How Will I Know? Chapter 11, a high school musical fanfic

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own High School Musical

Rated: T

Pairings: Ryella, Troypay, Chaylor

Author's Note: awww guysss! im so sad! this is the last chapter! so i want to thank everybody who read it, reviewed, favorited, everything in the past couple months. It was my first fic so i was kinda nervous but im so happy you all liked it, and that im not the only emotional sap. so, here we go. omg this is so depresssing. How Will I Know? Chapter 11, the final chapter! cry cry, tear tear. Hope you all love it!!! x3

How Will I Know?
Chapter 11

Thursday Afternoon.
Callback day.

Gabriella was back at school and released from the hospital. She had a cast on her arm and a few bruises, but she was fine. Better than fine. In fact, she felt fantastic. She wasn't completely sure why, but she had a guess. Love. Nothing could bring her down, except her thoughts of Ryan. She was still worrying about him. He had to stay in the hospital for a few more days. She couldn't help but worry. She walked to her locker to put her books away and get her CD for her audition and saw Sharpay there, with Troy of course, practically linked to her side.

"Hey Gabby! How do you feel?" Troy said, Sharpay shot him a look. Gabriella tried to hold in a laugh.

"Hey guys. I feel amazing actually, thanks for asking."

"Well, are you sure you're up for your callback? I mean with everything that's happened, I don't know if I'd be able to go on." Sharpay said, obviously pretending to be sympathetic.

"No, I'm fine. What about you? After all Ryan is still in the hospital. Shouldn't you be there with him?"

"Actually, uhh, I went yesterday and offered to stay with him but he told me to go. He knew how important this was to me. So, uhh, no. I'm here to kick your scrawny, little behind in the callbacks." Sharpay was acting kinda strange, as if she was hiding something. Gabriella just shrugged it off.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in the auditorium then! Bye guys!" Gabriella finished at her locker and walked off, knowing she left an impression on Sharpay once again. Troy smirked, and Sharpay glared at him for a second time. Will he ever learn?

"She doesn't know?"

"She doesn't have a clue. But just because I'm doing something nice for my brother doesn't mean we have to be nice to Gabriella." Troy laughed.

"She is still my friend, you know."

"Yeah, whatever."

"You're sexy when you're nice." Sharpay shrugged her shoulders.

"I know." She said, in a high pithed, energetic voice. He kissed her shoulder and they followed Gabriella hand in hand to the auditorium.

The auditorium, which consisted of maybe 20 people at the time, roared with applause and cheer after Sharpay's callback. Gabriella was behind the curtain, doing a relaxing exercise Ryan taught her. Just the thought of him seemed to relax her. She just wished he was here, to see her performance, to be there for her. Sharpay walked off the stage in Gabriella's direction.

"So.. I don't wish luck to many people, actually, I don't think I ever have, to anybody. Okay except maybe me. But, uhm, good luck Gabriella. You must be somewhat cool if you have Ryan falling all over you." Gabriella couldn't help but laugh, "Hey, it's not funny! I'm trying to be a good person! Some people find it sexy... So go out there and do your best, which we both know won't be good enough, but have fun! You never know who is watching."

"Uhh, thanks Sharpay." As Sharpay strutted off, Kesli and Taylor walked up.

"Hey Gabs, how are you?" Taylor asked.

"Better. I'm just glad its over. What about you?"

"Good as new! So aren't you excited? Chad, Jason, Kelsi and I have the front row, but R-" Kelsi nudged her, giving her the classic "stop before you give it away" look, and began to speak. "You're going to do great Gabby."

"Thanks, but I just wish Ryan was here and okay." Gabriella heard Ms. Darbus call her name. Taylor hugged her friend. When Kelsi went up to hug her and whispered something in her ear.

"Just pretend he is out there watching you, singing along and encouraging you." Kelsi smiled and walked to her seat with Taylor.

"I thought she knew!" Taylor said.

"No, it's a surprise." Kelsi replied. The girls giggled to themselves and sat down as Jason and Chad put their arms around their girls.

Gabriella walked out to the center of the stage, a single spotlight on her, while the rest of the stage was submerged in darkness, as if a black sheet covered the stage, with one hole that Gabriella was popping out of.

"Whenever you're ready Ms. Montez." Just then, Gabriella's body flooded with anxiousness and nervousness. She couldn't do it. Oh, the butterflies. She tried to ignore them as the music started. If only Ryan was there.

"I want to dedicate this to Ryan Evans. This song always made me think of him." She said while the instrumental was playing. It was her cue to sing, and she began.

I know there is something that I'm feeling
But I can't quite put it into words
It's got me hoping, hoping that you feeling it too
Cause for me it's a first
Does anyone truly understand what real love is about
Don't say I'm too young to know what's real
My heart skips a beat
I can hardly breathe
Every time that he comes near

It's so amazing almost crazy how
I'm thinking bout you lately
Tell me how in the world did it come to this
It took me by surprise
When you opened my eyes
To hopefully show me what love is

She took a deep breath as she sang the began the chorus. She began to feel a little more at ease, the butterflies disappearing.

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinking bout you
How will I know I'm in love

Somebody tell me
Will I ever know
Somebody tell me
Will I ever know

As she continued, she heard a faint voice singing in the background. She thought maybe it was an echo, or she imagined it. She reassured herself that it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Kelsi's advice had just gone to her head.

If it ain't love
Then tell me why am I always searching for excuses to call
And if it ain't love
Then tell me why am I always hoping to see him in the halls
And if it ain't love
Somebody tell me why I lie awake at night staring at the walls

And if this isn't love
Then I don't really need it cause I'm happy here with no love at all

It's so amazing almost crazy how
I'm thinking bout you baby
Still I don't really know if this is real
I want you so much more
But I'm unsure if this is true love
That I feel

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop (everyday, all day)
I keep thinking bout you
How will I know I'm in love

Gabriella still heard the voice. It was a beautiful voice, mixing with hers amazingly, but it was faint. She wondered who would be singing with her. Maybe it was Sharpay? She was acting weird. But why would she sing with me? Or Troy? Even if he wanted to I doubt Sharpay would let him. Was it Kelsi? Come to think of it, she had never really heard Kelsi sing. She tried to stay focused on the song while she tried to figure out who the mysterious voice was.

How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop I keep thinking bout you
How will I know I'm in love

How will I know (yeah)
How will I know
Could it be the butterflies I feel whenever I'm with you
How will I know
Or the way I'm at a loss of words I can hardly keep my cool
How will I know
Everyday now stop stop stop (everyday, all day)
I keep thinking bout you
How will I know I'm in love (How will I know I'm in love)

The voice was still faint, but somehow, calming. It made Gabriella feel relieved. She felt like the voice was somehow soothing her, reassuring her. She finished out the song strong.

The instrumental died out and everyone cheered. Mr. Darbus stood up.

"Well, my dears, that was a beautiful. I think both of you together would be amazing in our theater programs production of Twinkle Town. Congratulations Gabriella! You got the lead of Minnie." Gabriella heard Sharpay gasp overdramatically, but ignored it. Gabriella smiled and nodded her head at Ms. Darbus, but was confused. Dears? Both? So someone was really singing!

Then she realized, who had been singing with her all along, calming her. Just like Kelsi said. They all knew. My angel stroke again. She ran off the stage and down the aisle, and saw what confirmed her thoughts. Her friends watched in awe as she continued to run, till she reached her destination and straddled the blond boy in the wheel chair, in the back of the auditorium. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. He kissed back with just as much emotion, if not more. He cupped her face in his hands, savoring every last moment.

"I love you, Gabriella Montez, with all my heart. I always will."

"I love you, too, Ryan Evans. Forever." Tears began to run down her cheeks. Tears of joy. She smiled as Ryan wiped them away with his thumb. The two continued to kiss, and in Gabriella's case, cry, because she knew that she finally found someone who would always be there for her, always comfort her, always protect her. Always love her. And she would never let him go. Nor would he to her. It was love. Pure, true love.

So they kissed and held each other, and knew that everything would always be all right, no matter what came in their way.

::lyrics from urbanlyrics:: well, what can i say? I'm a hopeless romantic. I never thought ending a story would be so sad, i'm seriously so depressed right now, haha. so i think a sequel is deffinately coming, cause there are some things i want to tie up and i need something to help ease my new depression, haha. R&R, let me know your final comments on my story, and I hope you all read more of my fics! love you guys x3