secrets ↠ demi lovato / 5h

[79]

Lea's POV

it was nearly 8am in the Jauregui household, and everything was still.

except me, because I'd woken up earlier than normal, and was now lying in my bed, feeling my throat grow dryer by the minute from lack of water. reaching over to the cup Clara had given me filled with water last night, I involuntarily pouted when I found it to be empty. I got up and swung my legs out of bed, reaching to pick the cup up to go and get more water, but then I realized that I didn't know where anything was. i stood with my hand on the door handle, contemplating my options and wondering if I could drink water from the tap in the bathroom if it turned into a worst-case scenario. and then, saving grace came when I heard someone's familiar laughter drift quietly through the walls.

Lauren's.

thank god. she'd know where everything was, since this was her own house, and out of everyone, I was most familiar with her.

her room was just two doors down, and I knocked on her door gently so I wouldn't startle her or wake anyone up. she must've failed to hear me, though, because she was on the phone and she was lying on her bed with her back facing the door. still in her pajamas, I could see the faded letters on the back of her shirt outlining the words 'JAUREGUI 96', then the twitter handle of the fan that must've given the shirt to her. I was about to open my mouth to ask for her, but her next sentence made me freeze up on the spot and lose my breath.

"it's funny how things work out. when we first met Lea, I didn't think I'd end up falling for her. I don't regret it, though, I never could."

Lea. falling for her. Lea. f a l l i n g f o r h e r.

no. this couldn't be happening. there was no way that Lauren returned any of my feelings.

but then, she'd just confirmed everything.

in those two seconds I froze at Lauren's door, a million thoughts shot through my mind, piercing every corner with their sharp intensity.

at the same time, everything I'd ever wanted and everything I'd never wanted was happening. considering the fact that I was so hopelessly enthralled with Lauren, and had been for the past many months, I was ecstatic. but also, I was now terrified. all throughout the time I'd known her, I'd never, ever imagined the possibility that she would like me back. I'd never allowed myself to daydream too much about what would happen if she actually returned any feeling whatsoever, for my sanity's sake. now that I was confronted with this accidental reveal, I didn't know what to do.

so, I turned and ran.

in my haste to get away, my foot hit the wall right next to the hinges of the door. horror coursed throughout my veins as it made a hollow noise where I'd kicked the wall, resulting in me praying fervently that Lauren didn't hear since she was on the phone anyway. diving back into the temporary safety of my room and shutting the door behind me, I crawled back into my own bed, ready to pick my phone up and text Demi for help. despite it being summer, I suddenly felt my hands and feet growing cold as my heart still pounded so deep into my chest with every thump that I was certain it was leaving some sort of indent. I forcefully wiped tears away from my eyes, and lay back down into bed, hoping that Lauren hadn't heard me and I could just lie here alone and try to figure something out. if it took too long, I could always use the excuse that I was tired from traveling yesterday. but right now, I needed to think about how to handle this. oh god, it was only the first day too. how was I supposed to stay here for three weeks and act like everything was fine when I was obsessed with this girl, and now found out that she liked me back too? I wasn't one to proclaim that I had awful luck, but right now, that seemed to be the case. oh sweet lord, how was I going to waltz out and spend days with her and act as if everything was norma-