Through it Together- Demi Lovato

Part 23

"Demi, if you ever come back here and you try to leave when you shouldn't, I will do everything I can to keep you here until you're healthy. And that's if you ever come back." She says and I nod. "Okay, let's go get you examined." She says to me and I stand up, nervous as anything.

I walk into the room where they will examine me. I'm scared... No, I'm terrified. I've obviously gained weight since I was first admitted in 2010. I don't have an active eating disorder. I'm going to seem like a whale compared to all the girls they see in here. A lady walks in, who I don't recognize. She must be new since I was here.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Bonnie, but you can just call me Bonnie." She tells me and a fake and annoying voice, shaking my hand. I smile at her. "So I'm going to need you to strip off your clothes. You can keep your underwear and bra on. While you do that, let me read up on your chart." She says to me, grabbing the clipboard on the table.

Slowly, I take off my clothes, covering my stomach with my arms. She turns to me. "Don't worry sweety, no one judges here. And you're a very pretty young lady. Now, it says here that you were here before in 2010?" She asks me and I nod. "Okay, it says you were here for anorexia, bulimia, self harm, depression, and anxiety... And you were diagnosed bipolar when you were here?" Again, I nod. "Okay, so Dr. Simon has informed me that you will need an examination and if all is well, you are able to leave. So if you could, please step on the scale, facing backwards."

I do as she says, and she takes my weight, writing it down on the chart. Then she takes out another piece of paper. I recognize the writing on it. It's my old charts. I guess they keep them. "Okay, so since you were admitted for self harm, I'm going to need to check your body for any new marks. I have your old examination here, and I'm just going to compare it to your current body now." She explains and I nod.

She checks my ankles, up to my thighs. She compares the scars on my thighs to the ones now. Most have completely faded. She pulls the side of my underwear up to check my hips. She checks my stomach, then goes to my back. Although, I don't know why she would need to, it's not like I can easily reach my back. Then, she takes my right arm in her hand.

"Strong?" She asks, looking at my tattoo. I pick my other arm up and show her.

"Stay Strong" I say and she nods, smiling. She continues comparing the scars on my right wrist. Then, she picks up my left. She points to each scar on my arm as she finds them on the paper. She points to one that wasn't on the paper and looks at me.

"Honestly, I don't remember when that was made. But I haven't relapsed for over four years now, so that is most likely from a few months after treatment. I-I slipped up a few times." I explain and she nods, putting the clipboard back on the table.

"You can get dressed." She tells me and I rush over to my clothes, putting them on as fast as possible. "So Demi, after examining you, you seem to have a healthy weight, and no new cuts or scars that should be worried about. I will let the front office know, and you should be able to leave today if you reverse your contract. So you can head up there now" She tells me and I smile, opening up the door.

"Thank you." I tell her and head to the front. The lady smiles at me and hands me about ten papers, telling me to read through it and sign. I sit down and read through it all, then sign the bottom, printing 'Demetria Lovato', then doing the same in cursive.

I hand the lady at the front desk the papers and she hands me leaving papers. "Ok Demi, just sign here and then you can go and pack your things." She tell me and I smile excitedly before remembering. I can't leave Maddie here. She won't survive one day.

"Thank you. But um I would like to sign my sister Madison out too." I tell the lady and she looks at me confused.

"You surely can do that..." She says, handing me the papers. "But if you don't mind me asking, why are you taking her out?" She asks and I sigh.

"She has a really good support system at home, and I don't want to throw her into treatment and leave her all alone before I try to help her recover first. I know what it's like to be in here and I was terrified. And I was 18, she's only 13." I explain and sign the papers, handing them back to the woman.

"I understand. You're a very good sister. You two stick together, okay?" The woman says and I nod, giving her a smile and heading to Maddie and I's room.

I reach the door and open it without knocking. Maddie is sitting on her bed, crying her eyes out and shaking. I rush over to her and pull her onto my lap. "Maddie, babygirl, what's wrong?" I ask her.

"I-I let i-it get th-this f-far." She sobs and I hold her tight.

"It's okay Mads, we're going home. It will all be okay." I reassure her and she looks up at me.

"We're g-going home?" Maddie says to me and I nod, sighing.

"Yes, we're going home." I say, hugging my baby sister.