CHARLIE'S POV
I woke up in Demi's bed the next morning. I look over and see her staring at me.
"How long have you been awake?" I asked groggily.
"Not too long." Demi answered. "Did you know that you sleep with one eye open?"
"I do not!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, you do!" Demi said as she showed me a picture of me sleeping on her phone.
"Okay, I guess I do."
"Who did you piss off that you gotta sleep with one eye open?" She joked and laughed.
"It's me, bitches!" Maddie shouted as she came in Demi's room, throwing water balloons at us. This is usually a typical Saturday.
"I'm going to fucking kill you!" I went to go tackle Maddie and that's when I realized that my sleeves were rolled up from last night. Luckily, she didn't see. I threw myself in Demi's arms out of panic.
"Woah! Are you okay?" Demi asked as she held me.
"Tired." I mumbled.
"Well, Mom told me to wake you guys up for breakfast. I'm going to eat all the pancakes if you guys don't hurry." Maddie joked.
"I guess I'm going to get ready for the day." I told Demi.
"Meet me back in here after breakfast. We have to talk, Charlie." Demi sounded serious. I gave her a thumbs up. She's probably going to want to talk about last night.
I went into my room and put on a black and yellow Nirvana hoodie, an old t-shirt from Demi's world tour that Mads gave to me, light gray skinny jeans, and a pair of yellow vans.
- TRIGGER WARNING -
I went into the bathroom and grabbed my blade. It's become part of my routine to add more scars to my wrist every morning. I'm running out of room on my wrists, so I decided to do it on my thighs. I sat down on my bathroom floor and dragged the thin piece of metal across my thigh, flinching from the pain at first, but then getting used to it. I added five cuts on each thigh. I got up off my bathroom floor, put the blade back in the hiding spot, and washed my thighs.
"Mom is wondering where you are! Are you almost done?!" Demi shouted through the other side of my bathroom door.
"Yeah! Tell her to give me a minute!" I shouted back.
- TRIGGER WARNING OVER -
I opened my door and saw Demi sitting on my bed.
"You know you didn't have to wait for me." I told her.
"I know, but I thought we might as well talk before breakfast." She answered.
"What about?" I asked, playing dumb.
"I think you know, Charlie." She gestured towards my wrists and the handprint on my face.
"The handprint was from some bullies at school." I stated.
"You're getting bullied?! By who?! Once I get my hands on them-"
"This is why I didn't want to say anything! One of y'all were bound to overreact!" I cried out.
"I'm sorry. I just don't want to see my baby sister hurting. Now what about what I saw on your wrists last night?" She asked, making me face her.
"It was a one time thing, Dems. I promise, I didn't like it. Just.. please don't tell anyone else." I lied straight into her face, making eye contact with her.
"Okay." She replied, believing me. "Where are the blades?"
"Why do you want to know?" I questioned as I got up.
"I want to make sure you're not going to do it again." She answered. Demi got up and began scavenging through my room.
"No! Stop!" I tried stopping her.
'You're such an idiot. Now she knows.'
'She doesn't know about the purging. I still have that.'
"12 blades?!" Demi basically shouted. Luckily, she didn't find one of them, but I need ALL of them.
"Put them back!" I tried grabbing the box of blades from her hands.
"No, you can't have them!" She pushed me back.
"They're my only friends! They're my best friends!" I cried out after her as she went into my bathroom.
"This is only going to be difficult if you make it difficult, Charlie." Demi said as she flushed the blades down the toilet one by one.
"Stop! Fuck you!" I screamed and hit at her which didn't cause her to flinch. "I hate you!"
"I'm doing this because I love you, baby girl." She replied calmly.
"If you loved me you would let me die!" I yelled at her as I was crying. I quickly covered my mouth as I realized what I said.
"Charlie-" Demi looked at me with the look of worry in her eyes.
"Just.. leave me alone!" I yelled before leaving my room and heading downstairs.
"Charlie, wait!" Demi's voice was right behind.
"What do you not understand about leaving me alone?!" I grabbed a plate, careful about what I put on it. I'll have to eat in front of her, but I can always purge it later.
"Charlotte, that is no way you should be talking to your sister!" Dad's voice boomed. I mentally rolled my eyes as I sat down at the table.
"Charlie, are you okay?" Mom's concerned voice asked as they saw my tear stained face.
"I'll be okay when the spoiled pop star leaves." I mumbled loud enough for them to hear. I instantly felt guilty for what I said. Demi is only trying to help, but I don't need anyone's help. I stabbed a piece of the scrambled eggs and put it in my mouth. I silently gagged before swallowing.
"Charlotte Jade De La Garza!" Mom's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"I'm sorry." I stated simply as I got up and threw my plate away.
"Are you not going to eat?" Maddie asked me.
"I'm not hungry." I answered before I went in my room. I slammed my door as I threw myself on my bed. Why am I such a fuck up?
DEMI'S POV
"Mama, can I talk to you about something?" I asked her after we all finished breakfast.
"Of course, baby girl. What about?" She questioned.
"I guess it's more so a question, but I was wondering if I could take Charlie back to LA with me for a bit when I leave." I was hoping she would say yes. I don't want to leave Charlie, especially if she might be like teenage me.
"I don't know, Demi." She pondered.
"It will give us a chance to bond, Mom." I tried convincing her.
"I guess I'll allow it, but Charlie has to approve also." She told me.
"Thank you! I'll make sure she approves of it." I replied. "I just need to mend our relationship back together."
"It might be hard, but I believe that's possible." Mom told me as she began washing the dishes. It hurt that I couldn't tell Mom about Charlie harming herself, but I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone and I don't want to break her trust. I'll have to tell them if she gets worse though.
"I'm going to check on Charlie." I told Mom before heading upstairs. "Charlie?" I knocked on her door. I knocked one more time before entering. She wasn't in her room but I heard quiet cries coming from the bathroom. I saw that her bathroom door was closed and the light was on. I tried opening her bathroom door but it was locked.
"L-Leave me alone!" I heard her choke out.
"Charlie, let me in!" I pleaded. I figured she wasn't going to let me in and I grabbed a bobby-pin out of my pocket. It's convenient that I happen to be carrying it around. I burst into the bathroom after I got the door unlocked.
"G-Go away!" Charlie let out a strangled sob. I looked over and saw her sitting in an empty bath tub, her arms masked with blood.
"Charlie!" I exclaimed as I got in the tub with her. What else was I supposed to do?
"N-No!" Charlie tried pulling away as I looked at the cuts on her wrists and there were a lot of them. They didn't look too deep though. I pulled her into my embrace protectively and ignored the blood that was soaking my shirt.
"Why, Charlie?" I asked, concern lacing my voice. Charlie began crying more, if that was possible, and held onto me like a lifeline. "Shh.. it's okay, baby girl." I cooed as I moved some of her hair behind her ear. My heart broke into a million pieces seeing her like this.
"I-I'm sorry." Charlie choked out as she climbed onto my lap and hid her face against my chest. Her breathing began to get uneven and her grip on me tightened.
"Breathe, Char." I spoke gently as I rubbed circles on her back. "Follow my breathing." I instructed. I wasn't so sure my breathing was even normal after seeing Charlie like this, but it was better than her breathing is right now.
"I-I'm really s-sorry." Charlie stuttered and apologized again after she calmed down enough.
"Don't be sorry, baby girl." I comforted her and kissed her forehead. "You couldn't help it."
"I.. I mean.. I'm sorry about earlier this morning." Charlie started. "I shouldn't of treated you like that when all you wanted to do was help. I'm really sorry." She whimpered.
"You don't have to apologize, Char. Did you forget I was the same way when I was sixteen?" I questioned.
"I don't know if you know this, but I was two." Charlie made a joke.
"Shush!" I tried stifling a laugh. "Let's get your arms cleaned up, yeah?" I asked her and Charlie nodded. I helped her out of the tub and had her sit on the toilet. "First, give me your blade." I commanded her.
"Please, no!" Charlie panicked. I didn't think it was possible for my heart to break into more pieces. It hurt to see her panic over her giving away a blade. "I need it!"
"Charlie, you don't need it." I started off saying. "I thought I needed it too, but it only causes more pain. Not just to you, but to the ones who love you. Please, tell me where it is." I practically begged her. She hesitated but nodded.
"Here.." Charlie sighed as she pulled a blade out of her pocket. She handed it over to me and I put it in my pocket.
"I'm going to get my first aid kid from my bathroom, okay?" I never knew why I still had it from many years ago, but I'm glad I still do. I went into my bathroom, making sure to throw the blade in the toilet and flushing it. I put on a new shirt after I grabbed the first aid kit out from under the sink. I then headed back to Charlie's bathroom.
CHARLIE'S POV
"I'm going to get my first aid kit from my bathroom, okay?" Demi told me before leaving my bathroom. It hurt giving her my last blade, but I can always get another one. A few short minutes later she came back. She was wearing a different shirt.
"Let me see." Demi told me gently. I showed her my wrists, which were now covered in dry blood. "So, I was thinking." She said as she started cleaning my cuts.
"Oh God, you were thinking?" I joked slightly. Demi gave me a death glare and laughed when she couldn't stay serious.
"Yes, I was. Anyways, I was thinking," Demi continued. "Maybe you could come back to LA with me for a bit when I leave?" She asked me. "Plus, it gets kinda lonely out there by myself." She added. That honestly sounded like fun, but what if she finds out about my other secret? What about school? Why would she choose me and not Maddie?
"What about school?" I questioned.
DEMI'S POV
"Maybe you could come back to LA with me for a bit when I leave?" I asked her. "Plus, it gets kinda lonely out there by myself." I added. I noticed she was thinking. I wonder what is going on in that head of hers.
"What about school?" Charlie questioned.
"Well, there's no way in hell I'm letting you go back to that school." I can't believe my baby sister got bullied and I never knew it. "How long have you been bullied for anyways?"
"Four years.." Charlie replied as she looked at her feet.
"I'm so sorry I didn't notice, Char." I apologized as I wrapped some bandages around her wrists.
"It's not your fault, Demi. You were really busy. I mean, with the Wilmer break up, The Future Now Tour, your documentary, The Tell Me You Love Me tour." Charlie spoke quietly. "And then treatment.. I thought I was going to lose you that day, Dems. I may of resented the fuck out of you, but I didn't want to lose you." She choked out.
"Charlie.." I looked into her eyes. I saw a lot of my teenage self in her and it scared me. "Come here, baby girl." I held my arms out after I put the first aid kit down and sat on the floor. Charlie basically flew into my arms and I held onto her, whispering comforting things in her ear. She felt so small in my arms and it scared me. Was she always this skinny?
"Please don't leave me." Charlie's shaky voice told me as I let go of her to get off the floor.
"I'm not going to leave you, Charlie. I'm just getting up." I reassured her. "Want to watch some Netflix or Hulu?" I asked her as I sat on her bed.
"What about some Disney?" She smirked as she sat down next to me.
"Oh God, no!" I knew what she was thinking.
"Please, Dem Dem?" Charlie made a cute begging face. "It'll make me happy."
"Fine." I gave in. How was I supposed to say no to that? Charlie turned on the screen mirroring on her phone and TV. She opened the Disney+ app and turned on Sonny with a Chance. She put her phone on her bedside table and got close to me.
"Dems?" Charlie looked up at me.
"What is it?" I questioned as I looked down at her.
"Yes." She stated simply.
"Yes? To what?" I asked her.
"I'll come to LA with you." Charlie smiled at me and I smiled back. Before we finished the first episode of Sonny with a Chance, Charlie was fast asleep. I was about to get up when she stirred in her sleep, causing me to lay back down. Less than a minute later, there was a flash at the door. I covered Charlie's eyes and saw that our mom took a picture.
"My babies are so cute." Mom cooed and I glared at her.
"She's sleeping." I mouthed to her. She made an "O" shape with her mouth before she headed out and shut the door. I'm determined to make my baby sister happy again.
A/N: So what do you guys think of this story so far <3