12th September

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

…

Someone smiled at me in the corridor today. Someone said hi to me when they passed as I put things back in my locker. Someone stopped and picked up my pencil when I dropped it accidentally. And someone, other than my new best friends Kelsi and Taylor, talked to me.

It seems that if you humiliate Troy Bolton, you get new friends.

People want to talk to you, want to find out exactly what I said to him and find out if the rumours circulating around school are true. Yep, I've got rumours going around about me and Troy Bolton. Everyone wants a little piece of the girl who told Troy off, and I don't like it. I'm finally noticed, in completely the wrong way. I've never wanted to be noticed, never in my life. I was fine being the girl no-one saw, the one that hid behind herself.

So why now of all times do I have to be centre of attention?

And the thing that gets me the most is that they don't wan to know me; they want a piece of gossip. I'm all for making new friends, but the people who want me aren't friend material. They just want something to spread, which would end up biting right back at me in the future.

The funny thing is, they are acting like this has never happened before. Surely someone must have stood up to him before. He'd begging for trouble acting like that, and surely he knows that too. He's too cocky and arrogant for his own good, and he has to realise that soon.

The good news was that he avoided me for the rest of the day yesterday. I seemed to have scared him off, at least for a little while - something that I'm a bit proud of. So he was off my back, and today I never really saw him. He must have been avoiding me. Even Kelsi, my musical mate mentioned the reluctance Troy seemed to hold as he left the classroom in order to go to History - a subject we share. But I'm really not bothered. In fact I'd rather he stayed away from me for good.

If there's one person I really don't need, it's Troy Bolton.

I managed to get home today without seeing anyone or having anyone come up to me. Sometimes I think they want my autograph. In my last entry I said that Albuquerque just kept getting better. And I was right. I'm learning to really like Albuquerque.

I'm learning that the multi-coloured trees are beautiful. I'm learning that the rain which falls nearly every day is gorgeous. I'm learning that my next door neighbour isn't actually my mothers stalker, but actually just a guy that used to know her and wondered if she was the person he thought she was. And I'm finally realising that the people who live here are exactly that same as the people in LA. They are no different, they all have human traits.

And people like me. Even if it was for the wrong reasons.

I repeat, I don't want to be popular; not in the slightest. But getting noticed every once and a while is quite comforting in a sense. I must admit that back in my old school I felt quite lonely. No-one except my friends spoke to me. But here, everyone, nearly everyone, is welcoming.

It's nice; I feel I belong.

Something I've never really felt in a place before, except vaguely for LA. But Albuquerque is so different to LA, and I'm beginning to like my new city better.

The one thing that would top it off, would be if Troy Bolton stayed out of my way. But I know he won't let this go that easily. Rumours are rumours, and the rumours state that Troy Bolton gets what he wants.

Does he want me?

I hope not.

Because he isn't getting me, that's for sure.

...

A/N; Happy Upload Day! Another chapter - keep reviewing!