The Space Between

The Closer You Come The Weaker I Get

"Does your dad know?" I asked quietly.

"I think he has some sort of idea." She answers.

"He probably hates me." I mumbled.

"No. If he blames anyone it will be me."

"Why you? Aren't you his favorite or something?" I ask.

She chuckled lightly. "He knows me well enough to know that I started this thing between us. In any event, he doesn't know for sure that something's going on." She added.

"Is there something going on." I ask, making eye contact.

She sighed. "Lena, I don't know. I just know that I can't stay here right now."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I'm leaving tomorrow night." She says looking down at her hands.

"You don't have to leave." I tell her.

"Yes I do." She says. "I have a promise to keep." She whispers.

"What about Nate?" I asked.

"Don't worry about him. I'll come back for the wedding. I just think that maybe a little space will do us some good." She said.

"Maybe we can start over." I say.

"Maybe." She says as she stands to walk away. Without thinking I grab her hand before she can move.

"Demi." I whisper.

She slowly pulled her hand out of my grasp.

"I've gotta pack." She says as she quickly leaves the room.

I wanted to cry. My heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest. This made absolutely no sense to me. I didn't love her. She couldn't break my heart. Why did she make me feel like this? I buried my face in my hands as I let the tears fall. This was all way too confusing for me. As I sat there, I heard some commotion out front. I got up and walked over to the window and looked down into the driveway below. Shane and Nate had come home early. I quickly wiped my eyes and attempted to freshen up. Once I was satisfied with my appearance, I went downstairs.

"Hey fuckers!" I heard Demi say to her brothers. "I thought I smelled something funny." She teased them.

"It's the fish Dem." Shane said. "You'd think you'd be used to that smell by now." He said laughing.

Demi laughed loudly. "You're real fucking clever." She said.

"That was a good one." Nate said to Shane.

I smiled as I approached Nate. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a sweet kiss. Demi looked slightly annoyed with his display of affection.

"I missed you." He said.

"I missed you too." I said smiling at him.

"Where's my kiss?" Shane asked as he shoved his face into Nate's.

Nate punched his shoulder. "Get out of here!" He said to his older brother.

I laced Nate's and my fingers together as we walked toward the house. It felt good to touch him and breathe him in. I missed him. Connie had dinner ready shortly after they had returned home. Everyone was happy and smiling throughout the meal. Every so often, I caught myself staring at Demi. She was mesmerizing. I felt bad that she was leaving because of me. This was her home and I felt like I was pushing her out. She glanced my direction and I blushed. She noticed and smiled. Once dinner was finished, Shane and Demi decided to go outside and light a bonfire. Nate and Benji joined them. When I walked outside I noticed they were all smoking something out of a long wooden pipe and laughing hysterically.

"Are you guys getting high!" I asked laughing.

"We prefer the term vision quest." Demi stated before passing the pipe to Benji.

"You should try it!" Shane said loudly.

"I'll pass." I answer shaking my head.

Nate motioned for me to come sit with him, so I lowered myself onto the ground next to him and he wrapped his arms around me.

"Demi is leaving tomorrow." He stated. "It totally sucks." He adds. "I hardly got to see her."

"I know babe. I'm sorry. She said she'd be back for the wedding though." I said.

"Yeah, I know." He mumbled.

We spent the rest of the night drinking, laughing and telling stories. I learned so much about each of them that night by the fire. It was clear to me how much they all loved each other. They were welcoming me into their family with open arms. When the fire died down, everyone went their separate ways. I hugged Shane and Benji goodnight before heading toward the house with Nate. Demi stayed by the fire, drinking her usual bottle of Jack Daniels.

"Is she gonna be ok?" I asked Nate as we walked away.

"Yeah. She ways is." He answered with a smile.

Once upstairs Nate and I got undressed and ready for bed. He asked me to open the window a crack. I walked over and slid the window open about four inches. I could still see Demi outside. She was still sitting by the fire. I could hear what sounded like singing. I listened closely and I was able to make out the words.

And I'm just drunk enough to tell you

Exactly what I needed to say

I'm just drunk enough to tell you

I need you please stay

'Cause I'm sober enough to know

Maybe it's a little too late

'Cause I'm sober enough to see you

Walking away

I touched the glass as I watched her kick dirt into the fire and walk toward the barn. I climbed into bed with Nate and laid my head down on his chest. I listened to his heartbeat and before I knew it, I was asleep.

The next day was slightly hectic. Demi had a lot of luggage and guitars that she was taking with her. It was strange to see a limousine parked out in front of the ranch house. It seemed out of place. The driver carefully loaded the bags into the truck, while Demi watched. She had her face buried in her cell phone. It was odd to see her like this. She was also dressed slightly different from what I was used to. She was wearing a pair of ripped black skinny jeans with a vintage Motly Crüe t-shirt that she covered with a leather jacket. She had on a pair of biker boots that she didn't bother to tie and some mirrored aviator sunglasses. She had several rings on her fingers and a black knit cap on her head.

"I'm guessing you're headed back to LA? I asked her.

"Yes." She answered her face still in her phone.

"You promise you'll be here for the wedding?"

"That's the plan." She says as she puts her phone against her ear.

I sigh. "Ok then." I say before walking off. "Good talk."

I sit down on the porch and watch as she says goodbye to her family. She hugs each one of them before climbing into the limo. Before the limo pulls away, she rolls her window down and calls out to Nate. He quickly jogs over to her and they talk briefly before she hands him her phone. I watch as he takes it and inputs something into it and hands it back to her. He leans in the window and gives her a quick kiss before the limo drives off.

I wandered around for most of the day taking pictures. Nate and Shane were busy working around the ranch. I spent some time with Connie going over wedding details as well. She hasn't even been gone for an entire day and I already missed her. I was a little hurt at how indifferent she was to me. Now that she was gone, I hoped things would get back to normal. I didn't need the complications that she seemed to stir up whenever she was close to me. I couldn't wait to marry Nate.