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"It's not true, it's not true." Ray was muttering to herself as she sat out on her steps, waiting anxiously for Beck to pick her up. "It's not true, it's not true."
"I told him not to come, munchkin." Tay sat with her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Ray's voice cracked in the middle of her repeated mumbles, her throat hurting with a lump. "You need a moment."
"It's not true, right?" She looked at him, eyes glossy and hands trembling. "He wouldn't do that to me. He's not that kind of guy."
"It's not true."
"You think that boy truly likes you? Don't be stupid!" Tina sneered, gripping Ray's arm tightly as she dragged her away from her friend. "He only hangs out with you because of your flashy toys."
"He's my friend!"
"If you say so." She yanked her up close, Ray muffling her cries as her nails dug into her arm. "No one will ever like you. They just pity you."
"....it's not true..."
"Ray." Lane softly said when she came into the room, Tay leaving and closing the door. She finally broke down and cried, the man moving quickly to her side when her knees buckled.
"It's not true! It's not true!" It was the only thing she'd been able to say the entire morning. She'd hidden herself in the girls bathroom, sitting on the floor and mumbling it until one of the girls told Tay. "It's not!"
"What's not?"
"He likes me! He likes me!" Ray sobbed, her head down and arms in Lane's hands so she wouldn't hit herself. "H-he likes me!"
"Of course he likes you." Lane slowly shuffled them over to the couch, nearly carrying her when she buckled again. "Beck really, really likes you."
"He loves me!" She added on, almost like she was protecting him. Lane nodded with a small smile, staying quiet until she calmed down enough. "He loves me! Not my money! Not my flashy toys! He loves me!"
".....are you okay now?"
"......yeah....." She'd calmed down pretty quickly, little hiccups leaving her as she continued crying.
"Are you going to lock yourself away again when you leave?"
"Yeah." Lane sighed, telling her to stay put before leaving the room.
"No one likes a crybaby. And that's all you do. You cry every. Single. Day!" Tina snapped, Ray shuffling back from her. "You're crying now! The only reason they put up with you is your toys!"
"You're LYING!" She was smacked hard enough to send her down, Tina standing over her as she cried for her mom and dad.
For Tay.
"Not even your family wants you."
"-ay. Ray, come back." Beck was massaging her arms and hands gently, waiting on her to focus back to the real world. "Hey, beautiful."
"Hi."
"Is this okay?" He was talking about him massaging her, Ray nodding after looking down. "Okay. How are you feeling now?"
"Tired." They stared at each other, Ray searching for something in his eyes while Beck just watched her expression to make sure she wouldn't space out again. "You love me."
"I do."
"And I love you."
"You do."
"And Alyssa Vaughn is a nobody to us."
"Who?" Ray smiled, hugging him tightly and sighing. "Wanna skip school?"
"Yeah."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Lane said, the two of them laughing before leaving. "Young love."
"This is nice." They were laying out in the grass in a park, holding hands and facing the sky with closed eyes.
"Everything's nice with you." Beck mumbled, squeezing her hand. "We could be trapped in a stinky basement. And you'd still find a way to make it nice."
"Yeah, cause I'd get us out of there using my brain." She scoffed, throwing her free hand up and pretending to crush something. Beck didn't need to open his eyes to see what she was doing, laughing and shaking his head.
