Danger Signs // Demi Lovato // 4

43. The Tensions Building In My Mind

Jay's family let her spend Christmas with mine, which I was actually nervous about since everyone would be meeting my girlfriend. Stephanie, Maia's mom, and Demi's parents and sisters had flown in, Abby also coming. Jay was also planning on spending the night, bringing the same black tote she'd had at Tess's house.

It was currently next to the counter while everyone was grabbing gifts from under the tree and giving them out. I felt bad that I hadn't gotten Jay's gift yet, but she hadn't gotten mine either.

"This one's for Rosie," Maddie said, holding a decent sized box. I reached out and took it, surprised at its light weight. As I started tearing the snowman-decorated paper off, I saw Demi grinning. I opened the flaps, seeing that inside the plain cardboard box, there was a smaller box, wrapped in the same paper.

My eyebrow shot up as I tore the paper off, my mouth dropping open when I saw a golden Apple logo. "You got me a new phone?" I asked, opening the box, Jay leaning over to take in the shiny black screen.

"Yeah, I wasn't really sure what else to get you, but there's more," Demi said, sounding nervous and shooting a glance at Maia. I didn't realize I had reached the age that my moms didn't know what to get me. But I never thought the "I didn't know what to get you" gift would be a brand new iPhone.

I grinned, smiling at the gold phone.
"Well, I love it. Thank you."

"My turn," Maia said, clapping her hands before grabbing a larger box from under the tree. She came over to me, setting it in my lap and this one was much heavier. Santa heads decorated the paper, which I quickly tore off, revealing the new Xbox that had recently come out. Maia grinned with pride, and I figured she and Demi had some bet about who could get me the better gift. She explained why she got it for me, saying mine was getting old, and she wanted me to have the best one.

I chuckled, thanking her as Dallas handed a flat package to Demi. She ripped into it with childlike happiness and Jay reached over, taking my hand. I looked over, smiling at her.

"Aww," Demi cooed as she ripped off the last bit of paper. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as she looked at the front of a picture frame. "Guys, look," she said, tears filling her eyes as she turned the picture around for everyone to see. Jay immediately picked up on the fact that I was in it, and she leaned forward, in awe.

Demi and Maia stood behind me, grinning, while I wore an almost fearful look on my face. I remembered being nervous but ultimately happy about being adopted.

Maia smiled. "This is the day we adopted Rosie," she said. "One of the best days of my life." She shared a look with Demi and they hugged for a long time. I thought I heard them whisper a few words, but I couldn't make anything out. They said nothing of it as they separated and the rest of the gifts were opened.

I felt tense, Jay noticing and nudging me with her elbow. We walked away from everyone, them not even paying attention.

"You okay?" she asked, running her thumb along a vein in the back of my hand.

"Worried," I said, earning a confused look. "About them finding out. It would crush them."

Her expression softened and she quickly hugged me. "I'm so sorry. You could have told me how you felt. We don't have to do it anymore." She said the last part much quieter.

I nodded. "Let me think about it more. Come on," I said, grabbing her hand and leading her back.

"Hey, welcome back," Maddie said, sitting in my spot. I grinned, shooing her back to the floor as she flipped her dark hair at me.

I had also wanted to ask Jay if she was still taking Ritilin, but I didn't want everyone to worry about where we'd gone, or think something was up. And I could always ask her later, since she wasn't leaving until the next day.

I just hoped she had listened.

~//~//~//~//~//~//~

Later that day, Jay brought her bag to my room, a worried look on her face as she closed the door and locked it. My brows scrunched up and I straightened up on my bed.

"It's gone," she whispered, pointing at the bag.

"What's gone?"

"I had my bowl in here, I guess I just forgot to take it out, but it's not in here anymore." She set it near the TV stand, sighing and running her hands through her hair. "Nobody said anything to me, but I know Jordan didn't go through my bag." She paced in a circle then looked at me, and I didn't like her expression.

"What, you think I took it?" I asked, offended she would accuse me. "I wouldn't and you know that."

She sighed, running her hands over her face. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just don't understand who would have gone through my bag." She came and sat on the bed with me and we both heard footsteps nearing my room.

"Just be normal," I whispered.

Demi opened the door, grinning, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Hey, want a piece of the gingerbread house we made? Probably the best one yet."

I nodded, saying we'd be down in a minute and she left. When she turned, I saw she had a white handprint on her back. Every year we made a gingerbread house and every year Maia liked to get flour on her hand without Demi noticing. Then she would hug her and Demi would have no idea about the handprint on her. Laughing, I stood, Jay following me downstairs where everyone was chuckling, Demi looking confused.

"What's so funny?" she asked. "Is there icing on my face?" She licked her lips, and she did have icing on the corner of her mouth. Everyone stopped laughing, making her think that was the only thing.

"Dibs on the chimney," Jay said, moving by me to get to the house on the counter.

It was the nicest house I'd seen, at least decorated by my moms. I wondered how much they had actually done, because Sabrina was on the couch, looking tired.

"Why the chimney?" Maia asked.

Jay scoffed, carefully taking it off. "Everyone knows the chimney is the best part." As she got the chimney off, the roof started to collapse so Demi and I grabbed the pieces for ourselves, Maia breaking off a wall. Her eyes closed as she bit into it and I laughed, knowing Sabrina did all of the work. She never had that reaction when she and Demi made something.

"Problem?" Maia asked, sipping some milk.

I just shook my head.

"When's dinner?" Abby asked, joining in on the destruction.

"When everything is done," Demi said, turning to get her own glass of milk.

Abby laughed and Demi snapped around, milk jug in hand.

"Okay, what is so funny?" Her eyes widened and she strained to look at her back. "Maia, really? How do I never notice it?"

Maia shrugged, sliding the house for Davis to reach it.

Instead of going to change, Demi sighed and poured some milk.

Jay was already done with her chimney and I broke off some of the roof to give her. She gave me a questioning look, glancing at Maia and Demi. I shrugged. They seemed to be acting normal, but if one or both of them had found Jay's bowl, they wouldn't bring it up at a time like this. They would pretend everything was okay and try to have fun, and then, once everyone was gone, they'd bring it up.

Part of me believed that they didn't know, but one look at their eyes showed that something wasn't right, and to be honest, it scared me.