She had so much to do. She had to book the tickets to San Francisco, pack, notify her work that she was going on vacation for a few months, make sure there was someone to look after her place, and finish Christmas shopping for her family. With so much to think about, why she was going home never left her mind. Raven needed closure. Hiding all this time hadn't helped. She had decided to tell Chelsea how she's felt all these years and at least try to rebuild their friendship. She also remembered the promise she made years ago to be her maid of honor. ' I got to go home and face her. It's the only way to get over her.' She had been doing so much thinking about her past since the vision, and she realized that she still hoped that Chelsea would someday realize she loved her as well. Instead, she lost a great friend by shunning her all of this time. She had to face facts that Chelsea was in love and getting married. Raven and Chelsea had wanted to see so many things together. Now she was seeing so much of it alone. Raven wanted her best friend back.
After finding out that Chelsea and Eddie had been dating for over a month, Raven was angry, jealous, and sad. She was mad that they didn't tell her from the beginning, jealous because Eddie had what she wanted, and sad because she could never be happy for her friends. She was extremely confused over what to do. She had no one to talk to. Her parents were cool, but not that cool. She spent the weekend in her room sewing and crying. She had successfully avoided them over the weekend, but she was bound to see them Monday at school.
'I have to confront them about this. They are my best friends. We can get through this. I can handle this. I can accept that they are dating.' This all went through Raven's head as she walked toward Eddie and Chelsea in the hall at school.
" Hey what are you guys up to?" She had decided to give them a chance to tell her what was going on. They both looked at Raven as though they were deer caught in head lights. Raven would have laughed if it wasn't a serious matter , instead she smiled and waited for a response.
"Hey Ray, we were just talking about our project for science." Raven figured that could be true since she didn't have science with them. "Yeah, we're making a model of the respiratory system." Chelsea takes a small step away from Eddie putting more space between them, and a silence fell among the friends. Raven knew they were still trying to hide their relationship. The bell starts ringing breaking the silence between them. "I really need to talk to you guys. Maybe at lunch or something. It's important." Eddie and Chelsea could tell something was up and were very nervous. "Ok" they say in unison. They go their separate ways for class.
Raven is just as nervous about the conversation to come. After meeting at the lockers at lunch, she asks them to follow her to an empty classroom where they could talk in private. Both Chelsea and Eddie wear guilty faces. It seems they know what is coming. Raven can't help but look sad.
"I know we've been busy this year. And we really haven't been able to chill together like we use to. But still I thought we were close friends. . . . I overheard you guys talking after school on Friday. Why didn't you tell me?"
Raven tries to keep her voice even, but it doesn't work. She can feel the hot tears coming. She looks down at the floor waiting for a response from her two friends. When she looks up Eddie and Chelsea are holding hands. That doesn't help matters. It makes her more than a little jealous to see them like that. "Ray…" Chelsea starts. She didn't know how to explain. She had been thinking for a while how to tell her. "We never planned this…." Chelsea stops talking once she sees Raven's face. She can't believe she's making her best friend cry. She feels tears come to her own eyes and steps forward to hug Raven. Raven puts her hand up to halt Chelsea, who looks down at the floor. She can't stand to have Chelsea touch her now although she needs comforting.
Eddie bravely starts "Ray, me and Chels have been seeing each other now for two months next Saturday. Over the summer I just started to see her in a different way." Eddie looks lovingly over at Chelsea. " We were spending more time together without you around because we had more classes together. One day I just decided to ask her out and she said yes, and we've been dating ever since." Raven looks incredulously at them both. "So you guys have been hiding this from me since September?" she asks trying not to raise her voice. She looks at Chelsea for an explanation. "We didn't know how you would react Ray" says Chelsea, her voice cracking. "We've known each other since kindergarten, but I guess we're not as close as I thought. You don't trust me. Sure I'm shocked and upset, but you should have told me" whispers Raven, feeling worst because that wasn't the only reason she was hurt. She couldn't stand there and see them together any longer. With more tears coming to her eyes, Raven turns and leaves the room. They call after her, but she doesn't answer. Chelsea looks to Eddie, who then gives her a comforting hug. "Eddie I think we've lost her."
Eddie and Raven stayed friends throughout the years. It had been rocky there for a time while he and Chelsea were dating. They never again chilled like they'd used to. An occasional movie and lunch together is all they got out of Raven until they graduated and went to college.
After the relationship with Chelsea fizzled out during freshmen year, Eddie contacted Raven to reconcile. By that time she was living in New York going to design school. The two became close again, but only saw each other over the holidays until Raven moved to Paris. Then they were only able to phone and email. Raven's friendship with Chelsea was a totally different story.