Author's Note: Oh My God! The last ever chapter of "It's Been One Heck Of A Year"! Enjoy!
Chapter 27: New Beginnings
Gabriella raced down the hall, followed by the rest of the gang until she came to a door. She yanked on the handle but it wouldn't open.
Gabriella: Come on!
She pulled down the handle and pushed against the door but it was locked. She kicked the door in frustration.
Gabriella: Aargh!
Taylor: Gabby come on, there will be other doors, this one obviously isn't it.
She didn't even answer but just kept sprinting towards the next door. Kelsi agreed to stay at the last door just in case someone came out. However the next door said "Janitor" and it was unlikely that they would be in there. Two minutes later they came to an ajar one. Gabriella peered inside and saw Troy tied to a chair with a blindfold covering his eyes and a large man punched him in the stomach making Troy bend as far as he could in pain. Gabriella had seen enough. She opened the door fully.
Gabriella: Leave Him Alone!!!
Troy:... Gabriella?
The man looked dumbfounded at the group of teenagers huddled at the door, not sure what he was supposed to do now. But he remembered he had a job to do and he was going to fulfil it. He waltzed up menacingly to the group making Taylor and Sharpay step back slightly in fear but Gabriella stood her ground.
Man:(grinning creepily) What's it to you?
Gabriella obviously unfazed by him, walked up to him until they were inches apart.
Gabriella: What's it to me? I'll tell you what it is to me...
Quicker than Chad on a sugar high, Gabriella kneed him where one should not be kneed. He bent double and groaned in pain. The gang gasped as the watched their friend cripple a man twice her size. She grabbed the back of his inch-high hair and yanked it in a way that made him look up at Gabriella.
Gabriella: Not so tough now, are we? You know what he is to me? (motioning to Troy) He is the love of my life and if I'm correct, you were going to beat him to death so do us all a favour...
Gabriella kicked him in the stomach, much to the man's displeasure.
Gabriella: ...stay down.
She pushed the crippled man to the ground and hurried to Troy, taking of his blindfold. When he finally saw her, Troy thanked God for answering his prayers.
Troy: I'm so sorry Gabby; I never meant to break up with you, I...
Gabriella:(cupping his face) I know, I know Troy, I'm just so glad you're safe.
She embraced him and Troy looked over her shoulder to see Taylor and Sharpay smiling at the couple and Zeke and Jason looking at the winded guy, amused.
Troy: Looked like you kicked some serious bad-guy ass, huh?
Gabriella: Well consider it a warning to others to never kidnap my boyfriend. If you're still my boyfriend...
Troy: Of course.
Gabriella leaned in and kissed him, finally relieved. When they pulled apart, Troy looked at the gang.
Troy: Hey, where's Chad and Kelsi?
Sharpay: Oh well Kelsi's manning a door and Chad... Where is Chad?
Taylor: I don't know, (to the guys) I thought he was behind you two?
Zeke: We thought so too.
Chad: Nice to know you people notice immediately when I'm gone.
Everyone turned to the doorway and saw Chad, Kelsi and the police officer Sharpay had run from earlier on.
Chad: You see, I'm not as sprinty as the rest of you lot (motioning to his crutches) so I couldn't jump over Lydia as easily as you had and when you disappeared, this dude (motioning to the officer) turned up and I told him what was happening.
PO: When you ran away from me without your speeding ticket, (Sharpay blushes)
I had to follow you and it lead me to hear and this fine gentleman told me what was happening.
Chad:(pleased) He called me a fine gentleman!
Jason: Don't get used to it!
PO: Anyway, I called for back up and they arrested Miss Stilton and Mr Forbes. I'm here to arrest his brother and check that Mr Bolton is all right.
Troy: I will be all right once someone unties me!
A few days later, the gang had heard that Lydia and the two men were going to stand trial in a few weeks time. Troy had been checked over by the doctors and they had concluded that apart from slight bruising in the stomach area, he wasn't too badly hurt. Once Mr and Mrs Bolton heard about the incident, the wanted to get the next plane to California but Troy reassured them that he was fine and it would be a wasted trip and after all, he was going to be home in a few days. On the last night, the gang got all dressed up and went out to a restaurant as promised. They even invited Sharpay, Ryan and his new girlfriend Chelsea after concluding that they weren't "that bad"
After the main course, Troy stood up and raised his root beer glass.
Troy: I would make a toast.
Chad: Wooooo!
Troy: um...okay. First of all, I just wanted to say thanks. I've got the best girlfriend in the world...
Gabriella blushed.
Troy: ... the BEST friends...
Chad: Wooooo!
Troy: Okay, Chad seriously! I've made some new friends...
Chelsea nodded politely.
Troy: and ... quite frankly, made some friends that I never thought I would ever make.
Everyone laughed while Ryan smiled and Sharpay stood up and bowed.
Troy: ...okay. So, despite the fact that I had a plot made against me by someone who shall remain nameless "cough" Lydia "cough", the plot ended up breaking up me and Gabriella, Kelsi unwillingly got involved in the plot along with Sharpay and Ryan, Me and Gabriella got together, Chad got ran over, She who shall not be named got arrested, Me and Gabriella won a talent show, she who shall not be named came back then left, I got kidnapped and my girlfriend and my friends saving my butt, I've had the worst... and best time of my life. So I'd like you all to raise your glasses and toast to having the best friends anyone could ask for and hope that the rest of the summer is just as good, and bring on Senior year!
Everyone cheered and laughed and just enjoyed the rest of the evening.
The next morning, everyone was packing things into the large taxis and everyone had driven off to the airport already aside from Gabriella and Troy who were a bit late. Troy just managed to fit Gabriella' suitcase into the trunk.
Troy: Right, finally!
Gabriella: That's that then.
Taxi driver: Are we ready to go?
Troy: Yeah, just a sec ...
Gabriella took one last look at the country club and then headed for the cab door. Troy smiled at her.
Troy: I love you.
Gabriella: I love you
Troy: Ready for senior year?
Gabriella: As long as I've got you, I'm ready for anything.
And with that, Troy and Gabriella got into the taxi, and headed off to the airport to take them home.
The End
A/N: That's it! I've finished my first ever fanfiction!
Thank you soooo much to all who reviewed! Seriously you guys made my day!
Now that this one's finished, I can concerntrate on my new story "Confessions of A Broken Heart" which the trailer is already out so go check it out. And I also have another oneshot in the works, but believe me, it's taking me quite a while to write.
I don't think I will do a sequal to this, I think it's fine the way it is and I don't really like how I wrote it, you know, with the whole script thing. However, if I DO decide to write a sequal, you guys will be the first to know!
So once again, thanks for making this fanfic a success, and do me one last favour and review!