Y'all I finally had an idea and decided to update! I plan to update this story every three days or so, so less regular than my other one, just whilst I work out a storyline.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PROMPTS! I aim to write in ALL of them at some point.

Enjoy,

Hope

THREE WEEKS LATER

Avery was walking back from school, alone. Lottie had taken the day off to chill out, as was hanging out back at Erin and Avery's apartment. Lottie had been staying with Erin and Avery for the past two weeks. Her parents found out about her drug problem, when they saw a booklet from the rehab facility Erin had got her in to.

Flashback:

Lottie walked in through her front door, yawning after a long day of school work and at the rehab facility. Erin had gotten her in to one specially for younger people, ages 18-21, so it wasn't too tough.

"LOTTIE GET YOUR ASS IN HERE NOW." Lottie's step dad yelled. Lottie sighed, she could almost hear the alcohol in his voice. She walked in to the kitchen and saw her drunken Mom and step dad in the kitchen, anger on their faces. Her step dad was holding the progress booklet from the rehab facility, between his two fingers. "What the fuck is this? A DRUG REHAB BOOKLET? What?! YOU DOING DRUGS NOW LOTTIE?"

Lottie froze, they weren't supposed to see that. "I-uhm..." Lottie stuttered, she'd usually stand up to her step dad, but she knew it would go down a hell lot worse. Lottie looked at her Mom, who was too drunk to even acknowledge the fear in her daughter's eyes, she just looked angry too, following her step dad's lead.

"WHAT WAS THAT? LOTTIE HUH?" her step Dad yelled, cornering her in the far corner of the kitchen. "Drugs now huh? Think you're all tough?"

Lottie felt tears of shame rush to her eyes. It wasn't her fault, everyone who knew her situation kept telling her that, she didn't choose to take the drugs, she was forced and that got her hooked. "I...it was..."

"I DON'T WANT EXCUSES. I don't want your lies, you can lie your way out of this. And your Mom agrees with me... you need to be taught a lesson." Her step Dad smiled at the way she cowered more. He took of his belt, and she knew what was coming.

"No no no no, please! Please! You don't understand!" Lottie said, crying. She never usually cried, but she couldn't help it now. Lottie felt the cold wall behind her, and knew there was nowhere for her to run to.

Her step dad poised his arm, and whipped the belt at her, striking the side of her arm. Lottie cried out in pain, he continued to hit her, again, and again, and again, until welts and cuts covered her whole body and tears covered her whole face.

"LEARNT YOUR LESSON YET?!" Her step dad yelled in her face. Lottie sank to the ground, still pressed against the cold wall, she curled up and cried in to her knees. It took a lot to reduce an eighteen year old usually tough girl to tears, and her step dad did that within minutes. Her step dad kicked her with his steel toed shoes. He hit her face and split her lip instantly.

After a bit more kicking around, he finally left her cowering in the corner. "Go find somewhere else to live. I don't welcome druggies in MY household." he laughed, before stalking off the the living room with Lottie's Mom.

Lottie stayed crying in the corner for another five minutes, before the pain subsided enough that she could get on her feet. She slowly made her way up to her bedroom, and got her tiny bag together of things - she didn't have much in her bedroom anyways. Just a bed and one closet of clothes...her stepdad wouldn't let her have anything else. She stuffed the clothes in to her bag and slung the bag over her shoulder, before heading out the door.

She walked, alone, down the dark streets, the cold Chicago air blowing against her bare arms. She took out her phone and called the only person she knew to call. She tapped Avery's contact number, hoping she'd pick up.

After the first ring Avery's voice appeared.

"Hey Lots, what's up?"

Lottie couldn't get the words out at first, she just started crying again, walking over to a alley way and sinking on to the floor.

"Lottie talk to me, hey, Lots, whats going on, where are you?"

"H-he , f-found the r-rehab l-leaflet." Lottie stuttered over the phone, she heard Avery call for Erin.

"Hey, Lottie sweetheart it's Erin. Can you tell me whats going on? Where are you sweetie?" Erin's voice flooded relief over Lottie's body.

"I-I..h-he hit me. W-with his belt...and kicked me out." Lottie hiccuped. "I d-don't know w-where I am."

"Ok Lottie, I'm going to get in the car with Aves, and come find you alright. Just stay where you are, stay alert and stay on the phone, alright?"

"Ok." Lottie said in a quiet voice.

After about ten minutes, Erin pulled up in her car right where Lottie was sitting. Erin and Avery practically ran out the car and towards her. They crouched down in front of her, and Lottie hid her beat up face in shame.

"Oh Lottie..." Avery breathed, sitting down next to her friend, her voice as fragile as Lottie looked."What happened?"

Lottie shrugged but tears ran down her face and the utter terror in her eyes was enough to counteract any toughness she tried to express. Erin took off her own jacket and wrapped it around Lottie's shivering body. Gently, she reached forward and used her fingers to tilt Lottie's chin upwards, so she could see how bad the wounds were. Erin looked over Lottie, her eyes filled with concern for the younger girl.

"Lottie, we're going to take you back with us, okay? And get you cleaned up and warm." Erin said, Lottie nodded, before collapsing in to Erin's arms crying. Erin tightened her grip on the girl and rubbed her back, Avery joining the hug too. "It's going to be okay. Cmon, we need to get you out the cold. You're safe now."

Avery and Erin helped Lottie up and in to the back of the car, Avery sliding in next to Lottie and hugging her tightly. Erin got in to the drivers seat and drove them home, keeping an eye on the broken girl in the back.

End of flashback

Avery used her key to open the apartment door, and there was Lottie sitting on the sofa, huddled under a blanket, a mug of tea in her hands. She smiled when she saw Avery walk in.

"Hey girlie." Lottie said, opening her arms for a hug. Avery dropped her bag and practically ran to hug her best friend.

"I missed you so much at school. Homeroom is so boring without you. Sophia and I don't know what to do." Avery sighed. "How was your day?"

Lottie shrugged. "Eh, I just sat on the sofa, watching TV. Your Mom and Jay are gonna be home about 7. So we've got time to do whatever crazy things you want before." Lottie said, smirking.

"Well..." Avery said, thinking of things they could be doing. "Can we just chill and watch films?"

"Of course!" Lottie said, she untucked the blanket she was huddled under and let Avery snuggle down next to her. They settled on Pitch Perfect. Lottie looked down at Avery, whose eyes were fixated on the screen. She would never be able to thank Erin, Jay and Avery for what they did for Lottie - they didn't have to do all they did. "Thank you."

Avery looked up at her. "For what?"

"Everything." Lottie smiled.

"Eh...what are best friends for?" Avery said smiling, turning back to the screen.