What Happens on the Neon Lights Tour.... (Nemi)

The cold never bothered me anyway...

Nick 

If I cussed, I'd be saying "Fuck!" right now. Olivia was here!? What was she doing here? We weren't together anymore, so what possessed her to come all the way here from L.A.? It was also fucking cold out here. Yea, I was thinking the F word. Sometimes, it was warranted. And it was in my head, so it didn't count. I was trying to listen to what was going on in the hotel room. I peeked through the crack in the drapes & saw Demi was still at the door. I was pressing myself up against the wall as well as I could, so no fans or anyone for that matter could see me from another room or down below. I looked around & thankfully, where I was, someone couldn't see me from the street or parking lot or whatever was down there.

Fuck! I saw my jacket on the chair. Damn. Why didn't I grab that? I sure could use it right now. It had to be twenty degrees or colder out here. I was shivering & I'd only been out here for like three minutes. I heard a thump & looked through the crack. Demi looked like she was trying to close the door, then she opened it & Olivia walked in. I sucked in my breath & moved my body so she couldn't see a shadow. I could still see inside the room through another crack in the drapes & I could hear, faintly, through the small opening, I left in the screen doors.

Luckily, Olivia is loud & her voice carries. "I know he's here. Where else would he be?" Olivia bellowed, looking all around the room as she walked in. I held my breath as I tried not to move, even the slightest.

Demi came in & her eyes came to the balcony door, looking worried & scared. When Olivia turned to face her, Demi's gaze hardened. "He could be anywhere, Olivia. He could be at the gym or the venue or with one of the guys he's become friends with, over the last few months. I am very sick & I would appreciate it if you left. I need to rest." Demi started coughing & I wasn't sure if it was real or staged, but in any case, I was grateful for her effort, even if I felt bad she was so sick.

Olivia turned & headed to the bathroom, only to emerge a moment later, looking annoyed. I saw Demi stand by the chair, trying to cover my jacket that was thrown over the back of it. Olivia checked in the closet & then bent to look under the bed. Olivia stopped a few feet from Demi & looked all around the room again. Olivia's eyes widened as she lunged forward to grab my jacket from behind Demi.

"This is Nick's." She was shaking the jacket toward Demi's face. "He isn't here? Nice try. Why is his jacket here then?"

Demi rolled her eyes, then laughed hard, making it turn into a cough after a minute. "Jesus, Olivia. I was freezing last night after my show & Nick gave me his jacket & I wore it back here. Is that a crime?" Demi grabbed a tissue off the table & wiped at her nose. "Didn't you guys break up? What are you even doing here?"

"Oh I bet you were happy to hear that news weren't you?" Olivia chuckled, sarcastically.

I was so cold, I was hoping Olivia would leave & immediately. I was going to have frostbite. Demi laughed. "Oh, yes, Olivia. I just love to see my best friend hurting." Demi sat on the bed, sighing loudly.

"He sure wasn't hurting when he dumped me. Your best friend wasn't hurting when we had breakup sex." Olivia said, keeping her eyes glued on Demi's face. She was lying & trying to see how Demi would react & I prayed Demi didn't believe her. I bit my lip & tried to stop shivering as I waited to see if Demi showed any expression.

Demi's face flashed with surprise, then she closed her eyes. "In any case, you're not together, so why are you here again?" Demi was mad, I could see it on her face. I didn't know if she was mad because she believed Olivia or if she was mad that Olivia was there & trying to get a rise out of her.

"We'll be together again. I promise. I am going to make it very hard for Nick to get rid of me. So you will be better off staying with Wilmer." Olivia's voice was so snotty right now. I knew she wasn't going to be so cool with this. I knew that breakup went a little too well. "Nick & I will have to be together. There are a lot of public things coming up that we both need to be at & if we aren't together it's not going to be good at all. For either of our careers." Olivia scanned the room once more before she turned toward the door. Halfway to the door, she turned once more to look at Demi & in a loud voice she said, "And if Nick & I don't get back together, I promise that I will make you look like the whore of Babylon to the entire world." Olivia's voice sounded just plain evil as she threatened Demi. I was tempted to show myself & tell her to back off & leave Demi alone, but I didn't think Demi needed that right now. I watched as Olivia tossed my jacket on the floor & stomped from the room.

Once the hotel room door slammed shut & I knew it was safe, I went inside. The warmth was enveloping my body & making me itch. My skin was like ice, I was pretty sure. Demi sat on the bed, not moving, but I could see she was crying, silently. I kicked off my shoes & climbed into the bed beside her, still shivering.

"It was effen cold out there." I said, my teeth chattering.

Demi stood up & walked to the table to grab a tissue to wipe her nose & eyes. I heard her sniffling & wasn't sure if it was from her illness or her crying.

"Demi, you know she was lying to get a reaction from you, right? We did not have breakup sex." I said, burying myself under the blankets more to get warm.

Demi turned around & stared into my eyes. "I figured as much. It doesn't change the fact that she is going to keep trying to get you back & will make my life miserable if she finds out we were seeing each other."

"Come to bed & help me get warm, please." I reached out to her, hoping she'd take my hand. She just stared at my hand, standing her ground. She shook her head, slowly.

"I knew it was too good to be true. I knew we couldn't just be happy & be together." She let out a sob, then started coughing. Once her cough subsided, she stuck her lip out at me. "You heard her, right?"

I nodded, still shivering a little. "I did hear her & I don't even care. She can threaten us all she wants. I am not getting back together with her. I don't care what she thinks will be good for our careers."

"You aren't the one who she threatened to make look like the whore of Babylon." Demi rolled her eyes as she wiped again at her nose, then sat in the chair, with a loud, aggravated sigh.

"Don't worry. I would never let her do that." I smiled at her, patting the bed next to me. "Now can you come lay with me. Body heat is gonna warm me up." I chuckled, moving the comforter down for her to climb under it. "I think I might have frostbite."

"I feel like crap, Nick. I think you should just go." She was looking down at her hands as they played with a tissue.

"Let me make you feel better." I replied, softly. "Let me take care of you... just as soon as I get warm again."

"You should just go back to L.A. early." Her voice was barely audible. "I don't think you should take the stage with me tonight. I may have to cancel the show anyway."

I got out of the bed to go to her. I got down on my knee, taking her hand in mine & looking up at her tired face. "Don't do this again, please."

"I'm not doing anything. I just don't feel good & I don't want to get you sick & you're leaving for Hawaii in a few days anyway. I need to rest as much as I can, so just go early."

"You're letting what Olivia said, get to you & letting it come between us."

Demi sat up straight & her face got serious. "Are you going to announce that we're together soon? Are you ready to admit that we're together to the whole world? Are you going to announce that you & Olivia are over?"

I couldn't answer any of those questions. Not the way she wanted me to answer. I looked down at the floor, then up to our hands, mine covering hers. I cleared my throat. "Not yet. But I will. As soon as it's good for all of us." My eyes met hers again.

"I'm afraid there will never be a good time." Demi pulled her hand from mine & stood up. She got into the bed. "Just go, Nick. Call me tomorrow." Demi laid her head on the pillow as she was on her side & pulled the blanket up to her chin.

I watched her for a moment, still on one knee. Her eyes locked with mine & I managed a smile, then sighed before I stood up. I went to the bed & leaned over to kiss her temple. "I'll miss you." I said into her ear before I stood up, straight. I really didn't want to leave, but she seemed like she really wanted me to. She needed her rest, anyway. I ran my finger down her clammy face from her temple to her chin. "Feel better. I love you." I said, swallowing my urge to beg her to let me stay.

"Love you, too." Her eyes closed, breaking my heart. She wasn't watching me with her eyes, unsure of what she was saying. She meant what she said & she wanted me to leave. I just prayed this wasn't her wanting to put distance between us because she was having doubts. I grabbed my jacket & headed out the door, closing it, quietly, behind me. I made my way down the hall toward my room & as I rounded the corner, I ran right into Olivia.