I shouldn't love you, but I want to,

I just can't turn away.

I shouldn't see you, but I can't move,

I can't look away.

Gabriella walked the halls of East High, a pain filling her chest watching Troy and his new girlfriend, Denise walk towards her. Troy and Gabriella had just broken up a week before, who was to say that she shouldn't still have feelings for him? Denise was one of Gabriella's first friends when she moved to East High, so not being supportive of her wouldn't be best friend-like. As Troy and Denise walked over to Gabriella, she tightened her grip on her books, her knuckles turning white from the strength she used. She looked down at her books before Denise stopped her, "Watch where you're going there," Denise giggled in a high pitch annoying tone. Gabriella never noticed how annoying it was until now. Troy nodded a quick 'hey' before walking off with Denise. Gabriella leaned against a locker, watching as he walked away, and her world seemed to fall away and her legs felt like jello. Just for one second, she thought she could get him back.

and I don't know how to be fine when I'm not,

cause I don't know how to make the feelings stop.

Gabriella had asked Troy to meet her at the park after school; she was hoping to tell him how she really felt about him, not that he felt the same way. She waited under a tree, the same tree Gabriella and him had so many memories at. She remembered racing him down the nearby hill, then resting under the tree, with a warm blanket under them. But she said she didn't need a blanket, just his touch could warm her heart and soul. They'd sing 'Breaking Free' until they laughed so hard they cried, or until their lungs gave out. Gabriella shook her head, coming back to reality and seeing Troy walk up to her. She smiled to herself- until she saw Denise's hand in Troy's as they both approached her. "Hey guys!" she exclaimed; no one would notice the false tone in her voice, except for Troy. Troy knew, he always knew. And he knew he felt the same way, he just couldn't admit it. Gabriella was too good for him, he always thought. He knew she could find someone better. But if he hadn't brought Denise with him that day, he'd know that she didn't want to find anyone else. She wanted him.

just so you know,

this feeling's taking control of me, but I can't help it.

I won't sit around, I can't let it win now.

thought you should know I've tried my best to let go of you

but I don't want to.

just gotta say it all before I go,

just so you know.

Gabriella had tried countless times to pull Troy off to the side during school, to catch him alone, but she never was able to. He'd walk away from her quickly, pretending he hadn't noticed her at all. But she tried one fool proof way of getting to him, she walked to his house one night after school. They sat down on a bench on his porch, and she looked over at him, nervous but ready to say what she had been waiting for him to know.

"Troy... I miss you. I still love you with all of my heart, and it's hard seeing you with Denise, she's my best friend, you know? And I know you don't feel the same way anymore, I just wanted you to know," she sighed, standing up.

"I-I love Denise," he studdered, lying through his teeth. Right at that moment, he knew he had hurt Gabriella. He didn't mean to... he just couldn't bring himself to say it, how he really felt. Gabriella turned around and bit her lip, holding back tears as she walked back home, ready for another night of crying into her pillow, as she had done frequently in the past few weeks.

it's getting hard to be around you,

there's so much I can't say.

do you want me to hide the feelings,

and look the other way?

cause I don't know how to be fine when I'm not,

and I don't know how to make the feelings stop.

Gabriella had gotten a new man herself, Charlie, who was on the basketball team with Troy. Even though Troy and Denise broke up the week before, Gabriella stayed with Charlie. She had convinced herself that she loved him and not Troy anymore. With Troy, she'd just get hurt again, she knew it. Troy would see Gabriella and Charlie, walking hand and hand through the hallway and to him, it felt like a knife piercing his heart. He finally realized what Gabriella had felt when he was with Denise, and realized she had moved on and found that better guy. Troy tried his hardest to avoid Gabriella at all costs, he just couldn't bring himself to face her anymore. It hurt him so much seeing her with another guy, he could hardly stand the pain.

just so you know,

this feeling's taking control of me, and I can't help it.

I won't sit around, I can't let it win now.

thought you should know I've tried my best to let go of you,

but I don't want to.

just gotta say it all before I go,

just so you know.

Troy went for weeks avoiding her, and she finally realized what had been happening. She went back to his house one day during the weekend, and they sat at the same place on his porch. She quietly asked him what was going on, and he just couldn't bring himself to say it. And she hated that he wasn't telling her... She wanted to fix things between them, be best friends again and be in the musical together. She left his house, not knowing what he wanted her to know. He didn't have the guts to say it. Just because he's Troy Bolton, that doesn't mean he didn't have a reason to be a coward.

this emptiness is killing me,

I'm wondering why I've waited so long.

looking back I've realized it was always there just never spoken.

I'm waiting here, been waiting here...

Troy waited for Gabriella under the infamous tree that had been their own place for so long. Gabriella and Charlie were still together, at least that's what Troy thought. He had started to doubt things when Gabriella told him where she would meet him because tears were stinging her eyes, and he knew something was wrong. He waited there for Gabriella until the sun set, and that's when she finally showed up. She had stains on her face from the tears she had cried, and Troy automatically pulled her down next to her, knowing exactly what happened. He pulled her head to his chest, letting her cry as long as she liked. Once she stopped and she lifted up her head, Troy kissed her gently,

"I love you, Gabriella. I always have."