"Hurry!" Taylor McKessie called to her best friend, Gabriella, who was struggling to climb down the tree leading from her balcony.
"Tay, hush, you're going to get me caught and you know how much trouble I'd be in if I got caught." Gabriella replied, finally ground.
"I'm sorry, Gabriella, I just want to get you out of here as quick as possible. As soon as we got you're phone call down in Albuquerque, my mom and dad knew something was up. You're coming back and will never have to face this again."
"Where am I going, though?" Gabriella asked, confused.
"You're going to stay at my house, silly." Taylor informed her. They had been best friends back in Albuquerque since they were eight, then, when they were fourteen, Gabriella had to move here to Minnesota with her father. Her mother was dead, so she couldn't stay with her mom and she'd called Taylor's house last night crying and broken, because her father had abused her.
"How long has this…abuse been going on?" Taylor demanded, in a whisper.
"Too long," Gabriella responded, seriously. "Ever since my mother died."
"I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell me earlier and what made you finally tell me?"
"Well, I didn't tell you because my dad told me he would kill me if I ever told anyone. That's why you can't call the police, at least not yet. I told you last night, because it was bad…really bad. He almost killed me right then, but he asked what would he do without me to take his anger out on."
"Oh, my gosh," Taylor said, softly. "I'm so sorry."
"Well, it's over now," Gabriella smiled a little, wanting desperately to change the subject.
"Wow, you've changed a lot," Taylor complimented.
Gabriella looked down, obviously not seeing the curves Taylor was referring to. Or the way her skin glowed. Or the way her skin was flawless and that she now wore contacts, instead of her thick-framed glasses. Gabriella shrugged.
"Well, I haven't seen you in what," Taylor calculated the years in her head. "Three years?"
"Wow, has it really been that short of a time? It seemed like eternity. So, do you still like Chad?" Gabriella asked.
Taylor blushed, but shook her head. "He's a jock now."
"Wow, really?" Gabriella asked, in disbelief. Taylor nodded. "Oh, well, that doesn't mean you can't like him anymore."
"Whatever," Taylor muttered. "So, what about you?" She questioned, as they approached her parents' car. "Any boys? New best friends?"
"Nope to both of your questions. My dad hired someone to home school me." Gabriella replied, as Taylor opened the door. "So, what about Chad's friend…Troy?"
"Oh, he's like the most popular kid in school. Can't miss him." They got in the car.
"Oh, is he a jerk now?" Gabriella asked.
"No, what's weird is he's like the sweetest kid, too." Taylor looked confused for a moment as she spoke.
"So, I take it he has a girlfriend now?"
"Actually, no. He's not all that he's cooked up to be. He's not a player--unlike some of his gay friends and he's never had a girlfriend before."
"Impossible," Gabriella murmured, sitting down and buckling her seat belt. Taylor's mom turned in her seat.
"Gabriella Montez, is that really you? You look so pretty these days," she said.
"Thanks, Mrs. McKessie." Gabriella blushed.
"Uh uh, please, call me Jessie." Jessie laughed, smiling warmly. Gabriella hadn't seen a smile like that in years.
"Excited about coming back to Albuquerque?" Mr. McKessie--John-- asked, looking in the rearview mirror.
"Yes, sir," Gabriella smiled. "I mean, uh, John."
"That's better," John chuckled, backing out of the driveway. Gabriella took one last look at her old house and sighed in relief. She was finally leaving all that hurt, all that…pain.
7 HOURS LATER: ALBUQUEQUE, NEW MEXICO:
"Gabs, wake up," Taylor said in a sing-song voice. Gabriella's eyes fluttered open.
"We're here already?" She asked.
"Yep," Taylor smiled.
"You're house hasn't changed at all," Gabriella giggled, stepping inside.
"Is that a compliment?" Jessie asked, laughing a little.
"I guess," Gabriella joked.
"C'mon and I'll show you to your new room," Taylor said, running up the stairs. "You can get unpacked, okay?"
Gabriella nodded and went into the room Taylor was referring toward. It was a pretty big room, with a balcony and a tree leading up to it, much like in her old room. The walls were painted purple, with glitter and the bed clothes matched it.
"Like it?" A voice asked. Gabriella jumped and turned to see Taylor standing in the doorway. "Sharpay helped me do it."
Gabriella scrunched up her nose. "Sharpay?"
"Yeah, me and her are friends now."
"Are we talking about the same Sharpay? The one that ruled over the school in middle school, the girl that wants to control everybody? The twin of Ryan?" Gabriella asked, shocked.
"Yes, but she's changed. She's not half as bad once you get to know her," Taylor replied, sitting on the bed and helping Gabriella unpack.
"Okaaay," Gabriella said. "So, who else do you hang with nowadays?"
"Sharpay, Ryan, Kelsi Nielson, Martha Cox, and the basketball team."
"What?! Why?!" Gabriella asked.
"Because they're nice. And they hang out with Sharpay and after you left I had no one else." Taylor explained. "Gabby, they're awesome, you just have to get to know them."
"They're gonna think I'm a nerd," Gabriella whined.
"No, they won't. They won't even care. Me and Martha are nerds." Taylor pointed out.
"Yeah, but do they know that?" Gabriella asked.
"Of course. I have the highest grade in the classes I have with them, well, that is, until you come back."
"Fine," Gabriella huffed, looking at her reflection in the balcony window.
"You look fine, sweetie," Taylor laughed. Gabriella turned around.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"Because it's true," Taylor replied, grinning.
"No, it's not," Gabriella argued.
"Whatever. So, do want me to call the gang over for a sleepover so everyone can get reacquainted?"
Gabriella sighed. "I don't care."
"Okay," Taylor said, cheerfully, pulling out her phone.
"But, first, who all consists of the 'gang'?" Gabriella asked, curiously.
"Troy, Chad, Sharpay, Zeke, and Ryan." Taylor answered automatically. "We're the closest in the group." Gabriella laughed.