A/N: Here's the first chapter of the story, all the chapters are happening in the past. So please, please leave a review. Tell me what you think.

Bright Starlight: I actually like this story, but what I meant to say was that I didn't know how I felt about the outcome of the prologue. I should have been more clear, but thanks for your review. It made my fanfiction day, lol.

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ONE: THE NIGHT LIFE

He squeezed the bottle lightly watching the gel snake it's way out before massaging the substance into his dark hair. He smiled when he got his hair into his desired state. He had to admit, he cleaned himself up good. His head spun to his right at the sound of his bedroom door being knocked on. He had told who ever it was to come in and they had obliged. He smirked as a head of bushy hair walked in, dressed to impress. "Troy, it's party time"

Troy chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm. He glanced at his watch, it was a quarter to 10, they had about an hour before the club of their choice would open. They stood in awkward silence before a cough was heard at the entrance of his door. Both heads turned towards the door. "Chad, I can't believe you left me in the car! How rude!"

"Hi Taylor," Troy replied while rolling his eyes. He knew fully well that their daily banter was about to start and as in cue, it had began. Troy watched, amused, as two pairs of hands were flying in all sorts of directions and two pairs of lips moving rapidly. Not before long, however, the couple were in a heated make out session. This confused Troy, but he wasn't going to try and figure it out. He knew it'd just do his head in, like almost everything that was related to the two lovers. "Quit sucking faces, let's go. We still need to pick up three other people."

Taylor and Chad pulled away, breathless and red like a beat. Troy ignored the apologetic look on their faces and hurried out the door, shouting a quick farewell to his parents who were more than likely seconds away from sleep. He quietly hurried down the stairs, with Taylor and Chad closely behind him; holding hands. They made it out of the Bolton household quicker than usual and found themselves seated in Troy's BMW beamer. It had been his graduation gift from his parents.

They pulled out of the driveway and headed east, land of gated communities. They stopped in front of a gated house and pressed the button, alerting the security of their presence. The gate quickly opened and they drove up the long driveway. They were relieved when they spotted a head full of blond locks, tapping her foot in annoyance. Her small arms crossed in front of her, expectantly. Troy pulled up to her and she yanked the back door open and sat herself next to Taylor. "Well, hello to you too Sharpay"

"Oh shut up, bush boy. Oh and Ryan and Kelsi aren't coming," Sharpay snapped informatively and sent daggers at Chad, who sunk in his seat. He mumbled a few bad words before adverting his eyes out the window, taking the passing scene in. Troy shook his head, somethings would never change. Troy drove downtown and his eyes grew two sizes up at all the lights. He loved it the night life, it was when he felt most free. No basketball to worry about, no homework, and no parents.

They made their rounds around the different streets, like they always did every single Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. And like always, Chad would stick his head out of the passenger window and yell out all sorts of obscenities and nonsense at the people on the sidewalk. Few of them rolled their eyes, it wasn't shocking, they had seen him do it the night before. Taylor pulled on Chad's shirt to get him to stick his head back in, but to no avail. This continued until the clock hit eleven.

The four 20 year olds, stood in line waiting to get into the newly opened club 'Spat'. Thankful they knew the people who worked the door and the bar, so entrance was no hassle. Underage drinking was fun, well at least until they got caught. Slipping through the doors, the group parted heading off to their choice of location. Sharpay headed out onto the dance floor while the couple sat themselves down in the V.I.P section, where they finished what they had started in Troy's bedroom. Troy, hurried off to the bar. "Hey, Bolton"

"Hey, Al," Troy greeted the bartender, who he had come to consider a friend. Al smirked before handing him a bottle of beer. Troy thanked him and turned around in his seat, managing to catch two people walk in. They were dressed in rather dark attire. Weird, Troy thought before bringing up the bottle to his lips. After having downed his fourth beer, Troy decided it was time to take it out onto the dance floor. Along the way, he snaked his arm around some random girl's waist. "Dance with me"

It wasn't a question, but more of a demand. The girl, with eyes like the sky and very pale skin, twirled a strand of her golden hair around her finger and nodded. Before either knew it their bodies were grinding up against each other and their hands found themselves in inappropriate places, neither were complaining. Beads of sweat appear on both faces. Troy titled his head, exposing his neck clearly. The girl bit her bottom lip and tore her eyes away from his exposed skin, fighting off the urge. Opening her mouth, she found herself being pulled away to the darkest corner of the room.

"What the..," Troy said suddenly coming to terms that girl was no longer there. After the shock had gone, he made his way around the club hoping to spot his friends. Luckily for him, they were already gathered at the entrance of the club. He smiled at their out-of-breath state. His friends waved Al off before slipping out of the club and into the night. Before Troy could follow them out, something in the corner of the club caught his eye. It was the girl he had just been dancing with and she was with the two dark clothed men he had seen earlier. "Just my luck."

Troy and company found themselves, ten minutes later, pulling into a grassy. Chad had been the first person to get out of the car, followed by Taylor and, then, Sharpay. Troy watched in amusement as Chad dragged the cooler to the cliffs, where they would continue in the drinking binge. The amount of alcohol that they had drunk at the club was not nearly enough. He watched them, settle themselves at the base of the lighthouse, for a few more seconds before he joined in. They toasted to good times. In the midst of all the happiness, Sharpay noticed a different look in Troy's eyes and decided to question him. "Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing much," Troy replied locking his eyes on the couple shamelessly flirting in front of him. They were always so 'public', never taking account to the possible discomfort they give off. The corner of his lips, dropping; Troy would never admit, but there were times when he was out right jealous of Chad. Sure he had the looks and quite possibly the charms, but he could never hold onto a girl for more than a week. Chad, on the other hand, was surprisingly good at maintaining his stable relationship with Taylor. "I'm going to get some fresh air."

He didn't wait for his friends to acknowledge him, he wasn't expecting it nor needed it; especially some smart ass comment from Chad. Troy let his feet lead him to wherever they pleased, finding himself walking along the cliffs; being extra careful as no to get too close to the edge. He could hear his friends laughing into the night, behind him.

Troy loved the cool breeze the ocean brought and loved it even more when the waves crashed harshly against the rocks below. While in thought, dark movements caught his attention. Troy spotted a lone house at the very end of the pathway, where the cliffs hills morphed into a sandy beach coast. The house was dark, but he could make out two figures walking out of the house and into a car. Troy didn't even get the chance to inhale a breath of fresh air before the car disappeared out of sight.

This would have bother someone else to no end, but then Troy wasn't just 'someone'. Instead of dwelling the issue, his eyes were glued up to a fairly large size window; it's curtains parted. In all the darkness' glory; from where he stood, he could see a silhouette of a female. No squinting and no taking a step forward or two. And then just like that, he snapped out of a daze. He glanced down at his watch and his jaw almost dropped off. He had been gone for over an hour. "Shit"

Taking one glance at the dark house, Troy bolted up to his friends.