Glee: World of Chances (the fourth book in the Glee series)

Chapter 51: Disney 4.0

"This is ridiculous," Sam said when he walked into the choir room the next Monday and saw everyone in costumes. They had asked him to meet there, saying it was an emergency, but it felt like it was just a dumb prank.

Julie, who was dressed as Hercules' Megara, stepped forward and said, "My dear Sam. You have yet to have a bachelor's party. I talked to John and Bree, your best man and maid of honor, and they've agreed to start taking their responsibilities on that. But we thought we could have a pre-Bachelor party for you since most of us here are friends of the groom. We'll take Mandy on all the adventures she desires when the time comes. But for now, just take advantage of this because this week is Sam week."

Sam crossed his arms and looked around at his friends. "Ok, what's with the costumes though?"

Embarrassingly wearing a Peter Pan costume, John explained, "This is where we all were the year we became friends with you. Wearing ridiculous costumes and singing Disney songs."

"Ok, but why are you telling me this?" Sam asked, looking around at all the other costumed people. "I still don't get it."

"Because you aren't right in the head," Marley, who was wearing the classic blue and white Belle dress, told him. "Sam, I've been where you are with the body issues. And I meant to say something way back when we had the Men of McKinley calendar but I thought you had moved past it and it was just a phase."

"You have body dysmorphia issues buddy," Kitty told him, feeling ridiculous in an adult Tinkerbell costume. "That's the only explanation for why a guy as chiseled as you could ever think he has to cut down on anything. There is not an ounce of fat in your body, kid, yet you've been spending weeks trying to get back into a shape that you just can't achieve because it's not healthy."

Sam paused for a moment and said, "This still doesn't explain the costumes. And besides, I don't have any issues. If this is about the pills, I didn't like the effects so I got rid of them."

"Really?" Amity smiled, reaching over to hug him. "Sam, that's great! I'm so glad." She wasn't around for that first Disney week, so she had, to the dismay of many of their friends, chosen to dress up as Anna from Frozen, while Dan had dressed up as Kristoff.

Sam nodded as Amity pulled away. "So as much as I love the costumes and the thought," he told everyone, "I really don't have any issues with my body. That was just another phase."

Everyone looked at him or around at each other. Julie said, "Ok then." She reached into her bag and pulled out a set of robes. "Prove it," she told him.

Sam took the robes and let them fall as he inspected them and realized he was holding a Hercules costume. Bree, who had put together a Princess Jasmine costume for the gathering, handed him a pair of sandals.

"This is a joke," Sam sighed. "But fine. I'll go change if it'll prove something."

"Finn doesn't mind us using this space, right?" Alex, dressed as Flynn Rider, asked Julie.

She shook her head. "He just got back from New York and is fine with moving to the auditorium. Besides, they're working on stuff for their spring musical."

John put an arm around each of them and said, "Let's just hope your little plan to help out Sam works, Jules."

"It has to," Julie said, trying to reassure herself more than anyone. "Disney always works."

***

"You know what I just noticed," Ryder said as everyone gathered together for brunch in the choir room after Sam had changed into his costumes. "Some of us are nothing like the characters we had identified with and some of us haven't deviated at all."