Here it is. Hope you like it.

Gabriella walked through the doors of the school and was welcomed by Sharpay.

'Hi!' Sharpay smiled.

'Hey.' Gabriella smiled back.

'How are you?'

'Good. I have to ask you something…' Gabriella said but her voice trailed off.

Gabriella's eyes to Chris standing at his locker watching her smiling widely. Gabriella smiled back until she got a smack at her arm.

'DID YOU JUST SMILE TO CHRIS?!' Sharpay yelled.

'I… I… I didn't.' Gabriella stuttered.

'You so did. Look at me' Sharpay said softly.

Gabriella tore her eyes away from Chris and looked at Sharpay. She noticed Shar's watery eyes.

'You listen to me. I know, it's your choice, but I like you so… I want to warn you. That man is NOT good for you! Not for anyone! He hurts people! He makes them believe they're important to him, but he doesn't care at all! He hurts them with a smile on his face. He's…' Sharpay stopped and put her fingers over her mouth trying to keep her words and tears in.

Gabriella watched Sharpay with wide open eyes. What was Sharpay trying to tell her?

'I'm sorry. As I said. Your choice.' Sharpay said softly and walked off.

Gabriella looked back at Chris. He looked back and nodded once to ask her if she was okay. She just nodded back and went to her locker and leaned against it.

'What was that all about?' She heard and turned around quickly.

Troy was standing in front of her with his arms around him looking to the way Sharpay had left.

'Uhmm. I have no idea.' Gabriella said.

'Weird. I'll talk to her later.' Troy said and smiled to Gabriella.

'Hi, by the way.' He added.

'Hey.' Gabriella smiled.

Troy kissed her cheeks and opened his locker.

How could a boy like him be mean to someone? He looked so nice and sweet. She saw how Troy looked back at her and winked. She giggled and looked back in her locker. She closed it and stood next to him and saw his picture lying on top of his books. Just when she was about to ask who she was, Troy closed his locker. He started walking to next class and turned around when he noticed Gabriella wasn't following him.

'You're not coming?' Troy asked smiling.

'Uhm. Not yet. I'll be right there.' Gabriella said and smiled.

'Oh. Okay.' Troy said, flashed her a gorgeous smile and walked on.

Gabriella sighed and walked to Chris's locker and tapped his shoulder.

'Hey, Gabriella!' Chris smiled.

'Hi.' She smiled back.

'What's going on? Are you okay? Did she really freak out on you like that? Why?' He asked.

'Oh… Not important. It's just… I can't cancel on Troy because it's really for school.' She said.

'Are you sure? I mean…'

'I know… I know…' Gabriella said quickly.

'Well, If you really want to… And if he does something, you got mu number. You call me!' Chris said.

'I will.' She promised.

'Good.' Chris said.

There was a silence except the other pupils walking around, running to get to class on time. Gabriella noticed Chris staring at her.

'What?' She asked with a giggle.

Chris came closer and kissed her full lips. He quickly turned so she was standing with her back against the lockers. Her eyes widened as her hands found their way down to his chest and she pushed him backwards. He looked at her with confused eyes.

'I'm sorry. I don't want this.' Gabriella said slowly.

'Oh… Wel… Umm… That's fine…' Chris said looking down.

'Really?'

'Yeah… Just friends.' Chris smiled.

'Okay.' Gabriella smiled.

'Let's get you to class.' Chris said awkwardly.

'I'll just… go..' Gabriella said and walked off quickly.

After classes Gabriella studied in the library and had to get home for her project work thingy to get ready for Troy. The school were empty already. Gabriella was walking to her lockers when she suddenly heard a bam. She tiptoed further.

'What happened between you two?!' She heard Troy yell.

She flinched when she heard Troy's anger in his tone.

'Who?' She heard Chris say.

Her fists clenched. Troy WAS being mean to Chris… But when she heard Chris' voice, it seemed like Chris didn't even care. His voice was cold like ice, maybe even sarcastic.

'Ohh… You mean Gabriella?' Chris added.

'You leave her alone, you hear me?!' Troy yelled again.

Gabriella pushed her back against the wall hoping Troy wouldn't come her way. When it was quiet and Gabriella thought Troy had left the other she was about to walk to where she hoped Chris would still be until she heard another voice.

'You did it before. I hope she's smart enough to see what an asshole you are.' Sharpay said.

When Gabriella heard Sharpay's noisy heels fade, she ran to the place and saw Chris sit on the floor.

'Omg… Are you okay Chris?' She asked and ran up to him.

'Did you see what they did to me?! You finally believe me?' Chris asked.

'I do. I do.' Gabriella said and kissed his cheek.

'You still going to go to his house, later on?' Chris asked.

'I have to.' Gabriella said.

'But first, let me get you to the nurse.' Gabriella said helping him up.

'It's okay. I'm not hurt.' Chris said.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes. I'm going to head home, so. You have my number if he does something, right?'

'Absolutely.' Gabriella nodded.

'Okay, then. Bye, Gabriella.' He said, kissed her cheek and walked off.

Gabriella didn't know why but she felt so safe around Chris and she knew that he would help her through everything. She was scared about tonight and Troy but she had Chris' number so everything would be fine.

An hour later.

Gabriella was standing on the porch in front of Troy's house rocking on her heels and toes. She didn't knock or ring the doorbell yet. Her hand went to her pocket for the 20st time and felt her cellphone again. Okay, she had it with her. She had Chris' number. She was safe. Her finger pushed the doorbell and there was a soft ring. She heard footsteps and saw the light flicking on. The shadow became closer and closer. Gabriella's fingers almost crunched her celphone.

'God. No. Leave, now.' She said to herself.

She turned around and started jumping off the stairs.

'Gabriella?' She froze when she heard Troy's voice from behind her back.

She turned around slowly and looked up at Troy.

'You were leaving again? This soon?' Troy asked and flashed her the smile that used to make her head spin but now, she felt nothing but angst.

Come on! MOVE! SAY SOMETHING! MOVE, GABRIELLA!!!

Gabriella faked a smile and walked back up.

'I thought there was nobody home.' She lied smoothly.

'You didn't see the lights?' Troy asked.

Gabriella just shook her head and walked in with Troy.

'Let me take your coat.' Troy said and took off her coat and was about to hang it in the dressed.

MY CELL!

'WAIT!!' Gabriella yelled.

Troy jumped a little and turned around confused. He saw Gabriella standing in front of him, with her knees bent a little and her hands in front of her.

'Gabriella, what are you doing?' Ha asked.

'Nothing, it's just… My cell is still in my coat and…. And… I need it.' Gabriella said stuttering.

'Oh. Okay.' Troy said and gave her her coat.

Gabriella took her cell and clenched her fist around it. She gave Troy back her coat and looked around the house. She saw nobody what she thought was strange because she just screamed her heart out for her cell. I mean, wouldn't it be normal if parents would come and check if their son wasn't killing or threatening a nice girl?

'Where are your parents?' Gabriella asked carefully.

'They're not home tonight. You want a drink?' Troy asked.

'Yes, water is fine.'

Troy went to the kitchen and brought her a glass of water. She drank in one sip and gave it back.

'thirsty much?' He asked smiling.

'Yeah.' She said.

He set the glass on the table and invited Gabriella upstairs. Troy walked up the stairs followed by a careful and wary Gabriella. Troy opened his bedroomdoor and let Gabriella in. She looked around and found everywhere pictures of that same girl as in his locker. In some pictures she saw Troy with his arms around her smiling. Gabriella turned around when she heard the door being closed and saw how Troy followed her gaze to the pictures.

'Who is she?' Gabriella asked.

Troy's bright blue eyes flashed back at Gabriella deep brown ones. He sighed and sat down on the floor next to his bed.

'Rebecca. She was my first girlfriend I really loved. She was amazing, sweet, beautiful, funny, smart… Everything a guy wants. And for some strange, crazy way… She wanted me too.' Troy said smiling dreamy.

Gabriella came next to him and sat down in front of him. His eyes flashed back at her face and already tears were streaming down his face.

How can a boy this hurt can be such a jerk? And jeez, stop crying. I can't stand that.

'What happened with her?' She asked looking down, not looking at his face so she won't cry herself.

'She uhmm… She got sick when we were together for about 2 years. She had cancer. She was in pain and the doctors all said the same. It was impossible to save her. Everyone gave up on her, except me and her. We kept on fighting. I went to chemo with her and held her hair when she got sick afterwards. When she fell asleep in the car or downstairs, I carried her upstairs, changed her into her pyjamas and lay her down in her bed. I convinced her almost every day to make her eat until…' He looked down and a sob escaped his throat.

Gabriella watched him with her mouth hanging open. Was he just opening up to her when they just knew each other for less than a week? Did he keep all his emotions in until now, they became too much? Gabriella handled without thinking. Her hand slipped over the floor and grabbed Troy's hand. She squeezed it gently and when he looked back at her she smiled softly. He cleared his throat and found the strength to speak again.

'She got sicker. She didn't want to eat anymore so we had to bring her to the hospital again. The cancer was touching her liver. That was the beginning of the end.' He said.

His free hand found its way under his bed and pulled out a box. He pushed it in her direction. She took off the top and looked in it. The box was filled with pictures of a pale girl in a hospital bed. Sleeping, sometimes away. Gabriella looked to her side where was a picture of Rebecca before she got sick, Gabriella thought. It was incredible to see the difference between the girl in the two pictures. On the first one, she had a faint blush around her cheeks, full red lips, bouncy brown hair, held by a smiling Troy. sparkling green eyes. On the other one, her skin was pale white, almost grey, her hair was mat pinned up, her lips were almost the same color as her skin, and her eyes were darker then on the other pictures and Troy was sitting next to her bed holding her hand, eyeing her carefully.

'She died two days after that picture. She didn't have the power to fight any longer. She just couldn't…' Troy sobbed again.

Gabriella pushed the box away and shoved closer to Troy. Troy buried his head in her neck and cried. Gabriella felt a tear roll down her face. This could not be the boy she had heard earlier that day. Or did he have reasons to be like that to Chris? She had no idea. The only thing she knew was that she had to talk to Chris about everything.