Love Overcomes it All
Chapter: One
Daydream Believer
Summary: Love: Strong affection, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for others. An emotion so strong, that when put to the test can overcome anything.
Disclaimer: This is simply my imagination at work. I do not own the characters, Disney, or any lyrics.
AN: In reference to something that is mentioned later on in this chapter. I have nothing against gay/lesbian people. I know people personally who are gay/bi. What was written about Bruno was something a friend of mine said, I thought it would be good to add to this chapter, so please do not take offence to it ~ Kaitlynn
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Oh, I could hide neath the wings
Of the bluebird as she sings
The six o'clock alarm would never ring
Whoops, it's ringing and I rise
Wipe the sleep out of my eyes
My shavin' razors cold, and it stings
Cheer up, sleepy Jean
Oh, what can it mean
To a daydream Believer
And a homecoming queen.
…
It was sunny afternoon in Lindon Florida, as the shrill sound of a whistle sounded through the room.
"Awesome job today, ladies!" The head coach, Coach Mitchell, proclaimed "The results will be posted tomorrow morning in the gymnasium!" The lady obviously had a liking for shouting. With a wave of her hand she dismissed the exhausted girls. East Lindon High had just held the final try-outs for the girls' basketball team.
The blue-eyed brunette spotted the familiar bouncing black pony tail across the room. "Jasmine!" her voice carried over to the girl on the opposite side of the gym.
"Rach!" Jasmine shouted back, as she manoeuvred her way around the other girls occupying the gym to reach her friend. "Oh my gosh, you were awesome." The compliment rolled off her tongue and was accompanied by a bright smile.
"Really?" The shock and surprise was evident in her tone. "I think that I could have done way better."
"Are you freaking serious?" The other girl asked, now clearly shocked herself. "You were the BEST…..and all our sorry asses know that!" If Rachel's mother over heard the conversation, she would have reminded the teenage girls of the similarities between Sharpay and Jasmine yet again. Even though the girl got her looks more from her father's side…her personality was all Sharpay. That was exactly why Rachel could not help herself as the giggle escaped her lips, followed by many more. A giggle which was identical to her mother's laugh.
"Well I guess I'll find out how I did tomorrow."
Deep down inside the idea that her performance was off was eating Rachel up inside. She was a perfectionist, endlessly teased about it by her mother, but a perfectionist none the less. The older woman would often tell her how much she and her father were alike. From her striking blue eyes, and chestnut hair, to her love of basketball. Basketball was her father's sport. He earnsaliving playing it professionally; he played for the Lakers.
Those simple facts were all she really knew about him, and to her, they meant the world.
She did not want to believe in what the media portrayed about him. She would not stoop so low as to trusting the harsh words that the reporters spoke; saying things like he was a man-whore, player, and a cheater. She knew they were all false accusations. Her mother was not capable of loving a monster. So the tabloids had to be false. Fathers did not act that way, but of course Troy Bolton had no clue that Rachel Lorraine Bolton existed. Rachel was aware of the whole story. She knew that in her dad's eyes he had no children. Yet she still felt the need to impress him. She was striving so hard pushing herself to achieve captain. Basketball was the one thing that connected her to her father. When she held the ball in her hands she understood him and his love of the sport.
That was the reason she was so upset. Something deep inside of her was telling her that this was not her year; that she would not get captain. In her young eyes she could not comprehend anything worse than not achieving captain. She had a lot to learn, and this year she would learn it.
"Rachel……..Rach…….Rachel Lorraine!"
"What….huh?" The brunette stuttered
"Hello! Earth to Rach, remember me, Hun? Your best friend. Yeah. Nice of you to join me." Jasmine smirked.
"Oh! I'm sorry, what were you saying?" a still slightly confused Rachel asked. Jasmine's rambling not helping her confusion.
"I was just wondering if we were still going to the movies" She drawled the word 'wondering' out. "Bruno was sup-.."
The rest of the sentence lingered in the air being cut off by Rachel's giggle-shriek.
"EW! I am not spending ten dollars on gay porn…"
"Rachel!"
"No offence to anyone, but I'm just not into that."
"EH, someone will find it kinky…."
With that the two girls laughed, then proceeded to change out of their sweaty uniforms.
"Rachy, I better get a phone call tonight…" Jasmine sung.
"Of course" the brunette said in a mock serious tone. " See you tomorrow."
Tomorrow: Saturday. Which meant today was Friday. The best day of the week from the months of September through June.
The next day was October 15. In exactly one month Rachel would be fifteen. Smiling to herself on her way home, she could not be more excited.
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Rachel walked in through the back door of her house that leads to the kitchen. She grinned as she took in the scenery. The previous Saturday she had a girl's day with her mother, and they spontaneously painted the kitchen yellow.
"Mom, I'm home!"
"Hey baby, how was your day?" Gabriella asked her daughter as she walked into the kitchen.
"It was good, until the tryouts.." Rachel was starting to feel even more bummed about them.
"Why what happened. I'm sure it's just nerves, you probably did great" Gabriella's attempts to lift Rachel's mood were failing.
"I really don't think I did. I was really off today. I don't know…just….something is telling me that I'm not going cut it this year.
"Rachy, its just nerves. You did your very best, and that is all you can do. Did someone say something, or did something else happen to make you feel this way?"
"I feel like I didn't put enough into it….I was pushing myself so hard…but it still was not good enough. Maybe it is because I'm feeling extra tired or something."
"Are you sure..I mean I…."
"Yeah mom don't worry about it.." She said throwing in a dazzling smile. "I'll just take a nap and I'll be fine."
"Okay" Gabriella kissed her forehead. "I'll let you know when dinner is ready."
" 'Kay."
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When Rachel woke up later that night her room was pitch black. She knew that something was not right. First of all, she went to take a nap at around five and looking at her clock now it was one a.m. Didn't her mom tell her that she would wake her up for dinner? There was no way was that tired enoughto take an eight hour nap. And why on earth was she so hot and sweaty? Something was seriously not right. Confused and needing to talk to her mom, Rachel started to get out of bed, but stopped when a sudden dizzy spell hit her…hard. Now she was getting scared.
"Mom" she called, her voice a bit hoarse. "Mom!"
Suddenly her door flew open. "What? Rachel what's wrong?" A confused and disoriented Gabriella asked
"I don't know…I just feel sick. I'm dizzy, I think I have a fever; I freezing cold but my skin is burning up."
"Okay honey hold on, let me get the thermometer. I'll be right back" She called from down the hallway. Rachel lay in her bed still feeling quite disoriented waiting for her mother to return to her room. Hoping for some answers, even if the only one she would get is the reason why her mother did not wake her up. "Okay, let's see how high this fever is, because you definitely have one." Rachel looked up to see that her mom had just re-entered the room. A simple okay was all that Rachel muttered. Gabriella took the thermometer out of the case and handed it Rachel.
"Here hon, I hope that it's not too high." After waiting for a few minutes with the cold plastic in her mouth she finally heard the slight beeping noise. "Ninety nine point nine, let me go get the Tylenol" That was news that Rachel did not want to hear. Firstly, she had plans to go the movies with Jasmine. They also were supposed to stop by school to see if they made the basketball team. Now it seemed like none one those plans were possible. "Stupid fever." She sighed as another chill passed through her body. "Here take this" her mother said as she walked back in the room.
"Mom?" Rachel called after she swallowed the liquid. "Do you think I'll be well enough to hang out with Jasmine tomorrow?" Please, oh please let her say yes…
"I'm sorry sweetie, but I don't think that will happen. I will give the Baylors a call and let them know, okay?"
"Yeah…"
"Sorry sweetie." Gabriella smiled down at her daughter. Times like these she wished that Rachel had a father in her life. "Hope you feel better." Just as she turned to go back into her room, Rachel spoke up.
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you wake me up for dinner like you said?"
"I tried, don't you remember? You said you did not want to eat."
"No, I don't. I guess I was not fully awake.."
Gabriella just looked at her daughter, hoping that this bug would pass. "Okay." she said softly. "Goodnight, I love you"
"Night mom. I love you too."
With those words Gabriella closed the door and walked down the hall to her room, hoping that she would be better in the morning. Meanwhile in her own room, Rachel Bolton was hoping that same exact thing.
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Rachel awoke the next day well into the afternoon feeling….worse.
She had aches and pains all over her body, and the night sweats and fatigue had gotten worse. She also suspected that her fever had escalated higher that one hundred and one. Little did she know, it was now 104. 1. She slowly stood from her bed and made her way over to her door, which she realized that had been a bad idea. She was so beyond dizzy and light headed that walking took a lot of effort. Sure she had been sick before, but never had she felt this bad. Her head was pounding and spinning, her whole body ached.
Excruciating pain shot through her fragile body with each step she took.
"Mom" She croaked out. A sense of déjà vu overcame her; she had called the same thing twelve hours previous.
"Mom" She tried again. She took more steps, now standing right outside her door. "Mom" he voice had become more and more desperate with each haggard breath that she took.
"Rachel, what is it, are you OK?"
Those were the last words she heard before everything went black and she fell to the floor.