Flashback.
"Rae! Where are you going?! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" I could hear him screaming and running towards me.
"I don't know and I don't care! Leave me alone!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I ran down the hall and into my room, slammed the door and locked it. I stuffed a bunch of things into a suitcase as fast as I could, before he kicked the door open.
"Raven! Raven! It doesn't have to be like this! I don't like Star that way, I swear!"
His words hit me like a rock. How dare he lie to me, I thought angrily. "You… You don't like me, Robin?" I heard Starfire's whispered words. Robin shouted so loudly and so furiously that I couldn't make out the words he was saying.
The kicking and pounding on my door grew harder and harder, until it finally fell to the floor with an alarming thump. A tear formed in the corner of my eye. "Goodbye, Robin." I shut my case, morphed into a raven and exited the window. I flapped my black wings till they hurt.
"No, no, no! NO! RAVEN!" He kept screaming and calling though he knew it was of no use. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't look back anymore. It was too late.
Flashback End.
I hurled the bundle of clothes across the room and threw myself onto my big comfortable bed. Jinx had also gotten sick of Kid Flash, and we'd rented a house for the two of us after our running away from our homes. "Rae? What's up?" Jinx opened the door, chewing gum. She had a concerned look on her face.
"I can't find a dress I like," I lied. Jinx and I were having a party in our yard that evening. We'd invited some of our closest friends over to have some fun. Everything was prepared. We had the bottles of wine, pitchers of lemonade and cupcakes ready on the table. The ice cream was ready to be taken out of the fridge. Paper cups and plates were stacked on a side table with a set of colorful bowls and cups.
Everything was ready, all except for one: Me. I wasn't sure about it. In order to hide our identities, we started calling each other Rachel and Nicole. Our new friends called us that too, and Jinx would simply smile and wave when someone called her 'Nicky', thought she terribly missed being called 'Lucky'.
When someone called me Rachel, I wouldn't realize it was my name being called. It was all still so strange to me.
"Well, you have every right to be frustrated. I tore off the drapes on my window when I couldn't find my favorite blouse. It was unbelievable,"
"I guess I'll just wear my usual dress, then." I took out a black dress hanging in my wardrobe. "What? No! It's summer, you've got to wear something brighter! You can borrow mine!" She practically dragged me to her larger bedroom with lavender sachets and the unicorn posters covering the pink wallpaper.
"How about this one?" She held up a yellow dress with embroidered roses. "How about not." I rolled my eyes. "Okay… This one?" She took out a frilly strawberry-pink dress, and I grimaced. After shoving out four more dresses, I stood up and picked up an ivory dress on her bed. "I'm taking this one."
"Oh yeah, I forgot I was going to show you that! I'll bet it looks good on you,"
We quickly changed into our outfits. Jinx let her hair out of the devil-horns hairstyle and spritzed on some beach spray till it the perfect bubblegum-pink waves fell past her shoulders. I'd also grown my hair- it was a long, silky, dark purple curtain cascading down my back. I'd teased it up for this occasion.
The sun was setting fast. When we emerged, a small crowd had formed. Valerie greeted us warmly. "Hi, Rachel, Nicole. I brought someone with me, guys and I just hope you don't mind. He's from Jump City. Go on, introduce yourself."
Jump City? Excitement rushed into my head at the mention of Jump City. He might be able to tell me news about the Teen Titans. A muscular, tall young man stood beside her, and gave a small smile.
"My name is Richard. Hello. What are your names, ladies?" He handed Jinx and I bunches of sweet-smelling flowers. "Awww, thanks! I'm Nicole." She gave me a gentle poke. "I'm Rav-Rachel. Thank you for the lovely flowers." I forced out a smile. I felt as if I'd been stabbed by a dagger when I heard the name Richard. Richard John Grayson. Robin.
I blinked back the tears. "Why don't we have some wine, everyone?" I poured the merlot into Valerie's, Grady's, William's, and Cathy's glasses and Jinx served sauvignon to the rest of them. "Cheers!"
I stood by a table, nibbling on a frosted cupcake. I was lost in thought. "Hey," a strong, yet gentle voice said. "Hey, Richard. Are you enjoying the party?"
"I sure am. It's pretty awesome, and all my favorite songs are being played tonight."
"When did you meet Val?" I was curious. Shy, blonde Valerie was unlikely to attract guys like Richard.
"Uh, she's my cousin," he cleared his throat. "Food's great." He gave me a real smile and tried the pudding he held in a cup in his hand. "By the way, Richard, Valerie's supposed to be staying over. Where will you go?"
"I was planning to stay over too, with Grady and William. Unless, of course, you don't want that," he added quickly.
"No, no, it'll be fun."
"Your name is Rachel, isn't it? That's a nice name. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Same here," I grinned at him. After all the food had been devoured and after everyone had left, Grady, Richard, William, Valerie, Jinx and I changed into pajamas and drifted off to a deep sleep.
My alarm clock rang. I slapped the snooze button and showered. I put on some cotton T-shirt and shorts and entered the kitchen. I was surprised to see Richard with Jinx's lemon apron tied haphazardly around his waist, washing last night's dishes. "What? Why are you washing the dishes? That's what Ji-the hosts, Nicole and I are supposed to do!" He turned around and looked astonished.
I couldn't blame him. My hair wasn't in its fancy updo anymore and my eyes looked exhausted. I couldn't stop looking into his deep, intense teal eyes. My eyes were locked on his. I couldn't help but blush. No, Raven, I thought to myself, you fell in love with Robin and it didn't work out. You just put yourself through heartache and grief. Stop it.
My thoughts were interrupted when Richard parted his lips to say something. "Rae?" I was struck dumb. Richard called me Raven. Raven. Then Richard was… "Robin? Is that you? Is it really, truly you?"
"Raven?" he breathed out. "Raven," he said again, but with not a single doubt in his voice. The knot he had tied on the back of the apron grew loose and eventually dropped to the floor- he hadn't tied it properly.
I rushed into his open arms and we stood there in a fond embrace. It felt as if we'd never let go. "I should've known. When I saw your violet hair and eyes, I knew there was something familiar about you. Something I loved." A happy tear rolled down my cheek. "I can't believe it, Robin. And, oh, how you've grown."
"I wanted to be ready to greet you anytime, so I exercised everyday." I placed my head at the crook of his neck and let him tangle his hands in my hair. "Robin…"
He stroked my tear-streaked cheek and whispered into my ear. "I love you, Raven. I always will." We smiled at each other.
We could hear the flapping of birds' wings outside, and without even looking, we knew it was a raven and a robin. When I turned to see them, they were perched on a tree branch. "They're lovebirds," He walked outside ad closed the door behind him. I walked back to my room, still dazed. His last words echoed in my ears: "Just like us."