(Author's Note: Okay. Getting into some more of the triggering stuff now. Family abuse. Eating disorder. And potential self harm. If you can't stomach that, please turn your back on this story. This story is about healing and redemption. And finding comfort in the most unlikely of places. And people. Now on with it!)
Abour a week later, the gang was getting use to broadcasting. They have developed a following intheir little two mile radius. Despite having a following, they also had haters. Those of which included the notarious Queen Bee Kim Carlisle, and Principal Danny Waller. Much to both their dismay. RFR was taking up a good chunk of air space and they were feeling a little threatened by it.
Travis was walking to the station after his last class of the day. Being a freshman, you wouldn't expect him to have a free period where he could just leave, but he did. As he had enough credits to do so comfortably. It was all thanks to his time at the academy. He kicked a rock and thought about Hong Kong. He missed it very much, but was happy to find a few friends and a hobby in his new place. It was beginning to feel like home. A feeling that was comepletely new to Travis. He had never had roots. Or a home that last more than a year. So he wasn't going to hold his breath about this one. He was going to take it one day at a time, and hope for the best. The semblance of normalacy was warming. Not only to his heart. But to his body.
A few minutes later, Travis entered the station and saw Lily sleeping softly on the red vinyl couch. He checked the time and frowned. He frowned not that she was there early, but because she had missed the entire school day and they all assumed she was sick. But if she was sick. Then why was she in the underground. He carefully made his way inside and put his back and laptop in the tech booth and then walked around to Lily and check on her. As he surveyed Lily, her hair was in her face and she was softly snoring. He smiled at that. He looked at her and carefullyt got to his knees in front of her on the couch and brushed some hair back from her face. He gasped at what he saw. There was an ugly bruise forming on her left cheek and slight blue tinge to her eye. It look like she had been in a fight. He didn't know if he should wake her or not.
"Fuck it," he muttered and leaned closer and stroked her cheek and swallowed hard. "Lily?" he whispered. "Lily. Wake up.." he whispered. Lily began to stir and grumbled. "Five more minuites please?" she whimpered and clutched at the pillow she was holding. "Lily. It's Travis.. wake up please?" he asked and shook her gently. Lily heard his name and her eyes snapped open. She quickly shifted her herself up, sending Travis backwards quickly so he wouldn't get hit with her momentum. "Travis. Oh my god.. What time is it?" she asked and looked around. "Am I late for school? I set an alarm..!" she gasped. "Lily. It's almost 3pm. Did you sleep here last night?" he asked curiously. She shifted and looked at her lap. "I uh. I got here at midnight. Something happened and I needed to get away from my house. I packed my school bag and a pair of clothes and headed here. I set my alarm.." she murmured. "Oh shit. I set it for 630pm.." she whispered and her lower lip trembled. "If they found out I missed today, they will kill me. I didn't mean to.." she whispered in a rush forgetting Travis was there.
She stood up and ran directly into Travis. As soon as she felt the wall that was his chest, he quickly put his arms around her and held her as she sobbed. She clutched to the shirt on his chest and her head shook from the crying. "Oh Lily. Don't cry.." he whispered and rubbed her back softly. "I got you.." he whispered into her hair as she continued to sob. Soon he had her back on the couch, but he was still holding her. Her cries were slowly and she was whimpering. She sniffed a bit. "I don't want to go back home," she whispered to no one in particular.
Travis watched her and saw her bruises again. "Who hurt you?" he whispered. Lily looked away nervously. "Lily. Please. Maybe I can help.." he whispered. Lily shook her head. "Not against my father and mother you can't," she sighed shakily. Travis eyed her. "Your parents hit you?" he asked. She nodded. Not verbally confirming it one way or another. "Do they yell too?" he asked. She nodded again and closed her eyes as the tears threatened to release again. "Yes.. but don't tell anyone. Please. I don't want anyone to know.." she pleaded.
Travis looked at her in shock but soon nodded in agreement. He wouldn't tell. He wouldn't. But he would if it gets worse. He helped her up and got her some water from his bag and held it out to her. "Thank you," she whispered and took a drink. "Let me get all fixed up so Ray and Robbie don't suspect anything. They both really love my parents. I don't want to change that view of them," she smiled softly. Travis looked at her in disbelief. Okay.." he whispered.
Lily had finished getting ready and covered up her face with makeup just in time for Robbie and Ray to come down the stairs. Travis sat in his tech booth and stared at Lily as she took her place. He wanted nothing more than to take the hurt from her.
An hour later, the show had ended and he was thinking of what to do next.
