It's Not The End; It's Only A New Beginning

(synopsis: the teen titans are normal teens with their powers attending Jump City High schools. ALL characters (even characters that are not teen titans), unless otherwise noted, are nearing the end of their JUNIOR, not senior, year)

Two figures sat in a dark car after a dark night. "Where will I go?" the first one asked, sitting in the passenger seat. "I don't know," the second one, sitting in the drivers seat, said, "Somewhere where they don't know you, I guess." And they drove out into the black night. No one saw them but the glowing moon; tonight would become one of the moon's many secrets. And the moon would keep it's secrets…but one day He would pass them on to One who needed them. For now, though, the night was silent, and no one knew that she was alive. For all they knew, she had died with the rest of them.

(Setting: Jump City Highschool)

Raven Roth was sitting in the library at lunch, reading poetry. Her short black hair gently touched her chi. Her special amethyst eyes gazed out into nowhere. Everyone knew she was different. They thought she was a Goth, of course. And that was fine with Raven. She got along with the Goths fine. But she wasn't a Goth. Her black hair wasn't died black; it was natural. And she did not wear amethyst contacts; her eye-color was pure. And she knew that her soul was pure, also. Once, her father had tried to kill her mother, Arella. He had wanted her to help her. But, eventually, she was strong, and she didn't have to fulfill what her manipulative father had told her long ago was her destiny. She had broken free, and learned that she was pure, and that she did not have to suffer, just because of her father. Her father was in the psychiatric ward now. And Raven knew he was there for life.

Raven thought of her real friends. Sure, people thought her real friends were the Goths, but she had other friends, secret friends. Real friends. She thought about Garfield, the comedian. And Robin. He was a loner, but Raven thought of him as a warrior. He didn't have friends in public, but no one made fun of him, either. He was a loner because he wanted to, and because he understood far past what the popular kids did. Raven knew that, if Robin wanted to, he could be the most popular boy in the school. But Robin didn't want to be. Robin wanted Raven. He had told her. Only, Raven didn't want Robin. At least, not as a boyfriend. All of her secret friends were just that, and always would be: friends, and nothing more. She thought about Kori Anders. Kori was popular, but she wasn't mean like the rest of them. She wasn't a mean girl. In fact, Raven giggled softly, she was so naïve that you wouldn't be surprised if she came from a different planet. She thought about Cyborg. Well, that was his nickname. That was what everybody called him, though. He was a jock: big, muscular, dark-skinned. And then Terra. Raven considered Terra her best friend. Really, Raven did not know how she would have dealt with her family issues if it hadn't been for Terra. Other people in the school made fun of Terra, and sometimes played jokes on her, but not often. Not severely. It was mild, and Terra had told Raven that it didn't really bother her. In truth, Terra had said, it only makes them look foolish. 'And', Raven thought, 'Terra was right.'

Of course there were the mean girls. The cheerleaders, fine. Call them whatever you want. There was Blackfire, Jynx, Kate Sanders, and some others. Raven thought they were mean, evil.

But she didn't know what she was talking about.

Not at all.

The bell rang. Lunch was over. Raven had Honors English next. Terra was in her class, and so was Robin, but none of her other secret friends were. Her English teacher, Mr. King, was standing in front of the classroom. The bell rang again. "O.K., class, take your seats. I have an important announcement to make. We have a new student. Her name is….Hermione. "

The classroom door opened, and a slim girl with wide blue eyes and colorless strawberry-blond hair walked in. She was holding her books tightly and she was looking down. Raven saw something in her eyes instantly. Pain. That was it. Raven saw pain in her eyes. Mr. King said, "Hermione, you can take the empty seat next to Raven." Terra was absent. I waved my hand so the new girl knew who I was. Then the teacher started class. "Class….I know that it is late April and it's starting to be quite warm outside, but we still have to focus. Today we are starting a knew novel….To Kill A Mockingbird." And Mr. King passed out warn-out copies of a thick book. Blackfire groaned, and looked towards Raven and Terra….and the new girl. "Well Goth Raven likes to read…I bet Ms. Goody-2-shoes-oh-I'm so-sad-girl has read it like a million times!" Blackfire said loud enough for Raven to hear but not quite loud enough for the teacher to hear. Blackfire laughed, and so did Jynx and Kate Sanders, and Claire. Jynx said, "Oh, Terra, why don't you go up to the front of the class and recite it from memory? Don't worry, we won't laugh at you…" and all four mean girls giggled.

"Hermione" was getting nervous. Somehow she knew she was next. She was shaking in her desk, and she felt like the desk would crack any minute. Things like that always happened when she was nervous or scared or upset. Only, now she knew why. Now she was at another school with different Chris's, only they picked on two girls named Raven and Terra. That's what she knew right now. Soon, they'd pick on her. They'd laugh at her, too. They'd see who she was. At least the essence. The airwaves that meangirls pick up; the airwaves that adults pick up. "Hermione" looked at Raven and Terra. Would the same thing happen…..all over again? She was surprised at how calm Raven and Terra seemed. Didn't it bother them? Didn't it hurt them? Didn't they want it to stop?

It couldn't be…

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by the teacher. "Blackfire, Jynx, Kate, Claire, stop. Focus. " But the meangirls only laughed at the teacher.

(Raven's POV again) Raven didn't let it get to her. Raven knew she was different, and she didn't care if a bunch of meangirls didn't understand her. If she wanted to, she could stop them. She was strong enough…physically, spiritually, emotionally. So was Terra. But they didn't want to, because she didn't need to. They didn't have anything she wanted. The English period came and past, and the bell rang. In the hall, Raven saw Robin stop and talk to Hermione. Raven and Terra both paused, waiting for Robin. And for Hermione.

Robin: "Welcome to Jump City Highschool. First day?"

Hermione: "umm…yeah." shaking, a little nervous and embarrassed.

Robin: "Well, I'm Robin. And you're…"

Hermione: "….Ca…umm, I mean….Hermione…"

Robin: "Come on, I'll help you find your next class."

All four had gym next. And the four teenagers walked together, at least for now.

There were seven of them, in total, now. Raven knew almost for certain that Hermione would be one of the Secret Friends.

How it was worded, it sounded almost like a group. Almost like a group.

But they had no idea how much they all really had in common.

They had no idea.