Adopted by Pentatonix

Twelve- 20 Questions

Ana

Kirstin has made some sort of casserole with freshly baked rolls and rice. It's all sitting in the middle of the beautifully set table. They stand around the island pouring their drinks. Kirstie smiles at us and hands Avi a glass filled with ice.

"What do you want to drink, sweetie." Kirstie ask
"Water please."

"You know you can have something different if you want something else? You don't always have to get water." she says, filling the glass in her hand with water for me

"Yes, but I would prefer water, thank you though." I say, taking it from her
"Okay, whatever you want." she says jokingly

"Woah, hold on. Kirstie, you made muffins and didn't tell us!" Scott says and starts to open the muffin tray. Kirstie playfully slaps his hand away, making him put down the lid.

"Not until after you eat dinner, and I made them for Ana, not you." She says and pushes him to the table. He fakes a pout with a slight smirk. "Yes, Mom." he taunts

We sit at the table and begin to dish out the food. I take a small portion just in case I don't like it. Everyone starts to eat and I find it is a chicken casserole. She really is a great cook, it taste heavenly.

"This is great." Kevin signs
The boys nod in agreement while I'm still stuck on how they know sigh language.
"Do you like it?" Kirstin ask me
"Yes, it's really good."
"I'm still eating a muffin for dessert, even though this is great, muffins are amazing. Nothing can top muffins." Scott signs, I was the only one who saw him because everyone else was too busy eating. I laugh at him and they turn to look at me.
"What are you laughing at?"
"At what he said," I say and look at Scott
"But, he didn't say anything?" Mitch says
"Yes he did. You just didn't see it."
"She's right, you were to busy eating to notice." Scott chimes in
"You know sign language?" Kevin ask
I nod
"How do you know it, did someone teach you?" Avi ask
"No, I read a book." I say
"Oh cool, so tell us more about yourself." Avi says after swallowing his food.
"What do you want to know?" I sign
"Anything, how about we play twenty questions? There are five of us so we each get to ask four questions." Scott suggest,
"Okay," I shrug my shoulder and put more food in my mouth

Avi starts us off "What's your favorite color?"
"Turquoise, blue, and purple."
Then it goes to Mitch. "Favorite food?"
"Spaghetti."
Then Scott "What is your whole name?"
"Ana Louise Harper."
Then Kevin "Did you teach yourself to play the piano?"
"Yes."
Then Kirstie who is sitting next to me "How long did it take you to write your song?"

"Hey, you took my question." Scott says with a fake pout.
"Well you should have asked it sooner." Kirstin taunts

I giggle at them and answer her question.
"I had it for a while I just never had anything to play it on. Maybe just under a week, I forgot."

It goes back to Avi, he seems to be battling himself in his mind if he wants to ask me his question. "Why don't you live with your parents?"

I look down to my plate in shame "My mom died from cancer when I was little. My father was an alcoholic and used to beat me. I left him they day after my mothers death anniversary. It was the worst he had hurt me. I think he had broken one of my ribs. For some reason he always blamed me, and I let him." I say quietly, I look back up to them and there faces look shocked.
"Next question," I say, gear to move on.

Mitch snaps out of his daze and is flustered. "Okay, um, when is your birthday?"
"June thirteenth, 2002. It was on Friday the thirteenth."
Next Scott goes "What do you like to do?"
"I don't know, I don't do much, but I'd like to try new stuff."
Back to Kevin "Do you want to play another instrument or can you already?"
"I can only play the piano and I didn't even know I could. I would like to play the cello though. I like the way it sounds."
"Do you want me to teach you?" He ask
My face lights up at the thought of learning to play.
"Really, you'd teach me?"
He nods
"Yay," I squeal and they laugh at my excitement.
It's Kirstin's turn to ask me a question and I wait patiently.
"What do you do when you get nervous?"
"Um, I play with my fingers and sometimes stutter."

It now goes back to Avi. "Do your panic attacks happen often?"
"Kind of. Every once in a while I get one for no reason but usually if I get too upset or scared."
He accepts my answer and finishes his food. Kristie gets up and walks back into the kitchen.
"Who wants dessert?" She ask
Everyone says me. "Ice cream or muffins?" She ask, we all look to each other and say muffins.

I giggle at us. She brings the platter of muffins to the table. We each take one and enjoy the delicious baked goods.

Mitch takes a bite of his drink before asking me his question. "What's your biggest fear?"
I tense at that. They might get mad at me if I tell them.
"I-I'd rather not say, it might make you upset." I say quietly into my lap.
They all look to me with a crossed expression. Kirstin is the first to talk "You won't upset us, sweetie."
"You aren't going to like what I say, I'm telling you."
"We promise we won't get upset." Kevin say
"Medical stuff,"
"Medical stuff?" Scott ask
"Yeah, like doctors and needles, stuff like that." I explain to him.
"So, we scare you?" Avi ask, his voice a bit softer than usual.
"Not when we're like this, but when y'all have to actually be a doctor then yes." I say, gradually getting quieter as I go.
"Oh," he mutters
"It could be worse, you could be a dentist. They scare me a lot more than doctors. One time I tried to get over my fear by reading a book about dentist, it didn't work. I had to stop because it made me have a panic attack, I still have nightmares about it." I say, and cringe at the memory of the horrid book.
"Why?" Kevin ask
"I've always been scared of them, even when I was little. What they do hurts." I explain
"Not everything hurts. Usually people only feel pressure, and it's only to help you." Mitch says
"The needle hurts, and I don't like the sounds." I protest, I push away the other half of my muffin, my appetite is now gone.

I've always consider myself good at reading people and figuring things out. I knew something was up when I saw the way Scott and Mitch looked at each other when I talked. Everyone looked at them briefly but tried to hide their gaze. It was clear they were hiding something. My gaze shifted from between them as I put the puzzle pieces together. I feel all the color drain from my face when I finally put it together.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Kirstin ask
"May I be excused?"
"Sure," I don't even let her finish before I stand from the table. I quickly make my way to the bathroom and shut the door.

I brace myself against the counter and try to keep my breathing under control. Scott and Mitch are dentist. They could hurt me. I don't like them anymore. A soft knock fills the bathroom followed by Kirstin's voice.

"Ana, can I come in?"
"Yes," I squeak out

She opens the door and steps in, closing it behind her.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" She ask, turning me to her
"They're dentist, aren't they?" I ask kind of harshly
She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. She has a sad look in her eyes when she speaks.
"Yes, Scott and Mitch are dentist." She admits, my eyes fill with tears and there's a lump in my throat.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. They won't hurt you. You said you liked Mitch, and that he was fun. Remember? And Scott, he's been nice too, he bought you clothes, and neither of them has tried to hurt you." She wraps me in a hug and I bury my face into her chest. "No one here is going to hurt you. You don't have to be scared, Ana. Okay?"
"Okay." I whisper, and for once, I actually believe it.

"Sorry, I guess I ruined dinner." I mumble
"No you didn't, baby. None of us are mad at you either." She pulls us apart and takes my shoulder in her hands. She has a smile on her face when she sees I'm not crying. "Now, why don't you go put on your pajamas and we can watch a movie, that sound good?" She ask, a smile spreads across my face, and I nod. She lets me go out the door first and I head to my room to change.