Chapter Four
Mr. Harvlin
The room was dark, except for the giant flashing screen. Dick and Kori were seated near the middle of the theater, engrossed in the comedy playing before them.
Eventually, Kori turned to Dick with a small smile on her face. "Raven and Gar are cute together, yes?"
"Yeah…" Dick said, distracted by the eyelash on her cheek. He reached out to brush it away, then turned beet red and quickly retracted his hand, glad of the theater's darkness. "Listen, Kori, I need to tell you something."
Kori cocked her head to one side. "What is it?"
"I… I…" he began. He looked down at his hands, attempting to work up courage. "I'm… thirsty."
"Oh…" Kori said, giving him a strange look. "Do you want me to come with you to the stand of candy and soda?"
"No… Actually, I'm feeling better now." He gave her a reassuring smile, and she returned her attention to the screen.
Disappointed in himself, Dick hit his forehead. "Oh, ow…"
Kori turned back around. "Are you sure you are feeling all right?" She leaned across to feel his forehead with the back of her hand.
Flushed red, he backed away. "I'm fine," he replied, nursing his head.
Kori, about to inquire further, caught sight of something on the screen. "Glorious! That dress is marvelous!" She whipped out her notebook and began to sketch.
Dick sighed and sunk back into his seat.
-
A few days later, Raven swung slowly on one of the swings in the park, extremely frustrated. She couldn't find anything in the file that suggested murder – and the note, which she thought would become a lead, was definitely in the girl's handwriting.
Dick, who was swinging next to her, handed the folder back. "Let's face it… Maybe she did commit suicide, after all."
Raven closed her eyes. "It doesn't make sense, though! She was surrounded by friends and family, and everyone said that she was always happy." She thought back to the conversations she had with the girl's friends and added, "She even received a love letter the day before she died!"
Dick sighed and stood up. "The human mind is a mystery. She was probably suffering from manic depression or another illness. Anyway, I have to run – I promised Bruce that I'd meet him." He waved and strode away to his parked motorcycle.
Raven sighed and put the folder away in her backpack, resigned.
-
A few weeks later, most had all but forgotten about the suicide. In addition, the police had decided that the short, missing sections in their security feed were simply technological malfunctions, leaving the group off the hook.
Raven sat in the back of Vic's car, tapping her fingers on her leg. Vic and Bee were arguing in the front, leaving her alone and bored. She sighed, crossed her legs, and uncrossed them again.
Suddenly, they passed by Gar walking on the side of the road. He had been walking to school everyday as some form of a strike to get money for a moped from his parents. So far, his ploy had been unsuccessful.
Vic pulled over and rolled down the window. "Hop in!"
"Dude, you know I can't!" Gar responded after a moment of indecision.
"One day off won't hurt," Vic replied, gesturing wildly for him to get in.
Gar smiled and hopped into the back seat. Raven moved over to give him room. "Hey, Raaaven," Gar began cajolingly.
She sighed. "What do you want?"
He grinned. "Did you get finish the math assignment?"
Before she had a chance to reprimand him, Vic pulled over again. This time, Roy was the one walking. "Where's your car, man?" Vic asked.
"It's in the shop," Roy responded. "I totaled it in a drag race."
"Well, get in!"
Roy gratefully jumped in the backseat. Raven moved over again, now next to the opposite door.
"So, about that math assignment…"
"Hey, guys!" someone shouted outside the car. Vic pulled over when they saw Terra rollerblading down the sidewalk. "Can I get a ride?" she asked. "My feet are killing me."
"Sure!" Vic responded. Terra sat down next to Roy, and Raven moved over again, now pressed against the door.
"So, Raaaven," Gar began again.
"Hey, guys!" Vic interrupted, yelling out the window.
Kori and Dick were walking together, conversing quietly about something. When they saw Vic, they both broke into huge smiles. "Hey, Vic!" Dick shouted. "A friend is borrowing my bike today."
"You let someone borrow your bike?" Vic said in disbelief.
"It was really important," Dick explained.
"Well, hop in!"
Dick and Kori pushed into the back seat, Kori sitting on Dick's lap. Raven, similarly, was pushed into Gar's lap. To her surprise, he didn't ask about the math homework. Rather, he seemed to be breathing heavily.
The car soon became filled with noise, as everyone tried to talk above the music Vic was blasting. Finally, Dick shouted, "You know, this is probably illegal." Everyone simply laughed.
Finally, they pulled up at the school and everyone tumbled out just as the bell rang.
"We're gonna be late!" Vic shouted, and everyone ran for the door, still laughing.
Gar paused for a second and look at Raven, seemingly wanting to say something. Instead, he flashed her a small smile and scampered away, leaving her bewildered.
-
Kori, Raven, and Terra flew into their first hour class and slid into their table at the back. The young teacher at the front, Mr. Harvlin, shook his head in mock disapproval and winked. Terra and Kori sighed dreamily.
"Remind me why we're taking Drama again?" Raven inquired flatly.
"Because Mr. Harvlin's soo handsome, of course!" Terra exclaimed, tearing her eyes away from the teacher. Kori, still staring at him, leaned her head on her propped elbow.
"I think I might switch into Shop with Vic. Or Art with Bee."
"And miss the opportunity to look at him everyday?" Terra asked, astonished.
Raven watched the attractive teacher smile brightly at a group of adoring girls and shuddered. "He gives me the creeps."
Terra and Kori, however, didn't hear her as they admired the teacher.
-
After class, Raven traversed to the office. "Excuse me," she told the elderly lady at the desk. The woman didn't look up. "Excuse me," she repeated, slightly louder. Again, the woman didn't respond. "Excuse me!" Raven said, growing annoyed. The elderly lady slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. "EXCUSE ME!" Raven yelled uncharacteristically. The woman jolted awake and noticed her.
"Why, hello, dearie! How can I help you?"
Returning to her normal voice level, Raven told her, "I'd like to switch one of my classes."
The woman cocked an ear. "I'm sorry, dearie, but you'll have to speak up."
"I'D LIKE TO SWITCH ONE OF MY CLASSES!" Raven said loudly, clearly enunciating each word.
The woman looked at her, hurt. "Well, you didn't have to shout." Raven sighed and apologized. Satisfied, the woman looked through her computer. "Well, the only classes with open slots are Dance," Raven shuddered. "and Art."
"I'd like to switch into Art, please," Raven said, picking a volume between the two.
"And what did you say your name was?"
"Raven."
The woman slowly typed into the computer, and then turned back to Raven. "Okay. I'm sending a memo to the teacher right now. You should go to the Art room first thing tomorrow."
Raven, after thanking her, turned to leave. To her surprise, she found Gar walking in. "Why are you here?" she asked.
"I'm switching my elective," he replied, and showed her his swelled and purple thumb. "Shop really isn't my thing."
Raven winced appreciatively, and said, "I just switched to Art."
"Art, eh?" Gar said, and smiled.