Hey guys, thanks for the reviews. After seeing some of the suggestions, I added some things to the first chapter, and corrected some things, so feel free to reread it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans
Summary: AU Love, like war, is easy to begin, but hard to stop. Raven's life had never been easy, but things take an unexpected twist when she meets the arrogant new kid, Richard Grayson.
Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.
~Henry Van Dyke
Chapter two: The Incident
Normal POV
"He's so dead when I see him," Raven thought, and she began to plan Rich's brutal death.
Phoenix looked over at Raven from the driver's seat and saw a very malicious smile on her lips as she stared viciously out the window.
"Are you alright Raven?" he inquired, glancing from the road over to her.
Raven snapped out of her sinister thoughts at the sound of his voice, "Oh, I'm fine," she scoffed, nervously, "I wasn't planning to kill anybody cause...cause if that's what you thought, let me tell you, you were way off," the suspicious little teen fidgeted in her seat.
Phoenix gave her a very skeptical expression, quirking his eyebrow, "Anything you want to talk about there, Raven?"
"No," Raven chuckled nervously, "You're acting like I'm some sort of homicidal maniac or something."
Phoenix reluctantly accepted her answer and focused his attention back onto the road.
"So Ravester," Gar joked from the backseat, "How did everything go with Rich yesterday?"
"Once more, Garfield," she grimaced through clenched teeth, "And you'll be tasting the sole of my shoe."
He shrunk down into his seat as they pulled into the parking lot of Gotham City High.
"And for the record, I loathe Richard Grayson."
"Why do you hate him?" Phoenix inquired whilst parking the car.
"Because he is a jerk," Raven replied.
"So," Vic chimed in, "He's cool."
"Just because he has money and gets girls, doesn't make him cool,Victor," Raven rolled her eyes.
Vic and Gar exchanged looks, "Yeah it does," they countered simultaneously and knuckle touched.
Phoenix and Raven both rolled their eyes as they disembarked from the car.
Phoenix took Phoebe's hand and lead her to the lower level school, and Raven scanned across the parking lot for a Maserati Granturismo.
Vic nudged Raven as he leaned against the truck, one hand in his pocket and the other on the strap of his backpack, "Looking for Rich?"
She looked up and glared at him.
"Relax Rae, I'm just kidding. You said you hated the kid and I believe you. It's just fun to tease you."
"It won't be when you're trying to get my foot out of your behind," Raven threatened, her eyes narrowed.
"You made your point," he turned to leave, "Catch you later at lunch."
She smirked, victorious for a second time.
Gar followed behind Vic, "Peace, Dark Vader."
She continued her search for the candy red car when they all were gone, and her search was successful. She sighted the car near the back of the parking lot.
Sporting a grimace and a glare, she stormed over to it.
Rich was standing outside his car, leaned over through the open driver's side door, gathering his soccer things, when Raven confronted him. He noticed her approaching him, and stopped what h ewas doing.
He stood up straight, smirking.
"Good morning doll face," he shut the door and leaned casually against it, his arms folded across his chest.
"Call me that again and you'll be wishing you were in hell," Raven threatened, her eyes narrowed as she glared at the teen in front of her.
"Don't be like that, bunny Raven," his smirk grew wider.
"Drop the smirk, Grayson, before I get rid of it myself," her eyes, if possible, narrowed even more.
"You only came over here to see it," he quirked his eyebrow, taunting Raven.
"You bastard, this is why I came over here," Raven threw loose money into his face, "Next time you want to sneak your dirty money into my pocket, don't."
"Seriously, what hole did you crawl out of?" Rich affronted, very nervy.
"You conceited little twit; You're "charm" may have worked on every other girl, but they're far from appealing to me. So forget it, jerk," Raven turned sharply on her heels, leaving.
Rich squatted down and began gathering up his money, "Why do I even bother, you're impossible," he ranted, purposely loud enough for Raven to hear.
Raven stopped in her tracks, "I'm not impossible, I'm just...complicated," she said over her shoulder before making her way into the school building.
Raven purchased her usual lunch tray, and sauntered across the large cafeteria. She she skimmed the room, seeing that Tara had been joined by another girl, one whom she'd never met before. A gorgeous girl with large emerald green eyes, fiery red hair flowing down her back, and skin so tan it was almost orange, but it fit her, she was truly beautiful; Raven had to acknowledge that.
Sighing, Raven took a seat on the opposite side of the table from them.
"Hey Raven," the platinum blond greeted her with that signature bubbly personality.
"Hi Tara," Raven said, "Who's your friend?" she asked, putting on a feign smile.
"Oh, Raven, this is Kori," Tara introduced her, "Kori Anders. She just moved her from Kauai, isn't that cool?" Tara asked, her crystal blue eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Cooler than a whore's heart, Tara," Raven agreed, dripping with sarcasm.
Tara giggled, "Anyways, I've been showing her around. And Kori, this is Raven."
Raven murmured "Hi," and Kori muttered, "How do you do?" Neither one of them made eye contact; it was evident that they weren't going to get along.
Raven already resented her, but she didn't show it on her face, which was more than she could say for Kori.
Kori rolled her eyes, wanting to leave but not having any other friends to sit with.
"The party has arrived," Vic announced as he and Gar joined the girls.
"Nice timing," Raven whispered to Vic, "I can't be left alone with these girls. I've heard those damn pretties can smell fear."
Vic chuckled, "I don't blame you."
"So, I'm Garfield Logan, hold for applause," he bragged, stifling a giggle from Kori.
"Kori," she introduced herself, "Kori Anders."
"I'm Vic," he faked a yawn, flexing his muscles, "Victor Stone, also known as, Caption, as in, the big buff boss."
Kori giggled yet again, "Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, I just lost my appetite," Raven pushed her tray away and sustained her stomach, "Forever."
While Vic and Gar continued to flirt with the redheaded beauty, Raven looked over at the door.
What she saw appalled her. Rich stood in the entrance to the cafeteria, his stormy blue eyes scanning the perimeter.
"Excuse me," Raven stated, and while staring at the floor, she pushed herself back from the table and stood. She quickly walked off, leaving behind her group, and hurriedly fled from the room.
Raven's flashy wardrobe was spotted with ease, and a very determined soccer player trailed after her.
"Raven," he called her name.
She looked back and quickened her pace as she made her way out the door, but he followed her there as well.
She broke into a sprint, seeing that he was gaining on her, but he chased after her, matching her speed.
"Raven, I need to talk to you," his voice became louder as he rapidly caught up to her.
She halted in her tracks, seeing no purpose in attempting to make a get away. It was obvious that the Varsity athlete would catch her, sooner or later.
She turned acutely on her heels, and he was directly behind her, merely a foot's distance between them. "What? What do you want!" Raven demanded forcefully.
"A chance," he replied, his voice stern but a normal tone, "Just give me a chance."
"No," Raven refused, sporting a scowl, "Get a few friends and get a life, you self-centered, egotistical, prissy, little spoiled brat!"
"You don't even know me," he pointed out, "You're being judgem-"
"I don't WANT to know you!" she screamed, and turned to leave, more pissed than ever.
She hoped that the nimrod would realize that her words were from her cold heart, and just give up and get out of her life. She'd barely made it out of his reach before he causde her to come to a sharp, halting stop.
"Why are you being such a bitch?" he yelled.
All in one motion, Raven turned back around, and stormed up to the taller teen. She took a swift, skillful swing and socked him directly in the right eye with her notorious left fist.
He cupped his hand over his eye. Raven knew it stung, that's what her victims always yelled about her slender little fist, to her amusement, but this time, she was entirely too pissed to enjoy his pain.
"What the hell, Raven?" he ranted, pointing an accusing finger at her, "What the fuck is your problem?"
Raven would have told him her problem, and his many problems, but she wanted to escape before he was able to catch her, so attempted to promptly leave the scene, but a new voice ceased her, and kept her from doing so.
"Hey you!" Coach Igleheart shouted, "Get over here!"
Raven winced at the booming voice, "Oh crap, I'm in for it."
Raven looked through the window of the principal's office. She saw Phoenix with his signature coaxing smile plastered on as he talked with his hands while negotiating with principal Gordon. Since Phoenix was a star student when he attended Raven's school and the principal and teachers adored him, he was always able to get her off the hook with less punishment.
Raven then nervously took a glimpse at the seemingly calm man next to her. She saw that his leg was folded over the other, that pose that was the only thing she could remember from the previous times she'd gotten into trouble. The pose that meant she was going to be chewed out by Eagle.
Raven sighed, "Boy, I'm going to get an earful when we get home," she thought, "All because of that little cry baby Rich."
Luckily for him, Rich wasn't in the office, because, the way Raven saw it, he was too busy being a cowardice wuss about a little nudge in the eye.
She scoffed.
If he's such a tough guy, then why is he sitting in the nurses office holding an icepack to his eye. He's such a pansy; he can't even take a punch from a girl.
"Thanks a lot, Principal Gordon," Phoenix interrupted her thoughts as he exited the principal's office.
He gave his siblings a look that said "let's get the hell out of here" and Eagle and Raven followed him out the door.
"So what happened?" Raven inquired once they were on the parking lot.
"You're suspended for the rest of the day," Phoenix replied, giving her a disappointed look.
"Come on Phoenix, don't do this to me," Raven begged, "You didn't hear what that "momma's boy" said to me."
"Whatever he said isn't worth my time or yours," Eagle spoke for the first time since he received a phone call from the school.
Raven didn't say anything back to him, she knew it would only make matters worse if she tried to defend herself.
Luckily for her, Eagle walked ahead and left Phoenix and Raven behind.
"What did he say to you?" Phoenix whispered, not wanting Eagle to hear.
"He said I was being a...female dog," Raven hinted, "Because I wouldn't give him a chance."
"We'll talk later, Raven," he put his arm around Raven's shoulder and gave her a squeeze, "I've got shotgun." He jogged up to the car and joined their brother in Eagle's black GMC Sierra, but on the passenger's side.
Raven stormed up to her room, her anger flaring after the anticipated altercation with Eagle.
"Go to your room!" he shouted from downstairs, the piercing presence of anger in his voice.
"I'm already in my room!" Raven yelled back and slammed her bedroom door. A picture fell outside her door from the wall and smashed into pieces, but she was too provoked to care.
"He's so insensitive," the teen huffed as she pounced down on her bed, her arms folded across her chest and her signature pissed off look plastered on her face.
Eagle isn't the most considerate being on the planet and neither is Raven. Which is why they both say splenetic things that they don't really mean during controversy. They are very much alike; he speaks his mind and so does she. No matter who it will hurt or what the effects will be, they don't hold it in.
The burning sensation of tears penetrated her eyes, but she held them back.
"No Raven," she clenched her teeth together, and her voice was uneven, "You're not going to cry. Crying is for wimps."
Raven cried for the last time when her mother died. She told herself nothing after that horrible incident was worth crying for. Nothing. Nothing could ever measure up to the pain she endured from losing her mother.
She forcefully blinked her tears away, and lay her head down on her pillow, bringing her knees up to her chest.
"Mom," she breathed.
She longed to have her mother still with her; even if only for a day, a night, or an hour, any amount of time would do. She just wanted to see her mother one more time, one last time, and tell her how much she loved and cared about her; how much she still does.
She fell asleep on her pillow, tears unshed, and the way they would always remain.
Later on that night, around two am, Phoenix crept into Raven's room. Tiptoeing and unheard. He
weightlessly drifted over to her bed, and shook her arm slightly.
"Raven, wake up," he whispered.
"UGH!" Raven shouted, one coercive reflex and she had successfully punched the intruder in the balls.
"HHOO!" Phoenix exclaimed, enduring extreme pain from the impact and collapsed on the floor.
Raven screeched shrilly, and Eagle came dashing into the room, a baseball bat in his hands, "WHAT IS IT! WHAT HAPPENED!" Eagle hollered, demanding a reply, raising the bat over his shoulder, ready to swing.
"Ssshhh," Phoenix groaned from the floor, "It's me."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE!" Raven demanded.
"Bleeding internally," he grumbled.
"Go to bed," Eagle drawled monotonously and slammed Raven's bedroom door shut.
"What is it Phoenix?" she asked, her voice annoyed.
His head popped up next to her bed, "Nothing, everything is fine."
"Well what do you want?"
At this point, she basically had a pretty good idea of what Phoenix was doing in her room. He always chose a peculiar time to talk with her.
"I was wondering if you alright? You know, from that argument with Eagle?" he replied, staying on the floor, still in pain from the blow.
"And why do you always pick the oddest times to come and talk to me?" Raven inquired.
"To give you time to think about it, so that way you'll know exactly how you feel about something."
"Well I feel absolutely nothing, I'm over it. Now good night," she turned her head away from him, and pulled her blanket up to her chin.
"I'm sorry about Eagle," Phoenix apologized, "You know how insensitive he his, and we both know that he doesn't mean the things he says."
Not only did Raven hear the words that her brother was saying, but she listened to them. No matter how upset she was, Phoenix seemed to always know the solution to her problems and how to make her feel better.
Raven turned her head and faced Phoenix once more; she was met with a warm, welcoming smile.
"Why are you apologizing?" Raven inquired.
"Because Eagle's not brave," Phoenix simply said.
Raven looked at him quizzically, "Excuse me?"
"Eagle. He's not brave," Phoenix repeated.
"It's too early in the morning for me to understand your vague answers, Phoenix," Raven pointed out.
"It doesn't take courage to walk away and leave everything be, you only have to be sick and tired of trying to do that. But it takes courage to admit to your mistakes and accept your consequences. No matter what the situation is, Raven, don't ever go on without giving it a try or a chance."
He stumbled onto his feet, leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Pain, pain, pain," he complained, limping from her room.
Raven slightly chuckled before being overtaken by sleep.
By the end of school the next day, Raven hadn't seen Rich, he hadn't tried anything. She figured he was over her; She hoped he was over her.
She spotted Phoenix's truck on the parking lot and on her way over to it, she looked over and saw Kori sitting on the hood of a white Honda Accord, sending her daggers from across the parking lot.
Being in the fucked up mood she was in, Raven couldn't contain herself. Normally she wouldn't go looking for trouble, but as of now, she didn't care.
"What the hell is your problem?" Raven demanded as she approached her, "I just met you and I'm already sick of you. And in case you haven't heard yet, I'm the last person you want to have problems with here."
"Me? In my opinion, you're the one with the problem," Kori replied, her tone normal.
"Excuse me?" Raven quirked an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest; Raven had to give Kori credit for having the gall to say something back to her. Normally people (male or female) would cower in fear when they received a death glare from Raven, let alone words.
"You were the one with three guys at one time," Kori explained, rolling her eyes.
"What in the seven hells are you talking about?"
"I saw you this morning getting out of the same car as three other guys," Kori replied.
"Yeah, my crazy best friends, Vic and Gar, and my older brother, Phoenix," Raven clarified smugly.
"So you're not fooling around with any of them?" Kori double checked, and Raven wanted to throw up.
"Gross," Raven answered, and received a giggle from Kori, "And why did you care anyway?"
"Because in my family, the women respect themselves and the guys are gentlemen," Kori replied,
"So I didn't really want to get involved with a girl like that."
"You sure there wasn't another reason?" Raven asked suspiciously.
"Well one of them was cute, and I was...sort of...jealous," Kori blushed as she admitted the real reason as to why she didn't like Raven.
"Which one?" Raven inquired, curious.
"The older one," Kori replied.
"I know girls that have been barking up that tree for years," Raven said, "The future doesn't look bright."
"It doesn't matter," she said, climbing down from the hood of her car, "I have a boyfriend, but thanks for looking out for me. We sort of got off to a rough start, don't you think?"
"No I wouldn't say-"
"Raven, we damn pretties can also smell lies," Kori countered, smirking.
Raven chuckled, "Start over?"
"Kori," she stuck her hand out, "Kori Anders."
"Raven Roth," she shook Kori's hand.
"You up for lunch tomorrow?" Kori offered.
"Sounds smelly and distasteful, but if you're there, I'm there," they exchanged smiles.
"Toodle-oo, Raven," Kori gave her a stereotypical airhead impression.
"Au Revoir, Kori," Raven smirked.
End chapter
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Love withers under constraints: its very essence is liberty: it is compatible neither with obedience, jealousy, nor fear: it is there most pure, perfect, and unlimited where its votaries live in confidence, equality and unreserve.
~ Percy Bysshe Shelley
