When I'm gone

Change it

Chapter 28

Demi's POV
    I awoke in the middle of the night with a thought. Laura was supposed to be here. She was supposed to show but she was nowhere to be found. I sat up, freaking out for a second before recovering. Where was she? What time is it? From downstairs I heard the muffled sounds of the tv. Brandi must have fallen asleep. At the mention of her name in my thought process I felt guilt.

You have no reason to feel guilty.

Truth was I had every reason to. I wasn't being the mother I was supposed to be and I was starting to wonder if my own mom was right. Was I too young? I shook off the thought and rolled out of bed, met with the cold air. Police sirens were going off in the distance as I trailed out of my bedroom and down the stairs where I found Brandi sound asleep on the couch, tv still going. I turned it off and sighed, admiring the girl before me. She looked so peaceful. I stood there a minute then sat down on the couch, wanting to wrap my arms around my daughter. "I love you." I whispered as an ambulance drive right by our house causing Brandi's eyes to open and her eyes widened at the sight of my figure, pushing and kicking me as hard as possible as she rolled off the couch and tried to run but I tackled her, making her scream bloody murder. "MOM HELP! DE-DEMI HELP!" I pulled her closer. "Shhh, shhh babygirl it's Demi." With Her heavy breathing I could already see the oncoming panic attack but it never came, instead she became limp in my arms so I sat back, pulling her close to me. "I'm sorry." I whispered against her ear. "You're forgiven Dems." She mumbled and fell back asleep. Where was Laura? I checked the time. 4:23 am. That's nice she's a whole eight hours late. Standing up with Brandi in my arms, I carried her up the stairs and into my room, laying her in my bed before crawling in beside her. "Mom." She whispered. "Yes?" She frowned then snuggled closer. "I love you." Her eyes never opened, instead she drifted back to sleep so I got up, leaving the room to call Laura. I dialed her number and it went to voicemail. God Laura answer the phone. I started to worry a bit. Would she ditch Brandi like this?

How dare you think that.

I knew she would never do that but I had to wonder. There weren't many possibilities. I stood outside my bedroom door, pacing back and forth. What do I do? What should I do? Making a choice I slipped down the stairs. She said she was 10 minutes away when I spoke to her last. She couldn't be far. I found my keys and exited the house to my car making sure to lock the door. Backing out I saw two more cops pass me so I followed them for at least a mile before parking the car at the scene and jumped out. I was sure Laura wasn't involved. There was no way. She had always been a safe driver.... uh, I think. I ran over to the policeman guarding the scene and hanging near the ambulance. "Officer!" He peeked up at my sight and tip his hat up. "Yes ma'am?" Once I reached him the ambulance doors shut and they began to pull away. "Sir do you know who was in that ambulance?" He nodded. "That woman was at least 70 years old. Umm, the name was Betty or something like that." I nodded, "thank you." I waved as I ran back to my car. I was relieved to hear she wasn't in this wreck. I could only hope it wasn't something worse that happened. what if she ran away? Backed out at the last second? I sighed and sat in the drivers seat, wanting to bang my head on the steering wheel. Where would she go? I yawned, tired from the long day so I headed back to my house where cops stood outside waiting for someone. Brandi stood outside with two of them, flashlights illuminating the inside of our house. What the hell? I slammed my door shut and held up my hands in a shrugging gesture. "What the hell is this?" Brandi's face lit up and she ran to me, jumping in my arms. I stumbled backwards and caught her. "What's wrong with everyone?" One of the officers made her way over and shook her head. "This is your mom? I thought you said she was kidnapped?" I laughed. "Kidnapped?" Brandi shrugged. "I mean I panicked when I woke up and you were gone. "Well, just don't have any more of these false alarms." The lady replied and turned to leave. I shook my head at Brandi who was now walking back into the house, attempting to drag me with her. "Sttttooooopp." I groaned and pulled my sleeve playfully away. "Fine, stay outside all night." She ran to the door, peaking out with an evil grin which made me run towards the door only for it to be closed in my face. "Brandi c'mon I was just playing girl." She laughed from the other side and I sighed. "Really this isn't that funny. It's cold out here!" Pulling my jacket right around my body, I went around the back of the house. I glanced at the fence ahead of me, sighing at the height I'd have to climb then went for it. The end of my fingers gripped the top but it slipped when I pulled myself up, falling to the ground. "Having fun?" I rolled my eyes and stood up. "No but I need you to kiss my booboo." I fake whined. She smiled, shaking her head at my childishness. "Okay okay I will." When she approached me I grabbed her hand, snatching her into my body then holding her captive. "Key. Now." I said and she sighed, struggling against my grip. "No!" She stepped on my foot but I continued to squeeze her close despite my pain. "Fine." I walked us around the front of the house and with much effort finally into the house, closing the door behind me. "What the hell was that?" She giggled. "Nothing." I scratched my head, joining her on the couch. "You are one weird person this early in the morning." She shrugged, "yeah I guess I a- .... shit I have school today." She sighed aloud and I glanced down. "I don't want you to go either but you have to."

Brandi's POV

   Sometime between laying on the couch, watching the first bit of sunlight come in I trailed off to my room to prepare. An emptiness crept up on me, causing me to remember one of my lowest points when I removed my shirt to see the claw marks. "God I messed up."

Everyone messes up.

Why do you even fight it?

Just screw it up again. You're good at that.

I closed my eyes at the reflection in the mirror and rested on the edge of my bed, my fingers running through my hair. I sighed and examined the marks, shaking my head. One day soon I'm gonna be okay.

You can't believe that lie.

But I held onto it with every fiber of my being. Every thread of hope was entangled around that one sentence. One day soon... I slipped into a shirt, pulling a north face jacket around me and grabbing some black jeans. When I trailed downstairs My mom was at the table, eating yogurt and waffles quietly. "Soooo you make me any?" She rolled her eyes and I did the same. "Oh c'mon making waffles is not that hard. You can use a toaster now, you're 17." I laughed and sat at the table. "True true but I'm still a kid at heart." She ate her last piece of waffle and left the table. "Not a good enough excuse!" She called from the kitchen and I chuckled. "So was that a yes?" I waited in moments of silence before she appeared with a plate in her hand and syrup in the other. "Just for my little girl." I grinned and she set the plate in front of me. "You are so kind." She laughed at the comment. "Better be for making waffles for a very capable 17 year old." I nodded. "Yep."

-- at school --

    I walked the hall towards my class. That same thought replayed in my head but the demons seemed to fight off all hope I had. Though, Beneath it all I knew What I wanted. Change. When I gripped the door handle to my first period Selena's voice caught mine. "Going somewhere? Lovato." She nearly gagged my last name and I turned around. I was done with her shit. "First period in fact. Maybe if you tried it sometime you wouldn't have to find people to distract you from the low ass grades you got." She stood, speechless. "What the hell did you just say?" I smirked, "oh nothing much. Does it surprise you that I spoke back? Yes Selena, I have a voice." Her name ran cold in my veins as she snatched me towards her and shoved my against the wall. I grasped her arms as her grip snaked to my neck and latched on tighter. I gasped for air, kicking her and running when she was holding her knee.

I hope I broke it.

It was nearly the end of school and needless to say I sat across from my principal that day, Selena sitting beside me. "This is ridiculous actually." I spat out and he glanced at Selena, asking her to leave the room. Once the door clicked shut behind the limping girl he relaxed his tensed muscles, laying back in his chair. "I just have one question." I nodded. "Ask away." He sat up and slid forward. "Why do you let her lay a hand on you without telling someone?" Wide- eyed I sat there. "But, How'd you know?" Shock engulfed me until it struck a nerve and I was becoming angrier by the minute. This is wrong. He spun around, pulling up a file on his computer screen with nearly every time she'd laid a hand on me in video form. "We knew about it." I sighed angrily. And you didn't do anything? You didn't stop it or help me? How could you? "Why didn't you do something then?! Why didn't you help me?!" He sat back and shook his head. "I wanted you to come to us. I admit it wasn't the best choice but we tell you kids to come to us when this stuff happens but nobody ever does." I laughed angrily. "Why do you think that is?" His eyes met mine. "It'll make things worse." I nodded. "Exactly so why? If you know about it. Why not stop it? Don't let other people suffer especially if you hold information like this. I mean how many other students have you watched get helplessly beaten and done nothing?!" He pulled up numerous files, some with one or two videos others with a dozen or so. "I'm gonna call my mom. You figure this out." He stood up to stop me but I got up, slamming the thick, wooden door on the way out, Selena glared at me. "Bitch ass." She mumbled and I rolled my eyes. "Grow the hell up Selena." I growled as I walked out into the main office. "Mrs. Whitaker?" She glanced up from her work, pushing the glasses up her nose as she did. "Can you call my mom, I need her to come get me." I am officially over this school and everyone in it.

--------------------------------------

Yay I updated So what should happen? I'm thinking about ending the book soon so.

Questions?
Comments?
Concerns?

Stay strong

~Hannah