secrets ↠ demi lovato / 5h

[41]

"what?" I asked, feeling behind me for somewhere I could sit.

"I-I don't know what's going on," Jaycee's voice dropped to a hushed murmur, to avoid being heard. "she's found her way to the studio and is requesting to see you now." there was a slight tone of urgency in her voice.

I rubbed my face with my spare hand, something I did when I was stressed. "now?"

"is there anyone you can come down with?" Jaycee asked.

I looked at the clock. it was an hour tops before Naya came home, and when she did, it would be late. and plus, I wasn't prepared to see my mom at all.

"can it be tomorrow?" I pleaded.

"let me check." footsteps, silence, muffled noises.

I grasped my phone tighter, biting my lip.

"tomorrow, 2pm?" I heard Jaycee ask. a voice, then, "okay. thank you very much. Lea will see you tomorrow." a door opened and closed, and Jaycee let out a small breath.

"tomorrow at 2?" I asked.

"yes." since Jaycee knew what had happened between my mom and I, she probably knew about the absolute terror I was facing. she paused before offering, "I'll get Jamie, Alex and Thomas to be around. I'll be here, as well as Lydia and John. is that okay?"

"yes," I said, relieved. Alex and Thomas were two more bodyguards that were reliant, and Lydia and John were two songwriters I worked with. John was tough enough to help the bodyguards if needed, and Lydia was fantastic for emotional support. and Jaycee was someone I was comfortable with.

all this bodyguard talk - it sounded like my mom was going to give me a beatdown, which I doubted she would in the middle of a studio in New York City with trained bodyguards around. she might've done it if we were at home, but she wasn't stupid enough to do it here. I needed to stop worrying.

"maybe I'll get Demi or Naya as well," I said to Jaycee over the phone.

"that'd be a good idea. if Demi's here, it'll also be convenient to have Max and Sugar around."

"thanks for calling, Jaycee."

we said our goodbyes and hung up. I sank down onto the couch, burying my head in my hands. I was not ready for this. what was my mom going to do? force me to go back to Uniondale? hit me? kidnap me? what if she took down all the bodyguards plus John, stabbed someone, then locked Demi or Naya up and took me away? what if she had planned something? what if?

"Lea!"

I shot up in panic, screaming. "don't hurt me! I'm sorry!"

"what?"

I looked up to see a very concerned Naya staring back down at me. why was she home? wasn't it just 6pm? "baby, are you okay? why are you crying?"

I hadn't even noticed I was crying until I was suddenly conscious of the tears dripping down my cheeks. "I-I-" was all I managed before bursting into tears again.

she dropped her bags on the floor, grabbed a tissue from the coffee table, and brushed my tears away gently. she sat down next to me, tucked my hair behind my ears and kissed my forehead, then rubbed my cheek softly with her thumb. "what happened, darling?"

I sniffled, dragging my sweater sleeve across my eyes. "I have to see my mom tomorrow."

I felt Naya tense beside me. "what?"

"Jaycee called me. she went to the studio today and asked to see me, like, immediately. so Jaycee called me and I told her I'd be there tomorrow. I don't know what to do Naya, I'm not prepared."