"you didn't need to snap at her!" ashton yelled at me. we had gotten home only ten minutes ago and as soon as april was asleep he tugged me upstairs to his apartment knowing this would end in shouting. i was leaning against the hallway wall looking at anywhere but him.
"you're not her father, ashton, you don't have a say in how i parent her."
ashton glared at me, fists clenching before grabbing both my wrists and pinning them above my head. "actually, i do. because i'm getting you full custody so you can love her and make sure she's okay. not be an asshole towards her." he spat.
only then did i bring my gaze up to him and shove him away. "why don't you have a kid and have them wish for someone else?! you know how much that effects me? my own fuc.king daughter wanting other people to be her father or mother like i'm not good enough. she needs to fuc.king realize that i'm all she has right now."
"no." ashton spoke. "she's all you have."
ashton ran his hands through his hair because letting out a sigh. "i'm going to bed, join if you want."
i watched as he left through the hallway and i sat down, my legs out stretched out in front of me.
no, she's all you have
the sound of the kitchen light turning on filled in my small silence. ashton was probably grabbing a glass of water so i stood up and went to the bedroom. i stripped down to my boxers, climbing in on the right side knowing ashton sleeps on the left.
although i felt the bed dip beside me i knew there weren't going to be arms wrapping around me tonight.
+
april's sick.
and even if it was a small cold i was freaking out. "you'll be okay baby girl." i pressed a small kiss to her warm forehead and she sneezed in response. i sighed, pulling the covers over her more before leaving the room and calling the school to tell them april wasn't coming in today. then i called michael.
"how is she?" his voice spoke softly through the phone.
"she's warming up, can you come over please?"
"i'll be there in a few minutes."
michael ended the call and i slowly placed my phone down on the small table we had in the living room. my body out stretched on the couch and i waited patiently till i heard a knock at the door and handle being pushed down. michael climbed over the couch after taking off his shoes and locking the door, getting in behind me and wrapping his arms gently around me.
"you know it's not your fault." his voice was warm against my ear.
"it is, i shouldn't have done that." i mumbled back.
"she'll get over it."
"doesn't mean i will."
"calum," michael turned my body so that i was facing him. "she doesn't know what she says and how they affect people yet. she's only six." he said softly, pushing my hair out of my face and pressing a small kiss to my temple. "she loves you."
i nodded slowly, leaning in to michael's touch more.
we spent the next hour sitting on the couch doing nothing, having to get up sometimes whenever april yelled my name. i was in the kitchen making chicken noodle soup, and maybe michael pretended to be sick so i would make extra.
"it's ready!" i called out, hearing footsteps making their way to the kitchen. michael peeked his head in, eyes trained on the pot sitting on the stove. [CAN ANYONE IMAGINE THIS LIKE HE JUST GOES "can i have some too..." LIKE THE LIL CHILD HE IS]
"still sneezing?" i asked, but before michael could reply there was a small knock at the door. i pulled down two bowls as michael went to answer the door, nearly dropping them when michael spoke.
"yeah he's in the kitchen, it's nice seeing you again, ashton."
i placed the two bowls down gently on the counter as footsteps grew closer to the kitchen till ashton popped his head in. michael followed. "did you make that?"
"can i have some?" michael pushed ashton away and picked up a bowl, holding it out to me. i rolled my eyes and took the lid off, grabbing a ladel from the drawer and filling the small bowl up. "to april, first."
michael pouted but ashton stepped in. "i can give it to her."
the pale boy gladly handed the bowl over to ashton who sent me a soft glare before leaving. i filled up michael's bowl and handed him a spoon like the child he was and watched him skip over to the table.
ashton came back a few minutes later, an empty bowl in his hand. "do you want any?" i asked, looking into the pot seeing it was still kind of full. "sure, thanks." he said quietly, taking a seat next to michael at the table.
i grabbed another bowl from the cabinet and filled it up, handing it to ashton who thanked my quietly. "it's been a while." michael looked up at ashton, he was already scraping the bowl. "a week right?"
"yeah, i've been calling, though." ashton looked over at me from the corner of his eye. "everyone was busy i guess."
michael looked over at me and then to ashton. "calum's been home all week."
"no i haven't." i said quickly, starting to leave but michael kept going.
"yes you have, you don't have a job calum what else could you be possibly doing?"
"none of your buisness." i spat. "put your bowls away in the sink when you're done." i quickly turned around on my heel and left the kitchen, only hearing the fant words of "yes, daddy."
my hands ran through my hair, tugging slightly as i walked in to april's room. "doing okay?" i called out, walking over to the bed when i didn't get a response. "april?"
i slowly walked over to the bed, slipping the covers off of her to see her small figure. "a-april?"
no response.
i quickly scooped her in my arms, her body limp against my chest as i tried to get her to wake up. "april, sweetheart please w-wake up." my voice started to crack. i ran out of the room, going straight to the front door and tugging on my shoes.
"calum what's wrong?" michael was the first to shoot up from the couch. ashton followed, eyes widening at the sight of april.
i grabbed my keys and swung the front door open.
"she won't wake up."
+
it's short i'm sorry don't kill me i'm trying.
