Even Heroes Have Scars

[11] Everything Has Changed

A/N
Not a lot happens in this chapter but comment on your favorite part so I know what to make more of in other chapters please!

Ansley's P.O.V.

"Shit."

I didnt know whether to run or stay put, but when Demi stepped in my direction with concern on her face, my feet unconsciously pulled me back. Yes, I did want to run, but I also wanted her to hug me like she did this afternoon at the diner. I wanted her warm skin against mine, the spark it gave me when she held my hand, the way her scent suffocated my lungs in the best way, and how I'd had the biggest celebrity crush on her for four years. Other than the flaw of me being my terrible self, she was as straight as the edge of an eight by eleven paper, and I was as straight as a tree vine. But I didn't care because she wanted to be my friend. She yelled at Eddie again for me. She believed in me, and I was eternally grateful.

"Ansley, I..." Demi stepped a little closer until I fell onto the couch behind me.

She took another step and I tensed up, unable to move any further away. She stopped in front of me, taking my hands in hers, which made the butterflies in my stomach swarm.

"Can we go talk about this?" she asked.

I didn't move. I didn't even dare to look into her eyes. She pulled me up and I didn't resist. She led me through her house to yet another room with couches. A grand piano sat in one corner of the room and a guitar next to it. She sat on the couch and I sat beside her. After a moment, I finally looked at her, into her caramel brown eyes. Catching my eyes out of her peripheral vision, she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Ansley, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," she breathed.

"Then how did you mean it?" I asked coldly. "You blabbed about my eating disorder."

"I know. I'm sorry. I meant-you're struggling terribly and I want to help. I don't care if my dad doesn't want me to, because I want to and it's my decision, not his. Everyone is worth recovery, especially you," she looked back into my eyes.

"No I'm not," I objected, shaking my head slowly.

"You are. In treatment, I learned that everyone deserves to live a happy life, and if I can recover, so can you. Please let me help. You won't regret it-" she tried to pursuade me.

"A happy life?" I scoffed. "The only happy times I've had haven't lasted long. They've only been recently and I'm nineteen years old! And I don't want to get better!" I instantly covered my mouth at the last part, noticing I was rather loud.

That's when I broke. Demi opened her arms for me and I fell into them, near tears. She rubbed my back and stroked my hair as she hummed Believe In Me, which calmed me down greatly.

"I don't wanna be afraid, I wanna wake up feeling beautiful today, and know that I'm okay, 'cause everyone's perfect in unusual ways. So you see, I just wanna Believe In Me," she sang.

I listened to her voice, the lyrics, and her heartbeat as I matched my breathing to hers. Gently, I pulled out of her embrace and wiped my tears with the palm of my hand. She brushed a strand of hair from my face and put it behind my ear, which caused me to smile slightly.

"Let me help you?" She asked softly.

No, I didn't want help, but I knew, deep within me, that I needed it. So slowly, I nodded. A smile spread across her face, but she quickly turned serious again.

"I won't let you down. I'm never going to give up on you," she whispered.

"T-thank you," I smiled weakly.