Demi's POV
I was woken up by the buzzing of my alarm. I quickly hit the button to turn it off. I yanked back the duvet and pulled myself out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and then got in the shower. I washed my body and hair and got out, wrapping a towel around my body. I dried myself off and then wrapped the towel around my hair.
Walking into my room, I made my way to my drawers. I pulled out a matching pink lace bra and pants set and put them on. Next I went to my wardrobe. I pulled out a black knee length pencil skirt and a red blouse with showed off my cleavage a little. I pulled then on and then sorted out my hair and makeup. I decided upon leaving my hair natural. I put on some eye makeup and some red lipstick.
I opened my curtains and looked out onto the street below me. It had been raining and the pavement was filled with puddles. I quickly made my bed and went downstairs. I made my self some toast and poured a glass of juice before sitting down in front of the tv and watching the news. Why is the news so boring? I feel like because I'm twenty I should be watching these things but no. I switched it over to Kerrang! the music station and returned to the kitchen. I washed up whilst holding my own little concert. They were playing All Time Low- Lost In Stereo. My mind wandered back to yesterday with Nicole.
Nicole's POV
I woke up bang on six. I rolled over and sure enough there was Josh. He often sneaks into my room at night. I got out of bed quietly so that i didn't wake him and went to get washed. I quickly got dressed in my uniform and went to wake up Josh.
"Josh..wake up baby." I cooed. He began to stir, so I gave him a gentle shake. He yawns heavily and his eyes slowly flutter open.
"Morning NicNic!" he said cheerily. This kid has too much enthusiasm for half six in the morning.
"Morning Joshy. Did you sleep well?" I asked him. He just nodded. "Go get a shower and put your uniform on. I'll sort out your bag and make you some breakfast." I left my room and headed towards his. I stopped outside mums room and listened. I couldn't hear anything from inside, so I peaked my head around the door. Nope, nothing. She wasn't home. Great. We're seriously low on food and I don't have any money. She's got to come home soon right? I went to Josh's room and found his books and homework for today.
I brought both our bags downstairs and poured him a bowl of cereal and both of us a glass of water. He soon joined me at the table.
"We've run out of milk, so you've got dry cereal I'm afraid." I told him. He started whining.
"That's not fair, I wont eat it." he said pushing the bowl away.
"Josh you need to eat it. When mum comes home we'll have more milk alright?"
"Why cant we have milk now though?" he asked me.
"Because I don't have the money to buy us any and mum hasn't left us any." I told him. "Eat up or we're going to be late for school.". I finished my drink and washed it up. Josh brought over his bowl and glass and i washed those up as well. We grabbed our coats and bags and put on our shoes. I locked the front door and we began the half hour walk to school. I had to drop Josh off before walking to my own school. Unfortunately they're about quarter of an hour away from each other. It was raining hard before we got to Josh's school and his coat had a huge hole in it, so I took off mine and wrapped it around his shoulders.
Eventually we got to the gates and we said our goodbyes before I left him to get to school. The rain was only coming down harder by now. "Crap." I muttered to myself. Josh still has my coat. When I arrived at school i was absolutely soaked. I made my way to form and sat next to the radiator. Its not on but its far warmer than I am. My form tutor said something about people being moved around forms due to new staffing or something. And then the bell rang for first period; physical education. Outside, in the rain, playing football.
I managed to survive and got chaned back into my unifrom and checked my timetable; music, break, music. Okay I can deal with that, we're performing anyway today. I made my way up the music stairs and lined up outside waiting to be brought in. Miss stood at the door as she welcomed us into the classroom. Upon seeing me she pulled me to one side and asked me to wait there after giving me a very concerned look. After all the students were there she told them to practise quickly. She then turned to me.
"Morning Nicole. Would you like to go and dry off a little?" she asked smiling at me. Shaking and teeth chattering, I replied.
"Morning miss, would that be okay?" I asked.
"Of course." she said, she pulled out an exit card. "I'm doing the performances in alphabetical order, but as you should be first, you will now be last. That okay?" She asked. I nodded and she ushered me out of the classroom.
I returned about ten minuets later a lot dryer and warmer due to the fact I just sat under a hand dryer for ten minuets. I took my seat at the back of the classroom and watched the others in my class sing and play their music. The amount of people who covered Taylor Swift and One Direction was ridiculous. We had to fill in this evaluation form for each person. One group of girls murdered Little Things. I seriously do not understand how half of these people can be doing music. Like, I know I’m not the best but at least I can sing in tune. The bell went for break and Miss Lovato announced that we could stay in the classroom to practise if we wished. Most of us left to perform stayed.
I grabbed my guitar and started singing the chorus. I could hardly hear myself over the noise of everybody else. Miss Lovato was going around listening to everyone and giving them little tips.
“Sing me the first verse.” She demanded when she got round to me. I sang it to her and she told me to project my voice a bit more. The bell went before I could work on her advice and the rest of the class pilled back in and took their seats. There was about seven of us left to perform. They all whizzed by until Miss called my name out. I stood up and grabbed the guitar and made my way to the front. I took a seat on the chair. I introduced myself,
“Hey, I’m Nicole. I write my own music and I’ll be doing an acoustic cover of If These Sheets Were States by All Time Low.” And began to play the chords.
“I'm lost in empty pillow talk again
I'm lost in empty pillow talk again
This bed's an island made of feather down, and I'm stuck here alone
With little else but memories of you, on memory foam
Visions of a brighter love, I'd kill for one more day
To pool my thoughts, and find the words to say
If these sheets were the states, and you were miles away,
I'd fold them end over end to bring you closer to me.
Because I don't sleep at all without you pressed up against me.
I settle for long distance calls, I'm lost in empty pillow talk again.
I'm lost in empty pillow talk again
This room's become a mausoleum, filled with relics of regret
Paying dues to every moment wasted, on words left unsaid
Collisions of a finer love, I'd kill for one more way
To tell you how you make me better every day
If these sheets were the states, and you were miles away,
I'd fold them end over end to bring you closer to me.
Because I don't sleep at all without you pressed up against me.
I settle for long distance calls, I'm lost in empty pillow talk again.
(Lost in empty pillow talk again)
(Lost in empty pillow talk again)
If these sheets were the states, and you were miles away,
I'd fold them end over end to bring you closer to me.
Because I don't sleep at all without you pressed up against me.
I settle for long distance calls, I'm lost in empty pillow talk
I settle for long distance calls, I'm lost in empty pillow talk again.
I'm lost in empty pillow talk again.” I sang.
The slow, steady clap that followed each performance filled my ears and I got up and walked back to my seat. I looked up to Miss as she cleared her throat. “You all have done really well today. There’s a few of you I want to see. So could Ellen, Jess, Louise, Kayla, Michelle, Nicole, Chloe and Katie please stay behind. Okay the rest of you may go.” She announced. She had tears in her eyes and she looked like she was about to breakdown. She quickly called us over.
“Girls, how would you like to sing in this year’s talent show?” she asked quickly. Not even waiting for our responses, “Good, I’ll talk to you about it another day. You may go.” She turned around and walked to her desk. She rested her elbows on the surface and put her head into her hands. We all left the room, I was hanging around at the top of the corridor waiting to speak to the guitar teacher, when I heard it. The soft sobbing coming from the classroom.
I checked and there was no one else around, so I walked back towards the room. The noise getting increasingly louder. I entered the classroom quietly.
“Miss?” I asked softly. She slowly looked up. Her face and eyes were red and puffy, whilst the tears were streaming down her face. “What’s wrong?” I asked walking further into the classroom.
“Nothing, don’t worry Nicole.” She swatted me away.
“It’s obviously something Miss. You’ve been crying pretty heavily. I’m not gonna tell anyone.” I said reassuringly, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a fresh tissue and handed it to her. She wiped her face and thanked me.
“Haven’t you got a lesson to get to?” she asked me smiling.
“Yeah, but I heard someone crying and I thought I’d make sure everything was alright.” I told her. "Now what's up?"
"What class have you got?" she asked me. Really?
"That's not important." I retorted. She raised her eyebrows making it obvious she wasn't going to drop it. "Fine, I've got French, but we're revising for a speech I've already learnt." I lied. I do have French, I just haven't learnt this thing for the oral assessment next week. Oh well.
"Okay." she accepted what I had said. "I recently moved here with my partner. We had been together for four years at this point, however the third year was a long distance relationship. The song you sung was our song for that year. We'd only been here a few weeks when they started not coming home and going out to clubs and stuff. I just let it slide. Anyway, one night i went out with some friends and i spotted them in the club. That night i found out they'd been cheating on me. What made it worse was that I was going to ask her to marry me." she said, the tears streaming down her face again. Wait, did she just say 'her'. I must have miss headed. Then again she hasn't actually specified the sex of this person yet. Wow, okay. "We had a huge fight and i broke it off. She then sat outside my front door singing that song." There she did it again 'she'. Does this make her a lesbian then? She's looking at me funny. She must be expecting me to say something. Erm. Crap what do I say?
"Er, I'm sorry to hear that Miss. It must be hard." I stammered out. We sat and talked for about an hour. The bell had gone for lunch, but we carried on talking because we both had lunch with us.
We both had a free period next but I was planning to leave early today and hang around outside Josh's school ready to walk him home. I decided to stay for longer. Miss Lovato told me about her older sister Dallas and younger (half) sister Maddie and about her mum Dianna and step dad Eddie. But when I asked her about her birth dad she just kinda shut down on me. Fair enough, I mean she knows nothing about me and hear she is spilling her guts to some sixteen year old girl she's known for two days.
"What's your family like?" she asked me suddenly. Oh no.
"Well I have parents, a little brother called Josh. He's eleven, he's a huge fan of crappy, generic pop music." I told her more about him. She asked more about my parents and the rest of my family. "I don't see my dad anymore, my mum works night shifts. And my family disowned us because my mum got pregnant outside of marriage and then continued to marry my dad. No one likes him you see." I told her. I've probably said too much, but she looked so genuinely interested.
My phone started vibrating in my pocket, I apologize to her and checked it. Oh shit. I'm meant to be picking Josh up in two minutes.
"Miss, I'm really sorry but I've got to go. I'm meant to be picking my brother up in literally two minuets. And I cant be late again." I told her grabbing my bag and standing up.
"How long will it take you to get there?" she asked.
"A good fifteen minuets fast walking. Maybe ten if I run." I replied.
"Okay come with me." she said as she grabbed her stuff. I followed her out the classroom.
"Where are we going? I really need to pick up Josh." I said starting to panic. If I'm late the school get in touch with our parents and then things get a little ugly.
"Nicole calm down. Its my fault your late, so I'll drive you there." she said as we walked to her car.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked. I didn't think this kind of thing was allowed.
"Of course, now get in or we will be late. You're going to have to tell me where to go by the way." I gave her the directions and we made our way to the school. We were only a few minuets late. I jumped straight out the car and walked over to where Josh was waiting. Upon seeing me he ran and flung himself around me.
"I missed you nicnic." he said.
"I missed you too Josh." I told him hugging him back. I took his bag from him and held his hand. We walked back towards the car.
"Thanks for the lift Miss. Josh, this is my teacher Miss Lovato. Say hi." I cooed at him.
"Hi Miss Larvaeto, I'm Joshy, Nicnics brother." he introduced himself. He did not just call me Nicnic in front of her. I felt my cheeks flush red.
"Nicnic eh?" Miss Lovato said winking at me. We both laughed.
"Anyway we had better get going, thanks for the lift here you've really helped me out."
"You helped me out earlier, so get back in the car and let me drive you home and call it quits." she said. I agreed and Josh jumped into the back of her SUV. Again I gave her directions.
"What's for dinner? I'm hungry." whined josh.
"When aren't you? Probably cereal." I told him.
"But I had that this morning and we dont have any milk." he said angrily.
"Because the fridge is empty and I dont have enough money to buy anything else. You know this Joshua." I said sternly. I probably shouldn't have said that. I could see Miss turn to look at me through the corner of my eye.
"I can take you shopping if you need it?" she suggested.
"No, we're fine thank you." I said getting slightly frustrated. We stopped but we weren't in our street. We were outside the local McDonalds.
"Come on, my treat." she said climbing out the car. Josh quickly followed her. She walked around to my side and opened the door. "Come on Nicole." she was urging me to follow her, so I climbed out the car and we followed her into McDonalds. We waited in the queue as she told us to decided what we wanted. We were called up.
"Hello, what can I get you?" a spotty ginger teen asked.
"Hi, can I get a chicken legend, fries and a diet coke please?" Miss asked the boy. "Shout up what you want." she directed us.
"Can I have a chicken nugget happy meal please?" Josh asked in a small voice.
"Of course sweetie." She said as she relayed the order so that the boy could hear. "What do you want Nicole?"
"I'm not hungry." I told her. I'm not gonna lie I'm starving. But I'm not gonna let her buy me and my brother food. I'm going to give her money later. Once I get home. Somehow.
Miss told us to go grab a booth and she'd bring the food over once she had payed. She was walking over with a tray pilled up with fries and boxes and cups. There was Josh's happy meal, her chicken whatever. Two fries and a box of mixed stuff.
"I wasn't sure what you liked so I just got this. I hope that's okay, if not I'll give you some money and you can go get yourself something." she said smiling.
"You didn't have to do this Miss, we would have been fine." I said. Truth is Josh would've gotten cereal and I wouldn't have eaten. So no, it's not fine. But we're used to it.
"I think the word your looking for is thank you. I couldn't have my star pupil not eating now could I?" she replied, her smile growing bigger at the last comment.
"What?" I asked her a little stunned. 'star pupil' What?! And the 'my'. Apparently I'm hers. Yeah I wouldn't mind that. Wait, why am i thinking like this.
1) she's my teacher
2) she's a girl
3) what the fuck
"You heard." she said laughing. "Anyway call me Demi when we're not in class." she told me. Demi. I could get used to that. No! Stop it Nicole.
"Demi it is then. Call me Nic if you prefer. I hate the name Nicole. I just want the other kids calling me that because then they think they know me and they don't." I told her. Oh crap. I think I just said too much.
"I understand that, I did the same thing. So who do go hang around with at school?" she asked.
"I don't really have any friends at school. Most people are.. well scared of me." I admitted.
"Do you want people to think you're scary or whatever?" she asked.
"Sometimes, it stops people from having a go or trying to get close to me." I told her.
"Why don't you want people to get close to you?" I cant tell her that. That's one way too far.
"I just don't." I said finishing the conversation.
"So Josh, how do you like school?"
"Its shit." he replied with a mouth full of food.
"Josh! How many times? Just because Dad talks like that does not make it okay for you to talk like that. Especially in front of company." I scolded him. I turned to Demi and mouthed Sorry. She then made a gesture as if to say 'That's okay'. I know Josh and I have different Dad's but he's never met his Dad. Only mine unfortunatly for him.
"How come schools so bad?" Demi asked him.
"I hate the people there and they hate me. The teachers are horrible and I don't learn very much."
"Why are people so mean Josh?"
"I dunno. They just are I guess." he replied. I pulled him into me and hugged him a little. The truth is the kids at his school bully him. In the past he's come home and he's been beaten up. They broke his arm last year, I mean we're talking about ten and eleven year olds.
"Do you want an ice cream or anything?" Demi asked. The smile on Josh's face was priceless. We both laughed at him. Demi ordered him a smartie mcflurry, herself a crunchie mcflurry and I got a brownie. We took them out to the car and ate them in there. Once Demi had finished-she's a freakishly fast eater- I told her the way home and she began to drive. We talked mainly about music and school stuff. We pulled up outside the house. There were two cars pulled up outside. Mum and dad. That can only mean one thing. "Shit." I mumbled.
"What?" Demi said.
"Josh I need you to stay here until I come to get you, okay?" he nodded. I got out the car and ran towards the house. I could hear Demi yelling at me to stop and explain. I pushed at door slightly and it swung open. I could hear the shouting. All that's missing now is the smashing. I walked into the house and into the living room. I immediately ducked as a bowl came hurtling towards my head. I made a run for the stairs and ran into Josh's room. I grabbed a bag and stuffed in some of his clothes. I could hear both of them storming up the stairs. I slammed the door and pulled his desk across the door. That'll slow them down for about two seconds. I ran to the window and chucked out the bag. His room was at the front of the house. I could now see Demi standing by the passenger side of the door looking extremely worried. She instantly looked up and grabbed the bag from the floor.
"Nicole?" she shouted. I didn't bother to reply, I stepped away from the window as they entered the room.
"Hello bitch." my dad said. "You've gotten fatter you worthless slut.". Well nothing has changed. No new insult. My mum threw some slurred insult at me as well.
I attempted to dodge around them but he caught my arm and yanked me back. His hand slapped across my face and he pushed me to the floor. Mum said something and they returned to arguing. So I quickly scrambled out of the room and started off down the stairs. "NOT SO QUICK" my dad shouted as he made a grab for my leg, tripping me. I fell down the stairs and landed in a heap. My phone flying out of my pocket as I hit the floor and smashing against the wall. I did a quick mental check. My head and my legs hurt but don't think its anything serious. I got up and stumbled out of the front door. Demi ran towards me and took me to the car and helped me in.
I could hear him shouting after me. Demi ran round to her side and sped of quickly. We spent the next five minuets in silence. Eventually the car stopped.
Demi's POV
I got Josh out of the car and gave him the key and told him to unlock the door and make himself at home. He quickly ran off towards the house. I opened Nicole's door and she undid her belt. I took one of her arms to help support her and she got out the car.
She put her arm around my neck and I put mine around her waist. We staggered into my house. I helped her lay down on the sofa and went to get some ice for her face. I need to ask her what happened. Obviously its her parents but why. Josh shut down when I asked him about his parents. He told me to ask Nicole. I guess that's what I'm going to have to do, just very carefully.
I walked back into the living room where josh was sitting by her side kissing her cheek were she had been hit.
"Come on Josh, lets go next door and watch some tv." I said as he followed me into the kitchen. I switched on the tv and told him to out whatever he wanted on.
Nicole was sat up when I went back with the ice. I wrapped it in a towel and she placed it against her face.
"At very least it should stop most of the bruising." I told her, she just smiled weakly. "Nicole. What happened in there?" I asked her slowly. Her face dropped.
"I'm gonna have to tell you aren't I?" she said more talking to herself than me. "My parents don't get on anymore, in fact they are separated. We live with mum, but she's hardly ever home. There's never much food in the house and I have to look after Josh. Which I don't mind doing. I'd die for that kid. Anyway all of our family disowned us because my mum was pregnant with me out of marriage and then she married my dad and no one liked him. And yeah." she said the tears streaming down her face.
"Okay, but what happened today?" I asked her again.
"The front door was open and I went into the living room and they were throwing things and shouting. I went up to Josh's room and got the bag. Threw it down towards you. And they came in and called me names, dad slapped my face and pushed me to the floor. They started arguing again, so I ran out and then he tripped me down the stairs. And then I came out to you and here we are." she laughed nervously.
"Have they hit you and stuff before?" she flinched but then nodded.
"It was all verbal insults and empty threats until I turned twelve. Then the threats turned out to be real, the abuse became physical and verbal." she said.
"Your okay now, you and Josh are safe here. Can I have a look at your leg?" she nodded again. I pulled off her shoe and sock and rolled up her trousers above her ankle. "It's really swollen. I think we should go to a and e."
Nicoles head shot up and her eyes got wide. "No. No hospitals." she refused.
"Okay, if I call someone will you let them look at it?" I asked. This means I have to call her. She nodded. Fuck.
"Okay, I'll call her now." I switched on the tv for her and went back to the kitchen. "Hey Josh, you can go back to your sister if you want." he ran off back to Nicole. He's so cute.
I sat down on the kitchen surface and switched off the tv. I pulled out my phone and dialled her number.
"What Demi?" she answered.
"Hi, I know we're not on good terms but I really need your help right now." I don't know why she's pissed at me. I mean she is the one who cheated. I just caught her.
"What is it?" she asked sighing.
"A friend of mine has hurt her leg and she refuses to go to hospital. She can't weightbare properly. I just want to make sure she hasn't broken it or anything."
"Is it swollen?"
"Yeah at least double the size of her other one."
"Okay, I'm on my way round now." she said sighing before hanging up.