Broken

A/N: Look a oneshot! Yay!! This is a result of watching too much Degrassi. Enjoy!

Gabriella Montez had cracked. It happened so suddenly too.

She was just sitting in Mr. Keifer's class listening to him drone on and on about scientific notation when she exploded. Not literally obviously.

Was it the sweltering heat overpowering the room, the fact Mr. Keifer was teaching her something she'd learned when she was eleven, or was it the fifth piece of paper that had been flung at her head? Whatever the issue, Gabriella 'the brainaic' Montez had gone on a rampage. A verbal rampage.

It started with a yell. It wasn't very loud but it wasn't silent either. Sure did get the whole 12th grade Science class' attention though.

"Enough!" she said pounding her hands on her desk. "What do you people want from me? I can't take it anymore!"

By then all attention was obviously turned to her. Mr. Keifer too was staring curiously at his favorite student wondering what was going on.

"I'm under enough pressure as it is but no you all just have to make it worse!" Gabriella was red in the face and had stood up from her seat.

"You!" she said pointing to Stacy Richards, East High's most popular and evilest cheerleader. Stacy was glaring back at Gabriella trying not to show that she was a little intimidated by the timid girl's sudden outbreak. "Do you have to be such a bitch? I haven't said one word to you yet you make it your mission in life to make mine a living hell. I'm sick of it! So please just tell me why suddenly I've become public enemy number one!"

Stacy smacked her lips and stared back at the girl before her. "You've upset our social system by dating Troy Bolton. Everyone knows head cheerleader and basketball captain like go together. You're a nerd and frankly Troy deserves better."

Gabriella put her hands on her hips and shot her an ice cold glare. "Of course this all has to do with Troy. What is with this school and social order? Are you all that narrow-minded? And don't get me started on the whole Troy deserves better thing. You don't know Troy like I do. Hell, I probably know him better than all of you combined. You want to know what he thinks of you, Stacy? He says you're the most egotistical person he's ever met. No way in this world would Troy go out with you so get over it!" At this point Gabriella was mad. No pissed. Steam should have been blaring out of her ears.

Stacy just stared at Gabriella, her mouth agape. No words coming out at all. A silence had fallen over the classroom.

"Miss Montez, please sit down---" Mr. Keifer began but was cut off by Gabriella.

"And you. Mr Keifer, don't get me wrong I respect you and all, but seriously scientific notation! I think all of us can agree this is something we've learned too many times before. Not to mention the fact that your lesson's bore me to death. And the pressure you've been giving me! All the colleges you've told me about, all the opportunities you say I'm perfect for it's just so overwhelming! I'm expected to do this well, get this right that I can never just relax! I can't even tell you the last time I've hung out with my friends! These past 3 months have been spent becoming a hermit and studying till I could puke algebraic equations. It's...it's not fair!" Gabriella's chest was rising up and down, blood pumping fast through her veins.

"It sucks being me. Girls think it's great cause I'm dating Troy. Boys think it's great cause I'm actually passing my classes but it's not! My dad just got married to some bleached blonde bimbo who's only after his money. Even time I try to tell him he just keeps saying I'm having a tough time adjusting to his new marriage. My mom's gone from a glass of wine before dinner to a whole bottle before bed and her boyfriend Jim is a complete and total idiot. I just want this all to be over! I can't take it anymore I just really can't." With that Gabriella collapsed in her seat, tears slowly pouring down her face. The room was silent for what felt like hours before Mr. Keifer spoke.

"Well..umm..thank you for sharing with us Gabriella...but umm...I have to say that because of your disruption of our class and your use of inappriopriate words I'm going to have to send you to the principal's office." He adjusted his tie and gulped.

Gabriella nodded and grabbed her books. She walked up the aisle with every eye following her and walked out the door.

---

"C'mon, Gabriella open up." He said knocking on the door.

"No, go away."

"Aww, c'mon Brie. It's just me. I hate seeing you like this." He said begging her to open the door. "If you won't come out will you at least talk to me?"

A sniffle was heard before a muffled "Fine."

Troy couldn't think of a gentle way to bring it up so he just went for it. "What happened today Brie?"

"I made a complete ass of myself."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

"I cussed out Stacy Richards, told my science teacher he's a boring idiot and admitted to my whole class that my dad's married to a golddigger and my mom's an alcoholic."

Troy winced. "I guess it was pretty bad." They were both silent. He scratched the back of his neck. "The thing I don't get Gabriella is why you didn't tell me all of this."

Gabriella sighed on the other side of the door. "I don't know. Ever since it finally hit me that college was almost here and that there was no way I could get into Harvard without a scholarship I just I don't know---"

"Cracked?"

"Yeah. And today I just---"

"Exploded?"

"Could you stop being so good at finding words to describe my mental breakdown!?"

"Yeah I wasn't exactly helping was I?"

"Not really."

"I guess this is the part where I come in with the meaningful advice. Then again it's me so it's probably going to suck but here it goes. You really just need to calm down. Brie, we're all feeling the pressure but you gotta just let it go. That's why we're always hanging out together. The numerous hours we spend forgetting about college, exams and the future and just having fun honestly is what keeps me sane. We should be enjoying these days not dreading them. I never pushed you missing dates because I know how focused you are on your grades but if I'd known how much pressure you were under I would've done something. I don't know kidnap you and force you to have fun. I guess I let you down."

"No, no Troy of course you didn't let me down. This is definitely not you're fault. Anything but that." Gabriella replied. "If anything you've saved me."

Troy was confused. "How?"

"Without you I would have no social life, no friends. I've always been the quiet girl who hid in the corner but when I met you I became different. A good different. With everything I'm going through right now you're the one thing guaranteed to make me smile."

Troy himself smiled. "Would it sound totally cliche if I said you make me smile too."

Gabriella laughed. "A little."

"Then screw it. You, Gabriella Anne Montez, are the sunshine that lights up my world."

There was a click and Gabriella slowly opened the door. "You're such a dork."

Troy smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Your dork." With that he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Her arms flew up to around his neck as he pressed her up against the wall.

When they were done, Gabriella smiled and leaned her forehead against his. "Thanks for making me feel whole again."

"Anytime."

A/N: Uhh, okayy. Started out fine but kinda went downhill from there. Review if you want.