Hey Guys! New story. Its a 3 part one-shot. Hope yall like it! Don't forget to review.

"Slapped my face and shook me like a rag doll. Don't that sound like a real man?"
-"Gunpowder and Lead" Miranda Lambert

When I Pull the Trigger

When I was younger my daddy always told me real men don't hit women. He told me if I was in a relationship like that he would kill whoever hurt me. He told me he would always be there. He lied. Dad died when I was 14 years old. He had a cancerous brain tumor. He passed in his sleep peacefully and I miss him everyday. It's been 10 years since he passed away. I moved away from New Mexico after graduation and I went straight up to New York. I didn't know what I was going to do there but I had to get away.

Flashback

"Hey Baby" Matt said walking up to me giving me a kiss. Matt and I have been together for a couple of months now. We met at a bar and just clicked. We were lost and we found each other.

"Hey Matt." I smiled. "What are we doing tonight?"

"I'm going out with a couple of friends." He said, I pouted. "But I'll be back early I promise."

That was the first night it happened. He came home, high on drugs and he hit me. The next day I pretended like nothing happened. It happened again a couple weeks later. It started getting more frequent until he just didn't stop. I just took it. I let him hit me. With every punch, every slap, every shove, the anger built up inside of me.

Its been a year in a half since the first time it happened. I thought about that day every time he would lay his hands on me. I knew what I had to do. I was going to do it, soon.

I looked at the bruises on my naked body reflecting in the mirror. I put a my bra on and a pretty tank top I hadn't worn in over a year. I wasn't afraid anymore. Matt didn't mean anything to me. I put on a pair of jeans and my vans. I walked out the door and walked to work. I worked for a newspaper. Only minor pieces but it paid the bills.

"Hey Gabi" Sharpay said, glancing at me. She looked at me again. "Oh my GOD. Gabriella, What happened?"

"Matt hits me." I said. "I have to get to work." I walked to my office in the back corner and sat down. I looked at the picture of me and my dad. If he was here, he could have protected me. Its time to finally protect myself.

Ryan came in and sat down in front of me. He worked with Ads and sponsorships. He looked at me. "Cute top!" I could tell he tried so hard not to stare at the yellowish blue bruises down my arms.

I smiled. "Thank you, what is the news for today?"

"Well Taylor in art and living is hooking up with Chad from sports." He smiled.

"I knew they liked each other!" I giggled. "What else, tell me more"

"Sharpay is bugging out because of the bruises on your body and we have someone new coming in." He said looking at me. "From what I heard he is working either with you here or with the headlining assholes."

"It's a he?" I asked, curiously.

"Yeah, I guess well find out what happens." He handed me my coffee. "I almost forgot."

I giggled. "I'm glad you didn't, I need more caffeine in my life." I took the stopper out and took a sip.

He got up and waggled his fingers. "Bye girl"

I pulled out my pile of papers and looked over them carefully. I revised and typed them up quickly sending them off to editor. The phone rang.

"The Times, Gabriella Montez speaking." I answered.

"Hello Miss Montez, I am Troy Bolton." I heard a man say speaking into the phone. "I am going to work with you at the Times. I am a new hire. Mr. Lambert gave me your extension."

"Yes Mr. Bolton What can I help you with?" I asked impatiently.

"Yes, sorry. I tend to ramble when I'm nervous. I'm lost. I am at the corner of Cherry and Parkview." He laughed nervously.

"Turn right onto Parkview, then a Left on Walnut and go all the way down to the end. At the gate press 5665 into the pad and park next to my black Audi." I said. "Do not park in the reserved spot. The boss will be on your ass."

"Thank you Miss Montez, I will be here soon." He said quickly.

I hung up the phone and get the e-mail of approval from my boss. I took another drink of my coffee and shifted in my seat. I flipped through a couple of pages and found the latest story I was working on. I pulled out my pen and started writing. After about 10 minutes I heard a knock on my cubicle.

"Come in, sit down" I said, not looking up. I finished my sentence then looked up. I looked into a pair of the purest blue eyes I have ever seen. I quickly snapped out of it. "Can I help you?"

"Hi Miss Montez, you spoke with me on the phone. I'm Troy Bolton." He reached out. I shook his hand. He was young, very handsome.

"Please Mr. Bolton Call me Gabriella, or Gabi." I smiled at him. "Or you can make up your own nickname."

He smiled at me nodding. "Will do." I looked at him. "Call me Troy."

"Alright, Troy" I said, looking down at my paper and back at him.

"I'm lost. Mr. Lambert gave me this paper and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do." Troy started rambling.

"Troy." I said. Nothing. He just kept talking "Troy!" I said a little louder catching his attention. "Give me the paper."

He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, here." He gave me the paper. I read it over.

"Meet Me." I read off. "Check." I got up. "Come on, bring your stuff."

He got up after me and he followed me to the empty cubicle next to mine. "Is this mine?"

I nodded. "Yes." I walked over to the computer and typed in his pass code. I circled the number on the paper. "This is your pass code on the computer. You have to E-Mail Mr. Lambert right away."

Troy nodded and sat down on the chair. "Alright. Thank you so much Brie."

I raised my eyebrow. "Brie?"

He smiled. "Yeah, my nickname for you, it's brie"

I laughed. "Alright Troy. If you need anything, I'll be right next door." I turned and started walking out the door.

"Gabi, wait" Troy said. I turned back to him. "I know I'm probably breaking boundaries here but… what happened to your arms?"

"My boyfriend hits me." I said, with a blank expression on my face.

Troy started laughing and looked at me. "Your kidding right?" I just looked at him. "Right?" His face fell. "Oh my god, Brie, I'm so sorry."

I walked over to him. I lifted my shirt showing him the outline of a hand on my stomach. "I'm not hiding anymore. I am stronger than this." I walked out of the cubicle leaving Troy very, very confused.

I grabbed my purse and walked out to the balcony. I grabbed my pack of cigarettes, taking one out of the pack. I lit it up, taking a long drag. My phone beeped. I looked down at it. Matt. I ignored it and took another drag, The phone beeped again. I didn't even bother looking at it this time. I took another drag. My phone rang this time.

"Hello?" I answered blankly.

"Gabi. What the fuck. Why haven't you been texting me back?" He said into the phone.

"I'm at work Matt, Somebody needs to pay the bills here." I said back.

"Don't fucking talk to me like that bitch." Matt slurred. I rolled my eyes.

"Grow the fuck up Matt. I don't even want to be with you." I said.

I saw Troy walk over to me. "Hey Brie" Troy said smiling.

"Who the fuck is that Gabriella? Are you fucking cheating on me? You're a bitch." Matt yelled into the phone. I closed my eyes, holding my hand up to Troy. "When you get home, you're fucking DEAD." He hung up on me and I closed my phone.

"I'm sorry" Troy said instantly. I knew he could hear everything. "I didn't mean to make anything worse."

I shook my head. "It's not your fault. Trust me. I'm dating a psychopath."

"You need to get out Brie, Seriously" He said.

I laughed. "You're telling me."

I took one last drag and threw the cigarette on the ground stomping it out. I walked back inside and sat down in my cubicle. It was going to be a long day. I finished my work day without any interruptions. I walked out to my black Audi and went to the storage shed that my dad's stuff was in. I rummaged through until I found just what I was looking for. I put it in my trunk and I got back in. I drove home.

I walked in the door. Matt was sitting on the couch watching TV. He saw me and started getting up. I walked to the bedroom and closed it leaning against it. "Open the fucking door Gabriella" He yelled banging on the door. He pushed the door open and slipped in. He grabbed my wrist and punched me in the face. I closed my eyes. I refused to cry, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I fell on the ground and he kicked my sides until I blacked out.

I woke up and looked at the time. It was 12:45. I went into the bathroom slowly. My whole body was sore and it hurts when I breathed. I lifted up my shirt and saw the fresh bruises on my ribs. I walked back out and lit a cigarette to calm my nerves. I finished my cigarette and went to sleep.

Today was Tuesday, my day off. I got dressed in my usual quarter sleeve with optional jacket. My black eye subsided which I was grateful for. Sharpay and I are going out for a little retail therapy. I walked toward the door.

Matt grabbed my wrist. "Where the fuck do you think your going?"

"I'm going to the mall with Sharpay." I said calmly.

"Like hell you are." I pulled away from him and punched him in the nose, knocking him backwards.

I walked out the door and drove to Sharpay's. My side was really hurting me this morning. I walked up to the door, knocking.

"Hey Gabi!" She pulled me in for a tight hug which made me groan. She pulled away quickly. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"Took a rough beating last night," I said.

"I'm getting you to a doctor right away." Sharpay said.

"I'm fine." I said as I moved away from her.

"Come on Gabi." She walked me to her car and I got in, sighing loudly. She got in and drove me to her doctor. Sharpay came from a lot of money. She had just about everything you can think of. She got out and I got out after her. We walked in and we went in straight away.

"Sharpay" The doctor said. "Who is your friend?"

"Dr. Danforth, this is my friend Gabi." She said.

"How are you Gabi?" The doctor asked.

I took off my jacket and my shirt revealing my bruises. "My sides hurt especially today."

His eyes grew wide as he excused himself from the room. He came back with a police officer. I gave him a report and he finally left. I kept giving Sharpay sharp glares. I knew she was trying to help. Nothing is going to help until he is dead in the ground.

We finally got to the mall after getting something to eat. We were walking around each store slowly. I found a cute dress I liked and went to go try it on. Sharpay gabbed something and went in with me.

"So I heard your working with the new guy." Sharpay said from the dressing room right next door.

"Yeah, I totally freaked him out yesterday." I said laughing slightly. "He seems too nice."

"He is fresh out of college, this is his first real job and he is probably nervous as hell." Sharpay said, shuffling around her dressing room.

"He is a rambler. Especially when he is nervous." I said sighing. "Ready?"

"Yeah." We both came out of the room in our dressed. "Gabi that is going to look really good when those bruises heal."

"You think?" I looked at myself. "It is really pretty."

"I'll buy it for you"

"What? Sharpay, no way." I said looking at her.

"Come on please" She begged. "it's like a getting out of a horrible relationship present."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not out yet." I said looking at her dress. "Yours is really pretty too. It brings out the highlights in your hair."

"Well I'm going to buy both of them. No more buts." She said walking back into the dressing room.

I sighed and walked back in mine. Sharpay was relentless. I took the dress off putting it back on the hanger . I put my clothes back on and walked out waiting for Sharpay. My phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello Miss Montez, this is officer Jack Bolton. My colleague Officer Johnson spoke with you earlier." The officer said. "I would like to inform you that we arrested Matthew Gray and we found excessive amount of narcotics. We will update you with trial dates."

I took a deep breath. "Thank you Officer Bolton,"

"Your very welcome Miss Montez, I'll be in contact soon. Have a nice day." Officer Bolton hung up the phone.

I didn't notice Sharpay come up to me. "Who was that?" She asked, startling me.

"A police officer. They arrested Matt and found his drugs." I said.

"Good." She said. "That bastard deserves much worse though."

"Are you ready to go?" I asked her and she nodded, taking my dress. I tried to grab it from her but she walked away. Her heels clicking rapidly.