Torn

Chapter Twelve

Annie's POV

I stepped into the foyer, the sight of Wilmer making my headache and nausea ten times worse.

Deciding on my gut feeling, heart feeling, and mind feeling, I chose to ignore his presence and continue with Conner up to my room so we could walk up to the roof.

"Wait, Annie." Wilmer called after me. "I want to talk to Demi and you."

I stopped halfway through the staircase and looked down at him. "I have a friend over. Maybe later."

"Oh." Wilmer said. "I'll leave and I guess come back sometime when we can all talk?"

"Sure." Demi mumbled, opening the door for him.

"Or never." I silently added.

•••

"I think I'm pretty special, though." Conner said, a half hour later.

It's about that time where the sun sets and it's the most beautiful time to be roof laying.

"Oh, yeah, and whys that?"

"Because." He simply said. "You're one of those girls who have their guard up as high as you could possibly reach. You don't let people in.. It's very rare for you to let people in so easily. Trust is the hardest thing for you. You can't trust anyone, except a few select of people."

I'm scared that he knows already so much about me in so little time. But nevertheless, I nodded signaling for him to go on.

"The reason I feel so special is because I feel like I've taken your guard down a whole bunch. I feel like you trust me a lot, too. You've began to open up to me within the number of days, which I'm ever so grateful."

"You're right." I sighed.

"And," he added, "I feel like that's why you won't let Wilmer in. Your guard is up, your trust is low. The only person you trust wholeheartedly is Demi. The only person you will let your guard crumble to pieces in front of is Demi. Is the reason you hate Wilmer so much because of what he did to you or is it because you don't want Demi loving someone more than you?"

I felt naked and exposed. No one has ever read me so clearly before and quite frankly, I don't like it. I don't like someone can read me so easily and the fact that Conner may be right makes me even more angrier.

"Demi can love whoever she wants." I weakly said.

"Did I hit a soft spot?"

I quickly sat up and started scrambling to my feet, "You know if you're going to be an asshole or something you can just leave-"

He shook his head pulled me back down in the laying position. "It wasn't my intention to be an.. Asshole. I'm just trying to get you to open up to me."

I huffed in defeat and crossed my arms over my chest, looking up at the now dark sky.

"No one really understands. I don't even understand. I like it just me and Demi here in the house. Just us twenty four seven. I don't want anyone else." I explained.

"Go on." Conner said.

"No one understands the bond me and Demi share. It's like nothing else.. It's not something someone could recreate in the movies, or- or, books. People say our relationship is weird or sometimes they say she needs to stop babying me and stop relying on me to make her happy. But that's my biggest fear. That she'll stop. Honestly, we rely on each other. We're the best of friends."

"And no one understands what it's like to have your mom go on a three month tour to different countries when I'm stuck in school and house bouncing between Dianna and Marissa's. The only way I could even talk to her is when I had to wake up at three a.m on a school night just to FaceTime her for ten minutes or just to call her and talk for three seconds. The most terrible feeling is having the one you love most so freaking far away."

I felt tears stinging the rim of my lashes, signaling I was about to do the final blow and cry in front of Conner. I honestly wish I could take everything I said back because I hate telling people things that are so.. Hard for me to talk about.

"You had to grow up at a very young age." Conner said, still gazing up at the sky. "That's another thing we have in common. My parents are both doctors at the hospital close to our school. They basically own it because the first owner doesn't take good care of it. They're always on call and always at work. It's been that way sense I was eleven. When they aren't working, they're sleeping. I've learned to fend for myself."

Then I felt super bad. I only wish people could experience half the relationship with their parents that me and Demi have.

"I'm so sorry, Conner." I said, meaning every word.

"Me too."

•••

Conner had left moments ago, making a dramatic exit by climbing into a tree and sliding the rest of the way down.

As of now, I'm leaving my room to go downstairs and see Demi and to take my medicine even though I'm feeling way better than I was a while ago.

Every step I took out of my room, the noise of people talking grew stronger. I walked up to the railing and peered over it to see Wilmer and Demi talking on the couch.

Deciding with my gut feeling once again, I sat down by the railing and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I really, really think we could make it work." Wilmer said.

"I do too.." Demi said. "But not so fast. It's going to take time for all of this information to process and for me to actually be comfortable with you around after what you done."

"I'm the same person I was last week. And the week before that. And the month before that. And a year before that. But I am NOT the person I was when you were in treatment, nena. You know that." Wilmer softly spoke. "Are you not coming back because you don't want to or other people don't want you too?"

Demi stayed silent and played with the necklace I got her for Mother's Day. Come on, mom. Stand up for yourself.

"I think i came to conclusion that no matter what I do Annie isn't going to approve of me." Wilmer said.

"Annie is just stubborn, okay? She'll come around." Demi said defensively.

"I don't think she will."

I don't think I can stand one more second of this so I brought out my phone and texted Conner to come back and pick me up.

"Well that's to bad, isn't it?" Demi said. "It isn't up to Annie who I date. It's up to me, not her. It's my life."

Woah. That hurt.

"Really? Because usually you guys are like, like, a packaged deal."

"Well.. We are. She means the world to me.. She is my world. She's my number one priority." Demi said, finally coming to her senses.

"It's not fare that just because she doesn't like me, you can't be happy." Wilmer said.

"You're right. My happiness matters, too." She said, confidently. "It's not Annie's decision. She doesn't control me."

Doesn't she get it? I put up with Wilmer for her happiness. I didn't tell her for all these years what Wilmer did to me because I cared about her happiness.

I scrambled to my feet and began bounding down the stairs, making my presence known.

"Annie, what are you doing?" Demi asked, jumping to her feet. "Where's Conner?"

I ignored her question as I started fast walking to the kitchen to grab my charger. "I was going to ask you to get it for me, but I wouldn't want to control you."

"Annie, what did you hear?" She asked, now following me to the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Demi asked.

I felt tears blinding my vision as I spun around to face her. "Don't you understand? I honestly from the bottom of my heart just cannot stand Wilmer. You know how long I've put up with him? You know what he's done to me? Do you know what he's said to me? Do you want to know why I didn't tell you anything or defend myself?"

She herself now looked like she was about to cry. "Why?"

"Because your happiness matters more to me than my own."