Hey, so, oops! We mixed up the time a little. This is BEFORE Nationals. Fail, I know. Oh well, here's chap 2!


APRIL'S RHODES' VERY, VERY SMALL APARTMENT
LIMA, OHIO

April's POV

My phone is ringing. Why is my phone ringing? The only people that call me is Will and sometimes his parents. They've kept me sober for over two years, and things have been slowly getting better from there.

"Hello?"

"Mommy?" comes a voice on the other side.

"Lauren?"

I don't know what to think. This is the first time I've gotten any contact from her since Steve kicked me out. It can't be Lauren… he would never let her call me…

"Yeah, where are you?"

"Ohio…"

"WHY?"

"I've been living here, sweetie…" I say.

"Why the heck are you living in Ohio?" Lauren yells. "I'm still in Colorado! You're supposed to be my mom! Not some random person living in Ohio! When are you ever gonna see me compete? Everybody else has their mom there but me!"

"I want to, honey…"

Believe me, I do. But… there's Steve. He's my ex from Colorado. One guy dumped me there on his way to LA and Steve picked me up. When I was there I ended up having my daughter Lauren and I went on and off drinking and drugs. Steve finally got sick of that and kicked me out and said he didn't want me to have anything to do with him or Lauren. I never came near them since.

"Then stop being pathetic in Ohio and come!" Lauren yells.

"I will, sweetie…" I say.

"Nationals is in two weeks, come then…"

"I'll be there…" How do I get to Colorado? It's so far from here and it's not like I can actually pay to get there…

"Okay, see you soon mommy. I've gotta go practice…"

"Bye honey."

The next day, I'm packing for Nationals. The only thing is, I still gotta figure out how to actually get there. I still can't pay for a plane ticket, and it's too far to go that many other ways… I'll find a way. I have to get there.

Suddenly, my phone starts ringing.

"Hello?"

"I'm not sure if Lauren told you, but Nationals is in two weeks."

Crap. Steve… why'd he have to call. I don't want to let him scare me away again. He always tried to get rid of me… and technically, it worked.

"Yeah, I know…" I say.

"Don't come."

"What?"

"You heard me, don't come," Steve says firmly.

"Why shouldn't I come? Lauren's my daughter!" I yell.

"There's a restraining order on you until she's eighteen," he says, "You'll get arrested."

"Steve…" What I'm thinking is, What the hell! Lauren is my daughter. Why is there a fricken restraining order? But I know if I said that he would do something…

"I'm serious, April," Steve says coldly, "I don't want you showing up drunk or high!"

"I won't be, I promise…"

"You still can't come…"

"Steve, I've been sober…"

"I don't care if you've been sober or not. There's a restraining order! Do you seriously want to get arrested?"

Of course not. "Why did you set up a restraining order?"

"She doesn't need the bad influence!" Steve yells, "April, you always relapse into being drunk or high! There's no telling what's gonna happen!"

Since when did Steve actually care about Lauren? The only reason he got rid of me was because it made him look bad. When I had Lauren I was eighteen and Steve was thirty… he got rid of me because he thought I made him look bad that way and he was sick of taking care of me.

"I haven't used anything in over two years, Steve!" I argue.

"So what!" he yells, "You can't come! I will have you arrested!"

This is fricken ridiculous… I think. He's gonna have me arrested just to see my own daughter compete!

"I'm serious, April. Do not come to Colorado!"

"Fine, I won't…"

"I don't care what Lauren told you, do not come."

I don't say anything. There's not point in arguing with Steve, because he'll never listen. He's just an ass…

"April! You're a bad influence on her! Just don't show up."

Steve is being pretty extreme about this. I don't even remember a time he ever even cared about Lauren anyways.

"Bye, April…"

"You're such an ass."

"Whatever, April, just stay in Ohio…"

"Fine."

"Bye."

"Ass."


So… what do ya think? Seriously, I need reviews! It's not just for me, it's for you guys too! If you tell me what you like, then I can actually write it! Just sayin'!