I Want You This Much

Chapter 1

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

Sharpay rushed up to her daughter, swooping her into an embrace on her mother's hip.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" Sharpay asked, walking back to her minivan. She buckled the little girl into her car seat.

"Mommy! We're learning about cooking this month!" the eight year old exclaimed.

"Really, Libby?" her mother said in shook. Sharpay did her fake surprise every month. Like she was going to crush her little girl by telling her the newsletter told her that.

Sharpay got in the driver's seat and buckled up, starting the vehicle. "Who's coming in this time?" she asked.

"Mister Columbaria," Libby said, looking out the window at the scenery outside.

"Columbaria?" Sharpay repeated almost inaudibly, turning on the radio. Her mind raced as she drove down the room.

"MOMMY!" Libby screamed at the top of her lungs.

Sharpay screeched the minivan to a halt before it could collide with the car in front of her. She looked over her shoulder at Libby, taking the eight year old's hand, "Sorry Sweetie. Mommy's a little frazzled right now... Are you okay?" Libby nodded as her mother wiped her eyes.

Sharpay went back to driving, pulling into the driveway of Chad and Taylor's house. She got out after parking and unbuckled Libby. Libby jumped out of the car and raced to the front door, ringing the doorbell over and over, until Taylor opened the door as Sharpay grabbed little girl's backpack and her own purse.

"AUNTIE TAYLOR!" Libby grinned, holding her arms out for Taylor.

Taylor picked her up in a hug, "LIBBY!" She kissed Libby's cheek. Chad walked by his wife and niece out to Sharpay, "Hey."

"Hey," she whispered as they embraced tightly. He kissed her temple.

"You okay?" he asked in concern. Her face had drained of all color and her eyes were lifeless and cold.

"Fine," Sharpay replied, walking inside. Chad followed.

"Shar'..." he started.

She turned on the balls of her feet and glared at him with ice. "Never call me that again," she whispered with venom.

"You have to tell..."

"No..." she cut him off once again, making her way to the kitchen. "Gabriella? Troy? I thought you guys were in..."

"Rome? Paris? China? New York?" Troy asked.

"I'm sick of traveling and my condition won't allow it much longer," Gabriella said, rubbing her five month pregnant stomach.

"Yeah, well... now you guys can join the rest of us poor folk," Taylor joked over dramatically.

"Who are you calling poor?" Kelsi demanded, cradling Taylor and Chad's newborn, Leo, in her arms.

"Yeah, you guys are rich forever!" Ryan agreed, biting into an apple.

"I'm the only poor one," Sharpay sulked sincerely, sitting on one of the bar stools.

"You're not below the poverty line yet, Sweetie," Gabriella said knowingly.

"Yet is the key word there, Gab'," Sharpay sighed, looking over at her daughter who was playing with Ryan and Kelsi's two daughters and Chad and Taylor's four older ones. "Isn't she great? You know... some nights I only have enough for one to eat... And of course I give her..." She paused as her voice cracked. "And then... She'll ask if I'm hungry and I have to lie to her. Say I'm not hungry and starve just so she can eat. And she doesn't say anything after that. She just puts her dishes away and gets ready for bed. And she doesn't complain about me working so much so we can eat together when I'm off..." Sharpay put her face in her hands and sobbed.

"Sharpay, you know we've offered you money before... But you don't want our help," Ryan said.

"Now I really need though... I can't pay bills... They get... higher and higher... I should never left him..." she cried.

Chad pulled Sharpay into his arms, "Shhh..."

"It's so hard, Chad," she cried.

"I know, Sweetie," he whispered in her ear.

"Sharpay, when we the last time you ate?" Kelsi asked, noticing his thin she was.

"Oh... a few days ago in the morning... I've been working so much," Sharpay responded, wiping her eyes and pulling away from Chad.

"That's not healthy, Shar'!" Troy exclaimed.

"I'm fine," Sharpay defended herself, getting up. "Chad, Taylor, please? Keep Libby here a few days?"

"Shar'..." Taylor started, shaking her head.

"Okay," Chad cut in. Taylor glared and then nodded.

"Thank you so much! I need to get to work," Sharpay said and raced out the door.

"Don't talk to strangers!" Gabriella called after her. "God, I sound like my mother..." she stated and sipped her ice tea.

Cried were heard and Kelsi sighed, "Daina?" She handed Taylor her infant and ran to pick up her two year old daughter. "Shhh..." She cradled her daughter and handed her to Ryan.

"Daddy..." Daina sobbed.

"Its okay, Princess..." Ryan hushed.

Libby raced to Troy, "Uncle Troy? Where's Mommy?"

Troy picked her up and placed her on his hip, "She's working right now, Libby." Libby sighed and cuddled up to her uncle.

Sharpay raced into the restaurant and pulled her apron on. "Sorry I'm late."

"Where have you been?" Logan, one of the chefs asked.

"Busy... I dropped Libby off at Taylor and Chad's. They're concerned again," Sharpay said, pulling her hair back.

"Who isn't?" Hailey, Sharpay's fellow waitress, asked.

"No one," Sharpay sighed. "That's the problem and I think Libby's father is the guest for her class this month."

"You mean..." Hailey and Logan started in unison.

"Um-hmm," Sharpay nodded. "That asshole."

"Sucks, Girlfriend," Hailey said.

"You two better go. I think Hangin is upset again," Logan advised as their boss screamed from his office.

"Yeah, let's go, Hails'," Sharpay said, dragging Hailey out of the kitchen with her.