August 9, 2021- Troy and Gabriella are 29, Portland is 5, Rylan is 3 and Jet is 1 ½

The sun shone through the open window signaling the time to wake up, Gabriella looked over at her alarm clock and saw that her alarm was to go off in five minutes. She turned over on her other side and smiled when she saw her one year old son sleeping soundly next to her; Jet reminds Gabriella of Troy every time she looks at him, they look identical with those bright blue eyes and light brown hair, they even have the same make you go weak at the knees smile. She gave him a loving kiss on his forehead, careful not to wake him up and climbed out of bed and covered him by pillows just encase he decided to roll over in his sleep, and she turned off her alarm clock. Gabriella grabbed her towel and went to take a shower before her kids woke up.

That was the day Portland was going to kindergarten for the first time, a big day not only for Portland but for Gabriella and even Troy. Gabriella had everything laid out on the kitchen counter the night before; pink flower backpack was fully stocked with fresh school supplies, her matching lunch box was sitting in the fridge, the camera was fully charged and Gabriella's purse was next to it all.

Troy had tried to get time off for his daughter's first day but he wouldn't have enough time to fly to Albuquerque and then fly back to LA before his practice at ten in the morning and he felt so bad about it. He wanted to be there for his baby girl on her first day of school but he made Gabriella promise to take so many pictures and videos that it's crazy and that they would reenact it when he gets home later that night. It's the price he has to pay for having his dream job.

Gabriella had gotten dressed and ready in her normal speedy fashion and was currently standing in the door way of Portland's room, holding Jet's baby monitor, just watching her little girl sleep. Portland was always one of those girls who seemed to never be afraid, she always showed that she was strong and courageous in any situation which was always mind settling to her siblings and her parents; she is so much like Gabriella. Gabriella watched her little girl with amazement; it was weird to think that her baby girl is now five years old and starting school, it seems like yesterday that she met Troy that first day of school when they moved to Albuquerque and now it was twelve years later and Gabriella's a wife and mother of three beautiful children and loving every minute of it; well sometimes.

Gabriella stood and watched her a little while longer and she would have stayed much longer but she heard cries emitting from the small baby monitor in her hand, she took one last look at her little girl and walked back to her bedroom where she saw Jet sitting up in the bed with tears in his eyes.

"Hey, sweetheart, calm down. Mommy is here it's alright," Gabriella cooed picking up the little boy in her arms and slowly swaying him to cease his cries. He quickly calmed down, "mama," Gabriella smiled and gave him a kiss on his cheek, "Come on buddy lets get you dressed. Its sissy's first day of school today," Gabriella cheered. Jet happily clapped his hands and Gabriella put him down on the ground and followed him into his room. She swiftly dressed her son in a semi-fancy outfit and brushed his hair, every time she would pull out his brush Jet would say, "Dada," and Gabriella would smile and answer back with, "Yes, I'll do your hair like Daddy's," and then she would style his hair just like Troy's.

The phone began to ring and Gabriella left Jet to play with his toys as she quickly ran back to her room to grab the phone, there would only be one person calling at six in the morning, "Hey sweetheart," she answered.

"Hey babe, how are you this fine morning," he answered cheerily.

Gabriella giggled, "I'm good, what's with you being so happy you do know that it's like five in the morning over there."

"What a man can't be excited about seeing his beautiful children," Troy teased, "And I may be a little excited about seeing this hot young beautiful girl that I met a long time ago who I do everything for."

Gabriella smiled, "She's hot you say," she teased.

Troy chuckled, "Oh yeah she's super smoking. I can't keep my hands off her; we even have a few kids to show for it."

Gabriella rolled her eyes as she started to walk down the hall to wake up her other two children, "You're such a dork."

Troy chuckled, "Yea but you wouldn't want it any other way."

Gabriella walked into Portland's room and lightly shook her awake, her little blue eyes opened and she smiled, "Hey mama," Gabriella gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, "Daddy's on the phone you want to talk to him?"

The five year old franticly nodded her head as she shot up; Gabriella smiled and handed the phone over to Portland.

"Hurry up because you still have to get ready for school," Was the last thing Gabriella said before she turned to walk out of her daughter's room, she glanced back at her daughter and smiled when she saw her with the phone tightly pressed to her ear and a big smile plastered to her face.

She walked into Rylan's room and woke her too and told her to get dressed before she could go into Portland's room to fight her sister for the phone to talk to their dad.

After long conversations with Troy, all the kids and Gabriella said goodbye to him and wished him a safe flight.

About an hour later all the Bolton children were stood in front of the front door smiling widely for the camera. They were starting to get tired and there were a few meltdowns but Gabriella was determined to get great pictures of this day not only for Troy but for those times when Gabriella's feeling sentimental and wants to look at how little her babies were.

Once she was content with the quantity of her photo's Gabriella opened the door and smiled as she watched her three children run out to the car, climbing up into their seats. She had to wipe away a tear when she watched Portland help her little brother and sister buckle themselves into their car seats. She grabbed her purse and walked out to the car noticing the camera flashes from the paparazzi as she climbed into the car as well.

The drive to the elementary school was nerve racking, not for Portland but for Gabriella; she promised that she wouldn't be one of those moms who cried hysterically when their child walked into their classroom and sit and wait in her car in the school's parking lot the whole day waiting for school to be over; she wanted to be the 'cool' mom, so to speak. She was grateful that when they drove into the parking lot the paparazzi did not follow; Gabriella never liked that they would follow them and take pictures of her children while they are doing regular everyday things. Once all the Bolton's got out of the car Gabriella had another round of pictures in front of the school, Portland's classroom and even at her desk; she felt better when she saw that she wasn't the only one.

"Mom, come on. No more pictures, please," Portland pleaded.

Gabriella frowned and put away the camera before she bent down and gave her daughter a hug and kiss, "I'll be here to pick you up at three. Have fun."

Portland said goodbye to her mother and her sister and brother before skipping off back to her desk for the start of school.

Gabriella, Rylan and Jet climbed back into the car and drove back home; Gabriella trying to hold back her tears every time she looked in her rear view mirror only seeing her younger two children. When Gabriella was finally in the secret of her own home she held her baby in her arms and held him there for a while, trying to keep Jet from growing up. Rylan got up from the floor leaving her toys on the floor and got up on the couch next to her mom and her little brother, she joined the hug, "I pomise I wont go zu schools mommy," she said in her sweet innocent three year old voice, "I zill stays here wiff you forevers."

Gabriella lifted her head up, "Thank you Ry, I want you to stay with me forever. Never grow up," she smiled giving Rylan and Jet a kiss on their foreheads.

The day went on like usual, except Gabriella found herself looking at the time every fifteen minutes which made the day drag. It was around twelve forty five, Rylan and Jet were taking a nap in their rooms and Gabriella was cleaning up all the toys laying around in the living room, her eyes widened when she saw her husband walk through the front door; she squealed and jumped into his arms, "What are you doing here?"

"Fine if you don't want me here I can just go back to LA," Troy teased unwrapping his arms from his wife and pretended to walk away.

"No, no stay," she said pulling him back into her arms, "I didn't think you were going to be back until way later tonight."

"Well practice was only an hour so I got a flight right after it and here I am," he smiled, "I wanted to see my baby girl at school, so I'm here."

Gabriella smiled and gave him a long kiss.

When they finally broke apart and sat down Gabriella broke out the camera and started showing Troy the pictures. They were half way through the pictures when the phone rang, "Hello," Troy answered.

"Hi Mr. Bolton this is Portland's teacher Mrs. James and there is a little problem here with Portland. It's nothing really bad, but I think that she would want you or your wife to come and talk to her."

Troy semi-smiled, "Okay I'll be there in a second."

Gabriella looked at him with a confused look, when he was finished on the phone she asked what was wrong.

"Nothing Portland is having a problem," he answered.

Gabriella's eyes widened as she panicked, "Don't worry it's nothing bad, I'm going to go and see what is wrong."
"Well I'll go with you," Gabriella said.

"No just stay here, please let me do this," Troy pleaded, "I have a feeling it's a job for a daddy."

Gabriella smiled and nodded before she gave him a quick kiss before Troy left.

Troy got to the school and got a visitor badge before walking to her daughter's classroom. Portland's class was at recess and when he walked in he saw Portland sitting at a desk, her teacher sitting next to her as Portland cried. When Portland saw her father she got up and ran to him still with tears in her eyes, "What happened, what's wrong sweetheart," he asked.

He sat her back down before she answered, "I forgot how to tie my shoes," still with tears streaming from her bright eyes.

Troy pulled his daughter in for another hug before he said with a smile, "Remember you go like this and this and then this," he showed her how to tie them. She smiled brightly when he father jogged her memory, she finished tying the other shoe when he father said, "I think that, that is the best knot I have ever seen."

"Thank you daddy," she said wiping away the tears before giving him a kiss.

SO WHAT DID YOU THINK? TELL ME WHAT TIME I SHOULD DO OR WHAT EVENT.

HANNAH