The Forgotten Lovato Sister - Demi Lovato Fanfiction

CHAPTER 35

Emily's POV :

We pulled up outside Chloe's house, I won't lie it's a prettier house than I had expected. I'm not sure why I expected less when she drives an Audi aged 16 but there's just something about the situation she's in that made me think she was less wealthy. She lived in a middle-class suburb. A pretty white fence, double garage doors with fairly expensive cars sat out on the driveway and a fancy colorful but artificial front garden completed the front of the house. However the further I walked into the house I saw it was just that, a house, not a home, a house. Like bare bones with no organs, no heart, it lacked character and personal touch, or any touch in fact. Dishes piled up everywhere, empty bottles of alcohol lying around, even broken glass on the floor and unpacked boxes. As if they had only unpacked the necessities and all the things that make a house a home remained in those boxes. We made it to the stairs and I realized Chloe had been really quiet throughout the journey here.

"Do you want me to come up with you or wait down here?" I asked as she walked up the stairs.

"Whatever you prefer." She replied bluntly, I'll take the cause of that response being the not so nice environment we were in at the moment. I sat in her living room looking around, my eyes caught a picture laying on the floor face down. I went over and picked it up, the frame was smashed but the family photo inside remained intact. It was Chloe with her mom and dad and another girl that looked similar to Chloe but slightly older. A sister maybe? I never knew she had any siblings. I assume it was smashed during the fight before everything happened. A sudden wave of sadness for Chloe came over me. She's been in a broken home all her life, it's all she knows, the shouting, the abuse, the fights. Even though I had been through similar, my mom was brave enough to get us all out of the situation, of course, the wounds inflicted on my mom, Demi, Dallas and I will always be there and flashbacks and nightmares still happen, but less frequent. I can only imagine Chloe waking up every day being the idea of a nightmare. I tried to take the picture out of the broken frame accidentally slicing my finger in the process.

"Ahhhh fuck." I whispered as blood started to seep out of it. I quickly slid the photo into my pocket before running into the kitchen to run it under cold water then wrapping it up in paper towels. "Chloe, do you have any band-aids?" I asked walking up the stairs after getting no reply. The bathroom door and another door which I assume was her parents' bedroom lay open, only one closed. I assumed the one that was closed was Chloe's. I twisted the door handle and slowly opened the door to see Chloe with her back to me shaking and crying into her hands.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked softly shuffling over beside her and wrapping my arms around her. She leaned into me crying on my shoulder and I just let her, better letting it out now than it coming out unexpectedly later.

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"Chloe listen to me, it's gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay. I'm here for you whenever you need me, okay?" I comforted her. Eventually, her crying had subsided but it was replaced with occasional sniffles and her sitting emotionless. It hurt my heart to see her like this, I had been in the same situation so many times and I understand feeling hollow and empty and how you'd rather feel anything other than that.
You would never think this is her life outside of school, she's so cheery and bubbly in school. Guess that just goes to show what a smile can truly hide.
"Come on, I'll help you pack the rest." I gently grabbed her hand pulling her towards the duffel bag that lay half packed. The faster we get out of here the better. As I threw random items of clothing in the bag I looked around her room and the sadness in my heart grew deeper. Not even her room was personalized, no posters, no nothing, bare walls, torn paint and old hand-me-down like furniture. It made me realize how fortunate I am with the financial and family situation I'm in and made me wish I could provide it for people like Chloe. I'm so glad she's getting a break from this place to stay with me.

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Somehow during the short 20 minute ride home Chloe fell asleep. I'll put it down to the energy she lost from crying so much and the fact it was almost 3am. The car pulled up outside my house and I gently shook Chloe awake.

"Welcome home." I smiled getting a confused reaction but slight smile in return. Chloe got out and I paid the driver giving him a generous tip for waiting outside Chloe's for so long so late into the night. I quickly got out of the car and rushed around it to Chloe who was trying to get her heavy ass bags out the trunk.

"Chloe put them down now, you've literally broken your arm, I'm not letting you do any more damage. Here," I said handing her my set of keys, "Go unlock the door, quietly." I said. Eventually, I caught up to her with her bags, she stood awkwardly in the middle of the hall watching me with a strange look. Like a curious/confused kinda look, I wanted to assume it's because she had never been in my house before and didn't know where to go but she had been giving me that look since I showed up in hospital. "Follow me." I said containing my confusion and trying to quietly lug her bags up the stairs and almost rolling back down during the process due to the weight in them. We made it to my room without waking anyone up and I took her PJs out of her bag, "Bathrooms right there, shout on me if you need anything, anything." I motioned towards my en-suite bathroom handing her her PJ's. She stood looking at me for a second before suddenly hugging me.

"Thank you so much." She whispered, I could tell she was about to start crying and had that annoying lump in her throat by the way her voice cracked when she said it. I hugged her back tighter rubbing her back,

"It's okay." I replied before she let go.

"I appreciate this so much, I hope you know that." She murmured before going into the bathroom to get changed. It's the least I could do to be honest, I felt so guilty, I could've prevented all this if I had just listened to her and taken her in for a chat. There's still three people in that hospital who probably aren't as lucky as she was and I could've stopped it. I couldn't help but think of all the 'what if' situations. She came out of the bathroom after changing and looked at me with that same confused and curious look.

"You can either sleep with me in my bed or sleep in Demi's room until we can get a bed situation set up." I addressed ignoring the look and picking up my own PJs. She stood silent and awkwardly again. "Hey, you can loosen up a bit." I rubbed her arm, "this house is as much your home as it is mine now." She gave a slight nod. This is so weird, in our 2 month friendship I had never seen her so awkward with anybody, especially me, we were so close and even straight off the bat she wasn't awkward. I know the situation that she's in is pretty traumatic but I feel like the awkwardness is stemming from something to do with me. "Is it to do with what I said in the hospital?" I asked, may as well just come out with it and get this awkward spell over with, I guess. I've never been a confrontational person, I hate it in fact but when it's with friends and family I don't mind as much, you may as well address the problem and face it head-on. Ironic and possibly hypocritical? Probably, considering I ignore all of my other problems in life.

"What?"

"You seem on edge and kinda awkward, is it because I said I couldn't snap back to trusting you and everything straight away?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"It's nothing," she paused for a second, "just... are you sure you and your family are okay with this? Like I can sleep on the couch tonight and be gone by tomorrow, there's no reason I can't stay in my own house or I can buy a place of my own, I could cover a few months of rent with what I've got saved from work."

"Don't be fucking silly, I am not letting your clumsy one-handed ass live on your own." We giggled remembering the various clumsy things she did throughout our short friendship. "And my moms literally never said no to sleepovers, just consider this a series of sleepovers, okay? You are 100% welcome here and you'll see that tomorrow when everyone wakes up."

"Okay, I believe you."

"Good." I smiled. "Made a choice on where you're sleeping yet?" She shook her head. "Right," I said abruptly walking over to my bed and pulling the duvet back, "get in." I pointed to the bed. She let out a slight giggle before walking over and sliding under the duvet. I went into the bathroom to get changed and when I came out she was fast asleep. I slowly and quietly got in beside her and within minutes I was gone too.