April knew that somewhere inside that building there would be a phone she could use. Her phone was dead and Randy had the phone charger they shared in his bag in the arena. She found a small unoccupied room that had a desk and a phone in it. She picked it up and it worked, so she dialed home. She talked with her mom for a little bit asking how things were going and having a pleasant conversation. Then she finally heard what she was hoping for. "I miss you. When are you coming home?' That sentence almost caused a dam to burst in April's eyes. The way Randy spoke, April was starting to think her mother didn't even want her to come home. April said that she missed her mother too along with something about missing her own bed, and she would be home tomorrow.
April hung up the phone, and pulled her hood back over her head before going out into the hallway. She went back outside to the bus to try and grab everything that was hers that she needed before trying to find a way to get to the airport, hopefully before Randy would be back.
"Hey." Carmella's voice said as April was about to step up onto the bus. "I just saw Aleister and he said he saw you outside, so I thought I would come see you. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling a little better. I talked to my mom. I'm going home." April told her.
"Oh." Carmella said a little disappointed. "Well if you feel that's what will be best for you then you gotta do it."
"Yeah. I miss her. And I want to be back home, and get ready for school." April said, partially telling the truth. While they stood there, she took note of Carmella's outfit. "Do you not have a match tonight?"
"Nope, not tonight." She answered.
"Do you think that maybe you could give me a ride then? If you're not busy. I know it's a lot to ask."
"To where?"
"The airport."
"Right now?" Carmella asked amused, almost as if she didn't believe her.
"Yeah, I want to get home as soon as I can."
"Well, what about Randy? Why don't you let him take you later?"
"I just got off the phone with my mom and we talked about it. I don't want to bother him before his match. Besides, I've already been a big enough bother to him taking up half of his bed and being in his space for the last few weeks. And I really just want to be home."
"Okay. The airport is only a few miles away. Just let me go get my purse and text Corey letting him know. My car is the red Toyota right over there if you wanna wait."
April thanked her gratefully. When Carmella went back into the building, April got together as much of her stuff as she could in a rush and ran out to Carmella's rental. The ride there was mostly silent. Carmella telling her that she would miss her and to let her know how she was doing. She formed a nice relationship with April over the weeks and would miss her being around. April thanked her and told her the same. She parked the car at the airport and went in with April, even though April said it wasn't necessary.
April let out a frustrated groan. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"I'm sorry, we don't have anything going to St Louis until tomorrow afternoon." The woman behind the airline desk said again.
"What about on another airline?"
"We only have a few flights left to leave for tonight, and none are going anywhere near there. The few we have going to St Louis tomorrow morning are full."
"I guess that'll have to do." April told the woman. "I'm sorry, I know it's not your problem. I was just hoping for an earlier flight."
"I guess we'll have to go back tonight and you can get dropped off tomorrow morning on our way to the next town." Carmella said to her.
"No, I already have all of my stuff. I'll just stay here."
"Are you crazy? I'm not letting you spend the night in the airport by yourself. Especially after what happened the other night." Carmella argued.
"I am not going back there. I can't stay on that bus again Carmella. I just can't." April said to her.
Carmella could hear the desperation in her voice.. "Okay, calm down. We can go back to the hotel Corey and I are staying at and figure it out from there."
Corey ended up getting a ride back after the show with Aleister. When he got to his room he sa April sitting at the head of the bed. Carmella walked over to greet him.
"What is she still doing here? I thought you said she was going home?" He asked in a whisper.
"There weren't any flights out until tomorrow afternoon." Carmella answered in a hushed voice.
"Why isn't she with Randy?"
"She started freaking out at the airport about not going back on the bug. She seemed really scared. Maybe that's where she was attacked."
"What should we do? Should we tell him he's still here? Aleister said he didn't even know she was going to leave. He might be happy to see her."
"Yeah, but he also isn't going to be too happy if she's here with us. And he doesn't have a room as far as I know. He's going to want him to stay with her on his bus and she said she'd rather sleep at the airport than go back on there."
"Well she's an adult. If she wants to stay here she can." Corey said a bit louder than he planned. He was slightly angry that Randy's feelings about him were going to interfere with whatever his sister wanted to do.
"I'm not going out there." April spoke up. "If you want me to leave and go somewhere else I will, but I am not going back out there."
April seemed to be getting more upset with every word she spoke. Corey and Carmella rushed over to the bed. Carmella sat down next to April while Corey sat on the edge in front of her.
"April, calm down. It's okay." Carmella said to her.
"Why don't you tell us what happened so we can help." Corey suggested.
"I can't." April said shaking her head.
"Honey, were you raped?" Carmella finally brought herself to ask as gently as she could.
Carmella had her suspicions. April had only said she was attacked, but the way she was acting told a different story. She was hoping April would come and talk to her, or anyone about it, but she hadn't. She was holding it in and getting more upset and now trying to run away. Carmella knew she needed help.
April silently nodded.
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." Carmella said as she put her arm around her friend. "Do you want to go to the police? We can take you."
"No. I just want to go home." April answered.
"It might be good for you to talk about it though. And get it off your chest." Carmella said to her.
"And get this scumbag off the streets."
"I, I'm too scared."
"Does Randy know?" Carmella asked.
April nodded, tears falling.
"Did you talk with him about it?"
She shook her head again.
"Do you want to talk with us about it? You don't have to be afraid with us. Just tell us what you're comfortable with."
April wiped her tears and looked up at her friends. She could see the worry on Carmella's face and the concern in Corey's eyes. They were just being there for her.
"Just start wherever you want. And we can see where it goes from there." Corey said calmly.
April felt like she was safe. With Carmella's arm around her and Corey's caring face in front of her, she felt like maybe she was finally able to let something out.
"He had a knife. He didn't actually hurt me, but he uses it to scare me into doing what he wants."
"That happens sometimes unfortunately." Corey said.
"And it's nothing to be ashamed of. You did what you had to do to survive April." Carmella assured.
"I guess." April said.
"That's what's most important." Carmella told her.
"At one point, he was on top of me, with the knife pressed against my throat. Sometimes, when he pushed into me, it would scrape against my neck. In the beginning I would pray that he wouldn't slip up and cut me. But by the end, I was hoping he would."
Corey and Carmella looked at each other, neither knowing how to respond at her confession. They hadn't expected something that dark. Carmella just wrapped her arm around her tighter. That was all they knew of her attack. They didn't know what all had happened, but they assumed it had to be bad for April to feel that way.
"It'll be okay. You survived the attack. You'll work through it and be okay." Carmella encouraged.
"I'm trying. But this isn't the first time."
Their conversation was cut short when there was a knock at the door.
