"The world we knew won't come back
The time we've lost can't get back
The life we had won't be ours again"

THREE DAYS GRACE, NEVER TOO LATE

Life was never really as easy as she wished it to be. For the past three years she had hoped every day that she could wake up one morning and forget everything that haunted her dreams at night. He was a plague that spread through her and made her feel as if she were dying, leaving in ache beneath her chest. And it tortured her as she grudgingly harbored feelings of both hatred and love, with the initial thought that maybe in some parallel universe a remote that rewinded past mistakes existed.

At times she hated him with every fiber of her being. From an outsider's perspective, he appeared to be simple cliche; the cocky jock with striking features that had girls easily lining up to fall in love only to be rewarded with broken hearts in the end. But she knew better. Shew knew how complex he could be and when that side of him shined through, it had the ability to stun her. He was her world, wrapped up in one single person. She wanted to hate him for it but even after all they had been through, friends or conquests, she knew she would never be able to. Her heart hurt but she accepted that there wasn't an easy solution as to how to begin healing.

The crackle of the fire was one of the few noises that could be heard other than Sharpay's intentional heavy breathing.

"Hmm."

She was answered only by silence. "Hmm," she repeated the humming noise even louder, her eyes wide as she looked at her feet as if they had become detached from the rest of her body.

"Have I mentioned today that I hate wearing sneakers?" She seemed to be growing impatient when no one answered her question. "What's a girl to do though, right?" Sharpay looked over at Gabriella for support but found none. It pained her to watch her friend whose eyes were glazed over as she remained in her own personal funk, the one she had been the entire day since the lake incident.

"That's it!" She snapped as she hopped up from the fold up chair she had been sitting in for what felt like hours. "We're all going out. I don't care what anyone says!" Her voice was beyond desperate, having finally cracked after talking to herself the entire night while Chad pretended to be too distracted by the woods surrounding them. Troy had wandered off no less than twenty minutes ago in search for some kindling and they knew that as soon as he arrived back, everything would settle into the usual awkwardness that had crept over them for the past few hours.

Finally, Chad cleared his throat, breaking his distant stare into the treetops. "What are you suggesting we do? We're at a campground."

Throwing her hands up, Sharpay huffed. "Anything is better than this! Would you rather mope around or go out and make the best of this vacation? I won't be able to deal with this for one more day, let alone two whole weeks."

"Shar-"

"No, Chad. Don't 'Shar' me." The heat and outdoors had officially gotten to her head. "This is all because of your asshole friend!"

Chad glared dangerously, not wanting to get in the middle of any form of argument between his friends. Troy had been his boy since they were in kindergarten but Gabriella had always been his kid sister. In his heart, he wanted to believe that Troy would never say or do anything to intentionally hurt Gabriella but the only other option was to believe that Gabriella was at fault. Either way, there was no compromising. He could not choose sides and he knew that there was surely going to be trouble if Sharpay was so easily swayed to one side.

"Hey, can we please stop with the name calling?" He requested calmly. Sharpay's eyes narrowed, ready for a challenge but she bit her tongue instead, not wanting there to be another couple fighting, though she knew Troy and Gabriella's relationship status was nowhere near being a couple.

"Fine," she said shortly but the edge in her voice had definitely faded. "I just don't understand how everything could go so wrong. Did you see the way they were looking at each other this morning? Completely head over heels. How is it possible for everything to just...to just," she stumbled on her words as her emotions got the best of her like always, forgetting for a moment that Gabriella was still right beside them, hearing the exchange between the flustered couple.

Chad rolled his eyes as Sharpay's face when into her hands that were leaning on her lap. She was curled over as she sniffled. Nevertheless, he paced over to where she was sitting to console her while shooting a pleading look in Gabriella's direction. Luckily, she caught on and blinked incredulously- her eyes had become so dry it was almost painful, like the scraping of sandpaper.

"Snap out of it," Gabriella said lightly. "I'm fine. Troy's fine. We're all going to be fine."

"See? Everything's fine babe," Chad joined in.

"We just might need to switch tents," Gabriella directed at Chad before trying to laugh but failed miserably.

Chad nodded eagerly, his hand never once resisting its gentle rubbing on his girlfriend's back. "That'd be no problem, Gab."

"Can we at least venture out?" her voice was muffled as she lifted her head from where it was cradled in her lap.

"Where?"

"Anywhere," Sharpay answered him.

"We're kind of limited," Gabriella added.

The blonde shook her head vigorously. "No, knowing us we're bound to find something."

Chad sighed and kicked at the dirt. "Babe, I don't think that's the best idea."

"What's not the best idea?" Troy asked with perfect timing as he dropped a hefty pile of leaves and small twigs.

"I'm trying to get Chad to take us all out."

"All?" He glanced quickly in Gabriella's direction but she avoided his gaze completely.

"Yes," her tone was clear and final.

She would be lying if she ever said that this was not what she had up her sleeve all along. From the moment that Chad agreed to "venture" off the campground, Sharpay knew that phase one was complete. And now from the look that she saw transfixed in Troy's eyes, she knew that phase two was well underway. Immediately after everyone decided that going out might be the best idea, Sharpay clapped gleefully, dragging Gabriella with her to prepare for the evening festivities.

The outfit that she had chosen for her best friend had been envisioned like any masterpiece. The tank top had been her own but she was more than willing to let Gabriella borrow it. After all, she was a girl with a plan. She could not fight the cheeky, I'm-so-smart-smile from curling her lips as she admired the way Gabriella danced freely and happily, evoking the attention from nearly every man within a fifty-foot radius. Gabriella sported a tight tank top that was made of a black lace material rode up her waist with every movement she made, exposing her tan and toned midriff. She wore white shorts that had frayed edges, complaining every second she tugged them down lower on her legs, commenting that they were much too short for her liking. Of course she had been right, but Sharpay would never have told her that.

Gabriella was Sharpay's personal work of art and she had to admit...she looked hot. If it were not for the boy she loved by her side, Sharpay might have even been jealous of all the appraising looks that Gabriella was receiving.

She was trying to remember a time that she was more proud of herself as she watched her plan fall perfectly in place without her barely having to lift a finger. Sharpay got to watch and observe from the sidelines.

Finding a nearby club that wasn't too bad for being literally in the middle of nowhere, had not been planned on. She also had not contemplated what they would have done if they were not let in so easily. Not a single ID was asked for. She guessed being in the middle of the woods paid off sometimes.

"Fuck," Troy groaned, hitting his head against the table of the cushioned booth he was sitting in. This earned the attention of both Chad and Sharpay.

"What?" Sharpay asked innocently.

"Just well..fuck," Troy gestured towards the girl on the dance floor, one he barely recognized. "Why the hell didn't I notice that she has her bellybutton pierced?" He hissed, his voice barely audible.

Sharpay shrugged, her smile still beaming radiantly. "Sometimes you don't always look to see, young grasshopper."

"Who wants to see a tease?" Troy shot back.

Chad shook his head, a whistle letting loose through his teeth. "Doesn't look like she's teasing anyone, Bolton."

Easy for you to say, he wanted to retort but did not find the strength to do so. He knew that it was insanely easy for Chad to say simply because Chad didn't know, and would never know how it felt to have Gabriella Montez even if it only was for a moment.

Sharpay let out a longwinded sigh before a devious smile spread across her features. "You know...you could always just ask her to dance," she stated in her best sing-song voice, only earning an eye roll from him. But he still continued to stare, never once looking away from her. He was captivated by the way she moved, the carefree smile and dangerous glint in her eye. She had to know that she was driving him crazy.

"Yeah and that's probably exactly what she wants so that she can deny me in front of everyone," Troy muttered under his breath.

She frowned because after all, this was her entire doing. She was forced to sit back and watch as his insecurities were breaking down his tough exterior and it almost made her want to bite back laughter. If only they could both see themselves now, she thought to herself. The two teens who were entirely too oblivious to see what was right in front of their eyes- they had switched roles. Gabriella had pined for Troy for years and now from the looks of it, he was transfixed on her. It was too good for words.

"You've got to be joking..." her voice was dripping with agitation. "You both are so damn annoying I could literally bang my head against this table...multiple times."

Troy's attention deviated from Gabriella's dancing form, settling on the blonde who had a scowl on her face. "What's your problem?"

Hmm, Sharpay's mind raced upon hearing the loaded question. There were simply too many answers that could be supplied. The drive down and their first night at the campground had both been uncomfortable nights of sleep. Everyone knew to beware when the drama princess had not slept properly. She missed her shower at home that did not require paying quarters in order to get the water to run for approximately five minutes before it shut off, making he have to leave the stall to place another coin in. Her usual forty-minute showers were a lot less enjoyable. On top of all that, she had expected two weeks of nonstop friendly time with her boyfriend. With the end of senior year and graduation, both of their schedules had gotten hectic. It had been awhile before she had been fully satisfied. And then that left the Troy and Gabriella situation. She wished that she could snap her fingers and the two could kiss and makeup.

"You love her," she sighed, her hand brushing against Chad's underneath the table. They sat close together, their thighs pressed against another's but neither complained. After feeling the light touch of her fingertips by his, Chad laced their hands together, resting the joined hands on his lap.

Troy remained silent. He watched as Gabriella easily gained the attention of anyone who looked her way. Dark curls fell perfectly down her back, in spite of the sticky heat and her skin glowed having been touched by the sun from spending the day outside. Just the sight of her awakened him and stirred up a reaction. He could never look at her the same way again without envisioning her underneath him, looking into his eyes the way she had when she barely uttered the words, 'take me'.

"Do you think they'd serve us drinks here?" Troy wondered out loud, knowing that alcohol was the perfect solution for taking this type of edge off.

Shrugging slightly, Sharpay's eyes wandered to the bar where she scoped out the bartender who looked friendly and easygoing. "They let us in, didn't they?"

Maybe we'll turn it around 'cause it's not too late
It's never too late