I Promise {Jemi}

Chapter 23

~Recap~

"This is gonna be like James all over again." Dallas muttered in a low tone. I propped my head up. James? Who's James?

"Who's James?" I asked her. She looked at me with stunned eyes thinking I didn't hear her.

"Demi's last relationship."

Joe

Her last relationship? Was this the guy Eddie mentioned when he talked to me after Demi and I told him we were dating?

"What happened?" I asked Dallas. Whoever this James guy was he was making my blood boil. I crunched my fist up in a tight ball. So tight my knuckles turned white.

"I don't think I should tell. Demi probably wouldn't like me telling you and I don't even know the whole story. It was also the past. The past is the past." Dallas rushed out. I'm gonna figure out who this James guy is and I'm gonna know the story of what happened even if it takes me all day.

"Dallas please. I just wanna know who hurt her and why a guy would do such a thing to her." She debated with herself for a moment.

"Fine." She let out. I smiled.

"Okay now tell me." I said excitedly. She playfully shoved me.

"Calm yourself first." She chuckled out. She took a deep breath and the story then began to unravel.

"Demi was a freshmen at the time. She met this guy in one of her classes. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He was pretty cute if I was her age I would've dated him too. They started off as friends. He came over to our house often and my parents liked him. Thought he was a good guy. He was really intelligent and he was even President of his class. After a while, they then went out. They seemed happy. But, after a while I would hear them argue or Demi would come home crying. After one night, she came home walking up the stairs. I stopped her. Her face was red and so were her eyes. I stopped her so I can see her whole face. She wouldn't look at me. I turned her face towards me and I saw it a red hand print on her cheek. She was holding onto her jacket sleeves too. I grabbed them from her while she was fighting me back. I finally lifted her sleeves and there were purple and blue bruises. I looked up at her she had more tears in her eyes. Before I can say anything else, she ran to her room. It was that night she harmed herself. The night happened just like this one. It got everyone worried to death. After her hospital trip, I tried talking to her about what happened. She wouldn't budge. We got in an argument about it and stopped talking to eachother for months. She then told me that she wanted to break up with James but she couldn't. She was scared. I then went with her to his house. She was there for a while and came back to my car. I asked her how it went. The tears formed in her eyes again. She said she did it. We then went home and we never spoke about it again. For her whole sophmore year, she was depressed and she just didn't seem like herself until you came along. That's all I know." Dallas finished. I was at a loss of words. He abused her. How could he abuse her? How could anyone lay a hand on her?? I can't imagine how she would feel. If it still crosses her mind daily? Basically her first love hurting her.

"Dallas I would never hurt Demi like that. I would never lay a finger on her. I don't want to lose her either. Please just help me on get her back." I did want Demi back I couldn't risk losing her. She meant too much to me. Dallas was about to speak again when the phone repeatedly buzzed in my pocket. I got it out and looked at the caller ID. It was my mom. I picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I said lowly.

"Joe come home now it's Ashley's last day and I'm sure you would like to say bye before she leaves." My mom spoke through the phone. I'm glad she wasn't mad at me. Well it didn't seem like it yet.

"Okay I'll be there soon." I then hung up the phone and let out a sigh. I didn't want to leave Demi to go and see Ashley. But it was her last day.

"I gotta run but could you give these to Demi for me?" I handed her the flowers. She nodded and then went back inside her room. I then went back to my car and started heading home.

Demi

My parents and I were talking when Dallas came back in the room holding the flowers in her hands.

"Special delivery." She said and handed me the flowers. They smelled nice and each flower was different. There was a small card inside. I ripped open the envelope and read it.

Demi,

I know I was a jerk to you and I know I made mistakes. I'm sorry. I didn't think this would happen to you. I was scared and even cried when I found out the news of where you were and what happened. I know you probably won't forgive me but I just wanted to say I'm truly sorry. I still love you and I always will.

Joe

Confused. I was confused. He was playing with my feelings and I just didn't like it. We got in an argument and now he says he's sorry and that he loves me? He is right I'm not gonna forgive him. Not yet anyways. When the time is right I will maybe. I put it on the side and let out a sigh.

"Who were they from?" My mom asks me.

"Joe." I responded back. The room then got awkwardly quiet. Dallas peers around the room looking at everyone of us.

"Did I miss something when I was outside?" She asks confused.

"We should get you caught up." I then tell her what happened.

Joe

We made it to the airport. I saw Ashley and my mom standing by her gate. When my mom sees me, she turns around and leaves me and Ashley alone for a while.

"So um you never really came back." She said. I chuckled a bit. She then got serious again.

"Is Demi okay you're mom told me she was in the hospital. I'm sorry about that." She said concerned. I nodded my head.

"She's doing fine." But I didn't know. She could be fine and she could be not.

"I had a fun few weeks. Thanks Joe so much. It was great catching up with you." She says hugging me. I hug her back. Her flight then gets called. Thank god.

"Have a safe flight back Ashley." She nods and starts walking to her flight. Once she passes the gate and enters the terminal I walk back to my mom who is in the shop looking at all the magazines. When she sees me come back we walk back to our cars.

"So you said your goodbyes." My mom states. I nod. It was silent for a while before she started talking again.

"So how's Demi doing? She doing better?"

"I'm not sure. When she saw me she started yelling at me. She doesn't want to see me so I stayed outside. I just don't know what to do. She won't forgive me or anything." I spill out to my mom. I love my mom I always come to her when I have a problem. She's always there to help me fix them.

"She'll come around again soon Joe just give her some time. You could also try talking to her again when times are a bit more calm. I think for right now she just needs her space and time." We then went back to our cars and headed home. My thoughts were on Demi the whole time. I was still trying to process what Dallas has mentioned. I just couldn't believe someone would do that to her. I just hope she's doing well.