Her thin fingers gently wrapped around the paper cup as she gave a slight nod towards the barista. He gave her warm smile before thanking her for coming in. She offered a hint of smile before dropping her change in the tip jar and moving away from the counter. She looked around the crowded coffee shop, filled with students on laptops getting their caffeine kicks, and woman in their late forties looking for anything that could feel that sudden void in their lives. Her eyes lifted to a tall table with high stools currently empty. She shuffled across the title floor doing her best to not knock into passing people and the tall waitress carrying a tray full of coffee mugs. She muttered apologizes under her breath as she moved to clearer path. She dodged a group of girls looking to get messy, over the top, sugary, long ass named, frappuccinos. Finally she stepped forward to the table and nearly knocked into someone.
"I'm sorry." She apologized feeling a state of mortification set in. The man she bumped looked down at her from a such a height she felt like dwarf. His bright smile came to life as he realized who she was.
"It was my bad." His amber pools gleamed. His leather jacket and black jeans were enough to send any girl into a cardiac arrhythmia, but Raven wasn't just any girl. His brown hair was teased in such away that she was sure even the wind wouldn't want to mess it up. He offered out a strong hand to her formally introducing himself.
"I'm Steven." He said in a smooth like melted chocolate voice. Raven felt her cheeks pink as she held out her puny hand to him. She opened her mouth, but he interrupted before she could. "And you are Raven." Stealing the words right from her. She felt her mouth frown as he began gabbing to her. "I've heard all about you... A former Titan, mistress of magic, perfect body." His amber eyes swept down her and then back up, "You're legend." He finished still smiling a perfect smile. She began to nod her mouth drier than cotton. She was never good at conversing. After letting a moment pass Steven turned his head to left his mouth finally abandoning the smile.
"So, what bring you back to Jump City?" He mused his hand rose and took a gulp of what she guess was coffee. Black from what she could smell on his breath. She licked her lips for moment her thoughts running a mile a second. Her eyes shifted as she suddenly caught the time on the clock that hung just above the tall table.
"I'm actually meeting someone." She spoke carefully. Her mind began to repeat the correct reason why she was really there but she wasn't about to voice to some stranger. Especially some stranger that knew how to use internet to stalk former Titans. She sat her cup down on the large table and gave leering look at the door. She turn back around and noticed that he was scribbling something on napkin.
"Well if you are staying in town for a while I'd love to get drinks sometime? Maybe Coffee?" He suggested pushing the napkin towards her hand. She took note of his small handwriting and the ten digits below it. Her lips purse for a moment as she began tapping her foot. She was doing everything in her will power to will the handsome man away. Unfortunately for her, he didn't seem to know how to take a hint.
"Thank you it was great meeting you Steven." She said as polite as possible. She offered him a tiny almost smile then watched him tap the napkin one more time, before turning and taking his coffee with him. She breathed a sigh of relief, pocketed the napkin and hopped up on the high seat. Her eyes glance up at door, but luckily it hadn't opened. Settling into her seat she took a tiny sip of her tea making sure not to burn herself. She felt her body relax into a the familiar blend of spices and fruit as it swirled on her tongue. She had missed this place, even thought it was much too crowded now for her taste now, it still had a certain atmosphere that she couldn't help but melt into. It didn't help that the last time she tasted this tea, was nearly four years ago. She took another sip savoring the flavor.
The sound of bell above the door tingling broke her trip down memory lane and she instantly looked up. Her heart leaped while her stomach seem to drop to her knees. Sucking the bottom of her lip, she felt like it was Christmas morning. Her breath caught as she studied him. His hair was shorter than the normal shaggy mussed look that she had gotten so use to. Short but styled in such a way it made him look older, mature. He wore a black jacket that hugged his shoulders, a button down shirt and tan kahtis. His perfect emeralds began to search the coffee shop, as he moved from each individual. When he finally spotted her, he smiled that same goofy smile that send her heart into overdrive. He waved his hand at her, and Raven found herself smiling like fool. He moved faster then she was able to, completely avoiding people, and then at the same time flashing a brilliantly white smile at others. The same "basic Frapp" girls seem to squeal in delight as he walked pass, but he didn't seem to even notice them. He finally reached the table and Raven found herself struggling to hold in her excitement.
"Hi." He greeted. He seemed out of breath but that didn't seem to stop his smile from getting bigger than it already was.
She had hidden her beam away as he approached and offered a small smirk before saying, "Hi Gar." Without any warning he immediately pulled her into a hug while she still sat on her chair. Her face met his shoulder and she found herself breathing in his wonderful scent. The crisp clean lemon smell sent her back to a place she use to call home. Her gut danced as she felt him pull away from her but his hand lingered on her shoulder.
"It's been a while." He stated his finger gently twirled a piece of her violet hair before he seem to notice what he was doing and stopped.
She nodded agreeing. It had been too long, close to four years now. "You look great." She commented, holding her gaze on his face. She didn't dare look down because didn't want to seem too obvious, but she did see that he had changed. Tall and lean with a good muscle build. His skin seemed darker, darker than she remembered. She shrugged off the idea attributing it to the perfect California sun. He moved to the vacant seat, taking it. He got a mischievous look on his face from her comment.
"You don't look so bad yourself." He nodded. He flicked his chin up gesturing to her hair. "You look great with the long hair."
Biting the end of her lip she subconsciously brushed her fingers through her long plum hair before resting them back on to the table. "So? Um.." She paused unsure of where to start. She sucked at small talk.
"What have you been up to Raven?" He finished for her. He always seem to know how finish her sentences for her. She was slightly taken back, at the way he used her name. Not Rave, not Rae, he was too old to do that know, just plain Raven. Confused by this she opened her mouth to talk but instead she was cut off.
"Oh my god, is this Raven?" Came a soft feminine voice. Raven turned her head to seen a tall woman carrying two steaming mugs. Raven eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the woman. She was build like super model, thin, but curvy in all the right places. Her icy blue eyes seemed to punch Raven right in the chest. While her nearly white hair tumbled from her shoulders in perfect waves. Even her smile seemed to scream notice me, I'm perfect.
"Raven, this is Rose Wilson." Gar introduced. Taking a cup from her hand. "My fiance."
Have you ever been somewhere and out of the blue you just get the most terrible news? It feel like all the air not as only been sucked out of room but also been completely sucked out of your body. Like you don't have any oxygen left? Everything thing slows to snails pace as your brain desperately tries to grasp onto the feeling that your body is ready to express. Where you have this need to cry out but it stills and burns in your chest, making it a sharp intolerable pain. And yet even lack of air and the pain, your heart still seem to pump. Not just pump but pound so loud that you can hear it in your ears. Your mouth dries, your palms get cold and clammy, your eyes widen and you can't seem to blink. Well that's how Raven felt. She heard the soft sound of glass shattering somewhere in the background, knowing that she would later be writing an apology letter to the owner.
Raven blinked a few times as she realized that Rose was repeating herself. "It's so great to finally be meeting you. Gar has told me all about you." She held out her supermodel like hand to Raven who didn't seem to remember how to shake hands. She remained still and silent as her eyes looked back at Garfield. She didn't realized that when Gar had called her earlier that week, that getting coffee and meeting someone would turn out to be a fiance someone.
Rose's hand dropped to her side as she looked to Gar for help her smile faltering. Gar gave a nervous chuckle before speak up for the poor Empath. "Sorry Raven I know this is big news to take in. I mean who would of thought that I was ever going to get married?" Rose smirked, raising her hand she cupped Gar's chin.
"I guess the right one just had to come along." She murmured before kissing him softly. Raven's gut twisted in disgust. The woman pulled away and moved the cup closer to him. "Here's your coffee love, I couldn't remember how you take it." She remarked. Raven scowled, 'she doesn't even know how he takes his coffee and yet he's marrying the bimbo?'
"Three spoons of sugar and a pinch of soy milk." Raven and Garfield said at the same time. Gar paused surprised while Raven looked straight down at her cup. Why did she just say that out loud?
"I can't believe you remember that." he replied his tone soft. Rose shrugged it off doing her best to keep a straight face.
"She did live with you for nine years Gar." Rose reasoned. "It's not a really a complicated order."
"And yet you can't remember it." Raven mumbled. Rose glanced at her smiling while Gar flushed.
"What?" Rose asked obviously not hearing but the look on Gar's face told Raven that he had heard her whisper.
"How did you two meet?" Raven corrected
"Oh! let me tell it," Rose gushed. Raven took a long sip of her luke warm tea and completely tune out Rose. She focused her eyes on Gar, who was smiling his whole body radiating happiness. His un-drunk coffee sat in front of him while his eyes were on Rose. His mouth would fall and rise as he listened to the story that Raven wasn't even listening to. She could see the glimmer in his eyes. A glimmer that she never had seen before. He truly loved this girl. "And when I came back he was still there." Rose finished she gave her fiance a doey-eyed look and then took a sip of whatever she was drinking. Raven hoped that it was a pumpkin spice latte, that way she could hate her even more.
"I wanted to tell you in person so, we are getting married in three months and we want you to be there." Gar explained. Raven slowly sank into her chair feeling like the world was crashing all around her.
"Uh, I don't know." She croaked out.
"Please, it means so much to us... to me Rae." Gar plead. AND there it was. The stupid fucking nick name. He just had to pull it out. She began blinking rapidly forcing the tears to stay in. Bringing her hand to her nose she took in a deep breath and faked a cough. How was she going to be able to do this? Could she really see the man of her dreams marry someone else? Resting her hand back on the table she was surprised to see that she was hiding the tornado that was raging inside her. By their beaming faces they had no clue what they had done to her.
She swallowed and picked up her cold tea. She had no desire to drink it now. Not now that the whole place had been tainted. "I'll do the best I can." She stated in cold monotone, not committing to anything. She rose off her seat perking the others interest. She didn't care what they had to say she had to leave. If she stayed she didn't know how long she could hold in her emotions. "I'm sorry but I really have to go. It was nice meeting you." She stated nodding at Rose.
She began to make her get away. She could see the door and she had no intention of looking back. She moved as quickly as her feet would take her, maneuvering, and dodging teenagers. She tossed her full cup into the trash and gripped the hand of the door. That's when she felt his hand on the crook of her elbow. She bit her lip almost making bleed. 'Fuck.' she thought. He spun her around so fast it made her head spin.
"Are you okay?" He questioned his frowned face studying hers. It was those eyes that were going to send her over the edge. He had know her for so long he knew when something just wasn't right. When she wasn't fine.
With everything in her being she gave him the best answer she could muster. "I'm fine, just late. Good bye Gar." then she pulled her arm away from his hand and opened the door walked away from him.