Disclaimer – I don't own any of the characters. So yeah.

Warning – A little something.

Other – I'm not going to be writing anything too descriptive anytime soon. One, although I know how, I'm not exactly comfortable with it, and Two, I just don't feel the need to.

Summary – It was supposed to be my secret. But I guess that's a problem when your best friend is a psychic. ChRave.

It's official. My mind has melted. Just completely fried. When I try to think, all I get is this happy buzzing noise. But as quickly as it happened, it ends. Raven pulls away and takes a few steps back. One of my hands flies to my lips and I watch her carefully, trying to gauge her emotions.

It worries me, though, that I can't get a clear reading. Maybe she's regretting it already.

"I'm sorry," I try to smooth this over. "I shouldn't have…"

"No, Chels, it's fine. I did it, anyways." She smiles almost nervously at me, "But I still want to take this slowly, okay?"

I nod, grateful that she's not running for the hills. She turns partially away and tries to squeeze her long, dark hair dry. Her attempt at recapturing order fails miserably. I don't waste the effort. I'm fine with soggy hair. I just wish my jeans weren't soaked. That's the worst feeling in the world – wet jeans clinging and rubbing on your skin.

Raven gives up, "Look, let's just run to my house and dry off there."

I smile brightly, "Sure. How about a movie after?" Afraid that this might sound like a date, though we used to do this all the time, I add, "I mean, we could invite Eddie if you want."

She shakes her head, "And get him all wet, too? Nah, just us is great."

I unfold the blanket and drape it over Raven's head, "This should keep some of the rain off."

It's a little silly looking, but it should help, I think to myself. She pulls me under it, too, and we slide to the edge of the gazebo. This close to her, I can vaguely smell her perfume over the heavy scent of rain. It brings a brighter smile to my face.

"On three." I murmur, "One. Two." I don't have a chance to say three; Raven is already running out of the gazebo and I have to bolt after her to keep up. The blanket doesn't help as much as I thought, since it was wet to begin with. By the time we reach her front door, we're laughing again and just as wet as we would have been without a cover overhead.

She pushes the door open and we step inside, dripping all over the hardwood floor. Reaching into the nearby closet, she retrieves a few towels and we both quickly dry ourselves to save making too much of a mess.

I hurry to the couch and plop down, closing my eyes a moment. I have to commit that kiss to memory, just in case it never happens again, though I know it will. I can hear Raven bustling about in the kitchen, making popcorn, no doubt.

She returns to my side, popping a dvd into the slim player atop her television screen. Handing me a jumbo bucket of popcorn, she settles in. As the storm outside thunders, we curl up together and watch a few movies.

We've always liked the same sort of movies, though Raven leans more towards comedies and myself towards dramas. We find middle ground in romantic movies, though, and that's what we're watching today. I think it's a dangerous choice, though. How does she know I won't get ideas from the movie and try something?

Apparently she trusts me, though. I have to say, I don't trust myself to behave. Thirty minutes into the movie, the main characters share a kiss and I can hardly restrain myself. It would be so simple to lean across the three inches between us and press my lips onto her full, rosy…

It's best to kill those thoughts before they get too far.

An hour in and I'm dying. So close, yet so far away. I want nothing more than to wrap my arms around her and hold her close, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. I feel kind of silly; watching this movie is making me sappy and mushy.

The movie is just about to end when the power goes out. I stifle a small scream, but Raven just lets one belt out. My ears are ringing from the intensity, but I recover quickly.

"Do you have a flashlight?"

She nods mute.

"Where is it?"

"Don't leave me." She shifts uncomfortably, "I don't want to be alone."

Instead of getting a flashlight, I move the popcorn from between us and move closer, hugging her tightly as I had imagined not half an hour earlier. The circumstances weren't what I had hoped, but body contact is still body contact, and I craved it.

The silence between us is interrupted by crashes of thunder rolling overhead. I love that sound, so constant, and though it can seem threatening, it's only the aftermath. All sound and no action.

Raven relaxes in my grip and I take this as a good sign.

"How're you doing?" I ask, hoping she doesn't regret letting me hold her.

"I'm good." She returns, tilting her face up to meet my eyes, "Thanks for stickin' with me."

I smile brightly, "What are best friends for."

We grow quiet again. I don't know why she's silent, but I can't bring myself to talk after my last comment. Am I really just a best friend? Will that be my permanent status? I don't want to ruin it, but can best friends be lovers?

She clears her throat, "I'm glad you're still my best friend, Chels."

"Why?" I don't want to sound rude, but some of the disappointment in my thoughts comes through in my words.

"You have to be friends before you're closer than that," she answers with a sparkle back in her eye, "And Eddie was telling me the other day that friends make the best boy friends."

I laugh, "Are you sure he wasn't just hitting on you?"

She shrugs, "I'm not looking for a boy friend right now, and he knows it."

I panic slightly, "Have you told him? About me? About… us?"

She shrugs again, noncommittal, "I told him I had someone interested in and I was taking time to explore it. I didn't say who."

"He probably already suspects. We've been acting kind of strange. Well, I've been acting kind of strange." I amend.

"I think you're giving him too much credit." Raven jokes and I giggle.

Before I lose my nerve, I manage to ask, "Can I kiss you? For real this time?"

She's quiet a moment, "I guess. I mean, it's worth a try, right?"

I lean towards her, and she meets me half way. Our kiss this time isn't chaste, but it isn't the wild ones I sometimes see in my imagination. I don't know about Raven, but my lips feel like they're on fire. Every nerve in my face is doing a jig.

"Raven?" A voice interrupts what I consider our first kiss. "Chelsea??"