Gabriella looked up at the school in front of her then down at her clothes rolling her eyes. She was in long white linen trousers and flip flops a huge oversized jumped swamping her small frame. With a sigh she walked into East High.

"If it isn't the geek!" Chad Danforth called out at the sight of her, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and glared at him.

"Oh! The nerd looks annoyed!" Zeke quipped and Gabriella just blinked. She was used to these comments. Troy appeared at his friends side and looked up seeing Gabriella he was about to smile when all the team turned to him.

"What?" He asked slightly taken aback by their expectant faces.

"Aren't you going to make fun of Montez?" Jason asked and Troy frowned... Oh yeah. Gabriella saw his dilemma and sighed, it would be better if no one knew of their meeting.

"Are you going to move basket head?" She spat looking up at Troy "Or are you going to wait until someone with a brain tells you how?" She smirked that was quite good, shame she didn't mean it. Troy looked down at her and she had to shake her head at the hurt look in his eyes. She wanted to tell him it didn't matter, she could take the hits.

"Why don't you make me geek" His team mates cheered at the comment and she rolled her eyes pushing past him. She frowned as her stomach churned at his hurtful words, he'd called her geek countless times before but never had she felt so... hurt by it.

Lunch...

Gabriella gripped the edges of her plastic tray as she dodged the people who attempted to shove her; all she wanted to do was get to her table. Chad Danforth grabbed her apple and she sighed realising she'd probably never eat at this rate.

"Thanks nerd" He grinned

"Can I have my apple back please?" She asked as politely as she could muster.

"The nerd wants her apple back" Chad jeered and Gabriella snapped she slammed her tray down on the nearest table and grabbed the apple out of Chad's hand.

"I have a name Chad! Or is that too much for your brain to handle!" She glared and picked up her tray once more. Chad seethed and shoved her hard as she turned to walk away. Gabriella's tray flew from her hands sending spaghetti over the infamous Sharpay Evans as she landed face first on the cold cafeteria floor.

"Chad Danforth!" The blonde screamed as she marched across the room to the basketball player. Chad scanned the room desperately he knew Sharpay was one dangerous woman.

"Hey! That wasn't my fault she tripped!" He pointed down at Gabriella who was trying to sit up but the sting in her hands was too much.

"I saw you push her you jerk! You owe me a new Dior T-shirt!" Sharpay snapped storming away to change her shirt. Troy was stood on the stairs and glared at his best friend, he hurried down just as Chad was about to shove Gabriella back to the floor.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He snapped standing in front of Gabriella protectively.

"She's a geek and a bitch Troy, she deserves it!" Chad announced and Troy shook his head.

"Chad no one deserves to be shoved around... dude what the fuck?" He asked in total confusion "We don't hurt people Chad, not physically"

"I don't need you protecting me!" Gabriella snapped from behind him. Troy turned around about to speak but she held up a hand. "Save it for someone who gives a shit Bolton" She spun on her heel and stormed away ignoring the tears that stung her eyes.

Later that day...

Gabriella walked out onto the sand dressed only in a blue bikini and a sheer white sarong wrapped around her waist. Her hair fell to her waist and she smiled looking down at her baby blue finger nails, finally she felt at peace. Squidging her toes into the sand she closed her eyes her body facing towards the path that Troy had left by yesterday.

Troy practically stormed down the path towards the beach; he was in a shitty mood. He stopped dead at the sight before him, never in all his life had he seen anything quite as beautiful as Gabriella looked at that moment. Without a second thought he took out his phone and took her picture, he never wanted to forget this moment. All his stress and anger faded away as he stepped onto the sand and closer to the girl.

Gabriella opened her eyes and smiled at Troy, she just knew he was there, she didn't know how she just did.

"Hi" She whispered and he smiled back.

"Hi" They stood feet apart just staring at each other for what felt like an eternity before Troy finally spoke. "Today..." That was all he had to say Gabriella knew what he meant.

"I know how important being popular is to you Troy, I'm not going to take that away. It's not like we're actually friends or anything you don't have to be nice to me at school." She sighed and Troy frowned... they weren't friends?

"I want to be nice to you Gabriella" He replied taking a step forwards.

"No you don't Troy... being friends with me is not something anyone wants to do." She sighed and folded her arms looking out to the ocean.

"I'm sorry Chad shoved you today." Troy replied being the only thing he could say. Gabriella simply shrugged and titled her head back slightly.

"It doesn't matter Troy... I've had worse" She whispered and Troy came to stand at her side.

"What do you mean?" He frowned but she shook her head turning away from him.

"Nothing"

"Gabriella, tell me... please?" He whispered putting a hand lightly on her shoulder, his hand buzzing with the contact. She sighed and turned to look at him unaware of just how close he was standing. She ended up pressed against his chest her head buried in the crook of his neck. She blushed furiously and stepped back, much to Troy's dismay.

"How about we just say that, that's not the first time Chad's... 'shoved' me and leave it at that" She replied and his eyes went wide.

"He's touched you before? He's hurt you?" Troy pressed and Gabriella smiled sadly.

"Leave it Troy... please?" She whispered and finally he sighed but nodded running a hand through his hair. After a moment she looked up at him and saw the anguish in his eyes "What's wrong?" She asked and he frowned.

"I don't like it when people get hurt" He replied but she shook her head.

"No that's not it..." She looked deeper into his eyes "There's something more... something that's... hurting you?" She frowned. Troy stared at her unable to figure out how she'd known that... no one ever knew when he was upset; he didn't think anyone actually cared enough to notice.

"It's my grandfather" He whispered after a moment and Gabriella stepped forwards slightly desperately searching for some way to comfort him. "He's... He's got Parkinson's disease, I went to visit him today, after school... but he didn't know who I was." The tears stung his eyes and he dropped his head forwards slightly "We were so close when I was growing up... I just... It's killing me to see him like this." He whispered letting one tear fall. He'd never told anyone that before, but he trusted Gabriella, it was bizarre to think so but he really did.

Before Gabriella gave her head time to reason that this was a bad idea she wiped Troy's tear away and softly kissed the track it had left before wrapping her arms around his chest and hugging him to her. She'd never realised that Troy Bolton was so full of love and it touched her heart to hear him so open with her.

Troy was taken aback, that was the most intimate moment he'd ever experience and it scared him to think so. They hadn't even kissed, yet he felt more connected to her than he ever had with any of his other girlfriends. He smiled and ran a hand through her hair holding her to him, she made a difference, holding her in his arms made him feel... so much better.

"Do you want to go again now?" She whispered and his eyes widened. His parents only let him see his grandfather for a few minutes if he went now he would be able to spend as much time as he liked, and maybe he'd remember again. He sighed, no he couldn't face his grandfather alone it would be so hard.

"I can't" He sighed and she frowned pulling back slightly so she could look into his eyes.

"Why not?" She asked

"I can't go alone it's just too much" He whispered and she blushed ducking her head slightly.

"Well... I sort of thought... I'd go with you, but I won't I mean I don't want to intrude! I know it's rude! I'm sorry I shouldn't have-" She was silenced by Troy's brilliant grin.

"You'd do that? You'd come with me?" He asked and she nodded.

"Of course" She smiled and he grinned wider taking her hand already tugging her away towards his granddad's retirement home.

Authors notes:

So? What do you thing? Any good? I really hope you like this story cause I'm working really hard on it :) Love u all xxxx