The car ride back home was so quiet it was scary. Taylor was leaning against Troy with their hands entwined in his lap while Chad was up front driving with Gabriella by his side.

"Are you going to school on Monday?" Chad asked looking back at the two through the rear view mirror.

"It's not like I have a choice" Taylor answered sighing.

"You always have a choice" Troy told her rubbing her knuckles "If you want you can stay at home I'll bring you all your homework"

"I'll think about it" she said closing her eyes trying to hold the tears at bay.

"Hey, it's okay to cry" Troy said and wrapped his arms around Taylor and rubbed her back as she silently cried into his chest "It's okay to cry, let it all out" he whispered catching Gabriella's eye as she turned around to find out what happened.

"What did I do to deserve this?" she began to cry harder into Troy's chest.

"You did nothing, you stood up for Ryan so you did absolutely nothing to deserve this!" Troy said in a firm voice to make Taylor understand he was serious she nodded slowly and looked up at him. She slowly leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you Troy, I don't know what I would do without you"

-----

It wasn't long until the car came to a stop in the Bolton's driveway. All four teenagers got out of the car, Troy never once letting go of Taylor's hand.

"Well I guess we should be going" Gabriella said looking somewhat uncomfortable as she shoved her hands down in her jeans pockets and looked over at Chad.

"Yeah I guess we should" Chad said reaching out for Taylor he pulled her into a strong hug and whispered in her ear "If he comes near you again I'll kill him with my bare hands" Taylor smiled and patted his back lightly indicating for him to let go of her. Next Gabriella hugged her, the older girl didn't seem to know what to do so she held Taylor tight and was reluctant in letting her go.

"Take care of her" Gabriella warned as she and Chad walked down the road towards Gabriella's house.

"Come on let's get you inside" Troy said pulling her towards her house as they stepped in through the door they were instantly greeted by Daniel, Taylor's older brother, he looked like he was ready to pounce on anyone that got in his way. He hugged Taylor tightly lifting her of the ground, mumbling incoherent words.

"I'm gonna go back home" Troy said motioning for the door.

"No you don't!"

"I want you to stay" Taylor whispered from beside her brother.

"And I wanna talk to you" Daniel said glaring at him.

"I should really head back home, or I don't" he changed his mind as he saw more tears run down Taylor's cheeks "But I should let my parents know that I'm staying here, so I'm just gonna go tell them and then I'll be right back, okay?" Taylor nodded and Troy quickly ran out the door and jumped over the waist high wall between the two houses and made his way into his own house. He found his mom in the kitchen, she looked shocked to seeing him.

"Troy what are you doing here?"

"I live here"

"I know that but I thought you would be staying with Taylor"

"I am I just came to tell you that" he sprinted back out of the house slamming the door by accident, he was sure he was gonna get an earful about that later, he jumped the wall and slowed down as he reached the Mc.Kessie's front porch he walked in through the open door and saw Daniel waiting on him.

"You were supposed to protect her!"

"I know I tried but she forgot her sweater and she would only be a minute"

"She got raped because you let her out of your sight this is all your fault!"

"You don't think I know that, I love her and it tears me apart knowing that all this happened because I wasn't there to protect her!"

"What did you say?!"

"What?!"

"You love my sister?!" Troy looked shocked and then realisation hit him, he was in love with Taylor Mc.Kessie, his best friend Taylor, the girl he had pushed on the swings when they were younger, the girl he shared his dessert with, the girl that was upstairs laying on her bed broken. He loved her.

"I do. I love her" he said and pushed his way passed Daniel who looked like he just found out his dad was gay, he was shocked. Making his way upstairs Troy didn't know what to do, should he tell her. As he finally reached Taylor's room he saw her sitting on her bed her back facing him as she was looking out the window. He slowly made his way over to the bed and sat down behind her.

"I feel dirty and I can't wash the feeling away" she said not even glancing back at him "I just want to die" she cried.

"Don't say that!" Troy almost yelled as he pulled Taylor closer to him and turned her around so she was facing him "Don't ever say that, I understand that it hurts but the hurt will go away in time"

"No it won't it will always be there in the back of my mind I will always see the smirk and the evil glint in his eyes, I can't stand it!" she cried. Troy didn't know what to say so he only pulled her closer to himself and held her tight as she sobbed loudly. After a while he felt Taylor's breathing even out and noticed her eyes were closed, he carefully laid her down on the bed and pulled the covers up over her and tucked her in tight before he himself grabbed one of her decorative pillows and lied down to sleep on the floor.