It Never Seems
I'm very sorry for the hiatus! I got a job so my schedule has been busy, but the good news is, I am writing every day despite the added responsibility to start my dream. What delayed most of this chapter was the work I did for my novel (about close to 30 pages for one chapter, jeez! I write a lot! Lol) and the simple classic of writer's block. I had a tough time trying to conceptualize this chapter and write in the sense where it didn't fall flat or dragged too much. I hope I accomplished that; I'm not exactly for sure.
Also, Haley's part might be boring but I wanted to bring the actual drag-out on what happens in a production stand-point of reality-talent-show TV. Before anyone questions the authenticity of it all, I have a BA in production and although I have no experience in leading auditions, I do know the process. I wanted something different instead of saying
"She went to the audition and nailed it." Again, I hope this holds up to Haley's POV of auditioning. Enjoy, read and review if you'd like.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of One Tree Hill or the song, "Love the Way You Lie Part 2" by Rhianna ft. Eminem. They are simply used for my creative outlet I call writing.
CAli
Chapter 6 – The Audition
December 5th, 2008 – The Northeast
Haley took a deep breath, held it, and then exhaled. It was supposed to be cleansing. The breathing tactic was supposed to be something as a stress-reliever. But the closer the skyscrapers of Pittsburgh came into her view from the car, the more the breathing became shaky instead of controlled. What did Lucas do to her that had her agree to this?
"Mama, you're gonna do great!" Jamie sounded in the back.
Her cheeks tinted pink for just a second when she heard her son and he probably caught her on the verge of freaking out. She had to be strong for her son so the freaking out thing was basically not allowed and Jamie should've never seen it. She turned her head and flashed her son a tight lip smile with an innocent tint to it and politely thanked him.
"Yeah, Hales, you're gonna blow them away," Lucas sounded from the driver's seat.
She turned to him and her smile vanished and her face morphed into annoyed horror. "Lucas, give me that!" She snatched the video camera from Lucas's one hand that wasn't on the driving wheel. "Drive and not video tape! Don't kill us."
"Yeah, Uncle Lokus, drive. You're setting a bad example for me."
Haley laughed along with Lucas as she focused the camera through the windshield. The dreariness of Pittsburgh was still showing but sun was breaking through the barriers of clouds. She hoped that wasn't a metaphor of what her day would be like. She wouldn't say it out loud, but the closer she got to Pittsburgh – and essentially, American Idol – the more she wanted it.
She was tired of her happiness pushing against the barriers of dark only to have glimmers of hope.
December 5th – 2008 – The South
Nathan sat in the dark. The second game in how many days travelling the East Coast and here he was on a win in Philadelphia and on the way to Charlotte. He hated it. He hated this side of the Coast, the teams he had to play, and worse of all, being so close to his family and not doing a damn thing about it.
Dante ordered him to play well against Charlotte. Since the last performance and his history with playing against the Bobcats, people were favored that he was going to do horrible. Dante wagered a powerful performance out of nowhere. He had no idea if he had guts.
"Did you hear the news?" A teammate's voice boomed but Nathan had no interest on which it was.
"What are you talking about?" Tony's voice echoed right after.
"Apparently American Idol is adding a new season. They're doing it in the summer."
"Dude. Who cares?"
"I'm just saying. My wife is a huge fan and my niece is auditioning in Pittsburgh. Too bad we leave tonight; I was gonna drag you and your project out to support."
"Man, leave Nathan alone."
The last thing Nathan wanted in the whole entire world was hearing someone else sing. It was too painful for more than enough reasons. He grunted in his dark corner and re-adjusted his position. Tony appeared in the light and Nathan made his eye roll known, even if he couldn't see it.
"Nathan, what are you doing in the dark, man?" Tony asked.
He had no idea how he convinced Dante and his goons that Tony was okay after a sudden interest, but it was done. He saved Tony whether he knew it or not. But it didn't stop Tony from always hanging around. He practically overshadowed Nathan wherever and made sure he was never alone. The added company was somewhat of a comfort but after three and half years by himself, he almost welcomed the solitude after Tony started popping in. But nowadays, he had no idea what he'd prefer.
"Nothing," Nathan mumbled. "Just thinking."
"Well, you can do that on the bus. It's about the leave, come on, man."
"Whatever," Nathan gruffed and got up. He shoulder-checked Tony for being impatient and Tony only grunted.
Nathan never saw him throw his hands up in exasperation.
December 6th 2008 – The Northeast
Haley took a cleansing breath. The Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel and Resort lobby filled with thousands of people standing in long lines to check-in and camera crew setting up all over the place. Every turn Haley's head made, she saw people running around with headsets and practically screaming even though their voices were muted to her. The clear chatter of hopefuls filled her senses.
She took another breath as he eyes wandered and did everything she could to not freak out. She's played shows where the audience was tough critics, dealt with the egomaniac that was Chris Keller that insulted everything she did but claimed it as constructive compliments, and made small towns of America fall in love with her. Big crowds like this shouldn't have been a big deal.
But it was.
"Momma, Momma, look at all the cameras!" Jamie sounded to her right.
Haley looked down and subconsciously squeezed her son's hand tighter before she gave him a warm smile. Maybe because it was such a huge crowd that Jamie could get lost in that gave her the anxiety. She desperately tried to ease her mind that that was the case, but deep down she knew it wasn't that. The fear of failing was oozing in every pore her body had to offer.
Breathing techniques were supposed to work!
A hand slid across the width of her back then stopped on her shoulder and squeezed. She slightly tilted her head up and to the left where she made eye contact with Lucas, who gave a soft smirk and his rough fingers started making small circles of where her shoulder met her arm. In response, she laid her head on his upper arm and tried breathing though her nose. The line they were in moved a step.
Every once in a while Jamie would gasp at the atmosphere around him which calmed her in a way. She was glad her son was witnessing a different world and would distract her from her panic attack but then Jamie would get quiet and her anxiety would sink back in. It was really a vicious cycle.
"Jamie, maybe you should go to the cameras and brag about your mom?" Lucas sounded when her anxiety was about to reach maximum level and promptly had her freak out. He always seemed to know when to calm her down things got too much.
Haley swatted his arm. "Don't give him ideas!" She said.
"Huh?" Jamie said at the same time she chastised her best friend.
She looked down and saw the dazed look in her son's eyes and thanked everything that was holy that Jamie got distracted when Lucas made his comment. She noticed her son was in awe of big crowds. She wondered what that would mean for his future. She hoped he gave up basketball pretty soon or else she would have to deal with another man in life leaving for fame.
Stop it! He's only three years old. Stop thinking you're repellant.
"Nothing, baby," Haley murmured and Jamie whipped his head away from them and started taking in his surroundings again.
"What?" Lucas said in a low voice. "That kid is so damn cute; he'd get you brownie points across America. Take advantage of the things God gave you, Haley."
"Stop it; I'm not exposing my son just to get on TV. I'm not a fame-whore."
Lucas shrugged. "Your loss. I'd use him in a heartbeat."
CA
Two hours standing in line, Haley finally checked in and got her large sticker that gave her a number. An hour later, she was called to audition. It was a miracle Jamie hadn't thrown a fit yet because of the long waiting and limited entertainment. Lucas barely made it to watch Jamie when he went on a food run when she was called.
"Haley James? You're up for the producers," a PA called.
"Good luck, Momma!" Jamie yelled and pulled her neck down for a kiss.
Haley laughed and kissed him one more time and got up. Lucas gave a cheesy smile with two thumbs out and whispered something to Jamie while she walked away.
"Go Momma!" Jamie yelled, which got everyone's attention on her.
Her eyes widened at the PA as an apology and turned around before she quietly laughed and hushed her son. She even gave Lucas her evil eye in an attempt to have him control her son.
"Cute son," the PA said to her.
"Thanks," She murmured.
"You're biggest fan?"
"With the encouragement of his uncle."
The PA genuinely laughed as she led her down the hallway where it was much quiet. Haley felt like she was walking a green mile or something. The PA asked a little bit more about Jamie and where she was from and all that and if she was a single parent. Haley looked at the girl's face and was a little flabbergasted that this twenty-something lady that was about her age had no qualms or hesitance in prying in her life. If anything, the lady was professional about it – she did have that sensitive tone to her – but still. It was like she was trying to find a story with her, and boy was there a story.
She had no idea if she was good enough for it.
"Okay, this is how it's gonna go," The PA said after Haley answered her basic questions. "You're going to sing acapella to three people in this room. Make it twenty to thirty seconds, okay, sweetie. Just be yourself and afterwards, they 'll let me know if they want you forward to the producers, okay?"
She talked fast and Haley could only do was nod. "Okay," she agreed.
The PA gave her a sweet smile, adjusted something to her headset, nodded, and agreed into her microphone. She opened a door into a meeting room and announced Haley before she opened the door fully and gestured with her head that Haley could go in.
Haley took a deep breath, nervously smiled, and entered the room.
CA
She sang two acapella versions of the song she practiced for a month. The first three people looked at her throughout her performance with straight faces that automatically translated to her as bored. She almost changed her tone mid-way in some lame attempt to get them to smile but then she heard Lucas's voice in the back of her mind.
They will love you; you can win American Idol.
She was glad she kept to her instincts because after she was done, the panel broke out into smiles. They asked questions about her background, where she lived, her family, her age, and why did she want to be on American Idol.
"Actually, my son wants me to be on it," She replied with a huge smile.
They all laughed and gave soft smiles like they were in love with her. They thanked her and asked her to wait outside. Haley warmly thanked them and opened the door and gestured to the PA, who patiently waited outside by leaning against the wall. The PA gave her a bright smile and told her she'd be right back with the news.
CA
"Was she good?" The PA asked.
"Send her to the producers and call Ryan," one of the judges said. "I think we got another great story in Pittsburgh."
The PA smiled. "She's a great girl and cute son too. Right away, sir."
The PA nodded again and walked out of the room and greeted Haley with a warm smile. "You're on your way to the producers," she said. "Give us fifteen minutes?"
"Of course!" Haley beamed.
The PA gave her a big smile and watched her walked away. Once Haley turned the corner, she fiddled with her pack and spoke into the microphone of her headset. "Ryan, we have a girl with a potential story. She's on her way to producers."
"What's her name?" Ryan Seacrest's voice crackled into her ear.
The PA grinned to herself and pressed the black button again before she spoke with clear confidence. "Haley James. She's got a cute kid with a sad story. And an amazing voice from the sound of it."
"On my way to the producers," Ryan's immediately sounded.
CA
Haley emerged into the main room and immediately saw her son, who was running towards her. She bent down while he raced, his tiny feet thumped against the red carpet that held softness but not enough plush if she heard her son's feet thundering against. People turned their heads because of his excited squeal and she couldn't help her biggest grin formed at his excited-ness.
"Momma!" Jamie yelled.
A few seconds later, her son crashed into her chest and she gave an equal squeal when he wrapped his scrawny arms around her neck and tried to squeeze with all his might. She wrapped her arms around his small back, kissed his cheek, and picked him up in a twirl. He giddily laughed as he peppered her face with small smacks and she looked up and noticed the people around her had happy smiles and tilted their heads in awed. She also noticed a few cameras pointed in her direction with people in headsets that stood beside the men with the cameras and pointed with their obvious finger. Subconscious took over as she shyly smiled to the lens.
"Hey," Lucas sounded beside her and she had to do a double-take. "How'd it go?"
"Um," She started.
"Haley James? You're up." The same PA appeared on the other side of her and she had to do another double-take. The PA good-naturally laughed at her.
"Thank you," Haley addressed her then turned to Lucas. "I'm going to producers. Wish me luck!"
"Yay, Momma!" Jamie sounded as he whipped his head back so fast Haley's hand immediately went to his neck to stop any whiplash. She didn't notice the cameras in the room focused on the movement.
"Yes!" Lucas said. "One more step to that ticket. Come on, Jim-Jam. Your momma's gotta blow these people away."
"Good luck, Momma!" Jamie yelled before he gave her one big smack of his lips on hers.
The PA beside her grinned. "Are you sure he's encouraged by his uncle?"
CA
"Haley James, tell us about you." One of the producers said.
Haley looked at him and smiled at his appearance. He was an older man, with sandy blond hair and a nice tan that told her he loved the California sun. He was impeccably dressed in that casual way and he spoke with a smooth British accent. She recognized him with another show she's seen commercials before but she couldn't place his name. He was flanked by two other people who seemed more American, attentive, but with scrutinized stares.
She smiled softly and gave her basics. "I'm 22, hail from a small town in North Carolina called Tree Hill and a single mother."
"We've heard about your son bragging in the main room."
She laughed, with her Southern twang coming out. "Well, he's biased." All the judges affectionately grinned at her and laughed.
"Aren't they all?" The judge said. "Okay, what will you be singing for us today?"
"Um, it'll be better if I had a piano but I'll make due. I'll be singing 'Love The Way You Lie' by Rihanna."
"Floor is yours."
She gave a brief smile and remembered that even those people were intimidating, so was touring small crowds and she aced them. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and nailed the first note. When she didn't look at them, when her imagination ran wild, she imagined maybe singing this to a support system like Lucas. If she wanted to be on the show then she really needed to focus her energy on who the song was really meant for. She wanted to save the best for last but she gave it her all to the producers.
When she was done and opened her eyes all three producers stared at her intently. She seemed suddenly nervous at the lack of verbal response and gave a slight nervous chuckle but it came out as her clearing her throat.
The Englishman spoke first. "You've had professional training before, haven't you?"
"Yes, sir," Haley kept eye contact with him. "I did a small tour when I was 17."
"With who?"
"Um, Michelle Branch."
"Well, that explains a lot."
"Um… thank you?"
The woman beside the Englishman laughed. "Who knew the South could be so shy. It's endearing, we love it."
"We do," Haley's eyes darted back to the Englishman. "Your voice. There's something very unique to it where you connect emotionally to the song. I'm wondering, is your son's father in the picture?"
She took a deep breath and ended the movement with a slight bitter laugh. Here came the personal questions that she mentally prepared herself but she wasn't exactly sure if she wanted it aired. Her eyes darted across the room and she realized there were absolutely no cameras whatsoever. It was just her, the three producers, and short man that stayed in the corner with a group of other people that quietly whispered. She knew if she wanted on the show, everything had to be told so she subconsciously straightened up her shoulders and spoke.
"My son's father left me when I was eight months pregnant. We're still married, actually, but he completely disappeared. It was a lot of drama."
She chuckled after she said the last sentence, which in turn got the producers to laugh. "I'm sorry," the Englishman said.
"I am too. I guess it was payback in a way since I left him the first year of our marriage to pursue singing and I went on that tour. I came back, obviously, and we worked through our issues but I guess he still harbored some sort of feeling if he left me for his dream."
"And what was his dream?"
"Basketball. For all I know he's in the pros."
"And this would be a… big throw in his face if you moved on to National television and became this big, great singer?"
"Well, you're pushing it there," she laughed. "But I want to do this show for my son and only for my son."
"How so?"
"Well, he wants to be famous," she quirked her upper lip and gave another boisterous laugh.
The other producer on the far right spoke up and Haley almost forgot he existed. "We're falling more and more in love with charm. Your husband is a fool."
"Thank you," she kindly said. "But since my husband left, I've kinda stopped singing. And my best friend, who happens to be my husband's half-brother, claimed I was most happy when I was singing. And I need to get that light back. He's highly convinced and somehow has convinced me that being on this show will fill that empty void. And I do want to be my best and provide for my son."
The Englishman looked at his two companions and made eye contact with the short man in the corner. Haley stood still in the center of the room and waited with breath trapped inside her mouth. Then the Englishman nodded, napped the end of his pencil and spoke.
"Well, we'd be fools like your husband for not giving you that chance. You're moving on to the main judges."
A few seconds delayed in Haley's mind as she processed the words. "Oh my god, thank you!" She said.
They all laughed at her enthusiasm and the Englishman spoke up. "You have a very unique story and we'd love to share it if you don't mind. Ryan?"
Haley's eyes followed the short man from the corner step forward and walked towards her with his hand out. She warmly shook his hand as he had a nice, firm grip. He introduced himself as Ryan Seacrest.
"I am sure, the judges will love you," he said. "And would you mind if we shared your story?"
"Um," she hesitated. "Not at all."
"Great! We're gonna get the camera crew ready and inform the judges then after your audition, we'll talk more with package, with our producer, Harold," he gestured at the man at the far right side of the table that judged her and waved in response. She nodded her head once and smiled. "Go ahead back to your family and we'll call you back in a few, okay?"
She nodded and before she could say anything, the Englishman yelled something. "And someone get her a piano in the main audition!"
Ryan grinned, gripped her shoulders, and wished her luck.
CA
The walk back was surreal. She was one step closer to American Idol and she couldn't believe it. The last minute practices, the disbelief she wasn't going to make it this far, the fear of actually making it on National television and the possible reality that Nathan would come back once people noticed her. For three and half years, she was more than comfortable than living a mediocre life and just provide for her son a teacher's salary. She was more than okay teaching a subject she liked, but wasn't passionate about. She was perfectly fine living below her potential.
And now that she's here? She can actually feel the need, the hungry power that consumed her body with excitement and possessiveness that she belonged here. This is what her life was meant to be, and she was scared shitless. This performance – and the ones after that were miles long – had to be it. She had to perform, no, needed to perform like she wouldn't tomorrow.
Her body was tingling at the prospect.
"How'd it go?" Lucas asked as Jamie squealed when he saw her.
"I'm about to perform to the judges," she whispered.
"Haley James?" A PA came up. "You're up."
"Good luck!" Lucas surged forward and hugged her tight.
She reciprocated the hug and then bent down to her son's level and gave him a wet kiss. She waved goodbye as she mentally stirred her game plan. She needed more emotion to this next performance and she knew the only source of that much pain. She just didn't know if she had enough strength not to break down like she did the first time she sang the song and thought about her husband. The added tears might work in her favor but she still wanted to be strong. The song was about acceptance of an abusive relationship and crying wasn't exactly being strong in accepting.
"That's my momma!" Jamie yelled as she followed the PA into another room
CA
"Who's this we got here?" A Black man with a deep voice boomed before she could even stop walking. He had black thick-framed glasses and a stylish vest as he sat on the far side of a booth.
She recognized him as Randy Jackson and beside him was a beautiful olive-toned woman with jet black hair and expressive eyes that showed she was loud. She was one of the newest panels that she heard rumors about and briefly wondered why Paula Abdul was nowhere in sight. And who completed the booth was a very intimidating man that wore a crew cut that she knew to be Simon Cowell. None of them spoke except for Randy and she couldn't keep her eyes off Simon's scowl. He seemed perturbed over the piano that took over most of the center of floor where the auditioner was supposed to perform.
Haley stopped walking and stood beside the piano bench and softly smiled. She wasn't for sure a full-blown smile would work, since she knew her confidence wasn't there at the moment and the wider smile would seem fake. She didn't cross her arms, but her fingers grabbed each other as her arms hanged down as she stood straight.
"My name is Haley James and I'm coming from Tree Hill, North Carolina." She said.
"Haley James," Simon drawled then used his pen to point at the piano. "A lot of trouble for that piano to come in here."
"Well, apparently, I'm worth it," she sounded without really thinking.
The other two occupants busted out laughing hard as he flashed her a smirk as he took the light ribbing from the others. Her smile grew a little and her confidence built as Simon didn't look at all upset at the quick quip.
"She's feisty, huh?" Randy rhetorically asked. "Nigel, our executive producer says your story is a real tear-jerker."
"I wouldn't say my story's sad," she said with a shrug. "It's a lot more common, I think, but a lot of pain was brought to my situation and I'm trying to make something out of it."
"What's your story, hun?" The woman spoke up.
"Um, long story short," she said. "My husband left me when I was eight months pregnant with my son when I was eighteen. He completely disappeared and I suspect he's playing basketball out there somewhere, following his dream. And I pretty much held that void in my heart as something to ignore. My best friend thinks singing, my dream, will fill it. And my son thinks the same thing too, and he's my world so I'm doing this for them and maybe this show will give me the closure I need. If he can follow his dream, why can't I, you know?"
"Then I will allow the piano," Simon piped up after a moment of silence.
The room filled with laughter and she gave the judges a giddy, but nervous smile before she shuffled onto the bench. She stared at the keys for a second, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The beginning notes of the song played automatically by her slender fingers and she felt her wrists rotated left to right as her fingers beautifully glided across the fifty-two keys. Her memory zoned of images of her husband, throughout the beginning to now. She focused on every feature of his face that made her stomach flutter in nerves that were described as butterflies as a young love-struck teenage. Everything about him, his body, his movements, his mannerisms, zoomed throughout her mind of every loving moment they had from their amazing first ceremony on the rocks that overlooked the beach to every ugly fight they had, including the infamous birth control.
She felt her face scrunch up in pain as the tears formed behind closed eyes as she continued to sing. She heard her voice cracked in the tiniest way as she held back her tears and hoped that the judges before her wouldn't be too critical of it. She continued to sing the first verse.
On the first page our story
The future seemed so bright
Then this thing turned out so evil
I don't know why I'm still surprised
Even angels have their wicked schemes
And you take that to new extremes
But you'll always be my hero
Even though you've lost your mind
CA
"Lucas?" Ryan said.
Lucas looked up from playing high-five with Jamie when he heard someone called his name. He was a short man with the same dirty-blond hair as him and he had a chick by his side dressed in black and had a headset glued to her head and side. He smiled and nodded his head once at his name at the twosome and gave them an expectant look.
"Forgive me, I'm Ryan Seacrest and I was informed by the producers who you were. You're best friends with Haley James and uncle to this little guy?"
"Hi!" Jamie yelped from his lap.
Everyone laughed at his nephew's excitement and he stuck out his palm for Jamie's little hand to slap as hard as he could. Lucas pretended to wince at the force, grinned at his nephew, and then turned his attention back to his party.
"Uh, yeah," he said. "Did Haley send you over?"
"Actually," the lady spoke. "She just gave permission to highlight her story. Basically, how this works is simply that Ryan here will interview – just a couple questions – and we're gonna station you outside the audition room and await if Ms. James gets a ticket. Afterwards, we're gonna have everyone sign release papers and talk with you and Ms. James more about her story and maybe stage some shots, okay?"
"Uh, yeah, sure."
"We're gonna get some mics for you and the little guy. What's his name?"
Lucas looked at Jamie and with a cleared throat Jamie spoke with a polite tone. "My name is James Lucas Scott, but everyone calls me Jamie."
Again, everyone broke out with smiles and laughs and Lucas laughed at how his nephew just soaked up the attention. A wave of hand distracted his peripheral and he looked up in time to notice the woman's hand stopped waving. His eyes followed the woman's body direction and saw a camera crew coming towards them along with another person dressed all in black that carried two black cases.
"Uncle Lokus, are we gonna be on TV?" Jamie yelled as he noticed the movements also.
Lucas smiled at his nephew then gave off his famous Scott smirk. "We sure are, buddy! Make sure to hype up momma, okay?"
CA
Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that's all right because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that's all right because I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
Ohh, I love the way you lie
Images of Nathan flashed throughout her mind as she sang the chorus. She was grateful her husband never expressed his anger through violence, unlike his father when she did witnessed Dan viciously grabbed Nathan's bicep and squeezed when they were sixteen. Many fights between them featured the anger swirled in his royal blue eyes, but the emotion was never menaced. Their fights could get brutal – and the words between them hurt – but they were never violent toward each other. The chorus brought in that emotion – they hurt each other but they still stood by. Until one day, her husband didn't.
She knew her voice conveyed the emotion as her fingers pounded the right keys. She couldn't keep the strain out of her voice after she got through the chorus, but even to her hazed ears, her voice sounded good. She lightly frowned at the discovery; maybe it was her hidden jackpot to get this. Despite her obvious reluctance to try the show, she wanted to be part of it. Maybe – just maybe – her life could get better with song.
Now there's gravel in our voices
Glass is shattered from the fight
In this tug of war, you'll always win
Even when I'm right
'Cause you feed me fables from your hand
With violent words and empty threats
And it's sick that all these battles
Are what keeps me satisfied
She stopped the song shortly after with a trail of musical notes since she was instructed before she walked in to keep the audition to at least ninety seconds. She kept the notes to the last word that matched the piano's notes and slowly opened her eyes. She licked her lips and stayed glue to the bench because she wanted to stay in that moment. The last image of her mind was her loving husband, who would cradle her, comfort her, and whisper his sorry's in post-coital. Of all the nasty fights and problems they had, he still stayed. That was what probably broke her heart the most.
With a shaky breath, she turned her head and looked at the three people that held the hope she wanted to build.
End Chapter.
I know you all want to hate me for the cliff-hanger and I'm sorry. I wanted to get this out since it's been a long hiatus and I didn't want to drag this out. I'm very sorry again for the lack of updates and I will try my hardest to keep the updates shorter between.
Review if you'd like.
CAli
