Okay, this is a companion piece to "Learning to Breath". That was just the idea, a one shot thing. So, just forget about that one, this one starts over from the beginning. The concept is the same as "Learning to Breathe" but...well, you'll find out.

Chapter 1

Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign.
Instead there is only silence,
can't you hear my screams?
Never stop hoping,
Need to know where you are,
but one thing is for sure,
you're always in my heart.

-"Somewhere"

Within Temptation

Tip Bolton looked at himself in the mirror and stuck his tongue out. The mirror in the bathroom was just one of the things in the house that reminded him that he looked exactly like Troy. He was just a younger version of his big brother. They had the same hair cut, the same eyes, if there was a movie they could be played by the same actor.

His eye started to twitch from not getting enough sleep and he rubbed it, making the twitching stop temporarily. Sucking his tongue back in, he walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs, yawning before entering the kitchen. Troy was falling asleep in his cereal.

"Honestly you two," Elaine Bolton scolded, hitting Troy lightly with the back of her hand to wake him up. "You knew you had school today, why did you stay at that party so long?"

"How could I not," Troy said. "I was the main event."

"He was my ride home," Tip said. "When can I get a car?"

"When I get a new one," Troy moaned holding his head up. "You don't even have your license yet."

"But I'm close. I can get my permit soon."

"Then you have to wait a while-"

"Boys," Elaine said. "This is breakfast time, not fighting time."

"Where's Dad," Tip asked, noticing it was just the three of them in the kitchen. Jack was normally the parent telling himself and Troy to quit fighting and hurry up because they were running late.

"He went in early," she said walking to get her things from the living room. She grabbed her coat and kissed both boys on the cheek. "Troy, I need you to give Tip a ride today."

"Uh huh," Troy said.

She gave him a look. "And I don't mean down the street. Drop him off at the school. I don't want to hear that Tip was late because you made him walk."

"Uh huh."

"Troy are you listening?"

"Uh huh."

Elaine shook her head. "Bye sweetie," she said to Tip as she walked out of the room and out the front door. Tip looked at Troy and laughed. He'd fallen asleep, his face resting on the edge of the bowl. He shook his head and got himself an apple before shoving Troy out of the chair.

"What was that for?"

"We gotta go," Tip told him, pointing to the clock. "And please don't fall asleep until you get to school. I don't want to die today."

"Well then, why don't you drive," Troy asked, clearly irritated that he had to give Tip a ride. Tip raised an eyebrow. "If you're really that worried you'll never get to school, be my guest."

"You'd really let me drive," Tip asked curiously.

"What ever," Troy said, his eyelids drooping.

Tip shrugged, smiling to himself. "Get in the car," he told Troy. Tip grabbed his bag off the ground and watched Troy pretty much sleepwalk out the door. 'This is for my own safety,' said a voice in his head. 'I want to live today.'

When the car pulled in the parking lot of East High without a dent, Tip smiled. "Troy, aren't you proud of me," he asked. Then he looked over to see Troy asleep. "Ugh," he said. "Wake up you moron!"

"Hey," Troy said loudly grabbing Tip's arm. "Don't talk to me like that."

Tip jerked his arm out of Troy's reach and slammed the car door shut. Once he was far enough away and out of Troy's sight, he looked at his arm. A bruise was forming where his brother had grabbed him. He winced, the day he decided to wear short sleeves was the day Troy got mad.

"Tip, my man—Dude! What happened to your arm," Chad asked walking up.

"Um," he said searching his head for a lie. "I fell, tripped down the stairs..."

Chad grabbed his hand and examined his arm. "It's in the shape of a hand."

Tip pulled his arm out of Chad's grasp. "No it's not," he said quickly before running off.

Chad's eyes narrowed and cocked his head to the side. "Tip, what is wrong," he whispered. He felt it was his responsibility to look after Tip because Troy wasn't the world's best older brother. If something was wrong with Tip, Troy would brush it off.

"Hey man," Troy said walking up. "Have you seen Tip, he left his bag in my car."

"He went that way," Chad said pointing in the direction Tip ran to. "Did you see the bruise on his arm? Man, who ever did that's out to get him."

"He has a bruise on his arm?"

Chad nodded and Troy shrugged. "It's probably for attention. He's probably doing it to himself. I got to go give this Dad, he's got Tip for homeroom."

"Later," Chad said before walking over to Zeke and Jason. They were with Sharpay, Kelsi, Taylor and Gabriella, and it seemed they were just talking. "Hey, J, Zeke, come here," he said.

"What is it," they asked after Chad had led them away from the girls. "What can't they hear?"

"Keep an eye on Tip. Somethings not right and Troy could care less."

"Alright," Jason said.

"We'll do our best," Zeke said.

hsmhsmhsmhsm

Troy grabbed Tip by the arm as he passed him and brought him in the gym. "What do you want," Tip asked.

"Here's your backpack," Troy said, handing it to him. Tip turned to leave, but Troy held his grip. "Don't you dare tell anyone I did that."

Tip nodded. "My lips are sealed."

"What are you going to say when someone asks?"

"I'm going to say what I told Chad; I bumped it on something."

"No," Troy yelled. "That wont work! It's in the shape of a hand. Here," he said pulling out a plastic circle. "It's play make-up Sharpay gave me last night to give Gabriella. Just put it on your arm, the bruise will be gone and no one will ask questions."

Tip nodded. "Now!" He sighed and rubbed the make-up on his arm. It covered the bruise well, but you could tell it was make-up and not skin. "That won't work," Troy moaned. "Why didn't you bring a sweatshirt?"

"I never wear sweatshirts," Tip said. "I prefer long sleeves."

"I don't care what you prefer," he hissed, pulling his green track jacket off. "Wear this, it will cover your arm."

"I don't-"

"Tip!"

Tip grabbed the jacket, scared that Troy would do something else to him if he didn't. "Fine," he said putting his arms through the sleeves. "Happy."

Troy nodded. "It's a little big, but it will do. Now, go do what you do best, my little brother."

Tip groaned looking down at himself. The sweatshirt was huge on him because he was a shrimp compared to his brother. Troy was a senior to Tip's freshman body, and the sweatshirt emphasized it. Not only that, but he reminded himself of the girls in his class that wore their brother's football sweatshirts. "Great, now I get to be a Troy follower too," he muttered to himself.

"Hi Tippy!"

Tip smiled and looked up at Bree. The only thing he actually lived for was her company. "Hey Bree," he said with a smile.

"You look awful," she said. "You really should have left that party earlier-"

"How was I supposed to get home? Troy was my ride." Tip shook his head. "At least he wasn't drunk, then I would have walked."

"You're brother wouldn't get drunk," Bree said matter-of-factly. "He's a goody two shoes."

"Are you sure about that?" Tip asked her, mentally thinking about the bruise under his sweatshirt. Suddenly the bell rang and Tip groaned. "So my day begins. Daddy, here I come!"

So, I know, before you say anything, Troy is OOC. But, actually he's not.

We don't know what he'd be like if he had a brother, a little one at that. We can only assume because he seems like the goody goody kid in the movie, that he'd be the best brother (as I depicted in my Mack series). But, actually, he can be completely different around his friends than with his brother...

so enough of that.

Review!