You Can't Choose Your Family ➸ Demi Lovato

{Chapter 33}

The next day with Joel was just as great as the previous day. Demi had to tie up the last of her meetings which left us alone with Wilmer. However Wilmer was busy in the kitchen on his laptop making Skype calls, leaving Joel and I to lounge around in the privacy and comfort of my bedroom.

A parcel had arrived for me this morning containing two huge photo books, a smaller collection of other photos and a short note from mom too;

Saskia, I found these whilst clearing your old room for Aubrey. The books were among the stuff that came when you arrived from Jaynie and Eric's. The others are random shots from the past few years. It's always nice to have memorabilia. Happy early Christmas. Love, your mom.

"Who's Jaynie and Eric?" Joel asked curiously, reading over my shoulder as I sat between his legs on my carpeted floor.

"Er-" I stumbled, still not quite ready to disclose the whole family tree situation with the soccer player yet. "They're my grandparents."

Joel just nodded in acceptance and I sighed internally in relief that he didn't push the subject any further. I've been purposefully pushing it to the back of my conscience and I'm still in some sort of denial. I can't comprehend that Jaynie and Eric, the couple I lived with and loved for nine whole years of my life weren't actually related to me, in fact they should've had nothing to do with me.

"Is this you?" Joel's smooth voice broke me from my toxic thoughts. Having opened one of the heavy looking books, he was jabbing the tip of his finger on a photo I'd never seen before.

Studying the poor quality photo I saw a young baby with a short mob of jet black hair. It was dressed in an old fashioned yet cute yellow and white checked dress and was smiling toothlessly. Holding the kid was a women I immediately recognised as Jaynie. Her grey hair cut in a ear-length bob and her familiar bright blue eyes which sparkled, even fourteen years later, stood out clearly. My heart momentarily spasmed in the pain of losing my 'grandmother'. This was the first photo, I suppose since her death five years ago, that I'd seen of her. Her features were painstakingly familiar. I missed her so much.

Underneath, the accustomed cursive writing read:

'Saskia Eleanor ~ May 9th 2001'

"Yeh I was three months old," I whispered, my voice suffering from the toll of nostalgia. "Do you mind if we don't look at them now?"

"Yeh of course," Joel squeezed my shoulder reassuringly, "what were you saying earlier about Demi's closet being the size of California?" He chuckled, changing the subject swiftly which I was grateful for.

"I lied," I turned my head round to grin at his perfect features, "it's the size of the whole of America."

"I don't believe you," Joel shook his head and pouted cutely, making his full lips just look so unbearably kissable. I quickly pecked them before climbing to my feet, dragging him up behind me and pulling him down the corridor into Demi's room.

I stopped him in front of the double doors which folded into the extensive closet.

"Welcome to the land of," I pushed the doors and gestured at the items hanging and sitting around me, "ripped jeans, band tee's, gym pants and sketchers!"

"You undersold it," Joel shook his head in disbelief, "it's the size of frickin' Asia!"

I laughed, pulling him further into the closet. I started showing him fur coats, diamond earrings and studded combat boots. I got so engrossed in exploring the abyss of couture that when Joel finally spoke up, from much further away than I anticipated (I swear he was by my side?) I jumped in surprise.

"Yeh?" I joined him back to the bedroom where Joel had escaped to. "Got bored of clothes?" I teased,

"You girls could go on about clothes forever I swear," he groaned, rubbing his forehead as if even thinking about fashion was doing his head in, "you were in there for," he checked his phone, "forty minutes babe. Just looking at fabric!"

"Eugh whatever," I flipped him off before acting annoyed and stomping out the room. I barely made it out the room before I was suddenly lifted off my feet and spun around.

"Don't be mad," Joel cooed, kissing my nose lightly. "Just face it," he kissed my forehead, "clothes," he kissed my cheek, "are," he kissed my other cheek, "boring." He finally kissed my lips briefly. He smirked, knowing I wouldn't be able to stay mad at him any longer.

"You win," I huffed before reconnecting our lips. His strong arms kept me afloat off the carpeted floor as I wrapped my arms more securely round his neck. The kiss intensified as he swiped his tongue over my bottom lip. Being very inexperienced in this department I could only assume he wanted to enter me with his tongue. So I parted my lips slightly, allowing his tongue access.

As soon as his tongue met mine I felt literal fireworks explode within me. The feeling is indescribable. Indescribable in the best way possible.

Having to pull back for oxygen, I looked up into his crystal eyes blushing profusely. His lips were slightly enlarged, swollen almost and he wore the cutest grin.

"Wow." He breathed out softly, resting his forehead on mine.

Unfortunately, Joel couldn't stay forever. We hugged and kissed at the door before he jumped into his mom's car. He was flying home Boxing Day so I wouldn't see him for an indefinite period of time. He promised to FaceTime me regularly and text even more regularly.

Before he'd left we'd had the whole boyfriend/girlfriend situation conversation. We'd come to the unanimous decision that we wouldn't label ourselves as such quite yet. We'd see how the next few weeks or months panned out, especially regarding to the distance. If it worked then great, the next time we see each other we'd make it official. If it didn't then... well we'd cross that bridge if we come to it. We'd stay friends regardless.

Demi came back from her meetings just before dark.

"WHO'S GOING TO NEW YORK IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS?!" She screeched at an ungodly high pitched voice, interrupting Wilmer and I's conversation about Venezuelan Christmas's. She flung herself round Wilmer, kissing him before giving me the same treatment- minus the kiss (thank God!)

"US DEMI IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY!" Demi laughed, still screaming dangerously loudly.

"Us Demi," I added unenthusiastically, earning a glare from her and a smirk from Wilmer.

"You're not excited to see Times Square with all its decorations?!" Demi looked at me as if I were some exiled madwoman.

Wilmer and I burst out into laughter. "I was kidding!"

"Oh." Demi's face dropped.

"I'M SO SO SO EXCITED!" I jumped up, mimicking Demi's earlier behaviour. Demi quickly adapted back into hyper-mode and we bounced around the kitchen like little kids screaming "we're going to New York!" over and over again.

Little did we know that Wilmer was sneakily filming the whole fiasco and a few minutes later it was up on Instagram, captioned:

'@wilmervalderrama: my girls hyped for #NYC @ddlovato @saskiajackson15'

Although I looked like a complete hooligan to Wilmer's 900k+ followers, I didn't care.

"My girls, huh?" I questioned him.

"You're part of the family now guapa," Wilmer pulled me into a tight hug.

I didn't care because feeling this loved is an emotion which can override anything else, even morbid embarrassment.

***
Oh my god I'm so so sorry for not updating for over a week. I literally don't have an excuse as well except I was just feeling pretty uninspired :/
I love you all 💘
{p.s. the more comments and votes I get- the more inspired I will be to update so yeh :) }