A/N: Hello guys! I hope you all are enjoying this story…I think this is one of my favorite ones I have written yet! Anyways, like I said this chapter is basically the climax of the story. Well technically…I guess I can't say that. The climax is broken up into two parts. The first part is in this chapter…and then the next part is in the next chapter. Well, if that even makes sense…haha.

Enjoy this chapter guys! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews so far.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with High School Musical or any related characters.

PLEASE R&R!!!!!!

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Chapter 11

Gabriella emerged from her silver convertible on Monday morning, groaning tiredly as she slammed the door shut. She made her way up the steps to the school, yawning occasionally, keeping a look out for her boyfriend or her friends. Receiving a 'ding' on her cell meaning that she had a text, she flipped it open to read it.

Hey Gab-ella. Hehe…what are you up to this morning? You didn't call me back over the weekend, but whatever. Me and the gals are at Starbucks…ciao.

Gabriella rolled her eyes when she read that the text was from none other than Shelly. She just realized she hadn't talked to her for a while…she had been so busy during the weekend hanging out with everyone and having fun on the camping trip that she had totally forgot.

"Hey Gabs!" Taylor called out, and Gabriella looked up from her phone when she was in mid-reply to the message and smiled. Waving at one of her best friends, she quickly tucked her phone in her purse and ran over to hug her.

"Hey Tay…how are you feeling this morning?" Gabriella asked her, hearing Taylor grunt in response. The whole gang had arrived back to their respective house around ten last night, after a full afternoon of making marshmallows and diving into the lake. It was sure an experience no one would forget.

Gabriella giggled at her friend, and felt someone squeeze her from behind. "Hey Ella!" Sharpay said cheerfully, reaching over to hug Taylor as well. They both turned to look at the blonde like she was crazy, for being so awake in the morning.

"Where's your lover boy this morning?" Taylor teased, as they all glanced around and found none of the guys anywhere to be seen. Gabriella just shrugged,

"I don't know. We usually meet up somewhere before the first bell rings."

Taylor and Sharpay shared a knowing glance, and Sharpay decided to ask a question she had been curious about over the weekend. "So Gabriella…why weren't you in your tent yesterday morning?" She raised an eyebrow, and Gabriella felt her cheeks go red. She hadn't known that her friends had noticed she had ever been out of her tent.

"Well…Troy and I had to talk. You know…no biggie." Gabriella shrugged off the question with such poise, that Sharpay was impressed. Crossing her arms, she was about to reply to that, but instead decided to keep her mouth shut as she glanced at something more interesting from behind.

Gabriella screeched loudly as someone wrapped their arms around her from behind, and planted a big, wet kiss on her cheek. "Ew…Bolton!" Gabriella groaned, reaching up to wipe the wetness off of her cheek. Before she could do anything else, she was held tightly to the waist, and was suddenly spinning around and around in the air.

"Ah! Troy…put me down!" Gabriella giggled, and he just laughed as she was being spun around and around. By now the whole gang had walked up to them rolling their eyes; they were still like flirt magnets with each other, even though they were together.

Finally Troy was out of breath, and lowered his girlfriend to the ground, but still kept his hands on her waist. He smirked downwards to the fiery brunette, "Miss me?"

Gabriella just smirked back, and connected her hands behind his neck. "Of course…I always do" She whispered only to be heard for his ears, and that was enough for him to not be able to be contained, reaching down to kiss her gently.

"Those guys are too much…" Sharpay managed to breathe out, amazed at how two people can be so into each other and fascinated with the other as much as they can. She felt an arm wrap around her, and looked up to see Zeke smiling, and knew she felt the same thing with him.

Both Troy and Gabriella broke apart breathlessly, but that didn't last long, before they couldn't hold it in any longer. The four other friends watched and groaned as the pair leaned down for another kiss.

"Apart, you two!" Mrs. Brooks snapped at the youngsters, who fiercely broke apart while wiping their mouths, "I swear the World should have never let the opposite sex mingle with each other…"

Mrs. Brooks walked away from the duo, while still muttering some things, and all the rest of them stood in silence…watching the bustling crowd of students pass each of them. Troy and Gabriella each shared a quick knowing glance, before bursting into snorts and fits of laughter. Troy grabbed a hold of Gabriella's wrists, and pulled her gently towards him while still laughing, their noses grazing slightly before he leaned up to kiss her forehead.

As for the rest of their friends though, they are shared a roll of the eyes, while pairing up and walking off with the other, all knowing where this was leading to. The two seemed not to notice, still all caught up with each other. Gabriella cleared her throat quickly, and Troy blinked to let her know he was listening,

"Are you okay with what I told you on Saturday?"

Troy bit his lip; he certainly had thought a lot about them over the past weekend. But now he could do nothing but nod, "Yeah. I'm definitely okay."

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Over the next few days, Gabriella saw Troy basically only at school, but for at least now their relationship seemed to cool off a little bit and they didn't have the need to be around each other 24/7. "I know Taylor…" Gabriella sighed over the phone, knowing her friend was badgering her about how proud she was of her for being able to keep away from Troy for a while. She giggled once more, "Alright I'll see you at the club tomorrow…okay, bye."

Gabriella hung up her cell, and returned to her weekend homework. She was determined to get it done beforehand, planning to spend her weekend with Troy and the gang. Turning her radio up even louder, she bobbed her head to the music as she concentrated on a problem.

The door opened to Gabriella's room slightly, and a figure walked in. Gabriella barely heard it though, too caught up in her thoughts. "Gabi?"

Gabriella snapped her head up, to see her mother staring intently down at her. She immediately dropped her pencil; she still had yet to talk to her mother after their big blow-out, and she figured that's what she wanted. "Uh…yeah?" Gabriella responded hesitantly, shifting slightly in her seat.

Ms. Montez cleared her throat, seeming to still not know what to mention first. "So…so how was your camping trip?" She asked just to strike up a conversation. Gabriella was know standing up, furrowing her brows at her mother.

She walked over to her window and gazed out. "Mom…" Gabriella started, turning her attention back to her, "That was last weekend. It's Friday now…and it was fine."

That short answer was enough to make Lisa Montez cry out in desperation to her daughter. Gabriella was startled when her mother sat on her bed, tears dripping down her face. "Is this really what it has come to, Gabriella? Are we just not going to speak for the rest of our lives?"

All these questions seemed to boil hard into Gabriella's mind, and she swallowed hard. Crossing her arms, her own eyes seemed to well up with tears, as she sunk down onto the seat by the window. "Mom…you can't just come in here and expect everything to be okay between us, just because you wanted to ask how my life is going!" Gabriella exclaimed with slight fury, her vision now growing blurry.

Ms. Montez stared into her daughter's eyes, and saw no compassion at all. Gulping down a choking sob into her throat, she clasped her hands tightly in her lap. "I didn't…I didn't expect that…" She shook her head, covering her face with her hands.

Gabriella was now looking to the ground. She couldn't bear to look into her mother's tear-stained face. It was just too hard for her. Yet, she seemed to still not be willing to forgive and forget the hard times. "You don't understand…it's different since dad died. You and I both know it! Our relationship will never be the same…why can't you face it?" Those words stung to Gabriella's heart, even though they came out of her own mouth. It was one of those things you wanted to snatch back up and swallow it, but just didn't have the heart to say sorry.

She could hear her mother's silent sobs…she knew she had just upset her even more. Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut tightly, refusing to let her own tears out. Just thinking of how her father, mother, and herself always used to be so much like a normal family…was just too hard to bear.

"You are all I have Gabriella…you're my sunshine. Without you…can't you see? I've already lost your father…and I can't bear to lose you too. You are still alive, but it feels like you aren't..." Lisa Montez gripped her own words, with such emotion that she could not sustain. Standing up quickly, she walked out of Gabriella's doorway, leaving a crying daughter.

Screw trying to be strong. Screw everything. Gabriella burst into sobs, as she sunk down to the ground. Her whole body shook, as she finally cried for everything she was losing.

And that was her mother.

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Troy sat in his bed staring at the ceiling, listening to the sound of Nickelback playing throughout his CD player. He sighed, thinking about Gabriella for the fiftieth time that night. She hadn't called him to talk about their plans for tomorrow, and that worried him. She always called him; especially when she hasn't gotten to see him much lately.

Troy shot up startled as he heard something hard hit the glass of his window. Pushing his headphones off of his ear, he sat and listened in silence, and heard the same noise yet again. Squinting at the clock, he realized it was almost 11 at night. He quickly pushed the covers off of him, and walked over to the window, pulling it up to open it. His grin grew wide as he saw the petite brunette girl with a handful of rocks in her hands, but his smile soon faltered as he saw them slip from her hands the moment she saw him.

Watching her every move, he saw her sinking to the ground, her whole body shaking onto the grass. "Gabriella…" He breathed in horror, and that was enough to make him bolt out of his room and down the stairs as quickly and quietly as he could make it. He opened the front door silently, shutting it slowly behind him. His eyes trailed over to where he heard the soft sobs of the girl, and he practically ran over to meet her.

Crouching down, he put his hand gently on her back. "Oh God Gabriella…its okay, sweetheart" He whispered to her gently, pulling her shakily into his arms. Flinging her self around him, Gabriella cried into his shoulder softly, and he just rubbed her back.

Troy kissed her hair, just whispering sweet nothings into her ear, while slowly rocking her back and forth. He had no idea what had caused this, but for now all he could do was just hold her.

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And that is the end of part 1 of the climax! I'm sure the way this chapter went was no surprise or shock to any of you, but I assure you things worsen for Gabriella in the next chapter. And not just with her mother…although I haven't really given hints as to what's going to happen.

Any guesses anyone? By the way who does Mrs. Brooks remind you of? Haha. Thanks for all the reviews and support, they mean a whole bunch to me! Thank you to everyone!

PLEASE REVIEW:-)