I'm still feeling like shit, both physically and emotionally. Maybe it's homesickness, maybe it's gloominess. I keep having weird nightmares; Anthony leaving me, walking behind the whole world, everyone hating me.

I even had this dream last night that my parents found out where I was and what I've been up to, and disowned me. Although it wouldn't surprise me if they did; I wouldn't even want a daughter like myself.

I find a piece of nicely folded paper placed upon my bunk. I grab it and open it up, revealing a beautifully written poem in Anthony's handwriting:

Oh what a cutie

The way she shines her beauty

What she has to show

Her body

And how she takes off her clothes

She's the ultimate queen

Her laugh

Her face

Her smile

I wish she sees what I see

"Told you I could write a poem about how beautiful you are," Anthony said from behind me.

I turn around. "Why would you write this for me?"

He steps closer. "Because what I wrote was the truth, and I love you."

"I...I don't know what to say."

"I do," he kisses me, "please forgive me. You haven't spoken to me in days."

I look down at the piece of paper in my hand. "Fine," I sighed.

"Is that it? That was hopeless, I don't even see a smile." He lifts my chin up and pulls ape faces at me, but I don't budge.

"Oh come on," he persists.

Nothing.

He suddenly picks me up and spins me around, making airplane noises like a parent would do to their pouty child.

"Anthony, put me down!" I demand.

"Okay, fine."

He plonks me down on the bed and begins tickling me, squeezing my sides, toying with my neck, all the sensitive places, causing me to scream.

"Anthony, s-stop!" I said through laughter.

"Not until I'm forgiven," he said, attacking my neck and placing kisses on it.

"Fine! Baby, I forgive you."

We calm down, and then we kiss. How lovely is it to have Anthony hovering over me like this, my hands wrapped around his torso, feeling his lips on mine. It's truly magical.

"Anthony," called the manager, Lindy Goetz from the other room. "Something's wrong."

Anthony turns around, breaking the kiss and I instantly feel embarrassed. I forgot he was in here, seeing as how there were initially two travel buses, one for the equipment and extra crew members. Alternatively they decided to compact as we go into almost mid tour.

"What do you mean?" Anthony asked.

"I just got off the phone with somebody who was looking for a Wren Sanchez."

I gasp and said, "Oh God, you don't happen to know who the person was, do you?"

"He said he was authorized by the child protection services, and they know where we are."

"Anthony..." I said nervously, looking at him.

He began fidgeting, clearly nervous. "Okay...now what? Are they coming up here to get me, or what?"

"I don't know, it sounded more like a threat to me, but a legal one."

Anthony rubs the back of his neck, sighing. "Fuck," he mutters under his breath.

I begin tearing up and said, "Anthony, I can't go back there."

"I know baby, I know."

The phone rings.

"Don't pick it up," Anthony said.

I cuddle my legs on the bunk bed, feeling afraid. I know I claimed to be homesick, but witnessing the reality of having to go back home soon brings back bad memories, then making me feel sick of home.

The phone kept ringing on and off for ten minutes now, and it's really starting to frustrate me. It stops, and it starts up again.

"Just answer it and make something up," Anthony told Lindy, surrendering.

"But Anthony, I ca-"

"Go."

Lindy hesitates for a moment before picking up the phone slowly before it stops.

He gives Anthony a look and then answers, "Hello?"

I hear screaming on the other line. I feel my heart drop to my chest, my breathing becomes labored, and I start sweating.

"Ma'am," Lindy tries speaking.

More screams come from the other end of the phone.

"Wren," he says, taking his ear away from the phone, "I think this lady is your mother."

He motions the phone to me and I shake my head, my lips quivering.

"Don't answer it Wren, she's just going to try and get you to go back home."

"I...I k-k-know," I stammer.

"Get rid of her!" Anthony screams to Lindy.

"Listen," Lindy tries reasoning with her, and everyone is left pulling their hair out.

Lindy hands the phone to me suddenly, and I'm taken back.

"M-Mom?" I ask.

"Oh Wren, thank God you're alive. Come back home, please. Do you have any idea how much this upsets me? You better tell that driver to stop and let you off right now."

"And tell her she better come back home," said Dad.

My fingers shake around the telephone, but I answer with, "You know what? You can threaten me all you want, but I'm not gonna budge." I hang up.

I crouch down and place my hands over my ears and sob. Anthony rubs my back; all this pressure is killing me.

"Stop the van," Anthony said.

"What?" Lindy asked.

"You heard me. Driver-I want off."

"Anthony, what are you doing?" Flea asked.

"Just calm down man, it'll be alright," Chad said.

"What's happening, Wren? Are you okay?" John asks, chiming in as he's embracing me.

I cry onto his shoulder, feeling his warmth and said, "No."

As we come to a stop, Anthony grabs my hand and drags me out of the trailer. He held up a hand to the bus, signalling to go away, and it takes off, leaving us on the side of the road.

"Now what, wise guy?" I said, looking around in the darkness.

He looks around for a moment, and spots a phone booth a few feet ahead. He tosses a coin in and dials a number. I stand and wait for him with my tongue inside my cheek.

"Hello?" he says, "Can I get a cab please?"