Even Heroes Have Scars

[57] Waitin' For You

Ansley's P.O.V.

~36 Hours Left~

The bell above the diner door rung, stealing my attention from the dishes I had been washing. The diner was empty except for me and my coworkers, and one customer, which Cody was attending.

In the doorway she stood, eyes bloodshot, nose reddening, chin trembling. Her shoulders were slouched as she stared at me.

"I need to talk to you," she croaked out.

"And I need you to leave." I tried to come off stronger than I was.

"Please. I'm leaving in thirty-six hours, and I won't bother you again," Demi explained, pain in her voice. Her right hand fiddled with a necklace around her neck. The one I gave her.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "You have until my break is over."

Relief flooded over her face, and she sighed. I hung up my apron and followed her out the door. We walked in silence. I definitely didn't want to start the conversation; I didn't want to see her in the first place, much less speak to her. We made it to the park before a single word was said. She motioned toward a bench and we sat, a fair distance between us.

She sniffed quietly. "I'm guessing you won't be going to my party tomorrow or going to my concert Friday?"

I scoffed. "Look at you finally figuring shit out for yourself."

"I'm sorry," she whispered as if it solved anything.

"Yeah. Whatever." I rolled my eyes.

"Ansley, I'm serious." She looked over at me, near tears.

In a duh tone, I mumbled, "So am I. I'm not forgiving you."

She shook her head to tell me I was wrong. "I didn't come here for forgiveness."

I laughed "Yes you did!" I rose my voice. "Just like you did last time you made a bullshit mistake! You come to me crying and you expect me to forgive you - to pity you! I fell for it once and I'm nor falling for it again!" My whole body was tense, my fingers curling under the edge of the park bench.

"I don't want your pity or your forgiveness. I want you to know-" she started, but I interrupted her, forcing her to swallow down the words that rested at the tip of her tongue.

"You're sorry, I know!" I cut her off. "I don't care! Demi, I was willing to wait for you! I was stuck watching you and Wilmer fucking each other, and I was willing to wait three months for you to get back!" My voice cracked from the yelling and it began to disappear the more I talked.

"And now you won't..." she muttered, struggling to keep in a sob.

"You bet your ass I'm not waiting for you. You expect everyone to wait for you, and to forgive you because you're Demi Lovato and you think everything is about you! You think that people don't want to lose the friendship - or relationship - of a celebrity! Everyone bends around your schedule, and I was willing to do the same, to wait for you, but I'm not anymore!" It was an extravagant monologue, completely true, too. "Celebrity or not, you lied to me, and you hurt me! I don't stay with people who do that anymore!"

"No!" She shook her head, finally releasing her pathetic emotions. She sobbed. Her face was cocooned by her hands. "It's not like that, I swear!"

"Stop lying to me! None of what has come out of your mouth has been true! You're a liar!" I screamed. "Are you surprised by this?"

"No..." she breathed softly, her eyes falling to her lap.

"Exactly." I began to stomp away.

Was she crazy? Did she seriously expect me to forgive her after everything she'd done? I fell for her trick once, and I wasn't doing it again. That was a mistake.