The final bell for the school rang and the students filed out of the classrooms. It was Friday and the end of the year, summer holidays were just beginning. Everyone seemed to flow out of the classrooms and out of the main doors effortlessly until it seemed that that the whole building was empty. Empty that is except for one person. Her steps were slow yet deliberate, and slowly yet surely she made her way towards her locker. Taking out all of her books she slammed the locker shut and started walking towards the main entrance lost to the rest of the world she seemed to be in no particular hurry at all.

Humans are funny things; they wait their whole life for that moment of realization, that particular moment from when they will know that their life is set. That everything is going to be okay and from now on happiness can reign. However when this moment is right before us, right under our noses fresh to be grabbed, we miss the opportunity. We wait our whole lives for one moment that we just pass by due to our oh-so lovely ignorance, or sometimes due to that fact that what we expect to see is not what we get.

The girl was still walking along, listening to her ipod and thinking about things that none of us from this world could understand. Suddenly however she was knocked down to earth when she felt herself fall backwards and all of her books fell out of her hands. Annoyed beyond comprehension she looked up to find a hand in her face. She took it and with surprising ease it lifted her off the floor. She bent down to retrieve her books to find that the stranger was helping as well. She looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. They twinkled with mischief and his Cheshire cat grin added even more to his charm. However the most noticeable thing about him by far was his silver hair. He handed her belongings back to her and smiled at her and left.

Still dazed she walked out of the car park to find out that her ride had ditched her yet again. Sighing resignedly like she was used to it, she started on her long walk back home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere

Richard watched amused as Gar or Garfield and Victor polished off what was probably their tenth pizza. They had decided rather foolishly to start an eating contest to see what was more appetizing, Tofu or meat. As usual it was a draw. Now they were invariably suffering from terrible pains and would soon demand that they be dropped home and never allowed to eat. This was normalcy, perfect normal friends with a perfect girlfriend that was walking towards him right now.

There he was Koriander, beautiful with her (supposedly natural) fiery red hair, and slim figure. Sure she was not mature in some aspects (ahemchestahembuttahem) but that didn't make her any less beautiful than she was. She came and sat down next to him and smiled.

"Richard are we going home anytime soon?"

"As soon as these two say they're done we're off."

Simultaneously Victor and Gar groaned

"Take me home, please, I don't think I can ever move or eat, ever again!"

Snickering quietly to himself Richard helped his friends up and together they started on the way home. The journey was pretty uneventful, with Gar and Vic snoring in the back seat and Kori fiddling with her phone, Richard was allowed to let his mind wonder. Thinking back to the last day of school, he let himself smile. Next time he set foot in that school he would be a senior, dam life was good. Suddenly he realized with a groan that their annoying History teacher had assigned homework. Blast it and he was planning on having an awesome break loitering around and doing nothing. Looking for Raven in the back seat between Vic and Gar as she usually was, he was surprised not to see her there in the car at all.

"You guys, where the hell is Raven?"

Vic and Gar just grunted and started snoring again, typical. He looked at Kori to find that she wasn't in the least bit concerned over her cousin's absence. Frustrated he addressed Kori this time.

"Kori, where's Raven? Did she say anything about having a ride to you?"

She looked up from her phone and said almost carelessly

"Oh she told me that she might be a little late because she had to talk to Mr. Wilson, but I think I forgot."

"What?"

Startled as if aware of what she had just said, she looked sorry and regretful,

"Oh dear I think I forgot her, Richard I'm so horrible, do you think she got home safe?"

Richard just sighed thinking about how forgetful his girlfriend could be, however that was part of her charm wasn't it?

"I bet she's fine Kori, let's just get Gar and Vic home so we can go see a movie or something."

She smiled brightly at me before fiddling intently with her phone again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Raven was looking for her favorite song in her ipod when suddenly the sky was lit up by a tremendous flash of lightening and was followed by an equally loud crash of thunder.

Of course when such a thing happens you know just exactly what to expect next.

"Rain."

She sighed and safely tucked her ipod into her waterproof backpack, wishing that she had had the sense to carry an umbrella that day.

The rain fell in thick and plentiful drops and soon Raven was soaked to the bone. Still her pace did not change, walking slowly and purposefully she did not even run for shelter when she saw it. Instead she just kept walking, and when you glimpsed at her cheeks you could see that the rain drops had slowly merged with her tears till they were indistinguishable.

So she walked, weighed down by the rain and wet with her own tears.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Richard and Kori had dropped off Gar and Vic it had started raining so they quickly ducked into the theatre and had a cozy make out session at the back. Satisfied and happy they were on their way home in the rain when Richard spotted a figure sitting on a bench.

The figure was indistinguishable because of the wet hood that covered the face, and by the looks of it they had been sitting out in the rain for a really long time because the clothes were drenched through and through. Yet it refused to move, sitting there in the pounding rain as if relishing in the fact that the sky has opened up to shower us in its misery.

Richard being the kind person he is slowed down to ask if they needed help when he saw that a familiar purple strand was sticking out of the hood.

Startled he called out "RAVEN!"

The figure lifted its head and there she was, her purple hair plastered to her wet face, drenched and still managing to pull of a glare for interrupting her line of thought.

"What?" she chanted in her usual monotone.

"Cousin Raven, what are you doing out there? Are you not feeling well? Hurry inside we were headed home, good thing that we saw you huh?" squealed Kori.

Raven just bent her head again and ignored them. Richard, never the patient one opened the door and stepped into the rain. Upon reaching Raven he grabbed her by her arm and tried to push her into the backseat. When she tried to fight he just lifted her bridal style and threw her into the backseat along with her back pack. She just glared at him and looked out the window with a huff. Richard got in as well and wet as Raven herself, the car was then filled with a tense silence that even Kori didn't have the courage to break.

As soon as they reached their house, Kori quickly pecked Richard on the lips and ran into the house knowing that Richard had to speak to Raven and not wishing to be there when he blew up.

Calmly as he could Richard turned to Raven who was still staring out of the window.

"Why were you sitting out there in the rain all by yourself?"

When she turned to him he noticed for the first time that her eyes were blood shot.

"When someone sits down by herself what else do you think she is doing other than thinking Richard?"

"Raven, how long were you in the rain for?"

"As long as I wanted to be in the rain for Richard."

"That was stupid, you could get sick, and what if you aren't able to do homework? What about our project? Kori's parents will get mad at her for you being wet, have you even thought about how you stupid actions will get into trouble?"

Hurt flashed through her eyes yet Richard was oblivious to it. This was her life, to be used by the one person who matter the most. Not to matter at all to the person who you were desperately in love with. Willing herself not to cry again Raven looked at Richard again, looking desperately for a sign to show that she mattered much more than just a homework friend, more than just the girl to fall back on, more than just the girl who faded away into the background.

As always it was never there.

"Don't worry Richard, I'd never let you down, I'll do it so don't worry ok? Now I just want to sleep so if you don't mind, please remove yourself from my presence until the end of the summer."

Slamming the door shut, she trudged to the door, thankful to find that her uncle and aunt weren't at home yet. She climbed the stairs to her attic bed room and dropped her bag onto the floor. Walking into her bathroom she locked the door and turned on the shower. Stripping off her wet clothes, she stepped into the scalding hot water and let it wash away all her worries.

Raven never cried. In fact most believed her to be emotionally dead because of her unwillingness to show any emotion other than irritation. Raven just didn't do emotions. Emotions to her were just a burden that she could do without. Emotions just made you miserable; it gave you unnecessary trouble and unnecessary pain as well. However we must realize that even the strongest of people break. Even the sturdiest of walls crumble when put under too much pressure and even Raven's emotional barriers break once in a while to allow a tide of emotions to wash over her.

So there she stood under a shower yet again, letting the water mingle with her tears.