Saved By a Gangleader ✔️

The biting chill of the early morning seeped into Ray's bones, a familiar companion as she waited for the bus. Her oversized purple sweater, a conscious choice to hide the fresh bruises blossoming across her ribs, did little to ward off the cold or the ache that gnawed at her. She traced the faint outline of a scar on her wrist, a reminder of battles fought in the silent corners of her foster home.
Today marked the first day of her final year at university, a beacon of hope in a life otherwise shrouded in shadows. But the excitement was a fragile thing, easily shattered by the memory of Daniel’s foot slamming into her ribs, a violent crescendo to Danielle’s fury.
She sighed, the visible puff of her breath mirroring the invisible weight on her chest. Life shouldn't be this hard, she mused, pushing away the wishful thought. There was no time for such luxuries. Her shift at the clinic beckoned, a place where the pain was often external, and the struggles of others offered a temporary respite from her own. The bus rumbled to a stop, its headlights cutting through the dim morning, carrying her towards another day of healing others while she herself remained broken.
