"He wants a fight, well now he's got one and He ain't seen me crazy yet."
-"Gunpowder and Lead" Miranda Lambert

After we were finished I walked to Starbucks, I needed coffee. I looked down at my phone then stuffed it back into my pocket.

"Hey Brie." I turned around to Troy Bolton's smiling face. "You look pretty today."

"Hi Troy." He stood next to me in line.

"How are you doing?" He asked me.

"I'm good actually." I said, surprising myself. "My boyfriend got arrested but I had 3 bruised ribs on each side." I shrugged.

He winced. "That's harsh brie. My dad probably arrested him."

I looked at him confused. "What?"

"My dad is an officer for the New York Police Department." He said, stepping forward in line.

"Jack Bolton" I said, making sense of it all. "He called me earlier telling me they arrested him."

"That's my dad." Troy said. "He wanted me to be a cop, he secretly thought I was too much of a pussy. Thus his explanation for my love of writing."

I actually laughed. "That's hysterical"

"What does your dad do?" He asked me.

"My dad was a radiologist slash avid hunter." I smiled slightly. "He was stuck in the desert so he mostly shot snakes... and people." He looked at me startled. "It was a joke, I'm capable of jokes."

He smiled at me. "What happened to him?"

"He passed away when I was 14, brain cancer." I stepped away from him to order my drink. He ordered his quickly after mine and paid for it. "Why is everybody being so generous today?"

Troy just smiled at me. "You deserve it."

"You've known me for one whole day." I said, walking away from him. I waited for my drink. He walked over to me. "You don't have to feel sorry for me. I'm 24 years old."

He just smiled at me. "Oh, Brie"

I grabbed our coffees and handed his to him. I gave him a gentle hug. "Thank you Troy, for my coffee."

"You're very welcome, Brie." He said, hugging me back.

I waved to him as I walked away. I lost Sharpay, in a mall. This was bad. I called her."Sharpay where are you?"

"At Forever 21" She said. I could hear her sliding the hangers along the racks.

"Where is that?" I looked at the directory thing.

"On the other side of the mall." She said. "But I'm done, so meet me at the car?" She said.

"Alright Shar. Bye" I walked towards where we were before. I walked outside and stood by Sharpays Mercades. Troy walked by waving to me. "You following me Bolton?"

He laughed. "How did you know?" He joked.

I shrugged. "It's my 6th sense, I spy weirdos"

He laughed. "I am not a weirdo Brie." He walked over toward me.

"Weirdo alert." I flashed my hands at him, I smiled.

"Whatever Brie" He said, laughing.

"Brie?" Sharpay asked walking up.

"Hey Shar. This is Troy Bolton. The new guy." I introduced her to him. "Troy, this is my best friend Sharpay Evans. She does the Fashion Forward column."

"Nice to meet you. " He smiled. "I better get going. See you both tomorrow. Bye Brie."

"Bye." I walked over to the passenger side, taking another drink of my coffee.

"He is so cute!" Sharpay said, smiling. She unlocked the doors and we got in. "He was totally flirting with you."

I shrugged. "I'm keeping my distance from the opposite sex right now."

She smirked. "You were flirting with him too. Weirdo alert."

I laughed, shaking my head. "I was just messing with him."

"Messing with… flirting… it's the same thing Gabi." Sharpay said.

"Whatever you say Sharpay." We went back to her house. I got in my car and went to my house. I opened the door. It was quiet for once. I walked into my room and started packing my clothes. If he ever did get out, he would not find me here. I packed up most of my clothes then started in the kitchen. I made myself dinner and went to sleep.

I walked in to work the next day getting my first full nights sleep in a long time. I was in a great mood. I was starting to feel at peace. I walked past Shar, waving to her. I walked into my cubicle and sat down. Ryan came in with my coffee.

"Hey girl!" He said sitting down. "You look great today. Sharpay told me what happened. I'm happy for you girl."

I smiled. "Thank you, I feel really great." I took a drink of my coffee. "What's the news for today?"

"The new guy is hot as hell" I giggled.

"Oh Ry. I'm moving. Help me pick out a new place pleaseee!" I begged, pouting my lip.

He nodded. "Alright, I'll start looking and I'll let you know what I find."

I got up hugging his tightly. "Thank you so much." He laughed hugging me back. "Pass it on to Shar. I need her help too."

"You got it girl. I'll talk to you later" He waggled his fingers and walked out. Troy walked in right after Ryan left.

"Goodmorning Brie." He sat down , smiling.

"Hi Troy." I picked up my envelope and flipped through my papers.

"How are you today?" He asked me.

"I'm really good, thank you." I looked up at him.

He handed me a flower. "I got you this" He gave me the cheesiest smile.

"Thank you." I said giggling, taking the flower. "Why did you get me a flower?"

"Because I wanted to." He said shrugging. "I'll see you later"

"Troy, wait." I said as he was getting up. "I'm going to be moving in a couple of weeks and I wanted to know if you would help me when the time comes."

He smiled. "Of course, If you need any help with anything ever. Even at 3 in the morning. Call me." He scribbled his cell number down on a purple post-it note I had on my desk. He slid it over to me. "I'm serious, if you need anything."

"Thank you Troy, You are a gentleman." I said waving to him as he walked out.

I put his number into my phone and continued writing my column. I couldn't get Troy out of my head today. He was in the back of my head, pulsating like a bad headache. I didn't seem to mind though. I was packing up my desk. I heard another knock on my cubicle.

I looked up. "Hey Troy" I said smiling. I turned back to my bag. Zipping it up.

"Wanna go get dinner or something?" Troy asked me, leaning against the wall.

I shrugged. "What do you have in mind?"

"Whatever you'd like. Or I can cook." Troy smiled at me.

I stood up and put my purse and my bag on my shoulder. "Um, what can you cook?"

"Anything." He smiled.

I raised my eyebrows. "well, I'm not that picky. So how about you surprise me?"

He nodded. "I can do that."

I smiled. "Alright, I'm going to go home and pack up before I'm there."

I walked past him. He held my arm. "See you at 8." He kissed my cheek gently.

I smiled at him and walked out to my car. I drove home, giddy. I got home and checked the messages.

"Hey Gabi , its your mom, Call me later love you!"

"Gabs." My heart stopped. It was Matt. "I'm getting out soon. Then I'm coming for you."

I felt my heart pounding. I gulped. It's alright. He can't get out. He's behind bars. I packed a little bit faster then looked at the clock. 7:30. I changed into something nice and hopped in my car. I turned on the car then realized I had no idea where I was going.

"Hello?" Troy answered. I called him.

"I forgot to ask you where you live." I said giggling.

He laughed. "I'll text you the address, that will be easier."

"Alright. I'll see you soon." I said, hanging up. I sat for a minute and put his address in the GPS in my phone. I started driving following the directions. I across the city into the more expensive neighborhood. I parked in the driveway and walked up to his door. His house looked huge. I rang the doorbell, shifting my purse.

Troy opened the door with a kiss the cook apron on. I looked at him and started laughing. "Well hello to you too." He said. "come in."

I walked inside clutching my side from laughing so hard. "Please… tell me that's not yours." I said, still laughing.

He looked down at his apron then looked at me. "It's mine. My mom got it for me." I covered my face and set my purse down on the table by the couch. "You don't think it's cute?"

I shook my head finally calming down. "It's…charming." I said smirking.

He rolled his eyes at me then smiled. He gave me a hug. "you look very pretty."

I smiled. "Thank you. Your apron is very charming." I said smirking at him.

He laughed. "I get it, the apron is lame." He took off his apron and threw it on the couch.

I giggled quietly. "So what did you make me?" I started walking into the kitchen.

"No, don't go in there yet." He pulled me back. "It's almost done. Just sit and watch TV." He handed me the remote.

I sighed and sat down. I turned on the TV as he walked back into the kitchen. I flipped through the channels. I got bored. I got up and started looking around. I picked up a picture of Troy and another boy. The other boy looked younger. He had blonde hair and Troy's blue eyes. Must be a brother or something. I put it back and continued looking at the pictures.

I sat back down on the couch and turned off the TV. "Troy! I'm bored." I yelled.

"I'm almost done Brie. Give me five more minutes." He yelled back.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine." I pulled out my phone and started playing a game.

"Alright." Troy said walking out of the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" I nodded. "Good." He walked over to me and walked me through the kitchen to the dining room.

I looked at the table set up with candles. I turned to him. "You didn't have to do all this."

He smiled and scratched the back of his head " I wanted to."

"It's very nice." I smiled at him. I sat down on the chair. "You have a beautiful house, such a shame you have to live here all alone."

"I was thinking about getting a roommate, but I hadn't decided yet." He pushed in my chair and grabbed my plate filling it with food. "I hope you like steak and potatoes."

"I love steak. I'm a carnivore. Don't worry. I'm not the girl who eats salad all the time." I laughed. "It smells really good."

"Thank you." He set the plate in front of me before he served himself. "What would you like to drink? Wine? Beer? Water?"

"Mmm, Beer please." I smiled up at him as he walked into the kitchen and came out with two beers. "Thank you."

He sat down across from me on the large table. I twisted the cap off my beer and took a drink. "You know, I've known you for a week and I like you. You're very strong and independent. And you don't eat salad everyday."

I laughed. "I am definitely not like most girls." I started eating. "This is great Troy, thank you."

"Anytime." He smiled at me as he started eating himself. "Are you happy your boyfriend is locked up?" He asked me.

"I just hope he stays in there. He is very sneaky. Especially when he is in withdrawal." I said cutting my steak into pieces. "If he tries to hurt me again…" I trailed off.

"What are you trying to say?" He asked me before taking another bite.

"All I'm saying is that he hasn't seen my crazy side. God only knows what I'd do." I said, shrugging. "I'm a closet nut case."

He laughed. "aren't we all?"

I smiled. "I guess it depends on the person."

"Touché" He took a sip of his beer and looked at me. "So where did you graduate from?"

I shook my head. "I didn't. I always loved writing but I never had the money to go to college. Sharpay graduated and got her fashion column and she talked Mr. Lambert into giving me a job. He said its because I don't back sass. But he secretly loves my pieces."

"I looked up a couple of them actually. They are really good." Troy said, before putting a piece of steak in his mouth.

"Thank you." I smiled. "You must be good as well if you got a job at the Times."

He shrugged. "I'm very charismatic."

I snorted. "I guess you are Mr. Personality. You must have got him with your nervous rambling."

He smiled. "You know it."

We finished our meals and I sat back in the chair. "I am so full. That was great."

"Anytime, really." He looked at me, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "I love cooking."

I giggled. "I bet you never got hungry in college. Or had to eat Cup of Noodles every day."

He laughed and shook his head. "Nope."

"Lucky you." I smirked at him. "What is next on the agenda Mr. Bolton?"

"We are going to watch a movie. You can pick." He said smiling.

"I suppose." I got up and took our plates into the kitchen.

He followed me quickly. "You don't have to Brie."

I rolled my eyes. "After that dinner it is the least I can do."

He took the plates out of my hands and put them in the sink. "We can worry about that later. Movie, now."

"So pushy Bolton." I washed my hands and walked into the living room. "Are my hands cold?" I asked as I put my hands on his cheeks squishing them together.

"Yes" He mumbled. I giggled pulling my hands away. "You are something else, you know that right?"

"I'm very unique" I winked at him and sat on the couch.