chapter thirteen
thanksgiving dinner

Dylan, a small smile stretched across her face, watched as Seb played the intro to Start of Something New on the piano at rehearsal before Thanksgiving break. The smile was there because she couldn't help it every time she watched Ricky and Nini sing together. The two seemed to simply fit together and as there seemed to be no bad blood between them at the moment, Dylan was happy for her best friend.

"I know," Nini and Ricky sang together, stepping towards each other.

"That something has changed," Nini voiced by herself.

Both of them looked up as a ladder was carried over them, the backstage crew all hurrying to get everything ready for opening night in just a few days, "Never felt this way."

"But right here tonight."

"This could be the start of something new." Both Nini and Ricky stepped onto boxed while the dancers around them began to perform choreography. "It feels so right to be here with you, oh. And no."

"Looking in your eyes," Nini continued, gesturing for one of the dancers to flip her sign the other way. "I feel in my heart."

"Feel in my heart." Ricky added, making Dylan share a smile with Ashlyn, who was sat next to her, both of them noticing the love in Ricky and Nini's faces as they sung together.

"The start of something new," Nini and Ricky harmonised.

"Oh yeah. Now who would've ever thought that, oh."

"We'd both be here tonight."

"Ooh," Ricky sang.

Nini went next. "Yeah, and the world looks so much brighter."

"Brighter, brighter."

"With you by my side."

"By my side." Ricky voiced as Nini held her note out.

Suddenly, the bell went making everyone practically freeze in their tracks.

"Yes! Yes!" EJ exclaimed standing up from where he was sitting, everyone turning to him in shock. "Sorry. I really love thanksgiving."

Everyone laughed at the boy. Dylan shook her head with a slight scoff, grabbing her script and other things from next to her and placing in her backpack before standing up She slung her backpack over her shoulder and turned to Nini, who was walking towards her.

"Okay, hold on." Miss Jenn announced through the laughter. "I know everyone is excited for the holiday break But I'm me, and I have notes Ricky and Nini, that was good But it could be better She said in the spirit of holiday cheer."

"Good save." Carlos muttered.

"You two looked... coupley." Dylan told Nini, gesturing over to where Ricky was stood.

Nini scoffed. "No we did not, we were singing... in character."

"Hmm-mmm. You weren't watching it, I was." Dylan shrugged.

"Your homework over this break all of you, is to please go on vocal rest," Miss Jenn continued, making Dylan turn her attention to their teacher. "And go over your lines, too which is hard to do on vocal rest But make it work. And remember may nothing ever block your doorway to happiness."

Mr Mazarra then entered the room, a binder in his hand. "Excuse me!"

"Okay starting now."

"Oh, don't mind me, I just came to return a missing item. Ashlyn." The girl turned around to look at him. "Cannot have out robotics team co-captain going home without her binder over break.

Ashlyn took her binder with a smile. Dylan blinked in shock. She knew that Ashlyn was on the robotics team but she never knew she was co-captain. Dylan turned to share a confused look with someone, only to see Big Red's eyes were trailing after Ashlyn with a small smile on his face. Dylan smiled to herself, a knowing look on her face.

Miss Jenn and Mr Mazarra then began to try and one-up each other with their Thanksgiving festivities. Dylan tuned out of that and noticed everyone beginning to leave. Dylan waved goodbye to Nini, who began to walk out of the bomb shelter with Kourtney. She walked over to Seb, seeing him sat alone at the piano.

"What's up with you?" Dylan asked, nudging the boy's shoulder. "How are things going with Carlos?"

"Nothing much." Seb replied, his cheeks dusting a light shade of pink as he continued. "And it's going really well. He's so amazing."

"Good. You two are adorable." She commented. "When you nearly didn't show at homecoming I though I would have to do some serious matchmaker magic to get my favourite couple back together."

"Thank goodness for that." Seb smiled.

"Honestly it would've been too much work." Dylan laughed. "But seriously, your whole relationship gives me paper rings by Taylor Swift vibes."

"I think that's the best compliment I've ever gotten." Seb thanked her. "You and EJ though?"

"What about us?" Dylan questioned, confused.

"Did you not see him staring at you during homecoming once I got there?" Seb asked in response.

"If I did that means I would've been staring back Seb which I wasn't, so no." Dylan answered sarcastically making the boy next to her give her a look.

"Well you seemed pretty close after the truth, justice and songs in our key number." Seb commented.

"We hugged and only because it was the heat of the moment." Dylan shrugged.

Seb gave her a suspicious look before nodding unconvinced. "You two so have enchanted or cruel summer vibes."

"Party at Ashlyn's after Thanksgiving tomorrow! Everyone's invited!" Carlos shouted, making everyone cheer.

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

The next day, Dylan sat opposite her dad at the dinner table. The two were eating their thanksgiving dinner, laughter and smiles shared between the father and daughter. It was their tradition, every year no matter what, Dylan would spend thanksgiving with her father. He would cook and she would make dessert and then they would play board games in the living room.

Dylan loved their tradition. It was easy and simple and they had a fun time. Sebastian laughed at his daughter when she dramatically explained something that happened in one of her tv shows, her not appreciating his laughter.

"Oh em gee, and then guess what happened in rehearsals today?" She asked him.

"What?" Seb questioned with a bored look, though both of them knew he certainly wasn't bored.

"Seb, right, said that there was something going on with EJ and I-"

"Which there is." He nodded.

"And then he said the audacity to say we give enchanted and cruel summer by taylor swift vibes." Dylan pointed her fork at her father to emphasise her next point. "Both of which are not true."

"Hmmm." Seb thought for a few moments. "Actually I agree with him."

"How?" Dylan questioned, shocked at his statement.

"The playful conversation starts counter all your quick remarks." Sebastian recited the song. "Definitely can imagine you and EJ when I hear that, and "I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard? He looks up grinning like a devil. You hate saying I love you and I can so imagine EJ with a devil smile."

"Dad!"

"What?" He shrugged with his mouth agape. "When you actually get together I'll pretend to hate him, for now I can be happy for you."

"We're not together!"

"You will be." He spoke in a sing song voice.

"Anyway, Dad, my friends are having a little get together later..." Dylan started.

"And you want to go?" Her father finished.

"Yes." Dylan smiled. "Please?"

Sebastian stared at his daughter for a moment. She pouted at him, a begging look on his face. Sebastian had one soft spot — despite being nice to most people — and it was for his daughter. She was the one person he could and would never say no to. It was mainly because he knew how hard it was for her to open up and make new friends because of her mother and he didn't want her to lose anymore teenage/high school memories because of her childhood. And because of that, he let he hang out with her friends, especially the theatre ones because, what harm could they do, if anything Dylan was the bad influence not them.

"Fine." Dylan cheered. "But unless you tell me otherwise, you have a curfew."

"I know." Dylan rolled her eyes, a smile still on her face. "You okay being alone?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine. Here. Alone." Her father stated. Dylan's eyebrows furrowed at the way he emphasised alone, he was clearly lying but Dylan was confused on what he could be lying about. Who was he spending tonight with?

"Awesome." Dylan smiled, finishing her dinner, the two Valdez's talking about anything that came to mind while they did.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
purely a filler chapter
dylan and seb in there!! seb and
dylan love each other so much
and despite it not being written
they do spend a lot of time
together seeing as they are sharpay
and ryan

a cute little dinner scenes more into
sebastian's and dylan father daughter
relationship :)

more cute caldez next chapter