Raven's POV:
I woke up splattered on the floor, feeling tiered from yesterday. Ace was next to me in the same position in only his sweat-pants. Last night we had tried to pull off an all-nighter, but we soon felt our eye-lids getting heavy saying 'Goodbye real world and hello random fantasy'. I lightly punched Ace on the shoulder. Ace lightly flinched, saying he was awake.
"Wake up Loser", I spat in mono-tone. Ace tiredly put a hand to his heart, faking hurt.
"Ugh, is this how they treat the Birthday-Kid now-a-days? Damn, what happened to our society!", He exclaimed as if talking to the Gods himself. I giggled lightly and sat up.
"What would the Birthday-boy like for breakfast? The Menu is: Cereal and um, let me think, Cereal.", I said with a hint of amusement.
"Then don't mind if I order Ren's famous Waffles.", Ace said while sitting up himself.
"Okay, fine if you insist I will make you your Damn Good Waffles. Jezz, just stop bothering me." I said with fake annoyance. Ace smiled widely and went to check his IPhone.
"Okay, I am going to start making breakfast. Um don't mess up my room and put on a shirt." I said rolling my eyes.
"Kay, MOM", he said emphasizing 'mom'
"Shut your big mouth Mason Fletcher!"
"You don't tell me what to do Raven Roth!"
I sighed and went to the kitchen, getting out ingredients for Waffles. Who is Mason Fletcher, you ask? Well he is my childhood friend, one year and grade older than me, the only kid that was actually not scared to talk to the "Rainy Raven". Yep…they called me this in Elementary School. Original, right? I mixed my ingredients carefully and added a huge amount of sugar, just how Ace likes them. As I placed the waffles on his plate, I sniffed the air, feeling the warm steam wafting up my nose.
"Waffles ready Ren?", Ace asked, walking into the kitchen.
"Yep", I responded cheerfully. I turned around to see him ready to eat, with his napkin tucked in his shirt and all. I couldn't help but stifle a laugh, that's what I loved about Ace. He was always himself. The exact opposite of me.
"Hey! Don't laugh at me!" Ace said with a slight red face and bottom lip jutted out. I couldn't stop the laugh. I actually tried! At that moment I let out my natural laugh, a sound that was rarely heard.
"Hahaha, very funny. I am laughing so hard!", Ace mocked me with fake annoyance, but a smile on his face.
After our little episode, I placed his plate in front of him and told him not to eat his waffles yet. He grumbled while I went back to the kitchen drawers to grab a single red colored candle and a lighter. His favorite color. I went to him and took out the candle slightly pushing it onto his stack of waffles, I light the candle carefully.
"Happy Birthday Ace, make a wish.", I encourage. He nods, closes his eyes and blows out the candle. This is tradition we started 3 years ago, in 7th grade, when I actually learned how to make waffles. Ace calls them "Ren's famous Waffles". Ren and Ace are our baby names, you know the ones that you call each other as babies when you can't pronounce the name correctly. After breakfast we went to the movie theaters to watch Pixels, then ate lunch at Chipotle. Love that restaurant! While walking home he brought up the subject of, you guessed it, school… :(
"Are you excited to start 10th grade?", Ace asked.
"I don't know…you excited to start 11th grade?", I responded
"Well, I guess. It's pretty much the same thing, jus' different teachers"
"Yep", I thought about Gar. The only other kid that was in our little circle of friends in 7th grade: Raven, Mason, and Garfield. I sighed thinking about how he separated from us when he hit puberty. He grew taller and was started to get muscle. The girls actually started to notice him. He joined the soccer and football team and became popular. He started sitting at the popular table and talking less to us, well me. Ace was actually quite popular too, but he stuck with me. Like a true friend.
"-Hey! Ren! Are you listening!?", exclaimed Ace.
"Huh! Ah. Um. 24?", I asked.
"You really have to stop that habit Ren. People are gonna think you are crazy up there.", Ace said ruffling my hair. I have a habit of saying random numbers when someone asks me a question while I space out. Sometimes I act before I think. We walk to his house together and tell each other random jokes and stories we have heard.
"Well I guess it's time for me to give you up to your real family!", I say, acting as if I were giving up on my undying love.
"I am so sorry my love! It just wasn't meant to be!", he says back in a somewhat British accent. He hugs me tightly and dramatically walks away.
"Happy Birthday Ace! Have fun champ!" I exclaim as he walks into his house.
"Thanks Babe. Be careful on your way back.", Ace yells back.
"Kay", he walks inside and I turn around, deciding to take the long way home today. Going through the park. I walk slowly and quietly trying to make myself invisible, something I always do. I walk through the bushes sticking my hand out, letting the pointy leaves lightly prick my fingers. I pass the playground and head towards the soccer fields. I always loved soccer, I really don't know why. I just do. The way the players fight so hard and have so much game spirit, it just motivates me. I feel a hard round object hit my head, I fall to the ground feeling my skin rip apart. Like the stupid person I am, I spaced out while walking by the soccer fields.
"Ouch."
"Whoa, I am so sorry! Sorry! Are you okay? Here.", the male voice replies giving an outstretched hand. Instead I pick myself up rejecting his hand, I keep my head down letting my hair fall in my face. I feel myself fall backwards and a strong firm arm wrap around my waist. I moan lightly.
"Whoa, feeling dizzy? You should sit down.", He walks me to a bench, with his arm still around my waist and sits us down. I keep my head down and close my eyes. He tilts my chin up, inspecting my face.
Gar's POV:
Damn. Damn. Damn. I just hit a girl with a soccer ball while practicing. I walk her to the bench and sit her down. She leaves her head down, not wanting me to see her face. I tilt her chin up, wanting to see if I caused any major damage. She has her eyes closed, her thick black lashes skimming her cheek. I notice she has a widows peak and violet shiny pin-strait hair that goes down to her waist. Her skin is pale but not to pale. Her lips, they are not too fat and not too thin, a light pink color. She is a real beauty. She opens her eyes and gasps. I gasp too. I would know those pair of eyes anywhere. Raven.
"Uh, um, uh… ", I blush and am too surprised to even form words. I glance down at her elbows and notice a wound that is bleeding.
"Oh Crap, wait here.", I sprint to the other side of the other field and bring back my soccer backpack. I take out my first-aid kit and start rummaging through it.
"Um, it's okay. I can just clean it up at home.", she says starting to get up. I grab her hand and pull her back down.
"No stay here. You're hurt"
"I said it's fine, it doesn't even hurt", she pulls her hand out of my grasp.
"But your bleeding.", I reply stubbornly.
She gets up again. Unties her sweatshirt that is wrapped around her waist and puts it on.
"No, I'm not", she starts to walk away.
"Wait! Um, at least let me walk you home.", I just give an excuse to talk to her. I haven't seen her up close in such a long time or seen her beautiful smile or heard her silky laugh.
"Please?", I ask jutting out my bottom lip.
"Fine.", she sighs. She turns around and keeps walking. I hurry to gather my stuff and run up to catch up with her. There is complete silence until I decide to break it.
"Um, so why were you at the park", I ask. Trying to make conversation. She seems to debate either to tell me or not.
"Coming back from going out with Ace.", she replies. Not seeming to continue.
"Ace?", she nods.
"Yeah, you know from 7th grade. Today is his birthday.", this seemed to bother me. She went on a date with him to celebrate his birthday.
"Are you guys um you know-?", I ask dreading to hear no as the answer.
"No, jus' Best Friends.", she clarifies. But I still feel that knot in my stomach as she calls Mason her "Best Friend".
"Oh", is all I can say as we walk out of the park.
"Um, uh. Hey, are you excited-", I start
"Garfield, please don't do this.", Raven says pain in her voice.
"Do what? Talk to you?", I ask hysterically.
"Yes.", she replies firmly. "You can't just come out of nowhere and act as if nothing happened Gar."
"I know I was stupid Rae. I shouldn't of left you guys, I wasn't thinking strait. Please just forgive me.", I take a step forward.
"No.", she takes a step backwards, ready to run. I walk towards her in two strides and wrap my arms around her, now taller than her by about a foot or two.
"Please Rae.", I whisper, not wanting to lose her again. She struggles to get out of my grasp, but gives up when I hold her tighter to my chest, resting my head on her own.
Raven's POV:
I feel my face flush as he holds me tighter to him. Why is he doing this? Why can't he just leave me alone? I can hear his heart and feel his heat radiating off him. He smells like vanilla mixed with sweat and cologne. And for some reason, I like how it feels. I lean into him and grip the hem of his shirt, anchoring him in place.
"Rae.", he whispers while tilting my chin up. I stare into his deep emerald eyes and am immediately captivated. He leans down, while I stare at him with half-moon eyes.
"Gar! Omg, it's Gar!", I hear people in the distance say. I am immediately out of the trance. I push him away hard, realizing what I was about to do.
"Oh, crap.", I say gasping putting a hand to my mouth.
"Wait! Please don't go Rae.", he pleads. But I run, I run-no I sprint home. Not wanting to see him again. I turn around to see no one behind me. I am somewhat disappointed, but happy at the same time. I walk into the house and call Ace.