secrets ↠ demi lovato / 5h

[30]

tw // ED

Jaycee and I met up three days after. we decided that I'd have an acoustic set with just Matt as a guitarist, and I'd sing Stay by Rihanna, Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson, American by Lana Del Rey, finishing up with Believe in Me by Demi.

to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I hadn't performed since X Factor, and although sometimes I sang with Demi and Naya for fun at home, I'd have to get used to crowds all over again, and this time without Demi by my side. I didn't even know Austin, Shawn Mendes or The Vamps well. I had met Austin at the RDMAs but it was brief, and I had never met The Vamps or Shawn Mendes. so the only security I had, really, was the girls. and Jaycee, but she'd be busy.

I folded a black circle skirt and dropped it into my suitcase, then turned back to the closet. I deliberated if I should bring a sweatshirt, because it might be cold on the bus. but then again, it was summer. oh, I'll just bring it anyways. I grabbed it off the hanger and folded it, then put it to the side of the skirt. a knock on the door jolted me, and I looked up to see Naya leaning against the doorframe.

"need help, sweetie?" she asked.

"kind of."

Naya came over and dropped to her knees. "just let me know."

it was quiet for a while as I looked through my shorts and jeans.

"why don't you just bring everything?" Naya asked in amusement.

"what if I want to buy new stuff?" I countered cheekily. I would need smaller clothes if I was planning to lose the fat that I had gained this past half year.

the corner of her mouth twitched up into a smile. "good point."

"where's everyone? it's quiet today."

"Demi brought Maddie out, Dianna went to get groceries, but Eddie's here." she watched me sort out charger wires, coiling them, tying them up and tucking them into the netted part of the suitcase. "had lunch yet?"

"yep," the lie came easy. all the lies had been getting easier and easier each day.

"you look different," Naya said, tilting her head to the side. "it's subtle though. I can't place my finger on it yet. have you been doing anything different?"

"I've been running in the mornings," I told her. nothing wrong with running in the morning. "maybe it's the energy." in reality, it was probably the makeup. maybe the mascara was making me look more awake.

"ah. that's probably it."

"Demi won't let me do much working out," I said. "she's afraid I'll overdo it." which I would, if I was being completely honest.

Naya smiled a little. "give it some time. keep the running, I don't see anything wrong with that."

"I will. but I can't run while on tour," I realized.

"yes, but you'll be doing a lot more. plus, running around the venue trying to find the stage like Demi last time?"

we laughed as we recalled when Demi and Natalie got lost backstage while they were headed to soundcheck. eventually, she called Max, who came and got them, then brought them to the stage, which was all the way on the other side of the venue.

"good times," I murmured.

"indeed."

I liked the differing types of relationships I had with people. I liked how Demi and I were extremely close, I liked how the girls and I were sort of like sisters, I liked how Jaycee and I were not strict all the time, I liked Bea and my friendship as well. I liked it that Naya and I could carry comfortable conversations and have silences where it was never awkward. she wasn't as loud or outgoing or energetic as Demi was, but she was sweet and sentimental, which was a good thing.