Author's Note (Not a spoiler)
Hi guys. Well here we are. The final chapter. The end of the road. A means to an end. I know i usually put my notes at the end of the chapter(s) but save this once I wanted to put this first because I wanted all the readers to see this. I wanted to say thank you. Just thank you. For without you guys i would not have kept writing this story. Ive grown so attached to this book and it really saddens me now its at an end. But i am proud of how far its come and what i've been able to do with all your help. I hope you've all enjoyed the book, and if it ever offended anyone at some point Im very sorry it wasn't intentional. Especially with me taking so long to update. Life gets in the way sometimes and at times i feel like i dont want to write it anymore but enough of you guys hassle me enough to keep going lol. Im so glad my first story ever was a nemi story. I do really ship them irl. I think Nick has been there for Demi, in a way that no other boyfriend of hers has. I love them both so much.
This chapter is dedicated to ALL OF YOU. To the ones who wait patiently for every update, the ones who have been here since the start (i know who you are), to the ones who write me heartfelt comments that fill my heart with love, to the ones who badger me all the time about being slow to update, to the ones who read the entire story in one sitting at all hours of the morning, to the ones who show me their support by following me and voting but also to the ones who don't have an account on wattpad but come back anyways to read my story. I dedicate this all for you.
Im just a writer. I love to write. So thank you all for allowing me to do this for you.
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Demi's POV:
"You sure you don't wanna come with me to the wedding?" Selena probed again. Her eyes showing all the pity she had for me.
"No thanks" I replied, forcing a tiny smile knowing full well she'd not go if she saw how uncomfortable and depressed i was.
She stood there in our doorway contemplating me for awhile longer, in her green sparkly dress that fell all the way to the floor. Sel always looked good in green. She looked good in every color to be honest but green always brought out the sparkle in her dark Latina eyes and made her golden tan look amazing.
"Okay, i love you" she finally said, giving me her own tiny smile and then turning to leave.
She hadn't wanted to go to Nick and Emma's wedding but for publicity's sake, as was everything these days, she had to. She was probably going to drink half the bar out.
Nick's wedding.
The thought hit me again, as it had over the last two weeks since we'd last spoken that night.
I'd not given him an ultimatum. I had given him his answer. And true to his word, he'd followed it. He'd never called again, and I had lost contact with the whole family. Not even Emma made a peep.
I'd asked for it, and well it was done.
For some reason though after that night i felt a huge wave of relief wash over me.
It felt like the biggest weight had finally been lifted off my shoulders.
The truth was in the end it could have been one of two choices. We were gonna end up together or not.
That choice had been made. Him deciding to keep to my words, cemented it all.
What he didn't know though was that i spent the rest of that night and morning crying in bed.
I don't know if it was the emotional relief or the fact that maybe a little part of me had been holding on, hoping for him to come back to me in time.
Unawarely i had been counting down the days to the wedding.
Half of me woke up each morning hoping he'd come knocking on my door saying it had been called off. The other half of me went to bed each night relieved he hadn't. My mind and body were a mess.
And now the day was here. Half of me was happy and the other half sad. Unbelievable though the losing half was overwhelming.
"Stop being shut an idiot Demi'' i said aloud to myself. "It's the guy's wedding day and you're still holding onto hope. How much stupider can you get."
I was talking to myself. Things really had taken a turn for the very worst.
The thought made me laugh.
Who would've thought i'd end up alone AND losing my mind.
"Probably a good idea to try and get some work done" i uttered to no one in particular, making my way over to the study.
Turning on the computer i quickly logged onto Twitter. Maybe the fans could make me feel better today. they always managed to anyway.
Big mistake.
#CongratsNickandEmma, #CongratsToTheNewlyWedMr&MrsJonas, #SoProudOfNick, #WelcomeToTheFamilyEmma
They were everywhere.
Trends. My entire news feed.
I'm not quite prepared to deal with this today sorry guys, i thought quickly logging out again.
Maybe this situation could be useful somehow i thought.
Grabbing a pen and paper, i started writing a song.
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Selena's POV:
Whoa.
The place was amazing.
Ice sculptures everywhere. White drapes. White chairs. It was like a winter wonderland.
Emma really went all out.
This must've cost an arm and leg. From both her and Nick.
I quickly looked around for someone i knew and spotted Bella Thorne. She was a regular on one of Disney's shows. We'd all been through Disney, but my time had been before hers. But she was really a sweet girl and I decided she'd have to do for today.
"Hi" I beamed, as i approached her.
She was looking around timidly. She always was a shy girl and it looked like she was alone.
"Oh hey Selena" she replied, seeing me for the first time and a look of relief flushed over her face.
Bingo.
"You here alone?" I enquired.
"Uh yeah, i was hoping to find some familiar faces to blend in with."
"Well you have me" i smiled, linking my arm into hers.
Thank God.
It was hard enough coming to the wedding of people who didn't really like you. but to be alone would just be the icing on top of my embarrassment.
"The place is pretty spiffed up huh" Bella remarked, the same look of amusement on her face as I had, taking the place in.
"Pretty over the top if you ask me" i muttered.
"What?" Bella asked, turning to me.
"Oh nothing. Yes its a lot." I quickly said.
I didn't want her to see how opposed i was to everything. I didn't want to ruin the day for her poor girl. But Demi was not far from my mind. Probably curled up in the fetal position at home, drowning in her feelings. She didn't think i saw it but i did. This morning she'd been up before i was, which was probably at 6am. She had been sleepless for awhile now. Her eyes were tired. And i knew it was to do with today.
Oh Demi, i thought. This is the end of the line for them. She can really go on from here. They both can. There isn't anything for them after this.
The thought comforted me a little. I didn't give a shit about Nick. But i was worried for my girl. This is a good impasse for them both.
"Let's grab a drink huh" I proposed to Bella
"Sure" she smiled, leading the way to the bar.
Hello friend, I smiled.
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Emma's POV:
"Everything is perfect darling!" my mom squealed. She looked happy, probably a little too happy as i spied the glass of sherry she was trying to hide behind her.
"Mom i can see it" i replied, giving her a knowing look. "Put that away things haven't even started yet."
"Oops sorry dear, i just thought i'd grab a glass to calm my nerves." she admitted guiltily.
"How you managed to fit a whole bottle of sherry into ONE glass is beyond me" my sister Carrie, put in sarcastically. She was adjusting the dress when my mom had strolled in.
"You girls" mom replied, defeatedly pouring the last of the glass' contents into a pot plant next to her. "What time are you expected at the venue anyway?"
"Not for an hour" Carrie replied, pins in her mouth.
"And where's Nick?"
"He's at his hotel" Carrie put in again.
"Have you spoken to him today?"
"Nope"
"Who's he with?"
"His family, i should guess."
"Oh okay"
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Nick's POV:
"You look so handsome my boy" mom beamed up at me, fixing my tie for the millionth time, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Thanks mom" i replied, reaching down to hug her again.
We were already at the venue.
Emma was down the hall in another room. She was a few meters away but i hadn't seen her at all. Bad luck and all that rubbish. Oh well.
It was an emotional morning for the whole family. They'd all come and gone, crying and giving me their well wishes. Dad, Kevin, Frankie, Danielle and even Joe.
Everybody was shedding tears of happiness.
I on the other hand, felt indifferent.
Did all men feel like this on their wedding day?
Numb.
"Are you okay Nick?" mom was looking up at me worriedly. "You seem so faraway."
"Uh... " i sputtered. "Yeah, i think i need some fresh air. I might go outside for awhile."
"Okay but don't go too far, procession start in about half an hour."
"Don't worry mom" i replied, flinging open the sliding door that led into the spacious gardens of the venue.
It was a beautiful day, and all of a sudden really hot.
I loosened my tie and walked for about ten minutes until i found a bench hidden amidst all the shrubberies.
My hands were sweating profusely all of sudden.
It was slowly dawning on me.
Today i was making the biggest commitment of my life.
This could possibly be the happiest day of my life. But why was i feeling so disheartened. My stomach felt like an endless pit. Like i was about to be sick.
Oops too late. The contents of my breakfast earlier that morning emptied out onto the pavement.
I wasn't feeling any better. My head started to swoon.
Why the hell. what the hell.
"You okay there champ?"
The voice startled me.
I jumped up out of the seat and came face to face with none other than my brother, Joe.
"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" I asked.
"Mom told me you were in the gardens, didn't take long to find you i could hear you spewing your guts from a mile away." he smirked.
Great.
"Feeling abit sick eh?" he asked, eyeing me worriedly
"Yeah" i admitted, sitting myself back down, my head still spinning.
Joe made his way over and sat down next to me.
We were quiet for a bit. I didn't really know what he wanted and was feeling too unstable to ask.
"I noticed you looking abit off this morning" he finally said. "Just thought i'd see if i could get it out of you before you walked in there."
"I'm fine" i lied. Now wasn't the time. And Joe was probably not the person to sort out my thoughts.
"You are ready for this right?" he pushed on further.
When i didn't answer him he turned to me.
"Look i think it's time we had this talk. Maybe i'd left it a tad late but i was never one known for my timing."
"Joe i don't wanna hear it -"
"No. We have to. You're obviously plagued by something and i think i know what it is. It's Demi isn't it."
"I'm marrying Emma, why would i be thinking of Demi?" i asked, curious to know why.
"You probably won't admit it to me, and maybe not even to yourself, but what you could be feeling is cold feet, and its probably her."
"How would you know?" i asked annoyed. If anything, Demi was not a topic Joe and I were friendly on.
"You've been extra quiet the last month. You were not the same guy who proposed to Emma months ago. Since that Demi thing came up you've been brooding again. I'm not stupid Nick."
"Why do you care? You'd rather avoid this whole Demi situation with me. You've been doing a stellar job of it over the last year."
"Of course. Thinking of you two together still makes me mad. How do you think i'd rather deal with it? Fight it out with you? No. I'd rather alienate her than lose my brother. And we were doing a good job of it too."
"Joe what is the point to all this. Today is not the day." I replied, annoyed further at his audacity to bring all this up today of all days.
"Nick, i want to tell you. That even if you marry Emma, this internal conflict you have with Demi is not going to go away."
"What?"
"I know inner demons brother, and i know what yours are. And i know they won't go away. If you have second thoughts on marrying Emma, listen to them. If she isn't your first thought, then don't put her through it. Don't put yourself through it, don't put me, and everyone else through it. I left this until the last minute hoping you'd see it for yourself but you clearly are the biggest coward i've ever met. I didn't want to do this either but what kind of brother would that make me. You've done so much for me, you've put me first so many times, this is the least i could do to repay you back. I'm not as big an ass as you think me to be."
With that he reached out. Grabbing me by the head he drew me in and whispered, "Go get her bro."
And standing up he turned back in the direction he came from and left.
I was dumbfounded.
I was speechless.
I was astounded.
But somehow elevated.
"By the way" he called over his shoulder, "You might wanna go see the bride first."
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I knocked on the door.
"Come in" she called.
I opened the door and walked in. She was standing in front of the mirror adjusting her veil. She looked breathtaking.
She caught my reflection in the mirror and turned around swiftly.
"Nick what are you doing here? You can't be here it's bad luck" she said alarmed.
Bad Luck. The thought made me laugh. If there ever was anyone plagued with bad luck it was me. This wasn't going to make any difference.
"Em we need to talk" i replied, a sober expression on my face.
I saw the panic rise in her pretty features. Her hand started to shake and her legs wobbled as she reached out to grip the nearest chair.
I moved forward to grab her and support her but she lashed out.
"NO!" she all but screamed.
"Emma...."
"Don't touch me!" she lashed out again.
I didn't know where to start.
She suddenly started crying, hysterically.
"Why?" she managed to choke out.
"Emma....... " my heart broke for her but i had to do this I couldn't lie to her and the life we'd live together would be the biggest lie of all.
"I can't do it babe. I'd be lying if i were to take your hand today and tell you i'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you."
"And you choose to do this to me now!?" she sobbed, the tears making it hard for her to talk.
"I was a coward." i replied, biting my lip. I'd never felt so responsible for someone's grief in my entire life. "But i can't lie to myself anymore. I can't lie to you either. I care too much for you to do this."
"This... hurts... Nick....I thought you were ready and you were sure." she was in so much pain.
"I thought i was too" i admitted, saddened.
She looked up then. Seeing my expression. "What happened?" she whispered, taking slow breaths to compose herself.
I shook my head and sat myself down next to her.
"I was lying to myself so much that i guess i thought eventually it would become the truth. I've been running from something this whole time. And being with you made me happy and i thought it would be the healing that i needed. But no it didn't happen. I should've never have dragged you into all this knowing full well that i could revoke at any point and fall back into this depression i've been fighting."
"I should've known when i found out about her that this was a losing battle" she said, calmly. She recollected herself and was silently dabbing tears that still brimmed in her eyes.
"I tried so hard to make her a part of my past, that suppression was the only medicine i thought of, but what really was happening was that it was all overloading. And when you came home that night and told me she left her former love for me it all overflowed. All that i had bottled in came out, and was worse than before. but i didn't tell you i called her that night you left and she did for me, what she did for you. She told me to come back to you."
"She did that?" Emma whispered, she seemed so small next to me. Her eyes fixated on the floor in front of us.
"Yeah she did. And at first i thought that was it, she was right, to go through with this wedding. But that was the easy way out Emma and it really nagged at me. I felt like i was giving up on her, on the one thing, the one person that would make me complete. And that even up until the last minute she was showing me her love, the only unconditional love i'd ever experienced. If it wasn't for love, she'd not have been able to give me up. I could imagine how crushed i'd be if i'd been in her shoes, i was literally begging her to take me back but she didn't relent. And today it dawned on me that all this time, she'd been making the decisions for us, and i'd never been put in the hot seat and asked to make even one decision. I used her as the scapegoat to face my problems but never once did i stand on my own two feet and make the choice for myself. And today, i'm making that choice Emma."
Emma didn't say anything for awhile. She was fully composed now.
She slid her hand into mine and took a deep breath. "She was always the choice Nick. this is basically the road you were taking to get back to her. I was just here to make you see that. I understand it now too."
"I wish it hadn't gone to this point though" she added. "But i knew deep inside too that i would never have your whole heart. I guess i was blinded as well. Thinking you'd forget in time. It was always a losing battle."
Her words shocked me. I didn't expect her to understand. I expected her to elevate to throwing chairs and things at me.
I reached out and enveloped her in my arms. She was a lovely girl and deserved the best guy but i wasn't going to be him.
"I'll always love you Nick" she whispered, un-attaching herself from me and looking up into my eyes.
"Now go get her"
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Demi's POV:
Two pages of lyrics. Not bad Demi, not bad, I thought.
"Bellissimo!" i yelled out loud to the empty house.
My mood had lightened considerably since earlier on. Thoughts of the wedding were partially gone and with wine glass in hand i was now jamming out to the newly written song.
"I'll call it Moving On" i spoke out to myself again. This talking to self thing was really getting out of hand. Oh well.
Suddenly the home phone rang.
"Yep" i spoke into the receiver.
"Yo its me" Selena's slightly drunk voice came over the other end. "Imma bit druuunk"
"You sound like it. Where are you?" I asked, ill at ease. I hope she was okay.
"Oh I'm at the wedding venue, do you think you can pick me up?"
"Are you okay?" i asked hoping someone was with her. Selena was a bad drunk and alot of the time i was around to babysit her but not tonight.
"Yeah sure there's heaps of peeps here, don't worry about it" she slurred into the phone again.
"Okay hold up i'll be there in half an hour" i quickly replied, hanging up and grabbing my car keys.
I quickly looked at my watch the wedding was supposed to have started at 4pm and it was only 6pm.
Only two hours had passed.
"Well done Selena" i mumbled.
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'Come around the back' Selena's text read.
Good call, i thought. Going around the front would mean being seen and being seen would mean talking to a whole lot of people i didn't want to necessarily talk to.
The grounds were huge, i thought as i drove my car through the back street that led to the back entrance that the working staff used. The front of the building was obscured by the huge garden so i couldn't see any cars or people at all. I pulled up to the back parking lot and got out, making my way to the back doors.
The back rooms were empty.
Maybe they weren't using these rooms, i thought.
I saw the big sign signalling to the main events room and made my way over.
Swinging the wide doors open i came to a complete halt.
The entire place was amazing. All the wedding decorations sparkled and were lit up in such amazing ways.
I was literally struck breathless.
Everything was whitewashed. The chairs, tables, dance floor. All of it.
I felt like i was in a fantasy world.
But that wasn't what struck me.
The place was empty.
Not a person in sight.
The wedding can't be over, i thought. It had only started two hours ago. If anything, it wouldn't be over until tomorrow morning.
Confusion awashed me.
And where was Selena?
I walked to the middle of the room and looked around at the empty place. Was i missing something?
I quickly dialled Selena's number. The phone had been turned off.
What the heck.
I felt a surge of anger start to build up in me when i suddenly heard a noise behind me.
I spun around ready to see Selena standing there in her drunken state ready for me to carry her out of the building.
But instead it was someone else.
It was Nick.
Standing there in his black suit. His hair brushed back. His face clean shaved. He looked so handsome. I suddenly felt self conscious standing there in front of him in skinny jeans and a plain brown flannel shirt. i wasn't exactly dressed to the nines.
But my thoughts of awe were quickly replaced by curiosity and shock again. Where was everyone? Why was he the only one here? And where in the blue hell was Selena?
"Nick... I i i i" I was stuttering like an idiot. How was i suppose to explain what i was doing there?
"Demi it's okay" came his reply, his face calm as ever. He started striding towards me, covering the distance between us in a few short steps. I just stood transfixed in the middle of the beautiful room. Everything in the room was beautiful, him especially. I felt like the ugly duckling out of the stories, like I didn't belong.
"I.... Selena....." i tried to form words again.
"Shhh" he cut me off placing his finger ever so slightly on my lips.
We were suddenly so close, about a hands with apart. I could feel his breath on my face as he stood there, his gaze fixed on me.
"Nick what's going on?" i whispered, confused.
"Selena isn't here. She left." he simply stated.
"But she called me to come get her" I objected. "And where is everyone?" I added, looking around the empty room.
Nick let out a low chuckled as he looked on at my confused face.
"I told her to call you to come Demi." he then said.
"But..." i couldn't make sense of anything.
"And there was no wedding" he ended with.
No wedding. The words almost bowled me over. A truckload of emotions came upon me.
"What do you mean?" i asked, looking up into his dark eyes which were sparkling with merriment. He was enjoying this teasing game. Watching me all frustrated bemused him.
"Nick i'm serious. Why is there no wedding?" i said, in a serious tone.
He must've caught on because the look of laughter left his eyes and he became serious all of a sudden.
"Because there couldn't be one" he said.
"Did something happen?" i pushed on, he wasn't being blunt enough.
"Yes. You did." came the response.
And then it all came crashing down on me. The realization.
Was this really happening?
The look on my face must've told all.
"There was no way i could've married her." he whispered, grabbing my hand in his.
The look on his face was one filled with love. My heart started to swell.
"But i told you not... "
"My heart couldn't go through with it" he cut me off again.
"Nick we'd never work. God knows we've tried so hard. Your family... I ...... '' I protested.
He merely shook his head.
"None of that matters. No one but us matters. We've been through so much together Demi. Losing you was never an option for me. We were never a lost cause. We might have faced all the curveballs that could've possibly thrown at us, but none of it dampened what we felt inside. There was always a candle burning between us. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, and God made me work hard to earn you. At times i was scared and i ran away from you. I made excuse after excuse. But in the end there was no escape. I'm never giving up Demi. I'm never giving up on us. I'm doing this for all the times you stood by me, for all the truth you made me see, for all the joy you brought to my life, for all the wrong that you made right, for every dream you made come true and for all the love i found in you. You're the one who saw me through it all. And for that i know there is no other love stronger than yours. No one could possibly love me more than you ever have. And in all the truth, i don't think i could live without your love. I cannot and i simply refuse to live without you."
His face was filled with emotion and his breath came in short pants.
"Please don't tell me that I am too late. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own that it was the first time i set eyes on you. I have loved none but you. I may have been unjust, weak and resentful but i was never inconstant."
His eyes were brimming with tears.
"Demi I -" he started again.
"Hush" I whispered, placing my own hand on his mouth.
"My heart never left your possession either."
And crossing what could've been possibly the shortest and longest distance between us, i kissed him.
THE END.
LEILA.