The Change Within

Chapter Nine: Shit

Shit. I knew she would try to pull something like this; that damn bitch. It's all Jennifer Warren's fault that I'm stuck in this awkward position. Right now I'm stuck in the girls bathroom with only my bra and skirt – I look like a hooker. How they managed to get into my gym locker, I have no clue. It was probably that girl whose locker is right next to mine with all that expensive jewelry.

It was amazing in the first place how I managed to get from the gym locker room to the bathroom, but it was a miracle that no one was in the hallway. You would think since it was a Friday people would try to roam the halls and avoid class as much as possible. Well, at least that is what I try to do, as much as physically possible, mainly because half of the time my classmates are morons and my teachers are boring as hell. I mean, just two weeks ago this guy who is in the drama club started to charge money to give 'henna' tattoos with Sharpie markers. For the sake of plausible poisoning I decided against it.

I looked at the graffitied walls, hoping for some form of entertainment since I was probably going to stay here for the rest of the day. Even though I put on a heck of a brave face there is no way that I was going out there in my practically transparent bra and my eight inches long, frilly skirt and then the pink, sparkly shoes of hell.

I glanced over the permanent words (our janitorial staff isn't that hard working) for something that looked interesting. I saw something about Bethany being a fat whore which is true and false at the same time. She dresses like a whore, but because she has a bit of a muffin top not nearly as many guys go for her. Although from what I have heard that hasn't affected her amount of action in the least. But I could really care less about the guys she has been jonesing as long as its not mine. Trevor and I have been going out for a bout a month and a half and yet people like Jennifer mofo Warren cannot accept that in the least. She and her conniving friends keep thinking up the most creative things. Just last week they stuck gum on the outside of my locker; about fifty pieces of pre-chewed, slobbered on, dried up gum stuck out at odd angles. The joke was actually on them because I rarely ever use my locker so I just connected the pieces of gum with permanent Sharpie marker and make it look like it was giving everyone the bird.

I looked down at my cellphone – only thirty minutes had passed since gym and lunch was about over by now. I sighed and wondered what the heck I should do. I could text Trevor, but then he would bitch at Jennifer and she would then call me a snitch bitch, so no thanks there. Just thinking about who to text made my brain hurt. I mean, I couldn't get Becky to help – she used school to get as much positive attention from Matt as she could – he's so close to asking her out that it is almost painful. Besides those two, I really have no one else to call besides... No, I couldn't call them. It would be too rude and totally out of the blue. I'm sure they have much better things to do then pick me up in the middle of the day.

Who am I kidding? I am practically topless in a bathroom stall. At this point they could be having tea with the freaking Queen of England and I would demand they come with an escort and a limo with a whole wardrobe waiting for me. So with this mindset, I picked up my phone off my lap, punched in the numbers I had only gotten a couple months or so ago, and listened to it ring... and ring... and ring. By the fifth ring I was realizing this was sort of a mistake. I mean, no one answers their phone, especially during school... I'm such a bonehead!

I was about to hang up until I heard a low voice go, "Hello?"

I let out a huge sigh of relief and went, "Hey, it's Raven... I need a huge favor."

-x-

I never realized before how tricky it was to sneak out of a bathroom to the front of the building. I thought about walking down the halls, but then I might get caught by a no-life teacher and Lord knows I need another detention in my life. Instead, I decided that I was going to attempt to squeeze through the bathroom window since (thankfully) I was the on first floor. I already tossed my bag out the window as well as my two inches long earrings because I really did not feel like getting them ripped out of my earlobe today.

I could hear the low rumbling of his truck, even from the inside of the school. It made me antsy and full of anticipation to leave this damn school. I proceeded to balance myself on the edge of one of the sinks carefully, trying very hard to maintain my footing, and slowly reach towards the ledge. I pulled my whole body towards it so no my arms were supporting all of my weight. I cautiously lifted my right leg up and swung it strategically out of the window. I shifted a bit before pulling out my left leg and lowered myself a little before I hopped onto the ground. Once my feet hit solid ground you better believe I grabbed my stuff and I ran; as in, sprinting the fastest two-hundred meter dash of my life 'ran.'

A few seconds later I came upon the midnight blue truck that would now and forever be my safe haven. I flung the door open and yanked the large shirt out of his hands and quickly threw it over my head while screaming, "Go! Go! Go!" My savior stomped on the pedal and we went squealing out of the parking lot.

About five minutes later we pulled into a Bob Evans parking lot and parked the truck near the back of it. As he shut off the truck I began to catch my breath – I had never done anything so strenuous in my life. Sure, dealing with my obnoxious family gave me the worst headaches but those are nothing compared to the thumping within my chest.

"Wow, that was certainly different," he chuckled next to me, dazzling me with that gorgeous smile of his. I smiled back and could not help but chuckle at his remark.

"If you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm pretty much the definition of different."

"Yeah, well I don't mind different so much. I'm actually finding it quite exhilarating. I cut classes for the first time in two years, a girl came sprinting towards me with only a bra on, and I get to have restaurant food for lunch instead of brain stimulating food groups. Different is a hell of a lot better than any average thing," he stated with the biggest smile on his face. His light green eyes twinkled and danced about in their sockets and I just could not help but giggle. He looked absolutely ridiculous bouncing up and down in his black and purple school uniform. I guess that's Luke for you – not caring how stupid or weird he looked. It was definitely one of my favorite things about him.

We both stepped out of the car laughing and as soon as he was in sight I gave him the biggest hug I could muster. He let out an 'Oomph!' but he hugged me back and sort of left his hands around me for one moment too long, but it was okay because we are only friends and friends are allowed to huge excessively.

"Thank you so much Luke," I mumbled right into his ear before disentangling my hands from his backside and moving away from him a bit. He smiled brightly at me and we made our way into the restaurant. We were immediately seated and we took place in booth off to the side of the building. We were out of sight of most windows and there were only a few other families here. Best place to have a secret meeting if I ever saw one.

If you did not know by now, Trevor is a very jealous individual. Within the past week he has delivered one black eye, twelve smashed toes, and countless nasty glares. Sometimes it was nice to have a boyfriend that wanted me all to himself, but it mostly just felt like he was being overly annoying and slowly isolating me from the male population. Which is the reason why he would flip that I was with Luke instead of glued to his side at school.

"So..." Luke started after we placed our order and our waitress was collecting our menus. "How did you exactly get into this predicament? I almost forgot to ask while I was processing it all." He chuckled in a jumpy manner, as if he could not contain the excitement within him. I giggled before answering his question.

"There's this complete bitch at school who has been picking on me since... I think around November. So she thought she would try to humiliate me and give me a reputation so bad to the point where Trevor would break up with me. So–"

"Wait, Trevor the one who barged in on us at the diner?" Luke asked a bit surprised.

"Yeah, that's him," I said with a roll of my eyes, but the color still crept on my cheeks anyways. Luke laughed a little and it only made me blush harder; now there was a blatant red color along the middle of my face.

"How long have you guys been going out for?"

"Hell if I know," I chuckled as I said it. We've been flirting on and off for years and it was certainly difficult to put a specific date on it. That is another thing about Trevor I just cannot put a thumb on... or how he manages to completely alter his wardrobe, look great, and keep his reputation as alpha dog all at one. It's mind blowing. "If I had to take a stab I would say about six weeks."

"Well, who needs an exact time line? As long as you are happy with the person things like time just seem to fly," Luke said philosophically before sipping lightly on his drink. He looked so at ease even though there was still this glow of energy around him. How he managed to do it – I had no idea, but all I can really say is that its little things like that that make me truly glad to be his friend. I'm not usually all sappy or get easily attached to people, but Luke makes it so easy. His nature just beckons you. Analytically, he's the warm, moist cave in the middle of a lightning storm – always there for shelter and protection, but with enough space so others can fit as well.

I smiled at him. "I know what you mean. When I'm with either of you it just feels so light and fun that I never notice if I have been there for five minutes or five hours."

"Time flies when I'm with you as well."

The deep words rang in my ears and an even deeper blush crept onto my pasty cheeks. I could feel my face heat up and the look Luke was giving me was almost unbearable. It was so heart-warming and conceivable that it made my heart melt a little. He was so open about everything and never hid his emotions from me. We were just two people when we're together and being with a person like him is so natural. But what wasn't natural was the small voice inside my head saying softly, "Kiss him."

-x-

"Well, that was an interesting outing," I offered as we exited Bob Evans.

"That's certainly one way to describe it," Luke replied in his good-natured tone. His voice is so deep and rich I would just love to listen to it all day.

"Yeah, maybe if it whispered sweet nothings," the voice sneered.

I have been battling this the whole time. Everything I thought thus far has been picked at and poked at by the little voice that decided to reappear for no apparent reason but to antagonize me and attempt to get me in trouble. It would tell me to play footsie or grab his hand or shove my tongue down his throat... Little pest.

"Hmm... Well, it's about three in the afternoon and I don't have anything in particular to do so what do you want to do?" I asked politely, letting that comment slip past in my mind.

"I don't care. There aren't a lot of cool hang outs around here. Besides, I would rather it be better if I didn't bump into any of my friends from school. I don't want them seeing us together," Luke said while fiddling with his keys. He unlocked the truck before hopping into the driver's seat. I looked at him for a moment, not blinking but staring. He tilted his head at me a minute later when he noticed I hadn't moved. When I didn't react to his head tilt he opened the door and said in a quizzical manner, "Are you going to come in?"

"I don't know," I said dead pan before the venom quickly infected my voice, "I don't want your friends to see us. Just in case." I crossed my arms over my best and I suddenly felt like crap. I get so much shit for how I dress and how my eye make-up is completely over done. They always say it like it's a bad thing; as though it was something I should be ashamed of. I don't fit the mold of this town in the least, but the minimum people could do is not judge me for it. I am a semi-decent person. I mean, we all have our moments. Just because I dress abnormally does not give anyone the authority to scold me or assume I am a devil worshiper. People who think that can go to hell and take that up with Lucifer himself.

I closed my eyes in frustration and self-loathing. No one has ever been there for me and even if they were they wouldn't stay for too long. People drift and are an ever changing variable. No one is ever who you think they are. It's a fact of life.

I opened my eyes again as soon as I felt the shirt fabric against me. The brown orbs brimmed with tears and were about to spill over. I could feel his arms moving to my backside and I leaned into him as much as I could before I buried my face into his shoulder and let my tears run rampant. I thought of how distant I was from those there were so close in all actuality. I thought of how I had only one friend my entire life whereas the average person has multiple throughout elementary school. The image of me being all by myself when I'm older scared me shitless. The picture is so vivid in my mind. I would have glowing white hair and tattooed-on eyeliner that was way too thick that's been on my eyelids for over twenty years. I would be wearing junky goth clothing with bright red-colored contacts while sitting in a poorly-made chair just starring out a window, waiting for death to come.

This only made me cry harder.

Luke pulled me in tighter when I tried to drawback. He pulled my upper back gently and spoke calming words. I could not exactly hear what he was saying but his voice hummed in my ears and something about it was so calming that about ten minutes later it had slowly lulled me out of my tears and onto sniffling.

"I'm so sorry," I croaked with a tear-filled voice.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. The way I said that came out completely wrong. I love being with you Raven, but my friends would make assumptions and say horrible things about us; especially you. You could not imagine what I would have to hear about things we 'supposedly' did every time I turn a corner. Gossip is the worst form of torture. There is no real way to fight back effectively," Luke apologized in the most sincere tone I have ever heard anyone use before. There was something about him that was so believable that it was almost unbearable.

"I understand. It's the story of my life," I commented quietly, fully accepting his apology.

He squeezed me tighter to the point where I thought I might burst and he gently touched his lips to the top of my head. I closed my eyes and the image of Trevor popped up and I instantly felt more at ease. Luke then removed his lips and loosened up before completely letting go. The green eyes that looked down at me held a calmness about them as he said, "So where are we off to?"

"The cemetery," I said without missing a beat.

He smiled down at me, his teeth sparkling at midday. We both then turned and went to our sides of the truck. Once we were both in he started it up and drove off at a moderate pace. It was relaxing and it was only the beginning.

-x-

A little ways away, not too far from where we were once parked sat the Prada Bees, Heather and Jennifer smiling down at their Coolpix camera as though it were the fountain of youth or like the two fat cats that finally got their jaws hinged on that noisy, overdue canary. This could never lead to anything good...

(A/N: Highschool, soccer, and life happened. That's my only explanation besides just not having enough time in a day. I'll have more free time once school releases in one day :D and the next chapter is going to be in Trevor's point of view so stay tuned for that ;))