[[TRIGGER WARNING: abuse of her past is revealed and may upset certain readers.]]
Lana looked at Alto, "I want you to come with me to the library. You won't be going to play the game today."
Alto looked dejected but did as he was told. "The rest, travel together. Be at my tree for lunch."
Blaine smiled at everyone, "don't worry, it will work out."
He followed the other two out. In the library, Lana bought used versions of the level 3 and 4 water ability books. They were fairly common so they were easy to find. Alto was sitting next to her.
"How could you afford that?"
Lana chuckled, "you could say I have a side-job now."
While they were making their purchase, Blaine was on a different computer. He claimed his purchase before Lana was done.
She went and claimed hers then gave Alto the choice. "We are going to my tree," glancing at Blaine to make sure that was accurate and he nodded, "you can come with us or we can take you back to your room and have to bring you lunch."
"There's no comfortable place to study there."
"Yes, there is. You're coming with us. It just makes it easier on us."
Alto couldn't complain. She had just bought two very expensive books for him. At the tree, Lana and Blaine had to discuss things really quick.
"I don't have permission to do the experiment yet, so do we go to my room and move a chair to the lab for him to sit?"
Blaine nodded, "we can put a chair in that one corner. There is plenty of light there as well. I'll buy another chair to put in your room. This will also give me a chair in the lab to sit when I'm not needed."
"Sounds good. I want to go ahead and grow the food I need for lunch even though you will be much faster."
Blaine chuckled. He had to float up to see in her room because the ability works based on what could be seen. He had to use the ability to squeeze it out of the door and then into the other room. Then he needed to go into the room to put it in the corner. Lana had grown the first crop and had it almost harvested by the time he was done. He then lifted Alto up into the room.
"Wait, I get to sit I here and study?" he called down.
Blaine nodded, "as long as it's not in use."
Alto grinned and went into the room, closing the vine door behind himself.
Lana finished growing what they needed for lunch.
Blaine looked at her, "ready?"
She smiled and nodded. He once again put them in her room. Since there was now only one chair, they sat across her bed with their backs against the wall.
"Did you want to watch a movie? What did you have in mind?" Lana asked.
"Actually, I wanted to talk for a few if that's okay?" Kyle replied. He had switched when he sat on the bed.
"Okay, about what?"
"Why didn't you want to tell me about Pucket and why don't you want my help?"
She sharply in took a breath then let it out slowly. "Well, it's not that I don't want your help but I'm also not going to ask for it."
"Why would you not ask for it and why not tell me?" Kyle was the one who asked this time.
"Shit," she said under her breath.
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"I'm used to dealing with my own problems. I can't repay your kindness as it is. You've done so much for me and what have I done? Cooked for you? That's not even close to what you've done for me."
"You've healed me twice from injuries. And I'm also not keeping score. I refuse to do that. I care about you and I want you to be safe. I need you to be safe."
"Kyle, I'm not weak. I'm just traumatized."
"I didn't say you were and we are both traumatized."
She looked deep into his eyes. "I'll share something if you do."
"My grandmother comes home every 8 years with 16 babies. They are raised in a school that we own and run. I was raised in the mansion. The females in our family are allowed to have one baby to raise themselves. The males are assigned to a female for that purpose. Once she successfully gives birth, the males are castrated. So, while I have parents, I was not created from love but out of a mandate from my grandmother."
"When I was little, I'd play with the kids at the school. I was educated at their sides. On mine and Blaine's 9th birthday, they announced a tournament. I was so excited. I thought it would be great to see their strength. I was not permitted to take part but I wasn't concerned since I am so strong. It turned out to be a tournament to the death. I was forced to watch as my friends were forced to kill each other. The one who survived got to move in with us but we were so traumatized we never spoke again. Blaine speaks to him sometimes. We were assigned to the same female, his older sister."
Lana's eyes were on fire. She wanted to do something but knew at this time, there was nothing she could do but be there for him. But, she realized, it was also her turn now.
"The other kids were not allowed to talk to us. I finally got one of the girls, Amanda, to talk to me about what was going on. She told me the previous visit from the white coats, grown men took turns on a girl in front of the boys. Then they put a different girl on the bed and made the boys do the exact same thing. They changed out the girl and made the boys do it until they demonstrated pleasure at forcing themselves on the girls. They turned those four boys into rapists over a weekend. One of those boys is here right now, Pucket."
"Apparently, someone overhead Amanda telling me about what had happened. That night, the boys locked her in a room with them and took turns on her. She was screaming from the pain so loudly. We could hear them from our room and how much they were enjoying themselves. I wanted to go in there so badly and save her but Dobin held me tight and refused to let me become their next victim."
Tears were streaming down her face and her words were coming out hitched.
"They killed her in their own desire for pleasure and to punish her for talking. The next day, Dobin and I were moved to the attic. We were 10 at that point. They gave us a twin mattress to share and one blanket and pillow. The roof had a hole in it so when it rained, we got wet. When it snowed, it landed on us. It was very cold but we did discover one good point. We were able to lock the trap door that led downstairs so they could not get to us while we slept anymore."
"That's why you like blankets so much…"
She nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
He picked her up into his lap and held her. "We both have sexual trauma." They stayed like that until they heard a voice below calling them. It was time to eat and neither was hungry.
"We need to get down there. They need to eat. So do we."
He chuckled, "this is calming. I don't want to move."
"Maybe I need to learn how to make that cake…"
"Which one? The one that costs a fortune or the one with ice cream in it?"
Lana laughed, "yes! Chocolate is calming."
"But not as long-lasting as my arms…" he grinned.
She chuckled, "true. But will you always be with me? I need to learn how to make that cake!"
He grumbled and started tickling her.
She laughed and let out a small scream. "We need to go down!"
He kissed her on the cheek, "fine, you can learn how to make the cake. Let's go cook."
She grabbed her bag, he grabbed her and they floated down. They both had smiles where they had frowns a few minutes ago.
Dobin saw them first, "taking a nap, Sis?"
"No, we spent the morning talking, actually. It helped me."
Dobin smiled, "good."
Blaine took the bag off her back and set up the kitchen. Lana picked up the food off the table and started her prep work. Kattie jumped in to help since all the friends showed up together.
"Where's Alto? Almin asked.
"He's in the lab. Blaine put a chair up there for him to sit and study."
"I'm going to buy another chair for her room because I moved a chair from her room to the lab for him. Need two chairs to sit in! We'll do that after we eat." He looked at her for confirmation and she nodded.
While Lana and Kattie prepped, "If you didn't have enough chairs, where did you sit?" Dobin asked.
"She has a make-shift bed we sat on. It's just pillows and blankets. The chair is more comfortable for sitting but we'll fix it after lunch."
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