Anna Lovato

Chapter Twenty-Four

NICK'S POV

Now I'm really confused. Yesterday, Anna and Demi spent hours in one of the rooms downstairs and I could hear crying. Then it went silent and Demi appeared in the doorway of our bedroom. I tried to find out what happened but Demi didn't want to tell me.

"Nick, snap out of your daydream," I blinked repeatedly and then glanced at Demi.

"Sorry, I was just... Thinking."

"It's okay, I just thought I should tell you about what happened yesterday." Demi sat up in our bed and focused her attention on me.

DEMI'S POV

"You know what happened to me when I was her age?" I pulled the hair blocking my vision and Nick nodded his head.

"Yeah, I remember you telling me."

"Well, it's like Anna is reliving what I've gone through. She was bullied and it affected her more than she let on," my voice got real wobbly. "She's cut herself, Nick. Her arms are covered in them and I can't stop thinking that it's my fault."

I broke down into tears and I could feel Nick's muscly arms pull me into a tight hug.

"Demi, you told me before that Anna was clueless to what happened to you... So how could it be your fault? It isn't your fault, baby, mental illness doesn't discriminate." He reassuringly ran his hands through my hair. 

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded my head. He was right; it doesn't discriminate, I told Anna this. It's not my fault, is it? 

"So where is Anna?"

"She fell asleep last night and has been in her room since."

Nick's face drained of colour, he looked like he was thinking the worst. I shook my head.

"Oh God, no! Nick, she's twelve. She's just having a lie in. I'll check on her anyway."

I pulled myself out of the warmth of the bed and tiptoed out of the bedroom. The door of Anna's bedroom was open and I could hear shuffling. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. It sounds silly, but expecting the worst is what I always do. I wandered into her bedroom and smiled at the sight. Anna was perched on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed and a notepad in her lap. She had a pink gel pen in one hand and was scribbling on the paper.

I spoke up, causing Anna to jump. "H- sorry! What're you doing?"

"I'm writing my thoughts out. I, uh, I used Nick's laptop to find out ways to cope and this site told me to write it out."

My smile broadened and I nodded my head. "Yeah, baby, that's a good idea."

"I love you, Dems."

"I love you too, baby girl."

I walked over to her bed and sat beside her. She shuffled awkwardly. "Don't worry, I won't look."

I kept my view from her notepad, however much I craved to see what she wrote, but respecting her privacy. "Me and Nick were thinking... Do you want to go out today? Not the beach, I know you don't want to go there, but th-"

"Demi, we can go to the beach."

"We can? Are you sure?"

Anna nodded her head. Really? Is she sure that's what she wants?

"Anna, it's fine. I was thinking about just... A restaurant or something."

"Demi, shut up. We're going to the beach."

Woah. Roxy like a puma.

"Right, okay. Sorted," I kissed Anna on the forehead and slowly walked out of her room. "I'll let Nick know."

"Nick, Anna wants to go to the beach."

Nick's eyes widened. "The beach? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I tried to tell her maybe it's too soon, she's adamant that we go though. So, I guess we are."

Nick laughed and pulled himself out of bed. "She's stubborn like you!"

I gawped. "I'll let you think about what you're saying whilst I have a shower."

"Can I join you?"

I looked back at Nick whilst wandering into the ensuite and shut the door, a cheeky expression on my face. "N to the O, Jo bro."

**

"Right, Demi, I'm ready!" Anna rushed down the hallway and into the living room. I looked up from the TV show and pulled my arm from behind Nick's neck.

"You took ages!"

"I know, sorry. But, I'm ready now so let's go."

I switched the TV off and threw my bag over my shoulder. I glanced at Anna's outfit and frowned slightly. It's so hot outside and she's wearing skinny, light blue jeans and a cami top with a cardigan. Don't get me wrong, it looks summery and somewhat airy, but we're going to the beach and that outfit is going to make you sweat like a bitch. I shrugged it off and kept quiet, the last thing I want to do is make her uncomfortable. She's wanting to go to the beach and I'm not going to bring down her sudden shoot in confidence. I think we need to get as far away from the bad people as possible, she's improved a lot since this holiday and looks a lot happier now she's told me. That makes me feel good.

"Nick, the beach is this way, isn't it?"

"Demi, do you live here?!"

I laughed. "Alright, bossy."

I laid the blanket out on the sand and Anna lumped right on it. 

"Anna, the sand looks soft but I wouldn't do that twice. Ouch."

"Yeah, I learned my lesson! Ouch!"

I sniggered and sat beside her. I tugged the sunglasses down on my eyes and sunbathed. Anna shuffled around on the blanket and got up, heading towards the ocean silently. 

"Nick, thank you for this," I leaned closer to Nick and kissed him on the cheek. "It means a lot, look how happy she is."

"And look how happy you are!" Nick kissed me on the lips. Wow, unexpected. 

For the rest of the day, Anna spent most of it by the ocean with her jeans rolled up and her feet in the water and me and Nick laid down together on the blanket. Thankfully, this part of the beach is cut off from everyone else so I didn't even have to worry about the media seeing me. Not that I cared, but it was just less pressure. And it was a great day. And I love him a lot, I really do.