Here is the the second chapter to Alone with you. I know you guys have requested it so here it is. I hope ya'll like it :)

"I ain't the kind you take home to mama,
I ain't the kind to wear no ring.
Somehow i always get stronger
when i'm on my second drink.
Even though i hate to admit it
Sometimes i smoke cigarettes.
Christian folks say i should quit it
I just smile and say god bless.

Cause i heard Jesus, he drank wine
and I bet we'd get along just fine
He could calm a storm or heal the blind
and I bet he'd understand a heart like mine."

Gabriella's POV

Ever since I was little Mom and Dad have always put work before me and my older brother Keegan My parents worked for the government so they were always off on important business. Keegan and I grew up with babysitters and nannies and whatnot. While my brother was the perfect son, I was the epitome of 'devil child'. I would do anything to have the nannies sent away so I could at least see my parents more than twice a month. Keegan was 5 years older with me so once he graduated he went off to college and left me alone. Once I've turned old enough to take care of myself. I had a caretaker but they were more behind the scenes. I got a 300 weekly allowance I spent on clothes or booze.

I've had one close friend- Sharpay Evans. I met her on our final move to Santa Fe, New Mexico. She had a twin brother named Ryan. Ryan was drama geek but he was the sassy gay friend I've always wanted. He could always find a way to make me smile. I met Sharpay the first day I moved to Albuquerque. I walked down the street to the liquor store to buy cigarettes with my fake I.D. She asked me to buy her cigarettes and we smoked together and became best friends from then on.

I've had a couple of boyfriends. The good, the bad, but never ugly. They have never lasted long though. I always seemed to run them off with lack of commitment or I've gotten cheated on. It burned a little bit but I knew whatever guy I was dating in high school would never last, especially with me. I wasn't the one to settle down.

When I was 18 I got a tattoo of an open birdcage on my back with a bird flying out of it. I was finally free from my parents who were never there and the annoying people who were. When Keegan came down for a couple days after my birthday, he saw my tattoo and cried. He was proud of me for getting into college and not being a teen mom or a hooker. He was more of a dad than he needed to be and I loved him so much for it. But as usual he left a couple days later, leaving me alone, again.

After high school, Sharpay and I went down to Albuquerque. We got into University of Albuquerque and we got an apartment together. I got a job as a guest receptionist at a Woman's correctional facility. Neither Sharpay nor I had to work because our parents were loaded but I needed something to do other than school to keep me sane. My brother Keegan was the genius of the family. I wasn't a genius but I was pretty damn smart. I decided to major in English, I ironically wanted to be a teacher.

"Daddy cried when he saw my tattoo
Said he loved me anyway.
My brother got the brains of the family
So i thought i'd learn to sing.

Cause i heard Jesus, he drank wine
And i bet we'd get along just fine.
He could calm a storm or heal the blind
And I bet he'd understand a heart like mine."

Junior year of college. I just turned 21. I could barely legally drink alcohol. I did the most idiotic thing a girl like me could do. I fell in love. His name is Troy Bolton. I met him at the bar I go to every night after I get off work and finish my homework. Sometimes I go there instead of finishing my homework. I held my liquor really well. Most nights I would meet Troy at the bar. We would talk and drink until I drank my worries away and we had sex. A lot of drunken, late-night, amazing sex.

Flashback

"Why don't you ever laugh?" Troy asked me while he peeled off the label of his beer, folding it up. One of his habits I was getting used to. I thought about his question.

I shrugged my shoulders and picked up a peanut, cracking it my special way to get the whole nut out without breaking. "Why do I need to laugh?" I asked back at him.

"Because laughing means you're having a good time and you sit there, with the same expression on your face, unless you're pissed off." Troy said licking his lips. "Why do you crack your peanuts like that?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" I shot back at him.

He sighed, drinking his beer before ordering a shot of tequila. "Because I want to know you Gabi. I like learning new things. So, why do you crack your peanuts like that?"

"Because it get's the whole nut out." I said, popping the peanut in my mouth.

I picked up a peanut. "Show me." Troy said picking up a peanut as well. I demonstrated how to crack it and he caught on quickly. He was cracking peanuts like a pro. Troy popped a peanut in his mouth and turned to me. "I have nuts in my mouth."

Before I could even think I flashed him a smile, letting my guard down for a moment. The smile on his face looked like his cheeks were about to explode. My smile subsided and I put my guard up again. "You are so immature." I remarked, taking a drink of my cocktail, finishing it in one drink before I ordered something stronger.

"I know I am, that's why you like me." Troy said, with a toothy smile. I rolled my eyes at him.

End

That is exactly what I loved about him. He always tried to make me smile with his immaturity. He was always so caring about the people around him. He cared about me and I didn't know how to respond to people caring about me other than my brother or Sharpay.

About six months into our little relationship, he finally told me how he felt. I knew I could avoid him forever. I couldn't keep stringing his poor heart along. I knew it had to come to an end sooner or later. He told me he loved me and I let my guard down with him. I told him that I loved him too. I knew I couldn't give him what he wanted from me so I snuck out of his apartment that night after we made love and he fell asleep.

I never heard from him again. It was so sobering living five years without the man you loved. Distance really taught me a lot. I finally graduated college. I got my dream job working with a bunch of amazing kids who teach me more everyday then I teach them. I figured out that not everybody was going to leave and I didn't have to leave before I was left. I promised myself that if I ever saw Troy Bolton again than I would give him an actual explanation rather than a cowardly note.

"I'll fly away from it all, one day
I'll fly away.

These are the days that i will remember
When my name's called on the roll.
He'll meet me with two long stem glasses
Make a toast to me comming home."

Sharpay and I were supposed to be meeting at the bar by our house. I fell asleep after grading some papers and I woke up and got ready to go out. I walked down the street to the bar. I walked in and saw Sharpay getting up from the bar.

"There you are! I was wondering where you were. I met a cute guy at the bar. He does that weird peanut thing you do. I want you to meet him okay?" She dragged me back to where she was sitting. "Hey." She called out to the man next to her.

He turned around and I couldn't believe it. "Troy?" I asked, barely choking it out. He looked just as shocked as I was.

"You guys know each other?" Sharpay asked as Troy looked from her to me. He turned to finish his drink. "Brie, What the fuck?" Sharpay asked me but I couldn't peel my eyes away from him. Troy got up. "Wait, where are you going?"

I followed Troy out, trying to get him to talk to me. I even cried. I never cry. God I forgot how good looking he was. After my apology I pulled out a card with my name and number on it. I handed it to him. "If you want the full story, you can call me."

He took the card from my hand. "Alright." He gulped. "Tell Sharpay I said it was nice to meet her."

I nodded slowly, stuffing my hands in my coat pocket. "Bye Troy." I said quietly.

"Bye Gabriella." Troy said as he started walking away. I watched him walk down the street until I couldn't see him anymore. Part of me wanted to run after him and plant a kiss on him but he had every right to hate me. I made my way back into the bar and sat down in the seat that Troy was sitting in.

"How'd it go?" Sharpay asked me.

"I gave him my number. He said it was nice to meet you Shar." I let out a sigh. "I don't feel like drinking. I think I'm going back home."

"I'm sorry Hun." She said hugging me. She handed me her keys. "Take the car. I'll just walk home."

I nodded. "Okay." I gave her another hug before I walked out of the bar. I saw Troy reaching for the door handle then looking up at me.

"Hey." I said quietly.

"Hey. Leaving already?" He asked me.

I gulped. "I'm not really in the mood to drink anymore. I thought you were going to see your god son?"

"Just called. They're all sleeping." Troy said. I took a couple steps away from the door since we were holding up traffic.

I nodded and looked away for a second. I looked back up at him. "Do you want to come to my place?" I asked quietly.

He stared at me for a second then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."

I gave him a small smile. "It's right up the street but I have Sharpay's car." I held up the car keys. I took his hand and led him to the car. We got in and we were quiet for the short ride to my apartment. I parked in Sharpay's spot and we got out the car.

"I would have never guessed I lived two blocks away from you." Troy said looking up at the apartment. I locked Shar's car and Troy followed me up to the door.

"I tried to keep myself as secretive as possible." I said. "I didn't try to get too attached to people because I thought they were just going to up and leave me. But I did most of the leaving." I opened the door and he walked into the apartment. I closed the door and put her keys on the table. I kicked off my shoes as Troy sat on the couch.

I put my coat in my room before walking over to Troy. "I like your apartment. It's very girly."

"Believe it or not, that's Sharpay's doing. She would watch football, drink a beer with the guys and if she had balls, she'd scratch them. If you even mess with her pink you'd be sorry." I let out a quiet laugh. "One time in high school this kid was talking shit about her pink locker and she snuck into the boys locker room, stole his clothes and threw them in a wood chipper."

Troy laughed quietly before looking at me. "You have a beautiful laugh."

I shook my head and felt my cheeks flush. "I don't, I think I sound weird. that's why I never laugh. I never cry because I think I look stupid. I've started feeling more comfortable smiling now." I said, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"You have a beautiful laugh and every thinks they look ridiculous when they cry. You also have a very beautiful smile." Troy said looking at me. He let out a small chuckle. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." I said quietly. "So how's business?"

"Good, I'm in California now, I got a promotion. I should be back here in a couple of months though." He cleared his throat. "What do you do?"

"I'm a teacher." I said. Troy looked at me as if I was joking. I smiled. "I'm serious."

"I thought you worked at a prison." Troy said, laughing.

"I did, I was only a receptionist. I did that for fun." He gave me another look of disbelief. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" I asked with a slight giggle.

"You worked at a prison… for fun?" He said. "You are just so mysterious."

I shook my head. "It was a Women's Correctional Facility and I was the guest receptionist. I didn't have to work, I just wanted to. My parents like to buy my love because they couldn't be there when I was growing up. They work for the government." I explained. I heard my phone ring. "Excuse me." I answered my phone. "Hello?"

"Hey little sister." Keegan said, speaking into the phone.

"Hey Keegan, what's up?" I asked.

"Just checking up to see how you were. How are the kids?" He asked.

I smiled to myself. "The kids are amazing. I'm fine. How are you?"

"Same old, same old." He said with a sigh. "My abandonment issues are causing my newest fling to try to change me."

"I know how you feel." I looked at Troy, who was looking around the apartment. "I have company so I'll talk to you later. I love you Keegan."

"I love you too Gabi." He said. "Bye."

I hung up the phone and put it on the table in front of me. "That was my brother, Keegan."

Troy looked over at me. "You have a brother?"

I nodded. "I do. He's five years older than me. He was more of a father to me than my dad was, until he left for college. He left me too." I said quietly.

"But he came back. He still talks to you." Troy said, putting his hand on my knee.

"I know. I just don't like to be alone." I admitted, leaning back on the couch.

He pulled me closer to him. "You would have never been alone with me."

"I thought every night that I was with you that was the last time. I didn't want you to get hurt because of me and I didn't want to get hurt because of you. I didn't want you to leave me because I had abandonment issues. So I left before you could leave me." I leaned against Troy as he rubbed my arms with his hands. "When I finally realized that I am in love with you that just made me even more afraid. I was afraid I couldn't live up to who you wanted me to be."

He kissed the side of my head slowly. I turned to face him and he kissed my lips gently. "I never wanted you to be anything but yourself. Abandonment issues and all." He moved a piece of hair behind my ear. "I love you Gabi"

I placed my hand on his cheek and I stroked my fingers along it gently. "I love you too Troy." I leaned up and kissed his lip gently. I stroked his bottom lip with my tongue.

Troy pulled away slowly. "If we do this then I want you to be my girlfriend. I don't want you to walk out on me like last time. I want to be with you. In daylight, at night, drunk or sober. Can you do that? If you can't you should tell me now." Troy said seriously.

I smiled at him and kissed his lips gently. "I think I can do that. It might not be easy but I want to try." I stood up and pulled him up with me. I lead him into my room, shutting the door behind me.

Troy tightened his grip on me, pulling me against him. We were both naked and exhausted and I was content with the cuddling after sex. I turned to face Troy, wrapping my leg around his. He kissed my swollen lips gently before running his fingers through my tangled hair. "This is nice." Troy said from next to me.

"It is, when do you go back to California?" I asked him running my fingers along his abs slowly.

"I'm supposed to leave on Sunday but I think I can milk it out here for another week." Troy said with a grin. "Would you like if I stayed?"

I nodded and kissed his chest. "I would but I do have to work until two-thirty. Monday through Friday. I have to get up at 6."

"That mean I have 5 more hours to cuddle with you." I turned back around to spoon with him. He moved the hair up and left kisses along my bare neck. "You should get to sleep beautiful." I felt his lips kiss the bird tattoo on my back.

"I love you Troy." I mumbled as my eyes closed.

"I love you too baby." I heard him say before I fell asleep.

Troy went back to California and I focused on work. We were in the middle of finals at the middle school I worked at. All the kids loved me for some reason. You always had that one kid who was a little asshole but they just reminded me of myself. Summer was coming up soon and I had to work summer school as well. I liked teaching summer school. I believe the kids with the best personalities are in summer school.

Troy and I were doing well. He was supposed to be coming down to see me soon but I'm not sure when. He's been kind of distant lately and I tried not to worry. I just told myself that he was busy with work, just like I was. Sharpay found a boyfriend and moved in with him a couple weeks ago. She was worried about leaving me alone but I insisted she moved out. She was really happy and I was happy for her.

I sat in my classroom and finished grading the essays that were due. I still had to finish grading my finals but It was all multiple choice so I could just run it through the scan-tron machine. It was lunch time and I enjoyed the quiet. I had so much work to do I didn't even bother packing a lunch. I heard a knock on my door. My door was always locked so I got up and opened the door.

"Excuse me Miss Montez. I just needed some help with homework." Troy said with a huge smile on his face.

"Troy!" I hugged him tightly, pulling him into the classroom. "What are you doing here?" I asked before kissing his lips.

"I'm surprising my girlfriend with lunch." He handed me a bag of food. "I'm back for good." Troy said with a smile on his face.

I kissed his lips firmly. "I missed you. Thank you. I'm starving but I have a lot of work to do. Do you want to help me?"

"I'd love to." Troy said. I pulled him over to my desk and he sat on the chair next to it. "What can I help you with beautiful?"

I handed him my grade book and the stack of essays. "Could you put the grades in the book for me? They are alphabetized and separated by period." I opened the bag of food and started eating. I handed him a pen.

"Seems easy enough." I watched Troy as I ate. "I missed you too by the way."

"I'm sorry you have to do this. I've been so stressed out because it's finals week and we have to get everything in by Friday, which is the last day of school. I have a month off before I start summer school." I sighed. "How have you been? I feel like I've been talking to you less and less lately."

Troy looked up at me. "I know baby. I'm sorry. I have a surprise for you though."

"What is it?" I asked finishing up my food quickly. I threw the bag in the garbage next to my desk.

"A surprise Gabriella. You have to be patient." He said with a chuckle.

I sighed. "Fine." I got up grabbing the finals for the first couple periods I had. "I need to go into the office to run these through the machine. I'll try to be back as quickly as possible."

"I might have to leave before you come back, I'll leave you a note if I do." Troy stood up and cupped my face. He kissed my lips firmly then more gently. "Just in case." He smiled against my lips before giving me another kiss. "I love you, Miss Montez. You're the sexiest English teacher in Albuquerque." I rolled my eyes and walked past him. He gave my butt a pat.

I walked out of my classroom and to the lounge. I put the papers in and they started grading them automatically for me. I leaned against the machine. "Hey Gabi." One of my colleagues, Kelsi Cross said. She was the music teacher here. Her husband Jason was a gym teacher.

"Hey Kels, what's up?" I asked, before peaking at to see how many were finished. Only a quarter of them.

She sighed. "Busy with music finals. Jason has to teach summer school this year and I'm going up to New York to play in the symphony this summer."

I smiled at her. "No way, congratulations!"

She nodded. "But I am 4 months pregnant, so I'm going to be exhausted by the time September rolls around."

"You're going to be a great mom Kels, I bet Jason is thrilled." I said with a smile.

"Oh, he is. He can't wait to tell people. You're the first person I've told actually." She said, shifting the papers in her arm. "How are you doing?"

"Really good, actually." I said, as the machine beeped. I picked up the graded papers and moved out of the way. "My boyfriend just moved back from California so I'm happy about that."

"Good for you Gabi. You deserve to be happy." She nudged my shoulder.

"I'll talk to you later Kels." I said waving to her. I walked back to the classroom. I unlocked the door with the keys around my neck. I peaked inside and Troy was gone. I let out a sigh and walked over to my desk. I found the note of the stack of essays Troy was putting in the grade book.

"All the grades are in the book Miss Montez. I'm sorry I had to leave so soon but I have a couple more errands to run for your surprise. Immediately after work I want you to drive to this address. The directions are on the back of this note. I cannot wait to see you because I missed you so much. I'm happy to be back in Albuquerque and back with you. I love you Miss Montez.

Love, Troy.

4589 Franklin Way
Albuquerque, NM

Ps. You definitely are the hottest English teacher in New Mexico. ;)"

I laughed at his note and put it on the desk. I filed the essays and started putting the scores of the finals in the grade book. The bell rang and I continued on with my classes. By the end of the day I was excited to see Troy's surprise. I put the last of the finals through the machine before packing them into my grade book to go home. I finished packing my things and I grabbed the note, going out to my car.

I called Troy to let him know I was leaving. He said it took about 10 minutes to get to where I was going. I followed his directions, driving into the suburbs. I looked for any clues to figure out his surprise for me but I was completely stumped. I saw Troy standing out on the side walk in front of a beautiful house with a sold sign in the lawn.

"No fucking way." I said to myself as I pulled up to the curb. I looked at him with my jaw ajar. I got out of the car and walked over to him. "Troy.." I said wearily.

"I've been kind of avoiding you because I bought this house. They were supposed to remove this sign today but they rescheduled. I was moving my things in since yesterday and I got the big furniture all arranged and I just need two things." Troy said.

"What's that?" I asked him, closing my mouth.

"I need to unpack. And I wanted to know if you would move in here with me." Troy said scratching the back of his neck. "I know you how you feel about being alone and I know you don't really like it in your apartment by yourself. So I want you to come live with me. I promise you'll never be alone."

I blinked and felt a tear run down my cheek. I walked over to Troy and wrapped my arms around his neck. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." I said with a slight sob at the end. I kissed Troy's lips firmly. "I would love to move in with you."

"You didn't even see the house yet." Troy joked, kissing my forehead.

I smiled up at him. "It isn't even about the house. It's about living with you. I'd live in a cardboard box if it meant that I could live with you." I hugged him tighter. "You are the most amazing person I've ever met Troy Bolton."

"I try." He joked again. I rolled my eyes and he lead me up to the house. We took a quick tour of the house before stopping in the bedroom. The house was perfect. It was the best surprise and I couldn't imagine myself living without Troy. It's so scary depending on one person for so much love and support, but with Troy it's a risk I'm willing to take.

"Cause I heard Jesus, he drank wine
and I bet we'd get along just fine
He could calm a storm or heal the blind
And I bet he'd understand,
Understand a heart like mine
Oh, yes he would."

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