The apocalypse would have been a welcome distraction from all of the thoughts rattling around in Raven's head. Most of the thoughts were to do with Malchior, of course. The white-haired playboy who thought he was edgy because his hair reached his waist. And he was edgy, of course. No other students at their school behaved like him, or spoke like him. When he quoted poetry to her or waxed lyrical about the colour of her eyes – it felt real. But then it turned out 'Malchior' was a fake, his words and his compliments were lies and everything they had was just a joke. His real name was Rorek and he was famous at his old school for his ability to draw girls in with poetry and feeding them the old 'you are special and unique to me' line. Raven had spent her school life being mocked, ridiculed and left out because she was weird, so Malchior had been just what needed. At the time.
Now, she was lying on her bed, unable to even read a book because every gothic novel reminded her of him. Even the delicate pattern of cracks on her ceiling reminded her of his long eyelashes. She muffled a frustrated groan with her pillow. One of the other thoughts was about prom. It was being held today at school, at the freakishly early hour of five o'clock. As if she'd want to hang out with a bunch of people who despised her. In formal wear. A face flashed into her mind involuntarily. Beastboy. The little green weirdo who used to draw on her face during naptime. He was an annoying kid who had an irritating habit of getting under your skin. He was as much an outcast as her, and he thought that made them BFFs.
Her phone buzzed on her desk. It was a text from Starfire.
Annoying Perky Girl
Raven! It is my belief that going to prom will strengthen your bonds with your peers!
Many kisses and hugs,
Starfire.
The girl had been texting and calling Raven all day, concerned that she was about to miss out on an important 'high school ritual'.
Raven, having too much credit and not enough entertainment, saw fit to reply.
No.
Random acquaintances from school had also been texting her – and presumably everyone else in their contact list – about the most earth-shattering event ever to hit Earth.
The Prom.
Bumblebee
OMG, prom! Everyone who's coming, what are you wearing?
Though Raven was not coming, she had been sorely tempted to reply, nothing at all, actually, I'm going completely naked, can you imagine where I'll wear the corsage?
But that would be mean. Bee was nice in her own bossy way.
Jinx 'AKA' massive bitch
Raven. I heard u aren't comin prom? is it cause ur afraid I rock the hot goth look way better than you?
She'd actually replied to that one.
By 'rock the hot goth look' I assume you mean look like a clown from a B-Grade horror movie.
Strangely enough Jinx hadn't replied.
Big Jock Guy
Hey Raven! You got any idea how to take two girls to a prom without either of them noticing the other? Cause I don't!
Seriously need help. Jinx will finish me.
Raven had rolled her eyes upon reading that. Cyborg. A typical male.
Are you aware that what you are doing is morally questionable at best? Tell them both the truth. Jinx couldn't finish a book, let alone you.
Big Jock Guy
If I tell them the truth they'll hate me! And I already bought a tux.
Raven didn't bother to reply. Let him make his own mess.
Despite her wish to be left alone, her phone buzzed all day long with texts and calls. She could have turned her phone off but she was waiting for that magical moment when Malch- Rorek would call and apologise.
Prom started at five. It was four o'clock.
Someone knocked on the front door. They were obviously eager, for they kept knocking even as she charged downstairs.
"What?" She growled.
Beastboy stood on the doorstep, grinning ear to pointed ear, clad in a second-hand tux that smelt faintly of cheap booze and mothballs. He held a corsage. It was deep purple, and was the type that went around the wrist.
"Raven! I'm here to pick you up!" Only Beastboy could look so happy to see her even when she scowled.
"Excuse me?"
His smile faltered a little. "Prom?"
"What about it?"
"I- I just thought we'd be going together." He said almost sheepishly.
An awkward silence. Beastboy visibly drooped beneath the force of her withering glare.
"Did you even think to ask me?"
"Well, I was going to take…" He stumbled over his words and blushed.
He didn't need to finish his sentence. It was obvious who he meant. Terra.
His evil bitch of an ex-girlfriend.
"But it's OK if you don't want to come, Raven!" He said with a fake grin, holding his hands up in defeat, "I'll just go with Cyborg."
"Cyborg doesn't need another date." Raven muttered.
"Huh? Oh, well, I didn't mean as a datebut if that's – "
"Fine, I'll go." Raven said, already regretting the words before they left her mouth.
"Sweet!" Beastboy yelled, eyes lighting up, "I can take you there on my moped!"
Raven looked at the vehicle propped up against her rickety fence. "Or, we could walk." She said firmly.
The school looked exactly the same, save for a few half-hearted balloons and some seniors already necking behind the bike sheds. Taste, thy name is prom. A few teachers were fluttering about in the car park, straightening students' ties and frisking them for alcohol. Raven recognised some of the students. Kitten, bitch extraordinaire and total daddy's girl, was stepping – carefully, her heels were terrifyingly high and thin – out of a pink limo with her date, that spider-freak, Fang. So dubbed 'spider-freak' because he was infamous at their school for releasing about a hundred spiders into the girl's locker room. Why Kitten bothered with him was a mystery to all.
The sun was setting and brought a chill wind with it. Kitten, clad in a tight pink dress that barely covered her thighs, shivered violently and gestured for Fang to escort her into the school. Raven and Beastboy walked the length of the car park in silence. Raven was musing on her apparent madness – to go to prom after a lifetime of swearing she'd rather staple her own face then go – and Beastboy was practically vibrating with excitement. Both of them were aware of how uncomfortably close they were, their shoulders almost touching as they walked. They were stopped by creepy English teacher, Mr. Wilson, known for his silky voice and worrying closeness to some students – Robin and Terra, just to name a few.
His single eye swept down Raven's attire – a black hoodie with Jack Skellington's face on it and simple jeans with big boots – and he gave a supercilious smirk. Beastboy's second hand suit also managed to bring a sneer to his smug face.
"Children," He nodded at them in greeting, "Might I confiscate your alcohol?" Beastboy spread out his arms willingly, "Go ahead, sir, I haven't got anything to hide." The teacher searched Beastboy's pockets and even the lining of his suit for telltale bumps.
He then turned to Raven. She crossed her arms. "Let's just go with – I don't have any alcohol, and you are not going to search me."
"Fair enough." His smirk grew wider and he stepped out of their way.
"That is so unfair! It's sexist or something. Ageist. I don't know, something 'ist'." Beastboy said, fuming, as they entered the school.
A purple whirlwind swept into their path. Blackfire, Annoying Perky Girl's (APG for short) older sister. She, of course, looked fantastic, wearing a lilac dress that clung to her curves and gloves made of some expensive see through material. Raven had only spoken to her once before, and that was long enough to know that they had a shared interest in jazz and gothic poetry, but a major clash in personalities. "Raven," the older girl purred, "Love the outfit, it's so… effortless! Almost as though you didn't even try…"
"Get lost, Blackfire. Go find some dumb jock to feed on." Beastboy spat, clenching his fists.
Blackfire promptly turned her attention to him. "Oh, BB, such a temper problem! Tut tut, what would that lovely girlfriend of yours say?" She mimed looking around, an expression of mock-surprise on her face, "But, where is she? Puking up her lunch?"
"You leave Terra out of this." Beastboy said, with forced calmness.
"Did you dump poor little Terra for Raven? Is she your prom date?" Blackfire wrinkled her nose when she looked at Raven, "Not really much of a trade, hm?"
"Blackfire?" A quiet little voice came from behind Beastboy, who moved aside to reveal APG, aka. Starfire.
Blackfire had a 'whoops' expression on her face as her sister approached.
"Why are you being mean to my friends?" Starfire asked, pure confusion written all over her face. Raven looked at Beastboy and raised her eyebrows. So Starfire considered them her friends? Raven sighed, great another guilt trip.
"I'm not! Kori, how could you say something like that to me?" Blackfire asked, her voice sounding hurt.
"Do not lie to me, sister! You insulted Raven's clothes and a girl named Terra, who I have not met yet but I am already certain she is a nice person!"
"Oh, little sister," Blackfire shook her head, "You are so going to get eaten alive in this school… Well," She amended, looking at Starfire's very demure, 50's style cherry print dress, "Maybe not in that outfit."
She went to walk away but, to her shock, Starfire yanked her back, a hand on her shoulder. "I am tired of your bad attitude, sister."
The other students, perhaps sensing a potential catfight, began gravitate in their area.
Blackfire laughed. "Always so perfect, aren't you sis? Perfect grades, perfect face, the perfect little optimist."
"I do not think I am perfect, Blackfire." Starfire said, her voice tremulous.
"Well, I guess you can hardly call your taste in friends perfect." Blackfire gave a nasty smirk and looked Raven up and down, "A little goth reject who got played by a poetry spouting playboy."
Raven felt her stomach lurch unpleasantly. Blackfire knew about Rorek and, judging by the sniggers in the crowd behind them, so did everyone else.
Starfire knew as well, evidently, judging by the fact that she slapped Blackfire in the face.
Raven didn't stick around; she turned and bolted, ignoring Beastboy's hand on her arm and his voice pleading with her to stop. She ran through the school hall and burst through the double doors into the car park. She could hear students yelling and Blackfire's outraged shrieks.
"High school's a bitch, huh?" Mr Wilson said, leaning against the wall beside the door. He breathed out a cloud of smoke, cigarette in hand.
"Like you wouldn't believe." Raven said, glancing at him warily.
"You might want to clean up your face." The teacher gave her a knowing look.
Raven touched her face. It was wet with tears. She rubbed at her cheeks furiously with her sleeve.
"They didn't like your outfit?" He guessed.
"Who cares?" Raven said with a surprising amount of venom in her voice, falling back to lean against the wall with him, "In a few months I'm out of here and I never have to see their stupid brain-dead faces ever again."
"Even Garfield?" Mr Wilson said shrewdly.
She hesitated.
Luckily, she was saved from having to answer by the sound of someone calling her name.
Starfire charged through the double doors, panting and looking around wildly, "Raven?" She called out. She turned and spotted Raven, who was speechless. Starfire's appearance was unexpected, to say the least.
Her face had scratch marks on it and her hair was ruffled. Her makeup was smudged and her pretty cherry-print dress had a few tears in it.
"Blackfire did not appreciate my comment that her dress was so short she would get a chill on her vital organs." Starfire explained, pointing at the scratch marks. "And then Beastboy said something very rude involving my sister and the entire football team." She paused. "I am still trying to figure that one out."
Mr Wayne, the teacher of Economics, handed Beastboy an ice pack to put on the giant lump on his face from where Blackfire had punched him. Beastboy gingerly applied it and hissed at the pain. Blackfire was a lot stronger than she looked. And Raven had left, he thought miserably, upset about this Rorek guy.
"You alright now, kid?" The teacher put his hands on his hips and, without waiting for an answer he carried on speaking, "That's what you get for underestimating girls."
But Beastboy was no longer listening, because his ex-girlfriend had just entered the hallway.
Terra looked beautiful – but distressingly skinny – in a sky blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes, with delicate black flowers sewn along the hem. Her hair had been styled, and placed on one shoulder, a shimmering blonde wave. She looked up and her eyes met his.
Beastboy was currently lying on an exercise mat that had been dragged out of the gym to make room for the prom, and was clutching an icepack to his face. All in all, he mused, pretty pathetic-looking for the first time you see your ex since the break-up.
"BB!" She rushed to his side, stumbling slightly in her heels, "Are you OK?" She asked, sounding very concerned.
He hid his face behind the icepack to mask the blushing. "I'm fine, Terra."
"Terra!" One of her friends called out, looking annoyed.
"Just a second!" Terra gave a quick, reassuring grin at them. They hesitated, but waved and disappeared into the gym.
The music from the prom was so loud it was making Beastboy's ears throb painfully, and the lump in his throat from trying to contain his emotion was making things worse.
"BB, I really wanted to talk to you." Terra said meaningfully, "I miss you."
Beastboy didn't reply, feeling like a butterfly pinned down, trapped.
"I never wanted to hurt you."
So why did you? He thought, uncharitably. It wasn't fair to blame Terra. She was really screwed up; she had massive anger issues and had done horrible things. But he could see that she regretted it.
And then Terra's face was very close to his and her eyes were closed…
Starfire owned so many dresses it was making Raven's head hurt from looking at them, particularly the patterned ones. Starfire was happily flying around the room, picking up various dresses and chattering away. Raven now resembled a coat rack, because she was covered in all the dresses Starfire had deemed 'glorious.' Starfire truly owned many glorious dresses. They were in her walk-in wardrobe. Starfire had picked herself out a new dress – to replace the ripped one – and was about to try it on.
"How about this one?" Starfire asked, holding a dress up, an eager expression on her face.
It was shimmering black and was so long the skirts met at the bottom like two, glistening wings. It was trimmed in black silk, with a silken flower at the waist. Raven stared and said, "It'll do."
They both tried the dresses on.
Raven zipped it up and, brushing the skirts down, turned to face her reflection in the mirror. She wore black silken gloves and high heels. The dress was tight and a little too long, but it was otherwise perfect. She gazed at herself in wonder. Starfire giggled. "You look wonderful!"
Starfire looked rather wonderful herself, dressed in a short white dress that ended in black netting. She too wore gloves and high heels, as well as a silver necklace.
"It's time do our hair!" Starfire trilled, clasping her hands together and sighing in ecstasy.
Raven scowled.
And that is how, twenty minutes later, they managed to get back to the prom with only two hours left to go.
They arrived in the hall outside the gym just in time to see Terra's face moving towards Beastboy's, an intent look on her face.
Raven ignored the sudden pain in her chest at the sight of them and stormed over to demand an explanation – and bitch slap Terra .
Beastboy saw them approaching before Terra did and let out a terrified squeak. He pushed his ex away gently and stood up. He opened his mouth to explain but Raven had already swept past him and quickly got into Terra's personal space.
"You just can't leave him alone, can you?" Raven snapped.
Terra flinched, "I already apologised a thousand times! And what does it even have to do with you?"
Starfire barely contained a squeak at the venomous look on Raven's face, relieved it wasn't directed at her.
"Uh, maybe the fact that he's my best friend?"
"Yeah, slut." Mr Wilson popped up out of nowhere by Starfire's side. When they all looked at him he shrugged and said, "What? I thought you needed a little emphasis!"
"Yeah right," Terra snorted, "you were always jealous of me and BB."
Raven looked enraged.
"Terra, hang on," Beastboy said, trying to keep control over the situation, "that's not true."
"What? Of course it's true! Whenever she saw us together she'd make some sarcastic comment, she was always foul to me and she's the reason we broke up!" Terra spat.
Beastboy looked thunderstruck.
"Or maybe," Raven said slowly, seething with rage, "you broke up because you cheated on him?"
"And why do you think I did that? My boyfriend was in love with another girl! How do you think that made me feel?" Terra said bitterly.
"Huh?" Beastboy said, ever the eloquent one.
Starfire and Mr Wilson just watched, the former anxious and the latter mildly entertained.
The hallway was silent for a moment, save for the thumping music and the shrieks of laughter from the students in the gym. Beastboy just stood there in his too-tight tux looking confused, and Raven wanted to sink through the floor and die.
"You. Love. Raven." Terra spelt it out for him, and Raven wanted to throttle her.
You could almost see the cogs turning in Beastboy's brain as he thought hard. "Is that why you cheated on me with X?" He said, looking like a kicked puppy.
"Well, yeah. My boyfriend who I loved so much didn't love me back. I felt miserable and ugly." Terra said, and Raven felt uncomfortable as she noticed how skinny Terra really was.
"Who is X?" Mr Wilson asked, baffled.
"That angry boy who carved his name into the principal's car." Starfire supplied helpfully.
"Ah," The teacher nodded, "not the smartest kid."
"Well, I already sort of liked him because he was so nice to me, and he'd made it clear that he liked me back and… I was angry at you because you tried to take Raven on a date with us!"
Raven remembered that day vividly. Beastboy had stupidly suggested that Raven come with them on Valentine's Day to a restaurant. Terra did not take it well.
"Wait a minute, I love Raven?" Beastboy suddenly choked.
"The stupidity of youth is astounding." Mr Wilson said dryly, "As riveting as this all is, I must go supervise the rabble." He pushed his way through a crowd of slightly drunk seniors and disappeared into the gym.
"You didn't know?" Terra said incredulously.
"I knew." Starfire piped up. When they stared at her, she said, "Blackfire told me. I think Jinx told her, and she heard it from Cyborg who said he heard it from Robin."
"The gossip network grows more sophisticated by the day." Raven muttered.
"How could everyone know but me?" Beastboy demanded.
"I didn't know." Raven said quietly.
"Oh." Beastboy's cheeks pinked. "Well, this is awkward."
"Oh, honestly. You two are hopeless. Raven likes you, you like Raven, Beastboy and Raven sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, God, it's not that hard." Jinx said, suddenly sweeping past them in a tight purple and black sheath dress, "And quit blocking the hallway with your lame teenage drama."
"Oh, Starfire, you should go have fun." Raven said, realising they'd all been arguing for some time and Starfire wasn't exactly involved.
"Yes, but come join me soon?" Starfire smiled and followed Jinx through the throng of now incredibly drunk seniors who were bellowing along to some ballad.
"And I'm going to go find X," Terra said hesitantly, "You don't mind me being with him, do you?"
Beastboy scowled, "I only mind because evil oozes from his every pore. But if he makes you happy…"
"Thanks." Terra beamed, gave him a quick hug and then turned to Raven, "If you hurt him I'll hunt you down and bury you." She warned.
Raven wanted to point out the hypocrisy of this statement but there was something hard in Terra's expression that showed she meant it. Raven just nodded.
And then they were alone, Raven scowling at the wall and Beastboy blushing at his shoes.
"So." He began timidly, "I think I kind of like you."
Raven didn't reply, but the tiny nod she gave him told him everything he needed to know.
Robin was a steady kind of guy. He was predictable, never made mistakes, always wore the same outfit and always showed up on time.
He was also drunk out of his mind.
He was alone, sitting at a table, surrounded by paper cups that used to contain spiked punch. He was now stroking a cup lovingly. "You guys are all the friends I need." He declared. The cups seemed to smile back at him.
That was how Starfire found him.
They were almost together; in the same way that Starfire was almost a cheerleader. She showed up for practise, owned the uniform, but wasn't technically on the team. She and Robin went on almost-dates, in which they would almost-kiss, but had never technically become boyfriend and girlfriend.
For Starfire, that was one 'almost' too many.
The lights seemed to swell and wobble under Robin's drunken gaze; the noise of the latest song was unbearable. Starfire materialised suddenly, sitting opposite him.
"Robin, are you unwell in any way?" Starfire asked, concerned.
Robin giggled. "You know what, Starfire? I am well. But you know what else?"
Starfire stared at him.
"You're unattainable." He banged his fist against the table, making the cups wobble. He murmured apologies to them before continuing his drunken tirade. "You are difficult! You don't like the cold so I take you to the beach, but you say the sand makes you feel 'floopy.' I'm quoting here. You don't like cheerleaders but you are opto- optim… happy. Your sister is evil. And kinda hot. But you're all nice and," He made a twirling gesture with his hands, "dainty. I have a car. But you don't like cars. D'you know how many girls wanna get in the Robin-mobile?" He held up six fingers, "loads. I mean, I wanna be your man but it's like, effort, you know?"
Starfire managed to overcome her speechlessness to say, "Robin, you just made about ten pop culture references that I don't understand. And you say I am difficult? And dainty? And something about your vehicle?"
"Robin-mobile!" He bawled. "It's a euphemism. Wow, can you believe I just said that? Euph- Eupm…. I lost it. Anyway, it means the ladies like the Rob-ster."
"Rob…ster?"
"Rob-ster. Like lobster."
"Robin, how much have you drank?" Mr Wilson glared at him after sneaking up on them and smelling alcohol.
"I am afraid something is terribly wrong with Robin, he has ingested all sorts of purple juice and now he is acting very strangely. He said he was a lobster." Starfire said solemnly, certain that her friend was very sick indeed.
"A lobster, huh?" Mr Wilson inspected Robin. "I'm going to have to call your father, young man."
"Don't be disrespecting the Rob-ster." Robin muttered.
Mr Wilson called Mr Wayne over. "Your son is not used to alcohol, huh?"
Mr Wayne glared at his son. "Alcohol?"
"Starfire!" Robin suddenly yelled, pointing at her, a slightly maniacal gleam in his eye.
"Yes?" Starfire said, startled.
"I love you so much it burns." Robin wailed. "I doodle your name on my homework. I picture what our kids would look like. I took you to see that romantic comedy sixteen times even though it made me want to scratch my eyes out!"
"OK, probably time to go." Mr Wayne dragged his son out of the chair and escorted him out, ignoring his wails of, "Starfire! Wherefore art thou Starfire?"
"Why does everyone misquote Shakespeare?" Mr Wilson sighed.
Starfire was left, stunned, with only paper cups for company.
Dancing with two girls without their knowledge, Cyborg reflected, was damn near impossible. He'd been having a great time with Jinx, when Bumblebee had shown up, looking murderous and he'd had to splutter some excuse to Jinx and discreetly dance his way over to Bee, flirt a little, mingle with her friends (one of them looked disconcertingly similar to Robin, another smelled strongly of fish), and then he'd had to do the robot a little too far, chat to Jinx and her friends(one of them looked like a vampire) do the robot back to Bee and then the music changed into a slushy ballad and Bee was pulling him closer so they could slow dance.
He couldn't see Jinx, so he was free to twirl on the dance floor with Bumblebee, who all of a sudden looked very soft and un-Bee-like. Her expression was oddly tender, and she was smiling, not smirking. It made his chest flutter, a little bit.
To his surprise, Beastboy wobbled past him, clutching Raven like a lifeline and they were slow dancing. Together. A couple. After years of having them both whine about each other, this was a pleasant surprise. Raven hesitated before slowly laying her head on Beastboy's shoulder. Cyborg gave Beastboy a thumbs up. He returned the gesture, looking ridiculously happy.
The song playing on the speakers was some girl singing about sunshine, and Cyborg felt as happy as Beastboy looked, with his arms around Bumblebee, who'd been his not-so-secret crush for ages now.
And then the universe imploded. Or so it felt, because Jinx stepped into his line of sight.
"Oh! God! Jinx, hi, this is Bee, do you want a drink? I really do, I'm thirsty, I'm gonna go get that drink, my it's hot in here, ha ha ha…" Cyborg babbled.
"Cyborg." Jinx said slowly, "Why are you dancing with that insect?"
"My name's Bee, not insect." She replied, unfazed by the anger in Jinx's voice, "And I'm his date."
Cyborg cursed the sunshiney song, certain the singer was mocking him
"Oh really?" Jinx put her hands on her hips, "Isn't that odd? Because I thought I was his date!"
They both looked at him.
"I'm so sorry, you both asked me and if I said no you'd be upset and maybe cry, I didn't want to take you both but… but…" Cyborg babbled, hoping his mind could conjure up a plausible excuse that would get those damn judgement eyes off of him.
And then Jinx burst out laughing. "You are such an idiot!"
"Huh?" He said, a little peeved.
"I never said we were coming to prom together, I came with you so I could get a ride here!"
"Oh. And I suppose you're just here for all the free food I'm buying you." Cyborg turned to Bee, offended by Jinx's amusement. Anyone could make the same mistake!
"Well, yeah. And I really am here as your date." Bumblebee smiled.
"I'm actually here with Kid Flash." Jinx admitted.
"You let me think I was a two-timing dirt bag!" Cyborg yelled dramatically. Jinx barely reacted to his rage, merely raising one eyebrow coolly.
"You kind of are though. You did believe that you were on a date with two girls, right?" Bumblebee pointed an accusing finger at him, "That's just as bad."
Cyborg wasn't sure if it was the stress the entire awful evening had caused him, the six electric blue power drinks he'd downed before coming to prom or the hot dog rattling around his stomach that made him feel so bad. It may have been the fact that Bumblebee looked so disappointed in him.
"This has been fun and all – actually it got a little dull towards the end – but I really have to get back to Wally. Bye." Jinx gave a careless wave and then left in search of the fastest kid on the track team.
Bumblebee wasn't wearing her usual yellow, she had a deep blue dress on that was made from some silky material, and she had glitter smeared on both eyes and a sprinkle on each cheekbone and Cyborg thought privately that she'd never looked so beautiful.
"I'm sorry, Bee." He said, almost childlike with his sullen apology.
"Hey," Bee said, amused, "Want to get of here and get some steak?"
"Steak?" Cyborg was practically emanating waves of pure love for Bumblebee, "Booyah!"
Robin Wayne
Starfire, I am so sorry for how I acted, my father managed to sober me up and I feel awful. Is there any chance you could just forget what I said? X
Starfire, in her adopted father's car, opened her phone and read the ashamed text Robin had sent her. Typing carefully and painstakingly, she replied.
Starfire
I am not angry about what happened, I am merely concerned for your health. Are you aware teen drinking is an 'epidemic sweeping the nation' and too much alcohol consumption can result in liver failure and a slow death? I cannot forget what you said, Robin, because some of it made me very joyful. Not the lobster part. I am still confused about that.
The text came almost immediately, meaning Robin was either extremely eager or was simply a lightning fast texter.
Robin Wayne
I'm not sick, don't worry. Which parts made you happy?
I can't really remember anything about a lobster, sorry.
Starfire
The part where you said you loved me.
Miles away from Starfire in her tiny cramped car with her adoptive bear of a father driving like a maniac, Robin opened the latest text Starfire had sent him – she texted so, so slowly – and felt his heart thud in his ribcage painfully.
He lay on his bed, the little square of light from his phone making his face glow.
After a few shocked minutes had passed, he typed a reply. He stared at his ceiling, a strange, fluttering sensation in his stomach. Was this what Cyborg had described about Bumblebee? An odd variety of fear, a mix of anticipation and hope.
Robin Wayne
I do love you, Star. X
His phone softly beeped. Starfire's reply.
Starfire
I also love you, Robin.
I want to go to the beach with you and ride in your car and 'be your woman.' Xxx
Raven sat on her window seat, looking out at the moon, feeling reflective. Beastboy hadn't asked her out, but he had said that he liked her. Raven just felt so uncomfortable when it came to mushy things like love. What if he expected her to hold his hand and give him a pet name?
Her phone, a simple black and silver design, vibrated suddenly, making her jump. She reached for it and looked at the screen.
Incoming call:
Lying Bastard Creep
is calling.
Lying Bastard Creep, A.K.A, Rorek.
Raven barely hesitated, flipping the phone open and holding it to her ear.
"What do you want?" She said fiercely, drumming her painted black nails on the windowsill.
She just barely heard his tiny sigh. "Oh Raven. You are still angry with me, aren't you?"
"What gave me away?" She said dryly.
"I still love you, Raven." His smooth cultured voice rolled out the lie beautifully.
"I can barely contain my joy at that knowledge. I mean, it's not like you lied to me or humiliated me or spread rumours about me, is it?"
"I'm the only one who understands you, Raven. Everyone else thinks you are strange or unnatural. I'm the only one who can see you for who you really are."
"And that is?"
"Special. Dark, but not evil."
"Oh heaven's above, thou hast uncovered my true nature and I am forever yours." Raven snapped. As if he still thought she could be won over with pretty words! "Screw you."
She stabbed the 'end' key viciously, cutting off Rorek's flowery protestation.
No sooner had she ended the call, her phone began vibrating again. She snatched it up, assuming Rorek was calling.
"Just leave me alone!" She yelled into the phone.
"Raven?" Beastboy's voice came out quietly, unmistakeably hurt.
"Oh. I wasn't talking about you."
"Good. I've been trying to call but your number was engaged. I just wanted to know if you would like to go to one of those depressing clubs that has poetry and jazz music. We could drink herbal tea. I know you like that."
Raven, who had been trying to smooth away a headache with her fingertips, was silent for a moment, surprised at Beastboy's thoughtfulness. "How did you know what I like?"
"I asked around. Listen, a few people may have mentioned that guy who broke your heart…"
"That wannabe playboy did not break my heart."
"I just wanted to say… I'd never do that to you! I like you a lot!" Beastboy said in a rush, his voice sincere, "I would really like to be your boyfriend."
"You've practically been my boyfriend since we met," Raven said, struggling to keep the fond tone out of her voice, "May as well make it official."
She could almost hear the grin that erupted on his face.
Maybe Prom wasn't so bad after all.
I really do love Teen Titans. I miss that show. The reason for Cyborg's accidental playboy status is because I originally couldn't choose who he should be with, since I like Jinx and Bee equally. I love Beastboy and Raven together! And Robin and Starfire are so cute.