(A/N Faith doesn't exist in this)

Payton🙈 has started a text with Ray✨

Payton🙈: are you okay? did we do something?

Read: 2:49 a.m.

Payton🙈: if you need anything or want to talk just let me know

Read 3:01 a.m.

Payton🙈: I'm sorry if you didn't want to be added to the group chat

Read 3:14 a.m.

Payton🙈: don't think it's weird to open up to me if you need to talk. I know we've just 'met' but I think you're really cool and I'd like to get to know you better

Read 3:48 a.m.

Payton🙈: we are all worried about you since you've been reading these texts and not responding

Read 4:11 a.m.

Payton🙈: sorry I told them

Read 4:52 a.m.

Payton🙈: is it bad I'm still not tired yet?

Read 5:22 a.m.

Ray✨: can I like call you or FaceTime or something? Take up your offer to talk?

Payton🙈 is FaceTiming Ray✨

"Hey, are you okay?" Payton asks as soon as Ray accepts his FaceTime. He came out onto the balcony in the darkness of the Boston morning for privacy in the hotel room. He sees her tear-stained face and swollen lips. "What happened?"
"I-I don't know. I just-I just needed to get out of the house and talk to someone. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-shouldn't have called this early and looking like a wreck. And we don't even really know each other." She rubs her neck and pushes an earbud back in, setting down at what appears to be the top of a playground's jungle gym.
"Hey, it's fine. I'm glad you called, that you didn't keep whatever it was to yourself." Payton looks again at her face. "Did someone hit you?"
Ray breaks into sobs and pulls her knees up to her chest. Her shoulders shake in the darkness as she sobs. All Payton wants, in that moment, is to be there to hold his new friend.
"Did something happen with someone at home?" he asks quietly. He tries to talk calmly, if only just to avoid screaming.
"I-I live alone with my dad," she whispers. His heart beats wildly and mind rushes with thoughts when she says that. She looks back down at her feet.
"Oh." Payton slowly slides the door open and sticks his head in the room, motioning Anthony and Griffin, his roommates for Boston, to come out. He motions for them to be quiet and sit on the other side of the balcony.
"Uh, he isn't the nicest," Ray whispers. Payton mouths her dad to the other boys. They lean against the door and listen as Ray begins to talk again. "He came home drunk again."
"He hit you?" Payton asks softly.
She nods. "Beat me. Kind of bad, I guess. I don't know. And he-uh, yeah."
"And he what?" Payton asks. Please don't say r-
"He does other things." She's looking off into the distance of the park as tears rolling down her face. Griffin and Anthony lean forward to hear what she says next.
"What other things, Ray?"
She sighs. "It'll sounds like I'm complaining. Overreacting."
"No, it won't," he whispers. Please don't say r-
"Would you still say that if I said he raped me again?"
Everyone is silent after she says that. Payton wants to scream his lungs out, beat the man who hurt his new friend, Ray.
"I would. I would still say that," he whispers to her. He is looking at his shoes so the other boys won't see his tears.
"Uh, this is weird. I shouldn't have said anything. I should go, anyway. Get home. I have some homework to finish this weekend and stuff."
He shakes his head to clear his thoughts. "Ray, you shouldn't go back home. That's not safe."
"Where am I supposed to go, then? I don't have any other family."
"Well, where do you live?" Payton asks.
"Georgia."
"I'm from Georgia." Payton smiles.
"Where?"
"St.Marys. You?"
"Brunswick. I guess we aren't from too far away from each other, then." She smiles as she sits in the park. Payton smiles, too, an idea forming.
"No, we don't. Hey, stay there. Don't go home yet. I'm going to text you I'm a few minutes, okay?" Payton asks quickly.
"Sure. Uh, bye?"
"Bye." Payton quickly hangs up and begins furiously calling his mom.
"Why are you calling me this early, Payton? Is something wrong?" his mom asks groggily. Either he woke her or she just got up.
"Can you go get someone from Brunswick for me?" He drums his fingers nervously on his knee.
"What do you mean, go get someone?"
"Like go pick them up and like let them stay there for a few nights while they get some stuff sorted out?" He bites his lip.
"Who is it?"
"Her name is Ray. She's at a park."
His mom sighs. "Payton, please elaborate."
"Well, her name is Ray and she is 16. But I added her to a group chat randomly because I thought it would be fun and then she stopped texting us after a while and I got worried so I kept texting her and she called me and said her dad beat and raped her and is drunk. Can you let her stay in the guest room?" He lets out a breath after saying it all in one go. He waits for her answer.
"I'm going to get showered and by the time I get in the car you better have found out her exact location. If she isn't there when I arrive, I'm leaving. Understood?" she asks sternly.
"Yes. Yes, thanks. I'll find out right now. Bye." He hangs up and immediately calls Ray.
"Hey, Ray. My mom is coming to pick you up in probably a little over an hour so send me where you're at and I'll send it to her."
"What?" she asks.
He repeats himself, slower. She agrees, sends him her location, and goes back to her house to quickly get her stuff together.
"You really like her, huh?" Griffin asks. He looks over to see the two guys he forgot were even sitting there and starts to blush.
"Yeah."