"Are you waiting for me there? " Jikyo said amused, which caught the attention of Liliana sitting on the swing.

"No, I'm just sightseeing. " She replied shaking her head and finishing her cigarette.

Park walked over to her and sat down on the free swing next to her. They had known each other for several months now and enjoyed each other's company very much.

"And what interesting things have you visited in a city you know inside out? " He asked, looking at her carefully, which made her laugh.

"With every moment or day, I discover something new. " She said smiling at him and stomping on her cigarette.

"You should stop smoking. " Jikyo said. "It's bad for your health."

Redhead waved her hand at his words.

"I don't care about my health. " She replied, swinging on a swing.

Park shook his head and sighed heavily.

"Was there any quarrel in your house? " Boy asked, to which she became very serious.

"Why? "

"I heard screams as I passed by. "

Woman looked at him and ran a hand through her hair.

"Some kind of bullshits. " She replied indifferently.

"Lily? " Jikyo watched her carefully. "Are you okay? " He asked with concern.

"Yeah, of coure." She smiled at him. "My parents always yell like that. " She shrugged.

"At you? " He guessed.

"Sometimes. "

"How often? "

"Eh..." She looked at the boy. "It's not important. " she shook her head. "Forget it, okay?" She rose to her feet.

"Why? " The dark haired man approached her. "That's what's important, Lily.

Woman shook her head and looked at him resignedly.

"Please, let's not talk about this. " She said. "When I'm with you, I can forget about it for a while." She sighed. "Don't even make me go back to that with you."

"Maybe it'll be easier for you if you open up to someone." Park said.

"I don't think so. " She interrupted him.

"Lily... "

"No. " She didn't let him speak again. "End of this. " She said looking at the boy. "I want to forget. Forget everything. " She said then sighed. "I want to play! I want to have some fun! " She jumped. "Come with me, let's play somewhere." She dragged him along.

"It won't solve your problems. " He said resignedly.

"I know, but at least I can forget. " She glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Where are you taking me? " Man asked confused.

"I know a place. An ever-living place. " She smiled at him and led him in that direction.

It was a small pub, from which loud music could be heard in the distance. When the young people entered inside, they were hit by the heat of the place, and the smell of alcohol and sweat. It was dark there, and the only thing that illuminated the dance floor were colorful lasers and a disco ball hanging in the middle of the ceiling.

"Didn't you tell me once that you couldn't dance?" Park tried to shout over the noise.

"I don't need to know how to dance to have fun here. " She said and dragged her friend with her to the bar. "Same as always. " She said seeing a friend bartender.

"How often do you come here? " Jikyo asked as he sat down next to her.

"Often. " She nodded. "Better than sitting at home." She made quotation marks with her fingers as she said the last word. "Thanks! " She called to the bartender when she saw the ready drinks.

"Do you have any money to pay for it? " Boy asked as he watched his companion drink alcohol with difficulty.

"I do. " She replied as she put down her glass.

"I want to know from where? "

"No. " She said immediately and smiled widely, then glanced towards the dance floor.

It was full of people, everyone had a great time. This pub was very popular and practically open all the time. Some people didn't even leave it, but fell asleep on the set-up couches or rented rooms.

"You're not drinking? " She looked at Jikyo, who shook his head.

Wilkinson shrugged and downed her friend's drink. Jikyo watched her carefully and immediately noticed that the woman drank the alcohol again with great disgust. Was it the taste of it, or did she not like drinking at all?

"Will you at least dance? " She looked at the boy. "Come on." She pleaded, but he wasn't persuaded. "Whatever. " She sighed, then got to her feet and ran to the dance floor.

Woman blended into the crowd and moved to the music, sometimes worse, sometimes better. Teenager looked at him with smirk. Park just shook his head at the sight.

"Crazy woman. "

After a while, a boy approached Liliana, who with a feisty smile invited her to dance, and she didn't protest. He was much older than her and it was obvious from the first glance. Wilkinson didn't seem to mind. She let herself be carried away by the moment, but Jikyo still had his eye on her. He didn't like this guy.

"Hey, hands off. " Lily said to him as he touched her ass.

"Sorry, hard to resist. " He replied drunkenly and pulled her even closer to him.

Wilkinson began to be disturbed by his presence. Jikyo immediately noticed this and reacted.

"Hey. " He patted the man on the shoulder. "I'll steal her."He added, then pulled Liliana's hand and blended with her into the crowd so that the other guy couldn't find them.

"Um, thanks. " Woman said and looked at Jikyo. "We can go if you want."

"You wanted to dance. " Park interjected and put his hand on her waist, then gently pulled her to him, so that their faces were only a few centimeters apart. "So dance. " He added with a smile and helped her get into the rhythm.

He was still holding her, and she didn't mind, quite the opposite. Only after a while redhead dare to put her arms around Jikyo's neck, which made him smile.

"You blush. " He said to her ear, and Lily, feeling his breath on her neck, twitched slightly, then looked into his eyes again.

"It's hot in here, don't you think? " She argued.

"Yeah, sure. " Park laughed, then spun her around and pulled her closer to him.

"I didn't know you danced so well. " She said with her hands around his neck.

"There's still a lot you don't know about me. " He replied with a cheeky smile which made her laugh a bit. "Maybe I'll tell you something more time, if you like." They talked while still dancing.

"With pleasure. " She replied, snuggling into him a bit.

The young people danced a few songs together. The music was loud and fast, but once they got tired, they didn't bother to catch the rhythm with the others. They just slowed their pace and swayed slower, hugging each other.

Jikyo wrapped one arm around her waist and held her small hand with the other. Lily, on the other hand, timidly rested her head on his shoulder, snuggling into the boy even more. Woman could feel his breath on her neck, which sometimes made her shiver slightly. Park then rested his chin gently on her shoulder, gently and soothingly at the same time, stroking her back. It calmed her down a lot and allowed her to relax.

When they left the pub later, Liliana was totally drunk and barely able to walk. She walked a few steps ahead of Jikyo, spread her arms wide and muttered something under her breath.

"You're about to fall over. " Man said amused.

"Nah... " She waved her hand and stumbled, but Park managed to catch her.

"All right, that's over. " He said and knelt in front of her. " Hop in on piggyback."

"You're sure? " She asked giggling.

"Don't laugh, just hop in. " He shook his head. "Otherwise, I'll drag you in another way."

"How? "

"When you fall, I'll drag you by the arm or legs, through all the streets of Boston, and only at the end, when I have collected all the dust and dirt with you, I'll bring you home. " He said which made her even more amused.

"You wouldn't be able to get around every corner of this area. " She laughed and jumped on his ram.

"I could if I had the right reason." He replied holding her hands under her knees.

"What for example? " She asked drunk.

"Eh..." He sighed. "The less you know, the better you sleep, or something."

"I think you mixed something up. " She laughed softly.

"That's possible. "

After half an hour of time, Jikyo carried Liliana to the spot. He stopped in front of her house and helped her stand to her feet. As soon as they got there, Wilkinson fell silent and neither laughed nor smiled any more.

"Thank you. " She glanced at the boy and then wanted to go, but he stopped her while grabbing her hand.

"Lily..." He began, but before he could say anything, Wilkinson's father came out of the house, his name was Judson.

"Get inside. " The parent said sternly and the teenager let go of Jikyo's hand and quickly ran inside.

Park met the hostile gaze of Liliana's father, and in that one brief moment, he knew he was no good man.

"I don't want to see you here again." Judson announced.

"I just walked her home safely." Boy answered immediately.

"I won't repeat it twice. " Man said hostilely. "Get out of here!" He snorted and closed the door with a loud bang.

Jikyo hesitantly walked away and returned to himself.

Lily, on the other hand, already knew that her parents weren't in the mood.

"I..." She started seeing her father's stern look, but before she could say anything else, Judson grabbed her hair tightly, making the teenager scream in pain.

"What did I tell you?! "

The man knocked her to the ground and continued to drag her behind him, by her red hair.

"It hurts! Stop! " Liliana called.

"This is gonna hurt, you deserve it! " He glanced at her over his shoulder and dragged her across the floor across the hall. "Get in! " He shoved her into a cramped cupboard under the stairs.

"No! Please! " Teenager rushed to the door but her father had already managed to close it.

"No! Please, just not this cupboard! " She exclaimed feeling tears streaming down her cheeks. "Let me out of here, I beg you!" She cried, pounding her hands against the door.

"Shut up! "

"Let me out! "

Judson opened the door again and yanked his daughter.

"Don't do that, it make me sick. " She pleaded as he grabbed her.

"You shouldn't have drunk so much, at most you'll puke there, and if you die, it'll finally relieve us. " He snorted and locked her back in the cupboard under the stairs. "And shut up! " He pounded his fist on the door.

Lily didn't dare say anything more. She sat in the corner with her back against the wall. It was very dark and cramped in there. Redhead hated this place. Being in that cupboard was torture for her. She felt herself running out of air and often panicked in the engulfing darkness. She was scared, she was so scared. She felt herself shaking with fear but decided not to scream anymore because she knew it wouldn't change anything. Father will let her out of there only when he wants it. Girl had nothing to lighten the darkness that enveloped her. In addition, she felt nauseous all the time, she felt like she was about to throw up. After a while it happened too. She vomited, dirtying herself. She felt terrible. She felt immense shame and self-loathing. She hated it. She wanted so much to get out of here and finally feel free. She heard her parents talking to each other as if nothing had happened, and she had to sit there alone. After a while, she began softly humming her own melody.

"Quieter there! " Her mother, Sheree, pounded on the door then went back to talking to her husband.

So Lily wiped away her tears and continued humming the tune even more quietly, afraid she might make one of her parents angry again.

Teenager spent two days in a cramped room. Her mother opened the door and covered her face with her hand, smelling the vomit.

"Ugh, go wash yourself. " She shook her head. "And clean up after yourself. You have to make it before your father returns. " She added and walked away leaving the door open. "Well, what are you waiting for! " She called again.

Liliana sat exhausted with her back against the wall. She felt herself stiffen. She was disheveled, and her makeup was smeared from tears, covering her entire face. She was also very dirty and she smelled herself. Redhead crawled on all fours to the door, then staggered to her feet and the first thing she did was grab an old rag and a bucket of water and cleaned up the entire cupboard under the stairs. When she was done, she went to the bathroom to finally be able to wash off all the dirt. Later, she also hand washed her clothes, and when she had finished all the work, her mother let her eat something.

Such was her life. She was scared to admit it to Jikyo. She herself was very ashamed of it and didn't know what to do to change her life for the better.

If it ever changes to something better...