Together (Demi Lovato Adoption)

Chapter Twenty-Two

ELLIE'S POV

"Remember Sam, when Momma comes home, you can't tell her that Grace and I picked you up early. She thinks that I picked you up after school, and if she finds out that's not what happened, I'll get in big trouble." I reminded Sam over and over again, only to be interrupted by the front door closing downstairs.

"I know, I know! But Ellie! Mommy's home now!" Sam grinned, jumping off of my lap and bounding down the stairs. I knew Sam still had trouble navigating her way down the stairs, so it was going to take her longer than she wanted to get to Demi.

"Girls," Demi called out, worry evident in her tone. "Are you home?"

"Yes! Ellie and I are home! I just — stairs are mean Mommy!" I could practically hear the pout in Sam's words as I made my way out of my bedroom and halfway down the stairs where Sam sat, looking defeated. I chuckled slightly and scooped her up in my arms, trotting down the stairs with ease before setting my little sister back down on the ground so that she could run and hug mom.

It didn't take long before I found the pair of them, cuddling each other tightly. Demi looked absolutely exhausted, but was also ecstatic to see Sam and I in front of her. Once her eyes found me, I watched her expression change from happy to worried. My feet began walking over to her but I was stopped by someone picking me up and throwing me over their shoulder from behind me, causing me to scream out in fear.

I kicked my legs furiously, but the figure only seemed to hold me closer and the familiar scent of musk filled my nose, immediately calming me as I realised that It was only Wilmer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder as I breathed heavily, causing alarm to both him and Demi. Sam seemed oblivious to what had happened as she giggled at Wilmer and clapped, applauding him for executing his prank on me perfectly.

"Nena?" Wilmer held onto me tightly, reassuring me that it was really him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I shook my head back and forth a few times. "It — It was just bad today. I've been on edge all day."

Both Wilmer and Demi frowned at this, Demi throwing a sympathetic look towards me. "Didn't get much better after you called?" She asked.

"No, it got better." It got tons better after I ditched school with Grace and got out of that hellhole. "I've just been jumpy."

Wilmer looked down at the ground guiltily as he kissed me on the forehead and set me down on the ground, wrapping his arms around me from behind, bringing me comfort. "I could have come and gotten you, Nena. Just because your mom couldn't get away doesn't mean you had to stay."

I had to physically bite my tongue to stop myself from laughing at the sheer irony of his comment.

"You were on set all day, you doofus. You would have lost your job if you walked off set." I deadpanned, looking up at Wilmer with a smirk in an attempt to ease the tension in the room. It seemed to work as everyone broke out in a smile as we made our way to the kitchen.

Before she could walk too far away from me, I grabbed Demi's sleeve and pulled her back so I could talk to her. She wore a tired expression but nonetheless stopped to listen to what I had to say.

"You alright El?"

"I'm fine, Momma. I promise." Hah. Lies. "It's about Sam."

Demi furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Sam?"

I nodded. "When I went to pick her up from school today, she was crying in the corner of the classroom. Grace yelled at the teacher for letting her just sit there crying and the teacher said it happens all the time. I think we should go in and talk to the teacher — Sam was really upset. She apparently hasn't spoken all year at school either."