ethereal (demi lovato)

Coming Clean

"Sweetheart? What's going on with you?" Demi asked, scooting closer as she brushed a piece of wet hair from her daughter's face. Demi's eyes watered at the look on her oldest babies face. Her flushed, tearstained cheeks made her big blue eyes look a gloomy color rather than a vibrant one.

Sofia shrugged slightly, tucking into herself more as she pulled her knees up closer to her chest. Both Demi and Wilmer's hearts broke watching their daughter. After moments of silence, Wilmer excused himself as Nevaeh began to cry in her room, he also figured Demi would be able to handle this, but he would be there if she needed him.

Back inside the room, Demi sat next to her daughter with a frown on her face. They had been silent for a few minutes as Demi rubbed her child's back. She could see that her daughter was struggling, and it hurt Demi beyond belief.

"Bug, I know you are scared, but you need to tell me what's going on." Demi sighed, scrunching her eyebrows down slightly as she stroked her daughters back softly. She watched as Sofia's eyes welled with tears and she began to sob, her entire body shaking as she leaned into her mother.

"Oh baby." Demi brought her daughter into her arms and rocked back and forth slowly. Demi hummed softly as she held onto Sofia, rubbing her back softly. They sat together for a while until Sofia's heavy sob's calmed down into small hiccups. Demi moved so her daughter was still cuddled up next to her, but less pressed into her body. She continued to stroke her blonde girls softly before taking a deep breath to speak.

"Baby girl, I need to know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." She spoke lightly, she wasn't angry anymore, she was upset and wasn't sure what was going on with her little girl. Sofia hiccuped under her and Demi listened as she took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry, mommy." Sofia whimpered out, beginning to cry again but Demi began to shush her.

"No, no, no more tears, lovely, I want to know whats going on. I know about the tissues baby, in your drawer. Sofia, what's going on in your life that I don't know about that is causing all this pain?" Sofia's eyes began to water again as she hiccupped again. Demi could see that her daughter was in a lot of pain, mentally and physically. She wasn't surprised that Sofia was finally having a break down like this, she had been through so much within the last few years, both her and Wilmer were surprised that they hadnt seen her act out.

"They're mean to me at dance and school." Sofia whimpered out, it was barely audible but Demi barely caught what she was saying. Demi sighed, they had dealt with bullying in the past, but nothing more than a few arguments between her daughter and some other girls.

"Who is, baby?" Demi asked quietly, keeping her own voice free from any stern or sad tone. Sofia needed to know that Demi was there when she was ready to talk. She stroked her daughter's hair down softly, breathing gently as she listened to her daughter mumble below her.

"Just some of the girls." Sofia mumbled again, her breath picking up. Demi sighed, she wanted so desperately to help her child, but Sofia wasn't allowing her in.

"Baby, you can tell me.." Sofia shook her head with a sad frown, her blue eyes glistening with fresh tears threatening to fall. Demi just held on tighter, she would sit here forever if it meant her daughter would feel better.

"Bug, I want to help you, I need to know who these girls are and what they're saying that made you do these things to yourself and-" Sofia quickly interrupted her mother.

"I can't tell you!" She spoke loudly, pulling back from Demi, but Demi shook her head and pulled her closer.

"Love, you don't have a choice. I need to know what is going on in full detail. You are not allowed to not tell me what is going on. I love you baby, and so does Wilmer. We are here to help you." Demi continued to speak softly to her sobbing child. It hurt Demi to see her daughter so broken and beaten down. It reminded her so much of herself, and that was something she had said would never happen to her children.