My heart beats the same as yours.
There was that one day that made me realize that we're not so different. Everyone is equal, yet we're all special. I always looked down on people less fortune, but I know better now… now I see what I did wrong. This is my story.
The day was my high school graduation. Not long after the ceremony I received a call from the hospital…
No one's POVTroy sat on the roof of East High staring at nothing but a crack in the wall. He looked up as he realized that someone else had walked up the stairs. Not just anybody either, it was a poor geek that Troy had always picked on.
"Hey." The young brunette said gently… she was kind hearted and never held grudges.
"What do you want geek?" Troy asked harshly.
"I just came to see if you were ok… I overheard your conversation while I was walking down the hall." She told him.
"You eavesdropped?" Troy asked looking up at her.
"No, I overheard… I just want to tell you that you aren't alone." She said.
"I know I'm not." Troy said looking away.
"I'm sorry about your grandma." The girl said feeling bad.
"She was my best friend when I was little." Troy spilled and found sudden interest in the floor.
"I know how you feel." She told him.
"Did you loose grandparents?" Troy asked. He knew he wasn't the only one who had.
"All of them… and my parents." The girls confessed knowing it would make him feel slightly better.
"What happened?" Troy asked her.
"They died on the street… I don't have anybody." She said quietly reliving her past in her mind.
"No one?" Troy asked.
"No one." She confirmed.
"Wait, what's your name? I've been bugging you for years but I never bothered to ask." Troy asked.
"I'm Gabriella Montez." She told him.
"I can't believe you out of all people made me feel better." Troy said.
"I'm glad I could help." Gabriella said to the boy and turned to walk away.
"Wait a minute… will you stay for a while longer?" Troy asked her.
"I suppose I could." Gabriella said sitting next to him on a bench.
"So why did you decide to help out your worst enemy?" Troy asked.
"You can't have enemies unless you make them, and I think of you as a lost soul." Gabriella confronted him.
"A lost soul?" Troy asked.
"Yea, you seem like a smart kid. You're great at basketball, but when it comes to people who are different from you, you look down on them as if they didn't matter… but the truth is, we all do." Gabriella smiled sadly as Troy looked like a lost puppy.
"I know what you mean… I never should have treated you that way." Troy said.
"Troy, it's not me I'm concerned about. It's everyone that you haven't seen as equal." Gabriella told him.
"Equal…" Troy whispered to himself.
"Yes Troy, equal." Gabriella said running it through his head.
"But how do I know who is equal?" Troy asked.
"Close your eyes and give me your hands." Gabriella told him.
"Are you sure-" Troy started.
"Just hand me your hands." Gabriella demanded and Troy did as told.
"What are you doing?" He asked unsure as to what she was up to.
"What do you feel?" Gabriella asked as she placed Troy's own hands together.
"My hands?" Troy asked still confused.
"Less specifically?" Gabriella asked.
"Hands?" Troy said as more of a question.
"Right… Now what do you feel?" She asked as she placed her own hands into his.
"Your hands…" Troy said still not know where this was going.
"Less specifically?" Gabriella asked.
"Hands…" Troy said.
"Now what do you feel?" Gabriella asked as she placed his hands over his shut eyes.
"Eyes." Troy stated realizing she wanted less specific answers.
"Now?" Gabriella asked putting his hands on her eyes.
"Eyes." Troy said loudly.
"Now what feels different when I do this…" Gabriella asked as she ran his hand down his arm and then down hers.
"Nothing, they're both skin." Troy said.
"One more…" Gabriella said as she took his right hand and placed it over the left side of his chest.
"My heart beat." Troy said.
"And when I do this…" Gabriella took his right hand off his chest and placed it over the left side of her chest. Troy was silent for a minute before he took a deep breath and pulled his hand away slowly.
"Your… heart beat." He said quietly.
"Now Troy, if you ever want to know if someone is equal… Check if they have hands, check if they have eyes, check if they have skin, and most importantly… check if they have a heart beat." Gabriella told him.
"Wow, you have beautiful eyes." Troy said getting distracted by the beautiful brown orbs.
"Thanks but that's not the subject we were on." Gabriella giggled at him.
"I feel really bad now, about picking on you and others." Troy confessed.
"Do you know how to make it better?" Gabriella asked.
"How?" Troy asked back.
"Apologize, and if they don't except… just make sure to forgive yourself." Gabriella told him.
"I'll be sure to do that." Troy said.
"That's good." Gabriella said.
"So, why are you so nice?" Troy asked.
"I believe everyone deserves a second chance." Gabriella told him.
"Thank god because I sure could use one." Troy said and they both laughed until Troy got a phone call.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Come on back, we need to go home and talk." Troy's mom said.
"Ok I'll be down in a minute." Troy said hanging up.
"I'll see you later Troy, and about your grandma… you don't need to forget her, cherish the memories." Gabriella said.
"Thank you so much." Troy said staring at her in the eye and slowly pulled her into a passionate kiss.
"Wow." Was all she could say.
"When will I see you again?" Troy asked.
"Never, I can't be with you. I have to go, have a nice life." Gabriella breathed and ran away. She was very sad but she knew it wouldn't work. Troy watched blankly still mesmerized by the kiss.
"Gabriella Montez…" Troy whispered to himself as he went down the same stairs as the girl before him.
The crowd cheered as Gabriella Montez gave a speach at a nearby children's fundraiser. After five years of hard work and determination Gabriella had her feet back on the ground and she was the new 'it' singer. People all over the country recognized her work and went to her concerts. She started to do charity concerts and was very pleased with doing them. She still loved making a difference and this was a good way. As the night moved on and the crowd began to clear out, Gabriella grabbed her things and prepared to leave when she thought she heard footsteps and turned around.
"Hey," Someone she hadn't seen since highschool spoke up.
"Oh my gosh... Troy Bolton, is that really you?" Gabriella asked and he stepped forward.
"The one and only," He laughed only slightly.
"How have you been? I've heard plenty of stories in the news about your basketball playing," Gabriella said, trying to start a conversation.
"I've been pretty great," Troy said smiling lightly.
"I also heard about your donations to charities," Gabriella gave him a big smile, "I guess I taught you something that day."
"You don't know how much you taught me," Troy's smile flipped but it was more like a serious expression, "After that one day I haven't been able to forget about you Gabriella.
"Oh really?" Gabriella asked backing up with each step closer Troy took.
"I want you. Give me a chance, and I will show you how much I love you," Troy said cornering her into the wall, "You don't have to be alone anymore."
"I'm not, I have my fans and some friends," Gabriella tried to convince him.
"Gabriella, I thought over every reason why you wouldn't want to be with me. It can't be the bullying because you said you forgave me. You know I've changed. Then I finally figured it out," Troy said, lifting his hands to the wall next to her head, "You don't want to loose someone you love again. Gabriella if you never take a chance and learn to love someone again, you'll be alone for the rest of your life. The thing is Gabs, I want you there with me. I want to hold you and comfort you when you're sad. I want to be happy and smile with you when you're happy. And I want to always be there for you. but I need a chance to show you that... You taught me so much, I want to teach you to love."
Then he kissed her... and she kissed back.