Chapter 21

Gabriella read from her book as she sat on the airplane. She knew she should still be in the hospital, she knew she should've told her mother, she knew she shouldn't be leaving the state when school was still in session for the year…. But her friend needed her.

She was in-between two guys. One was middle-aged, and one was around her age.

"Hey," said the younger one.

"Well, hi," said the other one, "my name is Joey. What is yours?"

"Uh, I wasn't talking to you."

"Oh."

Gabriella smiled. "I'm Gabriella."

"Pretty name."

"Thank you."

"I'm Joseph."

"Oh my God!" shrieked Joey, like a little girl. "My real name is Joseph! Joey is just my nickname!"

Joseph rolled his eyes.

Gabriella went back to reading her book. Although, it wasn't that easy….

"So, are you single?" Joseph asked.

"Well, my girlfriend just broke up with me," Joey said.

"Dude! I am not talking to you!" Joseph looked annoyed.

"Oh."

"Yeah, I'm single," Gabriella said.

"Oh. So am I!"

Gabriella tried to look happy, but she didn't really care if Joseph was single or not.

"I hate planes," Joey said, sitting back. "I get sick."

Gabriella wasn't happy to hear this.

"Nobody cares if you get sick!" Joseph yelled.

"Well, excuse me," Joey said, sneering.

"Guys, could you quit arguing? I'm trying to read."

"Sorry," the said at the same time.

Gabriella sighed. This was going to be a long ride.

****

"EMMY! EMMY, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Sharpay had been out looking for Emmy for a while now. It had began raining and she was tired.

"GOD, EMMY! I'M SORRY! JUST COME ON! I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU ALL MORNING!"

There was no answer.

Sharpay sat down. She might not have even taken the right way. She was probably wasting her time searching.

She was full of mud and wetness, she was tired, she smelled bad…. It was not her morning.

It rained even harder as the morning progressed. Trying to ignore her urge to lay down and sleep, Sharpay kept going.

"EMMY! LOOK, I'M SORRY! I AM!"

She continued calling and running and worrying.

After a while, Sharpay looked at her watch. It was 5:00 A.M.

"EMMY!"

"Wh- what?"

Sharpay was startled. She turned in the direction the voice had come from. "Emmy?"

She looked behind a bush to see Emmy sitting there. She looked even worse than Sharpay. She was shaking.

"Oh God, Emmy!" Sharpay leaned down and hugged her, no matter how dirty she was.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came after you. I got worried."

Emmy gave a hint of a smile. She closed her eyes. "I need to talk to Troy."

"Okay. Then, you have to come with me…."

"I can't go back. I can't."

"Why not?"

Emmy held out her hand. "Look at me! I'm crazy!"

Sharpay looked down at Emmy's hand. "OH MY GOD! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Emmy drew her hand back in, realizing her mistake. "I cut myself. On purpose."

"Oh, God Emmy! Why?"

"I thought I had nothing to live for. But, then I realized that doing it wouldn't solve anything."

Sharpay began to cry. "Emmy, don't ever think that again. You have a cousin who loves you very much." Sharpay took off the 'T' necklace. "And his name begins with a T."

Emmy took the necklace. "I miss him."

"I know. But, Emmy, I think that you have to get serious help, besides Amy. If you're hurting yourself, you really need to go in."

Emmy drew back a little. "I don't want to."

"Emmy, you have to trust me."

Emmy began to cry herself. "I can't believe how messed up I've become. Look at me! Just look at me!"

Sharpay wiped her eyes. "Emmy, you are beautiful, but you need to get help so that your inner beauty can show more."

"Sharpay?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Sharpay looked at her. "Well, the reason I came out here was to impress Troy, but once I started looking, I really wanted to find you. I got worried, because it was my fault that you ran away. And I'm sorry."

Emmy put her head on her knee. "I don't want to go in for help. Amy is enough."

"Amy probably wasn't the best choice for you. You need a more suitable person who knows how to deal with your issue."

The rain pounded down harder. Emmy shivered more.

Sharpay took off her sweatshirt and put it around Emmy.

"Thank you."

Sharpay smiled as she took out her phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"A place where you can get help."

Emmy put her hands on her face.

"Do not be ashamed, Emmy. They're going to help you."

Emmy didn't take her hand off her face.

Sharpay dialed the number, trying to shield her phone from the rain.

****

"Gabriella?!"

Gabriella had successfully made it to Wisconsin. She was now standing in front of her friend, Sandy.

"Hi, Sandy," she said as they hugged each other. "I'm sorry to here about Matt."

Sandy pulled away from her. "Matt? Matt is fine."

"What?"

"I was talking about my dad."

It was then that Gabriella realized that on the phone Sandy hadn't deciphered who she was talking about. "Oh, well, I guess I just assumed it was Matt."

Sandy nodded, understanding.

"But, anyways, I'm here-- ow!"

"What's wrong?"

"I got injured at school. I've been in the hospital."

"Why aren't you in the hospital?"

"My friends are more important."

"Gabi, no. You need to get to a hospital right now."

"Sandy, I'm fine."

Sandy shook her head. "You've grown a lot since I've seen you. As a person, I mean."

"So have you."

Sandy nodded. "I'm more confident. It seems like you're more confident, too."

"Yeah, I have been."

"That's good."

"So, are you and Matt still going strong?"

"Yeah. I mean, things have been a little different since my father left, but we're cool. Have you met any guys?"

"Yeah, but not the right one. I mean, you know how things are."

Sandy nodded. "Well, welcome back to Grace Academy."

Gabriella smiled up at the big school. The memories were sensational.

"Do you wanna come and see everybody?"

"Yeah."

Sandy and Gabriella walked into the school, reunited in friendship.