Chapter 22

Troy took out his vibrating cell. It was Gabriella.

"Hello?"

"Troy?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I'm just calling to tell you something…. Big."

"Uh, okay…."

"Well, I made it to Wisconsin."

"That's cool."

"I met up with my old friends, and I've decided something."

Troy felt his stomach turn.

"I've decided to stay up here."

"What?!" "Yeah. I mean, all of my friends are here."

"What about your friends at East High?"

"I have more here."

Troy was silent.

"Troy, I'm sorry. But this is my decision."

Troy hung up. He couldn't stand to hear her anymore.

First she broke his heart by telling him to go after Sharpay, and now this? He couldn't take it.

He felt madness inside of him. He was so upset with Gabriella. He couldn't see her anymore. He couldn't see his one true love.

****

"Hello, Emmy. I am Doctor Lacy."

"Hey."

Emmy was sitting in Doctor Lacy's office, Sharpay next to her.

"So, I hear you've had some troubles."

"Yeah."

"Could you tell me some of them?" Emmy took a deep breath. "Well, first I got addicted to smoking, alcohol, and drugs. Then, I ran away and tried to kill myself."

Lacy nodded. "Well, Emmy, I could send you to jail. You shouldn't be drinking at such a young age. But I won't, because I think we can get through this."

Sharpay glared at Lacy. "Don't even think about sending her to jail."

Lacy gapped at Sharpay. "Well, I'm not…."

"Do you know how much she's bee through? A lot." Sharpay was not happy.

"Young lady, I'm not going to send her to jail."

"Well, don't threaten."

"I wasn't."

Sharpay crossed her arms.

"Getting back to the point, Emmy, I understand you want to get better, right?"

Emmy nodded.

"Well, this may take a while, but I won't give up on you."

Emmy nodded again, showing that she was paying attention.

"Now, to get started, let's do some exercises." Lacy closed her eyes and sat back in her chair. "We are going to relax and clear our minds of everything…."

Emmy did what Lacy did, while Sharpay took out her phone. She had just gotten a new text…. from Troy.

troy: hey! i decided i'll go 2 the royalty dance with u

Sharpay didn't know what to say. Troy was asking her out….. Although he had already asked her earlier, he didn't really mean it. This time, she believed that he meant it.

But, why? What about Gabriella?

DramaQueenPrincess451: y?

troy: y not?

DramaQueenPrincess451: idk. What about gabi?

troy: L uh, no.

DramaQueenPrincess451: sorry, but i can't. i can't c gabi get hrt.

troy: she's not coming back.

DramaQueenPrincess451: what?

troy: she wnt to Wisconsin, and she's gonna stay there.

DramaQueenPrincess451: REALLY?!

troy: yeah.

DramaQueenPrincess451: sad! L

troy: yes or no?

DramaQueenPrincess451: troy, i can't. it wouldn't seem right to go with u, even if gabi is gone. Sorry.

troy: fine.

DramaQueenPrincess451: BUT WAIT! I FOUND EM----

Her battery ran out.

****

Gabriella smiled as Sandy told her about how people have been since she had left.

"But we all really missed you."

"Well, I'm here now!"

"Did you tell your mom yet? You know, that you're going to stay here?"

"No. I've gotten, like, forty calls from her on my cell. She's worried sick."

"Then call her back!"

"No! She'll tell me to come home!"

Sandy looked at her. "Don't make her worried. It's not fair to her."

Gabriella knew she was right, but she still wasn't going to call.

Sandy sighed. "So, who was this Troy guy you called?"

"One of my friends."

"Really?"

Gabriella nodded.

"Okay." Sandy had a look on her face that said, "you are so more than friends".

"I used to like him, you know, like-like, but it just didn't work out."

"What happened?"

"One of my other friends deserved him. Not me."

"Gabi, you can't give up guys like that. You just can't."

"Well, it wasn't going to work, okay?"

Sandy nodded.

"Maybe it would've…. But it's too late now." Gabriella wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Gabriella, if you like him and he likes you back, you shouldn't just let him go."

"Well, I did, and it's too late to fix anything."

"Are….. Are you in love with him?"

Gabriella felt her hands sweat. This was the question she hated the most. Did she love Troy?

"Well, no, I'm falling in love with him…."

"Oh. Well, then you shouldn't just go and give him up!"

Gabriella realized her mistake. She also realized something else.

"Oh, no."

"What?"

Gabriella turned to Sandy. "I'm not falling in love with him…. I'm in love with him!"