Nikki's POV
"So are you scared that something might happen again?" Maddie fired another question at me about my mom. I sigh and say "I don't know mad, maybe? Maybe not? How am I supposed to know?"
She nods then says "Do you she might-
"MADDIE! STOP! STOP ASKING ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT!" I clamp my hand over my mouth after screaming in Maddie's face. I didn't mean to. I feel tears threatening to spill. As I stand up, Jess and Demi come out of the back room with worried expressions written all over their faces. Demi steps in and says "What's with the screaming? Are you two okay?"
"I-I didn't.." I can't even get words out. I look at Maddie. She looks like she wants to cry.
"I'm so-sorry Maddie...I didn't m-mean to.."
Demi says "What just happened?"
I shake my head and walk towards the back room before feeling someone grab my wrist. I close my eyes tight, allowing those tears to fall. Everything I've been trying to hold in the whole day is just coming out. Without looking to see who's holding my wrist, I turn around and cry into them. I just let it all out. This is just a repeat of last night. All my worries, are cried out. The thought of my parents, Jessie over-working, my mom hitting me..her trying to find me!
"Shhhh, c'mon Nikki breathe for me baby"
I feel her hands rubbing circles on my back. I open my eyes and look up to see Demi looking back down at me. She gives me a smile and says "Keep breathing, big breath in, and a big breath out." I copy her until I've caught my breath. I look around and realize we're in the back room on her bed I'm guessing.
"W-where's Jessie? I hiccup through my tears.
"She took a walk with Maddie, I thought I'd be good if I could talk to you. Nikki's heard it, and I wanna make sure I'm helping you, so what's going on baby girl?"
I shake my head and look down. I hate being forced to talk about stuff. Like if you haven't noticed, this is why I go silent. Every time Jess or my parents would want me to talk about stuff I don't wanna talk about, the easiest thing for me to do was just not say anything at all. I'll talk about it when I want to. Not just when you request for me to talk.
"Nikki?"
I shake my head again and say "can I just lay down?"
"Sure, and when you're ready to talk I'll be right next to you okay?"
I nod and lay my head down on the pillow.
The second I close my eyes, I see my parents infront of me. Drinking as usual. The images the come to my mind when I think about my mom finding Demi's house scared the crap out of me. Yes she's a woman, but when she's got alcohol in her system I've never been more scared of her.
I feel the bed go down behind me, and two arms pull me towards them. I open my eyes again to see Demi. She wipes her thumbs over my cheeks, I didn't even realize I was crying...
She whispers "I know you're not ready to talk, but I can't just watch you lay like this and cry."
I sniffle and nod my head saying "sorry ill stop"
She says "No, cry all you want. If that's what you need to do, I meant I just can't stand to see you laying here alone. So cry all you want to me, I promise Nikki I'm not going anywhere"
I let out the tears I was holding back again and lay head down on Demi's chest. I feel her playing with my hair and humming. I tighten my grip on her shirt and close my eyes. She kissed my head and said "You're so strong Nikki"
