Hope you guys like this chapter! Sorry if its a bit short...The plot will pick up within the next few chapters :)

Chapter 3

That next Monday, Richard was eager to get to school. Ever since his introduction intothe group that Friday after school, he felt like he had friends. And one of them even knew his secret….

***Flashback***

As the group was clearing out of the café, Richard was startled to hear Raven speaking to him.

"Where do you live?" she asked.

All that came to Richard's mind was 'shit'. She would instantly know if she pulled up to his mansion that he was Richard Grayson. Or, considering that she didn't pay much attention to the media, she would at least know that his family was loaded. And he figured that was something she wouldn't approve of.

It hadn't dawned on Richard yet why he really cared about her approval. Still, letting her drive him home probably meant the end of their incredibly short friendship.

He sighed, "I live off of Jefferson Street."

Then fate, or something like it, intervened. He could see her frown at the street name and guessed that he lived far away from her, after all he actually lived in the 'suburbs' of Gotham City. That's when he heard Vic offer to drive him home instead.

Vic lived much closer than Raven did. Relieved, Richard accepted the offer. They transferred his things from Raven's car to Vic's and then took off for home. When they reached Jefferson St., Richard told Vic to turn onto Stanley Ln.

His house was at the end of the street where it dead-ended. Behind a large, fancy, iron gate was a long driveway that leaded to his house. It was flanked by trees on each side. The driveway was the only thing visible before his house, the rest was just vast hills of green grass. The house was just as impressive as the drive in, it was huge.

So Richard told Vic the wrong house to drop him off at, he figured he would pretend to walk inside and then phone Alfred to come and get him. But Vic called the bluff.

"That's the house?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yep," answered Richard, eager to get out of the car.

"Do you have any brothers?" he then proceeded to ask Richard.

Richard felt like it was an interrogation, but answered honestly anyway, "No, I don't. Why?"

Vic then smiled a knowing smile, "Because Tim from our school goes there. And unless he's your brother, that ain't your house."

Richard sighed. He then directed Vic to his actual house. Vic was gaping the entire drive up.

"You live here?" he kept asking in shock.

Once inside, which was no less impressive, he gave Vic a tour of his house. And told him everything. Vic agreed to keep the secret, but he made Richard swear to tell them soon. By the end of the month, to be exact.

But he was relived for the extra time.

**End Flashback***

That was why Vic agreed to give Richard a ride to and from school until he could get a parking space. So Richard was waiting for Vic to get him. Vic was given authorization to enter the property whenever, considering he was Richard's best friend at this point.

Richard rushed to his friends silver and blue "T-Car." It looked to be a toyota, but with all of the modifications Vic added, he couldn't tell. It looked like a car straight from Pimp My Ride, except for speakers and an obnoxious television. Thought it still had a loud sound system.

Richard soon found out that Vic was very protective over his car. He could barely move without getting a threat from Vic. Not that he didn't know this from Friday, but Vic seemed to be protective with a new vigor.

"Did something happen to your car?" Richard asked, wanting to know the source of his friend's threats.

Pretty soon, Vic launched into a story about how someone crashed into his "beautiful baby" on Saturday and how devastating it was for him to see her wrecked like that.

At least there's an explanation for his increase in threats thought Richard. It was nice to know that his friend wasn't psychotic, or at least not completely.

When they arrived at the school, Vic showed Richard where the group usually hung out during the mornings and during lunch. The whole group was gathered around a circular lunch table at the corner of the cafeteria, talking animatedly about their weekends. Richard was quickly introduced to Roy and Garth.

Roy Harper, also known as Speedy, had bright red hair like Kori. He was around Richard's height and had green eyes. He talked fast and was known to flirt with many girls.

Garth was quite the opposite, he had dark hair and dark brown eyes. He seemed quiet and reserved, despite his charismatic appearance. He actually reminded Richard of…

Wait, where is Raven? wondered Richard.

"She's probably in the library, she practically lives there," said Vic, answering Richard's unasked question.

Richard shot Vic a look that expressed his thanks before heading to the library. It wasn't until he was halfway there that he wondered why he was going there. It wasn't like she headed to the library to socialize. He would probably be intruding on her reading. Still, he couldn't help but want to go there to see her.

Raven looked up to see Robin enter the library. Not that he-or anyone else, for that matter- wasn't allowed there, but she didn't think he was there to read. So why is he here? She wondered.

When he saw her, he grinned- yes, a big million watt smile- and waved at her before running over. Normally she would find such behavior disturbing, desperate even but not with him. It just seemed like his natural reaction when seeing her, a thought that Raven actually found…pleasant.

So against all odds and traditions, she smiled back.

"Hey, you're smiling," he remarked. This observation seemed to make him smile more, if that was possible.

"Your happiness really is like the plague," she drawled, "it's sickening and yet highly contagious."

He chuckled.

Just as Raven was about to ask how the rest of his weekend went, the school bell rang announcing 5 minutes until the start of first period. So both went their separate ways to their first class, happier than usual.

All in all, Richard found he had a much more pleasant day. He was accepted by his friends and found that he now knew someone in each of his classes, a comforting thought.

But there was still the problem of telling them his secret….

How would he do that? Would they be upset that he lied? Chances are yes, though Vic took it fairly well….

These thoughts plagued his mind most of the morning. He was thinking of ways to tell them, who to tell first, who would be the most understanding, etc.

So it came as no surprise when at lunchtime Richard realized he hadn't learned anything all day.

Sighing, Richard grabbed a tray stepped in line to get his meal. While walking past several meal options, he noted how crappy the food here was. At Gotham High everyone complained about the food, but compared to this food it looked like fine dining. So he grabbed the most edible things there, a turkey sandwich and a small paper carton of nachos with melted cheese. He then bought a large thing of chocolate milk and a tray with watermelon slices.

Yes, it was a lot of food, but he was starving since he had missed breakfast. So he took his food and found where his friends were eating and joined them. He happened to notice that Raven was still absent from the group, something that he found odd. Just on Friday based off their interaction at the café, he would've thought that she was the 'leader' of the group. After all, when she brought him into the group, no one had questioned her why.

And yet she was still nowhere to be found. Then Richard remembered his friend's words from the morning She's in the library. She practically lives there.

He was grateful that Vic had added that last part, it saved him the trouble of having to ask where she was. Again.

Does Raven even eat lunch? wondered Richard. Afterall, it was common knowledge that food wasn't allowed in the library.

Richard quickly ate half of his lunch, leaving the sandwich and some of the watermelon pieces uneaten.

"I'll be right back guys," He announced before leaving. Only Vic noticed Richard was leaving with all of his things with him. Vic smiled a knowing smile before returning to the group conversation.

Richard had hidden the food in his backpack and was grateful that the sandwich came wrapped and the watermelon tray had a secure lid. He made his way to the library to find her. Bingo he thought when he spotted her in a chair, reading.

"Hey, aren't you hungry?" he asked as he approached her.

She glanced up from her book briefly before responding, "No."

"Oh," he said inarticulately.

She looked at him curiously, knowing he was going to say something else. Richard then continued, "I just brought you some food is all."

Raven gave a small smile at the nervousness in his voice before asking what he had brought. After he told her about the turkey sandwich and the watermelon, she got up and checked the book she was reading out from the front desk. She then walked with him out to one of the benches in the hallway before sitting down.

"You're allowed to eat in the hallways here?" asked Richard. Even in his old school, which was nicer than this one, he wasn't (theoretically) allowed to do that.

"Not really, no," she replied, "Though most teachers don't really care if you do or not. The one person to look out for is Ms. Richards, she's very hard to miss, she dresses as though it's still the 70's."

He chuckled at the description.

"Is she really that bad?" He then asked, wondering how avidly he should be avoiding her.

"No, more just a pain really. As long as you're polite to her you should be fine. And considering you're new here you can play that card a few times, though you'll likely have to hear a list of the rules before she'll let you go. So I would just avoid her."

Raven then began to nibble away at the sandwich and fruit. "Did you, by any chance, bring something to drink?" she then asked, a few minutes later.

Of course, he hadn't.

"Here, I'll get you a bottled water from the vending machine," he offered.

Raven was about to say that was unnecessary, but he was already out of earshot. Well unless she yelled, which she wasn't going to look like a lunatic to prevent him from spending $1.50 on water.

She leaned her head back against the creamy school walls and decided to take the few precious moments and think. Or so she thought until Robin showed up with the water 20 seconds later.

"Thank-you," She mumbled before taking a swig of the bottle's contents.

As she was finishing up her food, Robin asked out of the blue, "So how come you don't eat in the cafeteria with everyone else?"

Raven contemplated the question for a moment. It was true that she did love her friends dearly, but they could sometimes be a bit too much.

"It's too noisy," she finally said. And while she could tell Robin sensed that it wasn't the full truth, he didn't press her for more of an answer, a fact that she appreciated.

Robin was the one friend that she had who had yet to get on her nerves, and although she hadn't known him for long, she still felt comfortable around him. Like he could understand her, perhaps even better than some of her other friends.

She cocked her head to the side and was about to ask why he brought her lunch and stayed with her, but then the bell rang again. She was having terrible timing with the school bells these days. Raven quickly stuffed the water bottle in her black messenger bag and grabbed her trash. Richard then stood up and walked with her to throw away her trash. Then both stumbled through the crowds to get to their 6th period literature class.

All the while, both were lost deep in thought about the other.

Again, sorry that its not the best chapter...heh...

Anyway...reviews are greatly appreciated! Also if you all have time, go to my profile page and vote on my next big rae/rob story!

Thanks!

~RukiaRae