Even Heroes Have Scars

[105] Stone Cold

Ansley's P.O.V.

A month later, I was doing better. I could go hours without thinking about her, and I was focused on when Jacob would be able to come home. Just a few weeks, and I'd have him back. It was early November now. Pictures surfaced of Demi out and about from rehab about a month ago, but the tabloids referred to it as a brief outing, and she was back in rehab for the last month. It was good to know she went back to finish the three months.

I was working at the diner one evening when I checked my phone for the time and saw a notification from twitter with the headline: Demi Lovato Spotted Out of Rehab with Henry Levy. My heart sank, and I sat down on a stool to catch my breath. Yes, I wanted to forget her. Yes, I wanted to move on. But it sickened me that she was out, and she didn't even think to tell me.

I was glad she was okay, though. Truly. And she looked good in her pictures.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket.

A few days passed, and no other pictures had really been released. I wondered if maybe she went back to rehab again. I was visiting Jacob when he brought it up.

"Is Demi out yet? I think it's been long enough that she should be out," he said, clearly having not had access to the internet.

I nodded and looked around the visitation room. "She is. She went out with a guy."

"What? How do you know? She told you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "She hasn't reached out to me at all. There's photos on Twitter."

He sighed. "Damn, she hasn't said anything to you? How long has she been out?"

I shrugged. "A week, maybe longer."

"I'm sorry."

I waved him off. "It's whatever. I'm over it."

He went on to talk about how he was finally feeling excited to leave and to become friends with his old friend group again. Seeing Drew really seemed to give him a lot of hope. He did seem a bit nervous about seeing Cole and that whole toxic group.

I had anxiety about him returning to school. I couldn't protect him there. He easily could decide he wanted to use again and hit up his dealer, Ben. But I had to trust him. He made a lot of progress. Maybe he would be fine.

A few nights later, Sasha, my typical Wednesday night partner was over. We had been in my bed when there was a knock at the door. I was starting to get really tired of people showing up without checking first, so I tried to ignore it until it became persistent. I begrudgingly left the bed, straightening my hair from where Sasha's grip had been and wiping my face to appear less disheveled, and approached the door.

It was like I was seeing a ghost, her just standing there with a box in her hands. I couldn't believe it was her at first. I blinked several times to make sure I was seeing things right. I was stunned to say the least. Perhaps even enraged. Or elated. I wasn't sure what to feel. All I knew was that, after going nearly four months without seeing her, I was breathless and surprised.

"Hey," Demi eventually exhaled, breaking the silence. "This is your stuff. From L.A."

She handed the box to me. I couldn't even formulate a reply.

"Well, um... Bye," she said before turning and walking away.

I stood there for a minute just holding the box. It was a bit triggering that this was the box I intended to receive in July. The emotions of arriving to her house so joyfully and being hopeful of us dating again all hit me, like a gallon of serotonin, then the record screech of sadness and shock and agony of what happened when I found her.