A/N-- So yeah, I can be going with the wrong direction to this story, maybe the plot was already done too many times – but I really wanna try my interpretation to this. I had two chapters 4 and two chapters 5 and it took me forever to decide on what I'd put on, mostly because firstly, Troy was never going to stay in Albuquerque – secondly, he'd go away and not cheat on Gabriella.

But after I finished chapter 3, I secretly wanted to make Gabs regret for inking a person's name so fast on her body just cuz it's a stupid move. I had several options to make her regret it, but somehow I wanted him cheating on her. I know that doesn't make sense when Troy was obviously in love with her, but hey, he got confused by Sharpay's appealing appearance… I guess he needs supervision all the time. I don't know.

Again, maybe I could be choosing the wrong way to go with, but I always wanted the story to be like this – and the girls that read the plot before I put it on know it – and I'll stick to my decision this time, even if that means I'm losing a few or a lot of readers. I know two or three people will still read it – that's what friends are for, huh? haha… Anyways, thank you a lot for the support always. You guys are great.

BTW, next chapter it's 2008 already, yeah… eventually the flashbacks had to be over. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM or Kellie Pickler lyrics.

"Ain't it a shame,
A shame that every time you hear my name,
Brought up in a casual conversation,
You can't think straight?
It ain't sad that you can't forget about that we had,
Take a look at her and do you like what you see,
Or do you wish it was me?"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
NOVEMBER 14, 2005.

"Give it back to her, Lyle!" Kelsi Nielsen's small voice hissed at the tall red haired boy and he just laughed darkly before taking a look at Gabriella that seemed to be frozen on the same spot, not even realizing her essay had been stolen from her hands. "Ms. Bonnet, he has Gabriella's work!"

"Mr. Lyle, give me the paper right now" the voice of the teacher was harsh as she took her eyes from her book and studied the slender student with attitude. It didn't take long till Lyle rolled his eyes and walked to the teacher's desk, giving her the paper slowly, "I was just playing around, Ms. B. I promise I wasn't trying to copy Gabriella's work" he faked sincerity and the teacher scoffed, "I don't want to know. Sit down and finish your work"

Ms. Bonnet chestnut hair fell on her eyes as she took a quick look on Gabriella's work, wrinkling her nose gently. She sighed and looked up. With one hand she brushed her curly hair out of her eyes, an action that made her glasses slip down to the edge of her nose. The teacher raised her hand and motioned with her finger for Gabriella to join her, "Ms. Montez, please…"

Kelsi looked at Gabriella with the corner of her eyes and sighed when her friend didn't seem to notice anything since Saturday afternoon. She was acting like a zombie, it was like her body was present, but her soul not anymore. Kelsi was worried, but she was afraid there was nothing she could do about Gabriella considering her friend didn't want to talk to her.

"Gabs…" she said softly and the girl quickly shook her head, once again not looking at her best friend, not even to thank her for defending her work from Thomas Lyle, the stupid football player that attended English with them. Gabriella's legs trembled as she stood up from her chair and closed the gap between her desk and the teacher's. Not very different from the time she put her foot on the school ground, the students whispered as if they had nothing better to do than talk about her life.

Ms. Bonnet's face was twisted in a weird expression and she couldn't help but worry about what she had wrote on her essay. Truthfully, Gabriella couldn't remember what she was writing about before Thomas Lyle stole the paper from her hands, she couldn't really process what was going on around her. Her mind was blank and as much as she tried to focus, things weren't processing easily like usual. She just hoped she didn't write anything about the teacher – she already had too many things to worry about than being suspended.

"Ms. Montez…" Ms. Bonnet, the English teacher fixed her glasses on her nose again, locking eyes at Gabriella from behind her desk, "Your knowledge of the words from the dictionary are very extensive and as your teacher I'm delighted to see that you spent most of your free hours learning it by heart, but I'm afraid that's not what I asked you to do"

"Uhm… Ms. B… I—"

The teacher shook her head slowly and interrupted Gabriella; "I asked you an essay about Jane Austen and her influence to the literature…" the girl looked up at her and the teacher's eyes softened, "Take a look on what you wrote… Read it out loud, please"

She swallowed the broken sob that wanted to escape her mouth and grabbed the paper with shaky hands, ignoring the way her mind recognized Thomas Lyle's laugh from behind her. She hated to feel the rest of the classroom eyes burring on her back, but she was already getting used to it that morning. Gabriella chewed on her lower lip as her eyes got teary, "Trouble… 1. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty or need. 2. A distressing or difficult circumstance or situation. 3. A cause or source of distress, disturbance or difficulty. 4. Effort, especially when inconvenient or bothersome" she reluctantly looked up from the paper to the old middle aged that studied her from behind her glasses and swallowed, "Would you like me to read the synonyms to, Ms. Bonnet?"

"Such a geek!" Lyle hissed and the teacher shook her head slowly, "the definition was enough" she grabbed the paper from Gabriella's hand again and smiled sympathetically, "I don't think you should let trouble affect your studies, though. I'll tell you what, Miss Montez. I'll let you go earlier because I'm afraid you pass out in my classroom and create a chaos. So go the bathroom, drink water, do whatever you need to focus again… but I want your paper next week and add another 50 words to it, alright?" the teacher stood up and her voice was low and soft as she advised her favorite student, the slight British accent in her speech more notable than ever even after twenty years living in US, "You are a very good student to let gossip ruin you, Miss Montez. Those conversations are most of the time rumors… don't let it worry you"

She nodded just once and made her way out of the classroom and into the empty corridors of East High School. She breathed in relief as she spotted an empty way ahead - it seemed like the whole school was laughing and talking about her and her love life - something she always tried to keep for herself and it was extremely exhausting.

Gabriella had to admit that when she asked for trouble, she never meant what was happening right now. Alright, differently from other years, her boyfriend was the most popular guy in school, captain-to-be of the Wildcats basketball team, not Jared, the science kid anymore. She was no longer flat-chested, she had boobs that she was a hundred percent sure drove men crazy. She was working every afternoon at the tattoo shop and her mother was finally teaching her to draw on skin, something she always loved. Her life had changed brusquely and for a few weeks, she was happy about that. She was happy she was no longer naïve Gabriella, the nice little nerd that was afraid to do anything.

She loved someone, she was loved back, she had the best friends in the world and her mother was very supportive. But now… gosh, she shook her head and sighed exasperatedly. For two longs days she couldn't face herself on the mirror afraid of the image she'd see. It was not her physical image she was scared of though, she knew she looked miserable, she hadn't sleep well for two nights nor eat very much, but mostly, she didn't want to see the Post-Troy Gabriella's expression, because she knew she couldn't help but want to be a bitch from now on. If what everybody was saying was true, she'd want to destroy him the same way he destroyed her heart and that frightened her so much. She was never, ever mean to anyone before.

Yet, even hurt she'd still consider giving him the privilege of doubt. Several questions arose in her mind as she made her way to school that Monday after crying her heart out the entire weekend. Gabriella was determined to see him, to hear from his mouth, looking in his eyes if what Kelsi had told her was true. She was intrigued enough by the fact he didn't have the guts to call her during the days they didn't see each other, not even to ask if she was fine. If he didn't call, she wouldn't be the one calling either.

She was confused, she trusted Troy, but she also trusted her best friend. They had been friends for a lifetime and she never lied to her. Gabriella knew that she was being unfair to Kelsi when she ignored her, but deep inside, in her sick masochist mind, she hoped that Kelsi was the one lying to her. Maybe, just maybe her best friend of 11 years was secretly in love with Troy and wanted to break them up. What if Kelsi was always a liar and she never really noticed that? Maybe she paid the whole school to start the rumors so she'd believe it was true. Troy could be the victim and as sick as it was to admit, Gabriella never asked so much to be betrayed by her best friend. It was best to believe Kelsi was the one lying to her than Troy. It was an amazing feeling to hope that it was all a sick joke and Troy never cheated on her with Sharpay Evans last Friday. Not when he had sex with her before going to the party, not the same day he had asked her to be his girlfriend… not the same night he said he loved her. Gabriella couldn't let herself admit she was once again cheated. Not by Troy, not the one she was so in love with. He was her baby, he wouldn't be that mean. They were in love. Troy said he was falling in love with her. Gabriella had his beautiful name written on her body, a freaking tattoo that was itching since Saturday when Kelsi left her house. It couldn't be true, she didn't want it to be true. She couldn't be wrong again this time. Troy was special and she knew that. Gabriella had a nickname. He said he loved her, she was his Ellie… his pet…

Damn it… please be lying Kelsi. But again, 11 years of friendship… Kelsi wouldn't do that to her. They were like sisters, they always had each other's back. And the gossip… Gosh, it was all over the school already and it seemed like the whole student body saw it happening. Everybody talked about her life and she was supposed to walk around like a clueless idiot. Damn Troy. The whispers were so damn loud inside of her head, practically being yelled at her. Shit, she was going to get crazy.

Gabriella leaned against her locker, breathing deeply through her mouth. She rubbed one hand across her face, closing her eyes trying to compose herself. Images of Sharpay and Troy clinging to the other like there was no tomorrow kept haunting her since Saturday, it didn't matter if she was asleep or awake, they were always laughing at her, mocking her for being so stupid. Why did she have to be so naïve? Why she had to believe everything everyone always told her? Jesus, when you're gonna learn it Gabriella?

Her tattoo kept throbbing immensely and even though she knew it was probably her mind playing tricks on her, she could feel the pain physically. Damn, it hurt so much. If she could, she'd rip that piece of skin with her bare fingers. Gabriella let her body slid against the locker as her legs went numb and the cold floor seemed to be the best option in case she was really going to faint like she was afraid she would. Her head was spinning so, so fast and her stomach ached badly. It was so strange the way her body was reacting; it was like she was experiencing spasms. She touched her tiny hands to her stomach, pressing her red t-shirt tightly to her flat belly and clenched her teeth. Stop it, stop it, she commanded her body but it was all in vain. The pain came exactly from the center of her belly and lasted for a few seconds that were like hours as her insides seemed to be twisting and burning. It was agonizing. Gosh, am I dying?

Her vision was fading in and out and cold and hot shivers tingled all over her body. She raised a shaky hand and wiped the cold sweat that slipped down from her forehead with the back of her hand. Gabriella whimpered painfully as the whispers and laughs invaded her mind and body and again, she found herself praying she'd pass out right now and never wake up again.

Go away, she mumbled to herself, as if she asked firmly the voices would disappear.

"I was at the party Friday and Troy Bolton made out with Sharpay Evans"

Go… go away. Stronger, Gabriella.

"Melanie saw too. He shoved his tongue down her throat. It was hot"

Her whole body trembled violently, Please… please. Go away.

"I thought the Golden Boy was dating Gabriella Montez"

Stop… damn, I'm getting crazy. Stronger… stronger… Stop it!

"I heard he cheated on Gabriella cuz she cheated on him first. She's slutty"

GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!

In a blink of an eye the pain had subsided gracefully and she felt the nausea following right behind. Gabriella swallowed the bile that rose up in the back of her throat desperately and rubbed her hand against her cold skin. Everything seemed to be back to normal again, except…

She sighed slowly, touching two fingers to the top of her inked mark she felt her skin burn as if it was in flames. She collected her hand to the safety of her lap and shook her head fervently, that's not possible, she repeated to herself as she tilted her head back against the locker, breathing the fresh air that relieved her warm body, letting her think properly again. The whispers and laughs were now gone and she felt in control of her body for the first time in two days, but as she stood up to her feet again, she felt slow and clumsy as if she was being pushed through Jell-o.

Do you really know Troy like you say you do, Gabs? Do you really think I'd lie to you?

Kelsi's voice shouted inside her head, so loud that it was like the ground under her feet shook for a second. She fought the urge to scream her answer with a strong and simple 'YES' to the invisible person that haunted her. But did she really knew him? Till Friday, she thought so, but now Gabriella couldn't be a hundred percent sure. As much as she didn't want to admit it even to herself, she knew nothing about him. He was still the stranger that came to visit the grandmother and stayed. She realized she had no idea who he was and that he could be playing a part to her and she'd never know. Damn it, stupid her again.

Yet, she couldn't help but want to talk to him, it was stronger than her. It was like her life depended on what he was going to tell her. Deep inside, she still wanted to believe it was a rumor, a very cruel rumor. In the end of the day, Troy would still be the stranger that visited the grandmother, she had to admit, but it was her stranger, her guy, the one that told he loved her. And when you love someone, you simply don't hurt the person.

Her logic was simple and involuntary a faint hope rose inside of her. Maybe the day wouldn't end like she was afraid it would at first. Maybe Troy would give her the perfect explanation to his behavior Friday night and everything would be fine again. After all, it could all still be a joke, a prank Kelsi, Troy and the whole school had organized against her... Her baby wouldn't hurt her.

The bell rang and East High's corridors was quickly filled with loud students. Gabriella pushed through the crowd that gathered around her with difficulty, ignoring the looks of sympathy that people offered her and the 'oh-s' and 'aw-s' along with back pat's as she made the familiar way to Troy's locker. When she finally got there, her eyes spotted the figure of her beautifully tired boyfriend. She couldn't help but notice the way the dark shadows around his eyes and his pale face gave him the appearance of someone that had been throwing up the whole weekend. As Troy looked up, his mouth curled down in disgust as his eyes met hers, but he only nodded once with his head before brushing his dirty sandy floppy hair from his eyes. Gabriella's stomach tied up in knots automatically and she felt like she needed to vomit. It was clear on his expression that the rumor was in fact true: Troy Bolton had really cheated on her.

For a second her mouth dropped open and she placed one hand securely to it, afraid she'd puke all over the floor. As if being the cheated girlfriend of the Golden Boy wasn't enough to humiliate her. She breathed deeply and clenched her jaw. Damn it, why couldn't Kelsi be the liar? Why Troy? Why her baby? Now more than ever, she wanted to see if he'd have the courage to admit what he done. She hoped he'd have a perfect excuse for it.

Gosh Gabriella, are you a masochist or what? She thought to herself as her trembling legs closed the gap between her and the boyfriend she loved so much. She cursed her body and the freaking butterflies for filling her stomach – it wasn't the moment to worship him, damn it. Gabriella breathed deeply again, why the hell was she nervous about? He was the one supposed to be scared of her… of her fury. He was the potential cheater, because somehow her retarded mind still considered Troy as innocent till she heard from his mouth, even if he had 'guilty' written across his forehead.

Why she needed to be so dependent of him? Why she had to love Troy so much? Why her body betrayed her when she stood in front of him and that beautiful light blue eyes filled with regret? As harder she tried to be a tough girl, the weaker she felt. Her tattoo itched and burned again and she found herself in the edge of crying. Oh God… kill me before I hear it from him. Kill me now, take me from this pain, she pleaded recklessly to herself, the last hope of it being only a nightmare vanishing from her heart as Troy looked down again.

The bastard couldn't even look her in the eyes.

"Is it true?" she managed to speak, even as her voice sounded hoarse. "Tell me it isn't Troy"

Gabriella knew that if he said it was all a lie, just a rumor like she expected, she'd believe it. She knew that if he looked in her eyes one more time she'd wrap her arms around him and promise everything was going to be okay. That more than anything, more than the fact Troy could have cheated on her for real, was disgusting. She was ashamed of being Gabriella Montez – she was so weak, so damn weak and she couldn't help but want to slap herself in the face to bring some sense back to her head.

Troy nodded his head up and down and a softly 'yeah' escaped his thin lips. Immediately the image of Sharpay and her former boyfriend making out passed in slow motion before her eyes. All the pity she felt for him and the need to console his saddened figure vanished and her face reddened with anger and disappointment. "Why?"

"I…" he struggled for the right words, "I don't know"

"You don't know? Are you stupid or something? How come you don't know? You said you'd never hurt me, Troy" she reminded him bitterly, "You said you loved me"

"I love you. I swear I do"

"That's the way you show me that huh? You make out with another girl? Am I that bad of a girlfriend? I…" she ran one hand through her thick hair, "I, damn… we were dating for not even a day, Troy. It wasn't even 24 hours before you cheated on me. With my neighbor! My best friend's sister! Sharpay fucking Evans. God, Troy!"

"Baby…" Troy lowered his voice and stepped closer to her, only to make Gabriella step back, "The whole school is watching El… come on, let's talk someplace else… I swear I'll explain everything"

"Were you drunk?"

"Ellie…"

"Answer me. Were you drunk?"

"No"

"Then why?" her voice shook as she half-yelled, "You just felt like cheating on me?"

"Gabriella, baby… let's go some place else, please"

"No, Troy. Let's stay here, okay? I don't fucking care if the whole school is watching or not" she exploded, finally letting her emotions travel out of her body and collapse on Troy like tons of bricks. As much as she tried to keep the conversation between the two of them, her disappointment was too powerful and spoke louder than any rule of politeness. "You didn't think twice before humiliating me in front of the entire school, so why should I care if they are participating in our argument or not?" Gabriella exhaled loudly before turning around to look at the scared students. "You all like it, don't you?"

A few courageous students nodded their heads, not minding the killing stare Troy shot at them, actually delighted that some action was going on with the new kid and the former nerd of East High School. Gabriella was really someone new this year, the whole school couldn't deny it.

Gabriella's strength vanished as fast as it appeared and as she turned around she had tears rolling down her cheeks, her face was flushed and her eyes swollen. Troy cursed himself for hurting her, for making her cry, it was impossible to see her suffering. He was willing to make anything for the pain to go away.

"Ellie… baby" he raised his hand to touch her arm, "I'm sorry"

"No… you… are… not" she replied in between broken sobs and Troy's heart tightened. "I gave everything I had to you, Troy. Everything"

"El—" Troy wrapped his large hand around her slender arm but she slapped it away, "don't touch me. I hate you, I hate you so much and I have your name on my body now" she cried harder, embracing herself, "For the fucking rest of my life… Shit, I'm so stupid. How could I do this? If I could take everything back"

"Don't say that Gabriella" he begged softly, his heart breaking more with every word that flew out of her mouth. Troy wanted nothing more than to shut her up – she had no idea what she was talking about. She couldn't regret everything that happened between them. She could punch him, curse him, but never, ever regret their love. "Baby" he tried one more time, "Let's talk about this… I'm really, really sorry. I swear"

"There's nothing to talk about Troy" she interrupted him as she hissed the words between her clenched teeth. Her shaky hand travelled to her eyes and she wiped her tears with the back of her long sleeved t-shirt. The nausea and pain filled her stomach again and she took a second to swallow the liquid that threatened to fly from her mouth. Troy's expression changed from saddened to a frown of worry as he watched her olive skin to transform in a light green.

"Baby, you're okay?" he touched his hand to her hip and she groaned as if his touch was a knife and was slicing her skin painfully, "Don't… touch… me… never… again"

"I love you!"

"Stop it! How dare you pronounce such words after what you done to me? You have no fucking idea what love is, Troy"

"I do, I love you"

"No!" her tiny hand slapped his face swiftly with a loud plaft that made the bunch of students to gasp loudly, as if their life was the last episode of their favorite soap opera. Troy closed his eyes for one long minute and his hand wrapped around her hand, his fingers slipping in between hers, connecting their bodies. He breathed through his mouse slowly before reopening his eyes.

Gabriella could swear the blue orbs had changed to grey and there were flames on it. For a second she was afraid he'd hit her back, and she'd easily fly all the way to the other wall due to his strength, but Troy only shook his head and his eyes softened as she bit her bottom lip, "El… I really do love you. It was a mistake, it meant nothing. I don't know why I kissed Sharpay but I swear I won't do it again"

"I wish I never met you" her last words worked as a gun shot through his heart and so fast he couldn't actually process it, Gabriella was going away, pushing through the crowd of students that stared at Troy like he was a monster for not treating their new hero as she deserved. Troy ran his hand across his face, groaning loud as he saw himself without her for the first time. He felt miserable and he wanted to run far away and find a place to cry without being bothered nor watched like he was a fucking animal stuck in a zoo cage.

"What the fuck are you all staring at?" he hissed between his teeth, storming after Gabriella as fast as he could, even faster than he always ran from the police, faster than he searched for trouble. Troy needed his salvation back and he'd give anything to have her again. He knew he was the dumbest of asses for hurting Gabriella, but he had learned in two weeks that living without her was too painful. He loved her and she was supposed to be with him always.

"Shit" he cursed as he couldn't help but watch as Gabriella hopped inside of Ryan Evan's car and he drove off the parking lot. He punched the school's glassed doors, growling in rage at the fact of a man was probably consoling his Ellie. "Fucking Evans"

"Yo, Bolton?" Troy turned around and his blue eyes met Jason Cross's black ones. "You alright man?"

"Do I look alright to you?" he asked bitterly, running one hand through his hair, "Gabriella dumped me"

"Yeah…I saw the show" Jason rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortable, reaching out to pat's Troy arm sympathetically, "That sucked big time"

Troy Bolton was disgusted at himself not only for hurting his first real love, but because he could have avoided cheating on her if he really wanted. He was useless, he couldn't do anything right. Jack Bolton was correct when he said he couldn't commit with anything or anyone. He'd never forgive himself for not being able to behave for a fucking night and screw the best moment of his life. Now he had no one to look when he wanted to feel safe, he wouldn't hear Gabriella's sweet moans when they made love anymore. Nor see her angel face as he sneaked inside her bedroom in the middle of the night to watch her sleep. It was all gone because he couldn't keep his word. All because he was stupid enough to let a cute chick get to him. Stupid not to link the name Sharpay and Ryan – he had heard so much about Gabriella's best friend having a twin sister.

"Shit" he growled darkly, starting his car and driving off the parking lot. He had to find a solution to his problem with Gabriella. He craved to see her again and she was only gone for a few hours. What to do to convince her that he really, truly loved her even though he was an idiot? And how things got so out of his control so quickly? Troy wanted nothing more than to get to Gabriella and tell her the truth about him and Sharpay before the whole school started commenting about it, but he failed, damn it. Maybe Ryan fucking Evans ran out of the party and straight to Gabriella's house to tell her about Troy and his sister. But yet, did it really matter now? The whole school knew about it before Gabriella and that was probably one of the reasons she was so pissed of at him. He drove urgently to her house and rang the doorbell a few times, but the girl never answered the door. Maybe she needed more time to think about it.

Troy could do it, he'd do it if that meant he'd have a second chance later.

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
NOVEMBER 15, 2005.

"Bolton, stop staring at the clock, it won't make it go faster" Jason teased as he slapped the back of Troy's head in an attempt to snap him out of his trance, "What you think about so much?"

Jason didn't need to ask to know the answer to his question. "I need to talk to her"

"Oh yeah…" he shook his head, "she wasn't in Math class today, dude. I don't think she came to school"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
NOVEMBER 19, 2005.

Troy had called her every day, several times but Gabriella never answered her phone nor replied his texts. He went to her house on the weekend, but the lights were off, the balcony door locked and the house empty. He couldn't help but wonder where the heck Gabriella was hiding at.

He slid against her balcony door, collecting his cell phone and dialing the newly discovered telephone number. The phone rang only twice, but Troy had managed to bite most of his nails as he waited the short seconds for someone to answer it. God, he'd go crazy without her. She needed to be there, please be there, he thought to himself as his heart accelerated at the agony of waiting. He was never a patient person.

"Skin Deep Tattoo Shop. Maggie speaking, how can I help you?"

"Uhm…" he cleared his throat. "Maggie… It's Troy, Gabriella's boyfriend…"

"Oh, hey there Troy. How are you?"

He breathed in relief; at least Maggie didn't seem to know about their break up. "I'm good. Is Gabriella there? I'm looking for her everywhere and I'm worried cuz I can't find her"

"You don't know?" his heart tightened, he needed to know anything that concerned her. "I guess Gabi forgot to tell you. Norah and her are out of town for a few days"

Troy closed his eyes and a tiny smile appeared on his lips. At least she was fine, he didn't need to worry anymore about her doing something crazy. "Do you know when she's coming back?"

"Nope, next week I think"

Okay, he could wait till next week.

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
NOVEMBER 21, 2005.

"Mama, I'm off to bed" Troy informed from his room to his mother that watched TV in the living room downstairs, "Goodnight!"

Kate Bolton's soft voice came distant, but yet concerned. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine" he lied – he was never fine without Gabriella.

"'Kay... night baby"

His mother had cornered Troy in a room after dinner that night, obliging him to spit out the reason he was so grumpy and depressed all the time. He had admitted cheating on Gabriella and being the reason that she was not in Albuquerque anymore. Kate listened to him in silence, only hugging him maternally and stating that for every action there was a reaction and that maybe losing someone he loved so much could make him learn with his mistakes from now on.

Before going to bed in earnest, Troy made the ritual he was getting so used to these days – brushing his teeth and calling Gabriella. Trying was never a crime, right? He was sure there would be a day she would get tired of ignoring him and answer his call. It would be the day he'd say he was very sorry about what he caused and, if everything went well, they'd be back together.

It would be the perfect night. And it seemed to be tonight.

"Hello?"

"El, baby?" Troy asked hopeful, sitting straight on his bed, "Gabriella?"

"It's Norah, Gabriella's mother, who's speaking?"

"Troy"

"Troy" Norah cringed and her voice was cold as she finally spoke again, "I'll have to ask you to stay away from my daughter, Troy. Can you do this?"

"I don't think so ma'am" he said sincerely, sighing deeply, "I love her"

"Gabriella doesn't want anything with you anymore. Stop calling her, you're just making her feel worse"

He closed his eyes, "Please Mrs. Montez, just let me talk to her, just once" Troy begged, "please"

The line was silent for a whole minute and Troy's heavy breath was the only sound echoing in the dark room. He bit his bottom lip as he played with his fingers nervously, ready to beg his entire life if that meant he'd talk to Gabriella.

"Troy?"

His heart fluttered inside his chest and his hands immediately became sweaty. Troy gulped, it was her, it was her warm voice again. That sickly sweet tone that he loved so much. His eyes got teary and he felt complete for the first time in days, "Baby… oh El, I'm so sorry, baby I'm missing you so much"

"Don't call me again, Troy" Gabriella asked coolly, "You don't exist for me anymore"

"Give me another chance, El. Please"

"Why should I, Troy?" she sighed exasperatedly and he cussed under his breath for not being able to wrap his arms around her body and assure her he'd fix everything again, "Why you cheated on me in the first place?"

"I don't know…" he admitted, "I fucking don't know, okay? The guys were talking about me having to hook up with a cheerleader, I told them I had a girl and I don't know. One moment I was talking to her, the other I was kissing her… I did it for reputation; I didn't want to put them down—"

Her laugh was bitter and made him clench his jaw automatically, "I never knew I wasn't good enough for you cuz I'm not a cheerleader. Yeah, that's great for a girl's ego" she added sarcastically, sighing deeply as her voice trembled with rejection, "I don't trust you anymore Troy, can't you understand it? Forget I exist, please"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
DECEMBER 14, 2005.

Troy Bolton never considered himself the most intelligent person in the world, not he wanted to be one of those. His life was simple and didn't force him to think too much. There were things in life though that he didn't need to be a genius to be sure about.

Now that he found himself sitting cross-legged on the floor, quietly watching a forty something pretty woman in a floral yellow dress dance so contently with her very tall and strong partner, he didn't have to be a genius to know he was dreaming. Mostly because he knew that to be observing how his much younger dead-grandmother and the man he worshipped so much when he was a kid interact in his childhood house was impossible, because firstly, they were actually dead, secondly, the house was sold for a while now, third, he was not a 6 year old kid anymore.

Somehow waking up was the last thing he wanted to do, because for an unknown reason he was hypnotized by the way the two people in front of him seemed to glow as they touched and looked to each other. The way her slender body and light blond hair swung back and forth as she rocked her body rhythmically and his grandfather squeezed her in a warm embrace, his much younger face that preserved the chestnut beard he wore till his last days forming a proud smile as he looked at the love of his life made him jealous. He was jealous of what they had, the feeling they shared and the fact Troy sir could hold his favorite girl in his arms anytime he wanted.

He felt his heart constrict as the song stopped and the soft laugh of Ollie filled the room. Troy smiled slightly to himself as he watched her blush as his granddad planted a kiss to her forehead before turning his sparkling blue eyes to his very observant grandchild.

"Come here" he raised a pale hand and little Troy immediately jumped up, running to the arms of the older Bolton. His grandfather crouched down, opening his arms to embrace his only grandson in a longingly hug, his hot breath and the smell of tobacco invading Troy's nostrils, "Do you have a girlfriend already, little man?"

Six-year-old Troy Bolton looked in the eyes of the man that had the same eyes and name of him and shook his head fervently, "No sir"

Ollie laughed again and brushed his blond hair out of his eyes, making the little guy offer her an adorable front-teeth missing grin. Troy sir stood up again and wrapped one arm around his wife's waist and she nuzzled his cheek, "Make sure you have plenty of fun Troy, but when you find the perfect girl keep her, just like I kept mine"

"Ooh, take a note of that Troy. That's probably the best advice your grandfather will give you"

Young Troy nodded again, "I promise I'll keep the girl when I find her"

The alarm signaling a new day brought him back to reality and Troy quickly kicked the blankets from around his body and stood up from his bed. He walked to his computer desk and retrieved the not very used Lakers calendar, marking with a red pen the last time he had seen Gabriella. From now on he'd count the days till he had her in his arms again.

With a low groan he ran one hand through his hair, "Too many days already"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
DECEMBER 25, 2005.

Troy glanced with the corner of his eyes at the calendar, "Shit..."

"What?" Jason looked up from the television with a confused face and Troy just shook his head, "Spit it out, man. You can open yourself"

Troy sighed, "It's nothing... really"

"What are looking at then? Why is there a 40 marked on today's date?"

"For no reason"

"Troy—"

"Just stay out of my fucking business, Cross" he hissed between clenched teeth, throwing the Xbox controller on his best friend, "You make two many fucking questions"

"Alright…" Jason raised his hands in defeat, "When you need to talk, just know I'm here dude… but seriously, just chill out a little, you've been on the edge for too long"

Troy nodded helplessly, "eh... Sorry 'bout that"

"Yeah…" he handed the controller back, "here, let's just play alright? No talking, just video games. Promise"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
JANUARY 1, 2006.

"Mama?"

"In here Troy!"

The thick calendar was folded securely in his hands as he made his way to the kitchen, where his mother was in the process of taking the garbage outside. Troy raised one finger, signaling her to wait and she observed as he opened the can and shoved the paper inside of it. "What's that?"

"Just a stupid calendar I had. It doesn't work anyway, so I decided to throw it away"

"Oh right---hey, where you going?" Kate asked as he grabbed his car keys and opened the backyard door, "Troy, it's 8PM, where do you think you're going?"

"Out with friends" he shrugged, waving a hand at his mother, "I'll be back before 11:30, I promise"

Kate sighed as the door closed loudly. Turning her attention back to the trash can, she couldn't help but feel curious about the reason Troy was throwing in the garbage his Lakers calendar. She bit her bottom lip, glancing over her shoulder to certify nobody was there before grabbing the paper and unfolding it.

"47 days?" she frowned, "What?"

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.
JANUARY 23, 2006.

"'Sup man" Troy smacked fists with Jason as they met in the school's parking lot and walked inside the building together. Jason as usual, was telling Troy about the chick he scored over the weekend when he left Susan Dante's birthday party and he just heard amused his best friend's attempt to spicy a bit more his sexual life with a girl he never saw before.

He greeted a few guys from the basketball team and two cheerleaders as he passed by the group, smiling slyly as Sharpay Evans blew him a kiss from the opposite side of the corridor. It had been almost three months since the last time he saw Gabriella and Troy eventually had to go back to his usual self, the basketball games and the boring East High girls. It was always the same people and the same conversation, but at least, he was busy and being busy he meant he didn't have free time to think about Gabriella.

Of course he still thought about her everyday, mostly before going to bed in the darkness of his room. Troy tried his best to keep the memories of what they shared alive, but what they had been through was slowly vanishing from his mind. That sucked big time, but he realized he couldn't be waiting forever to her, not when she didn't seem to be thinking about coming back.

He interrogated Kelsi Nielsen and Taylor McKessie for two long months, in an attempt to discover where Gabriella was, or at least if she was fine. The girls told they didn't know anything about Gabriella. Maybe they were lying, maybe they just didn't like him, but he'd never know. Ryan Evans was always there too, whispering things to his former girlfriend's best friends, but he'd never go talk to him and demand information about El. He was afraid he'd punch that stupid smirk from his face with his bare hand and one thing Troy was trying to do was stay out of trouble.

He had lost too much because of it already. It was enough.

Troy opened his locker that was right beside Jason's and shoved his book inside of it, searching for his notebook and a pen in the middle of the mess what was his life as a student. He'd never get to understand how a small locker could keep so many crap that he put inside. One day Troy was sure he'd find a dead mice in it.

Jason rolled his eyes as he watched his best friend scratch the back of his neck, laughing amused as things started to force themselves out of Troy's locker because of the lack of space. "Here, take this dude" he patted his arm, offering a pen and he smirked, "thanks Cross"

"Jase, can you come here please?" the honey like tone of voice of Trish, one of Sharpay's friends and a cheerleader also made both of the teenagers turn around. Troy leaned against the locker and smirked as Jason blushed deeply before closing the gap between him and the blond girl. She leaned on him seductively and whispered something on his best friend's ear and he observed as Jason flinched immediately, his eyes widening slightly as he muttered something to the girl and she nodded.

He frowned as Jason walked back to Troy, his expression alarmed and his whole body stiff. What the heck?

"What's going on dude?"

"Troy…" Jason grimaced lightly, "Trish said she saw Gabriella in the parking lot"

"That's not fucking funny, man" Troy couldn't quite process the words as his friend shook his head, the look in his eyes of someone that was really telling the truth, "You're shitting me right?"

"No. She saw her. Gabriella's back"

Suddenly Troy felt his mouth dry with anticipation. Everything stopped and began moving in slow motion as he watched mesmerized his former girlfriend invade the building with confidence. His heart nearly ceased to beat then began to tap out double time, so fast and so loud he was afraid he'd faint.

Thump, thump, thump.

His blue eyes captured her presence easily and every other human around them disappeared automatically as his mind and heart only focused on her… only cared about her. There could be a war outside but Troy Bolton would still only have eyes for Gabriella Montez.

Thump, thump, thump.

Troy leaned back against the wall and opened his mouth, remembering he needed to breathe if he wanted to have the opportunity to talk to her instead of passing away in front of her. Not now, not after three long months waiting for her to come back. His lungs claimed what seemed to be thick air to him as his heart slowed. Blinking twice, he focused his attention on her petite figure and the way her black dress with pink dots hugged her perfect body. Gabriella's hair was a bit shorter and she definitely looked paler than before, but Troy didn't mind – she still looked breathtaking beautiful to his eyes.

Thump, thump, thump.

It was like his dream was finally coming true. It was like she was being sent to him from Heaven, his perfect angel was back and he couldn't be happier about it. Troy wanted to talk to her… touch her, have her again. The longer he watched her, the tighter and more urgently his body made demands for her. It was definitive: Gabriella Montez would always belong to him and he'd always claim her his – the feeling was there and was more powerful and stronger than anything he ever felt.

Please, look at me. Baby… please, he thought to himself as he watched her walking, always so gently, looking so sexy as she kept her head high, as if she owned the school. God, he was missing her so much!

Thump, thump, thump.

Gabriella's pace slowed and the air closed in his lungs. Troy exhaled the air and his heart accelerated again. She turned her head back and for a second their eyes connected, brown and blue in what he hoped would be perfect harmony again someday. She smiled big and he found his heart burning with pleasure as her eyes blinked and her once-olive skin glowed more than a diamond.

But not because of him.

Thump, thump, thump.

Troy reluctantly admitted to himself that she was looking back, smiling his smile to someone else. He forced himself to follow her eyes and the bile rose in the back of his throat as his blue orbs sunk in the image of Ryan fucking Evans running to his girl. His blood boiled furiously inside of his body as he watched the blond teen slip his hand in Gabriella's and clasp them together. He had that proud smirk on his face as if he got laid the whole night and wanted to boast about it.

Thump, thump, thump.

He felt jealousy burn his eyes as he locked gaze with Evans. His fists clenched as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Troy could literally feel the veins in his arms pulse in rhythm with his heart as he watched them walk together down the hall. His head spun fast and he felt cold rush down his spine. He was going to fucking kill Ryan Evans. He'd punch his face so hard that the fucking shit-eating grin would disappear before he could even realize what got him.

Thump, thump, thump.

The light green veins popped out on Troy's neck and he felt Jason's hand rest on his forearm, as if his best friend tried to put some control back on his mind. The hell with control, he was going to go for it – he'd kill Evans. He'd fucking kill anyone that touched his girl. His chest rose up and down as he breathed and his voice came out as a hiss as the command was as transparent as water, "Let… go"

Troy rushed towards Gabriella, opening the way through the crowd of East High students, pushing back as much freshmen that tried to block his way as possible. He had a target focused and he was going to it. His hands grabbed a fistful of Ryan's green shirt and pushed him against a locker. His body collapsed painfully with the material and he groaned loudly.

"Take your dirty hands off my girl!" he ordered as he poked a finger in his thin chest, the words flying from his mouth like venom, "You won't ever touch Gabriella again"

Thump, thump, thump.

"Let him go!" her sickly sweet voice half-yelled as she closed her hand around his shoulder, trying to pull him away of her protector, friend or the fuck Ryan Evans was for her at the moment. Troy's body shook violently for a second as he breathed deeply through his mouth and turned around. As his eyes studied her concerned expression he calmed down immediately.

Gabriella was standing in front of him again and that was the only thing he could process right now. His eyes studied her up and down, his mouth watering as the need from her shouted from his insides. His piercing blue eyes roved hungrily on her body, just before her petite waist caught his attention.

"What the fuck…" he mumbled to himself as he scanned her body, his large hands touching the side of her waist curiously, his fingertips travelling to the center of her belly where a small swelling formed under her dress on her once flat stomach. "Shit… you…" Troy looked up and met her eyes, "You're pregnant?"

As sick as it could be, the possessive monster Troy had inside of him jumped in excitement knowing that he had marked her deeply and eternally. Gabriella was pregnant, she was having his baby and he instead of being scared, was happy she had one more reason to be with him, one more thing to mark her as his girl forever. Gabriella closed her eyes and pushed through Troy, holding on Ryan's arm tightly for support. The blond guy wrapped his arm around her petite frame in a hug.

Troy's mind was a mass of thoughts that revolved around Ryan Evans trying to fuck his life. The theater geek was trying to still not only his girl, but his baby too and that he wouldn't let happen. It was his family and fucking Evans had no place in it.

Ryan though, didn't mind Troy was threatening him – he had earned his spot in Gabriella's life and he was not backing off because of a bully like Bolton. He had been there for her for three months, helping her back on her feet, holding her when she felt like dying because of Troy's lack of control and he wouldn't give up on her now. He'd never give her back so easily to him, not when Troy would fuck her up again when she was beginning to get better. He'd kill Bolton before he saw her suffering for him again.

"Yes Troy. She's pregnant"

"Close your damn mouth before I lose my mind, Evans" Troy warned without moving his gaze from Gabriella, his eyes still lingering on her beautiful tiny baby bump. God, he wanted to touch it, he wanted to see her naked body again, he wanted to explore everything that came with the fact she was pregnant. It was perfect, she was expecting his baby…

"Leave her alone. She doesn't want to talk to you" Ryan snapped angrily, "She's mine now"

He was going to prove who owned her.

Troy's head immediately moved to Ryan and with one swift push, he was far from Gabriella and down on his knees. His hand balled into a fist, but before his punch could broke Ryan's nose, a loud thumb caught his attentionand he looked back to see that in his attempt to smack the shit out of Evans he pushed Gabriella against the locker. She whimpered as her head hit against the blue painted locker and she closed her eyes, holding her puffy bottom lip between her teeth.

"Baby" Troy let go of Ryan and ran to Gabriella, placing his large hands possessively over her stomach, caressing her belly tenderly. He pressed his thin lips to the side of her head, "Baby… I'm so fucking sorry. Did I hurt you? Did I bruise our baby?"

Gabriella ignored how good she felt in his arms, forcing her mind to remember why the hell she wasn't with Troy for three months.

Oh yeah, because as good as his arms feel around you, he's a damn cheater, her mind replied her wisely and she slapped his hand away, commanding her brain to ignore the fact she wanted to cry so badly. "It's not your baby"

"Not my baby?"

She looked up at him and her coolly gaze made him flinch – it was like the Gabriella Troy met a while ago was gone. He shuddered involuntary as she shook her head. He rolled his eyes though and laughed in disbelief, "Baby..." he lowered his head to match her ear, "You know I was the only one that cum inside of you" he reminded her softly, "It's okay Ellie… I'm not mad you're pregnant. We can work this out together"

"The… baby… it's… not… yours" Gabriella exhaled between words, moving to Ryan's side again, "Leave me alone, Troy"

"Whose baby is it then?" he pressed, feeling anger building inside of him again, not because of her denial – he was sure the baby was his – but because Ryan Evans was fucking touching his girl again. Where the fuck he got the courage he was showing now? Where the heck he got the idea he was the one to hold and protect Gabriella? That was his job and he wasn't going to give it to him peacefully.

"It's mine" Troy clenched his jaw and his gaze pierced Ryan, "My girl, my baby"

Gabriella looked up at the blond teen for a second and her eyes filled with some strange feeling Troy couldn't exactly define. Was it happiness—adoration? What the fuck was going on between them? Why the fuck Gabriella was letting him tell their baby was his? Why she decided to lie to him?

"This is bullshit. She wouldn't cheat on me"

"Are you sure?" Ryan teased and the stupid smirk formed on his lips again. Troy's hand balled into a fist again and he felt on the edge again, "You wouldn't cheat on me, would you Gabriella?"

The corridor went silently as the students waited for her denial or confirmation, the echoes of the people's heavy breaths that were gathered for another episode of their favorite soap-opera being the only sound in the school. Jason saw as Troy's body shook with anger and once again tried to hold on his elbow and warn him about being in school property, but he slapped his friend's hand away.

"Answer me, Gabriella"

"Well…" Gabriella shrugged, lacing her fingers with Ryan's. "People can always surprise us, don't you think?"

Before anyone could notice, Troy had exploded. His strong hand made contact with the boy's right eye and side of body. Gabriella jumped on him, trying to pull him away from Ryan, afraid he'd kill the poor boy. "Take your fucking hands off me" he ordered as he slapped her hand away, disgusted by her actions, forgetting completely that he had done the same thing with Sharpay Evans months ago.

Again East High's most famous couple was on spotlight as the whole student body watched their fight. It seemed that it was getting common to hop into Gabriella and Troy's relationship without being invited. It was anger, lust, love all in two people and the entertainment was simply irrecusably. Like three months ago, the crowd looked, pointed and whispered as Ryan tried to punch Troy back unsuccessfully, Gabriella screamed and Troy cursed.

They were wrong though, it was best than watching soap-opera. It was all real and happening in front of their eyes for free. However, differently from the last scene the students witnessed a few months ago, this time Troy seemed to be trapped in his own game, as if karma came back to haunt him – the table had turned.

To them, Troy cheated on Gabriella with Sharpay, then Gabriella cheated on Troy with Ryan and... got pregnant with his baby.

"You're insane!" Gabriella yelled at Troy, cupping Ryan's cheek with her hand to dry up the blood from his mouth as soon as Troy let go of him, "Why did you have to hit him?"

"It's okay, Gabby. I feel fine, seriously" the blond assured her, ignoring Troy's groan of irritation.

"Shit, why you did that?" Troy hissed, feeling tempted to punch Ryan in the face again to release all his anger on him, "I trusted you Gabriella. I fucking trusted you"

"How does it feel being in my position, Troy?" she let go of Ryan as she spotted the principal running towards them. Gabriella walked slowly to Troy and stood on her tiptoes to whisper what she hoped would be her last words, "Payback is a bitch, Golden Boy"

"'Cuz I'll be there in the back of your mind,
From the day we met to the very last night,
And it's just too bad,
You've already had the best days,
The best days of your life."

So yeah. I had to stop my work cuz I have more than 10 PMs in two hours demanding why the heck Gabriella ended up pregnant with Ryan's baby? Wow... wait a sec, who said the baby was his? I, as an author, wouldn't think the girl would be capable of cheating on Troy. Do you all think that she'd do it? Haha... I guess I not only tricked Troy, but you guys as well too... jeez.