Thanks so much for the guys who read and review so often: pumpkinking5, Ceciliaa93, Beuty6, JustRememberx3. You guys are amazing and keep me encouraged. Thanks so much. Warning: A tiny bit of fluff appears in this chapter.

Troy: Hey! Grace don't you think it's about time you gave them a proper chapter?
Me: I'm trying to. Do you have any idea how busy the last year of school is?
Troy: Uh duh! I graduated remember? Now hurry up and say the disclaimer.
Me: Disclaimer? Don't you know I own High School Musical?
Troy: Liar, liar pants on fire. You don't own High School Musical, the storyline or the characters.
Me: Thanks for saying it for me. I only own my own characters… :P
Troy: Nuts…

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Dear Diary

I don't know what happened. I told Troy everything. Well, everything up to where my dad left us and then I couldn't continue. Hurt I thought I had buried deep down and far away, rose in me again and almost choked me. I was breaking into pieces right in front of him. And Troy, somehow he knew just what I needed most. He gave me what even my mother couldn't give me. What Alex would think is wrong and weird. Troy gave me a shoulder to cry on. A shirt to pour my tears out on. Arms to hug me, pressing the pieces of my heart closer back to where they were supposed to be. Troy is the best thing that has happened to me ever since mom died. Somehow, he knows what I need when I need it. Why? How can he read me like that? I thought I was well hidden. Not even Alex could see into me. What is different about Troy?

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I hugged my knees close to myself smiling at Alex who was watching the movie fascinated. Alex had joined us about a week after I had cried my heart out into Troy's shirt. Troy had disappeared again. His mom said something about another two day basketball camp. I wasn't really paying attention. I was just so happy to have my brother back at home that I almost didn't miss Troy around the house… Almost. Troy confused me. He was gone so much that we barely knew each other but he was perfectly willing to take a strange girl into his arms and hold her while she cried. Heck, he had undressed me when I had tried to catch my death of a cold. Was that a sign that he was a player? That he was cool and friendly with all girls?

"No," I begged to myself silently, "Please don't let him be a player. Please let him be a gentleman." My heart wouldn't be able to take it if made me think he cared about me and left. I wasn't in love with him. I didn't even like him remotely that way, but he was the closest thing I had to a friend even with knowing almost nothing about him. And I had already lost everyone else.

"Gabby!" Alex called to me cheerfully, "Movie's done. You wanna go get some ice-cream or something," his wonderful brown eyes twinkling at me from his wheelchair.

"Uh… Sure" I started to say when the front door banged open startling me and causing me to vault of from the cream coloured couch.

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"What's up, people?" Troy's cheerful voice rang through the house. He dropped his duffel bags in the hallway and ventured into the den. He grinned at a startled Gabriella before turning to the kid who was grinning cheekily up at him from a wheelchair, "What's up, bro?" he asked coming closer and fist pumped his hand.

"What's up," he answer smiling, "I'm Alex.."

"Brie's bro," Troy nodded at her, "Hi Brie."

"Hi," she answer him shyly, "Welcome home."

"I'm Troy," Troy plopped down onto the couch, "I hear you like basketball?"

"I love it!" Alex piped up excited, "I love playing it. I just kinda have to get used to play in a wheelchair."

"Ah… you'll catch on fast," Troy smiled, "I love basketball, so we may end up spending hours outside…"

"TROY!" Troy flinched as his mom's angry voice came from the hallway, "Come get your bags right this instant, young man or else you'll be cooking for the next year, because I broke my neck falling over them!"

"Yeah, yeah, coming!" he yelled back, and groaned as he stood up from the couch, stretching out his tall frame, "You wanna wait outside for me and then we can play some basketball?"

"Sure," Alex answered enthusiastically before his face fell a tiny bit, "Actually I can't. Maybe later?"

Troy's forehead furrowed up thoughtfully, "Why.." he started before he was interrupted again.

"TROY! NOW!"

"Yes, mother!" he called back and then turned to Alex, "Don't you dare move an inch…"

Alex laughed out loud and nodded, "Go before your mom kills us both."

Troy almost sprinted out of the room, to go get his bags. Gabriella stood, shuffling her feet uncomfortable, feeling very ignored, "It's ok… you can go with and play basketball with Troy if you want."

Alex frowned immediately and rolled his wheelchair until he was sitting almost right in front of his sister, "Now listen hear sis, and listen closely. You are the only family I have left. And I keep my commitments. We live here. I can always play basketball with Troy after we go get an ice-cream. Besides if it is ok with you I was wondering if we could invite him to go with us to get some?"

Gabriella cocked her head thinking about it for a second before a shy smile crossed her face, "Yeah I would like that. We can get to know him better. Only if you promise me that you won't go and do guy things and leave me all by my lonesome."

Alex through his head back and laughed just as Troy slipped back into the room.

"What'd I miss?" he asked curiously looking from Gabriella to Alex's face and back again.

"We want to invite you to come get an ice-cream with us. Gabby and I were just about to go and get some," Alex invited warmly.

Troy smiled, "As long as Gabriella is fine with it, I'd love to…"

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I blushed as Troy's adorable smile came out when we invited him. He was perpetually happy. I had yet to see him really upset about something. I smiled what was probably my first genuine smile since you know.

"Absolutely," I agreed, "On one condition…"

"Yeah?" I had the attention of both Troy and Alex. They stared at me wide-eyed, expecting some horrible condition.

"You guys pay," I smirked at their faces.

Troy laughed out loud, "Let me go get my wallet and change into some shorts and I'll be right with you guys."

I slipped on my sneakers that I had kicked off in the hallway and brought Alex his sneakers as well, quickly fastening it onto his feet. Troy galloped down the stairs as I turned Alex around so that we could get out of the living room.

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"Mom!" Troy called out running into the kitchen, "Me, Brie and Alex are going out for some ice-cream. We'll probably be a while."

"Just be back in time for dinner," she smiled. Troy smiled tenderly and bent his head and kissed his mom softly on her forehead.

"Wait up, guys!" he called running out the kitchen and catching up with Gabriella at the front door, "Hup hup ho!" he called out cheerily grabbing the front of Alex's wheelchair, "Show me your muscles, Brie. Let's get Alex down the steps." Gabriella giggled shyly as she heaved upwards and in two seconds flat they had Alex on the pavement, "Atta girl," Troy smiled at her teasingly, "Now let me push Alex and you walk ahead and make sure there are no enemies ahead."

"Enemies," Alex spluttered laughing so hard he held his stomach, bending over in the chair, "What enemies?"

"Oh," Troy lowered his voice in a theatrical whisper, "There are always dogs around that will think a moving human chair is the best place for a nap. Teenage boys with basketballs that accidentally fly out of their hands and bonk you on your head. And the worst one of all is the dreaded potholes. They are these dips in the pavement that catch unaware citizens and make their wheelchair wheels stick and then break of as force is exerted. Those are the enemies."

Gabriella grinned and nodded and kneeled closer to her brother and continued looking around her shoulders to make sure no one was listening, "Water sprayers that catch a person unaware," she said conspirately winking at him, "Gusts of wind that blow your hair all over the place and flies that buzz around your ears." Gabriella tossed her long hair back and smiled a genuine smile at Troy. She lowered her eyes as she saw him smiling back and stood up, straightening her blouse.

Troy stared amazed at the girl. She was completely open, not shy or hidden. She was friendly and full of fun. And she had the most beautiful smile. He grinned to himself. It's about time she opened up a bit he thought.

"Righto," Alex said not realising what had happened as he had never seen his sister shy before, "Gabby, ahead and Troy watch for enemies from behind," he grinned at them, "Let's see if we can make the ice-cream in one piece. "

"Right," Troy grinned at Gabriella, "Scoot along Brie or else I might run you over."

She smiled and started walking briskly watching out for their "enemies". Troy followed behind an amused smile on his lips.

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"Okay!" Alex twirled the spoon that had a blob of vanilla flavoured ice-cream smother in creamy chocolate sauce on it, "I'll start. First kiss and what happened."

Gabriella blushed wildly and gestured for Troy to start. Troy grinned and swallowed the ice-cream he had in his mouth.

"My first kiss happened when I was twelve years old. I was building a rather impressive Lego robot. Chad came and visited me with his younger cousin. We spent the afternoon together working on my robot. Me building and issuing instructions and them listening. After a while we grew bored and we played truth or dare. Her name was Mikaela," Troy smiled at Gabriella. She was doodling on the table with her fingers, not looking at him, "Chad dared her to kiss me. She came over and quickly pecked me on my lips. I only found out a few years later that ever since then she had a major crush on me," he shrugged, "I only saw her two or three times afterwards, but we never really talked."

Alex's eyes were wide as he listened in fascination, "Wow. It sounds a lot like my story," Gabriella's head shot up startled and she glared at her brother, "I didn't tell you Gabby 'cause I knew you would be mad at me," he admitted sheepishly, "It was also a truth or dare at my school. Except I was dared to kiss the girl. And I did."

Gabriella sighed, "Just tell me next time ok, Alex? It's a whole lot better than hiding it from me."

Alex at least had the good sense to look ashamed, "I will. Not that I think many girls will wanna kiss me with me being in a wheelchair."

"Maybe," Troy nodded his head, "But if they do kiss you, then you know it's cause they don't just focus on what you look like or what you can do. But they actually like you for you."

"That must be a problem for you, huh?" Alex asked, a small frown on his face, "What with being captain of the basketball and all?"

Troy sighed frustrated, "You have no idea. The girls constantly throw themselves at me. They don't get the fact that I'm not an easy hook up. I actually prefer to keep myself to myself to put it lightly."

"So you've hooked up before?" Alex asked interested.

"Alex!" Gabriella scolded blushing, "It's none of our business."

Troy laughed, "It's ok. It's an innocent question. Yes I have. Once only though. With my girlfriend in freshman year. We broke up soon afterwards 'cause she moved cross continent to Africa. And I'm a one girl guy. None of the girls in East High really appeal to me. They only want the fame that comes of being my girlfriend. But enough about me. What about you Brie? Who was your first kiss?"

Gabriella tried to look everywhere but at Troy, "I've never been kissed," she admitted.

Troy stared at her amazed as she blushed and dropped her head. Alex was just as astounded, "Why ever not?" Troy asked gently tapping a finger on her closed hand to get her attention, "Didn't you ever have a boyfriend?"

"No," she said starting to look upset, "No guy was ever interested enough in me. In fact one guy in one of my previous schools who I thought maybe perchance like me said I reminded him of his sister. That kinda killed any idea of romance for me."

Alex was flabbergasted, "But sis, why didn't they like you?"

"I don't know," she snapped, "Maybe 'cause I'm not pretty ok? Maybe I am chubby and I have to wear stupid glasses ok? Maybe guys only look at the pretty faces and forget about the fact that I am always around in the background."

"Hey," Troy held her hand tightly even as she tried to pull her hand away, "Calm down Brie. You'll find the right guy someday."

With a jerk of her hand Gabriella pulled her hand free and stood up glaring, "I am sick and tired of everyone telling me that. You don't have a clue what it feels like not to be wanted by anyone except your family. Next time think twice before chasing after the "hot" girl. Maybe you'll discover that the plain Jane's are more reliable."

With a sob she ran out of the parlour.

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