Skyscraper // Demi Lovato // 5

11.

Eventually, the apartment was filled with the small decorations I had anxoiusly waited for and I started packing up my room. Demi and Maia assured me it would always be my room, but I had a lot of items that I didn't want to suddenly go missing. I took a bunch of winter shoes and clothes, bags, and other things I wouldn't need for a while.

Soon the day came where Demi and I recorded the last song for the album. Maia and Mara had come, Maia tearing up as she listened to the lyrics, and Mara, well, being Mara.

She sat on the small couch, inspecting her perfect acrylic nails that Demi had taken her to get. Her hair had been dyed a lighter blonde and her clothes had gone from baggy and old to fitted and glamorous. She wore lots of gold and silver bracelets, rings with diamonds and other precious gems larger than the width of her finger. And I wasn't short, but she towered over me when she wore heels, but most days, she wore sneakers with a wedge inside of it, which I had to admit were really cute.

We all sat around with Taylor and Jeanie, as well as two of the producers I worked with a lot, Andrew and Ashton.

Mara wasn't apart of the conversation, since we were discussing my first single and music video, so nobody was looking at her or paying any attention to her whatsoever.

When Demi asked if I had a song in mind, or an idea for the album title, I said, "I want it to be called One Love." One Love was one of the first songs I had in mind when I started writing, but it took a long time to perfect. I had refused help, because I wanted to figure it out myself, and once I had done that, I turned to Taylor. In my opinion, it was the best on the album, lyrically, musically, and it had a special meaning because it was about Jay.

In the end, we decided that it would also be the first single and Jeanie made some calls to find a director and photographer to get the video and album photoshoot done as soon as possible.

In forty minutes, the dates were set, Maia and Abby agreeing to do hair and makeup, and from then, all I had to do was wait.

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

In the video for One Love, we cast two female actresses who were a real couple. One played a busy student who always went to this café where the other girl worked. I was in the corner, basically watching their love story unfold as I sang and drank iced mochas. By the time the shoot was over, I felt sick, but thankfully I was okay.

But in the midst of drinking a ton of coffee, I had to use the bathroom a lot, which was fine, because we had to take a lot of breaks to get different angles anyway.

During the break, I would go the restroom at the end of the hall. there were only a few stalls, but one was always open for me. Once I was done, I would go back to my corner of the café set and Maia and Abby would do touchups.

However, there was a moment where I was in the stall and the door opened. I didn't think anything of it as the person went into the stall next to me and locked the door. It was silent. I couldn't go because I felt like they were listening and judging, and she wasn't unzipping her pants or anything.

I slowly bent my head down to see Mara's sneaker-wedges. It looked like she was just standing there. Then her feet turned and it looked like she bent her knees. I quickly sat up straight, wishing she would just leave.

A moment later, I heard sniffling. It echoed slightly in the tiled bathroom, my eyebrows knitting together.

Leaning down again, I could see she was sitting with her back against the side of the stall. A tiny piece of metal clattered to the floor and she quickly grabbed it back up.

My eyes widened as I finally relieved myself. Mara's sniffles stopped and once I was done, I walked out to wash my hands.

"Rosie?" she said, voice stronger than I thought it would be.

I didn't want to answer, but she knew it was me, so I had to and I couldn't pretend I couldn't hear her. "Yeah?"

"I need help." I saw her body lift up as she unlocked the stall and pushed the door open.

I shuffled so that I could see her on the floor, bloody cuts on her wrist. Her bracelets were in her lap along with several blades.

I took an involuntary step back, afraid at what I was seeing. Had Maia been right?

"You have to tell Demi," she whispered, eyes glazed over. My own eyes locked on her, I sidestepped toward the door. "No! You can't tell anyone!" As she spoke, words frantic, she jumped up, metal jewelry and blades spilling onto the floor with a thundering metallic clang.

The sound echoed in my ears as Mara grabbed onto my arm. Her eyes begging, she whispered again, "Please, go get Demi."

She was latched tightly to my arm and I tried to go to the door, but she squeezed my arm so tight, I winced, eyes closing for a moment from the pain. Could she actually break my arm?

Her grip didn't let up. "You can't tell. Okay?"

Once I realized she wanted an answer, I nodded and she finally released my arm. I held it close to my body, seeing how red it was from her iron grip.

She washed off her cuts in the sink, pressing a paper towel to them before throwing it away and sitting on the floor to collect and slide her bracelets on. I inched to the door, but she seemed to be in her own world, picking up the blades and putting them in some sort of compact.

I left the bathroom, rubbing my hurt arm. Saying nothing to anyone, I sat down in my corner and Maia and Abby rushed over.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Maia asked, bending down in front of me.

My mouth opened, but what was I supposed to say? I shook my head. "Not here," I said, quiet enough that nobody else could hear me.

"If only one goddamn thing would go right today!" the director shouted, walking onto the set. "Can we please get back to work?"

Maia stepped up to him. "Rosie needs a break for the day, and that's that," she said, coolly and firmly.

She and Abby led me away and we ended up outside on a bench. I closed my eyes, letting the cool breeze calm me.

Fingers touched my arm, the lightest touch stinging the irritated skin, and I jerked away harshly.

"Rosie, what happened?" Maia asked. "Did... Did someone..."

I gave her a look before realizing what she was asking. I shook my head. My throat was dry, so my voice came out as a hoarse whisper. "I think you were right about Mara."