Annie's POV
I'm awake but I refuse to believe it.. So I keep my eyes shut and try to make myself go back to sleep.
I feel myself tangled up into Marissa and it feels all to much like Demi. At first I started to pull away, but instead I keep myself there and I just pretend like Demi's home. I'm pretending like I'm hugging Demi and like my legs are tangled with hers instead of Marissa's. I inhale Marissa's shirt and act like it will smell like Demi, which oddly enough, it does.
I must've moved around to much because now Marissa's fingers are drawing circles in my back just like Demi does when I can't sleep. All of this is so sadly familiar and it hurts knowing Demi isn't here.
I won't be able to go back to sleep, so I untangle myself as the fingertips stop caressing my back.
When the pair of arms pull me back to them, my eyes fly open and I'm met with none other than Demi's.
DEMI. IM LOOKING AT DEMI. DEMI IS HERE RIGHT NOW. DEMI. MY MOM. SHES- SHES IN MY BED!!
I sit up so fast I'm sure I have whiplash and take a look at Demi who is smiling widely at me.
"Good Morning, baby girl!"
I refuse to let myself believe she's here. She can't be here. This- is this a dream? "Are- you're really here?"
"I'm home, baby. It's me. I'm back and I promise I'll never-"
I never realized how much I've missed Demi until I fling myself on to her and start slowly crying happy tears. "You don't k-know how much I've missed you."
She squeezed me tighter and started drawing circles in my back, "Baby girl, I've missed you way more than you missed me. Please don't cry. I'm home! You don't have to cry now.. Mamma's home."
I've never been so surprised and the only time I can remember being happier is when she got out of rehab.
I'm absorbing every moment of this and I just wish I could never let go. I didn't expect her to surprise me, I really thought she was going to wait till this evening.
"I'm so happy," I managed to get out over my muffled cries.
"Awe, baby! Me too," she gushed, "I've missed you so much!"
I smiled and let go of my hold on her. She was makeup free, her hair pulled back into a little bun, and she looked glowing. She looked better than when I left her, and for the first time I may actually think the week away did is good.
After a few minutes of hugging and silence she said, "So, do you want me to make you breakfast and then we can catch up on Kourtney and Khloe take the Hamptons?"
"Yes," I smiled.
"You haven't watched any without me, right?" She asked.
"Nope!" I said, sliding out of bed after Demi.
She nodded and slung her arm around my shoulder, leading me out of my room. "When did you get home?"
"Around three in the morning," she said.
"You were here that long?! And you didn't wake me up?"
She giggled, "You just looked so peaceful, I wouldn't want to interrupt!"
I rolled my eyes as we entered the kitchen and she began pulling bacon and eggs out of the fridge. I've missed her so much.
•••
After catching up on all of our shows sense the tour started, we're finally done.. And exhausted of watching TV. I'm not complaining about snuggling with Demi, though. Have I said how much I've missed her?
"Alrighty, I should probably go put something on.. I'm leaving in a few minutes," she sighed.
Wait.. What?
"Where are you going?" I asked, my heart sinking.
"Wilmer is taking me somewhere for a date. Marissa will come over and hang out for a bit with you."
Wilmer? Marissa? She just left.. Why would she come back? Why isn't Demi staying with me?
"No," I shook my head, "You just got here! I don't want Marissa to come over. I was with her for a straight week!"
Demi literally has spent two hours with me. I'm not counting the time I was asleep. From the time I woke up to now, we've only been together two hours and she's leaving me again.
"I know, I know.." She said, standing up, "but you're not the only one I haven't seen in a week. I've missed Wilmer too, ya' know."
"You just got home!" I said, "And you're already leaving me.. Again!"
She ignored me and kept walking to the kitchen to put her plate in the sink. Is she really being serious right now?! Are you fucking kidding me?
"Annie, I've missed you so much," she said, "but I'm just spending the day with him and then we'll come home and we will hangout with you and-"
The front door opened and Wilmer was quick to make an entrance of swooping Demi off of her feet and spinning her in a circle. Fuck that.
I stared at them in disgust and when he finally put her down, they both looked at me and their faces fell.
"Hey, Annie. What's up?" He asked.
I can't believe this is happening. She's choosing Wilmer over me basically. I've missed her so fucking much. I missed her so much, it made me sick. I was miserable and she doesn't even understand.
"Why did you even bother coming home?" I asked, before turning on my heel and jogging up the stairs. I made an effort to make sure they can both hear my stomping.
I slammed my door shut and slid down against it. It's literally one thing after another. Can the cycle fucking stop?! When will it stop?! I'm becoming.. Sad. I feel the heaviness on my chest become frequent recently and I don't know what to do. No one is there to fix whatever this is I'm feeling; not even Demi. I feel like I have no one.
The only person that I think would remotely understand any of this, would be Conner. Obviously he's not an option right now. Every person I love ends up leaving or not caring.
"Annie, open up," I flinched back at Demi's voice coming from the other side of the door. I didn't even hear her steps approaching.
"Annie, I-" she opened the door but it only hit my back, "Annie- just- open-"
After a few seconds of her fumbling with the door and rattling the handle, I scooted away with one swift moment.
The door flew open and Demi's face had all sorts of emotion all over it when she saw me sitting on the floor.
"Annie, listen-"
"Leave me alone," I mumbled, making my way over to my bed.
Demi let out a frustrated groan, "Annie just freaking listen to me, okay?"
I slumped my head down as the heaviness in my chest grew stronger. I felt the lump in the back of my throat and my heart pick up its pace. Why do I feel like this?
"I have other people very important in my life, along with you. Wilmer had told me he was coming over with no excuses. I want to spend a little alone time with him, and then we will come home and visit with you," Demi spoke calmly.
"And then what? You two will go to your bed and I'll come sleep alone in mine? He'll just become a part of our family just like that? He'll replace me in all ways possible? He'll be attached to your hip every second and it'll never be just us again?" I asked, fists clenched. I'm so angry! My nails are digging into my palm, drawing blood, but I don't care.
"Okay, calm down and stop being so dramatic. Marissa will come over and stay-"
"No!" I yelled, "I don't want Marissa to come over! I don't fucking want anyone to come 'babysit me', Demi! I'm thirteen and you can't just expect Marissa to drop her plans every time you think I need her. I don't fucking need her, I need you."
Demi's face fell, "You called me Demi.. You've called me mom everyday sense the first time you called me that.." She looked genuinely upset, but I don't care. I've been upset for a long time and she doesn't care. "And what you said downstairs about me not bothering to come home.. That was harsh. Did you mean that?"
I shrugged, "I'm sure you'll get over it."
Demi rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I'm leaving. I'm setting the alarm and I'll check in every half hour,"
While she was talking, I laid down in my bed and pulled the covers up to my chin with my back towards Demi.
"I love you, okay?" She said.
I knew she waited a few moments for me to say it back, but when she finally realized I wasn't, she left.
Is it a big deal she wants to spend time with Wilmer? No.
But the fact that I spent a whole week in agonizing pain, waiting for her to come home, and she only spends two hours with me, then leaves, it hurts. Plus, when she comes home, he'll be with her. It sucks.
After about two hours, Demi had texted four times but I ignored them all and decided to shut my phone off and throw it somewhere towards my closet. Where it landed, I'm not sure.
Knock knock knock.
The rapid knockings from the front door didn't falter, even after I ignored them for three minutes.
I threw the covers off of me and slowly walked down the stairs. Whoever it is, they're super eager for me to open the damn door because the knocks only grew louder.
I unlocked the door and opened it, which resulted in Madison standing there and then the alarms going fuck nuts.
"Dammit," I mumbled.
I walked over to the alarm box and punched in the code, and finally, the alarms abruptly stopped.
"Hey," Madison said, dropping her penny board on the front steps and walking in, "What's up?"
"I was trying to sleep.." I said.
"Well, Mom was freaking out because you weren't answering Demi, but I knew you were just ignoring her so I got on my board to check things out. Plus, I wanted an excuse to come hangout with you," Madison breathed, walking deeper into the house.
"When do you ever have to have an excuse?" I asked, closing the door behind her.
She shrugged, "Good point.."
I followed her into the kitchen as she hopped up on a barstool, "Will you make me grilled cheese?"
"No," I said, jumping up on the counter.
"Well, dayum," Madison laughed, "I don't like it when you're in a bad mood.."
"Yeah, well, me either."
"If you want to stay away from Wilmer tonight, you can come stay the night with me!" She suggested.
"Let's go,"
••
It's getting kind of dark outside, but me, Madison, and Dallas are laying down in their tennis court for Madison's Ariel, on top of this mattress thing.
"You guys start school in, like, four days," Dallas laughed.
"Don't remind me," I groaned.
I still have yet to go back to school shopping but who cares. It's not like I need new clothes. Demi wouldn't take me without Wilmer, anyway.
I heard the gate open and feet shuffling over to Us. There's no doubt in my mind that it's Demi.
"Hey," Demi said. Bingo.
"Hey!" Dallas chirped.
"Did you not think to call me back?" Demi jumped straight into the lecture, "The fucking alarm company called me. What the hell are you thinking?"
"I was thinking that I was letting Madison in," I rolled my eyes.
I stood up and crossed my arms so I was facing Demi. We're almost the same height, she's just a little taller.
"Why weren't you answering your phone when I specifically told you to? Where is your phone even at?"
Where is my phone at? I thought back and remembered when I shut it off and threw it. "Somewhere by my closet,"
"And then you were just going to come spend the night without asking me about it? I just got home from tour. I want to spend time with you!"
I literally couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped my mouth the second that came out of her mouth, "Yeah, okay."
"Fine. You know what? Me and Wilmer will just stay at home and you can stay here!"
"It's not the first time," I spat, reffering to all the nights she left me to go be with Wilmer before and when she went to rehab.
She scoffed, "I'm done. I'm tired of the stupid ass fights, I'm tired of you and Wilmer arguing all the fucking time, I'm tired of you not liking Wilmer because you just don't want to see me happy, I'm tired of you always finding a way to make me fuck up as a mother, and I'm just fucking tired of it. All."
I felt my heart hammer in my chest. None of that was true. I didn't like Wilmer because I just don't. I'm doing all of this for the sake of Demi's damn happiness. "What are you saying?"
It's not like she can just get rid of me. I'm her daughter.
"I'll figure something out," she mumbled before walking away.
For some strange reason, I feel like she was walking away from much more than just me.
Wilmers POV
I heard the door close, signaling Demi was home. Hopefully Annie decided to come back with her and we can all hangout. It hasn't been just us three for a long while now.
I'm laying in Demi's bed, watching TV. I was just about to flip the channel when an over angry Demi barged through the room and to her closet. Oh no.
"Demi?" I asked, walking over to her closet.
She was opening up a drawer and throwing all of my stuff on the floor. What the hell is happening?
"Nena, calm down. Breathe-"
"I can't do this shit anymore!" She screamed at me, "I feel like a terrible mother! You two just can't fucking get along! I-"
"We've been getting along great these past few weeks!" I protested.
She shook her head and started throwing my clothes in a bag, "Demi, what are you doing?"
"You two are so important to me. But I'm done. I'm tired. I'm exhausted. I think we just need some time apart-"
"Demi!" I said, "You're overthinking this.."
She shook her head 'no' and zipped the bag up.
She can't do this to me. I love her with all my heart. This is impossible. She can't walk away from me. She just can't. I won't be able to live to see another day if Demi isn't in it.
She stormed past me and started heading for the stairs, so I followed. "Demi, are you really throwing all of this away over something we can fix? We can fix this, Demi. I'm not sure if anything is even broken!"
She kept going down the stairs, ignoring my question. I'm spitting out every excuse for her not to leave me. My brain is going one thousand miles an hour of how I can fix this before she throws me out.
"Wilmer-" she said, once we reached the bottom of the stair case.
"Listen. I love you so fucking much, and I love Annie just as much. You gave me the opportunity to watch her grow, even though she didn't like me half the time, and I can never thank you enough. You let me see how much she's growing into be a woman like you and how much potential she has. I could go on forever. Please just let me stay and continue to be a part of her life-"
"Wilmer," Demi whispered, tears bubbling in her eyes, "Please don't make this any harder than it needs to be. I'm so terrified that you're just putting up with Annie to be with me. I need someone who loves her unconditionally, just as much as I do-"
I'm so taken back that Demi would actually think I'm pretending to like Annie. I love her as my own. I really, really, do.
"I'm not pretending! I love Annie just as much as you do! Just because she doesn't like to put up with me sometimes, doesn't mean-"
"Wilmer!" Demi yelled, "Please."
This is it. It's over. Demi made up her mind and there's no changing it.
"Demi, you can't. You can't do this to me!"
"Wilmer, just let me figure some things out on my own. I just need a little space. Please,"
I nodded as she handed my bag to me. Fuck. I really can't do this. I can't. I can't. I can't.
"Demi," I said looking into her eyes, "I love you."
She nodded and smiled sadly as tears gushed down her face.
There's no changing her mind.
So, I turned around and started walking away from the only thing I've ever loved.