"Did you catch the news yesterday?"
Abby flipped through the pages of her magazine and waited for Cindy to answer. Cindy was slurping her slushy. She made it her mission to slurp every last drop without stopping to see if she could get a brain freeze. After sucking the thing dry and smacking her lips she finally turned to Abby.
"No, I was too busy during Ms. McGuire research paper."
"Seriously Cindy, I told you not to wait till the last-minute." Abby closed her magazine and gave Cindy a look of disgust. "Ms. McGuire said you couldn't wait till the last day and what do you?" Abby crosses her arms and pouts out her lips mimicking the same thing Cindy did the day Ms. McGuire assigned the homework. "Challenge accepted." She uncrossed her arm and picked up the magazine again. "I don't get you. What were you trying to prove by doing that?"
Cindy smirked and crumbled her slushy cup. "That I could I finish it last-minute."
Abby rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well you can't do that in college, You're going to have- Don't even think about it!" she quickly shouted as Cindy was just about to cross her arms again.
"Ugh, you worry too much. Where's the fun on living on the safe side? You have to take risks sometimes."
"Not unnecessary risks that affect your GPA!"
"Hey, it's not my fault our teacher assigned a research paper right at the start of the school year. I mean come on it's our senior year…"
"That's exactly why you shouldn't take unnecessary risks! Rae, please tell her!" Abby pleaded to a girl in a purple hoodie who was causally sitting at her desk and reading an old dusty book.
"I have nothing to do with this." Rachel said and flipped another page. Her voice was monotone and her expression showed a look of boredom and pure disinterest.
"More like you're tired of wasting your breath."
"What are you reading this time Rachel? Another book about sorcery and witchcraft?" Cindy asked twiddling her fingers.
"Actually no, it's a book I got from that old book store down the street for the research paper. I figured I should finish reading it since I brought it." Rachel said with a shrug, not even bothering to spare her friends a glance.
"I don't understand you Rae." Abby said shaking her head. "You know there is something called a library right? Where you can borrow books?"
"Not to mention, you picked such boring topics to choose from. I mean the Salem Witch Trials? That is so boring."
"And by boring do you mean, actually having a lot of research materials and academic resources other than Wikipedia?"
"Like that matters. If I was a teacher I would let my student research any topic they wanted like-"
"The Teen Titans?" Abby added with a grin.
"Hell yeah! I freaking love them."
"We know." Abby and Rachael said simultaneously.
"You brought every t-shirt, collector item, and video game." Rachel set down her book as she counted all the items on her fingers. "I'm surprised you don't have their used tissues yet.
"I'm still working on that. The bid is really high on Beast Boy's"
"I still don't get why you guys like them so much." Rachel grabbed her book and flipped through the pages. "Out of all the superhero teams to protect my life, the Titans are the last team I would trust."
Abby gasped and placed her hands over her heart. "How could you say that?"
"Yeah what's wrong with the Titans?"
"Well for one thing, they're not teens anymore. They're like what in their twenties? It silly to call a team of young adults, teens."
"But Teen Titans sounds cooler than just plain Titans…" Cindy argued
"I think they referred themselves as Titans anyway." Abby pointed out.
"Second of all, they keep losing members, didn't something big happen like a year ago with that cloaked chick?"
"Raven? Yeah, I think she died."
"No she didn't!" Cindy screamed in defense. "Raven is not dead! She just…disappeared."
"And nobody can find her or tell us about her whereabouts? Yeah, either she's dead or in a coma, which will probably led to death if she's in the hands of the enemy."
"Okay…Well that's it-"
"I wasn't finish. The third problem is the team is all over the place. Nobody is leading anything. That green guy keeps going on separate missions with that robot while the alien and um…Robin watches things here. There's not enough protection."
"For someone who doesn't like the Titans, you sure do follow-up on them." Abby noticed.
Rachel scoffed. "I like to know about the people who are supposedly protecting my life. Plus unlike Cindy, I watch the news."
"Well the Titans are all Jump City got, so be thankful."
"I would rather have the Justice League. At least they got their shit together, not to mention plenty of members to spare."
"The Justice League is too busy solving global problems than to deal with little Ol' Jump City." Cindy said with an accent.
"Oh, that's what I wanted to talk about!" Abby clapped her hands together and reached inside her book bag. "You keep talking about the lack of members but the Titans are supposedly having a press conference to discuss that issue" She pulled out a newspaper and flipped it open to an article about the Titans. "They're recruiting new members and announcing them then."
"Sweet! Do you think it'll be Kid Flash?" Cindy asked excitedly.
Abby groaned. "I sure hope not. He's so overrated and he never takes his job seriously."
"Hm… what about Aqualad?"
"Titans East." Rachel and Abby said flatly.
"Bumbl-"
"Titans East!" Rachel and Abby once again shouted simultaneously.
Cindy tapped her forehead. "Oh I know! Red Star!" Cindy frowned when she saw Abby open her mouth again. "Don't tell me…Titans East?"
"No." Cindy smiled.
"Titans North" Abby said with a mischievous grin.
"Damn…Well now I have to go! I can't wait to see who'll be picked!" Cindy began to bounce in her seat.
"Do you want to go Rachel?" Abby turned to Rachel with a look of hope. "It's this Wednesday at 3pm."
"Maybe you can show off your witch craft skills and get requited." Cindy joked and walked to the chalkboard. "They'll call you, the Mystic Rae!" She laughed and wrote Mystic Rae on the board.
"Jeez, as awesome as that sounds" Rachel looked up at the clock and got up. "I have work this week."
Abby and Cindy groaned.
"Rae, that was your excuse last week."
"It was?"
"Yeah, you used it when we asked if you want to go shopping."
"Oh…Well I also have homewo-"
"Ah! That's your second most used excuse." Abby reached in her bag and pulled out a small notepad label "Rachel Excuses."
"That and I have chores." Abby closed the book and waved it at Rachel.
"You're running out of excuses Rae."
"You recorded all my excuses?" Rachel eyes widen slightly in bewilderment.
Abby nodded and Rachel attempted to swipe for the book but Abby dodged and threw it to Cindy.
"Oh No you don't!" Cindy rose to her feet and held the book over her head while Rachel tried to grab at it. Rachel let out a sigh of defeat and walked back to her desk.
"Why you never want to hang out with us, Rae?"
"It's not that I don't want too, it's just…" Rachel bite her lip and sighed. "I'll ask my brothers."
Abby smiled satisfied. "Okay."
Cindy sucked her teeth. "They better say yes."
"Yeah, I really hope they do." Rachel voice was thick with sarcasm.
Cindy threw her crumble slushy cup at her but Rachel dodge and the cup sailed right into the garbage can.
"Score!"
Rachel laughed and waved. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Bye Rae!" Abby waved and went back to her magazine while Cindy took out her DS and began to play it.
Rachel let out a breath of relief as she began her long walk home. She adjusted the straps on her bag and started to read the book and walk. It helped her forget about the crime ridden neighborhood she was walking in to. She didn't have to watch as the crystal clean concrete street became hidden with trash or watch the clean brick walls become a massive spectacle of vivid color scribbles,offensive words, and gang signs. She made sure she wasn't wearing any gang colors and she was able to ignore the homeless except when the strong scent of urine reached her nose.
There were no heroes here.
Nothing but crime, villains, and filth riddle this neighborhood. Where were the Titans when her neighbor's daughter got rape on her own front yard? Where were the Titans when the corner store was getting robbed during that black out? Where were the titans when a group of thugs robbed a man while waiting for the bus? Since as long as she could remember, the Titans haven't been anywhere. Not even the police tried to stop the crime. More like they ignored it. In this neighborhood, people adopted the idea of looking out for yourself.
You have to be your own hero.
She remembered when her brothers first told her that when they moved into this neighborhood and ever since then she done just that. On the outside, she was just the quiet Rachel Roth. But to others, she was the girl who chased away Crystal's rapist with only a BB gun. She was the girl who saw what was going on while walking past Mr. Green corner store and dared to "snitch" and call the police. She did the same thing with Bob who was waiting for the bus to work. She realized that even the 9 out 10 chance that the police will show up was enough to send the crooks running. Someone just had to make the call.
Her brothers told her it didn't always used to be this way. But ever since a year ago the Titans been so out of touch with everything, it takes the heaviest risk factor just for them to come out and help. Next month will make two years and the Titans still don't have it all together. It's supposed to because of that Raven girl but Rachel didn't care. She hated the Titans because they didn't care. They didn't care that she was now public enemy number one or that she risk her life everyday just by crossing the border to her neighborhood. Granted she should have thought of the consequences to her actions beforehand but that's was just her nature. When She sees someone in need, she does everything in her power to help. It's how she made tons of enemies but it's also how she made two friends.
Rachel knew she should be thanking God for her brothers. If it wasn't for them she would have been shot, raped, or murder by now. She looked from her book for a second surprised to see that she was already home.
It was weird for her. She would usually be tormented by Gary, the leader of the Gladiators.
She decided to count her blessing and not dwell on it. She opened the door to her house and stepped in. An intoxicating scent greeted her.
She let out a groan and set down her bag. She headed to the living room where she knew she would find the source of the smell. Sure enough there was her brother, Jared, slouched on the couch. There were multiple bottles of beer all over the floor. They were all empty except for one which was in Jared hand. He was staring aimlessly at the TV which was off. It was like he was in a trance. Rachel took a deep breath before clearing her throat and speaking. "Jared, you know you shouldn't be drinking like this. It's not healthy."
Wasted words.
"Fuck off…" He mumbled before bringing the bottle back to his lips.
Repeated cycle.
This was the part where Rachel could choose to pry the bottle from his hands which would take a lot of effort considering how built her brother was or go find Jacob. She rubbed her forehead and decided to go for the second option. Jared had a dynamite temper that can go off in a second. She could usually deal with his yelling but right now she didn't feel up to her witty snap-backs. At least Jacob was able to get him to stop after a few words while Rachel attempts usually takes hours. Rachel turned on her heel and began to climb upstairs to where she knew Jacob would be. He was always in his study either working or sleeping. Rachel never knew what he working on, his office was overrun with papers and she never had the time to figure all of them out. Except for that, Jacob was pretty lazy when it came to everything else. He doesn't cook or clean. Hell, it takes an effort to make him put some clothes on.
Rachel knocked on the door to his study. There was no answer. She pressed her ear against the door and could make out the muffled sound of snoring.
It's better not to disturbed him. Jacob more grumpy than Jared when it comes to being woken up, especially when it's because of Jared's drinking. It would turn this small everyday thing into a huge argument.
Time for Plan C.
Rachel ran down the stair and went out the back door to the yard where she knew she would find her other brother, Jesse.
He was the one that Rachel talked to about everything. He seemed like the only normal person in her loving dysfunctional family. She liked to think of Jesse as a mother. She could never tell him that. It was usually the two of them taking care of the house. He even makes her breakfast for school sometimes and he's always making sure she has money for school. He was the most reliable and responsible of her brothers so he takes care of the important business that Rachel is too young to do. But truthfully, Jesse was jealous of his brother ability to do absolutely nothing. Rachel would be too. But he never complained about it to Jacob or Jared. He just accepted his duty from the start. He would only voice his complaints to Rachel which she happily listened to.
She closed the patio door behind her and smiled when she spotted Jesse in his usual spot,standing on the patio deck, overlooking the pool, and smoking a cigarette.
She joined him and leaned against the railing mimicking him. She was thankful for her house. While everybody else lived in run down houses or busted up apartments, Rachel house was actually alright. They even had their own pool which she and Jesse clean regularly. Rachel never invited her friends over though. She didn't want them to know the world she lived in.
Jesse let out a puff of smoke. "Hey Rae, how are you feeling?"
Rachel smiled and stretched. "Pretty okay, I guess. How are you feeling?" She adjusted to their normal routine of small talk.
Jesse shrugged "Pretty okay…It's close isn't it?"
Rachel raised her eyebrow. "What is?"
Jesse turned his head towards her and lowered his eyes. "Your birthday."
"Oh Yeah." Rachel scratched her head and blushed "One month right?"
"October 23." Jesse said slowly trying to make sure she remembered "You'll be 18. I can hardly believe it."
"Neither can I. I remember when I turned sixteen."
Jesse shakes his head. "That's all you can remember."
She jabbed him in the arm. "Not the point."
But it was true. For some reason Rachel couldn't remember much about her life before she was 16. She couldn't even remember her parents. Jacob told her it was because she had a terrible accident that left her in a coma for a while and when she woke up she couldn't remember anything. She tried to ask more about it but Jacob said it was too hard to talk about. So she never pressed him. It didn't matter too much to her. Instead it made her cherish the memories she already has and to grip to those rare stories of her past that Jesse talks about. Some of them don't make sense. Like how he could always remember everything about her mom but he never ever talked about her father. It was strange but she decided not press. Her brother told her they would tell her when the time is right and she knew they didn't make a promise that they didn't attend to keep. She would just have to wait patiently.
Sometimes her memory would come back on its own in the form of dreams, but they never made any sense. It was just flashes of people, screams, and something green. She never told Jesse about the dreams. Maybe she will one day, when they begin to make more sense.
"You're daydreaming."
Rachel snapped back to reality at the sound of Jesse's voice. It was then that she remembered what she came to tell him.
"Oh, Jared's drunk again and Jacob-"
"Is sleeping." Jesse said with a sigh. "I get it. Thanks for telling me. You can go on upstairs." He crushed his cigarette underneath his foot. "I'll call you down when dinner is ready." Jesse walked to the door.
"Good Luck!"
Jesse nodded his head and disappeared inside.
Rachel chuckled before resting on the railing again. She closed her eyes and prayed that she would sleep peacefully tonight.
Next chapter we will be visiting the Titans Tower to see what they been up to! Hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter. Please Review, Bye!