I'm sorry, I know it took a long time, but here it is.
Enjoy, Mitchi.

He smiled. He found something to ease his pain all by himself.

Smiling, he laid down in his bed, taking the sheets, pulling them over his head.

Every touch of the soft fabric sending a new wave of pain and sensation trough the boy's body until he fell asleep.

Still smiling…

Troy

I woke up the next day, knowing it'd be a day without being beaten. My dad and stepmom had already left. Although I had the chance to have breakfast now, I didn't. Normally if they were gone for about two hours they'd find out if I ate when they told me not to.

I was still limping, but I didn't care – yesterday evening was amazing. The pain was forgotten. The cuts on my left wrist stopped bleeding overnight. Apart from a few bloodstains on my bed, my cuts were the only evidence of what I did last night.

Even though it was warm outside, I wore a long sleeved shirt so that no one would see the cuts – especially Chad and Gabby. They'd freak out if they knew, and Gabby already knew too much by now. I skipped breakfast and made my way to her house. I'd walk her to school. I was falling for her. I knew I was falling fast, but I didn't care. As long as I'd work hard my dad wouldn't find out that I was falling for a girl – a distraction. My dad used to call the girls I'd dating in the past two years because he thought they'd prevent me from basketball by seducing me. However, he e didn't know that I'd never let them see my upper body… no one needed to know. It'd stay a secret that I could cope with.

When I reached Gabby's house, she was already waiting for me. When she saw that I was still limping, her smile fell and a worried look formed on her face.

Gabriella

Troy's limping was one thing, but long sleeves? Now? It was a warm day, and there was no need to wear them. I didn't know if I was imagining it or not, but he seemed incredibly thin. I wasn't sure – maybe it was because of the big sweater he was wearing, so I ignored my thoughts concerning the matter. As we walked to school, we talked about the weather – again.

"Troy?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you always walk to school if your dad drives there anyway? Even if you're limping, you still walk."

"How do you know I always walk?"

"Chad…"

He looked away. "My dad's ill today…" He was looking for excuses, but I wouldn't believe it because I knew why he walked to school. He kept on denying it, though.

When he didn't say anything, I changed the topic. He'd get help sooner or later… hopefully, he'd get it sooner.

Chad

Troy and Gabriella reached the doors of East High where I waited for them. I greeted Troy and hugged Gabby, and my eyes fell on Troy's sleeves. Long ones?

As we walked to our lockers, I whispered to Gabriella, "why is he wearing long sleeves?"

She shrugged and glanced at him worriedly. "I wish I knew."

I nodded.

Later: Basketball Practice

The coach wasn't at school today, so we got another teacher to watch us during our practice. Troy said he was ill, but I didn't really believe that.

Troy was practicing harder than anyone – again. I also noticed that he hadn't eaten during lunch break again. I think he's lost a lot of weight since his parents divorced. His leg was rather swollen and his ankle appeared to be sprained badly. The bruise was shining through his white socks.

Troy didn't seem to care about it though, because he kept practicing.

After practice he was the last to finish changing his clothes. I stood a few meters away, so that he wouldn't see me. I watched him change his shirt – his spine and ribs were visible, even though he was wearing an extra long sleeved shirt. He seemed exhausted, and he was still breathing rapidly.

I left the locker rooms to meet with Gabby. We had to talk – about Troy.

Gabriella

I waited outside the locker rooms as the guys who left grinned at me, also believing the rumor that I had a crush on Troy. Well, maybe I was really falling for him. I didn't know Troy for that long, but something about him seemed different; not only with his dad beating him up, but there was something indescribable, something magical about him… but I needed to help him. The fact that he was wearing long sleeves wasn't bothering me any less than it had before.

Finally, Chad turned up, the last one before Troy.

"Hey Gabster!"

"Hey…he was practicing right?" I asked, trying not to sound too worried, but failing miserably.

Chad nodded. "Harder than anyone else… he's still trying to catch his breath." He sounded worried as well.

"No wonder, he shouldn't practice with his bad foot."

Chad nodded again, replying, "and he shouldn't if he barely eats and loses weight in the process."

"I don't think his father minds that this is happening," I sighed sadly.

Chad looked down. "So you found out?"

I stared at him. "You knew?"

"I knew the day his parents got divorced. When he came to school the next day, he wasn't himself. After school got out, I went home to ask if he was okay, and right then, I saw his dad finishing up with him… how did you find out?"

"I found out my first day here. I heard his dad beating him up in his office before I had gym class."

He nodded and said, "he denies it."

"Yes…he needs help."

"Um, Chad? One question. Don't you think it's funny he's wearing long sleeves today?"

He looked up. "I do."

"Um…do you think…he…he…um…cut himself?"

He looked at me. "With what?! Razor blades aren't lying around here. Maybe it's just an ugly bruise or a slash."

"Where would he get a slash from?"

Chad's eyes darkened as he said, "the belt…it's horrible."

"How you know?"

"I was at his house and the two of us were working a school project. His dad walked in on us and grabbed Troy, saying that he needed him for a second. I guess he thought I wouldn't hear if he hit him with the belt on the other side of the house. But you can hear it loud and clear…"

I was speechless. "Does he know that you know all of this?"

"Yes, but he denies it," Chad repeated solemnly.

"Do Troy and his dad live by themselves?"

"No, his stepmom lives with them as well. She's the same as Jack…" He looked at his watch and said, "it takes him a long time to change now… with everything."

I paused, and then Chad smiled at me. "You're falling for him."

I blushed.

"He's falling for you too, you know," Chad said as he looked at his watch again. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. Bye." He hugged me and quickly left.

I smiled. Now it was official – I was falling for Troy Bolton and he was falling for me. I stood there daydreaming about the whole concept when I heard a voice from behind.

"I can't believe it. He knows every time."

I looked up and stared into Troy's eyes.

"He knows what?"

"He knows whenever I really like a girl," he smiled shyly.

Just then, Troy walked toward me and I walked backward, feeling the wall on my back. His hands touched the wall to the left and right of my head, supporting his weight. He looked me straight in the face, and I stared into those shining blue eyes of his.

Troy looked into Gabriella's brown eyes and Gabriella looked into Troy's blue ones. He brought his head to hers, never breaking the eyes contact. Gabriella looked at the boy's slightly parted lips as he came closer. Her lips parted a bit, and he came closer to her. His lips were about to reach Gabriella's when she broke the silence.

"I know what's going on," she whispered, as their lips nearly touched.

"What do you mean?" His lips touched hers. Gabriella closed her eyes and let herself melt into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of Troy's lips on hers. Troy was about to deepen the kiss when Gabriella realized what she was doing.

She opened her eyes and pulled back. "I can't do this."

Troy opened his eyes again and pulled his head back. "Why?" he was confused, and searching her eyes for answers.

"I can't if you keep on denying what's happening between you and your dad," she answered, turning around and taking Troy's left wrist and hand away from hers.

Because of the added pressure on his cut wrist, Troy flinched as soon as her hand left his.

Gabriella didn't notice and left the building.

Troy

I won't tell. No matter what Gabriella says, I won't tell.

Later That Evening, In Troy's Room

Troy leaned against his bed, the razor lying next to him on the ground. He rolled his left sleeve up, revealing the cuts from yesterday. Looking at the metal piece, he took it, thirsting to cut the warm flesh and free the blood from his veins. Troy brought the razor to his skin and he added pressure. The skin broke apart as he slit his wrist. Soon, his forearm and hand were covered in a thin layer of blood, and the pain in his foot was forgotten again. He was both free… and flying.

A small smile formed on his lips as he cut the skin again and again, watching the blood trickling down his arm and dropping on the carpet. The feeling of freedom returned to last forever. He smiled and limped to his bathroom, the pain is his foot no longer there, replaced instead by the sensation of freedom. He turned on the water and held his cut arm under the flow, watching as the water became a bright red color. Slowly, the faded to an orange-yellowish color, and after five to ten minutes it ran clear.

Troy took the bloody razor blade and washed it clear. Careful not to cut one of his fingers when the metal piece was shining again, he turned around and put it back in his closet, hiding it once more.

Then, his mind wandered back to Gabriella and her words.

I can't if you keep on denying what's happening between you and your dad.

Before he could clearly think about her words, he was already changed and lying down, closing his eyes, sleep taking over him.

So Chad AND Gabby know…how will it go on? How far will Troy go in cutting? REVIEW PLEASE!!! 5 to the next chapter…:D
Mitchi