The sound of a whistle echoed through the gymnasium. It is currently the last class of the day and the basketball team, a few athletic girls, some math/science geeks, and some drama people were currently in gym.

"Okay," Coach Bolton yelled. "For the next half hour, we will be running on the track; two miles. For the remaining time we are playing basketball." Some groaned, others whooped happily. "Now, Bolton, Montez, go get the basketball equipment and then meet us outside." Students snickered. Troy Bolton groaned.

"Let's go Montez." Troy yelled, as he was already half way across the gym jogging towards the doors. Gabriella Montez resentfully walked after him.

Once they reached the door, the both went in and grabbed the basketballs. The door shut behind them. Troy went to open the door but the doorknob didn't budge.

"No, no, no, no, no." Troy repeated, trying to open the door.

"B-Bolton. What's go-going on?" Gabriella asked frightened.

"The damn door won't open. It's locked. Dammit!" Troy yelled and hit the door. Gabriella slid down the wall, taking deep breaths. Troy gave up and sat down with his back to the door. He noticed Gabriella taking deep breaths, as if trying to calm herself.

"What's your problem geek?" Troy asked rudely.

"I-I get c-claust-strophob-bic." She said, trying to breathe.

"Jeez. You're quiet, you st-stutter, you're an einstinette, you're practically a loner with an exception of a few people. And now you're cl-cl-claustrophobic. What's next?" Troy laughed, stuttering a bit to make fun of her. Gabriella stayed silent.

"Awe. Did I hurt poor Montez's feelings." Silence. "You know. I don't know how your family or the limited friends you have can stand you. You've only said two things and I can't even stand listening to you." Troy laughed again.

Gabriella was curled up in a tight ball in the corner of the closet, pushing her tears back.. She learned at a young age how to do this because if she did cry, that could result in horrific or even deadly consequences. She learned how to do a lot of things at young age that she never should have had to learn.

"You know, you should really work on that s-st-stutter. You might scare people away with it." He told her smugly.

"If o-only I could go b-back and change the ev-events that caus-sed it." He heard her mutter, though he knew he wasn't suppose to hear it.

"What?" Troy asked curiously, wanting her to repeat it.

"H-huh?" She asked confused.

"What'd you just say?" He asked.

"N-n-n-nothin-ing." She panicked.

"I heard what you said Montez." He smirked. One; he wanted to get her to tell the story and then he could spread it around the school. It was probably something stupid like she was bullied a little bit and her confidence was down or something. Two; he was actually curious. Why? He didn't know.

"W-well how a-about you for-get I said any-anything." She pleaded.

"No, I want to know what these events are. Tell me, Montez." He said in an amused tone. She didn't say anything.

"Come on Montez. What? Where you bullied as a kid and it lowered your self esteem or something? Or maybe your friends turned on you? Which one?" He guessed.

"God, I wish it was as simple as that." She muttered. Her voice cracked and she tried to regain control. But suddenly, it was like a dam broke. She started sobbing. She quickly reeled it back in and controlled herself. Troy was shocked. Why did she just randomly start bawling and then suddenly stop? How had she stopped so quickly.

"I'm an i-idiot for tell-ing you this, you're pro-probab-ly going to tell the wh-whole sch-school. But I'm si-sick of every-one la-laughing at me."

"Finally I get the pathetic story." He exaggerated. She brushed off the jab.

"My mo-mother always to-told me how mu-ch of a dis-dis-appoint-ment I was when I was b-born. Always say-ing I wasn't pre-pretty en-enough, and I weighed too much. App-apparent-ly to her, six p-pounds five o-ounces was too he-heavy."

'Six pounds five ounces was too heavy! I weighed eight and that is the average weight!' Troy thought. He started getting a bad feeling in his stomach. How much worse did this story get?

"My m-mom and da-dad didn't do an-anything to me when I-I was you-ng. Hired a na-nanny till I was a-about four. N-never really s-saw them during th-that time. Fo-four was the age it st-started. Sm-all at first. A few sp-spanks, cleaning the ho-house, saying they didn't lo-love me, calling me wor-worth-less, you kn-know, little th-things. Got wo-worse as I got old-older. By the a-age eight, I wa-was being brought to the hos-hospital for brok-broken bones a f-few times a year. Ri-ribs, arms, con-con-cussio-sions, you-you get the po-point." Troy gasped. Oh my god. I can't believe parents would do that to their child.

"One ye-year later, age ni-nine, was the f-first time m-my dad," she paused, "tou-touched me. A year la-later, age t-ten, he r-raped me. Be-beatings had in-creased also."She suddenly got a far look in her eyes, like she was remembering something. And she was.

"I remember he used to come into my room every night. Always at about ten o'clock. I'd be lying in my bed, praying, hoping to god that just once he wouldn't come into my room that night. But every night I heard my door creek open, felt my bed dip. I felt his hands remove my clothes, touch me, grab me, squeeze me, hurt me. I can still feel him pushing me down, hear him unzipping his pants, and feel him forcing his- his dick in my mouth. I remember how he would demand, 'Suck it, Slut!' I remember the ripping sensation when he shoved himself into me. It hurt, so much. And then when he was satisfying, whether it was after one time or five times, he would leave me there, bleeding and crying."

She told the story without stuttering which surprised Troy a lot. He had to swallow the bile that was coming up his throat as she told the story. Tears had fallen from her eyes and kept flowing. Troy took her in his arms and tried soothing her. She cried into his chest. Then, when she was calmed, she continued, ignoring that she was in his lap now.

"He d-did that almost e-every night for two y-years. When I was tw-twelve and I was, de-developed I guess y-you could s-say, he st-started a "bus-business" as he called it. M-men paid him t-to have s-sex with me, well tech-technic-ally rape me. Wh-when I was lu-lucky, it was only on-once a day,twice in-including my d-dad. Or I was-wasn't lucky a-and it was more. Being s-sore from all the b-beatings only made i-it all worse. From the a-age twelve t-to fifteen, I had four ab-abortions, all f-forced from m-my parents, and was tr-treated five times f-for an S-STD. F-finally, I became f-friends with Taylor a-and she fo-found out a few m-months later. That w-was soph-sophmore year, and she t-told her parents wh-who told the p-police. I w-was placed in a-a foster home and two mo-months later was p-placed with a fam-family. I've been w-with four diff-different families and have be-en with the family I-I am with n-now for six mon-ths." She finished telling him. She started sobbing again.

He was beyond shocked. He never imagined that this was the story behind her stuttering. He didn't know what to do; so he did the only thing he could think of. He pulled her tight against him and let her cry into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Baby." The name slipped from his lips and he was shocked, but it felt right so he shrugged it off. He kissed the top of her head. "Oh, god. My poor Brie. I can't believe this happened to you. I- I just…" He trailed off as tears clouded his vision and then slid down his face, one after another.

"I-I de-deser-ved i-it." She told him through her tears.

He pulled away slightly and gently pulled her face to look at him. "Never, never do I want to hear you say that. You absolutely did not deserve what happened to you. You don't deserve anything that me or anyone in this school has done to you either. And I am so, so sorry about everything I have done. So sorry. God, I'm such a bastard." His tears came faster.

"Shh." She soothed him. She wiped his tears and ran her hands through his hair.

"You're so beautiful, Gabriella." She shook her head, disagreeing with him. "No, you are. So, so beautiful. Your hair is so soft and silky. And your eyes. When I look at them, I feel like I'm staring into your soul. I can see every emotion through them, even when you try and hide them. Your lips look so full and soft. You baby soft, tan skin. I could get lost in it. I could get lost in every single part of you." He swallowed. "I really like you Gabriella. No, I don't just like you. I think I love you. And I know your probably thinking that's not possible. I mean, I just now really got to know you. But, I do. I don't know how this happened so quickly. But it did. I've always liked you. I've always thought you were beautiful. And I know this sounds so third grade, but I think I was mean to you because I didn't want to accept that I liked you. But basically what I'm getting at here is that I love you." Gabriella was crying happy tears now. Trying to calm herself, she tried really hard to focus on her words so she didn't stutter. She found out when she started trusting Taylor and her foster family that she stuttered less if she trusted. And she trusted Troy.

"I feel safe with you Troy." She took and deep breath. "And I trust you. I al-also," she paused frustrated and refocused. "I love you too Troy."

"Good job Baby." They smiled

"Thank you, Troy." He kissed her forehead.

"You're welcome, Sweetie."