Gabriella walked into her first class of the day, she saw Charlie over in the back corner of the room. she smiled softly walking over to him and taking a seat by him, "Hey, I didn't notice you had this class." he looked at her, "Oh, Hey Gabriella."

She smiled, "So Listen, Me and Troy are engaged." he bit his lip, "Oh umm Congradulations." she nodded, Thanks." he looked at the board. Gabriella sighed, "Would you like to join us for coffee after classes today?"

He bit his lip, trying hard to focus on the board, he couldn't join them for coffee. "Sorry...I-I can't." he muttered, Gabriella sighed, taking the empty desk beside him. "If this is about the scene at the dance-"

"no it's n-not...it's just...I can't go." he shook his head, looking at her coldly from the corner of his eyes. "Why not then?" he bit his lip again, shaking his head until he was sure his brains were going to fall out. "I just can't okay?" he whispered-yelled, getting up from the seat and moving to another one. As he walked down the aisle, he saw a glimpse of Sam dancing like Michael Jackson in Thriller and Smooth Criminal on the desk; he fought in a laugh.

Gabriella watched him, he was hiding something. He didn't want to talk about it, but he would-Gabriella Montez was good at many things, and getting people to spill their guts to her was one of them. She pulled out her cellphone, putting it on silent before she sent a text to Troy. Charlie doesn't want to go to coffee tonight, I sense he's hiding something...hmm .

She sent it and then it wasn't long before she got her replay. Brie, if he doesn't want to go, he doesn't want to go...it's a guy thing. She narrowed her eyes at the screen, sending one text, and then turning her phone completely off. Well I'm going to find out what it is...see you tonight.

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Charlie was playing catch with Sam out the back of the woods behind stanford. "So, why won't you go for coffee tonight with Gabriella and Troy?" He threw the ball towards Charlie, Charlie caught it, "Because, I..I can't risk people finding out about our promise, or for the fact I still talk to my dead brother-"

"So what your saying is, you could have a life, but I'm holding you back." Charlie sighed, "No Sam, I Could, of course I'm not going to, but I could." he threw the ball back to him. Sam looked behind Charlie, "Charlie-"

"What sam, pass the ball." Sam shook his head, clearing his throat, "she's here." he pointed behind him, "what-" Charlie turned around to come face to face with Gabriella.

"Dead Brother?" Charlie gulped, turning to find Sam gone, and back to Gabriella. she came closer, "So this is your life? you play catch everyday with your dead brother..this is your secret?"

Charlie said nothing, his eyes looking down at his feet. Gabriella crossed her arms over her chest. "Charlie-" he snapped his head up, moving away from her, "I gotta go." he walked quickly through the woods, Gabriella watched him then followed; stumbling over the fallen logs and sticking up roots. "wait! Charlie!" a branch 'thwacked' her in the face, "oof!" Charlie just continued to run through the woods until he was out of sight. "Charlie!" she yelled again, "wait! I just want to talk to you...please!"

Gabriella caught up with him eventually, grabbing his wrist, "Charlie, please, I just wanna-" he glared at her, "So what? you could make fun of me? tease me? tell everybody? No thanks." he tried to escape his grasp, but she held onto his wrist tighter, "Charlie, I will not ever do that, please.. just talk to me."

He sighed turning to her, "Yes, I play catch with my dead brother before sundown everyday." she bit her lip, "why?"

He looked at her, "Cause, I made a deal with him..along time ago, before he died." Gabriella sighed holding onto his hand, "Charlie, there's a point where you just have to let go." he shook his head, "I can't lose him Gabriella, I can't.."

She sighed, "Please, join me and Troy for coffee.."

Charlie didn't say anything, didn't move. Gabriella stared into his eyes, "Charlie"-she grabbed his hand, tugging on his fingers-"come on...Troy's waiting-" his eyes snapped to her, turning from blue to a stormy grey, "no...I don't want to." Gabriella bit her lip, "Charlie, come on, we have to let go-"

"I can't lose him."

"He's dead-" he shoved her away, "just leave me a lone..I don't want you or Troy...or anybody but Sam near me...I'm sorry...bye." he stalked off away from her, Gabriella hugged her arms around herself; letting out a sigh as she turned to go in the direction of her bicycle (she didn't believe in cars, Troy still had his truck, but he painted it blue).

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Gabriella jumped off her bike, rushing into the coffee shop. Troy was already sitting there pouring salt onto the table. he looked up at her and mumbled, 'Your late." she sighed, "Sorry." she muttered sitting down across from him. He looked at her, "where were you?"

She sighed biting her bottom lip, "I was with charlie." Troy still looked at her, "He didn't come?" she shook her head, "Troy I found out what he was hiding."

Troy chuckled, Gabriella raised a brow, "what?" Troy smirked, "He's gay?" she narrowed her eyes, "Troy I'm serious-"

"So am I-" she groaned, "No. his secret is.." she took a deep breath, "He plays catch, with his dead brother, everyday, after school, in the woods.."

Troy began chuckling... then chuckling, chuckling, and chuckling. Gabriella looked at him, he burst out into laughter. "Brie, You seriously can't believe that...that he talks to his dead brother!" Gabriella sighed, "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true! I caught him at the woods talking with him-" "

Brie, seriously, just leave the dude alone, if he doesn't want you around, leave it. and plus your with me, I don't want anyone taking you away from me." she sighed, "I'm just trying to help him Troy.."

He shook his head, "Don't help him, he doesn't want it, and he doesn't need it." Gabriella looked away, "Troy if you care about me, or love me, you'll talk to him, at least once."

Troy sighed, the smile of his laughter still on his face as he pulled Gabriella on to his lap. "yeah..yeah sure I'll"-snigger-"talk to"-snigger-"him." he nodded, trying to hide a smile. Gabriella slapped his shoulder, "Troy...he's very touchy about it, something bad happened to his brother, try to get him to open up about it."

Troy sighed, "Brie...he doesn't want help-" she pouted her lips, her eyelashes batting swiftly, "oh crap...Brie, not the puppy pout."

She giggled, but still holding her pout in place. "Troy...my Troy...please." he shook his head, "what do i get if I do talk to crasy-I mean Charlie?"

She giggled, leaning down to whisper in his ear. He lifted his brows as a hot red crept over his face, "okay...I-I can do that, I can talk to him and uh...yeah." she smiled, "thank you!"

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Troy walked into the woods, he was crazy for talking to this dude, but he was crazy for Gabriella. he sighed moving a branch out of his face as it hit his face. Sam threw the ball at charlie. "So, that was really smooth how you treated Gabriella yesterday." Charlie sighed, "Look, just forget about it, it's just me and you."

"Charlie, forget about me, let me move on, you need to be with people." Charlie sighed, "Sam-"

Sam sighed, "I need to head towards the light charlie, your just not letting go of me." Charlie began crying, "Sam-"

"Goodbye Charlie.." Sam ran towards the back of the woods, "SAM!" he ran after him, but Sam was gone. Charlie began crying hysterically.