Liana argued with Jenny to let her pay for breakfast, and left her father a hefty tip. Jenny signalled she'd call later, and Liana waved as they put on coats and gathered up Liam's things.

Liana needed to talk to her about the salon, but it could wait, and Jenny had her hands full today anyway. Cold weather always brought the folks into the diner to warm up, and it was hopping by the time they left. Especially for a Monday.

Liana and Liam walked out into the cold, the bright sunshine not even denting the stab as the winter air hit them. Liana zipped her coat up all the way over her chin, and shivered. It was likely the last cold snap before spring hit, but at this time of year would feel so much worse, because everyone was anticipating warmer weather.

Liam left his coat to hang open, his backpack slung across one shoulder, and he shivered.

"Why do teenagers never do up their damned coats?" Liana asked as they rounded the corner. "We'll walk back to my place and get my car. So button up, knucklehead."

He zipped his coat with another eyeroll. Liana held back a laugh, sensing he wouldn't appreciate it. His eyes were going to fall out of his head if he kept that up, she thought. He pulled out his phone and texted someone as they walked, and then shoved it away with a scowl.

"Friends?"

"Sort of. Don't have many of those," he muttered. "Just bullshit on the Discord server for the school."

"Why respond to it then, if it's bullshit?" she asked. Liam's breath swirled above his head as he let out a short breath. She was needling him, she knew, but something in her wanted to push him. He seemed like a good kid, apologising to her when he knew he'd gone too far, had used manners when they left the diner and held the door for her. A good push might get him the perspective he needed to get his head out of his ass. Maybe.

"Your dad know about the bullying?" she asked.

"No," he muttered.

"Maybe you should tell him?" Liana said. Another teenage-boy grunt came from Liam. She'd take it. He was at least acknowledging her sideways advice.

They rounded the corner to her street, and as they reached her apartment, Liana pulled out her keys. "Mine's the red Honda over there. I need to pop up to my place, hang here for a minute?"

"Sure thing boss," Liam mumbled and pulled out his phone again, leaning on the lamp post.

Liana ran upstairs and grabbed a bag, quickly stuffing some overnight things into it. If she was going out there, likely Peony would want her to stay for tea, and maybe dinner, and she wanted her own damned toothbrush. Plus, if she had her way, she wouldn't be sleeping in the guest room again. Ever.

She threw in a change of clothes, and some makeup. Tomorrow she had a nine o'clock colour appointment and would need to get ready there, maybe... She stopped for a moment as she realised what she was doing.

"Assuming much?" she asked herself and then zipped the bag. A zing of something went through her when she thought about being in Tanner's arms again. A zing she hadn't felt in a long, long time. A good zing, like pure happiness.

She hustled back out towards the car, looking for Liam. She didn't see him.

"Liam?" she called, but he wasn't by the car, or the front door. She looked around the corner, to see if he'd moved into the sun to wait. No sulking teenage boy.

"Ah shit," she swore. "He ran." She threw her bag into the car, and dug for her phone in her pocket to call Jenny. As she did, she was hit from behind into her car, and held there, her phone sliding back into her pocket.

"Hello darlin'. Stay nice and still and I won't have to mess up that pretty face of yours."

"Get off me!" Liana screamed and started to kick backwards on instinct, struggling like a wildcat in the very strong grasp of whoever had her pinned. "I'm going to fuck you up if you don't let me go, asshole!"

"Jesus, she's a live one. Get over here," the voice rasped as she almost got away, but he grappled her back onto the car, his entire body pushing up against her. He stank, and she gagged as his breath feathered over her neck. "You're going to be lots of fun."

"Fun? I'll show you fun when I cut off your balls," she seethed and wriggled again, elbowing him to no effect. He was solid and heavy. She squirmed, trying to get purchase on the slippery parking lot pavement, anything to slide down the car underneath him, or get enough room to cow-kick him in the nuts.

"Like to see you try, bitch," another voice said, and before she could try anything else, she saw stars as something was shoved hard over her face and nose. It stank like diesel, and had grit on it. The hand holding it was big and strong and she couldn't even get a purchase through the cloth to bite.

"Fuck... You..." she mumbled through the cloth. She looked towards the ground, and saw Liam's feet. He was out cold obviously, his bag dumped out beside them. Her eyes got heavy as she screamed his name into the cloth over her face, wriggling, but she was losing energy, and consciousness, quickly. I'm suffocating, she thought lazily, and fought to stay awake and lucid.

"Get those plastic things in the truck," one of the voices said as she went limp. She was barely alert, her chest heaving for air.

"Think, Liana, think," she murmured under her breath. Self-defence class... What was next? What could she do?

"Play nice, sweetheart. It'll be easier," the voice said in her ear, waking her up a bit, making her skin crawl. Her eyes slid closed and she set her teeth and made one last ditch effort, slamming her head backwards, waiting for the crunch of a nose at the back of her skull.

She crumpled as none came, realising she was truly caught and defenceless.

"Fuck... You... " she repeated as she slid down onto the ground, giving into the drowsiness.