AN: Hey everybody! Sorry it's been a few days since I updated, but thanks for the reviews! To anyone who has reviewed more than one chapter of this story, I just want to say, special thanks to you, you guys are so great. Now, results of the contest! The correct answer was: Ashley Tisdale's middle name is Michelle and Lucas Grabeel's middle name is Stephen, so I named Sharpay's kids Michelle and Stephen. And the winner is... Sophbells AND ValzBrownie! Sophbells reviewed first but didn't leave her name. ValzBrownie got the right answer next and did leave her name. So both of you win! Sophbells, if you want a character named after you as well you will have to leave me your name in another review. Also, thank you for the review you DID leave, it was really sweet! Enjoy chapter six!

"I'm sorry 555-9043 can't take your call now. Please leave a message after the beep. Thank you!"

Beep. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my still wavering voice. "Nate? This is... well you know who this is. I just wanted to call and let you know how... how sorry I am about what happened. I know you're probably not speaking to me, but when you're ready, can you call me? We need to talk about, um, everything. Well, bye."

I hung up my cellphone and sighed. I couldn't believe it had only been an hour since Nate stormed out. It seemed like it had been days already.

I glanced toward the couch and saw the little red notebook. I felt my eyes begin to sting again, but I blinked hard and looked away. Without looking at it, I walked over, picked it up, and went to my room. Opening the drawer of my desk, I hid it beneath a pile of photos of Nate I had been meaning to scrapbook.

Glancing down, I picked up the photo on the top of the pile and smiled at what I saw. It was Nate, grinning at the camera while petting his dog, Biscuit. His brown eyes, filled with light and warmth, made my heart ache. Without thinking, I folded the picture and slipped it into my pocket.

Suddenly I glanced at my clock, realizing I still had time to look at whatever my dad had been looking at earlier. For a minute I stood undecided. It seemed mean to go on as if nothing was wrong when Nate was probably off being miserable somewhere. But then I shook my head. Nate had kissed me. Why should I be feeling guilty? Because you wanted to him to kiss you, and then lied to cover it up. You broke his heart, a quiet voice whispered in the back of my mind. But I ignored it.

Nervously, I left my room and headed for my dad's study. I might not have much time. Who knew when my dad would come home, and I really had no idea what time he had left, or how much time had passed since then. Thinking of that, I walked faster till I reached the door.

Quickly I opened it and walked up to my dad's desk, determined to make my snooping fast. I opened the main drawer, and saw the folded piece of paper my father had been reading. Taking a deep breath, I unfolded it.

It was a letter, written in delicate, looping handwriting. I glanced at the date, written in the right hand corner. April 18th, 2010. My dad had been in his sophomore year of college then. I began to read.

Dear Troy,

I know you can never understand why I broke it off when I did. I don't expect you to. I also don't expect you to forgive me. That's not the reason I'm writing this letter. I just want to say I'm sorry. For ruining what you thought our future was supposed to be. I'll never forget the look on your face when you got down on bended knee, asked the question I had always dreamed of you saying, and then had to face rejection. The brokeness in your eyes is forever burned into my brain.

Troy, we had so many wonderful, amazing times together. Please remember me as I was then, full of life and dreaming of all the possibilities of a future with you. Try to forget the heartbreak and remember the good.

I wish things could be different. I really do. But it has to be this way. Please go on, live your life, and grow to be the amazing man I know you're destined to become. I hope you won't waste your time missing what we had together.

It hurts me to have to say this, but please tell Taylor and Chad that I can't see them anymore either. They won't understand, but I'll say it again, it has to be this way. And Troy, it may or may not matter to you, but I think you should know, I really did love you. That was not pretend. I meant everything I ever said to you. You really are the music in me...

I dropped the letter as I heard the front door open and close. Hurriedly I folded it up just as it had been and dropped it back inside the desk. Quietly, I moved across the room and opened the door. But someone was on the other side.

I stifled a scream. "Michael! What are you doing here?"

Michael stared at me. "Why are you in our dad's study?"

"No reason. Why are you here?" I asked again, walking through the door and closing it gently.

Michael grabbed my hand and walked me to the living room, where he sat me down on the couch and stood in front of me, his arms crossed. "I'm here trying to figure out what the heck you said to Nate."

"Oh." I blushed. "Uh..."

"Look, I get that this is really none of my business. But Nate is my best friend. And you're like a sister to me. So I think I have a right to get involved. Especially when Nate is over at my house, staring at the wall and refusing to speak."

I bit my lip. "Well... we, um, well, uh, we...we.."

Michael rolled his eyes and tapped his foot impatiently.

"We kissed!" I said loudly, then dropped my eyes, feeling myself blush.

"Oh..." Michael unfolded his arms, suddenly looking tired. "I get it now."

"I-I told him it was just practice for a date I have tomorrow," I whispered, still staring at my hands folded in my lap, "but... it wasn't."

Michael ran a hand over his face. "Ella are you kidding me right now? Why on earth did you say that?"

"I don't know!" I looked up suddenly, angry. "Why did he freaking kiss me? Everything was going just fine with us. I didn't ask for this, I never wanted him to like me! Why is this my fault? Sure, I was stupid, but I said what I said, okay? I panicked. Just give me a break!"

"How? How am I supposed to just "give you a break" Ella?" Michael yelled. "I'm in the middle of everything now! I didn't ask to be here either, but guess what, I am. So please stop throwing your little tantrum and help me fix this okay?"

"Fix what? I have nothing to say. I don't like Nate like that. What am I supposed to do? Pretend? I have my own life, Michael. I can't live while always dancing around Nate's precious sensitive feelings! I DON'T LIKE HIM LIKE THAT!"

Michael stared at me, his eyes searching my face. Then he said quietly, "Then why did you want him to kiss you?"

I stopped cold. "How do you know I even wanted him to?"

"I know for a fact that there is no way you would have let anybody kiss you unless you wanted them to." Michael almost smiled. "I at least know you that well."

I pulled my knees up to my chin and stared at the ground. I didn' t know what to say. He was right.

"Why did he want to kiss me?" I finally said.

"Because he really, really cares about you Ella." Michael came and sat beside me, talking earnestly. "Everybody can see it but you. Since he met you he's never even looked at another girl. You guys have something special. If I was you, I wouldn't throw it away over some stupid fight. Because beyond everything else, right now, your friendship is the most important thing."

I glanced at him. "When did you get so all knowing and wise?"

He grinned. "Hey, I have my moments. But if you ever tell anyone we had this conversation, you're dead."

I laughed. "Alright. But just for the record, girls like the sensitive types."

Michael laughed too, then said quietly. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm..I'm..." I hesitated. "Right now, I'm going to take a walk." When Michael looked confused I said, "You know, breathe in some fresh air, clear my head. After that... I guess we'll see."

Michael nodded. "Okay. I guess that's good for now."

I started to get up from the couch, then paused. "And Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks... and I'm sorry about everything."

He smiled. "It's cool. And me too."

I hugged him quickly, then said, "So I'll catch you later?"

"Yeah alright. I'm out." He gave me one last smile and walked out the door.

I walked slowly to the kitchen, thinking about what Michael had said. Did Nate really care about me that much? I remembered his words from earlier. "..I spent three years of my life praying you'd kiss me like that..." Had I really been that oblivious for that long? I shook my head to clear it. Plenty of time to think about that and other things while I was walking.

I got a piece of paper and jotted down a quick note to my dad telling him what I was doing, then left the house and headed up the street. As I walked I thought again of Nate, then Michael, and lastly of the letter I had found in my dad's desk. I had had no idea that my dad had ever proposed to anyone but my mom. Let alone that he had been rejected. Rejected. The word brought me back around to Nate and his sad eyes. My own eyes began to water but I but I swiped the tears away, exasperated with myself. I was a mess. I took a deep breath.
So much had happened in such a short time. First Stephen and the rest of the Leveretts making their sudden appearance on my doorstep. Then, agreeing to go out on a date with Stephen, and Nate's reaction. Then kissing Nate, and the mysterious letter. Then my argument with Michael. My mind reeled.

Suddenly, I heard the whizz of wheels on pavement and a cry of "Watch out!". The next second, I was lying on the sidewalk, trying to replace all the air that had just been smacked out of me. What is with me getting knocked over today?

"Are you okay?" I opened my eyes to see a guy standing over me, his hand extended to help me up. I took it and felt myself pulled to my feet.

"Uh, yeah, I think so." I rubbed my head, then my sore elbow.

"Oh crap." The stranger said.

"What?"

He pointed silently to my elbow. I pulled my hand away to find blood on it.

"You've got a gash on your elbow." He moved closer to examine it but I moved away. He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you stupid. I just want to see it. You might need a bandage."

"Oh so now I'm stupid? You're the one who just ran into me on your skateboard."

"You were in the way."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you owned this entire sidewalk."

"Just let me see your arm."

I pulled away from him again. "No!"

"Why?"

"It hurts!" I said, before I thought.

"Well, that's usually what happens when you tear skin off your body." Mystery Guy said. "Listen, I don't care what happens to you or your precious elbow, but I don't want to get sued when it gets infected and your parents think I tried to kill you. So let me see it. I have a first aid kit in my backpack, so I can put a bandage on it."

"Fine." I extended my arm.
He looked it over, his face surprisingly serious. "Yeah, I think it could use a bandage. I have some disinfectant spray too. It's nothing too bad though."

As he bent to fish the stuff out of his backpack, I studied him. He didn't look like the type who carried around first aid kits in their backpacks. He had black hair and a nose piercing and was wearing a black t-shirt with some rock band name printed on it that I didn't know. He was obviously older than me, but I could tell he was also just tall. But what really caught your eye when you looked at him were his eyes. They were almost aqua colored, a vibrant greeny blue.

"Why do you have first aid stuff in your backpack?" I asked curiously as he skillfully applied the bandage and disinfectant.

He scowled at me. "My mom makes me carry it with me when I skateboard. She's convinced I'm going to kill myself one of these days." He finished and smirked. "There. Done."

"Thanks." I continued to watch him.

"What?" He said, shifting awkwardly.

"You look familiar somehow. What's your name?"

"Alex. But I don't think you know me. I just moved here." He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Well excuse me for living. What made you so touchy anyways?"

"Life."

"Of course." I said dryly. Then I added, "My name's Ella."

He shrugged. "Doesn't mean anything to me."

"I just thought you might want to know. Since I know your name." I said, annoyed at him.

"Well I don't. Oh by the way, this picture fell out of your pocket when you fell." He pulled the picture of Nate out of the pocket of his skinny jeans and handed it over. "Thought you might want it."

I stared down at the picture, and sudden memories of what had happened earlier filled my mind. Before I knew it, a single tear had slid down my cheek.

"Woah, are you crying?" Alex stared at me, his eyes incredulous.

"Um, no..." I said. I sniffed and turned away to wipe away the tears but Alex turned me back around.

"Um, yes, you are." He studied me. "What's wrong?"

"I thought you were leaving."

"Yeah, but I can't just leave you sobbing on the sidewalk."

"Well, I'm good now," I said, trying to hide the fact that I was still sniffling, "so you can go."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Yeah I can see you're perfectly fine."

"Like I'm going to talk about my personal life to some random stranger." I shook my head. "No way."

"Fine, we won't talk about you and your boyfriend."

"He's NOT my boyfriend." I said forcefully.

"Okay, we won't talk about your crush then."

"He's not my crush either." I said, sighing.

"But he wishes he was." Alex said.

I looked up, startled. He laughed. "I'm right aren't I?" I nodded silently. "See, we're not strangers anymore. Now come on, I'll walk you home before you have another horrible accident."

I furrowed my brow. "Why do you even care about this, about me?"

He paused. "Let's just say I know how it feels to need someone to talk to."

I bit my lip. This was such a weird situation. But then again, the entire day had been filled with weird situations. And as strange as it appeared to be, I felt weirdly at ease with this random guy. Like we were old friends.

"Are you coming or not?"

I smiled. "Yeah. I'm coming."

AN: Thanks for reading guys! Please continue to review and tell me what you think so far. This coming week is pretty busy for me, but I promise I'll try to update as soon as possible. Thanks for being patient!