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That was seven months ago, I guess you could say during those seven months I lived in perfection. Troy and I graduated from high school together and spent the whole summer together, like literally. We managed to convince the manager of footlocker to give us both a job there and even though sometimes we didn't always work the same hours most of the time we did. We went on mini road trips to the beach when we had days off sometimes with Gabby and Chad and sometimes without. Zeke and Sharpay were on holiday together in the Bahamas, I don't know how that girl managed to wrap her Dad around her little finger but what she said, her father did. It was ridiculous.

That summer I have to say was the best summer of my life, I often sit in my the dorm room I share with Gabby at Stanford reminiscing about that summer, especially since I don't see him until the weekend, him and Chad both went to Berkeley, Chad majored in business and physiotherapy. They shared an apartment near their college. Everyone we told thought our relationships we were cute, I guess they were until 'it' happened.

This is how I remember it, bearing in mind I'm telling the story two and a half years on from when this happened. Troy of course still protests to me bringing up this memory but hey! I'm telling the story of us now, so I guess what he thinks really doesn't count at this point. So here goes...

Two and a half years ago...

It was the weekend before college broke up for Christmas vacation, it was also Gabby and I's turn to drive up to Berkeley and visit the boys. We'd all said we'd drive back to Albuquerque the following Monday for Christmas, cause then we'd have enough time to catch up with Zeke and Shar before the crazy Christmas rush happened in our own families. Gabby's mum and her we're spending Christmas with Chad's family seeing as their family was scattered between the Philippines, Spain and Mexico; she'd usually spend it with us but Chad and her had a huge announcement to make to everyone, they were officially engaged. He'd asked her last weekend over a romantic diner in town when the boys had driven down. She was hoping to marry in the summer and so we'd started making a few plans, nothing major because we knew her mum would want to be heavily involved.

I'd come up with the idea of driving up on Friday afternoon instead of Saturday morning like we usually did because neither Gabby or I had evening classes that Friday due the upcoming Christmas break. We were excited about surprising them and just hoped they'd be in their dorm or we'd be camping outside and the surprise would be ruined... well kind of. I also wanted to surprise Troy because we'd had a small argument last weekend about me not making enough for him, but that weekend was really busy for me with having to balance my Job at a local cafe who had asked me to do extra shifts that weekend due to a staff shortage, making sure I had assignments in on time and then of course Troy. It's safe to say it was a crazy weekend but for some reason Troy wasn't being as supportive as usual, he became really possessive when he found out Tye was my partner and I'd had to meet him to work on this project on the Saturday that Troy was over. I thought Troy would rather I was partnered with someone I'd known for years, rather than a stranger. So yeah we had a big bust up about that and I felt guilty seeing as he hadn't called me and I hadn't called him all week, but it was me and Troy we argued about everything. They were never serious arguments and we always, always made up.

So yeah Gabby and I had just arrived at the boy's college and we're so excited to surprise them, I wasn't even nervous that Troy and I hadn't spoken, arguing was what we did best, plus it gave me practice for all my future court cases seeing as nine times out of ten I won our arguments.

"D'ya think they'll be in Tay?" Gabby asked as she parked her car,

"Let's hope so I mean it's nearly ten so they should be in from classes now right" I shrugged as I hopped out

"Guess so, let's go find out!" She clapped excitedly as she pulled out the mini picnic basket we'd packed so we could have diner on the living room floor.

We walked up and rang the door bell waiting patiently for someone to answer, we heard the footsteps to the door and let out a sigh of relief knowing someone was in.

"Surprise!" We screamed as soon as the door was wide enough for us to see Chad standing there in his sweatpants, Gabby immediately jumped into his arms as I squeezed past the two love birds to find Troy.

I run to his room when I saw he wasn't in the kitchen or living room and pushed the door open but found nothing. I returned to the kitchen where Chad and Gabby to see if Chad knew where his lunkhead best friend was.

"C where's Troy?" I asked curious

"Erm... I don't really know probably still in library or something, that fight you had has been messing with him all week and he's been up late doing assignments, even his basketball has been off in practice" He shrugged before smirking "So what you can't show big C no love?" He questioned as I rolled my eyes and walked over to give him a hug

"You're so annoying! Well I'm just gonna drive over to the library and surprise him there coz I'm not being the third wheel in you two's little reunion, you guys better not eat all the food!" I smirked as I grabbed Gabby's car keys from the counter and made my way out.

I smiled when I turned on the radio to find it playing 'I'm Yours'- Jason Mraz. Troy didn't like it very much however I thought it was the best song to come out in a while and it was the song we danced to at the beach. We had my Ipod in its speakers and when this song came on I made Troy dance with me even though he protested through the whole song. Soon I dubbed it our song and made him put it as my ring tone, previously he had 'Best I ever Had' by Drake as my ringtone but I didn't really like that song.

I had just parked up in front of the college library was so excited to see his face when he saw me, I got out of the car quickly and smiled when I saw his car and this other pink car we're the only ones parked here. I felt so proud that my boyfriend had a brain in his head. I was walking up the entrance when I saw him coming out and smiling with another girl. She was tall and slim with long dark brown hair and tanned skin. I smiled at how good he looked in the sweater I'd got him earlier this year and was kept approaching him, I was about to yell out his name because he had his back to me when I saw her lean in. I was about a meter away from them, her hand went through his hair the way I liked to go through his hair when we kissed, I stood there waiting for him to push her away and tell her he had a girlfriend, I stood there waiting for it to happen but it didn't instead he kissed her back, like it's what they always did. Still I stood there watching on in shock; pain filling my body yet not a muscle in me was able to move me from the spot that was hurting my heart. It was like I was trying to make sure it was all a bad dream, one big nightmare but it wasn't, it was real and it was happening.

They pulled apart and she whispered something in his ear before he said no, he had to get home and she walked away in the opposite direction, telling him it was his loss and she'd catch up with him after Christmas break. He didn't reply, instead he just turned around and found me. Tears staining my cheeks, unable to talk, frozen.

"Taylor" He whispered obviously just as shocked as I was

"I... I... I'm going" I managed to spit out before running to my car and speeding off, he didn't call after me or even try to stop me. I guess the shock was still sinking in.

I didn't drive back to their apartment; it was unfair for me to ruin Chad and Gabby's night in because I had an unfaithful boyfriend so I drove around for a while. Thinking, crying sometimes laughing for even imagining Troy and I happily married after college. How naive of me to believe we'd make it that far, I mean we were lucky we'd made it this far I guess. I cursed myself over and over for believing his lies and promises of forever. They were now nothing but a distant memory of false hope. Nothing more than lies.

It was almost an hour and my phone had been ringing for the last half an hour, I'm guessing Troy had got back and told Gabby what happened because she had called me every minute literally for the thirty minutes. I decided to give Gabby a break and text her to let her know I was on my way back now.

I arrived at the apartment twenty minutes later, I didn't want to see him or speak to him or breathe near him, my plan was simply to crash there for one night and then I'd drive back to Albuquerque in Gabby's car, I'm sure she was going to drive up with Chad anyway. I knocked on the door and waited until Gabby answered and quickly pulled me into a hug which only made me want to cry even more but I held on.

"I'm fine G, I just want to sleep then I'll head back home tomorrow morning" I replied as I gently pushed her away and walked further into the apartment. She stayed silent and slowly followed behind me.

"Where is he?" I asked as she nodded to the kitchen, I sighed as walked in there to find him pitifully sat on a stool staring into space. It looked like he may have cried but then again maybe that was just my wishful thinking

"Taylor..." He started as soon as I entered the kitchen; I stayed silent and looked at him blankly as he got up to approach me

"No Troy, don't come any closer, I'm only here for tonight cause it's too late to stay anywhere else but I'm driving back home tomorrow morning..." I paused "alone. We're over" I finished calmly as I turned to leave; he knew this wasn't the best time to start any type of conversation with so he didn't protest. I showered and got changed into my pyjamas and went into the spare room that Gabby and I shared whenever we stayed here, got into bed and fell asleep before Gabby got out of the shower and tried to talk to me about it. There was nothing to talk about, he kissed a girl that wasn't me and it was over. There was no going back after that. I didn't cry myself to sleep, I just slept, I felt empty inside like someone had just ripped out my soul. It was possible they had.

The next morning came much quicker than I'd hoped it would, I woke up hoping last night was just a bad dream but as soon as I saw breakfast on my side table from Gabby I knew it wasn't. She had never made me breakfast in bed, so I knew last night was as real as it gets.

"Morning Tay" She whispered as she popped her head into the door

"Hey G" I said managing to smile back, I took a sip of my orange juice

"It put our bags in the car" she smiled sitting on the edge of our bed "I thought you'd want to leave as soon as possible, so everything's set for our departure" she smiled

"Thanks, but you don't have to come I know you and Chad had plans"

"No way Mckessie! I'll see Chad when him and Troy drive down on Monday... anyway someone had to make sure you get back home safe and save you from crazy pay" she winked as I smirked, she was right about Sharpay

"You don't have to, I swear I'll be fine"

"And what kind of best friend would that make me if I let you go back home alone after finding out your man cheat..." she stopped quickly placing a hand over her mouth when she saw the pained expression on my face. Tears quickly rushed to my eyes and spilled out, it hit me again that Troy had cheated on me

"Taylor, I'm so sorry" She said as she wrapped her arms around me letting me sob into her shoulder. I cried for a few more minutes before sighing and pulling myself together

"It's not your fault Troy cheated G, It's mine for not seeing him for who he was fifteen months ago when I had to do that stupid cursed project with him. It's my fault for not listening to my Dad and it;s my fault for loving him so much" I stated simply as I wiped away my tears and got up

"Taylor, none of that is true, we both know that okay, none of it." She replied as she followed me around the room with her eyes. I grabbed my towel and shrugged off what she said hearing her sigh as I left the room

"Hey Tay" Chad said pulling me into a hug as he walked out of the toilet, my arms stayed limp by my sides as I accepted his embrace.

"I need to shower" I told Chad blankly before he had a chance to apologise for his friend, he nodded and sighed before stepping out the way to let me through

I cried as the warm water poured over my body, I cried as I washed my hair, I cried as I dried myself down with my towel. Then I stopped crying and exited the shower, I put on the clothes Gabby had left out for me and went to the kitchen to get some water. I didn't anticipate on finding him there

"Taylor, can we talk?" He asked nervously as I walked past him to grab a water bottle from the fridge

"No" I whispered before turning to leave, he grabbed my arm and forced me to face him, my eyes flickering from side to side to avoid his eyes. I didn't want to look at him

"Taylor listen to me, it was one kiss and it meant nothing, I swear" He started as I shook my head trying to blank out his words "Taylor listen to me please, I'm begging you, don't do this to us please," He begged trying to make eye contact with me but I refused, fixing my eyes on the floor. I could tell by the sound of his voice he wanted to cry, it was shaking and the only time he'd cried was that night at prom when he begged me to wait for him. I wasn't going to listen to my heart this time; I was going to listen to my head. It was telling me to go and that's exactly what I was going to do, leave.

"I didn't do anything to us Troy" I replied coldly finally looking up at him "You did, now let me go"

"Not until you listen to me, Taylor, I made a mistake but I stopped it before it went any further I swear, It wasn't going to go further, as soon as it happened I regretted it" He pleaded looking into my eyes trying to find reason in me

"It went far enough Troy" I replied in the same cold manner

"I know baby, I know and I'm sorry" He replied finally letting the tears falls from his eyes "please just don't leave me, please I promise I'll make it up to you" He pleaded "I love you and only you, please I'm sorry"

"Troy don't do this please just let me go" I said grabbing his hand from my arm and placing the bracelet he gave me on my eighteenth into his hand. It was the first time, except for when I showered that that bracelet had left my wrist. It was never going back there again, ever.

"No Taylor, don't do this, don't throw us away, this is your bracelet it belongs to you" He said trying to shove back into my hand

"Not anymore" I whispered finding it hard to belief that this was happening to us. He finally loosened his grip and let me slip away. I looked up one last time to find his broken, tear stained face and had to fight with everything inside of me not to wipe those tears away and say its okay. Then I walked away, I walked away from him and I walked away from us.

I quickly wiped away my tears and left the house with Gabby, she decided it was best if she drove and we pulled away from them. At least I had a few days to get myself together before I had to see him again. I fell asleep on the drive home leaving Gabby with only the radio for company. I woke up ten hours later to Gabby singing along to one of her rock songs, she secretly enjoyed. We'd pulled into my drive and I had never been so happy to be home. I didn't see my Dad's car in the drive and figured he was working late, then I remembered he was away this weekend and that's why we'd planned on arriving back on Monday because my Dad was back Tuesday night.

"Sorry I wasn't much company" I smiled sympathetically at Gabby as we got out of the car and got our bags out.

"It's cool, I understand... hey why don't we call Sharpay to come over and we can have a sleep over" she smiled "like back in high school" I nodded agreeing that I needed cheering up and crazy pay was the one for the job.

"Good because I called her when we left Berkeley, she should be here any minute" Gabby replied smiling as I unlocked the door and let us in.

We changed into some sweats and tank top and ten minutes later Sharpay burst through the door using my spare key.

"Girlies" she called as we rushed downstairs to hug her. Once the dramatic reunion had taken place, we all settled down in the living room with a tub of chocolate ice cream between us. We'd been talking about how great life at university was and catching up on anything new that had happened. Sharpay cooed over Gabby's engagement ring and told us about her and Zeke's plans to move together in an apartment after Christmas break. Finally we came to the subject I was dreading the most, Troy. Shar knew because Gabby had saved me the trouble of telling her, when she talked to her earlier this morning

"Taylor, can we please talk about you and Troy now" Shar sensitively asked as my phone went off for the hundredth time that night, it was Troy again. I groaned and switched it off before throwing it across the room to the couch opposite us. I could feel my two friend exchange worried looks

"No, we can't and we will never talk about him ever again okay. Troy means nothing to me anymore" I replied bitterly looking ahead as I heard Shar sigh

"No, Taylor as your friend, I'm not going to let you do this! I know you still love him and he loves you so don't make any decision until you've heard him out" Shar said rubbing my arm

"I don't need to hear anyone out I saw it for myself okay" I quickly replied

"But Taylor... it's Troy if you guys break up there's no hope for the rest of us!" She exclaimed as I smirked

"Well maybe there is no hope, blame him he's the one who ruined it all!" I snapped back bitterly trying to fight back tears, every time I closed my eyes, I saw him and her kissing and him not pushing her away. Every time.

"But Tay don't you remember you guys this summer, the chocolates, the poems, the letter, the beach escapes. The cheesy ways he told you he loved you, your speech at graduation, the job at footlocker, the picnic in his place of peace..." Sharpay continued, each memory tearing me apart as she listed them.

Why was I one of those girls that told her best friends everything! I made a mental never to do that again. The letters, I remembered the letters he wrote me over summer, not because he went away just because he found it easier to write what he felt than say it sometimes. I had those ten letters in a box under my bed, along with the cards he'd given whenever he felt like getting me a card. Troy was spontaneous, he never usually had a just reason for giving me things, if he saw something he thought I'd like or something that reminded me of him he'd just get it for me, sometimes he said, he just had the urge to buy me a card and he would. Then there was his sometimes awful and sometimes good poetry, good or bad I loved it. The first poem he wrote me was because he'd searched all my favourite poets and apparently none of them described quite how he felt at that moment so he wrote it out for me. It sucked, big time but I never told him that, I kept it and thought about how much time he must have spent writing it and just how sweet of him it was to write it. The poems gradually got better after that.

"Stop Shar! Just stop it!" I shouted getting up "I need you guys to support me on this not remind me about what I've lost!" I said looking at both of them "I need you to support me"

"Well I can't, not if I think you're making a big mistake!" Shar replied

"I'm with Shar on this, I know what he did is wrong, very wrong and if it was any other boy I would have told you to dump him but this Troy Tay, your Troy. The boy who loved you more than life itself, don't completely rule him off until you've spoken to him properly, until you know his side" Gabby added

"Fine. But that doesn't mean I'm changing my mind!" I replied annoyed "where's my phone?" I asked looking around and spotting it where I'd thrown it.

I quickly turned it back on and saw the fifty missed calls and twenty five voice mails from him, I sighed as I dialled his number.

"Taylor" He sighed into the phone

"Come to Albuquerque now, we need to talk" I said into the phone before shutting it

"Happy?" I asked the two shocked girls on the couch

"Tay, when we said talk... we didn't mean like right now" Shar said slowly

"Yeah well you know me, I like to get things done as soon as possible" I shrugged sitting back on the couch with them. I was going to hear what that no good, cheating jerk had to say but I had made my mind up, Troy and I were over and that was final. I was doing this to get them off my back and that was the only reason.