. "Troy!" She whimpered, struggling to free herself from their strong grips. "Don't let them! PLEASE! TROY! LUCILLE! NOOO!" And the nurse plunged the needle into her arm. Suddenly, Gabriella's body grew limp and her eyelids grew heavy.

"It'll help you sleep," Lucille said. "Just sleep."

Darkness consumed her again.

When she awoke this next time, she was alone in the room. The curtains were drawn back, pinned at the sides. It was bright, daylight at last. The sun was shining brightly. It was nice to see the sun, the sun that she hadn't seen in almost two months now. She hadn't been outside in almost two months. Wow. That was tough.

She was glad she hadn't dreamt. Well, if she had, she hadn't remembered it. So at least she knew it wasn't one of those nightmares again. One of those terrible nightmares again… She blinked a few times, memories from last night flooding back to her. She had dreamt that horrible dream again, and awoken, panicked and screaming, and they had tried to calm her, and that made her freak out only even more. She hated needles. She hated doctors. She hated hospitals. She hated her life.

Gabriella chewed on her lip. She felt so vulnerable, all of the time. Especially since she could hardly find the strength to move her legs. She remembered something Lucille had told her a few days ago. Today was the day they were going to start physical therapy with her. She remembered that Troy wouldn't be here today either. That made everything in her life a little sadder.

The door opened slowly, quietly, as if someone was trying not to disturb her. Lucille poked her head through the door, that same hearty smile on her face. "Oh, you're awake," she smiled. "I didn't expect you for a few more hours at most."

"Surprise," Gabriella managed to croak out.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, approaching the side of Gabriella's bed. She picked up Gabriella's left hand and put her thumb to her wrist, checking her pulse. She marked it down on her chart and paused for a moment, before pulling out her stethoscope. "Sorry. Procedure."

"It's okay," Gabriella said. "And I'm okay. A little worn out is all."

"Well, I would understand that," Lucille said, jotting something down on her brown cork clipboard. "Question. If it's not too personal. What are your nightmares about?" She asked, raising her reddish-brown eyebrows, that matched with her long straight and shiny hair.

Gabriella closed her eyes and leaned back against her pillow, relaxing. "The worst possible thing." She took a deep, calming breath. The last thing she wanted to do was relive that scene. "Even though some part of me knew it wasn't real, it seemed so life-like. And it seemed like he was really there. Like, I smelled him. I heard him. I felt him. It felt so real at the time, and even now it kind of still does. But then again, it's so distant, so… far away."

She cleared her throat. "It always starts out with me laying on the floor at my dad's house in a pool of my own blood. He's hurt me. I know he has. And he's always right next to me, bending over me, staring at me like some kind of creep. He stabs me. And then I wake up. It's never gotten any further than that. And it's almost like I can feel the pain when the knife pierces my skin. It's almost like I feel my skin break and rip and that's why I wake up."

"That's terrible!" Lucille exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. If there's anything, anything I can do, let me know, alright? I'm always hear to talk if you need it."

"Is there some kind of drug so I never sleep again?"

Lucille laughed. "That's quite impossible, love." She sat on the edge of Gabriella's bed and put the back of her hand to Gabriella's forehead. "If there was one, trust me, I'd have my hands all over that."

It was Gabriella's turn to laugh this time. And she did. But not too hard. Because it made her ribs ache with pain. Lucille placed a thermometer under Gabriella's tongue and waited until they heard the small beep to pull it out and look at it. She smiled. "You're in the perfect range." She wrote something down quickly on her clipboard. She stood up again. "I'm going to go get your tray. Jello today. How fun."

Gabriella smiled a faint smile. "Thanks. But I'm not really hungry."

"But you have to eat."

"I don't want to," Gabriella sighed. She chewed on the inside of her cheek until the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. She swallowed hard. "I miss Troy."

A smile broke out on Lucille's face. "I knew that was what was going on inside of there." She walked over to Gabriella's bed again. "He misses you, too. I'm sure of it. He was so freaked out about last night, that dream you had. He wouldn't leave your side for hours. When we finally got him to go home, he couldn't sleep anyway. But he'll be here tomorrow. He just made a promise to a friend for today."

Gabriella nodded. "Right…"

"But you can't just not eat because he's not here," Lucille said. "That's just silly. I know you two have become close friends over the past couple of weeks, but still… That's still of you to do that. He'll be right back here tomorrow. I promise. Now, I'm going to get your tray and you will eat, correct?"

Gabriella smiled, realizing Lucille was just worried about her wellbeing. "Yes, ma'am," she said softly, fidgeting with her sheets. "And it's a little cold in here. Do you think you could turn on the heat or something?"

"Sure," Lucille said, and with last quick smile, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

For the second time today, Gabriella was alone again. She felt surprisingly lonely without Troy here. She had never imagined a day without him here. It was weird. It made her feel different. And not a good different either. A different she didn't like. A different that was almost indescribable. A different that told her that he was her other half. And though she'd only known him for a little time, it was safe to say she trusted him and she needed him.

Sitting there, Gabriella felt lost and confused. She knew nothing about her past and suddenly, so many possibilities were being thrust into her future. And that was all because of Troy. He'd helped her and been a friend to her, when she had no one else. Maybe that was why she had been so quick to trust him. Because he trusted her too.

The door opened. "Ella?"

Gabriella sat up straight. "Troy?" She blinked rapidly to make sure she hadn't fallen asleep and was dreaming. Sure enough, Troy stepped through into the room. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with a friend…"

"Yeah," Troy nodded. And a beautiful girl stepped in behind him. "I am. Gabriella this is Sharpay."

Gabriella's heart skipped a beat. Was this Troy's… girlfriend? She had been so stupid. So stupid to think that a guy as handsome as him would be single. That was ridiculous. And even more ridiculous that she thought he liked her too… Why would he like her? She was nothing compared to Sharpay. Sharpay was tall and tan. She had an oval face with bright green eyes and fair skin. She was dressed in a sparkly pink skirt and a pink tank top and Stiletto heels. Of course Troy wouldn't want Gabriella when he could have someone as gorgeous as Sharpay.

"Ah," Sharpay smiled warmly. "The infamous Gabriella. I've heard so much about you. You're just as beautiful as Troy described you to be." She stuck her hand out as she walked toward Gabriella, with a click of her Stiletto heels.

Gabriella shook her hand and smiled too, trying not to act too effected by the events that were playing out before her. "Well, thanks," she said softly.

Troy couldn't help but notice how Gabriella's smile had faltered and how her face was now downcast. "What's wrong?" He said, rushing to her side. "Are you not happy to see me?"

"Of course I am!" Gabriella exclaimed. "You're my best friend."

Troy bit his lip. "Okay… You looked kind of sad. I mean, I know I wasn't supposed to be here. I was supposed to be shopping with Sharpay for my friend Zeke's birthday."

Sharpay grinned. "Zeke's my boyfriend."

Gabriella smiled as realization crashed over her like a large wave, hitting her flat out in the face. She felt the sudden urge to laugh. "I thought… I thought you two were… Like, dating."

Sharpay and Troy both gave her a disgusted look.

"Ew!" Sharpay shrieked.

"Hey now!" Troy said in defense. "Are you saying you wouldn't want to date me?"

"Of course I am saying that!" Sharpay said. "You're weird. Haha. No. Just kidding. I love you and all. But not like that." She looked at Gabriella. "Is that why you…? Oh. Sorry. No. We're not dating. We never have and never will."

Troy was confused. "Is that why she what?" He asked, looking back and forth between Sharpay and Gabriella, who both just laughed.

Sharpay patted him on the head. "It's okay, buddy. It's okay now."

Troy rolled his beautiful eyes.

"Don't do that," Gabriella warned jokingly. "Your eyes can get stuck like that. And if they were, no offense, but you would look extremely weird like that."

Troy frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Does this mean you wouldn't be talking to me if I weren't so handsome? If I were ugly, we wouldn't be friends?"

Gabriella shook her head. She didn't want to come across as rude. "No! Of course not! I mean, never… I didn't mean it like that. If it came out like that I… That wasn't meant to be said like that. I must've said it weirdly… Yeah, I guess I did."

"Relax," Sharpay said. "He's only joking."

"Anyway," Troy said, sitting down on Gabriella's bed. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling? I haven't seen you since… Last night."

"Oh, the terror," Sharpay feigned horror, sitting down in the chair next to the bed, and picking up a magazine on the nightstand. She flipped through it, looking at the pictures intensely. "That must have been terrible. Not seeing each other for a whole… what?… eight hours?"

"Yes," Troy and Gabriella said in unison. Then they looked at each other and laughed.

Sharpay shook her head and smiled. "Weirdoes." She looked up. "Can I give you a makeover?" She asked Gabriella. "Not that you don't look beautiful, I'm just really bored. And I brought my makeup kit. I bring it with my everywhere I go." She motioned toward the door, where a small pink box was sitting by the door, with capital SE on it. She walked over and picked it up. "Please?" She gave Gabriella a small pout.

"Just do it," Troy said. "She won't leave you alone if you don't let her."

"Yeah, see? Troy knows," Sharpay nodded. "I can be very persuasive when I want to be. One time, Troy actually let me paint his nails. But that's a story for a different time. It's a really long one and we have plenty of time." She sat down on Gabriella's right side. "What color do you want your nails to be? What's your favorite color?"

Gabriella thought for a moment. "Uhm. Purple."

Sharpay smiled. "I have the perfect purple glittery color right here." She picked up Gabriella's right hand and shook her finger nail polish bottle. She began applying it slowly, careful not to mess up.

"Wow, you're really pro at this," Gabriella said.

"Thanks," Sharpay smiled. "I want to be in the fashion business and whatnot, so I've got to get the small things like these down now, so I can go to beauty school later and pass with flying colors. And hopefully I'll be an actress one day…"

"Wow, high ambitions," Gabriella commented. "That's so cool to have your dreams set to high."

"What do you want to do when you're older, Brie?" Troy asked, gazing at Gabriella. "We've never talked about this before." He moved closer to her on the bed, situating himself with his arm around her shoulders, sitting as close as possible to her without freaking her out.

Gabriella closed her eyes, trying hard to remember. She blushed and opened her eyes when it finally came to her. "I think I want to sing…" She trailed off. "I don't even know if I'm good or not. I hope I am. Because I really want to sing."

"Sweet," Troy grinned. "I've heard you sing. You sing nice."

"When?" Gabriella asked.

"The other day, when you were laying in bed, just before I came in. I stood outside the door and listened. Your voice is beautiful, just like you." Troy said sweetly.

Gabriella blushed a deep crimson color and looked away shyly. "You amaze me."

"Not as much as you amaze me."

Sharpay watched as Troy and Gabriella talked. She knew they were close. She wasn't sure how, but she knew they were. And she also knew one thing that they didn't. They were in love. It was obvious as daylight to anyone but them. They obviously hadn't noticed it yet, or she was sure they'd have done something about it. But it was cute. Having Troy made things so much easier and less lonely for Gabriella.