Chapter 1

The song 'worth it' by Fifth Harmony blasted through the car's speakers.

Riku was the driver, had no control what his friend Raven played from her phone. He only smiled because she was happy singing the song. Though several times he had to put her foot down because she had a habit of placing them in his lap while he drove her across town for school. Thankful that she took her shoes off and wore her seatbelt.

"Almost there." He said glancing at her at the moment in between songs.

Raven let out a whine and pouted. "Can't we skip?" She questioned crossing her arms.

"Good word choice, but no we cannot skip school." He replied pulling into the busy parking lot.

She groaned turning to slip her shoes back on. "Raven hates school." She muttered.

"'I hate school', not 'Raven hates school.'" Riku stated as he parked the car.

"I want to go home." She replied getting her bag. "Drags is missing me."

Drag was her pet heartless, the only heartless that wore a collar and acted like a friend to Raven since she was young. Drags tend to go everywhere with her but he wasn't allowed at school.

"You volunteered to show the new kid around."

Raven slapped her forehead because she had spaced it out. Last year Raven had been one of those disaster students that skipped class, mouthed off and got into a lot of trouble. But after becoming friends with Riku and his friends she had been trying to better herself; this was one way.

"All Ra- I will do is give him is the short version. He will have a map." She stumbled from a moment.

"Good catch, now come on." He helped her out.

Raven took his hand, her chest tightened and felt warmer than normal. She was careful to hide the blush on her pale cheeks. "Thank you."

"Text me if you need anything, everything should go smoothly and don't cut it short to sneak off." Riku said roughing up her hair.

"I will." Raven replied trying to fix her dark locks right away.

Raven went into the office to meet the new boy but he didn't seem to be there yet from what she could tell. Her red eyes scanning the office in case she had missed him but Destiny High was small, so new kids stuck out easily.

"Well, isn't it Raven; it's been, what, three years?" A voice stated behind her making her freeze. "Gotta haircut and got rid of the red streaks? I liked it long but no streaks is nicer."

"Vanitas." Raven whispered before turning to meet his gold eye. "Not possible."

Vanitas smiled but it was not a kind one. "But it is, I'm back from the main land and I'm here to claim what is mine." He face sinking closer to hers.

She could see the amber flakes in his eyes and feel his hot breath on his cheeks. Shivers ran down her spine, her gut screamed for her to run as fast as she could but he blocked the door way.

"Raven needs to go." She whispered trying to duck under his arm.

"I think she should stay." Vanitas replied putting himself in the way more.

"Raven would much rather leave."

"There you are, Vanitas, I see you've met Raven." Principle Beast said coming out of his office.

"We have a past actually." Vanitas replied with a smirk. "Also, our families have an arrangement between us."

Principle Beast looked shocked for a moment but composed himself. "Well, I guess it's a good thing she's showing you around our school."

Vanitas only smiled, "Yes, I'm hopping she'll give me the best tour yet."

Raven was starting to regret wearing her plum purple dress with a short over jacket. She felt too exposed to him. She pulled out her phone and quickly texted Riku and dashed to the nearest window.

Before anyone could figure out what she was doing, she had it opened and the screen was out.

"Raven!" Miss Alice yelled trying to stop her.

"Raven's sorry but Raven can't stay." Raven ducked out and rushed off as fast as she could, prying that Vanitas had the brains to stay away.

Raven ran until her legs couldn't carry her any more. She knew he made her feel uncomfortable but never to the degree of making her skin crawl so much before. She ran her hands over her arms trying to rid her skin of goosebumps that had formed.

She collapsed onto a bench, as her lungs burned and her legs shook from the sudden run. It was easy to tell that she looked like a mess since she had to run through a bush to get away.

Riku was going to be mad that she skipped but he should understand once she tells him about Vanitas. He always seemed to understand once she told him what was going on in her head.

She hated trying to voice her emotions, but lately they've been all over the place and she didn't know why. Yuffie gave her all kinds of trouble related to something called love. Raven never really knew what love was. Her mother tossed her from house to house of Organization XIII's members. The longest she ever was with her mother was the nine months she spent growing inside of Larxene.

"Queen of Darkness is what you will become."

"Everyone will bow down to you."

"I'm Vanitas, your future king."

She shook her head trying to get rid of the voices that range from her past.

"Raven is better now; the past doesn't matter."

Riku checked his phone during his passing period to see Raven sent a text.

'Couldn't stay.'

He sighed as he went to his locker. His best friend, Sora, was waiting for him. Surprise filled Sora's blue eyes when he saw that Raven hadn't joined them yet.

"Raven?" Sora asked.

"She left for some reason." Riku replied throwing his books in.

"Lunch time we'll all go looking for her."

"Unless she doesn't want to be found." Riku reminded him of the times they had hard times finding Raven.

Being born a child of darkness, she could hide in the shadows a lot better than most people. She could wear a light on her and you still couldn't find her in a shadow. That was how well they covered her if she felt unsafe. Sometimes there were moments she could do it in the middle of the mall. There one second gone the next.

"I just hope she's okay." Sora said as they headed off to their next class.

"I do too." Riku nodded trying to narrow down where Raven could possibly be.

"Hey, where's Raven?" a blonde girl asked softly at the doorway.

"Ran off again." Riku stated sadly.

Namine looked worried, "Do you think the new guy scared her?" She looked over at the boy who looked a lot like Sora, only with black hair and golden eyes.

"What makes you think that?" Sora asked trying to place the new face.

"He keeps talking about her, talking about her past – parts that she's never even told us."

Riku stiffened some before heading to the seat besides the guy. "So, you know Raven. What is she to you if you know her so well?" He asked calmly as possible.

Vanitas glanced at Riku and a smirk formed on his lips as he leaned onto his hand. "Well, she belongs to me. When the school year ends she'll be my bride and Queen."

The silver haired teen gave a look of confusion before he recalled some of the things Raven told him. She had told him that she was born to become a vessel of darkness. There was a few other things but none made sense until now.

"Don't get cocky so soon, she's more stubborn than you think. If she doesn't want something she'll get out of it."

Vanitas's face fell, he didn't like this other boy who suddenly knew so much about Raven. "So you think you know her?"

Riku's turn to smirk, "Better than you do."

The dark hair boy's gaze turned very dark in a flash. "I'm sure I know more."

The teacher came in to start class so both boys dropped it to pay attention. Vanitas took no notes, while Riku only took them for Raven, knowing that she'll need to actually study in order to keep up.

Riku hated to admit it but this kid gave him a bad feeling and he was starting to see why Raven ran away from him. He was part of the past she hated so much now.