Echoes in the Darkness | Demi Lovato

Chapter 24- We Can't Back Down Part 2

I could still feel the food from last night inside of me when an alarm app on my phone woke me up. It was more than I had eaten in a long time, and I felt horrible about that. I'm going to get fat again and then no one will want me around... not even Demi!

After just lying in bed for a while and taking in my room I finally got up. I hadn't really paid much attention to my new bedroom last night, but now I had a chance to admire it all. There were light purple walls to match my favorite color and a maple wood dresser that matched the wooden flooring. Not to forget the super comfortable, queen-sized bed I'm currently laying on. This room is twice the size of my old one! Sucks that I can't just live here with Demi forever. I've only been here for one night and it's already a hundred million times better than being at home with my mom and step-dad, even though my aunt did, in fact, make me eat dinner while they wouldn't have cared.

Eventually, I got out of bed, not really ready to face the day, but knowing that I didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. I hadn't brought too many clothes with me, so I just grabbed whatever was packed in the top of my suitcase before heading to my bathroom. Yes, that's right, the room I'm staying in has a freaking ensuite!

I quickly hopped in the shower, some of the cuts on my arms burning even though it had been a while since I had last cut. Demi was with me the entire time I was packing which meant I don't actually have any blades with me and right now I am so craving to feel something again. After showering and washing my hair I pulled my dark brown hair into a messy bun away from my face. Once I knew that my hair wasn't going to get in my way I got dressed for the day. I hadn't looked at the clothes I pulled from my suitcase beforehand so I ended up wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt that said 'don't judge me' and a pair of jeans. At least it matched, I guess.

Just as I reentered my room, I heard a knock on the bedroom door before it creaked open to reveal Demi. "Hey, I was just coming to see if you were awake."

The pop singer sat down on my bed and I followed suit, slipping my feet into a pair of black converse as I did. "What's the plan for today?" I asked her softly, my voice a little hoarse from having just woken up.

"Well," Demi started. "My friend Marissa's coming 'round in about an hour so I figured we could have breakfast before she got here and then maybe a girls' day out with just the three of us?"

I felt myself pale slightly at the mention of breakfast, but I nodded none the less. I don't want Demi to worry about me even more than she already is, and plus I don't need to give her another reason to keep a really close eye on me. After all, I can always purge it back up later, although I've never done that before and I'm a bit nervous about it.

I didn't think that my aunt would notice my change in mood when she mentioned eating, I barely even noticed it, but somehow Demi did.

"What's wrong?" The brunette asked me softly, kneeling down on the bed so that she was in front of me.

I shook my head, a couple tears threatening to fall. Why am I crying?! I can purge later for crying out loud!

We can't back down!

I felt Demi's arms wrap around me. "You can tell me, baby girl," I heard the singer mumble under her breath loud enough for me to hear.

"I-It's just hard, I guess, I don't want to eat," I replied, surprised by my own honesty.

"I know it's hard, baby girl, and I'm not asking you to eat everything. That takes time... I just want you to try your best, okay?" Demi said, her voice still really kind as she pulled away and wiped one of the tears that had fallen.

"'Mkay," My voice sounded really unsure and shaky compared to my aunt's, but it made Demi smile anyways.

"That's my girl," the singer me with a genuine smile. "I love you, don't forget that, Mad Max."

"I love you too, Dems," I responded softly, following her downstairs. Maybe I can try and eat just a little, for Demi. Surely, if I stay under 800 calories a day I can still lose, just a little slower than before.

There's too much at stake.

---

I had just finished eating about a fourth of a bowl of oatmeal when the doorbell rang and Demi got up to answer it. My aunt walked back into the kitchen about a minute later followed by a woman whom I could only assume was her friend Marissa.

"Mar, this is my little niece, Max, and Max this is Marissa," Demi introduced, taking the bowl of oatmeal that I had been eating and cleaning it out before putting it in the dishwasher because I couldn't eat anymore.

"'M not little," I mumbled to Demi, my face heating up slightly. I heard Marissa chuckle as Demi walked back over to me, running a hand through my hair.

"Try saying that once you're at least 5 foot."

This is serious.

"You're not exactly tall either, Dems." I smiled at Marissa's comment. I like this girl.

"Shut up, Rissa," Demi snapped back in a playful manner, the two of them laughing as we headed out to the car.

---

I don't know where we're going, but Demi's bodyguard, Max, is driving us there.

Don't walk away.

After about twenty minutes in the car, a large building came into view as Max parked the car. It was a mall. Great, that meant a lot of people around and that's really not something that I think I can handle right now. But I guess all I can do is try...

We can't pretend it's not happening.

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Author's Note: So I'm back, just as promised! And with another fairly long chapter too. First, I want to say a huge thank you to kyrstinmackenze who left a lot of votes and comments! It was amazing to come home and get to read them all so thank you so very much! I know that Marissa and Demi had a falling out recently, but I decided that I would still include Marissa in this story because it takes place in 2013 where Demi was on the X Factor and they were still friends. And as always, I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter and please vote and comment! It means a lot to me and I'll talk to you all soon in the next chapter!

Also, I just posted a new story called Elephant in the Room and it would mean a whole lot to me if you guys would go read it and tell me what you think. The first chapter is an author's note, but after that, there are two more chapters that are up.

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