A Symphony of Devotion: The Start [Demi Lovato]

[21] White

I'm speechless.

For a brief second, at least. And then I'm throwing my arms around Julian as tears rise in my eyes. "Thank you," I gasp. "Oh my god, thank you, thank you, thank you."

Julian laughs and hugs me back. "You're welcome."

As I open my eyes, wiping tears away as I break apart from Julian, my cousin Lucas happens to walk past. He raises an eyebrow at the two of us together, then nods and continues towards the exit. "The limo's waiting, Kenzie," he calls over his shoulder.

Suddenly, things are looking up.

I can only stop long enough to agree with him before hugging Julian again. There is nothing; nothing in this world I could use to describe how I feel.

"So, I'll pick you up at four?" Julian asks. "We have to be there by five, and we can go get some food before. I got the complete package;, the T-shirts, the posters, the meet and greets-"

"I'm going to meet Demi?" I'd pulled away from the boy a second ago, but now I hug him again as actual tears brim my eyes and spill down the cheeks. "Thank you so much," I whisper. "Thank you."

"So, I'll pick you up at four?" Julian repeats his question. "It gives you about two hours to get changed and do, you know, your girl get ready stuff."

I freeze, my arms dropping to my side. "Wait, today?"

The look on Julian's face implies that I've stated the obvious. "Yeah. When else did you think it'll be?"

Today. I'm meeting Demi Lovato to-fucking-day. Oh my God.

"I don't know." I start to laugh at my own stupidity, coupled with the sudden euphoria from the knowledge that I'll meet Demi Lovato today. Today. "But thank you so much. Again."

Lucas comes into view again. "Come on, Kenzie, let's go!"

I kiss Julian's cheek -one last effect- before following Lucas. "Bye, Jules! I'll see you later!"

Another raise of an eyebrow from Lucas as we walk towards my limo. "You're seeing him later?"

I pass my bag to my chauffeur; having since giving in to his working strictness. "Yeah. He's taking me to a concert."

"Uncle Chris will kill you," Lucas muses. "You've been in America for, how long, three months? Has he ever let you go to a concert alone with a boy?"

I shake my head, sighing.

"Exactly."

And here's my downfall again. My father never lets me out of the house unless it's for school or someone else is supervising me. He's terrified that someone will kidnap me and then hold me for ransom, which I personally feel is impossible. So I either have to convince my parents to let me go to that concert, or lie to them.

Lying it is, then.

It's not fair, though. Zack's never not allowed to leave the house alone as long as he has his tracker on. Because, apparently, Zack can be trusted to not get into trouble or to get lost. And, I, on the other hand.. Well, I've never gave my father reason to trust me before, and it's too late to start now.

The butler is there to open my door when the car stops at the front of the house. I take his offered hand, and step out.

"Martin," I sigh. "Is Dad home? I gotta talk to him about going to a concert."

"I'd advice you not to disturb him now, Miss Stone. Mr Stone is currently in a meeting discerning the car output destroying our ozone layer, and it would be wise to consult your mother instead."