Blessing In Disguise

Original | Chapter Twelve

(Demi's POV)

Soon after Sierra leaves, I'm still sitting in front of her door, crying my eyes out. I suddenly hear the soft patter of footsteps approaching me.

"Demi?"

Keeping my head down, hair shielding my face, I hastily wipe my moist cheeks.

"What?" I harshly question, my voice cracking.

"What are you doing?" Dallas softly wonders, her feet entering my line of vision.

"I just..."

How do I explain myself without her becoming suspicious?

To my surprise, she lowers to my level and wraps my quivering body into a hug. I don't know why, but I find myself sobbing into her shoulder.

"It's about Wilmer, isn't it?" she questions in the same soft tone, as if she's speaking to a toddler.

I tense up but only for a moment. She must think I'm tensing over the sore subject of my ex, for she rubs my back in what is supposed to be a comforting gesture. I nod in reply to her question.

Look at you, Demetria. Lying to your own sister! What is wrong with you?

I sob harder as my demons continue to attack me.

"He's not worth your tears, Dems."

I can't help but think that she's wrong, although I know that he would never cry over me. I know that I'm not worth his tears. I'm not worth the tears of anybody.

"I'm proud of you," Dallas whispers so quietly that I think I've misheard her. "You've stayed strong through it all, Demi. Even when he cheated on you, shattered your heart, and had the nerve to beg for your forgiveness..." she trails off, shaking her head, her body trembling from anger toward Wilmer. "Even then, you managed to stay strong. I don't think I could've done the same."

Guilt consumes me, swallowing me whole. I'm so stupid, so weak. I was clean for so long, doing so well, and I threw it all away over a guy who never loved me in the first place.

"Sierra already left for school," I mumble, desperate for a subject change. "She said she wanted to walk." 

Dallas releases me, sending a wave of bitter coldness slamming into my body. I involuntarily shiver. Dallas offers me a hand in which I take. She yanks me to my feet as I try not to think about how much pain I must be causing her for having to pull my fat self up from the floor.

"Have you eaten breakfast yet?" she wonders.

I nod, following her into the dining room. 

"Then what's this?" she questions, eyeing the abandoned bowl of cereal that I tried to force Sierra to eat. 

"That's my second bowl," I easily lie. "I thought I was hungrier than I actually was."

Dallas nods with lingering suspicion in her eyes. She dumps the cereal down the garbage disposal and flips the switch. 

"Can I, uh, can I take Maddie to school today?" I shyly ask once the loud grinding of the garbage disposal ceases. 

"Sure, Dems," Dallas replies in a slightly astonished tone. "She'd love that." 

I nod, guilt consuming me for not being as close to my little sister as I used to be.

Why can't I do anything right? 

"I'll go wake her up," I mumble.

I head upstairs to Maddie's room and push the slightly ajar door open the rest of the way. I smile at the sight of my sleeping sister. I'm so stupid for pushing her away lately because of my petty problems. She doesn't deserve to have such a mental nutcase for a sister.