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A/N: A nice long one :D I thought I'd be kind.

Chapter 21:

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The quilt was wrapped around Demi's naked body tightly. Her eyes fluttered as she woke up. She looked beside her. Adam even looked gorgeous when he slept. A silly grin crept onto her face as memories of the previous night came flooding into her head. She looked around the floor, seeing hers and Adam's clothes scattered here and there. She laid back against the pillows and gave a little sigh and smiled. She couldn't believe how great yesterday had been. She wondered whether she should tell Lea and the girls at school…

School

"Shit!" Demi sat up straight, waking Adam with a start.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Adam asked. The longer he was awake, the bigger the grin on his face was, as the previous night came flooding through his mind, too.

"Adam, we have school today, and if Ava and Johnny find out I slept here last night they'll freak. What time is it?"

"Um, 6:30." Adam said, turning and looking at the bedside table. Demi eyes widened as she scrambled out of bed, picking up her clothes and putting them on as fast as she could. Adam did the same and soon they were both running down the stairs and heading for the door. "Where's my car keys?" He asked, looking for them frantically.

"Here!" Demi said, picking them up off the kitchen counter.

"Lets go!" They ran out to the car and started up the engine as fast as possible. Demi had no hope of getting back on time if she walked. They stopped outside the house within 3 minutes, thanks to Adam creeping over the speed limit slightly. Demi leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"I had a great time last night. See you in school!" She said, rushed, making Adam laugh a little before he drove off. She knew she couldn't just walk through the front door, but luckily her room was Jay's old room, so you could get to it from outside. She sneaked around the house and crept through the door as quietly as she could, turning the handle slowly, wishing the spring wouldn't creak as she turned the handle.

"We were worried sick." Demi spun round and saw Ava and Johnny sat on Demi's bed. Johnny was the one who had spoke and, boy, did he look angry.

"Uh… I…" It was useless for Demi to try and explain or make an excuse, they all knew fine well what had happened. "I'm sorry." She said finally, looking down at her feet, wanting to avoid their eyes and letting her hair fall down, covering her burning red cheeks.

"We understand that you're growing up, but next time you decide to pull a stunt like this, at least give us a call. I can't believe you stayed out on a school night, at a boys house, we had the same thing happen with Nikki the other day and now you go and do the same thing, what example are you setting to her?" Ava fumed, nostrils flaring.

"I know, I'm sorry, it was a one-time thing, it won't happen again." Demi apologised, wanting the lecture to go by as fast as possible. Ava sighed,

"I know you and Adam love each other, and you're growing up and you want more freedom, but while you're in this house you shall follow certain rules. I'm not saying you're not allowed to see Adam, I just want you to stick to a curfew and always let us know where you're going or what you're doing if you pass it. Please, Demi, never pull anything like this again." And with that, they left the room, leaving the door open.

"Wow, the 'I know you're growing up' speech." Demi looked to the door, startled. Bradin was leaning against the door frame with his arms folded, grinning, before walking into the room. "I'm surprised she didn't ask 'were you safe?'." He smirked, he loved making Demi cringe.

"What are doing in here? Why were you listening at the door?" Demi asked, sitting on her bed.

"You don't find out any good gossip if you don't eavesdrop a little. And, besides, I wanted to hear what they had to say to you. It's not fair, really, they always give me loads worse. So, have fun last night?" Bradin laughed.

"You know, this conversation is so comfortable." She said sarcastically.

"What? I can't be curious to how a friends big first time went?" Demi picked up a pillow and covered her face, cringing. "Ok, sorry, I'll stop." Bradin chuckled. "I thought you'd be clever enough to come home, though."

"It wasn't really planned, it just… happened." Demi said, praying that she wouldn't smile about it in front of Bradin.

"I'm not trying to make you cringe by saying this but, seriously, were you safe?"

"Yeah, of course." Demi said quickly.

"And you 'coincidentally' had protection." Bradin said with a smirk.

"Adam probably had them in case he ever needed them." Bradin gave her a come-on-get-real look. "Ok, fine, maybe he had an inkling that last night might happen but he knew that I might have said no, so it wasn't really planned."

"Just prepared for." Bradin smirked.

"You know what I mean!" She said, throwing a pillow at him. "Anyway, I've gotta get ready for school."

"You'd better be quick, you don't have much time left, seeing as you normally start getting ready a lot earlier, but seeing as you decided to stay at Adam's…"

"Out!" Demi said, pushing him towards the door as he chuckled.

--At school--

"Hey." Demi said with a grin when she and Bradin walked up to the surfer table. She put her arms around Adam's neck and kissed him, knowing they were both thinking of the previous night and could feel one another's smile as they kissed.

"Something's up with you two." Matt said, the surfer who had made Demi feel uncomfortable on numerous occasions.

"No, not much." Bradin said, fighting back a grin.

"Shut up, Matt." Adam said, taking Demi's hand and walking into school to wait for class.

--At lunch--

Demi had told Lea about the previous night in their physics class and the table was now discussing it in whispers.

"Shh, no one else can know except us." Demi said as there voices crept higher.

"Too bad I heard in physics, and it would be the perfect revenge." Demi froze when she heard Courtney's voice behind her. Demi was at a loss for words. "Oh my god!" Courtney yelled, projecting her voice as much as possible, despite the fact that the hall usually went quiet whenever she spoke, anyway, especially where Demi is involved. "Demi King slept with Adam Carter after their first date. What a slut!" Demi could feel her cheeks burning up, her mouth gaping open slightly. "Hmm." Courtney gave a small laugh before strutting out of the hall, leaving the hall buzzing with talking, all of it, Demi knew, about her. Hearing the word 'slut' coming up in everyone's conversations felt like she was being punched in the gut. She didn't even bother putting her lunch away, she grabbed her bag and ran out of the lunch hall. She ran through the corridors, she could feel tears on her cheeks now, and heard the sound of Courtney's evil laugh when she passed her. She ran straight out of the front doors, wanting to get away from the school as fast as she could. She ran around the corner, away from the school, and slumped down onto the floor, crying.

"You… run fast." It was Adam, panting slightly. She'd buried her head in her hands and was too busy sobbing to take notice of him. He crouched down and hugged her.

"I'm not going back there." She said a few minutes later after sobbing on Adam's shoulder. Adam looked doubtful at first but then nodded. "You can," she continued. "but I'm going home, or to Mona's, or the surf shop." She told him as tears began to slowly stream down her face again.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Adam offered. She looked up at him.

"No." She told him, shaking her head. "It's ok for you to go back, no one's calling you a slut, you'll probably get a pat on the back off everyone. And anyway, you're the 'A+' student. Just go back, I'll see you later." Adam opened his mouth to argue at first, but Demi just kissed him, telling him she was ok.

"Ok." He said, defeated, before walking back into school. Demi sighed and picked up her bag, and made her way to the closest place on her list: Mona's sandbar.

After a five minute walk she arrived there and peered through the window. She could see Erica waiting on tables but there was no sign of Johnny. 'He could be out back.' She thought, but soon dismissed the thought, telling herself that she couldn't go in if only Erika was in because she would be too busy.

Another few minute walk brought her to Beyond the Blue. She looked through the window and saw Jay. She knew he'd ask questions, but she decided going here was better than nowhere. She put her hand on the door, about to walk in, when she saw Jay walk up to a woman who she couldn't quite see yet. He kissed her happily, rubbing her belly a little as he did so. Demi saw that it was Isabelle and decided not to disturb them.

Eventually she walked up to the house, taking a deep breath and preparing herself for questions and lectures. She knew there would be at least one person in the house so she might as well get it over and done with.

"Hello?" She said quietly, closing the door behind her with a 'click'. She heard a pair of feet moving across the floor upstairs.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" She looked up and saw Susannah. Demi smiled sadly and nodded. She liked Susannah, she had always been really nice to her, but they'd never had and kind of talks like Demi knew was coming. Susannah made her way down the stairs. "And why aren't you there now?" Demi looked at her feet not wanting to get upset in front of anyone again. Susannah sighed a little. "Come on." She gestured towards the kitchen and began making them both a hot chocolate. Demi sat on the stool. "Demi, it's ok you can tell me. I won't get mad, because trust me," she laughed a little. "it can't be worse than what I got up to when I was your age." Demi smiled.

"Ava probably told you about last night, how I didn't come home till about half 6?" She began with a sigh.

"Ah, I see. Let me guess. The boy's a jerk and broke up with you after that?" Demi gave another sad smile and shook her head.

"I'd be destroyed if that happened. You know Courtney, the girl I beat up?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, she's been looking for revenge ever since. She eavesdropped when I told my friend Lea about last night in physics. And she must have really been trying, 'cos I kept that conversation real quiet." Susannah nodded her head, beginning to understand. "Then at lunch, she shouted it to the whole hall, saying how I'm a slut and I slept with Adam on our first date."

"Your first date?"

"Well, it wasn't our first date in a way, I mean we go down to the beach together all the time, but when I told Lea about last night we laughed at when Adam said 'our first date without water'."

"Well, you've only got tomorrow at school and then it's the weekend. I say you go in tomorrow and just act like you don't care. And it will die down over the weekend. But just remember, all the girls bitching about you are most likely sluts anyway. I'd bet any money that Courtney gets around, you can tell just by looking at her." Demi laughed.

"Thanks, Susannah."

"No problem. But you know that I'll have to tell Ava and Johnny you came home early from school, we can't keep things like this from each other. I'll just tell them I dealt with the situation, it's up to you if you want to tell them what happened." Demi hugged her and said 'thanks' again.

--Later that day--

"So, are you gunna beat her up again?" Bradin asked later, sitting on Demi's bed.

"No because I'll only get myself in trouble."

"Then what you gunna do?"

"Just ignore it, I guess." She replied, sighing. "I can't believe the whole school thinks I'm a slut."

"They don't, that's just Courtney trying to get in your head."

"'Demi King slept with Adam Carter after their first date. What a slut!' Urgh, it wasn't our first date… technically." Demi put her pillow to her and groaned. "What happened after I left?" She said finally.

"Nothing really, I mean everyone started talking, but it doesn't mean they all think the same thing as Courtney. Everyone knows she's a bitch. And besides, Courtney's the biggest slut in our school, she doesn't even have to be seeing a guy to sleep with him, at least Adam's your boyfriend."

"You don't think I'm a slut, do you?" Demi asked quietly.

"No, of course not. Anyone can see how much you and Adam like each other, and you've been going out for a while now. Truth is, Courtney doesn't even think you're a slut, she just wants you to think everyone else does. And you're letting it get to you. You can't believe anything Courtney says, you know that she hates you, she'll do anything to upset you."

"I guess you're right. But it wouldn't bother me so much if it was just the first date. But it was my first time and everyone knows…"

"Everyone knows you slept together. Only me, you and Adam know it was your first time." Bradin interrupted.

"I know. I just wish they didn't know anything at all." Bradin nodded, understanding. Demi jumped a little when she heard a knock coming from the door leading to the garden. She smiled a little when she let Adam in.

"How are you doing?" Adam asked.

"Ok, I guess." She said slumping back down on the bed.

"Don't let Courtney get to you, Dem, she's a walking bag of STI's, anyway." Adam said, trying to reassure her.

"Thanks," Demi said laughing, "but I've had this talk." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, feeling better than she had done in a while.

"Well, I'm going to meet Erika on the promenade, you know, making more of an effort." He said, winking at Demi. "I'll see you guys later."

"You know what I just realised?" Demi said, smiling a little to herself.

"What?" Adam asked.

"This is the first time we've been alone properly, since… y'know, last night." Adam smiled and gave a little laugh.

"I guess it is."

"Adam, did you know… I mean, did you plan last night?" Demi asked, looking at him with a grin.

"I didn't… I mean, I thought it might, but I was only…" He was stopped by Demi's lips being pressed to his.

"It's ok, I'm kinda glad, especially since it wasn't a spur of the moment thing, well, a complete spur of the moment thing, or else we might have gotten carried away and ended up with a surprise like 9 months down the line." Demi laughed.

"Look, I know that you probably already know this, but I just want you to know that last night didn't happen because I just wanted to sleep with you or take advantage or whatever, I really do care about you." Adam said sincerely, making Demi smile and look down, trying to hide a little blush. He lifted her head back up, putting his finger under her chin. "I love you."

"Adam, I know why last night happened, I wouldn't have let it happen otherwise. I love you, too." They kissed again, slowly and romantically. Adam broke apart from the kiss, feeling Demi's lips beginning to smirk and trying not to laugh.

"What is it?"

"Since you planned… I mean 'prepared' for last night and everything, I'm guessing it wasn't a coincidence that you had a free house."

"Ah, right again." Adam smiled. "My parents really have gone to a friends wedding so they had to fly to India, so I'm left in charge of the house since my brother doesn't live with us. My mom said no sleepovers, especially on school nights, but I let Beth when she asked and I had to force Sydney out of the house." He laughed. "But she didn't complain 'cos I let her sleep at her boyfriends house."

"Thank you." Demi said finally, after racking her brains of something to say before kissing him to prevent an awkward silence.

P/S: Hope you liked it, probably not the revenge you were expecting from Courtney, sorry! But it was weirdly harder to think of a revenge when it came down to actually writing it, but I guess this works. Lol, I'll just shut up now. Review please! Bats eyelashes!