Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with "That's So Raven."
Chapter 17
Chelsea was sitting indian style on her bed, flipping through her old photo album when she got the first alarming call. It was about 5:30. She hadn't even noticed how fast the day had gone by.
She thought it was Raven, and it took five rings before she picked it up. "H-hello?"
"Hello Chelsea? Hi, it's Tanya Baxter."
"Oh! Hey Mrs. Baxter." Chelsea said, surprised. It wasn't really normal for Tanya Baxter to call her phone. "What's up?"
"I was just wondering if Raven was over at your house."
"Uh...no. She's not. She's not home?"
"No. I haven't seen her all day. But, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Just, tell her to call me if she shows up."
"Okay, Mrs. B. Will do."
"All right. Bye now."
About an hour later, her mother came into her room. "Chelsea, sweetie, I just got off the phone with Tanya Baxter. Have you seen Raven today?"
Chelsea looked up from her book. She lied. "No. Raven wasn't in school today." Getting up from her bed, she said, "Mrs. Baxter called me like an hour ago, Raven isn't home yet?"
Mrs. Daniels shook her head sadly. "No honey. She's very worried, so if Raven calls, you tell me or your father, all right?"
Chelsea nodded, biting the nail on her forefinger. Mrs. Daniels recognized the anxiety and gave her daughter a quick hug. "Don't worry sweetie, I'm sure everything is all right. For all we know, Raven is already home."
"Yeah." Chelsea replied, but that didn't put her at ease.
Mrs. Daniels left and Chelsea sat back down on her bed. Her stomach felt like it was doing flips inside of her. Maybe Raven ran away because of the kiss and how Chelsea had reacted.
Maybe she thought she could never face Chelsea again. If that was the case, Chelsea knew it was all her fault.
Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang again. Chelsea picked it up before it could finish it's first ring and almost screamed, "Raven?"
"No, it's Eddie. So, Rae's not over there?"
"No. Eddie, I'm really worried."
"Raven didn't stop by your house at all?"
"No, why?"
"Because, she told me she was headed there."
"When?"
"That was this afternoon."
So, Raven had talked to Eddie, most likely after the kiss.
"And you haven't seen or heard from her since?" Chelsea nearly shouted, panic taking over her.
"No."
"Oh my God. What do we do Eddie?"
"I'm out here looking for her. You wanna meet me somewhere?"
"Yeah, sure. Where?"
"I'm over at the pizza place right now."
"Okay, I'll see you there in like ten minutes."
"All right. Bye."
Chelsea hung up, grabbed her jacket and ran for her front door. "Mom, Dad, I'm going out to look for Raven."
Chelsea didn't wait for their permission as she ran out the door.
Eddie scanned the pizza place for the fifth time, making sure he looked in every corner. Raven wasn't there. Where was she? What happened? Did she even make it to Chelsea's house?
Suddenly, Chelsea was beside him, scanning the pizza place as well.
"Chels."
"She's not here."
"I know. I looked over this place like a million times. I looked in the mall, and the bowling alley, and the thrift stores over on Main Street. I went to "The Chill Grill" twice, but Mr. Baxter is already there. He says if Raven doesn't call or something by nine, they're gonna call the police."
"It's all my fault." Chelsea said shakily, tears of worry forming in her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Raven...she...she--"
"She kissed you."
"You know about that?"
"Yes, that was the secret I couldn't tell you Chels. I've known how she felt for a little while now."
"So, what'd she say?"
"She had a vision. And she was coming over to see you."
"When did she leave?"
"I don't know. I'd say about one, one-thirty."
Chelsea shook her head. "She didn't come to see me, and I'd know because Ben..." Chelsea's eyes widened. "Ben! Raven must've seen me and Ben and thought we were getting back together."
"Why would she think that?"
"Because...he was over at my house. We talked, we hugged...I kissed him on the cheek. You think she saw that?"
"Are you two getting back together?"
"No. Ben knew too and he just wanted to know how I was doing. Eddie, what if she saw us?"
Eddie shrugged. "She was a mess when I found her Chelsea, you have no idea." Eddie didn't want to go into detail, Chelsea seemed frightened enough as it was. "Seeing you with Ben might've..." Eddie didn't want to blame Chelsea, she looked guilty already,and it really wasn't her fault.
"Where would she go?"
"I really don't know Chelsea. I looked over all the places I could think of."
Chelsea looked around again, hoping that Raven would walk by, but she didn't. "Okay, I have my cell, you have yours?"
Eddie held his up. "Yeah."
"Let's split up. Check everywhere again. If you find her, call me. I'll do the same."
Eddie nodded. "Okay."
As they were about to split, Eddie turned. "Chelsea."
"What?"
"What...what if we don't find her?"
Chelsea shook her head. She didn't want to think about that possibility. "We'll find her."