I Only Knew to Run (a Demi Lovato fanfic)

The Concert

Valerie's POV: 

Everything stopped and my head zoomed back to this morning.

Today is going to be a good day, I told myself as I smoothed my black leggings and black sparkly gray shirt, looking in the mirror. Cole had got us tickets for Demi Lovato's concert tonight and I was getting ready. He wanted to pick me up early to make sure we got there in time. He knew how much she was my inspiration.

It wasn't like every other Saturday. There was a strange sense of hope in the air. Things felt like they were going to change. Maybe Cole will be different today.. just maybe, I thought as I hurried down the stairs. 

Cole and I shared an apartment after my parents died. I was only sixteen and he was twenty but that didn't matter. My heart told me it was love at first sight. His blue eyes and kind smile were a part of heaven. They brought love and joy into this life. But his hand and words could be from hell sometimes. Although, I'm not going into that right now. Today is going to be a good day.

"Are you ready, Val?" He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in for a hug. We were closer than we had ever been before. Last night was our six month anniversary and we celebrated...oh, we celebrated.

"Of course," his lips leaned into mine.

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"Are you okay?" The lady brought me out of my trance.

"What?" I looked at her again. Realizing it was Demi Lovato. Shit. She can't see me like this. I finally meet my idol and it's when I'm a mess. "Yeah, of course.. I just.."

She reached a hand out to me and I took it. "Just what?"

"Oh my god.. I can't believe I'm talking to you. It can't be like this." I started at my shoes. My heart was freaking out but at the same time I wanted to cry. "I'm sorry for running into you. It won't happen again."

She pointed down at my shirt - the one I got at her Neon Lights concert. "So you were there tonight?"

"Yeah," I said, still shocked that she was standing right in front of me. Was this a dream? It had to be. "I'm sorry," tears started to roll down my cheeks when I was brought back to reality with the sharp pains in my legs. "I have to go."

I turned to walk alway but fell to the ground. It was all too much everything was all too much. What was happening? The air seemed to be sucked out from my lungs. Where was it going? It was dark outside but it was getting darker. And all of a sudden everything went black.

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"Hey, wake up." 

I opened my eyes to Demi Lovato shaking my shoulders. Holy shit, this isn't a dream. I jumped up. "I got to go before he finds me!" My heart was freaking out and racing faster than the speed of light. Cole was bound to come back any second.

"Wait!" Now it was her turn to grab my wrist.

"I have to go!" I yelled.

"No, you're not going until you tell me what's going on. Or else I will call the cops."

"I can't stay here. You don't understand. Please, I love you but I can't talk here. You don't get it." I tried to break my hand loose from her grip but she was surpringly strong. The fangirl inside me was being overblown by my anxiousness.

"Fine, then we're going to talk some where else." She led me insid the cafe. 

"You're back?" A guy said from behind the counter.

"Yeah, Joe. We need to use the back room. Can you bring us some water?"

"Coming right up, Ms. Lovato."

She looked into my eyes and motioned for me to enter a room at the back fo the cafe and closed the door behind us. Surrendering, I plopped in a chair at the corner of the room.

"You just fainted, you need something to drink." The man named Joe came into the room and left two ice cold glasses at the table. Demi grabbed hers but I didn't budge. She handed me the glass. "Drink," she ordered.

I took a sip and put it back down. I couldn't control my actions. My idol was right in front of me and I was acting like this.

"I'm guessing you know who I am," she smiled. Her smile was comforting, it was clear that she wanted to help and wasn't just curious. But why would she want to help me? 

"Yeah," I foreced a smile. "You're Demi Lovato."

"Now that that's established," she giggled. "Who are you?"

"Oh," my fake smile vanished. "I'm Val."

"As in Valerie?" She questioned. 

I nodded. "Valerie Upmann."

"That's a beautiful name," she smiled which made me blush. "And who was that guy?" 

I didn't say anything, but instead stood up. "Look, I'm sorry for bumping into you but I do not have time for this." 

She stood up and blocked the path to the door. She reached out for one of my hands. Now a days only Cole did that after my parents died. I started to cry and just fell apart in her arms. Ohmygod this is not happening. I'm crying in Demi's arms. What is life.

It was then that I noticed there was a rip in my black shirt. No, no. She can't see this. I need to distract her with something else, I crossed my arm one under the other. "So you want to know about that boy?" I said, turning away from her, staring at the wall.

"Yeah," she took a step closer. "Why were you running from him?" 

"He hurt me." I blurted out.

"Valerie-"

"It's Val. Everyone calls me Val. Especially Cole." I turned to her. Only my parents called me Valerie. 

"But Val doesn't fit your pretty face," she tried to step closer but I backed up.

"I don't know you."

"Yes you do," she gestured to my shrit. "You were at my concert."

"I don't need your help." 

Silence. "Yes, you do." More silence. "You know why?" I shook my head.                                                  "I saw your arm when you fell."