Seraphina’s POV
"Mia?" I stared at her in shock. Her cotton candy pink hair was a disaster, half falling out of its ponytail in matted clumps. Mascara streaked down her cheeks in black rivers. Her shirt was torn at the shoulder.
She looked like she’d been through hell.
"What happened to you?" I grabbed her shoulders, steadying her as she swayed on her feet. "Are you hurt?"
"Derek," she gasped, her voice shaking. "Tuesday Derek. He... he went crazy."
My blood turned cold. "What do you an crazy?"
Mia’s face crumpled, fresh tears spilling down her already ruined makeup. "We were having dinner, everything was fine. Then I ntioned maybe seeing other people on weekends too, you know? Keeping things casual like we agreed."
She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, leaving a sar of snot and mascara.
"He just... snapped. Started yelling about how I was a slut, how I was using him. I tried to leave, but he grabbed my wrist so hard I thought he was going to break it."
I felt sick. "Mia..."
"It gets worse." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "When I finally got away from him at the restaurant, I thought it was over. But he followed to the parking lot. Cornered by my car."
"Did he—"
"He hit ." The words ca out flat, emotionless. "Backhanded across the face. Called a worthless whore. Then he took my purse."
My hands clenched into fists. "He stole your purse?"
"My wallet, my cards, my cash. Everything." Mia’s voice cracked completely. "He said if I was going to act like a whore, I could survive like one too."
Rage flooded through so pure and hot it made my vision blur. So bastard had hit Mia. Had stolen from her. Had left her stranded and broke and terrified.
"We need to call the police," I said imdiately.
"No!" Mia grabbed my arm, her fingers digging in desperately. "No cops. Please."
"Why not?"
"Because Derek’s dad is so big shot lawyer, and Derek knows people. He said if I called the cops, he’d make sure I got arrested for harassnt. Said he had witnesses at the restaurant who’d say I attacked him first."
Of course. Of fucking course. Another rich asshole who thought he could do whatever he wanted because daddy had money and connections.
"Mia, you can’t let him get away with this."
"I just want to go ho," she sobbed. "I want to go ho to my mom, but I don’t have money for a bus ticket. I don’t have anything."
She looked so small. So broken. Nothing like the confident, bubbly girl who’d been flirting with three different guys and bringing sunshine to the grocery store.
"How much do you need?" I heard myself ask.
"I don’t know. Maybe forty dollars? Just enough for a Greyhound ticket ho." Her eyes were huge and hopeful. "I’ll pay you back as soon as I get there. My mom has money. She’ll help sort this out."
Forty dollars.
I thought about my bank account. The pathetic $247 that was supposed to last until my next paycheck. The three hundred dollars Gary was taking out for damages I hadn’t caused. My rent that was due in six days.
But I also thought about Ophelia. About Riley. About all the tis my pack sisters had helped when I needed it most.
This was what friends did. They helped each other. Even when they couldn’t really afford it.
"Okay," I said. "Let check how much cash I have."
I dug through my purse, counting crumpled bills. Twenty-three dollars. Not enough.
"I need to find an ATM," I said.
"Really?" Mia’s face lit up with desperate relief. "Really, you’ll help ?"
"Of course I’ll help you." The words ca out firr than I felt. "Co on. There’s a bank across the street."
We walked to the ATM in silence, Mia sniffling and wiping her face while I tried not to think about what this was going to do to my already precarious finances.
I slid my debit card into the machine and entered my PIN. Selected "Withdraw Cash" and typed in fifty dollars. Just in case she needed a little extra for food or a taxi.
The machine whirred for a mont, then displayed a ssage that made my heart sink: *Insufficient funds for this transaction.*
Right. I’d forgotten about the automatic rent withdrawal that hit early every month. My landlord’s way of making sure he got paid before tenants could spend their money on frivolous things like food.
I tried again. Forty dollars.
*Insufficient funds.*
Thirty dollars.
*Insufficient funds.*
Twenty dollars. Please, please let have twenty dollars.
The machine dispensed a single bill. Twenty dollars.
"Here," I said, handing it to Mia along with the twenty-three from my wallet. "Forty-three dollars. That should be enough for a ticket and maybe sothing to eat."
"Oh my God, Sera." Mia threw her arms around , nearly knocking over. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll pay you back the second I get ho, I swear."
I hugged her back, trying to ignore the panic clawing at my chest. "When’s the next bus?" I asked.
"There’s one at midnight. Gets into Spokane tomorrow morning." Mia pulled back, wiping her eyes. "My mom said she’d pick up at the station."
I looked at my phone. Eleven-fifteen. She’d make it.
"Good. That’s good." I forced a smile. "Text when you get there safe, okay?"
"I will. God, Sera, I don’t know what I would have done without you. You’re literally the best person in the world."
"Just... get ho safe," I said. "And Mia?"
"Yeah?"
"I need that money back by Friday. My rent’s due next week, and with Gary docking my pay..." I couldn’t finish the sentence.
Her face went serious. "Friday. I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die, I’ll have it back to you by Friday."
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