Okay, school started..again...so yeah, I am busy working my butt off for school and my leisure time is pleasurably going strait to writing..i guess, that's good! I just turned in an essay worth 180 points and I am scared out of my living gut. Wish me luck ,people.

Disclaimer: I tend to stick to positive but for this fact I have no choice. I don't own High School Musical or the Vulnerable lyrics by Vanessa Hudgens

I know what your thinking; Finally something by Vanessa! Yeah, well I needed to find an appropriate time, and I really think this is it. So, I've gotta say that the Vulnerable by Miss. Hudgens is probably my favorite out of all the songs in her second album-scratch that- its my favorite out of all the songs she has sung. If you haven't heard it, gosh, you're missing out on a lot. Seriously people, check it out!

That's it for now..meet you at the end


Good Comes Last

by: Laugh, in laughnsmile96

Chapter Eight: Vulnerable


So baby
Hold me now
I can't tell if I am lost or found
Cause I've been living in a dream
And I don't want to wake up
And I don't know how to let you in
Or let you go
I'm so vulnerable
Hold me now
Please baby don't let me go
Cause I'm living in a dream
And I don't want to wake up
I know for sure that you're the cure
Coming down with a case of 'I love you more'
I don't want to be vulnerable

Vanessa Hudgens, Vulnerable

Gabriella awoke slowly to face the white mattress she slept on. The milk white cotton sheets moved with her as she shifted to an upright position. The night was still and moonlight shone into her room. The blue, shiny letters that glowered into the dark room read 11:48 AM. Almost midnight. Gabriella didn't want to go to sleep, her head burned too much. She had to just walk it off.

Making sure not to wake up the assigned nurse, Gabriella pulled the sheets off of her and stepped away from the bed. She hurried over to her closet and picked out some cloths, a pair of mini jean mini shorts and a pink shirt with a black vest to go over it. For the past two weeks Gabriella had switched from two to five outfits almost everyday, since every day was basically doing nothing but sleeping and sitting. Just in case she meets up with Troy again, she wanted to look nice. The woman changed in the bathroom and even coordinated two braids in the sides of her head.

Looking as stunning as ever, Gabriella sauntered again down the portrait-full hallway and down the elevated stair case. As she came into the sight of downstairs, Gabriella smiled when she saw the back of Troy's head pouring himself a glass of water. Gabriella was ready to make conversation, almost too ready. She didn't want to live the rest of her life in Troy's home as a stranger, a ghost. In pin drop silence, Gabriella made her way down the stairs and opened her mouth to say a greeting but then true horror struck her when Troy collapsed onto the hard wooden floor. She rushed forward and took a slightly unconscious Troy into her lap.

"Marissa!" Gabriella yelled, her voice echoing throughout the whole house. It cracked as worry enveloped the way she spoke and sealed it tightly. Fright overwhelmed her. "Marissa! Anne!" she called the nurses again, hoping and praying that they would wake up. Her prayers were answered when a plump old lady appeared coming down the steps. Her eyes widened and hand clamped onto her mouth. "My baby!" she cried ,mother like.

911 was called and an ambulance came to the mansion in almost ten minutes. Gabriella was easily swept away, too, by the extremely loud truck along with Troy. Before she left Marissa stuffed a black sweatshirt into Gabriella's arms that read "Bolton" in white letters on the back.

The men in uniform who had come to take Troy instantly began treating Troy while the driver in the front seat zoomed towards the hospital. One started to ask Gabriella questions.

"Did Mr. Bolton experience pain before he passed out?" was one of them. Gabriella looked back at him with innocent eyes, tears brimming with pressure and fear of Troy's condition.

"I..I don't know. I just came downstairs when he was drinking water and then he fell. I guess- he looked in pain," Gabriella stammered through her words. The questions went on and it was clear that Gabriella could be of no help. Soon enough, the ambulance had reached the hospital and Troy was quickly taken inside and up to the flour floor,the Intensive Care Unit. Gabriella ran along side Troy as far as she could. As soon as they got to Room 418, Gabriella was shut out of the treatment room.

"Wait here" Dr. Belle said and shut the door on Gabriella's face. Still carrying Troy's sweatshirt in her hands, Gabriella seated her self on the white bench near room 418. She waited. Overtime, a slow chill began to take over Gabriella's body and goosebumps traveled down her legs and along her arms. Her eyes landed on the black bundle of warmth in her hands. Troy wouldn't mind would he? Gabriella shivered. Ignoring her contrary thoughts, Gabriella slipped on the sweatshirt over her head and snuggled into it. She sighed as her body relaxed into the comfortable cloths. A low scent of manly cologne started to enter Gabriella's nose. She slipped her petite hands into the shared pockets of the shirt. Gabriella didn't know what she needed to do. Call a couple of people? She didn't know what anyone's number was. It was hopeless, she just had to wait until someone showed up.

Emotions stirred inside her body for Troy. She was confused for sure, of why this was happening to him and disappointed that she never got to see Troy's cobalt blue eyes that made her whole body quiver and her heart jolt. All Gabriella hoped for was a safe survival back into the real world for Troy. Silently and suddenly, a tear slid down Gabriella's cheek. Her eyes narrowed and confusion arose.


Marissa carried her body over to the home phone as she cried endlessly and her heart burned with anxiety. What had happen to him? As soon as the phone came into her hands, she dialed a familiar number, Chad.

"What did Troy do now, Marissa" Chad's sleepy voice said into the phone.

"Chad!" she cried. "Troy was taken to the hospital, just now. He passed out!"A exhilarated gasp came at the other end of the line.

"I'm on my way to the hospital"

"Okay, I'm will be there soon. Gabriella went to the hospital with Troy. Can you call a couple of her friends,too?" Chad gave a very high 'yes' to Marissa and hung up the phone. The nearly fifty year woman led her self upstairs and into the room that she slept in. Quickly, she got changed and headed out in her the next taxi she could find.


Fear and worry churned terribly in Chad's stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up as he climbed into the his Infiniti and drove off towards in the hospital for what seemed like the millionth time in the past two months, even though it was only the second. Memories of Troy and Chad's old, happy days flooded Chad's brain just like the tears that erupted for his eyes. It was then he remembered Marissa's previous took out his phone and searched for a number that he had gotten a call from two months ago.

"Jesse, this is Chad" his statement was a whole pitch higher that it should be.

"Hey, man. Is anything wrong?" Jesse's voice had changed over the past two months to a tone more melancholy.

"It's Troy. Something happened to him. Marissa,his maid, called me just five minutes ago saying that he had been taken to the hospital after passing out" Chad paused to swallow a sob. "I know you probably hate Troy right-" Jesse's voice interrupted him.

"I have nothing against Troy" he made clear. "But that ex-girlfriend of his seriously needs a reality check" It wasn't a joking matter. Teagan really did have problems.

Chad let out a stifled laugh, through his latest cry. "Please, we don't have time and Troy needs some people around him," Jesse knew what he was talking about.

"I'll come over along with everyone else,"

"Thanks, so much Jesse" For a few moments the line was silent. "I'll see you at the hospital,"

"Yeah, bye, Chad" he took a breath. "And Chad?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know where Brie is?"

"She's at the hospital, man. You can see her when you get there" With that their conversation was finished.


Jesse hit the last light switch and locked the entrance of the bar before getting into his Toyota Highlander Hybrid and flying his way towards the hospital. Jesse was equally afraid for Troy's health as Chad was yet he was ecstatic about seeing his sister again for the first time in two months. A thought donned upon him. Would she remember him? Of course! I'm her own brother.His thoughts answered immediately but his deep inside his heart he knew otherwise. His hope dimmed to a flimsy glow that the sun would laugh at.

Trying to forget the future forgetfulness, Jesse pulled out his phone and dialed Gabriella's best friend number.

"Hello?" she had been sleeping.

"Taylor it's me Jesse" he answered. "Remember Troy?"

"The guy who destroyed my best friends life and tore her away from me? Hell yeah" Jesse frowned at Taylor's behavior.

"He has been submitted into the Los Angeles Hospital. Right now, he needs a couple of people with him. We are the only one's he has,"

"So? Let him die for all I care. Troy deserves it! It's about time the boy did some good in his life" At this, Jesse lost his temper.

"You don't get it do you?! Do you remember when Troy was America's favorite basketball player and all of a sudden he became America's loner and flunk?!" Jesse yelled into the phone as he drove into the highway and turned on his Bluetooth headset. "He fell in love, Taylor! In love with Teagan Crow" A gasp sounded from the other end of line. "And she broke his heart. She left him just like the four other guys she has been with, including me," Memories of his past relationship with Teagan choked Jesse's brain and rushed out in tears. "B-but, he got it much worse. She didn't just want the money, Tay; she wanted everything out of him. The power of her desire had taken the life out of Troy. Crow does her malignant jobs just because she knows they're bad. She's addicted to hurting people, and she's the best at it. Teagan is doing the pure meaning of evil," Both sides of the conversation remained silent."Teagan must be proud," Jesse uttered.

"Hey" Taylor cooed. "Now that Gabriella's with Troy, I'm sure he'll come around sometime soon. Just like now, just drive safely and I'll meet you at the hospital". Jesse nodded, slowly, even though he knew she couldn't see him. The drive towards the hospital continued with a soft tune of Jazz and Jesse's heavy sobs.

Jesse increased the pressure of the gas pedal to a seventy and kept it at cruise. Troy really did need people to support him. Teagan's broken love was like a disease, you either survive or you don't and be in a miserable state forever. Or you just be smart and get a vaccine. The illness was the most deadly, painful and cruel. It involved all of the heart and soul. After their breakup Jesse just needed to be alone so that's why he had moved to England and studied. For Troy, it was the complete opposite; he needed someone beside him all the time or else who knows what abominable habits he would live on.


Taylor felt numb and filled with stupidity, which was quite rare for a Stanford college graduate. Her apartment was especially silent as if whispering orders and it was in a matter of seconds that she hurtled off towards the hospital. As she swiftly wheeled the car out the driveway in a hurry she traced her self back two months ago when she was driving the same route with tremendous amounts of worry and double the tears. December 24, 2008, the day her best friend had been torn out of her memory. Taylor was guilty, with no doubt. She pulled out her phone and gave an attempt to convince Sharpay to come to hospital.

"No" Beep..

The conversation was short.


"Sharpay" Zeke whined. In this situation, it was expected for Shar to give such straightforward answers. She was Sharpay, any doubts? Yet, Zeke tried to change her thought.

"I said no" She was incredibly cute, making it immensely hard for Zeke not to just give up. Sharpay was standing there in the middle of hallway, arms crossed and in a pink ruffle skirt and white polo with a small, red seagull stitched in the right corner. Her blond hair was let out and surprisingly threatening. Zeke narrowed his eyes with great effort of ignoring her seriousness.

"You know what" he said as a stifled laugh erupted from his throat. "I'll just go". Zeke and Sharpay were both extremely stubborn ,so both of them had a fifty-fifty chance of winning. This time Zeke knew his chances.

He dug into the pocket of his tan shorts and pulled out his keys. He headed out of their house and soon enough Sharpay came following a few seconds later. Before starting the car, she let out a groan.

"I hate you" Zeke laughed.

"I love you, too, sweetheart" with a kiss on the cheek and a click of a belt the two were off


Chad entered the familiar hospital with a sprint in his strut.

"Troy Bolton?" he asked a young nurse behind the counter. It seemed she had recognized him from the Lakers team when her eyes brightened and lip quivered.

"Room 418," A smile of gratitude splashed his face while he led himself towards the elevator. The doors to the little transporter opened, so he stepped inside. In a matter of seconds, Chad had reached the white floor. Once again, the white walls caved in on Chad as he sauntered down the hallway looking for Room 418. A petite, beautiful lady was slumped up in a chair near the end of the building. Instantly, Chad recognized her from his many visits to Troy's house. His saunter became a fast walk and soon to a job.

"Gabi!" Over the past two months, even though Troy didn't spentd so much time with Gabriella, Chad and a couple of others from the basket ball came around to spend time together. of course, this was when Gabriella couldn't exactly walk properly so they couldn't take her anywhere. Gabriella's braided hair flipped to the sides as her head lead the way and her face brightened.

"Chad!" she stood up and sprinted towards him. The two shared a friendly hug.

"Did the doctor come out yet?" Gabriella's features dimmed and she shook her head, no.

"I've been waiting for a half an hour or so" she explained. "There's no news, so far. I hope Troy survives," Chad's heart turned to jelly around the edges. Gabi actually cared for Troy.

"Is Marissa coming?" the young lady asked after some silence. The man she was talked to was distracted by the black, slightly large, sweatshirt that she was wearing. Chad's strong hand reached around her and turned her around, and back again.

"Isn't this Troy's?" Rosy red seeped through Gabriella's cheeks leaving a temporary stain. She nodded and looked down.

"Marissa gave it to me and the hospital is pretty chilly" Chad chuckled and glanced down as well for a resumed the conversation they were had left of at.

"Oh, um, yeah. Marissa is coming and I called your bro- a couple of Troy's closest friends,too" he fixed his mistake. The last Chad needed was a best friend to worry about and a girl with a agonizing headache. At first, Gabriella caught the mistake and her brows narrowed a little, but she had easily shrugged it off.

The elevator doors opened across the endless hallway and out came Jesse with tear stains on his perfectly tanned face. Behind him, Marissa waddled with equally disturbed cheeks.

Jesse life erupted in joy when his sister came before his eyes.

"Brie" he breathed, audible throughout to Gabriella's ears. Uncertainty shadowed her eyes as he slowly stepped forward, in a rather quick way. As he became closer the shadow soon became an emotion clearly visible all through her body. Gabriella latched her arm in between Chad's chest and bicep and drew closer to her in need for protection.

"It's okay" Chad cooed. "This is Jesse- one of Troy's great friends" Jesse's soft brown, teddy bear eyes shattered at the looks of his sister not being able to recognize him but it seemed as though she was trying, desperately trying as if he was extremely faint in her memory


A soft tear escaped from Jesse's eyes as he sat on a bench outside Room 418. His thoughts wandered mostly around the subject of Troy, Chad and his darling sister. Gabriella. How could she have forgotten him. They were the two closest siblings on planet Earth. In the past hour, four people had arrived other than the ones already here, Taylor, Zeke, Sharpay and Matt. Marissa sat alone in the seat across from him sobbing aimlessly with a helpless tissue in her hand. Sharpay and Zeke were both just their, neither of them informed much about anything. Taylor sat next to Jesse leaning on his shoulder and her arm circled around his. They all had been completely put down by Gabriella's memory, with no luck in the first place. Gabriella sat next to Chad, bearing the stares from her new friends and occasionally dropping her head on Chad's chest when her sleepiness took over. Her arm was still attached to him, too .

"For Troy Bolton?" a female doctor appeared out of nowhere. The whole group stood up ,except Gabriella, and gaped at the doctor with weary fear stricken eyes.

"I guess I can say that Troy did survive," she waited as Jesse, Chad left their sister's side and stepped in front of the doctor. "Gosh, I don't know how to say this. Mr. Bolton's insensitive habit of drinking as caused him to have kidney disease . His kidneys are exceedingly weak, they can't work to what is needed for his body. I'm pretty sure that by now, after various treatments, and tests that his kidneys have probably fully shut down," To face that many different pained expressions was the toughest thing for a doctor to do. "Troy is still unconscious"

" We have a choice of treatments to go for," the doctor's voice was shy. "Our most recommended is kidney transplant. Organ and tissue donors can donate their organs to the sick. So many people need transplants that the wait for their needed organ is almost endless, and sometimes it can prolong until death, but Mr. Bolton doesn't have much time on him. For now, if any relative or close friend with the same blood type as him would be so atsonishingly kind to offer one of their healthy kidneys as a subsitute for Troy's ones. This kidney can carry Troy for another twenty five to thirty five years and then we will most definately have another organ for Troy to live off of," the long explanation ended drasitcally.

"Before I suggest other treatments, would the kidney transplant with Troy's blood type ,B positive, be an option to any of you?" she looked around, into everyone's eyes, despondingly.

Yet, silence remained. Everyone was in their own thoughts. Would they really want to give their own kidney to Troy? All of a sudden, the angels in heaven roared with delight as a certain brunette put aside her own problems and despair just for this young man's life.

"I'll do it," Gabriella accepted.