Hey guys! Sorry about the wait! :D I'm going on holiday on Saturday, and I wont have internet connection most of the time, so for the next six weeks I will write loads but probably only update once or twice, if at all, so I apologise, but I just wanted to update now so that the wait wouldn't be quite so long! Thanks for sticking with the story and I'm glad you all like it! :D

Chapter 12

That night I didn't sleep a wink. I got into bed with Dallas, hoping my presence would help her sleep, but she just tossed and turned, wailing into her pillow. After about three hours she got up and went into the kitchen. I didn't follow her, but I stayed awake just in case she tried to do something stupid. I knew what it was like to be in a dark place, and feel like there's no getting out of there. I had lived it for nine years.

In the morning mom came in to sit with her for a while so I could shower and get dressed for school. I didn't want to go to school, for obvious reasons, but mom insisted that Dallas would only feel worse if she messed up my life. So I packed my bag, said a quick goodbye to them all and left. Joe had offered to give me a lift to school the day before, but I declined since it would mean him going out of his way. Things were already weird enough. I mean, I loved it, but it seemed a bit strange that after everything that had happened, Selena, Joe and I were suddenly so close after just one day. Well, I understood why Selena and I were so close…but I never in a million years would have expected Joe Jonas to even give me the time of day, let alone apologise for everything and act like we've been friends forever.

But halfway down the road, I heard a car horn go off and a bright blue Mercedes pulled up beside me. I laughed as the window rolled down slowly, to reveal a very cool-looking Joe in a pair of hot pink sunglasses.

"Wow, what a coincidence, meeting you here. You want a ride, by any chance?" he asked me, grinning cheekily. I laughed, nodding at him thankfully, and hopped into the car, slamming the door shut a bit too hard. He gasped.

"Careful of my baby!" he cried, looking genuinely worried. I laughed, shaking my head at his typical guy behaviour.

Whatever. Anyway, I told you not to bother giving me a lift." I said. He blushed a little, and I wondered why but said nothing.

"Well, I figured it was the nice thing to do…and you're more interesting than listening to my radio. It's jammed on this chat show station, so unless I want to sit here in silence I have to listen to angry women whining about their shitty lives." He shrugged. I laughed, reaching to turn on the radio.

"Let's listen!" I gasped, faking excitement. He slapped my hand away and glared at me.

"Don't you dare." He hissed. I couldn't decide whether he was really angry or not, so I left it alone. We drove to school in a comfortable silence, laughing when we passed Selena, who had had to trek it from the opposite side of town, and she started mouthing naughty words at us.

"I can't believe you gave her a lift and not me! We've been friends for years!" Selena cried. I smiled, wrapping my arms around Joe from behind in a hug.

"It's because he loves me more. Right Joe?" I laughed. He laughed too and nodded.

"Well that's so not fair. You've been friends with me for much longer…" she huffed, folding her arms and stomping away angrily. We followed her, calling her name between fits of giggles. Once again, everyone was staring at us. But I was used to being stared at, so I didn't let it phase me.

"Don't be jealous. Green isn't a good colour on you." I laughed. She turned around, grinning and struck a pose.

"Every colour is a good colour on me, dah-ling!" she said, twirling dramatically. I laughed, nodding without realising it.

"Oh you're right about that." I said flirtatiously, not realising how it sounded until Joe sent me a weird look. I laughed, shaking my head to cover up my slip. I mean, I wasn't ashamed to be gay. But I had just gotten back to school, and things were already weird enough without adding another huge revelation into the mix. So I just laughed and made out like it was a joke.

The day went so fast-yet not fast enough. All I could think about was getting back to Dallas. I was racked with guilt about having so much fun that morning when Dallas was in so much pain. As soon as the bell rang I was out the door, but unfortunately Selena caught up with me.

"Demi, what's up? You've been acting strange all day." She said. I shrugged.

"Nothing. I guess I'm just tired." I said nonchalantly.

"Don't even try it. Seriously, what's wrong?" she asked me again. And that's when everything came spilling out. I told her every last detail, and she just stood there and listened to me. When I was finished she hugged me and said she was sorry, for me and for my sister.

"Why are you sorry for me?" I asked her, wiping the tears away.

"Because you have finally managed to sort your life out, and then your sister's life gets all fucked up." She said bluntly. I smiled.

"Well, thanks, I guess. But I really need to leave now. My sister needs me." I smiled, hugging her quickly before walking away from her. It felt so weird to hug her; I mean, even though we had kissed, it still felt strange to be hugging the person that hurt me so much for all those years.

When I got home the house was eerily silent. I went in the lounge and it was empty. In fact, the whole house was empty except for Dallas's room. I went in to see her sleeping soundly on her bed, with a note on her desk.

Hey Demi. Dallas finally fell asleep, so I took Maddie out for a while. She's getting very worried and I didn't want her to get to upset and make Dallas feel worse. I might leave her with Janice for the night. She's too young for all this. Keep an eye on your sister for me? – Mom xox

I smiled, relieved that Maddie was getting away for the night. A part of me wished that I could too, but I knew it would just drive me insane. I had to be here for my sister, no matter what. I couldn't be selfish.

"Demi? Is that you?" she murmured. I looked over, to see her eyes fluttering open. She pulled herself into a sitting position and smiled gently.

"Hey Dallas. How are you feeling?" I asked her. She shrugged. Her eyes were puffy and red, and I had a feeling they were going to be like that for a long time.

"A little better. I really needed to get some sleep. But…I dreamt about him, Demi. And it was such a good dream. And now, waking up and realising that I'll never have that…" she stopped talking as the tears spilled over. I knew from experience how hard it was to talk while you're crying, so I just went over and hugged her again, letting her cry it out on my shoulder until she was okay to talk again.

"What was the dream about, Dallas?" I asked her slowly and softly. I expected her to burst into tears again, but she didn't.

"David and I…we were married, and we have two kids. They were called Erica and Frankie. We were all at a restaurant, and we were all so happy…and then I woke up, and remembered that David was dead, and that I would never be able to do those things with him. He will never even know I was going to marry him." She wailed. I rubbed her back soothingly.

"He knows. Remember what I said?" I whispered softly. She nodded, and together we sat there in silence, thinking about the life she could have had if fate hadn't intervened so horribly. And, after a little while, I was crying with her. It seemed like now that my suffering was over, Dallas had to suffer to make things even. Sometimes I find it so difficult to keep believing in God, especially when things like this happen. But at the same time, if I stop believing in him, who am I going to pray to?

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