Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical, or Hawk Nelson. Wish I owned Zac Efron though…

A/N: So I was listening to my Hawk Nelson CD, "Smile…It's the End of the World," and I came up with this while listening to the song "Zero." It's fairly angsty/depressing. P.S.-Troy's mom is once again named Kellie. Enjoy!

Now you're gone away."

Gabriella stood in front of her closet, reaching for a pair of dark slacks. She pulled them on, looking at her reflection in the full length mirror that hung behind her door. She looked pale, paler than she'd ever looked. Pale to the point of illness. Her eyes were red-rimmed, puffy and bloodshot from crying. They were empty, lifeless, void of the vibrancy they once held.

Shaking her head, she took off the pants, tossing them onto her bed. Returning to the closet, she pulled out a similarly colored skirt, and its matching sweater. Dressing, she looked back at the mirror. She still looked ill, but at least her clothes matched.

"Gabriella, sweetie, it's time," her mom said quietly, sticking her head into Gabriella's room.

Gabriella nodded resolutely, hanging her head as she followed her mother out.

"We've cried here for hours,

And the hours turned to days."

Kellie Bolton sat at her kitchen table, a steadily growing mound of used tissues in front of her. As fresh tears sprang into her eyes she reached for another tissue, adding it to the pile.

"Honey? Are you ready?" Jack Bolton walked into the kitchen, looking slightly out of place in his tailored suit. The last time he had worn it was the championship game.

Kellie nodded, whimpering slightly as she looked at her husband. Jack walked over to her, wrapping her tightly in his arms. They held each other for several minutes, sharing their pain.

"We know you regret this,

Leaving us here,

With portraits and memories that we've held so dear."

Chad sat behind the wheel of his car, gripping the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead at the road. Taylor sat in the passenger seat, a box of tissues in her lap. As they came to a stop at a light, Chad reached up and adjusted the knot in his tie. He felt extremely uncomfortable in the suit, especially considering the occasion.

As he stepped on the accelerator, he looked over at his girlfriend. She looked as though she had spent hours crying, as her eyes had the same look as Gabriella's and Kellie's. Chad himself hadn't cried. Not yet.

"When I hear your name,

It's not the same"

Sharpay and Ryan climbed out of their car, headed solemnly toward the graveyard. Crowds of people were already filing in, preparing for the service. There were so many people who loved him, so many who were dear to him.

Sharpay struggled with acceptance, struggled to come to terms with what had happened. No matter what she thought, no matter what anyone said, she couldn't accept it.

Ryan had cried when he heard the news, cried for a friend. After that he felt empty, lost, vacant. Nothing would ever be the same.

"No matter what they say,

I'm not okay."

Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, Ryan, Zeke, Kelsi, and Jason walked slowly up the hill toward the cemetery. They formed a closely knit pack. Safety in numbers, or so the saying went.

They reached the gravesite, and spread out, Gabriella taking her place beside Troy's mother. The two hugged each other tightly, sobbing uncontrollably as Troy's closest friends formed a protective ring behind them. Troy's father laid a hand on his wife's shoulder, trying to restrain his own sobs.

The casket was next to the freshly dug grave, ready to be lowered into the ground. The minister stepped up next to it and opened his Bible, beginning to read.

"And we started at zero,

And went different ways,

Now we're all out here wasting away"

"Troy was a wonderful person," the minister said, as if he had really known him. "He was loved by many. We'll never know why he chose to leave us so soon, but we do know that we will meet him again in Heaven. We can hope that Troy will watch over us, caring for us as we did for him."

Gabriella let out a strangled cry, collapsing slightly. Chad reached out and held her to him, comforting her as the minister went on. He thought silently to himself about Troy. Why had he missed the warning signs? Was there something he could have done?

Was this his fault?

"And if we started at zero,

Then how did things change?"

A year later, Gabriella stood in front of Troy's grave, holding a single rose. She bent down, placing it in front of the tombstone. Each of Troy's friends did the same, until there was a small collection of the flowers. Chad held close to Taylor, Sharpay to Zeke, Jason to Kelsi. Sighing, Gabriella ran her fingers over Troy's name.

"I'll always love you," she whispered, turning away. "Always and forever."

She threaded her arm through Ryan's, joining the group as the walked silently out of the cemetery.

"It seems like just yesterday,

We were the same."