Plot: Gabriella Montez life is filled with one passion, dance; it was her life and her love. Yet when her mother unexpectedly dies from a heart attack, Gabriella is forced to move to New York City to live with her not so loving Father. While her journey beginnings, Gabriella encounters the son of the owner of Symphony Dance Studio, Troy Bolton. Whose attraction for Gabriella makes him seem stubborn and cocky, yet as his efforts grow it gets harder for Gabriella to keep out of his way. As the time passes Gabriella eventually struggles balancing her passion for dance, her father, money and the persistent Troy Bolton.

Bittersweet Symphony

Chapter One -Already Gone

It's official, she has gone completely insane.

Gabriella stared at her mother blankly after she told her that she'd like to get plastic surgery. Her own mother wanted to go under to the knife just to increase one bra size. Gabriella smirked at the idea because she knew that no matter what, her mother will start ageing and it would all just look like a horrible chaos within a body. She looked down at the bowl of cereal she poured and pushes it away. She lost her appetite on what her mother just told her. Gabriella gulped and looks back at her mother.

"It's just one size bigger Gabriella it is nothing major. Support me," Her mother continued. She took a bite out of her toast and took her daughter's hands into her owns. She smiled, a rather perfect smile, and stared into Gabriella's eyes with full on motherly love. She opened her mouth to say something but Gabriella interrupted her.

"Why?" Gabriella asked her mother in a serious tone. She pulled her hands away from her mother's grasp. "Why do you want to do it? You're perfect the way you are and you're always telling me that we have to embrace what we were given. Why must you change your appearance Mum?"

Her mother shrugged and sighed. "I…I just need a change. Okay? I'm just letting you know because I really want to do this."

"Mum, to be honest, its nature you are bound to grow old whether you like it or not. Surgery will only give you the appearance of young for a while before the rest of your body reveals the truth. ," Gabriella replied back.

Her mother sighed once again and walked over to stand in front of her daughter. "I know…but I'm going to do it. There are no take backs."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and started to walk away before she stopped and turn to face her mother again. "It's just a waste of money, money that we will need. It's useless and utterly ridiculous!"

"Gabriella, please!"

"I'm leaving, going to be late for school," She replied, grabbing her bag that hanged from the chair she had once occupied. Once she was out of the building, she was greeted by her best friend, Taylor McKessie, who sat on the steps of the building with her arms crossed against her chest. "Sorry about that," Gabriella mumbles as she helped her stand up.

"What took you so long?" Taylor exclaimed. She grabbed the coffee that sat next to her along with her book bag. They slowly made their way down the block in silence.

"My mum was telling me something," Gabriella told her after a few seconds. She looked down at her feet as they continued to walk. Taylor cleared her throat; she was waited penitently for Gabriella to continue. "She wants to get Breast Implants, which I think is an utterly and completely horrendous idea for a woman like her."

Taylor giggled. "Are you serious? How old is she?" She wondered as she sipped her coffee slowly and stared at her best friend.

Gabriella sighed. "Unfortunately I am serious I meant the woman is forty-one years old, for gods sakes." She said as disappointment and anger filled her voice.

Taylor nodded a smile adorned her face. "It's not that bad, at least is just one size, not like some major 'nunga nungas' if you know what I mean. I say let the woman be. Although I have to say, she looks really…fit for her age."

She smiled a little bit at the mention of her best friend's favorite word, but it soon faded. "If only she can realize it."

Taylor patted Gabriella's shoulder and smiled again."Come on we have to hurry, especially since Mr. Malone will give us that chemistry test first period."

At first, Gabriella had two theories as to why she was being called into the principal's office. The first once was because her mother was picking her up early, and the second one, some type of school competition that either required knowledge in spelling, speech, science or even writing. Gabriella sighed at the second theory. All these school competitions where getting boring to her. She just couldn't wait to graduate next year and be done with everything.

As Gabriella entered the office quietly, she felt some tension from the school's secretary, Mrs. Randall. She walked over to the desk, and looked at Mrs. Randal and waited for her to tell Gabriella to enter Principal Lewis' office. Gabriella cleared her throat making Mrs. Randall looked up for a second and directed a warm smiled at her. Which in honest truth was odd because she would usually have a smirk or grin on her face when Gabriella would walk in.

"Principal Lewis wants you in his office. Go right in," She spoke softly. Gabriella nodded and walked inside, closing the door carefully behind her.

Principal Lewis looked up from his paperwork and gave her a soft smile, as he made a motion for her to sit down. Gabriella did as told as she crossed her legs, leaning back into the chair, and waited for what he usually would tell her: "We'll be going to Sacramento to compete in a contest, and of course I have chosen you since your writing skills are rather excellent" or he would say "There's a competition in Santa Barbara and since you have the highest grade in biology there's no one else I rather choose. Don't worry I have already signed you up." But when Principal Lewis opened his mouth to say something with a concerned expression on his face, she was positive that it was none of her previous guesses.

He sighed and leaned forward on his desk, folding his hands. "Miss Montez, we have gotten a call from the hospital. It was concerning your mother. She has had a heart attack and she's not in the greatest condition at the moment. I am excusing you from all your classes today and letting you visit her in the hospital," He told her.

Gabriella sank back into her seat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mother was in the hospital because of a heart attack. It seemed impossible but she was sure the school wouldn't lie about such thing. She cleared her throat, wanting to say something but it felt as if her through was closing in on her making it hard to breathe. She held onto the desk to balance herself as she stood up, she walked out slowly out of the office feeling as if her whole world had just crashed down on her.

Her mother meant everything to her; she was all that she had left. They might have fought a lot, but it still didn't mean that she was Gabriella's light, Gabriella's shoulder to cry on, Gabriella's closest friend. When she entered the hallway, she took notice that the bell had rang a couple of seconds ago, for most of the classrooms were being empty out, most students making their way to their next class. Gabriella stared at all of them, as some gave her warm smile, and others gave her rude looks. But she didn't pay attention, neither did she care. As Gabriella kept walking she came across two familiar shoes, she looks up to see Taylor standing in front of her with a smile.

"Another Science competition right? Their getting a little old don't you think?" She asked. When she got no reply she studied Gabriella's face and then frowned. "What's wrong Gabby?"

Gabriella shook her head. "I have to go," She mumbled and started to walked away, attempting to fix the bag that sat on her shoulder. She heard Taylor footsteps following her and quickly picked up her pace. "Gabby! Where are you going? You're going to miss class!" Taylor exclaims, still following her.

Gabriella stopped walking as she stood outside the building. She sighed deeply and stared at Taylor's with a frown. "I'll call you after school. But I'm sorry…I need to leave." Taylor nodded as Gabriella walked away slowly.

She kept her pace at a certain speed and ran a hand through her hair, feeling her eyes get watery. She walked faster, Principal Lewis' words repeating in her head: She has had a heart attack and she's not in the greatest condition at the moment. Gabriella sniffed, wiping the tears that where falling down her face. She starts to run, making her way towards the hospital, but when the tears became too heavy she stopped and took a breath, slowly sinking against the wall behind her, hugging her knees into her body, and looking down blankly at the ground below her. She took a couple of deep breaths and looked at her surroundings, noticing that the hospital was just two blocks away. She slowly walked to the front of the hospital, trying to hold back the tears she gulped and took one last deep breath. Walking in, she asked at the front desk for her mother, and was directed in the right direction.

Gabriella nervously walked out of the elevator and around the corner, looking for her mother's room. When she found it, she stared at the door standing in that position for a while.

A nurse that was walking by stopped as she saw Gabriella. She cleared her throat, grasping Gabriella's attention. "Excuse me, are you lost?" The nurse asked her.

Gabriella shook her head in response. "No…um actually my mother is in there… I'll just go in," She told her, the nurse nodded and watched as Gabriella walked in the room.

She closed the door quietly behind her, trying not to make any noise; she looks over to the body that laid on the hospital bed. Wires hooked up in many places. Her mother looked so pale and fragile. The heartbroken feeling grew even bigger the more she looked at her mom. Gabriella slowly walked closer to her mother and caressed her cheek gently, making her mother awaken from her sleep. She smiled at her mother trying to hide the broken frown that previously laid upon her face.

"Hi Mum," She mumbled quietly and seated herself on a chair next to the bed. She took her mother's hand and held it securely into her owns.

Her mother tried to smile but failed the pain overcoming her body."Gabby," She said slowly, wincing in pain. Gabriella took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry about this morning," Gabriella blurted out after a few minutes in silence. She looked directly at her mother with a remorseful expression.

Her mother slowly looks down at her daughter as the corner of her mouth twitches upward. "It's okay sweetie…I shouldn't have brought that up," She told Gabriella, taking deep breaths after every word. Maria moved her hands closer to Gabriella face and caresses her cheek. "I love you Gabby…and I promise you no surgery. Okay?"

Gabriella nodded. "Okay Mum. And…I love you too. More than the distance of Pluto to the sun," She told her mother with a warm sad smile.

Her mother tried to laugh a little but winces as the pain struck her once again. "I am a very…lucky mother…to have a daughter…like you. I am very proud of you, mi niῆa"

Gabriella smiled again feeling her eyes start to water. "You'll get better Mama, I know you will. I love you." She kissed her mother's forehead as they both held onto each other's hands and closed their eyes, drifting off to sleep.

Gabriella opened her eyes rapidly; as she is awaken by beeping noises. As she looked at her surroundings, she remembered she's was in the hospital. She looked out the window and took notice that it was already dark. She looked over to her mother, the beeping noises continuing making Gabriella confused. She looked up at the machines that were plugged in and the IV that was injected into her mother's fragile arm. She glanced over at her mother and stood up slowly. She placed her free hand onto her mother's abdomen as the other one held her mother's hand. Gabriella started breathing heavier and faster, she knew what was going on but she didn't want to believe it.

"Mum," She whispered, already starting to cry. There was silence as Gabriella moved her hand up to where her mother's heart is suppose to be. She cried harder when she realizes her mother was not breathing. "Mum, wake up please!"

After a few moments of silence and no movement, Gabriella gave up. She sat on the bed next to her lifeless mother. She cried silently and bent down, kissing her cheek. She cried harder and then whispered, "I love you Mum." She pulled away and looked at her once more and grabbed her purse from the chair. Before she could turn around, various nurses and doctors rushed into the room and looked at Gabriella's mother. One nurse nodded to Gabriella, letting her know there was nothing to do. Gabriella sobbed and blew a kiss at her dead mother. She turned around and walked out of the hospital silently with her head down. She didn't know where she was going but once her legs gave up on her she looked up to realize she stood in front of the dance studio she took classes in.

This is something I doubt I'll ever see again. Just like my mother.

Gabriella walked pass the main desk and walked up the stairs and entered an empty room. She closed the door behind her and stood in the middle of the room, staring at herself in the mirror. Taking notice of her pink puffy eyes from all the crying, feeling her throat sore and dry and the weak feeling that surrounded her body. As Gabriella let the quietness surround her, she started to move to the melody that plaid in her head. When she looked in the mirror she realized she was dancing to the piece she created for the show that was coming up soon. She had originally dedicated the piece to her mother, and she knew it will stay that way forever.

Dancing was her passion. She had been dancing since she was 9 years old; a few months after her parents had divorced. It was her way of expressing how she felt about her parent's separation. Now after eight years of dancing, she loved it more than her whole life. The only thing that beat dancing was her mother. Gabriella slowly made the final steps of her dance, walking towards the window she slid down to the floor, hugging her knees. She had nowhere to go; she didn't know what to do. The future was uncertain. But the one fact she knew for sure: Her mother was gone.