A/N: Hey, here is the next one! :) I've to confess I am not sure about this chapter…I don't know why, but I am not convinced…yet this is what I've had in mind for a while and though I know this is needed for the story…but I am not sure about the way I've expressed the feelings and emotions here…

A huge TAHNK YOU to all those of you who had reviewed the last chapter or put the story in your favourite story list or story alert list; it's incredible how good your words made! I feel better knowing your opinions about the "problem", and so I hope I won't disappoint you :)

Well, you are the judges here, so I am going to let you read. Though…well, as always, I'll be super grateful if you review and tell me your opinions :D

Here is chapter 11. Enjoy! :)

"Are you ready?"

Gabriella looked at Troy with fear written in her face. She was more than afraid; she wasn't ready to face the school yet. She knew that yesterday both she and Troy put up a show in front of almost everyone…and she was aware that by now everyone at East High would know about them being an item. What feared her the most were the girls; she knew Troy was like the God of the school, she knew all of them wanted him, she knew all of them wanted to be his girlfriend…so if she had been a no one those years, after the day before she knew that now, she was the girl every girl would hate.

The couple were in his car, which was parked in his usual spot: in the farthest and lonely corner of the parking lot; he had insisted that they drove together, and though Gabriella had been surprised, she had accepted. She was ecstatic because Troy was still progressing; Troy was still beside her 100%, and it didn't seem that would change anytime soon. Plus, more time with him meant more time feeling at peace. She needed him to be able to go on; too much was happening those days and Gabriella didn't know what she was feeling. Happiness because her relationship with Troy was more normal, stress because of the school…and sadness because of her parents.

After her talk with Susan, Gabriella had realized she was alone. She had Troy, Chad and Taylor, of course, but she didn't have her parents with her; her mother abandoned her when she was four and she hadn't known anything about her since then and her father seemed to live a life without remember about his daughter. On top of that, in two weeks was the anniversary of Lucy Bolton's death, the woman who had been like her own mother. Everything was being too much.

"Hey baby," Troy snapped her out of her thoughts. "You ready?"

"No," Gabriella answered in a petite voice. Troy sighed and pulled her body onto his lap, embracing her tightly. "I don't want to go in…"

Her muffled words made him close his eyes. "Baby come on, you've to face them. You have to show your amazing self to them…"

"But they'll hate me," Gabriella protested wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"And what?" Troy asked pulling away from her and wincing when he saw her eyes getting a red tint. "You've never cared about what people thought of you; why begin now?"

Gabriella avoided his eyes; the reason she was freaking out now was that people didn't notice her before because she was a simple girl. Now she was the girl of Troy Bolton, the boy most popular of the school. She could see the difference, but Troy seemed to be oblivious to that. "I know you think I am being silly but…until now no one noticed me and now not only people will notice me but also will hate me because I am with you…"

"Baby," Troy coaxed her grabbing her chin with his fingers, "look at me." He waited until Gabriella's eyes remained on his. "I don't fucking care about the other girls. You are my girl. I want you and no one else. They can say whatever they want, ok? I am sure you are the girl for me; you've been with me all these years, you know me like no one else does, and you've given me the hope I needed to want to live again."

A few tears escaped from Gabriella's eyes and she buried her head in the crock of his neck, inhaling his musky scent deeply. "I love you," she whispered.

Troy smiled and pulled her head away from his neck so he could talk into her eyes. "And I love you too." He said wiping her cheeks with his thumbs.

Pecking her lips, Troy was startled when Gabriella deepened the kiss introducing her tongue into his mouth without hesitation but he wasn't the one complaining. A moan escaped from his throat when Gabriella pushed her hips further into his and Troy pulled away. "Though I'd love to continue…if we don't stop now I won't be able to stop and we'll have a little problem here…"

Gabriella blushed. "Sorry," she said lowly kissing his jaw.

"Don't be," Troy whispered with his lips inches apart from hers. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," Gabriella said giving him a small smile. "Let's go."

Placing her body in the passenger's seat again, Gabriella grabbed her bag and followed Troy outside. Troy was already waiting for her beside her door, not even acknowledging anyone; he was aware that people were staring at them and gossiping about them, and though he wanted to snap at them, he knew that wouldn't help Gabriella. Trying to remain cool, Troy grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers, giving her a small squeeze. "Love you babe," he whispered so only Gabriella could hear him.

She lifted her head and looked at him. "Love you too," she whispered smiling at him.

When the couple reached Gabriella's locker, which was farther away from homeroom than Troy's, Troy waited patiently for her, hugging her from behind and kissing her neck surreptitiously when he had to drop her hand because she had to grab her things.

"All done," she said quietly turning around into his embrace.

Troy kissed her temple disentangling his arms from around her waist but keeping one over her shoulders. "Let's go then."

"Oh," Gabriella said stopping dead in her tracks. "I…I…kinda…mmm…"

Troy stopped with her. "What?" He asked bewildered by her sudden reaction.

Gabriella ran her eyes along the corridor and saw that everyone was looking at them; frowning, she pulled him into an empty classroom and closed the door behind them. Troy was more than confused by that. "What happens?"

"I forgot to tell you something…" Gabriella whispered with fear in her face again.

"What?" Troy asked really curious.

Gabriella cleared her throat. "You know yesterday I went to Tay's house, right?" When he nodded, Gabriella continued. "Well, I kinda…explained…to her…a little about us…"

"And?" Troy prompted her waiting for the rest.

"What do you mean "and"?" Gabriella asked shocked by his nonchalant behaviour.

"Where is the problem here?" Troy asked trying to understand why she was so bothered by that.

"Aren't you mad?" Gabriella asked surprised.

"Mad?" Troy frowned. "Why should I be?"

Gabriella was taken aback by that; she had waited for his angriness to come once he knew about her telling Taylor the truth. But she wasn't clearly expecting the reaction Troy was having. Maybe he didn't understand her? "I explained our story from the very beginning to her…"

"She didn't know anything?" Troy asked surprised now.

"No," Gabriella answered him dumbfounded. "Well, she knew some things but because she has been all these years with me and Chad and she has sort of guessed more or less what was happening, but she didn't know the details…"

"And how is that?" Troy asked leaning in a desk and grabbing her hand, playing with her fingers. "I thought she was your best friend…"

Gabriella gasped. "And she is! But I didn't tell her anything because I thought you wouldn't like for me to explain to her things about you…"

"She is your best friend, baby, she is my best friend's girlfriend…I mean, only knowing how much you and Chad care for her, it's enough for me to know she is a great girl and that I can trust her." Troy answered pulling her body so she was resting between his legs.

"So…" Gabriella said hesitantly. "You are not mad, right?" Troy shook his head smiling and pecked her lips. "And can I know why if you know she's a great girl…you are so serious with her?" The smile drawn in Troy's face vanished, which worried Gabriella. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to…" She rushed to clarify.

"Well, until now she was a part of your life and Chad's, and I didn't want to be a part of your life," both winced when Troy spoke those words though both knew they were true at that time and Troy tried to sooth the hardness of his words caressing her face sweetly, "so I didn't see the point in trying to know her. But now, things are different so…I'll try and be more me around her, but only her. Is that good with you?"

A wide smile appeared in her face, her eyes shining in emotion. "Seriously?"

Troy had to smile at her sudden happiness and he was glad he had been able to make her forget about school; he hadn't thought about Taylor knowing about him, but thinking about it, he realized it was better this way. Gabriella needed to be able to talk to someone too; it wasn't fair for her to be the one keeping up with him and only having his best friend to talk to. Gabriella also needed her friends, or friend in this case, and he was no one to keep her away from that; plus, with Taylor he always had been less cold than with the others; he respected her and also cared for her, before she was Chad's girlfriend, when she was bullied only because she was friends with Gabriella.

Nodding at Gabriella with a huge grin on his face, he was startled when Gabriella threw her arms around Troy's neck excited. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"

Troy chuckled but grabbed her nonetheless. "Ok, now we've to go or we'll be late…"

"Ok," Gabriella answered still excited, intertwining her fingers with his and opening the door carelessly, pulling him along the corridor to his locker. Troy was amused by her behaviour, but his face remained cold, looking at everyone who was staring at them.

When they arrived there, Gabriella waited beside Troy's locker, pushing herself more into Troy each time a girl glared at her. Troy was noticing Gabriella's reactions and reached to grab her hand into his big one, smiling a little when he noticed her relax. "Come here…" He whispered pulling her body between his body and his locker, leaving the door opened so Gabriella was more away from view.

Gabriella leaned her forehead into his side while he continued rummaging in his locker searching his things and muttering some non sense. Gabriella giggled quietly and Troy stopped his task to look at her. "What's funny?" His voice, always low and whispered into her ear, made her shiver.

"You," Gabriella giggled. "You need to learn how to keep your locker clean…"

Rolling his eyes, but inwardly ecstatic that he was able to make Gabriella forget where they were enough for her to be able to mock him, Troy glared his eyes playfully at her. "You are not so funny babe, sorry to break your bubble…" He said sarcastically.

"Of course I am!" Gabriella replied nonchalantly. "And you know what?"

"What?" He asked playing along.

"I am not only funny but also the funniest person alive and you are a dork," she said giggling when his glare intensified. "My lovely and loved dorky…"

Lifting his eyebrow, Troy glared at her amusedly and wrapped one of his arms around her neck, pulling her body closer to his. Lowering his head until it was right beside her ear he nipped her ear and talked. "Loved?"

Gabriella's giggles stopped and looked at him sweetly, nodding her head. Troy noticed her change in demeanour and kissed her skin under her ear. "Good, because this dorky loves his dorky too."

She giggled again and sighed. "Can we go home now?"

"Sorry babe, can't do it." Troy said pulling his face away from her but still with his arm hanging around her shoulders. "Let's go to homeroom; the bell is about to ring…"

When Gabriella realized everyone was staring at them again, she pushed herself more into his side but Troy wasn't about to let her be self confident; wriggling his fingers over her shoulder, Gabriella's response was automatic lifting her hand to intertwine her fingers with his. "Show them your gorgeous face…" He whispered while he kissed her temple.

Gabriella lifted her head to lock her eyes with his and into his eyes she saw all the strength she needed to be able to face the school…though it was only for a second. When Troy saw she wasn't watching the ground, he squeezed her fingers and Gabriella returned the squeeze. After that, neither of them talked and they walked in silence towards their homeroom, where they found Taylor and Chad speaking quietly only for themselves.

"Morning guys," Gabriella greeted quietly.

"Morning," Chad and Taylor said at unison.

"What's up?" Troy asked making Taylor and Chad to look at him with their eyes wide opened. Troy smirked towards Gabriella and she giggled, leaning up to kiss his jaw softly.

Chad and Taylor exchanged a glance between them and then shrugged; Chad however, knew he would have a little chat with Troy. He was happy for his friend, but he wanted for Troy to explain to him what he was feeling and thinking.

When homeroom ended, both couples gathered their things and exited from the classroom, not even paying attention to anyone. The first stop was the girls' classroom, and so both Troy and Chad greeted them goodbye with a kiss, going to their class.

Gabriella and Taylor didn't wait for the teacher outside the classroom but rushed inside to their desks, avoiding more attention than needed. They were talking quietly by themselves about their things when someone spoke and startled them. "Montez!"

Gabriella froze but turned around and looked at the mad girl she had in front of her; Gabriella wanted to talk but was incapable to do so. The fear she was feeling made incapable for her to answer and so Taylor, seeing that, answered for her. "What do you want Sharpay?"

"Troy is the primo boy of that school," she began walking slowly to Gabriella's desk, "I am the primo girl and he needs a woman beside him…thing which, by the way, you aren't. I am warning you, back off."

Gabriella had her eyes locked with Sharpay's; the coldness there, the hate there, the rage there was frightening. Again, Taylor spoke in Gabriella's behalf. "I'd say that decision is not yours or even Gabriella's but Troy's, and he has chosen her so maybe who should back off is you."

"Troy doesn't know what he is missing;" Sharpay smirked. "But I am sure that I will erase his doubts…"

"What…what do you…mean?" Gabriella stuttered with fear laced in her voice and in her face.

"What I mean," Sharpay threatened pulling her face almost touching Gabriella's and speaking in a harsh voice, "is that I am going to win him; what I mean is that I am going to be his girl by the end of the week, and you won't be able to do anything about it. Prepare yourself slut, Troy is mine and I am going to have him in my arms."

Gabriella was frozen in her spot; she wanted to shout at Sharpay, she wanted to answer her, she wanted to be able to tell her that Troy and she had something way deeper than she thought…but she couldn't. Her voice had left her; her eyes were fixed into Sharpay's and neither of them seemed to want to move them and Sharpay's voice had been so low, though also harsh, that her words were even more threatening.

Taylor was looking the scene shocked; she couldn't believe her eyes and ears. How could a girl be so mean to another girl over a guy? A guy who never had shown any kind of interest in that said girl nonetheless! Suddenly, her blood was boiling, and she wanted nothing more than to make Sharpay pay for her words but just when she was about to answer her the teacher entered in the classroom so she had to remain silent, however, Gabriella stood up all of a sudden and ran outside the classroom only grabbing her bag. "Gabriella!" When she saw Gabriella wasn't even acknowledging her, Taylor turned to talk with the teacher. "Can I go after her?"

"No," Mr. Branson said. "Miss Montez will receive a detention, now I want order in my class. Come on, sit on your desks and open your book by the page number 97."

"But Mr. Branson," Taylor protested.

"No buts McKessie," the rigid teacher said. "If you don't want a detention too, then my advice for you is to sit and shut up."

Taylor did as she was said and let her body fell on her chair, dumbfounded about what had just happened just in front of her. However, her rage increased when she saw the smirk planted in Sharpay's face; Taylor wanted for Sharpay to suffer. She had had enough; Sharpay always had what she wanted, everyone gave her whatever she wanted…and Taylor thought someone needed to stop her; the way she had just treated Gabriella had been a reflex of pure hate and Gabriella had done nothing to deserve it. Searching into her bag for her phone, she realized she had left it in her locker; she needed to tell Chad so he could tell Troy. She knew Gabriella wouldn't hear anybody but Troy at the moment…but she knew that first they needed to find her. Groaning inwardly, she only could pray that the hour ended soon.

When the bell rang, Taylor grabbed her things and Gabriella's and rushed to her locker to see if Gabriella had left a note or had sent some text message to her. Grabbing her phone when she could open the locker, she saw that Gabriella hadn't said anything, and so she ran to the boys' classroom.

"Chad!" She screamed when she arrived at the corridor of their classroom and saw both boys leaning into the wall talking with some members of the basketball team.

Chad turned around when his girlfriend shouted his name. "Tay!" He said when she was in front of him. "Are you okay?"

Troy was looking the scene bewildered; Taylor seemed afraid, angry, nervous…and Gabriella wasn't with her. "Tay where's Gabriella?"

Taylor turned to look at Troy and didn't say anything. Chad rubbed her back softly and coaxed her. "Tay, come on, take a deep breath and tell us what happened?"

"Sharpay…and Gabriella…and…she…gone…" Taylor stuttered too nervous to talk properly.

Troy looked at Chad alarmed. "Taylor take a deep breathe," Chad said stronger now. "Where is Gabriella?"

"I don't know," Taylor whispered. "She's gone…"

"What do you mean she's gone?" Troy asked truly anxious now.

Leaning into Chad's side, Taylor took a deep breathe. "We were in our class and Sharpay has come to us and she has talked about you," she said pointing at Troy, "and about how she would be with you by the end of the week and that Gabriella had to back off of you because you were hers."

"What?" Troy yelled. "What has done Gabriella?"

"She hasn't said anything;" Taylor shivered in fear. "And then she has run from the class…and I think she was crying…"

"Fuck!" Troy yelled punching at the wall. "That whore is going to pay…if something bad happens to Gabriella I'll kill her…"

"Troy calm down," Chad said. "You are making a scene and we need to avoid that. We've to find Gabriella…"

Troy's phone beeped at the moment and he rushed to look at it. A new text message had just arrived and he saw it was from Gabriella.

'I guess Tay has talked to you by now. I am okay but I need some time to myself now; don't worry I'll call you later. Love you…lots. G'

Troy closed his phone forcefully. "She says she's okay and that she needs some time to herself. I swear I am going to kill Sharpay…"

"Where is she?" Taylor asked lowly.

"I don't know," Troy sighed. "I suppose she knows I would go to find her and so she doesn't want that now…"

"Oh," Taylor winced knowing that probably Gabriella was crying her eyes out though she was trying to fool Troy pretending she was okay.

After their talk, Taylor knew Gabriella had been bottled everything inside of her; she knew Gabriella had issues, mostly about her parents, and she also knew that she had been putting a mask over her face for Troy's sake. Taylor knew there was something in the fact that both her parents were like out of her life that bothered Gabriella; she pretended that she was fine and that everything was okay, but Taylor couldn't believe in her words…mostly because she couldn't understand how a person could be okay when her mother had left her when she was little and her father was never around her.

"Let's go to class," Chad said. "Gabi is like that; she needs some time alone to think about things that bother her…if she needs anything she will ask. Now we have to let her be for a while…"

"I know," Troy whispered. "But I can't help but worry; she didn't want to come to school today…I've convinced her and now she has gone because her fears have become reality."

"It's not your fault Troy," Taylor said. "Too much has been happening lately; she needs some time get used to the new situation."

"Come on," Chad coaxed pulling Taylor's body with him and patting Troy's back. "Let's go to class. We'll call her later…"

Troy nodded; he was also overhelmed but everything happened those last days, but he was willing to push his worries and fears in the bottom of his head in order to show Gabriella he was back. However, it was being difficult; he wanted to be with her, and though he wasn't as worried about her "safety" as before, the truth is that his brother, his father and his grandma's deaths were still haunting him.

He was trying hard to forget everything about him and instead focus himself only in Gabriella; Gabriella had been with him all these years, keeping up with him and swallowing all the crap he had been throwing at her and it was just time for him to return the favour. Now was Gabriella the one freaking out, and he had to be supportive; she had told him she needed him and Troy knew that, for Gabriella to admit to him she needed help she had to be in the verge, she had to see herself about to explode.

However, at the moment Gabriella needed some time alone; he understood her because he was the one who push her away from him before. He wasn't oblivious that surely Gabriella wasn't as good as she had told him, but he was decided to play along for her sake. If Gabriella wanted time, he would give her time; if Gabriella wanted space, he would giver her space. Gabriella was the key of his existence, and so he was willing to do anything in order for her to remain beside him.

Grabbing his phone, he typed a message to Gabriella. He didn't want to pressure her, but he wanted to let her know he knew what had happened and what his feelings were about it. Though he wanted for her to believe him and feel better, he was aware that maybe that wouldn't happen, but at least Gabriella would knew he was still with her.

'I know you want some time alone and I am going to respect that, but know that I love you, only you. Don't let Sharpay's words invade your head baby, she's completely wrong. I can't wait to have you in my arms again…be safe :) Love you. T'

With Gabriella

Running out of the classroom, she heard Taylor call her. She couldn't stop; she needed to get out of the school, she needed to think, she needed to be away from what hurt her. When she arrived at the nurse's office, she faked a stomach bug, knowing that no one would think she was faking; after all, she was the model student.

As planned, the nurse signed her out and Gabriella left the school, going directly to the park. She knew that, at that time, it would be empty and silent, and she needed some silent to be able to think things with perspective; she needed to analyze everything that was happening to her, and though she needed Troy with her, she also needed to be away from him to be able to think properly.

Luckily for her, the park wasn't too far; she didn't have her car with her because she had driven with Troy that morning, and so she had to walk. But it was a peaceful walk; the streets were mostly empty, except for the old couple having a walk simply because they felt like it. Plus, the weather was warm enough for her to be comfortable; it wasn't too hot but it wasn't cold either. Summing everything up, she could feel her muscles relaxing just when she had exited the school.

Choosing the tree where she and Troy always sat when they were alone in the park, Gabriella let her body fall and, lying there, she closed her eyes. She knew Taylor would be freaking out and that, probably, she would have gone to explain to Troy what had happened. Deciding that she didn't need more drama now, she retrieved her phone from her bag and typed a message for Troy; she knew he would understand and that he wouldn't bother her.

Putting the phone inside her bag again, Gabriella closed her eyes and let her mind to replace everything happened in barely 48 hours; she couldn't believe how much things had changed in so less time. It was as if her life had turned upside down in the same time you need to take a breath.

First, she had been able to explain everything to Taylor; maybe that wasn't a big deal but for her it was. All these years, Gabriella had been leaning on Chad, and though he was like her other best friend, she couldn't forget he was Troy's best friend. Chad had been the big brother she didn't have; Chad had been the wall she had leaned onto when things were too much. He had been the one who had "translated" Troy's behaviour for her in the very beginning, and the one who had taught her to put everything in perspective when it came to Troy.

Actually, it was not only that she had explained their story to Taylor but also that she had emptied everything…well, almost everything she had inside. At the moment, as it when she and Taylor talked, she thought she was explaining everything, but then, after her talk with Susan she realized she had more ghosts inside than what she thought she had.

She had a hard time trying to understand how Susan had brought out of her the issues she had about her parents; she thought she was doing fine until now, but while being with Susan, she realized she missed them. She had been the strong one for too long…she had almost forgotten what was to be the one who people took care of.

The warmness Susan's arms gave her awoke the missing feeling of her mother's arms around her; she had never known anything more from her mother, and though she was too little when she disappeared, she remembered with total clearness her face when she stepped out of their house to never get back. In the picture Gabriella had where she appeared with both her parents while being in the hospital, both her parents had huge smiles on their faces; what had happened in 4 years for her mother to abandon her? What had happened in those 4 years for her mother to leave their home with hate and rage written all over her face while looking directly at Gabriella? It was as if she didn't feel anything for any of them, not even her daughter; it was as if Gabriella was the one to blame for her unhappiness.

Maybe that was the reason she left; maybe she was fed up with Gabriella, maybe Gabriella was the one to blame for her mother's departure; maybe Gabriella had been the reason for her mother be tired of them…and maybe that was the reason for his father behaviour too. His father hadn't left her, but in a way, he also had abandoned her; he was never at home, he barely looked at her face, he barely talked with her but when it was necessary…was she so fucked up? Was she the reason for her parents to leave her? Had she done something that justified everything happened in her life?

Frowning, she realized she had never analyzed her parents' behaviour towards her; she always had taken things the way they'd come. She'd never questioned why she was always alone or why she barely had friends. Of course she loved to death her two friends and Troy, they were her family, but…out of their circle, Gabriella was all alone.

A few tears escaped from her eyes and then she sobbed; her body was trembling from the power of her sobs, but she didn't care. She felt like cry, and she wasn't even thinking about pretend she was fine; she was alone and no one would be affected by what she was doing. She needed to let it go; she needed to look for relief, and if the relief came with the tears her eyes were letting fall, then she would cry until her eyes were dry.

A sudden beep startled her; reaching into her bag for her phone she opened it and saw Troy's message. Reading it, a small smile appeared on her face, but that didn't calm her; she still felt like shit. It was something positive to know what he was feeling at the moment, but not even his "I love you" would make her feel better with the state she was at the moment; of course she treasured his feelings and words, but there were too many things running wildly through her head.

She was glad Troy knew the truth about his mother now; she couldn't believe how idiot she had been all these years! She could have avoided all the drama only talking the truth to Troy, but he was the one who was in a shell; she was glad enough he had been letting her to be beside him from time to time, but his words that morning were a reminder of the pain she had been feeling those years: I didn't want to be a part of your life.

Gabriella understood Troy; she understood that was his fear for her what had made him behave the way he had been behaving, but had gone farther that simply understand him. She had accepted everything without complaints; like with her parents, Gabriella hadn't fought with Troy. Of course she had been telling him to try to be happy and everything but, deeply in her heart, she knew she hadn't put up a fight.

But now it wasn't time to complain about that; what was important was the fact that Troy knew now the truth and that he had accepted the love they both felt for each other. He wasn't afraid of loving her now, he wasn't afraid of receive or feel her love for him, and that was something Gabriella was thankful for. It was a huge change; Gabriella wasn't sure if Troy was as okay as he pretended to be. They hadn't talk more about that topic and she knew they had to do so; she needed for him to share his worries and fears with her if they wanted for him to be okay.

And then, in two weeks the anniversary of Lucy's death; it would be hard for both she and Troy. She was afraid of that day; she knew she had to talk with Troy before that day arrived because if not, if she followed his lead avoiding the topic, it would be as a bomb when it exploded. She missed the woman; she would know what she had to do for sure. Her advice would be the better advice a person could ask for and Gabriella wondered what she would say now to her; what would be her advice?

Groaning aloud, she realized she still had a lot of things to think about, but she couldn't lean on Chad now; Chad would explain everything to Troy, and now Troy had enough with his things, Taylor would talk with Chad, so she was out of question too and Troy…well, he was the reason because of she couldn't talk neither with Chad nor Taylor so…she was like the before: she had no one to lean on now.

It was "curious" how things could change in a beat but still remain untouchable at the same time; she felt closer to Taylor now, she felt closer to Troy now…but still she couldn't open her heart to them; not with everything that was happening. But she needed comfort; she wasn't a clingy person but there were times in life when you only wanted to be treated like a child, and Gabriella was feeling precisely that: she wanted to have two arms around her now, she wanted to have someone beside her who rubbed her back, who told her soothing words, who told her that everything would be fine. Ironically how much she needed a mom now; fourteen years after her departure…now, and only now, Gabriella had realized what she had been missing; now, and only now, Gabriella had noticed her absence; now, and only now, Gabriella had needed her mother.

She felt nervous.

Though she wasn't sure why, she was craving to be wrapped by Susan's arms. The relief she felt when the woman embraced her was something too strong to forget it; the feeling of to have someone caring for you, the feeling of to be able to break without worrying about how pain you were inflicting in another person…the simple feeling of to be helped and taken care off was like a drug for her now…and Susan was the only one who could satiate her emptiness.

Without a second thought, Gabriella grabbed her phone and dialled Susan's number. Waiting patiently for the woman to pick up the phone, Gabriella bit her lip. She hoped Susan had been serious when she told her she could go to her whenever she wanted…

"Hello? Gabriella?" Her voice brought fresh tears to her eyes.

"Yes, it's me." Her broken voice alerted Susan.

"Is everything okay with Troy?" Gabriella shut her eyes forcefully.

"Yes," taking a deep breath, Gabriella tried to calm the strength of her sobs. "But I need to talk to you…I…too much is happening and…and…I can't be strong anymore…"

"Oh Gabriella," Susan said softly. "Where are you now? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I am skipping…I've…I've had a problem with a girl and I've faked a stomach bug…" Gabriella said between sobs. "Sorry to bother you Susan but…but…I didn't know who I could talk to…"

"Don't worry sweetie;" Susan said kindly. "Where are you now?"

"In the park near the school," Gabriella said lowly.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes, ok?" Susan's soothing voice was being effective and Gabriella's sobs seemed to be weaker.

"Thank you," Gabriella said with a voice laced with emotion.

"See you in a few minutes;" Susan greeted her. "Bye!"

Gabriella didn't say anything more; she felt better now. Only knowing that Susan was coming for her was enough to bring a warm sensation to her heart…she didn't know why because she barely knew her, but it was as if Susan was the wall she needed to lean onto now.

Susan, on the other hand, was worried and happy at the same time; worried because Gabriella had broken, and happy because finally Gabriella had broken. The girl had been suffering a lot alone, and it was only a matter of time that she would break. When her mind had been "Troy-free", because Troy was better now and so Gabriella wasn't so focused in him, forgetting everything about her needs and herself, it had demanded attention: Gabriella only had realized she needed help when she had had just a little time to think about herself.

Grabbing her bag and car keys, Susan rushed out of her office and went to the parking lot of the building. Stepping into her car, she turned the engine on and drove to the park where she would meet with Gabriella…only hoping that she would be able to help her.