The Beauty & The Tragedy

If You Can Give It I Can Take It

"She can't fire you. You're doing what I asked." Demi sighed. "Just fucking do it!" She said loudly before hanging up.

My phone rang immediately.

"Natalie." I said as I answered it.

Demi sat with her arms folded across her chest.

"Demi told me to tell you you're being a little bitch." Natalie said quickly.

"You can tell Demi she's a fucking childish junkie that need to grow the fuck up and start taking responsibility for all of her shitty little antics because I'm about one more ass chewing away from quitting." I said angrily. "Also, let her know she can deal with the label and all of the rest of the fallout. I do not have the time."

"That's real cute Selena." Demi snapped. "Go ahead quit."

"Could you also remind her that I'm not her fucking mother and it's not my job to take care of her." I seethed into the phone.

Natalie was pretty much speechless.

"Fuck this." Demi grumbled a she opened the car door.

"Jesus fucking Christ Demi!" I yelled as the driver slammed on the brakes.

She yanked off her seatbelt and got out of the car.

"Fuck off Selena!" She growled angrily as she stalked away.

I immediately followed her. "Get back in the car Demi."

"No." She said as she continued to walk.

I reached out and grabbed her shoulder. She whipped around and yanked my hand off of her.

"Don't fucking touch me." Her voice was low and menacing.

"Or what?" I challenged. "You wanna hit me? Take a swing. I dare you."

She clenched her jaw as her eyes bore into me. "Don't." She said pointing at me with raised eyebrows.

"Get back in the car." I said gently.

"Just let me go." She said desperately. "Please."

I opened my mouth to object but thought better of it. I knew that she was sober at this point in time and capable of taking care of herself, I was just worried she wouldn't. She looked desperate. Desperate to get away from me.

"Fine." I said angrily as I turned around and climbed back into the waiting SUV.

"Go." I said to the driver.

She watched us pull away, then shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and starting walking. I had no idea where she was going, I just hoped she would be ok.

***

She didn't show up the next day at the studio or the day after that. No one knew where she was and we couldn't get a hold of her. After the third day, I called Ruby.

"Hello." The Aussie said cheerfully when she answered.

"Hey Ruby. It's Selena." I sounded exhausted.

"You alright Sel?" She asked. "You sound a bit rough."

"Yeah. It's Demi." I said cutting right to chase.

"I heard..." She trailed off.

"She needs you here." I sighed. "She needs something that I can't give her. You can though and I have too much going on as it is and..."

"I'll be on a plane tonight." She interrupted. "It'll be ok Sel. Relax."

I could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke. She was almost too chipper for me. She had no fucking clue how fucked up Demi was. It wasn't until a few years later that I would realize that Ruby wasn't what Demi needed after all, I was. She just knew she couldn't have me and that sent her into a very dark place.