Disclaimer: I don't own anything affiliated with "That's So Raven." I don't.

Chapter 16

The next day, at exactly 7:15 a.m., Raven was up, dressed, and walking out of her house. She left a note by the fridge, a place that at least one member of her family would look. Looking around quickly, just to make sure that the posse was nowhere to be found, Raven closed her door and jogged down the steps of her house.

Bianca, Muffy and Loca stepped out from behind the other side of her stoop. Bianca smiled wildly. "I knew she was lying!"

"She's getting away." Muffy practically shouted.

That was all the initiative they needed as they followedRaven down her block.

When Raven reached Chelsea's house, Chelsea was sitting on the stoop outside.

"Hey, you're right on time." Chelsea stated, looking at her wristwatch.

"Yeah. I don't want to be a second late. Maybe, if Samantha's in there, I can get us inside before they open."

Raven looked around the neighborhood and Chelsea asked, "What are you doing?"

Raven squinted her eyes and shook her head a little. "I don't know…I—do you ever get the feeling that you're being watched?"

"Uh…no. Why?"

"It's just…I feel like someone's following me." Raven said quickly, and then her eyes widened. "Oh no!"

"What, what?" Chelsea whispered, sitting frozen on her stoop.

"It's the girls. Bianca, Muffy and Loca. I caught them spying on me last night. I think they're following me."

Bianca, Loca, and Muffy stopped a few houses before, shocked.

"Daniels? Raven ditched us for that loser Chelsea Daniels?" Loca squealed uncharacteristically.

"Why would Raven do this to us?" Muffy whispered in Bianca's ear.

Bianca shook her head. Her blood boiled with a mixture of anger, hurt, and jealousy. "Something's up."

Chelsea stood up. "Well, what do we do?"

Raven looked around. "Uh…let's get inside." She grabbed Chelsea by the hand and dragged her up the stairs. Chelsea unlocked the door and they both went inside. Then, they both went out Chelsea's backyard door.

Hopping over the back fence and then jetting down the block, they slowed when Raven thought it was safe. Then Chelsea said:

"How are you going to convince Samantha to help you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you think she'll know you? In this world, you never went to the magic shop to ask for the candle."

Raven hadn't thought about that. "We'll…just have to cross that bridge when we come to it girl."

They started toward the magic shop.

Raven and Chelsea reached the magic shop by 7:40. Chelsea stepped back to get a full view of the place, while Raven practically pressed her face against the window pane to see if Samantha was there.

To her luck, Samantha was there, restocking a shelf with some bottles.

"Samantha!" Raven shouted, banging on the glass. Samantha almost fell off of the small step stool she was on in surprise. When she turned, Raven banged again and pointed to the door.

Samantha did not look happy. In fact, she looked visibly upset.

"You remember me? It's Raven!" Raven shouted as Samantha stared at her. "Let us in!"

Samantha took a step toward the door and then hesitated. Then, after Raven wrapped on the glass for a third time, Samantha relented and unlocked the door. Raven and Chelsea stepped inside. Samantha ran behind the counter with Raven in tow. Chelsea looked around the shop in wonderment.

"Hey, do you remember me? I came in here a few days ago and you gave me a…"

"Magic birthday candle. Yes, I remember."

Chelsea heard it and snapped her head toward the two girls. "You remember her? How?"

"Well, our shop is protected from any magic from outside."

Raven nodded in excitement. "Thank God, because I really need your help."

"What?" Samantha asked, afraid of the answer.

"I made a wish and messed everything up. I need to change it back. You can help me change it back right?"

Samantha shook her head. "I TOLD you to be careful!"

Chelsea stepped behind Raven. She could not believe her ears. Everything that Raven had told her had been the truth. The other world, the candle, the wish…everything. Up until this moment, she only half-believed the story. Now…

"I-I-I'm sorry. I can't do anything for you."

"What!" Raven shouted and Samantha flinched.

"You made the wish, you live with the consequences. I'm sorry, but you're on your own."

All of the breath that Raven had in her lungs suddenly expended from her body. She felt her whole body deflate. Ever since Raven realized what a mistake she had made, it was like her world was being dangled in front of her and no matter how fast she ran, she couldn't get closer. Today, with the help of Chelsea and what would have been Samantha, Raven thought she was one step closer; that she was gainingground and would finallymake things right.But with Samantha's crushing words, Ravensaw her world in her mind just…shatter into a million pieces.

"No..."