Gabriella crooked her head, inspecting herself in the mirror. She moved her hips side to side, feeling her dress sway; a salmon colored strapless, sweetheart neckline dress that hit above her knee. She didn't want to go too over the top for a Spring Dance. She walked backwards to her bed, leaning against it while slipping on her gold strap heels. She turned her head as she heard a soft knock on her door. "Come in."

Sharpay slipped through the door, releasing Zeke's hand as he too walked in. "Hey. You look great." the blonde smiled. A white halter type dress along with white pumps covered her petite slight pale body. She sat on Gabriella's small couch, watching the brunette hook on her gold heart necklace.

"Thanks. So do you. I just feel like I'm imposing on your guys' date to the dance. A third wheel type of thing." Gabriella said, sliding her pink lip-gloss on and rubbing her soft lips together. She stood in her mirror once again this time observing her straightened and left down hair.

"Don't worry. It's alright, Gabs." Sharpay replied, reassuringly with a small smile. She stood up and played with Zeke's matching white tie. "Isn't it Zeke?"

Zeke nodded, chuckling. "Yeah. We'll just be dropping you off, before we head to our awaiting room at the Marriott after the dance." He sucked in a breath as Sharpay pulled on his tie, glaring and leaving him gasping for air.

Gabriella laughed, shaking her head. "It's okay. Please, don't go into details about what you two are going to do there though." She grabbed her clutch off her nightstand and nodded. "I'm ready." She cooed as she turned to see Zeke and Sharpay holding hands, looking at her. "You guys remind me to bring my camera."

"I told you, we were and look like a movie star couple." Sharpay muttered to Zeke with a smile. She pecked him on the lips, opening the bedroom door as Gabriella retrieved from her closet. She giggled as Zeke pinched her bottom, grinning ear to ear.

Gabriella cringed as she saw the couples actions from behind. She rolled her eyes, shutting her bedroom's door behind her. "Third wheel it is." she mumbled under her breath.

Gabriella sat at the dances table, looking around the large cafeteria. Miltie-colored lights and laser lights sprinted across the dance floor, red flowers were the center pieces for the navy covered tables. Sharpay and Zeke were grinding against one another, same for Chad and Taylor and Kelsi and Jason. Troy was no where to be found as a new electro song began to play. She sighed, standing up and grabbing her clutch.

"Gabs, where are you going?" Sharpay asked, over the loud music as she walked toward her friend. She took a sip of her water, letting out a breath as the cold drink ran down her throat.

"Just to get some fresh air." Gabriella replied, smiling. She pointed back toward the dance floor. "Go. Your boyfriend is waiting for you."

Sharpay cocked a hip out, arching a brow at Gabriella. "Are you sure? I mean, you've just been sitting here ever since the dance floor started. I can always ditch Zeke."

Gabriella chuckled, shaking her head. "Shar, go have some fun. I'm okay." She waved as Sharpay eyed her once more, before walking back toward the dance floor. Gabriella turned her heel, walking toward the cafeteria's exit door. She let out a breath as she felt the slight breeze run up her. She opened her clutch, taking out a cigarette and a lighter. She felt relief wash over her as she slowly allowed the smoke to escape from her.

"Since when do you smoke?"

Gabriella jumped up, feeling her stomach drop as she turned around to see Caleb smirking at her. "Caleb." she said, uneasily, dropping and stomping on her cigarette. "Wh..what are you doing here?"

"I go here too, you know. The question is what are you doing out here alone?" Caleb asked, stepping closer toward her. He felt her tense up as he twirled one of her curls in between his fingers. "I would've thought that a beautiful girl like you would have a date or some sort." He paused for a moment, chuckling. "Oh, that's right. You and Bolton broke up. I'm surprised he's not here already being your knight and shining armor."

"Leave me the hell alone." Gabriella spat, slapping his hand away. She turned around, beginning to make her way back toward the cafeteria doors.

Caleb let out a breath, grabbing her wrist. "You like when I do this, don't you?" he asked, pushing her against the bench. He glared at her as he heard a whimper escape her lips. He gripped her chin, forcing her eyes to meet with his. "Tell me what you want Gabriella."

"Please, Caleb." Gabriella croaked out, feeling tears begin to leak from her eyes. She let out a yelp as his hand pushed her dress up, rubbing his thumb on the inside of her thigh. "Stop." she cried, pushing his chest away. Tears began rolling down her cheeks as he gripped her waist, moving her to the side of the school.

"I'm stronger than you are, Montez. There's no way in hell you're getting away. Just enjoy the moment." he said, darkly, while continuing to walk the two down the alley-like way. He pushed her against the wall as they reached the very back, pushing her dress up. "Come on. I won't hurt you like Bolton did."

Gabriella pushed him with all her strength, crying as he wouldn't budge. "Stop!" she cried; fear, worry and sadness washing through her. "Help!" She sucked in a breath as his hand connected to her cheek, leaving a stinging sensation.

"Shut up. Who's around here, huh? Is anybody gonna hear you? Keep quiet."

Gabriella continued to cry as he pressed his lips against her collarbone. "Help!" she cried, desperate for someone, anyone to come as he moved his hands to her dresses zipper.

"I thought I told you to clean up your room, Troy." Mrs. Bolton, Bethany said, groaning in frustration as she picked up the pair of jeans that laid on Troy's bedroom floor.

Troy rolled his eyes, sitting on his bed and taking a bite of his cereal; Fruit Loops. "Mom, it's 9:30 at night. I can't now. I have TV to watch." he grinned, changing the channel to E! where one of his favorite shows, The Girls Next Door was on. "Oh, yes." he whispered, taking another bite of his cereal.

Bethany shook her head at her son, seeing him in a pair of black socks, silver basketball shorts and a plain red t-shit. "Tomorrow we have brunch with the wedding planner, along with the Montez'. I expect to see you in a completely different attire than that." she said, straightening her black suit jacket as she and Mr. Bolton were going to an dinner for the company Mr. Bolton worked at.

"Whatever, mother. Just go have fun at your little dinner. I'll see you later."

"I thought you were going to that dance tonight?" Bethany asked, crossing her arms.

Troy shrugged. "Nah. I've got other things to do, like sit here and watch the beautiful Holly on Girls Next Door."

Bethany rolled her eyes, walking toward the door. "Goodnight, Troy. Behave." she replied, closing the door behind her.

"Chad, wait!" Taylor giggled as her boyfriend of two and a half years, continued to nip at her neck. She felt him push her against the wall as they reached the side of the cafeteria. "We can't do anything right here. We have to go to the end like we always do."

Chad groaned, grabbing Taylor's hand and running down the side with Taylor beside. He stopped quickly as the view of a figure on top of another came into view from the very end. "Hey!" he yelled, watching as the top figure jetted off quickly.

Taylor let go of Chad's hand, eyeing the crying figure, slowly leaning their back against the brick wall. She turned around seeing Chad standing a few feet behind her. Turning back around, her breath hitched as she saw her close friend sitting there. Shaking, crying, red cheeks, her lips were cut and slightly bleeding, the bottom of her right eye was parshly purple, her left heel was broken, while her underwear at the hem of her dress. "Oh my god."

Gabriella slowly turned, hearing the familiar voice. "Tay." she croaked, watching as Chad soon walked over with the color of his face draining.

"Oh gosh, Gabi. What happened to you?" Taylor asked, softly, kneeling down to her friend and wiping the blood off the brunette's lip.

"H..he tried to r..rape me." Gabriella hiccuped, feeling Taylor's arms wrap around her fragile body. "I..I kept telling him to stop. Don't tell anyone..please."

Taylor turned around, looking at Chad. "Go get Sharpay and Zeke. We have to get her home." she said, watching Chad run back down the building. "Gabi, who did this to you?"

"No one." Gabriella cried, gripping onto Taylor's arms. "Please, don't take me to my house. My..my parents are there. Th..they can't see me like this." She moved her arms to her underwear, feeling the aches in her body as she attempted to pull her body up. She let out a loud sob as she shifted her underwear up and plopped back onto the concrete. "I feel so..so gross."

"Come on." Taylor whispered, lifting her friend up. She wrapped her arms around her, feeling her bare shoulder become wet.

"What the hell happened?" Sharpay asked, jogging toward the two, concern evident in her voice.

Gabriella shook her head. "I just wanna get out of here." she whispered, embarrassed as all eyes were on her.

Sharpay sighed, nodding. "Zeke go get the car started." She looked at Gabriella, sadly, wondering who would do this to her. She pursed her lips together, knowing the one person who could get her to talk and actually make her feel better. "You wanna go to Troy's, sweetie?"

"Yeah." Gabriella cried, wanting so badly to be in his arms, not even caring about the measures the two were on. She needed him.

Troy groaned, hearing his phone ring. "Right when Kendra was getting naked." he muttered, grabbing the phone and pressing talk. "Hello?"

"Open your front door." Zeke said, sternly. "Now."

"Woah, daddy dearest. What's up?" Troy asked, walking out of his bedroom. He let out a chuckle as he heard a long sigh erupt from Zeke's lips. "It was just a joke, Baylor. I'm coming." He jogged down the stairs, unlocking the front door. His stupid grin wiped off his face as he saw Gabriella sobbing with her face in her hands. "Gabriella?"

Gabriella sniffled, walking toward him. "Troy." she cried, leaning her body on his chest. A shiver ran up her spine as she felt him wrap his strong arms around her body.

Troy looked up at Sharpay and Taylor who were standing there, sadly. "What happened?" he asked, tightening his grip on Gabriella.

"She'll tell you." Taylor whispered, her lip quivering as the thought of what would've happened if she and Chad didn't get there rang in her mind. "We'll see you later."

Sharpay smiled weakly at the two. "This time actually take care of her, Bolton." she said, before turning around and walking toward Zeke's car.

Troy kicked the door shut, confused. Nothing was heard except the brunette's muffled sobs as she cried into his chest. "What happened, Gabi?" he asked, soothingly.

"I..I'm so scared, Troy." Gabriella said, looking into his light blue eyes. "I just want you to hold me and tell me everything will be alright."

"Come on." Troy whispered, lifting her legs around his waist and walking the two back up his stairs. He sat her on his bed, turning off his TV. He glanced toward her bruised face and the small scratches on her arms and legs. "What happened?"

"You'll hate me." Gabriella cried, watching as the boy whom she loved sat on the bed, running his hand through her hair. She crawled to the other side of him, slipping into the bed and feeling warmth as the comforter hit her cold body.

Troy shook his head, wiping the blood that stained her lips. "I could never hate you. Just tell me what's wrong?"

"I walked out of the dance to take a smoke," Gabriella began, remembering Troy was one of the first ones who caught her smoking during their first relationship, "I was just standing there and then I turn around to see Ca..Caleb."

Troy felt his body tense up, chewing on his lip not even wanting to know what he did to her.

"He started saying crap like he did the other day, when he grabbed my arm. I told him to leave me alone and when I began to walk back toward the doors, he grabbed my wrist and pushed me against my back." She wiped her tears, trying not to stop or stutter as she saw the anger and anxiousness in Troy's eyes. "He started touching me, even though I kept saying stop. He dragged me down to the back end of the building and he started.." Gabriella let out a sob, remembering it all, "he moved his hand up my dress, he kept kissing me and he just touched me everywhere."

"Did he rape you?" Troy asked, huskily.

Gabriella shook her head. "No, Taylor and Chad got there before he could finish pulling my panties down. I..I'm so sorry, Troy."

Troy narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything, baby." he said, oblivious to the words rolling off his tongue.

"I just feel so gross. What if he really had raped me? I wouldn't have been able to go through that. Please though Troy. Don't say or do anything. I just want this to be all over." Gabriella cried, gripping onto his shirt, pulling him closer. She felt his body melting into her own.

Troy kissed her on the temple, moving her hair out of her face. He sighed and pulled her closer, grabbing his cellphone. "It's okay, Gabi. I promise. I'll make sure he never hurts you again." he whispered, making sure that she didn't see his actions on his phone as she cried into his chest. He looked down at her and shook his head, before pressing send.

"Where are we going? It's three in the fucking morning. I'm exhausted." Chad groaned as he sat in the passenger seat of Troy's car. He turned to Zeke who was in the back seat, doing a cross word puzzle as Troy wouldn't answer. "Do you know where we're going?"

"To kick Caleb's ass." Zeke answered, not turning away from his book.

Chad sighed, looking at Troy who was turning into Albuquerue's Tallen Park. "Oh, great. I really want to go to jail tonight. Please, Jesus, I know I'm not the greatest one, but I'll do anything not to go jail."

Troy rolled his eyes, parking the car in the parking lot that only had one car; Caleb's. "Shut up. I'll be the only one kicking his ass. You guys are the look outs. This fucking bastard is crazy if he thinks that I'm going to not do anything after what he did to Gabriella."

"Then Gabriella must be crazy too. She thinks that you're laying in your bed asleep with her right now and that you aren't going to do anything to Caleb." Zeke said, smiling innocently as Troy glared at him.

"Well, I don't know why Jason couldn't come. I mean, yeah, I want Caleb dead after what he did to her, but come on! I have to go to jail for it? That's shit."

Troy shook his head, getting out of the car. "You're not going to jail. Just call me on cellphone and drive away if anyone sees you guys or me, okay?"

"Fine." Zeke mumbled, slipping into the drivers seat. He let out a loud breath as he watched Troy shift his black hoodie and begin walking toward the small football field where Caleb often practiced running during this time. "What happened this past New Years, when we said we wanted to go with a drama free year?"

Chad shrugged. "I don't know, why we would even do that. Look who we're friends with."

--

Troy walked to the small football field that was used for little football league games. He crossed his arms, glaring at Caleb who was walking back toward the sidelines, oblivious to him.

Caleb looked up, seeing a pair of Nike's planted on the ground. He smiled at Troy, waving. "Oh, Bolton. What a pleasure. What brings you out here this time a day?" he asked, standing in front of Troy.

"You know. Just to take care of a few things." Troy shrugged, moving his hands to his jacket's pockets. "So, how was the dance? I hear it was a real knock out."

"It was fun. I had a blast. Me and Gabriella danced all night long. I'm glad I got to see that side of her." Caleb smirked, watching the taller guy arch a brow at him.

"Really? Well, you can dance with her. That's cool because me and Gabriella aren't together." Troy let out a loud sarcastic laugh. "What you can't do is fucking touch her." he said, punching an unexpecting Caleb in the mouth.

Caleb let out a loud groan as he moved his hand to his mouth, removing it to see blood. "What the fuck?" He let out a load groan once again as Troy kicked him, glaring at him.

"You wanna touch Gabriella the way you did again, sorry ass? Come on. You were such a badass with her, why can't you do the same now? Or are you that much of a pussy?" Troy yelled, feeling all his anger come out. The anger that he held in earlier for Gabriella. He punched the boy once again, shaking his hand.

"I only touched her because she begged me to, son of a bitch. Lucky your little friends arrived before we could do anything else. I'm gonna go out on a lim and say she's a nice fuck."

Troy kicked him in the stomach, making him fall in the grass. "I swear to god if you ever come near her again, I'll kill you and make it ten times worse than what it is right now. I couldn't give a flying fuck about what would happen afterwards. You got that?" He kicked him once again as he stayed silent. "I said do you got that?"

"Chill, man." Zeke said, running beside Troy. "There's some couple here having a moonlight picnic. Chad spotted them. We should go, before they spot us."

Troy nodded, breathing heavily. "Yeah, let's go." he muttered, seeing the blood on Caleb's hands. He turned around and began to walk back toward his car.

Zeke looked at Caleb who was groaning. "Stay the hell away or else Troy won't even have to kill you. I will." He kicked Caleb once again, smiling proudly as turned around, following Troy. "That felt good."

Troy sat on his bed, beginning to take off his shoes, ignoring the pain that captured his hand. He kicked his tennis shoes off and turned off the light, before slipping next to Gabriella. He lifted the blanket to cover his body, slowly snuggling into Gabriella, smelling her strawberry shampoo.

Gabriella's turned around, smiling weakly as she saw Troy. Relief taking over her as she woke up minutes ago, worry taking over her as she found that he wasn't there. She didn't want to be alone. "Where were you?" she asked.

"Chad and Zeke just stopped by to see how you were doing." Troy whispered. "Go back to sleep."

Gabriella nodded, snuggling into him. She let out a sigh in content, smelling the mix of aftershave and cologne on his shirt. "Thanks you, Troy." she whispered, feeling his hand slowly rub over back that was covered with one of his large shirts.

"Anything for you, Gabi."

A/N: Not the longest chapter, but it's an update. I am so sorry. My laptop crashed so I had to reload everything back up and get it fixed. That took about two or three days with all my catching up and re-typing. During the crash I also lost my file for my new story, which sucks so that will be a little while longer. Blah. I've been in a bliss with all the HSM3 stuff so that also pushed me back (Sad, I know.) and some personal stuff came up. It's all good now though, so I definitely should be updating sooner. Thanks for the reviews. Love 'em. This chapter is sorta-kinda the closing to something, I'll leave it up to you to decide/guess. Anyways, it'd be awesome if you reviewed. Thank you!