Demi spent the rest of that day searching for Kesha again, annoyed at herself for losing her in the first place.
Eventually she did find her much later, sitting curled up on her doorstep.
Night was beginning to fall now, making Demi nervous about being out in a place she didn't know alone.
It felt like a blessing when her eyes eventually clasped around Kesha's small body.
"Kesha? I've been looking for you all day!" She cried, walking briskly over to Kesha.
"Yeah, I know. I've been avoiding you all day!" Kesha retorted.
This time Demi saw straight through Kesha's mean-girl act. She saw the pain and the fear behind the bitterness in her voice, and she saw the tears in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Demi asked softly, wanting to reach out for Kesha. She stopped her, doubting the gesture would be appreciated.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Kesha sighed, not looking at Demi. Demi shrugged and sat down beside her.
"How come you're out here, it's cold out." She said, giving Kesha a gentle nudge.
"This is pretty warm of Britain," Kesha chuckled lightly. "I'm just...getting some air."
"Hey, what's wrong baby girl? Talk to me," Demi whispered.
"I can't go in there, Demi... I can't," Kesha said. Her voice cracked as she spoke, it was dripping with pain.
"Are you going to tell me why?" Demi asked, scared to speak in case she scared Kesha off again.
"No," Kesha said sharply.
Demi inwardly cursed at that. Too late!
"Please, Kesha? I can help," she begged. "I'm here for you."
"But you weren't," Kesha thought miserably. Tears pricked her eyes, but she forced them back.
Silently, she stood up and began walking away.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Demi cried, storming after her.
"Get lost, Lovato!" Kesha spat. "I don't need this right now! I don't need you right now! My life is hard enough as it is, without you making it more difficult!"
Demi sighed, letting her anger wash over her. She knew that getting angry wouldn't help anything.
"Please, just wait!" Demi yelled.
"Shut up! They might hear you! Are you trying to get me in trouble?" Kesha hissed, spinning around to face her cousin.
"Why is that so bad?" Demi asked worriedly. "They are your parents."
"It just is, okay?" Kesha muttered, walking towards Samantha's house.
Demi watched Kesha knock on the door and saw Samantha quickly open it.
She couldn't hear their conversation from where she was standing.
The next thing she knew, she was being called over by Samantha. Kesha had disappeared inside.
"Would you like to come in, Demi? It's getting kind of cold out." She asked kindly, Demi agreed.
She followed Samantha into the living room, but didn't like what she saw at all!
Kesha was cuddled up on Monica's lap, while Monica played with her hair.
"That should be me," Demi thought bitterly.
Kesha ignored Demi's existence, as usual, and let her eyes close slightly.
"Shall I call your parents, babe?" Samantha asked softly. "Tell them your sleeping over..."
"They'll say no, you know they will." Kesha mumbled miserably.
Samantha just gave her a reassuring smile and pulled out her phone.
"Leave it with me, I'll sort it out." She said, trying to sound more certain than she actually felt.
Demi could hear Samantha trying to reason with Kesha's parents, it didn't sound like it was going well.
Eventually, an exhaustedly Samantha reappeared.
"Sorted," she simply said as she collapsed down on the sofa. "Would you like to stay too Demi? There's plenty of room. Monica's staying."
Demi agreed, but only because she wanted to be as close to Kesha as possible.
The thought of watching Kesha with Monica all evening made her feel physically sick.
Demi sighed, hating herself for being so mean about Monica. After all, she didn't even know her.
Jealousy was an ugly, ugly thing...