Chapter 12: Fighting and Flirting
Kori's cheeks went a shade of red that rivalled the crimson comforter. Not meeting Richard's eyes she sidled over to a nearby couch and sat down eyes staring at the floor. An amused grin crossed Richard's face. "Kori? Is something wrong?"
"No." Her voice squeaked miserably.
Almost laughing now Richard got up and walked towards her. "You're not scared of me are you?"
She finally looked up. "I'm not sure."
His eyes took in her face intently. "You're looking very beautiful today. Is that for me?"
Kori stood up too so that they were practically nose-to-nose. "I wanted to look nice for you. It's the least I could do after...," She stopped, her mind continuing the sentence. After lying to you and cheating you and stabbing you in the back. She shook her head angrily and tried to smile. "Anyway I'm here now. So what do you want to do? You are not going to take me out again on that monster of a bike are you?"
"I was thinking we could stay home today." Was it just her or did his eyes seem unusually dark?
"Oh?" Darn, that squeak was back again. "And what is there to do at home?"
His chuckle was deep and warm as he slipped an arm around her waist. "Are you really this naïve or are you pretending?" There was a roaring in her ears that was worse then the sound the motorbike made.
Her eyes fluttered closed instinctively. "I think I'm pretending."
This kiss was much gentler. Sweeter and softer with a hint of passion behind it. She couldn't help reflecting just what a good kisser Richard was. His tongue nudged hers gently and with a small gasp he slipped it into her mouth. Wow. She sighed dreamily. He was a really good kisser. Without quite thinking they managed to stumble backwards onto the couch to continue the make-out session. Her hands were firmly in his hair while his were warm on the small of her back. However as the kissing continued the hands began to drift away to more welcome spots. Kori spread her palms flat on Richard's toned stomach and felt a groan rumble through him. His hands were on her tummy too, tickling her gently until suddenly he moved them up slightly. She gasped again and then let herself get swept away in the feeling of warm hands holding her, caressing her, making her feel as if she was in heaven…if only that annoying sound would stop everything would be perfect. Then Richard stopped, breathing heavily and looked behind. Apparently the sound hadn't only been in her imagination.
The knocking grew more and more impatient as the tousled couple tried to get up and straighten their clothes. Finally the knocker couldn't take it anymore and burst in. "Richard what are you doing in here? I've been knocking for the past five min-," He stopped taking in the sight of a dishevelled Richard trying to do up his buttons and a fiery haired girl pulling down her top. "Oh." A sly grin crossed his face. "Oh." He sniggered slightly. "Sorry, didn't know you had company."
There was a dangerous tone in Richard's voice. "Ryan would you please leave now?"
"Wait!" Kori's head snapped up. "Ryan?"
There was a moment of shocked silence. "Kori?"
"Here?"
"How?"
"Why?"
"When"
"WHAT?" burst in Richard. "Are you two talking about?"
Ryan folded his arms and shook his head grimly. "Great Kori. Just great. The first time I see you in ages you're alone in my friend's room doing god knows what with him and not even stopping by to say hello!"
Richard gaped still rather out of it. "Do you two know each other?"
Kori pursed her lips undecided whether to laugh or cry. "Know him? That annoying twit is…is… my big brother!
Raven and Bee stared at her disbelievingly. "Your brother, your brother, is staying at Richard Grayson's house? In Bruce Wayne's mansion and you didn't even know?"
"Well no-,"
"That he was staying with the richest bachelor in the world?"
"I am sure it is not the wor-,"
"Without even telling you?"
"He tried to ex-,"
"He walked in on you two making out!"
"It wasn't making out exact-,"
"I can't believe this!"
Raven began to speak and then shut her mouth abruptly, glaring over Kori's shoulder. Confused Kori turned around only to come face to face with Jinx and Terra. They both looked a little uncomfortable trying to ignore the cold glares directed at them. "Hey Kor."
"We're just here to check up on you, you know."
"Though," added Jinx with a raised eyebrow. "With snippets from your previous conversation maybe we can stick around longer."
"It's nothing," she assured hastily but once again was interrupted, this time by Terra.
"Nothing! You can't call finding a beloved older brother in the house of the Bruce Wayne in the middle of a make out with the Ice King nothing. It my dear girl is most definitely something."
"You could have told us Kor," teased Jinx with mock disappointment.
Bee butted in. "Maybe she didn't want to tell you."
"Mmm, maybe Terra," snapped Raven. "She thought she could trust her real friends more."
Kori felt a warmth in her stomach at Raven's unconscious admittance but at the same time she hated to see people she liked fighting. "Please do not fight on my account," she said hastily. The two sides were now glowering at each other and Kori was suddenly seized with a horrible fear that Kitten was going to come along and ruin everything. Before she could say anything else however a furious Terra was pushing forward.
"Well Raven I bet Kori would be willing to forgive her 'true' friends for making a mistake."
"A mistake? Yes. Backstabbing someone? Purposefully lying and cheating? I think not."
"What the hell do you want me to do? I apologised already!"
"An apology doesn't change everything!"
"Then we're just going to be stuck like this forever huh? Cos there's honestly no more that I can do."
"There isn't? That's nice Terra. After backstabbing me, you join a group that makes it their mission to ground me into the dirt, you leave me when I most need your support and then you come scream at me to forgive you. I think you're right Terra. There's nothing more you can do to make me feel like crap."
Terra gaped; open mouthed and even Bee seemed speechless. Only Jinx remained unaffected. "Its boys you know, who do this. Instead of fighting with each other you should just never fall for someone in the first place."
"What would you know about boys?"
Jinx turned to face the African-American girl her eyes flashing. "Actually I know quite a lot. Mainly that they're pointless trouble." She turned around pulling a subdued Terra behind her and then paused and reconsidered. "And you might want to ask that honey mouthed Victor of yours what he did with a certain Sera."
Everyone watched her go in silence until a slightly amused Bee shook her head. "Someone needs to find her a guy fast."
Raven ate her sandwich quietly still slightly shocked at her previous confessions. She couldn't ever remember having shouted something like that, screamed her feelings at someone, yet now she felt oddly relieved. Not that she wanted to do anymore shouting for a while. She changed her mind when a brown haired boy slid easily into the seat beside her. "What do you want?"
"Where's Kori and Bee?"
"They're up to some mischief that I don't want to be part of."
"Ooh! I love mischief."
"I bet you do," replied Raven dryly a corner of her mouth twitching.
BB didn't notice though as his throat suddenly seemed to have gone dry. "By the way Rae I was wondering if I could ask you something?"
"Don't call me Rae."
"Ah, right." He pulled his shirt collar. "The point is Victor is planning to ask Bee out and-,"
"Good for Victor."
"Yeah that's exactly what I said! 'Good for you Vic!' I said happily. Not even dreaming that…well to come back to what I was saying."
The sun was making BB's eyes seem a really bright green. For some reason this irritated Raven. "Are you going to blabber all day or ask me whatever it is?"
His cheeks were scarlet as he looked down. "Well since it's a first date and all Vic thought it would be more comfortable if we, you know…,"
"No I don't know Garfield."
He winced and sighed. "If you're going to make me say it…he wanted me to double date with him and Raven…you're really the only girl I want to go with."
Her heart was beating at a thousand miles an hour but she couldn't let him see it. She couldn't let him even began to suspect what she feeling. "What about Terra?" That's it. Calm, cool, collected. Just as usual.
"Terra?" His voice was sharp. "We were over a long time ago, you know that. Ever since she and Kitten became friends and she became obsessed with being popular."
"So why do you want to go with me?"
"Because I like you." His blush had faded a little and his voice was frank. "Because you're different and I enjoy talking to you. Because there's something about you that makes me want to know more. Because your eyes are purple and mine are green and they're complementary colours."
She whacked him over the head. "It's purple and yellow you idiot," she muttered. But she smiled anyway and he took that as a 'yes.'
Authors Note: I'd forgotten how nice it was to read your lovely reviews! Thank you so much each and every one of you! Don't worry. This story will definitely be finished. I'm aiming for at least one chapter a week. =D Hope you enjoyed and thanks again! xD
