Raya walked aimlessly through the city, her clothes soaked through as the heavy rain pounded down on her, each drop mixing with the silent tears that ran down her cheeks. She didn't care that she was drenched or that her shoes squished with each step. She didn't care that the city lights blurred in the downpour. Her mind was far away, lost in the spirals of everything that had just happened. Fired. Framed. Humiliated. The words echoed over and over in her head, their weight pressing down on her like the rain. She had nowhere to go, no safe place to retreat to. Home was the last place she wanted to be. Her dad was waiting there, and after losing her job at Mr. Wealth's Coffee Shop, she knew he'd take every bit of his anger out on her. Her thoughts drifted to her mother, the woman who had always shielded her when life was cruel. She could still remember how her mother would stroke her hair, whispering gentle reassurances when her father's temper exploded. But that comfort was gone now, stolen from her when her mother died all those years ago. Since then, life had been a bitter echo of her father's accusations, always calling her a failure, a "worthless hoe" like her mother. Those words cut deeper than any insult from the outside world. She wiped at her face, though it did little good with the rain still pouring down. Her hands were trembling, and she realized she had no idea where she was. She glanced at the street signs, her vision blurry, but it didn't matter. She couldn't afford to get on a bus to go home, not after her father had taken every last bit of money she'd managed to earn from the coffee shop. Her feet dragged across the pavement, her body growing heavier with each step. The world around her was a blur of headlights and shadows, and the rain only made it harder to focus. She crossed a street, not even bothering to look at the crossing signal. What did it matter? Her head was spinning, her heart still reeling from everything. Suddenly, the blare of a car horn pierced the air. Raya looked up just in time to see headlights blazing in front of her. Her body froze in place, her mind unable to process what was happening. The car screeched to a halt, the tires skidding on the wet road. Her heart leaped into her throat, and in that split second of panic, the world seemed to tilt. Her vision dimmed as her knees buckled beneath her, and the last thing she felt before the darkness took her was the cold pavement beneath her hands. When Raya opened her eyes again, everything was a blur of white and sterile smells. She was lying on a soft surface, her head pounding as her mind struggled to catch up. Her fingers curled around the edge of the bed, and she realized she was in a hospital. Panic gripped her chest. She had no money, no way to pay for this. And if her father found out where she was… She sat up abruptly, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to pull her back down. Her breathing quickened as she looked around the room, trying to make sense of how she'd gotten here. Then, a nurse walked in, surprise flashing across her face when she saw Raya awake. "Miss, you're up. You were brought in by—" But Raya didn't wait to hear the rest. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her heart racing as she stood up too quickly. She swayed for a moment, grabbing the side of the bed for support. "I-I need to go," she stammered, her voice shaky. "I can't stay here." "Miss, wait! You're not ready to leave, and the doctor hasn't—" the nurse started, but Raya was already moving toward the door, her body aching with each step. She couldn't afford to stay, not even for another second. Her father would kill her if she didn't make it home tonight. He would accuse her of running off, call her names, say she was just like her mother. A "hoe," he would spit, with venom in his voice, the way he always did when he was drunk and angry. The thought of his rage sent a chill down her spine, and she knew she had to get out of there. Ignoring the nurse's calls, Raya slipped through the hospital corridors, her heart pounding louder with each step. She stumbled out of the emergency exit into the night air, the rain still falling softly, though not as heavily as before. She was soaked again within moments, but she didn't care. All she knew was that she had to get home before her father noticed she was gone. With every step, Raya's body screamed for rest, for a break from the nightmare she was living. But there was no escape, not yet. She had to survive the night. After that… she didn't know when she got home luckily she didn't see any sign of her father so she went to bed feeling skeptical about what tomorrow will dish her.She also have to rise early to scout for a new Job she had to survive one way or another.
Raya woke to the violent sound of banging, the door of her room shaking on its hinges as if it might burst off its frame at any second. Her heart lurched, panic seizing her as she recognized the heavy, furious knocks. Her father. She scrambled out of bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor just as the door swung open, crashing against the wall. Her father, Mr. Seth White, stood in the doorway, his face twisted with rage. Before she could say a word, beforeshe could say a word, before she could even greet him, his hand came down with a force that made her head spin. The slap was so hard that her ears rang, her vision blurring as the sting spread across her cheek. Her mind went blank—a factory reset, leaving nothing but confusion and pain in its wake. "You lying little whore!" her father spat, his voice thick with fury. "I get you a job, and this is how you repay me? Trying to seduce Mr. Wealth and then stealing from his shop?" Raya's eyes widened in shock, her swollen cheek still burning. She opened her mouth to defend herself, to deny the twisted story her father had been fed, but before she could speak, his fist slammed into her again, knocking her to the floor. "You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know what kind of girl you are?" he growled, towering over her. He kicked her once, then again, his heavy boot connecting with her ribs. Pain exploded through her body, and Raya gasped, curling into herself, trying to protect herself from the blows. But they kept coming, relentless, each one more brutal than the last. Her vision flickered in and out, and she felt the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to crawl away, tried to get some distance, but he was faster. He yanked her up by her hair, his grip tight and unforgiving. "You're just like your mother," he hissed, venom dripping from every word. "Worthless. A good-for-nothing whore." Something inside Raya snapped. Despite the pain, despite the fear, she gathered what little strength she had left and shoved him away with every ounce of energy she could muster. His grip loosened in surprise, and she used that brief moment of freedom to scramble toward the door. Barefoot and battered, she ran. She didn't know how her legs carried her, but somehow, they did. Her chest heaved, her ribs aching with each breath as she raced out of the house, not daring to look back. The cold morning air bit at her skin, but she barely felt it. All that mattered was getting away. Behind her, she heard the furious shouts of her father, the heavy thud of his boots as he charged after her. Fear pushed her faster, her legs burning as she sprinted down the street. She had only one place in mind: Cassey's house. Cassey had always been her lifeline, the one person she could turn to when everything else fell apart. If she could just make it to her house… Raya glanced behind her and saw her father gaining on her. Panic surged through her veins, and she pushed herself even harder, her feet slapping against the pavement, ignoring the sting of cuts and bruises. Finally, Cassey's house came into view. Raya's heart raced as she stumbled up the steps, banging on the door with bloodied knuckles. "Cassey! Please!" she cried out, breathless, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, open up!" The door flew open, and Cassey stood there, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of Raya—her face covered in bruises, blood dripping from her nose, her clothes torn and dirty. "Raya… oh my God!" Cassey gasped, grabbing her friend and pulling her inside. "Don't… don't open the door for anyone," Raya wheezed, collapsing onto the floor, her body trembling. "He's… he's right behind me…" Cassey's face paled, but she nodded, quickly locking the door and drawing the curtains shut. They both held their breath, waiting, listening for the sound of her father's approach. Minutes passed in tense silence. Then, finally, they heard his heavy footsteps fade into the distance. Cassey let out a shaky breath, her eyes filled with worry as she knelt beside Raya. But Raya couldn't hold on any longer. The adrenaline that had kept her moving was gone, and her body felt like it was shutting down. The pain was overwhelming, her vision swimming as her limbs grew heavier by the second. "Raya Raya… oh my God!" Cassey gasped, grabbing her friend and pulling her inside. "Raya?" Cassey's voice was soft, panicked. "Raya, stay with me." But Raya couldn't. The darkness was pulling her under, and she didn't have the strength to fight it. With one last shaky breath, her body went limp, collapsing into Cassey's arms. "Raya? No! No, no, no!" Cassey cried, shaking her friend, trying to wake her. Tears streamed down her face as she fumbled for her phone, her hands trembling as she dialed 911. "Please," she sobbed into the phone. "My friend—she's unconscious. She's not breathing properly. Please, I need help now!" The operator spoke calmly, giving Cassey instructions to try to resuscitate Raya, but Cassey's hands wouldn't stop shaking. She did her best, pressing down on Raya's chest, counting aloud, trying to hold back her sobs. "Please, Raya," she whispered through her tears. "Don't leave me." But as the seconds ticked by, Raya remained still, her battered body lying motionless on the floor.