A/N

Hey guys! It's me again! With another one-shot. I saw a lot of people writing ones where someone dies so I thought I'd do the same, I actually cried a lot writing this so if you cry, don't feel ashamed, that's the point! It took me ages because I kept having to stop because it got too much! All I can say is, if you feel depressed after, go on the HSM 2 website and listen to 'what time is it', it soon snaps you out of it! Lol, review and tell me what you think, love you all, evie, xx

Troy stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his black tie. His face was expressionless, vacant, blank. No spark was in his eyes, no smile on his lips, nothing.

He pulled on his jacket, black, as was everything else. He stopped when something caught his eye, a picture, sat on the desk. He picked it up and let his mind wander back to the day. The day they had no cares, no worries, only the dread of having to return home.

Flashback

'Ella, stop! I can't keep up! Please, I'm knackered' Troy shouted, collapsing onto the grassy ground.

'Come on playmaker! You're supposed to be the athletic one! Besides, what have you done today that's tired you out so much?' Gabriella Montez, his girlfriend of one year, asked playfully.

Troy rolled onto his side, crushing the marigolds in the field, and faced her.

'Maybe it was all that making out we did under the blossom tree, you're a good kisser Montez' he commented, grinning.

'I am pretty good' Gabriella replied, laughing.

She was answered by a passionate kiss on the lips from Troy. When they finally pulled away for air, Gabriella giggled.

'I thought you said you were tired' she said.

'Me? I'm never tired!' Troy told her, puffing out his chest.

'Oh really? Then why don't you catch me, captain?' she dared, before darting off.

He sighed, was she never tired? He then shot off after her, picking her up by the waist and spinning her round until they were dizzy.

'I love you superstar' she said, her arms around his neck.

'I love you too my little senorita!' he said, making her laugh.

'Troy, how many times, I'm not Spanish!'

'Ok then, il sorto del mio cuore' he replied, imitating an Italian accent.

'I'm not Italian either, what did that mean anyway?'

'It meant you're the rose of my heart'

'Aww! I think you're full of it!' she joked, tapping him on the chest.

He laughed and handed her a marigold.

'Well it's not a rose but it'll do' Gabriella giggled, putting it in her hair.

Troy laughed and pulled out his camera, kissing her and putting his arm out to take the shot.

End of Flashback

It was a great picture, their hair was blowing in the wind and they were smiling against each others lips.

Troy kissed it and set it back down on his desk, his eyes filling with tears. He swiped them away, furiously, he'd promised himself, that today, he wouldn't cry.

He looked up in an attempt to stop the tears from falling. He began to sing, they way she'd taught him to. With all his heart and soul, loving every memory of them singing, voices in perfect harmony, together. She'd taught him to sing as if there were no-one else in the room, taught him to let out all his feelings into a simple song, and that's what he did now.

Where, oh where, can my baby be?

The Lord took her away from
Me. She's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good. so I can see my baby when i
Leave this world.

We were out on a date in my daddy's car. We hadn't driven very far. There in
The road, straight ahead. A car was stalled, the engine was dead.

I couldn't stop, so I swerved to the right. I'll never forget the sound that
Night. The screaming tires, the busting glass. The painful scream that I heard
last.

Oh where, oh where, can my baby be? The lord took her away from me. She's gone
to heaven, so I've got to be good. So I can see my baby when I leave this world.

When I woke up the rain was pouring down. There were people standing all around.
Something warm flowing through my eyes. But somehow I found my baby that night.

I lifted her head, she looked at me and said. Hold me darling, just a little
While. I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss. I found the love that I
knew I had missed.

Well now she's gone. Even though I hold her tight. I lost my love, my life,
that night.

Oh where, oh where, can my baby be? The Lord took her away from me. She's gone
To heaven, so I've got to be good. So I can see my baby when I leave this
world.

He managed to fight back the tears; she really had asked him to hold her, to kiss her one last time. He'd written the song when he felt he couldn't contain it inside of him any longer.

He slowly picked up the piece of paper he'd hated ever since he knew he had to write it. His speech. How could he sum up in a short speech how much she meant?

'Troy honey, the cars here' his mother said round the door.

When he didn't reply she sighed.

'Honey I know it's hard, it is for everyone, she was so young, but you'll pull through, I know you will, you're strong Troy'

'I just feel like if we hadn't had gone that day, or left at that time, I'd still have her. Today we'd be messing around, instead, instead…' he wasn't able to finish the sentence, just stared at the wall, his throat hurting so much at trying to prevent the tears.

'Oh sweetie, it wouldn't have mattered if you went tomorrow or the next day or the next day, god saw fit to take her, nothing could have stopped it' she told him, putting her arm round his shoulders.

'Why though? Why did he see fit? Couldn't he tell how much she was loved, how much I needed her, how much I still do? It's not fair mom' Troy said, before walking out, grabbing the speech.

His mom wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks at her sons words and followed him out, taking one last glance at the picture.

In the Car

Troy stared numbly out of the window, they passed a couple, holding hands and laughing. Troy turned his head, how could they be so happy when he was so sad? God had it wrong, life wasn't fair, now she was gone, there was nothing right anymore.

To pass time he opened his speech, his eyes roaming across the sheet but not actually reading the words. He refused to look up, he knew all eyes would be on him, and he couldn't face them right now, not today.

The car stopped and Troy stepped out. There was a silence, a silence unlike any other. One that gave you goosebumps. Troy thought it wasn't right, this wasn't what her life was about, her life was full of happiness and laughter, not of gloom and depression.

Troy felt someone pat his back but he didn't respond. He faintly heard Taylor sadly say the words,

'Come on Chad, leave him be, we'll catch up with him later'

He turned his head and walked into the church, sitting at the front, unable to take his eyes away from the site in front of him.

There, in the front, was the coffin, made of rose-wood with a satin lining, the best. Troy slowly stood up, ignoring the questions, and walked up to where it was laid.

He stared, the beauty, his beauty, was there, seemingly asleep. She looked so serene, so peaceful. Her perfect, flawless skin was pale and made her ebony curls stand out, her eyelashes were long, closed against the outer world.

And her mouth, to Troy it seemed like she was smiling softly, the corners were slightly turned up, but to others, she just looked straight faced.

A tear fell from his eye onto her cheek, he quickly wiped his face and gently slid his thumb over her cheek, wiping away the drop. He shivered at how cold she was, how cold the church seemed to have become.

Quietly, so no-one else could here, he whispered softly,

'I love you', before returning to his seat and staring at his hands.

The priest began to speak, and a hushed silence fell upon the congregation.

"The essence of forgiveness lies in His word and in His mystery.

Because although God sends us the message, it is our task to decipher it.

Because when we open our arms, the earth takes in only a hollow and senseless shell.

Far away now is the soul in its eternal glory.

Because it is in pain that we find the meaning of life and the state of grace that we lose when we are born.

Because God in His infinite wisdom puts the solution in our hands.

And because it is only in the absence of His physical presence that the place He occupies in our souls is reaffirmed."

Then it was Troy's turn to speak. He stood at the altar, looking at all the people looking back at him. Most were crying, some older men were comforting their wives, relatives, he presumed.

'For those of you who don't know me, I'm Troy Bolton, I'm-was Gabriella's boyfriend. When I imagined standing at the front of the church, I thought I'd be saying 'I do' not goodbye, to my one true love.

Many of you are probably thinking, how can I know she was my only love, well, its easy. My dad told me once, that when I was young, I asked him how he knew mom was 'the one', and he told me he just knew. To a seven year old, that didn't seem like an answer at all, more a sort of logic puzzle, but now, it makes perfect sense.

No-one can describe love. It's not a definite feeling. It appears differently to everyone. Today, we're celebrating the love everybody had for Gabriella Montez. But the love I had for her, still have for her, was so unlike anyone else's. It wasn't motherly love, brotherly love, friend love, it was true love. The type that is hardest to find, yet I found it in her.

When she smiled, everyone else smiled with her, she had a way of cheering people up. If something was wrong with someone, even if no-one else could see it, she'd spot it immediately, and would completely turn it round. The person would be happy and upbeat again, which is why everyone always went to her for help or advice.

One night, we were sat on her balcony, just her and me, and I asked,

'Don't you get tired of hearing everyone elses problems?'

And her being the saint she was answered,

'No, because when I help them, I get this feeling inside, like a balance has been restored, making people happy keeps me happy, and happiness is the essence of life'

I remember thinking about it for days afterwards, and decided from then on to be there if someone needed me. That's what tore me up.

When the car crashed we managed to get out, but then she just turned and ran back. I shouted after her, but she kept running, so I ran after her, desperate to get her out of the way. But I didn't get there fast enough. The train came and crashed into the car. I got thrown backwards into a tree or something and got knocked out. I was finally woken up to see a crowd of people gathered, I instantly felt the urge to push through them. There, laying on the floor, half conscious, was my Ella. All I kept thinking was 'let her be alright, let her be alright' when she whispered something.

What she said, no-one else will ever know, it may not seem fair, not telling anyone her last words, but they were private, between myself and Ella, and always will be.

After, after she'd-gone, I was reminded of what I'd decided months before. To always be there when someone needed me, and I hated myself because I wasn't there when she needed me. Then, my dad stepped in; he told me something I'll never forget.

He said,

'You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.'

That is what I'm trying to do, even though it's so hard, so unbelievably hard, I'll never stop trying. Because I know that's not what she'd have wanted.

I asked Ella's best friends, Taylor and Sharpay, to write a poem for me to read. They agreed and wrote one so beautiful, I cried. It may not seem manly but it described exactly how I felt.

Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven.

Would you hold my hand if I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand if I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way through night and day,
'Cause I know I just can't stay here in heaven.

Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart, have you begging please, begging please.

Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven.

Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven.

Gabriella, we all loved you, and all will continue to love you, no matter how much time goes by, you'll never, never be without love. If there is ever anyone on this planet who is loved the most, it has to be you. So goodbye baby, goodbye sorto del mio cuore'

Troy walked down back to his seat and the priest carried on. Troy stared at his hands for what seemed like forever, until the priest said the last prayer and the coffin began to slide into the furnace.

Troy couldn't take it, he suddenly got up and ran through the side door, locking it behind him so he wouldn't be disturbed, then ran all the way to the top of the bell tower and sat on the window ledge.

As he watched the smoke, her smoke, float out into the sky, he began to hum a tune, then he started to sing. The congregation had gathered beneath him, thinking he was about to jump, when they heard him singing, the majority began to cry.

That fateful night the car was stalled
upon the railroad track
I pulled you out and we were safe
but you went running back

Teen angel, can you hear me
Teen angel, can you see me
Are you somewhere up above
And I am still your own true love

What was it you were looking for
that took your life that night
They said they found my high school ring
clutched in your fingers tight

Teen angel, can you hear me
Teen angel, can you see me
Are you somewhere up above
And I am still your own true love

Just sweet sixteen, and now you're gone
They've taken you away.
I'll never kiss your lips again
They buried you today

Teen angel, can you hear me
Teen angel, can you see me
Are you somewhere up above
And I am still your own true love
Teen angel, teen angel, answer me, please

Troy let all the pain and hurt and ache and grief and sorrow pour out. He let the tears flow freely down his face. Not caring who saw him.

He closed his eyes and remembered all the times they'd shared. The images forever imprinted in his mind.

He remembered her last words, unable to stop them from entering his head.

Flashback

'Ella, you can't leave me you can't, wake up, please wake up' Troy yelled, shaking her.

Gabriella didn't move. Troy grew desperate and kissed her on the mouth, fearing it might be their last.

'Come on Ella, come on baby, please, I love you, don't leave me, I love you' he whispered in her ear, tears falling to the ground.

Her eyes fluttered open and his heart skipped a beat.

'Troy' she muttered, barely audible.

'I'm here, I'm here Ella, whatever you do don't go to sleep' he told her, as the ambulance drew up.

'Troy' she repeated.

'I love you Ella, I love you so much, so so much' he told her.

With one last ounce of strength, Gabriella slipped something in his hand and whispered,

'Troy and Gabriella, forever'

Troy was the only one that heard her, his eyes smarted and hurt because of all the tears.

Suddenly she went limp and he screamed,

'ELLA! NO! SOMEONE HELP! PLEASE HELP! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU ELLA, DON'T LEAVE ME, please, don't leave me' whispering the last part.

They took her from his arms into the ambulance, he knew though.

He looked down into his hands at what she'd given him and Troy knew she'd already gone.

End of Flashback

Troy reached into his pocket and pulled out his most treasured item.

He opened his hand and on his palm rested his class ring. The ring he'd given her, when they'd shared their first kiss. Engraved on the inside was 'Troy and Gabriella, forever'.

He kissed it and slipped it back on his finger, never to be taken off.

Softly he whispered the words into the air,

"The song is ended, but the melody lingers on..."