Nick P.O.V
Chapter 1
Today was the day. Three months after losing Demi to rehab. I say losing as if she's dead, which she isn't. She's not eighteen yet so she had no control over being sent to rehab by her father, I tried really hard to keep her here but she told me that she needed this and there was no way I was going to come in the middle of it. I visited Demi here whenever I had free time, whether it'd be family gatherings I'd skip out on, or free periods, missing the weekly parties, you get the idea. Come to think of it, I haven't been to a party in months, the last one I went to was coincidentally hosted by my girlfriend. It's got a nice ring to it, girlfriend. I never thought I'd be calling Demi my girlfriend in a million years, but here we are three months into senior year and that's how it's gone.
I had struggled severely over the last three months, mostly because I was constantly worried about Demi. It really hurt not being able to take care of her every minute of the day, especially knowing what I knew. Nobody at school knew where Demi had gone, rumours had spread within the first week that she had moved to England to stay with her grandparents. I have no clue where that came from, I don't think she even has grandparents in England; I'd have to ask her that. I had missed Demi in so many ways possible, I'd missed the way 'Jonas' rolled off her tongue, I'd missed her smile, god I'd missed her smile, that smile could lighten up the world if she needed it to, and I'd missed her touch. This probably sounds selfish within the fact that my girlfriends in rehab because of emotional issues and self-harm and yet all I can come to think about is having her cater to my sexual desires. But I couldn't help it, I really tried to not think about it because she's ill, but every time I see her I can't not visualise her underneath me, it's hard, really hard. I swear I'm not a jackass, I really am missing my girlfriend, not just because she's good in bed, or a great kisser...I need to stop really or I'm going to get a hard on in the reception of Timberline Knolls, I don't think that would go down with the staff, or Demi in fact.
I was the only one here in reception, well apart from the older than me, younger than twenty five receptionist behind the desk, constantly blowing bubbles with that blue bubble-gum. See it was driving me crazy, I even know the colour of it; it just shows how many times she's been blowing that bloody bubble-gum. I silently begged her to stop, the phone rang, causing her to stop while she muttered one word replies into the phone, I feel sorry for the person on the other end of the call, her voice was even more annoying than the popping of the bubble-gum, all high and screechy.
The ticking of the clock didn't help much either, god why was everything annoying me today? Because you're nervous? You're finally getting Demi back into your life after three months of her being in rehab, you're nervous if you say something wrong, you don't know how to act around someone who's emotionally unstable, or was in the past? My subconscious was right, 100%, what would happen if I said something that upset Demi? What if after every argument or disagreement we have she threatens to go back to how she was, or even worse go back to it without telling me.
This shouldn't be on the shoulders of an 18 year old; I should be worrying about school, basketball and my girlfriend, my emotionally stable girlfriend, not someone who's been in rehab for the past three months. Silence is what drives people over the edge, it gives you too much time to think and before you know it, you think up all these ridiculous series of events which would never happen, only in your mind and if you forced them to happen. I love Demi, and I want her to get better. So my life might be a bit different from the next 18 year old, and the next who cares? It's my life and I have to deal with it, not them, it's my choice on how I act around Demi. To be honest? I'm not planning on acting any different than usual, if I did she'd probably kick me up the ass and tell me to start acting normal again. So what's the point?
All the thoughts disappeared out of my mind as I heard the buzzer from the door announcing that someone had come through, seeing that, that person was my Demi, stopped my chain of thought completely. I looked at her, I mean I really looked at her, her smile was the real smile, you know the one that reaches your eyes because you're smiling too hard? Yeah, that's the one that was slapped across her face. Her face looked much better, the signs of tiredness and stress nearly all disappeared from her flawless face, leaving her to glow with happiness, relief?
She looked up at me, her face full of shock and amazement. Her hands freed the bags that were wrapped around her fingers, dropping them to the floor, she ran to me, jumping into my arms. Her hands wrapping around my neck as she hugged me, tighter than ever, I felt her hot release of breath on my neck as she breathed in my scent, satisfied she pulled away, pecking my lips, legs still wrapped tight around my waist.
"What are you doing here; I thought Chelsey was driving me home?" Chelsey was her nurse, I don't know if they called them that or what, but she offered to drive Demi the hour home, it was her day off but Demi and she had become close after the three months of being there. Chelsey was around the same age as Demi's sister; Dallas, she was 24; I think that's why they got on so well. I had convinced Chelsey to let me surprise her by taking her home, she promised to keep it a secret, but I made sure she carried on with the plan that she was to take Demi home.
"I wanted to come and pick you up, is it so wrong that I wanted to take my girlfriend home?" I raised my eyebrows.
"No, I wanted you to anyway, but don't tell Chelsey, it's a secret." She brought her index finger to her mouth and blew air against it, making a 'shh' sound. She was so adorable, like a little kid.
"What else do we have to do, or can we just leave?" Demi opened her mouth before the receptionist called us over.
"Demi, babe you need to sign out and then you can go." Her voice god it was irritating, please do the place, the world even and be quiet?" She untangled her legs from my waist and walked over to the desk, with me following close behind.
"Deb, do I just sign here?" Well they seem quite friendly.
"Yeah, your dad already signed it last night, so you're good to go after that signature."
"Wait what, your dad was here?" I stood back, shocked with this recent announcement. I didn't have a problem with Demi's dad. Could you sense the sarcasm in my voice? Probably not. Let's just say I was pissed at how he reacted with Demi after being admitted into rehab. He already risked a lot at the hospital with the way he talked to me and how he so flippantly disregarded Demi like she wasn't worth his time that got to me. Demi's dad and I have had countless arguments; so many that I can't remember how many we've had. All of them being about the way he talks to Demi, the way he acts around Demi. None of Demi's family knows what's up with her; I bet you can guess why? Because he's too ashamed that one of his daughters has ended up in rehab, because of him. He's made her cry several times with the hurtful things he's said to Demi and the things she's heard him saying to other staff at the rehab clinic. The last I heard of it she no longer wanted to speak to him, how much have I missed?
"Yeah, he came to visit me."
"And you let him?"
"Why wouldn't I, he's my dad?" I shook my head, stepping back.
"Have you not been present for the past three months Demi, you know the way he talks to you and about you-"
"Nick, it's my life, my decisions." She spat.
"Yeah, and look where that's ended you up."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The last time you were in charge of your own decisions you nearly killed yourself, so sorry if I want to take charge a little-"
"I can't believe you'd bring that up, I thought we agreed to never speak of it again."
"Yeah, well Demi I can't ignore it just like that, I can't get over the fact that you nearly killed yourself and I couldn't do anything to stop you." I breathed heavily out through my nose, showing my anger, she was speechless, her mouth dropped open. "I'm going to wait in the car." I turned, picking up her bags on the way and pushing through the doors, letting them slam back against the door frame.
I don't know where that came from. Yes you do, it came from your heart, you can't hide your feelings anymore Nick. Bloody subconscious, was always being right a perk of a subconscious?
I loaded the bags into the car and climbed into the driver's seat, waiting for Demi to come out. I was in for it now, whenever you speak the truth, you always get grilled.
