Gabriella pulled her jeep into the driveway and put it in park, the principal sent her home. Stacy got to stay, no telling what kind of lies she'd spread by tomorrow. Sharpay and Taylor reassured her that they would monitor the whispers and try their best to keep them under control. Gabriella let out a sigh as she let her head rest against the steering wheel. Great just what her life needed. More people trying to control it.

Looking up again she noticed the black car parked in the driveway next to her jeep. She didn't think twice, assuming her mother had a life of her own and didn't expect her home until later anyway. Who knew what she was about to walk in on. She could only hope it wasn't happening in the living room.

Sluggishly she coached her body out of the car, she wasn't bang up badly just sore and tender. Her hair was in a sloppy ponytail from being pulled, her head ached her arms felt sore and her knuckles were swollen. At least according to Taylor and Sharpay she'd won the fight hands down.

Gabriella couldn't remember anything about the fight, she only came too when she was sitting on top of Stacy and the coach blew his whistle. The next thing she knew he was pulling her off of Stacy for good and she was being taken to the principal's office.

Wincing she began her way up the walk to her home, one key in the door and she was inside placing her keys in the jar on the table. "Mom I'm home," Gabriella walked into the living room and froze. She hadn't known what she'd be expecting to find, who her mother would be entertaining, however the last person she expected to see in front of her and she felt everything in her body just skip. "Daddy?"

He was older his hair was longer and his suit was pressed, the familiar smell of cigar and aspen scent filled the room and took over. Gabriella bag fell to the ground and her father got up from the couch. "What in the world-" he was cut off as Gabriella tossed herself at him her arms wrapping around him and gripping him tight. All pain in her muscles gone, all the anger fled her heart.

"Gabriella?" Her mother voice sounded behind her and she turned around to see her mother coming into the room a mug in each hand. "What happened to you?" she said putting them down and making her way over. Her uniform had some blood on it from her lip and her face was scratched. "Did you get into a fight?" she said as she turned Gabriella to face her as she looked at Gabriella's features, "What happened?"

"They sent me home early," Gabriella said looking at her mother than her father. "What's going on?"

"I needed to talk something out with your mother," her father answered.

"Why don't we go upstairs and get you clean up first?" her mother said looking up at him with concern.

"Are you coming back home?" Gabriella said pulling away from her mother and turning to her father.

"We can talk about this after you've cleaned up," he said tucking his hands in his pocket.

Gabriella turned to her mother who was offering her a hand, that when her eyes fell to the table and the paper work resting next to the mugs of coffee. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Gabriella, honey your mother and I are getting a divorce."

Gabriella felt the blood in her body drop and all the hope inside her turned into a cold sweat.

"Luis!" her mother's voice called out sharply.

"What like, she isn't old enough to put two and two together, we've been separated for year."

"So you're just going leave again?" Gabriella said blankly staring at the papers.

"This can wait until she's had some time," Her mother took Gabriella's hand.

"Nonsense, we might as well just get out there Maria." Luis looked down at Gabriella with his best smile, "The truth is I want to invite you and your brother to come live with me in New York."

Gabriella turned to face him. "What about mom?"

"She'll be fine, besides there are better schools and colleges where I am. I'm sure you be fine."

Gabriella mouth fell open a little, "Well, I'm not going to leave her behind like you did."

"Now wait a god damn, minute Gabriella-"

"That's enough." Gabriella's mother pulled Gabriella close to her. "We need to talk about this before you get any kind of right to talk to our children about it."

Gabriella followed her mother out of the room as her vision blurred with tears.

Eddie walked next to Kelsi as they made their way down the street. His palms were sweaty, his heart beat pounding. "Do you really think your sister stabbed Stacy with a pen?"

Eddie shrugged his shoulders. "Sharpay says it was just a normal cat fight."

"Your sister is so awesome."

"Yeah, I guess she is?" Eddie said shrugging his shoulders and biting his lips as he looked down at Kelsi hand. Could he grab it? Would she be grossed out by his clammy hands? Does walking a girl home count as a date? Was he supposed to kiss her when they got to her house? Should he kiss her now? Eddie was quiet for a moment as he asked himself all these questions.

"I love walking home in the fall, it's always so pretty," she said with a smile as she moved a little closer to him.

"Yeah, the fall is … it's when everything dies?" Eddie arched his brows as he inwardly kicked himself.

"Yeah, it is, it's like everything is given a second chance."

Eddie nodded and rubbed his fingers together once again taking a glance down at her hand hanging there by her side winking up at him. "Are you excited about how you did at tryouts today?" she asked looking over at him.

Eddie eyes snapped up and he smiled nervously. "Yeah I mean they're going to put the list up tomorrow but I'm confident that I made the cut."

"I think that's kind of sexy," she said bumping his shoulder. "You being a basketball star now,"

"I don't know about that?" Eddie said looking down at his hands. Eddie glance at her hand again and then jerked when her hand reached out and took his in hers. "How do you feel about girls who make the first move?"

Eddie looked down at the hands. "I love them."

She giggled they approached her house and they came to a stop.

"How about guys who make the second move?"

"They drive me wild," she said looking up into his eyes.

Eddie leaned in and slowly tilted his to the right as he came down to her lips, it seemed like it took forever just getting there and he was finally rewarded with the plump softness of her lips against his.

It was six o'clock when Eddie came home, the door closed behind him and he was greeting with yelling coming from the kitchen. Eddie arched his brow and looked over at Gabriella who was sitting on the stair case with tears. "Dad's here?"

Gabriella nodded. "Their getting a divorce," she said in a low tone.

"Wow," Eddie's eyebrows shot up and he pulled off his back pack and set it off to the side. "Are you alright?" he asked lifting a hand to the scratch on her cheek.

"Yeah I'm good," she nodded looking up at him with worried eyes. "He's getting remarried."

Eddie let out a long breath and then turned to fall onto the step besides her. "It's really over than isn't?"

"He wants us to go with him?"

"What about mom?" Eddie said looking over at Gabriella.

"He says he'll pay for rehab," Gabriella leaned her head on Eddie's shoulder.

"Mom getting better though, Gabs, we can't leave, and I'm just fitting in here."

"I know," she said wiping her face. "This is our home they can't make us leave."

Eddie flinched as a dish broke in the kitchen followed by louder yelling. "God, I hope they don't break all plates, I actually like our dishes," he said wrapping an arm around Gabriella. "Just like old times huh?"

"Do you think his new wife is anything like mom?"

Eddie shook his head and they both jumped at the sound of something else breaking. "Let go upstairs, I'll let you sleep in my room."

Gabriella nodded and they both went up the stairs like when they were younger and would gather together under a tent of chairs and covers to hide from the yelling and shattering glass.