Post by britchick on Feb 12, 2008 16:58:23 GMT -5
Author - Britchick1980
Rating - PG
Disclaimer - This story is a complete and utter figment of my imagination. I have never met either Apolo Anton Ohno, Julianne Hough or any other celebrity that features and the occurrences in this story have been completely fabricated.
Note - Please note that this is my first attempt at writing fiction so please be kind! Any constructive criticism is most welcome because it is the only way in which I will be able to develop my writing skills. Also, please remember that I am British and therefore there will be some disparity in spelling etc.
Apolo and Julianne - What Happened Next ? (Part 9)
I sighed as I paid the teller for the milk and walked out of the store into the warm LA sunshine. So that was that! The end of an era! Married and divorced at 22 years of age – how shameful!
Turning to walk towards home I reflected on the fact that, whilst the majority of my friends had only just started seriously dating, here I was a divorcee! Despite the shame I felt at being married and divorced by such a young age I could not help but feel a tinge of joy inside of me which stemmed from the fact that I was now free.
For many years I had lived my life under the somewhat critical eyes of my family and Zack. They were always keen to point out my faults and for sometime now I had felt as though I was conforming to their idea of who I should be as opposed to becoming the sort of person that I wanted to be.
With Apolo it was different! He encouraged me to be free, to pursue my dreams. He gave me the confidence to know that I was a good person and he gave me the proverbial kick up the butt I sometimes needed when I doubted myself.
“Ah, Apolo!” I sighed as I made a right turn into my street. I often recalled memories of our time together when feeling un-nerved as it was the happiest six months of my life. Full to the brim of loving, funny and sweet memories that made me feel all warm inside like I had just received a big warm hug when I thought about them. In truth, it was these memories that had got me through the past year, the arguments, the separation and eventually the divorce.
It wasn’t so much Zack who had been the cause of my anxiety, given the circumstances, he had actually been pretty great and we had, somehow, managed to come out of all of this as friends, it was my father.
He hadn’t taken the news of our separation well at all. He took the news of our intention to divorce even worse. Zack and I were subject to hour after hour of lectures on how we were letting God down by divorcing and how we were liars because we had pledged to be together forever come what may.
After a while it became obvious to both of us that my father was more concerned with his reputation and standing in the community than he was with our happiness. This coupled with the knowledge that I had been black-mailed into marrying him by my father was all that Zack needed to file the divorce papers and set me on the road to my freedom.
As I neared my house, I could feel the anger that I had for my father well up inside of my again. “Now calm down Julianne!” I told myself sternly. “You have been through this with your father many, many times and he has apologised. He has promised that he will not get involved in your life again and it would be unfair to bring it all up after you have accepted his apology”. My pep talk worked – I felt the anger ebb away.
The initial blow-out had come the day after Zack had filed the divorce papers. My father had been banging around the house in a furious temper at this latest development. Slamming doors, stomping his feet, clattering pans. The petulance of his actions, his completed disrespect for mine and Zack’s feelings and the immense guilt that I had been carrying for the previous couple of months combined together to make me explosive.
Never before had I answered my father back let alone question his actions but the fear I usually felt was replaced with a burning anger that I could no longer contain. We had hollered at each until our vocal chords could take no more and our voices had been involuntarily reduced to hoarse whispers. The pain in my throat grew with each attempt to communicate but it didn’t matter to me – I felt invincible that night.
Somehow I managed to hold on to the anger that had motivated me to stand up for myself so when a few days later my father launched another vocal assault on me I was able to retaliate and stand my ground.
And so it continued this way until a few short weeks ago. Realising he had lost the battle and the war he called me out of the blue and asked to met for lunch where he apologised for everything and harmony was restored.
Opening the mailbox, I retrieved its contents quickly and flicked through the letters as I made my way up the drive to my house. Water Bill, Gas Bill, Catalogue, Electricity Bill ..............
As I neared my front door I could hear a faint voice drifting out through the living room window.
“Just stay away from my daughter Ohno, that’s all I want.”
What?!?
“If you know what is good for you Ohno then you will get out of this Contract. You have money. Hire yourself a good lawyer and get them to find a loop hole in it ... I do not want you anywhere near my daughter”.
What?!?
I crept over to the window to get a better idea of what was going on in there. Was Apolo in town? My heart leapt at the thought. My father had called around to see me earlier so I knew he was in the house but how and why was he talking to Apolo? With all the stealth of a cheetah hunting its pray I inched closer until I had a clear view of my father striding back and forth with my Blackberry pressed to his ear.
“Well you leave me no choice then Ohno! I didn’t want it to come to this, but unless you pull out of the Finale I will reveal what I know about the little holiday you and your friends took to Mexico when you were teenager”.
I stood there dumbfounded. After all my father and I had been through here he was Blackmailing someone I cared about to get them out of my life.
The anger began to course through my veins once more.
“Yes Ohno”, the conversation continued, “I am well aware that the charges were dropped, that you were considered to be innocent and that my daughter knows all about your history but what do you think the press will make of this new glimpse into the history of Apolo Anton Ohno? Currently the all American golden boy – somehow I don’t think reports of debauched parties with hookers and cocaine will go down well with the general public do you, despite how unfounded the claims are?”
He promised me! He promised me that if I married Zack then he wouldn’t go to the press with this information. I did what he asked and, sure the marriage didn’t work out but he should still keep his word surely?
My body began to shake with rage. He has learnt nothing! He is still trying to control me!
As the phone call finished with what appeared to be an ultimatum I crept back onto the main path near the front door ready to make my entrance. Taking a deep breath I quietly opened the front door and stepped into the hallway. After depositing of the milk in the kitchen I rammed my shaking hands into the pockets of my navy blue shorts and plastered a sunny smile on my face.
“I’m back” I called as I entered the living room to find my father sitting on the sofa reading a book.
“So I see” he replied gruffly
“Did I miss anything?” I asked not letting his attitude phase me.
“Nope, nothing at all. I’ve just been sat here catching up on my reading since you left”.
So not only is he manipulative and controlling he is also a liar too! You disgust me!
“Get out” I addressed him quietly
He looked up startled. “What?”
“You heard me. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” I yelled at the top of my voice embracing the fury that was now flowing freely through me again.
“Julianne, honey, calm down. Don’t yell at me like that. What on Earth in wrong?”
“You! You are what is wrong.” I screamed jabbing him with my index finger. “I heard you just now on the phone to Apolo, blackmailing him! After all we have talked about you are still trying to control me! Not to mention lying to me. NOW GET OUT” I re-iterated my request at the top of my voice.
“Julianne honey, I am just doing what is best for you! I am only trying to protect you! You are too young to understand, wait until you have children of your own then you will know where I am coming from” He replied calmly whilst closing his book.
“Protect me? How? By threatening to ruin someone else’s life? Don’t patronise me daddy. You are not trying to protect me. You can’t stand the fact that I am old enough to make my own decisions and so you are trying to make them for me. Now I will ask you once more before I call the police ... get out of my house.”
Reluctantly, my father stood up, collected his jacket and made his way to the door but I had not finished with him yet – “Oh, and by the way, if you do go to the press with that information on Apolo, then you will never be welcome here again ... got that?” With those final words I pushed him gently out of the front door and closed it behind him.
Victory was mine but it felt like a shallow one. No child takes pleasure in falling out with their parents and I was no different. I had stood up for myself and that was something to be proud of but fighting with anyone, no matter how positive my position was, always made me feel bad. I felt bad about the affect that this was having on Apolo too.
Poor Apolo! He didn’t deserve this! He was suffering because of my turbulent relationship with my father! He is probably at his wits end expecting my father to drop his bombshell at any time!
The thought of Apolo being upset agitated me and I knew that I had to do something immediately to make him feel better. I had to explain to him the events leading up to my marriage to Zack, how my father had threatened to expose the particulars of his Mexico trip had I not and my fears that this would ruin him. I had to explain to him the most recent developments too. How my relationship with my father had changed radically in the last couple of months and how I had played him at his own game by threatening not to see him again if he hurt Apolo. Apolo needed to know that everything was going to be ok and that I was going to make sure of it.
Pausing momentarily to finalise my plans I then picked up my Blackberry and called a local Taxi service.
“Hello? Can I order a Taxi to LAX Airport please?” I needed to do this in person.
Rating - PG
Disclaimer - This story is a complete and utter figment of my imagination. I have never met either Apolo Anton Ohno, Julianne Hough or any other celebrity that features and the occurrences in this story have been completely fabricated.
Note - Please note that this is my first attempt at writing fiction so please be kind! Any constructive criticism is most welcome because it is the only way in which I will be able to develop my writing skills. Also, please remember that I am British and therefore there will be some disparity in spelling etc.
Apolo and Julianne - What Happened Next ? (Part 9)
I sighed as I paid the teller for the milk and walked out of the store into the warm LA sunshine. So that was that! The end of an era! Married and divorced at 22 years of age – how shameful!
Turning to walk towards home I reflected on the fact that, whilst the majority of my friends had only just started seriously dating, here I was a divorcee! Despite the shame I felt at being married and divorced by such a young age I could not help but feel a tinge of joy inside of me which stemmed from the fact that I was now free.
For many years I had lived my life under the somewhat critical eyes of my family and Zack. They were always keen to point out my faults and for sometime now I had felt as though I was conforming to their idea of who I should be as opposed to becoming the sort of person that I wanted to be.
With Apolo it was different! He encouraged me to be free, to pursue my dreams. He gave me the confidence to know that I was a good person and he gave me the proverbial kick up the butt I sometimes needed when I doubted myself.
“Ah, Apolo!” I sighed as I made a right turn into my street. I often recalled memories of our time together when feeling un-nerved as it was the happiest six months of my life. Full to the brim of loving, funny and sweet memories that made me feel all warm inside like I had just received a big warm hug when I thought about them. In truth, it was these memories that had got me through the past year, the arguments, the separation and eventually the divorce.
It wasn’t so much Zack who had been the cause of my anxiety, given the circumstances, he had actually been pretty great and we had, somehow, managed to come out of all of this as friends, it was my father.
He hadn’t taken the news of our separation well at all. He took the news of our intention to divorce even worse. Zack and I were subject to hour after hour of lectures on how we were letting God down by divorcing and how we were liars because we had pledged to be together forever come what may.
After a while it became obvious to both of us that my father was more concerned with his reputation and standing in the community than he was with our happiness. This coupled with the knowledge that I had been black-mailed into marrying him by my father was all that Zack needed to file the divorce papers and set me on the road to my freedom.
As I neared my house, I could feel the anger that I had for my father well up inside of my again. “Now calm down Julianne!” I told myself sternly. “You have been through this with your father many, many times and he has apologised. He has promised that he will not get involved in your life again and it would be unfair to bring it all up after you have accepted his apology”. My pep talk worked – I felt the anger ebb away.
The initial blow-out had come the day after Zack had filed the divorce papers. My father had been banging around the house in a furious temper at this latest development. Slamming doors, stomping his feet, clattering pans. The petulance of his actions, his completed disrespect for mine and Zack’s feelings and the immense guilt that I had been carrying for the previous couple of months combined together to make me explosive.
Never before had I answered my father back let alone question his actions but the fear I usually felt was replaced with a burning anger that I could no longer contain. We had hollered at each until our vocal chords could take no more and our voices had been involuntarily reduced to hoarse whispers. The pain in my throat grew with each attempt to communicate but it didn’t matter to me – I felt invincible that night.
Somehow I managed to hold on to the anger that had motivated me to stand up for myself so when a few days later my father launched another vocal assault on me I was able to retaliate and stand my ground.
And so it continued this way until a few short weeks ago. Realising he had lost the battle and the war he called me out of the blue and asked to met for lunch where he apologised for everything and harmony was restored.
Opening the mailbox, I retrieved its contents quickly and flicked through the letters as I made my way up the drive to my house. Water Bill, Gas Bill, Catalogue, Electricity Bill ..............
As I neared my front door I could hear a faint voice drifting out through the living room window.
“Just stay away from my daughter Ohno, that’s all I want.”
What?!?
“If you know what is good for you Ohno then you will get out of this Contract. You have money. Hire yourself a good lawyer and get them to find a loop hole in it ... I do not want you anywhere near my daughter”.
What?!?
I crept over to the window to get a better idea of what was going on in there. Was Apolo in town? My heart leapt at the thought. My father had called around to see me earlier so I knew he was in the house but how and why was he talking to Apolo? With all the stealth of a cheetah hunting its pray I inched closer until I had a clear view of my father striding back and forth with my Blackberry pressed to his ear.
“Well you leave me no choice then Ohno! I didn’t want it to come to this, but unless you pull out of the Finale I will reveal what I know about the little holiday you and your friends took to Mexico when you were teenager”.
I stood there dumbfounded. After all my father and I had been through here he was Blackmailing someone I cared about to get them out of my life.
The anger began to course through my veins once more.
“Yes Ohno”, the conversation continued, “I am well aware that the charges were dropped, that you were considered to be innocent and that my daughter knows all about your history but what do you think the press will make of this new glimpse into the history of Apolo Anton Ohno? Currently the all American golden boy – somehow I don’t think reports of debauched parties with hookers and cocaine will go down well with the general public do you, despite how unfounded the claims are?”
He promised me! He promised me that if I married Zack then he wouldn’t go to the press with this information. I did what he asked and, sure the marriage didn’t work out but he should still keep his word surely?
My body began to shake with rage. He has learnt nothing! He is still trying to control me!
As the phone call finished with what appeared to be an ultimatum I crept back onto the main path near the front door ready to make my entrance. Taking a deep breath I quietly opened the front door and stepped into the hallway. After depositing of the milk in the kitchen I rammed my shaking hands into the pockets of my navy blue shorts and plastered a sunny smile on my face.
“I’m back” I called as I entered the living room to find my father sitting on the sofa reading a book.
“So I see” he replied gruffly
“Did I miss anything?” I asked not letting his attitude phase me.
“Nope, nothing at all. I’ve just been sat here catching up on my reading since you left”.
So not only is he manipulative and controlling he is also a liar too! You disgust me!
“Get out” I addressed him quietly
He looked up startled. “What?”
“You heard me. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” I yelled at the top of my voice embracing the fury that was now flowing freely through me again.
“Julianne, honey, calm down. Don’t yell at me like that. What on Earth in wrong?”
“You! You are what is wrong.” I screamed jabbing him with my index finger. “I heard you just now on the phone to Apolo, blackmailing him! After all we have talked about you are still trying to control me! Not to mention lying to me. NOW GET OUT” I re-iterated my request at the top of my voice.
“Julianne honey, I am just doing what is best for you! I am only trying to protect you! You are too young to understand, wait until you have children of your own then you will know where I am coming from” He replied calmly whilst closing his book.
“Protect me? How? By threatening to ruin someone else’s life? Don’t patronise me daddy. You are not trying to protect me. You can’t stand the fact that I am old enough to make my own decisions and so you are trying to make them for me. Now I will ask you once more before I call the police ... get out of my house.”
Reluctantly, my father stood up, collected his jacket and made his way to the door but I had not finished with him yet – “Oh, and by the way, if you do go to the press with that information on Apolo, then you will never be welcome here again ... got that?” With those final words I pushed him gently out of the front door and closed it behind him.
Victory was mine but it felt like a shallow one. No child takes pleasure in falling out with their parents and I was no different. I had stood up for myself and that was something to be proud of but fighting with anyone, no matter how positive my position was, always made me feel bad. I felt bad about the affect that this was having on Apolo too.
Poor Apolo! He didn’t deserve this! He was suffering because of my turbulent relationship with my father! He is probably at his wits end expecting my father to drop his bombshell at any time!
The thought of Apolo being upset agitated me and I knew that I had to do something immediately to make him feel better. I had to explain to him the events leading up to my marriage to Zack, how my father had threatened to expose the particulars of his Mexico trip had I not and my fears that this would ruin him. I had to explain to him the most recent developments too. How my relationship with my father had changed radically in the last couple of months and how I had played him at his own game by threatening not to see him again if he hurt Apolo. Apolo needed to know that everything was going to be ok and that I was going to make sure of it.
Pausing momentarily to finalise my plans I then picked up my Blackberry and called a local Taxi service.
“Hello? Can I order a Taxi to LAX Airport please?” I needed to do this in person.
