Thank you for all the suggestions! And thank you for reviewing in general; it truly makes me want to write more. Okay, here is chapter 21. Enjoy!
A/N: I want to thank Lipshake for giving me the idea for this chapter. I hope you all like it as much as I did!
A/N #2: Okay, this is more like a question: does anyone have a suggestion for a musical that someone like Larissa would tryout for? I can't use Annie since I used that before. So if you have any suggestions, please either PM me or send it to me in your review. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Same as always.
Just Like Us, Ch. 21
One Month Later…
Theresa was still quite angry at her parents for making her get braces; she hated them more than anything, but she was glad that no one at school was teasing her about them. Many of her classmates had them as well, but that didn't make her feel any better. The only thing she was getting used to was that they were in her mouth; they still hurt, but not as much as when she had first gotten them a month earlier.
She walked downstairs, avoiding all eye contact with her parents. For the past month, she had managed to do exactly that. She walked into the kitchen and sat down for breakfast and noticed that her mom had served the food that she detested the most: oatmeal. "Ugh," she said as she pushed the bowl away from her.
"Theresa, you need to eat something," a 4 month pregnant Gabi said. "I'm not going to let you starve."
"I'm not hungry," she said as she crossed her arms and looked down at the floor.
Gabi was about to say something more, but Ryan stopped her, "She has to learn that she's not going to get everything she wants in life," he said aside to her. "If she doesn't want breakfast, then she will be hungry until lunch." He looked at her, "Okay?"
She nodded, "Okay…but I hate doing this to her…not making her eat?"
"Like I said, she has to learn the hard way," he said as he reassured her. "And you don't look so good…are you okay?"
She shrugged, "I don't feel well, but I'll be okay. It's just morning sickness." And with that, she rushed to the bathroom.
Ryan walked over to Theresa, "Theresa, look at me please," he said sternly.
She looked up at him, "I'm not hungry."
"Fine, but this is your only choice for breakfast today; if you don't want it, then you won't be having breakfast…you'll have to wait until lunch." He waited for a response. When he didn't get one, he continued, "Your mom has been working tirelessly to make foods that you are allowed to eat; the least you could do is say 'no thank you' when she offers you something. Is that understood?" He looked pointedly at her.
She nodded, "Yes," she said quietly.
"All right then. Please go get your things; mom's not feeling well today so I'm going to drive you guys to school." He looked at Michael who had just finished his breakfast. "You look like you're ready to go." Michael nodded. "Okay, let's get your sister," he said as he walked to the stairs.
Gabi emerged from the bathroom, "Ryan, I'll take Michael to school; that's where I'm going anyway."
He shook his head, "No you're not; you look like you're going to pass out at any second. For your sake and the baby's, I highly suggest calling in sick," he said as he handed her the phone that just happened to be in his hand.
"Yes, daddy," she said as she took the phone and called the school.
After getting Angela ready, Ryan came back downstairs and looked at Gabi, "Feel better honey." He kissed her goodbye and walked the kids out to the car. "Hold on," he said, looking at Angie and Michael. "Where's your sister?"
Michael pointed to the door to the house, "She sneaked back into the house, daddy."
Ryan sighed and with Angie still in his arms, walked back into the house, "Theresa come out here right now," he said crossly.
She slowly walked out of the laundry room and into the garage. "I don't want to go to school."
"Well you have no choice," he said as he placed Angie in her car seat and then helped Michael with his seatbelt. "Please get in the car."
She rolled her eyes and got into the car, "I hate these stupid braces," she muttered.
Bolton Home…
Sharpay walked downstairs, a smile on her face. She had just gotten off the phone with the travel agency and was practically beaming. "Oh Troy," she called.
He walked over to her, "Did you get it," he asked, a smile on his face as well.
She nodded, "I sure did. So are all of the kids still in the kitchen?"
He looked in the kitchen, "Yes, they're still there."
"Good; let's tell them before they leave," she said, hurrying into the kitchen. "Excuse me everyone, your father and I have little surprise for all of you," Sharpay said as she got their attention. If there was one thing the Bolton kids had in common, it was the fact that they loved surprises…good ones that is.
Ana smiled, "What is it?"
"Well," Troy began, "Do you guys remember when we were talking about taking a vacation over spring break?"
All four kids nodded.
He smiled, "What we didn't tell you was where we were planning on going." He looked at the kids, who were now all ears.
"Where, daddy," Kayleigh asked excitedly.
Troy looked at Sharpay, "Ready?" She nodded, "Disney World," they said at the same time.
Larissa's face lit up, "Disney World? We get to go to Disney World?"
Sharpay smiled, "Uh-huh; we'll be going for an entire week. I just booked the hotel," she said, looking over at Zachary. "What do you think about that," she asked the little boy who was just sitting there with a big grin on his face.
"Can we meet Mickey and Donald and Goofy," he asked, beaming in his chair.
"That's the plan," Troy said as Zachary ran to his parents. Troy picked him up, "I take it you like this idea?"
He nodded, "When can we go? I want to go now!"
Sharpay chuckled, "We're going next week; that's when you all have spring break," she said to him. She then looked at Ana, who looked rather worried. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"Mommy, there's big crowds there," she said, suddenly scared. "I don't want to go," she said as a few tears came down her face.
Sharpay walked over to her, "It'll be okay honey; daddy and I won't go anywhere without you, and if you'd like, one of us will always hold your hand. How does that sound?"
But she hadn't heard the last part of what her mom said; Ana started to cry and breathe rapidly and put a hand to her head, as she started to feel rather dizzy.
Sharpay saw this and picked her up. She looked at Troy, "She's having a panic attack," she said quietly. She turned her attention back to Ana, who was now in full blown panic mode.
"I…don't…want…to…go," she sobbed, barely getting each word out.
"It's okay, sweetie," Sharpay said. She turned to Troy, "Can you take these guys to school? I'll take Ana after she settles down."
He nodded, "Sure." He walked over to Ana, "You will love it there, honey; there is nothing to worry about," he said gently as he kissed her forehead.
Sharpay then walked her into the den and sat down on the couch and rubbed her back. Her (Ana) doctor said that this would happen with Autism ((It's true; it really does happen)) and that all one could do was wait it out. She rubbed Ana's back and just held her until she could hear her breathing start to return to normal; even then she still held her close. "You're okay sweetie; you're safe," she said quietly as she continued to rub her back.
Ana's sobs subsided and she rested her head on her mom's shoulder. After a few more minutes of sitting down, Ana looked at her mom, "Do you promise everything will be okay," she asked quietly.
"I promise, honey. I know you're afraid of the crowds, but daddy and I will be there, as will your sisters and brother."
She nodded slowly, "Okay," she said as her breathing returned to normal.
Sharpay hugged her once more before standing up, "Ready to go to school," she asked as she walked her out of the den.
She nodded, "Mommy, where did daddy go," she asked, seeing the empty breakfast table.
"He took the others to school; don't worry, I told him that I would take you today," she said as she set her down. "Where is your backpack?"
"Here," she said, pointing to the bag.
"All right, let's put your lunch in it and go to school, okay," she said gently.
"Okay," she said, taking her lunch from Sharpay and placing it into her bag. "I'm ready now," she said, standing up with her bag.
"Let's go then," Sharpay said as she escorted her out to the car.
Saturday…
Troy put one more shirt into his suitcase and closed it, "All right, I'm all packed," he said, looking over at Sharpay, whose suitcase was only half-full. "Oh boy," he said to himself. He walked over to Sharpay, "Please don't tell me that you're still trying to find stuff to pack; we have to leave for the airport in 45 minutes."
"Don't worry, I have everything ready, I just have to place it into the suitcase…that and I was helping Kayleigh and Ana pack their bags." She paused, "Speaking of that, do you think you could help Zachary finish packing? I know that you helped him last night, but I have a feeling that he forgot a few things."
He nodded, "Sure." He walked into Zachary's room which looked as if a tornado had gone through there. There were clothes on the floor, toys everywhere, and Zachary just standing there in the middle of the mess. Troy looked over at the suitcase, "Zach, why did you empty your suitcase?"
Zachary looked at his dad, "I can't find my Spiderman blanket," he said in tears. "Where did it go, daddy?"
Troy sighed, "Don't worry, we'll find it. When did you last see it?"
Zachary thought for a minute, "Wednesday," he said.
Troy suppressed a laugh, "Um Zach, I am pretty sure that mommy washed it. Don't you remember her saying that she was going to do that?"
"Oh," Zachary said, looking at the floor. "But where is it?"
"Probably in the laundry room," Troy said as he picked the little boy up and headed downstairs with him. "Aha," he said once they reached the laundry room. "Is this what you're looking for," he asked.
"My blanket!" Zachary exclaimed. "Can we pack my suit now, daddy?"
Troy chuckled, knowing that he meant 'suitcase.' "Yes, we can go repack it now." He walked upstairs with him and repacked his suitcase.
15 minutes later, they were finally ready to go. Troy placed all of the suitcases into the trunk as Sharpay placed all of the kids into the car. They drove to the airport; made sure they had everything…and everyone, and checked their luggage. They then headed to the gate.
The airplane ride went rather smoothly, except for the fact that Kayleigh still seemed to have a problem with getting airsick. When they landed, all the kids could do was look around in awe. Even the airport (to them) was incredible.
"If they like this, I'll bet they can't wait to get to the hotel," Troy said quietly to Sharpay.
She nodded, "I know you're right." She smiled as she saw the monorail approaching. "Well here's our ride to the hotel," she said, looking at the kids, whose jaws all seemed to drop to the ground.
"We are going on…that?" Larissa gasped.
"Indeed we are," Troy said as the monorail came to a stop (they had already gotten their luggage) and the doors opened, allowing people to enter. "Let's go," he said as they all got into the train-like vehicle that showed them all of Disney World as they were taken to their hotel.
"Daddy, that's Cinderella's castle," Kayleigh exclaimed.
He nodded, "You're right, it is." He looked at what the next stop was, "Okay, here's our hotel," he said, grabbing his luggage. "Can you guys carry your bags," he asked as he took the handle out of each one.
The kids nodded as they each took their own suitcase. "Daddy, what hotel is this," Zachary asked as he stepped off the monorail.
"Welcome to the Grand Floridian," the concierge said as they got off.
The kids' jaws dropped once again as they walked inside the extravagant hotel. (Side note: when my family went to Disney World, this is where I stayed! It was incredible!)
After getting settled in their room, the family decided to head on out to the park. As they did, Sharpay could feel Ana's hand grip hers rather tightly. "Remember what I said, sweetie," she asked as she knelt down to her level.
Ana nodded, "But it's still big," she said, becoming scared again.
Troy walked over to her, "Remember, mommy and I aren't going to leave you, okay?"
"Okay," she said, relaxing a bit.
Sharpay made sure all of the kids were there before proceeding, "All here," she said to Troy.
"Great, let's go," he said with a smile.
They went to many of the rides, excluding the main roller coaster, Expedition Everest since the kids all seemed to back away from that one. (And yes, I remembered seeing this on the Disney Channel, LOL)
As the day went on, Troy could see that the kids were beginning to get worn out. "Do you guys want to head back for a while and take a little nap? We can come back later…"
"No, daddy! I want to keep going," Kayleigh said, dragging her dad in the direction of Epcot Center. "I want to go there!"
"Me too," Zachary said, jumping up and down.
Troy looked at Sharpay, "Does that sound okay to you?"
She nodded, "Yeah, sounds good." She looked at Larissa and Ana, "How does that sound to you guys?"
"Good," the two said in unison.
They made their way to the monorail where they went to Epcot. After getting off, Sharpay and Troy did another head count, to make sure their whole family was there. As Sharpay counted, her face turned rather pale, "Troy."
"Oh no," he said quietly.
"Where is…………….?"
I'm so evil, LOL. So who went missing? And just so you know, if you haven't been to Disney World, they are very good at finding lost children. I remember hearing about a ton of kids who would get lost, but their parents would always find them. :) Please review and remember I love hearing your suggestions and ideas! Thanks for reading!