Oh they like me they reeeely like me! Jumping around happily I shall continue writing for the fans.
By the way I have forgotten to add a disclaimer to my other chapters so…I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE STORY LINE AND ANY MADE UP CHARACTERS! Just so you know…ahem…Okay…
And now for the story! Dah dah dah dah!
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The rain beat down relentlessly on Raven as she walked 'home'. The cold wetness soaked through her clothes and rested against her skin. It was miserable. The black turtleneck sweater and black pants did nothing to retain her natural body heat and, as a result, she was freezing. However, despite her misery, she was loath to return 'home' to the even colder atmosphere inevitably awaiting her. Yet, she could not prevent her eventual arrival, which only made it seem as if she'd gotten there sooner today.
Sighing inwardly, she pulled the house key from the soaking wet pocket of her pants, placed it into the keyhole and turned it. The door unlocked with a soft 'click,' and she entered the house as quietly as possible. As she closed the door carefully, so as not to make any noise, she heard angry voices coming from the living room. As usual, she suffered her distress silently. As much as she didn't want to, she would have to pass through the living room to reach the stairs that led to her room. Ever so quietly, she walked through the kitchen toward the living room. She did not want to meet the visitors. She did not want to be forced to deal with whispering mothers, leering sons and fathers, and glaring daughters. Not today.
What she saw as she reached the living room, however, froze her in her tracks. The visitors were the same two that she'd encountered at the principal's office only a few days ago. Professor Kain and Richard Greyson. The professor was sitting on one of the couches opposite her foster parents, and they were in the middle of a heated argument (no doubt about her). Meanwhile, Richard, holding to his normal behavior, casually leaned against the far wall. He was facing her. As a result, Richard was the first to notice her standing in the doorway. Though she wouldn't have been able to tell without her telepathy (because of the ever-present sunglasses hiding his eyes), she could feel his attention focused on her.
Erin Pennel, her foster mother, noticed her next and turned from screaming at Professor Kain that "that thing should be locked up the day it turns eighteen" to screaming at Raven that she was dripping all over the floor. Raven looked down slowly at the puddle forming around her feet stemming from the water streaming in tiny little rivulets to drip from her hair, the tips of her fingers, and her soaking wet black shoes. She looked up again quickly as she felt Erin move and was just in time to dodge a slap aimed at her.
"Get upstairs and change out of those wet clothes! You're soaking my carpet!" Erin screeched, even more enraged that Raven had avoided her slap.
When Raven hesitated for a moment, her foster father, Paul, bellowed, "Git your ass up them stairs now, young lady!"
Raven didn't hesitate this time, and quickly made her way up the stairs to the confines of her room.
Change P.O.V. Richard
Richard Greyson watched as Rachael fled up the stairs to her room, cold fury bubbling just beneath the surface of his calm exterior at the way she had been treated, even in what was supposed to be the sanctuary of her home. He watched as the professor continued to argue with the girl's foster parents. Then ever so silently, he slipped away from the wall to the stairs, taking them slowly and quietly so as to remain unnoticed. Richard would have bet money that the professor was completely aware of what he was doing, even as the argument continued with the oblivious human foster parents.
When he reached the top of the stars, he followed the wet prints in the carpet to a room at the end of the hallway. The walls all the way down the hallway were covered with pictures of what must have been Rachael's foster brother and sister. The boy looked to be around his age--eighteen--while the girl looked to be Rachael's age--somewhere around fifteen or sixteen.
When he reached the room he saw that indeed the girl was there, leaning against the wall, her chin resting in the open palm of her hand, and her elbow on the windowsill. She was staring listlessly out the window where the storm was raging.
Her room could be described as empty. It was bare of any personal possessions, save a duffel bag and a few outfits hanging in an otherwise empty closet. The clothes and the bag were black, a stark contrast to the rest of the room, which was completely and utterly white. White carpet, white walls, white ceiling, white bed. Everything white.
Richard stayed standing in the doorway and cleared his throat to gain Rachael's attention. The girl spun around quickly, startled. A moment later, however, her startled expression was replaced with the smallest flicker of annoyance before slipping to the blank emotionless expression she usually wore.
" Can I help you," she asked her irritation now coming out through her voice rather than her expression.
" I wanted to know…." Richard started softly, " why it is that you have declined the professor's offer to attend his school."
Rachael stared at him blankly for a moment before resuming her earlier position at the window.
" Because I don't want to go," she said simply.
" That's not true," Richard replied in the same soft, even tone.
Rachael's gaze shifted lazily to look at him through the reflection in the window.
" It isn't?"
" We both know it isn't."
" Really..." She returned to staring out into the storm, seemingly uninterested in the conversation and completely at ease.
Nevertheless as Richard took a step into the room her gaze immediately snapped back to him warily.
" I think...," he began carefully " that you are...afraid...of change."
The intensity of her gaze was beginning to unnerve him though he kept his expression clear of the emotion. He knew that if she sensed that he felt even the slightest discomfort she would try to crush him. As a result he kept his expression carefully free of anything other than calm reassurance as he took slow steps into the room, effectively forcing her to be the one who was ill at ease.
She turned to face him, staying no longer in the vulnerable position of leaving her back to him, but didn't verbally protest to his intrusion into her room. When he got within five feet of her however, her eyes narrowed dangerously and he halted in his advance. This is not a person to back into a corner. If he made her uneasy enough he had no doubt that she would make him seriously regret it.
When she had calmed down enough he continued.
"What is it that holds you back? Why do you refuse to allow yourself the opportunity to escape this?" He gestured around the room.
For a moment it look as if she were going to laugh at him. Then she scowled darkly. " What 'holds me back'," she spat "is that I don't want to go!"
"That is a lie!"
She glared at him. " Why do you care what I do!" she countered vehemently.
" Because nobody wants to be treated like this. Nobody deserves to be treated like this!"
They stood there glaring at each other for an amount of time before Rachael finally broke the heated stare in lieu of returning to that blank emotionless gaze, her anger—all of her expression really—bleeding from her face like life blood from a ruptured vein. Richard frowned, at a complete loss, as she turned her back on him.
"I don't care what you think you know about what I want, but this conversation is over. You'd do well to go back to living your comfortable life and leave me to deal with my own as well."
With that it seemed she'd dismissed him completely as she returned to staring out the window.
Richard glowered furious. This girl was obviously as cold and emotionless as everyone thought. She was a rude and ungrateful little monster who deserved to be treated as such.
... Ridiculous the thought flickered clear and lucid through his mind. To even think of her in such a way was completely and absolutely ridiculous.
As Richard's mind slowly returned to it's rational thinking process he realized that the anger he was feeling wasn't quite understandable. Normally he would never have thought such things about someone who'd done relatively nothing to him other than disallow him to help them.
It was at that moment that he realized that there was something unfamiliar brushing against his mind. It was pushingthe frustration towards him. An interfering presence in his mind that felt cold and rigid.
Then abruptly he realized that his anger was induced. That Rachael had been using her powers on him as a way of getting him to leave her alone. As a protection against the concern shown towards her. She was afraid.
" Rachael..." Richard began hesitant to push the girl further " no matter what you think, I do understand at least... partially what you are feeling. My life isn't all buttercups and daisies either, as you may believe."
Rachael turned to face him again gazing intently at him a moment before he felt that presence brush his mind once more. This time it was neither cold nor rigid. It was more inquisitive than anything else. Searching for truth in his words. And this time he allowed it to continue. He was sincere and he let her feel it in him while also keeping a firm block on the feelings that he didn't want her to feel. And she seemed to accept, if grudgingly, that he was in fact genuine with his words and pulled back, releasing him from the powerful hold of her mind.
Richard let out the deep breath he didn't realize he'd been holding as Rachael lowered her eyes.
" How I'm treated does not concern you," she said finally, her voice quiet.
" Maybe not," Richard replied. " but you should do it for yourself. You can't...you can't just accept this as your 'lot in life'. The people at this school will accept you for who you are. They can help you as well."
Rachael didn't respond immediately and the room was silent save for the constant pitter-patter of the rain on the rooftop.
"Fine," she said finally, her voice almost a whisper. " I'll go."
And that was all.
Richard watched, relieved at Rachael's decision, as she dropped her few outfits into her duffel bag and zipped it closed. She stood resigned and looked at him her expression blank. He knew now though, that her emotions were not non-existent—only hidden. And, to his slight surprise, he was content with that and he stared for the stairs with Rachael trailing silently behind him.
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Change P.O.V. Raven
As Raven followed Richard to the stairs she could hear the voice of Professor Kain speaking calmly to her foster parents.
" Mr. And Mrs. Pennel I have information that you have signed documents to have Rachael released from your custody and back into the orphanage."
" Yes that is correct," Erin sneered. "We've had that little monster long enough! It's about time she made somebody else's life miserable. Isn't that right dear?"
" Right. She's a nuisance to this family, an' we want her gone as soon as possible," Raven heard Paul's voice answer.
As she and Richard reached the top of the stairs she suddenly heard the front door slam as the rest of the 'family' entered the house. Zach and Marguerite. They appeared at the doorway of the living room as Richard took another two steps down and paused, Raven stood unmoving on the top stair. The two of them watched as Marguerite, upon seeing Professor Kain, immediately plastered a sickeningly sweet smile on her face and sashayed into the room, her ridiculously short skirt (that she'd chosen to wear even with the weather) barely covering her as she swayed her hips.
" Hello daddy," she simpered purposefully bending over to kiss Paul on the cheek and giving Professor Kain a good view of under her skirt.
Raven snickered silently as Marguerite's attempt proved futile. The Professor, instead of leering or grinning appreciatively (as most males did after being subject to Marguerite's little show), narrowed his eyes when Marguerite glanced at him to see his reaction. Marguerite poked out her lower lip at the professor's reaction. Her pout lasted only seconds, however as she caught sight of Richard standing on the stairs.
" And who might this handsome young man be?" she asked her tone returning to the sweet tenor she had used only moments before as she descended the stairs. " Really Mother, Daddy you should be more hospitable to our guest. Making him share company with the family virus. How rude of you!"
As she reached the stair below Richard she placed her right hand on the side of his face and continued her little tirade. "Please forgive my parents for their little slip-up. They're only human after all. Oh and do tell me your name." She cooed her face only inches away from Richard's.
" Richard," said young man replied. And--for all outward appearances--he had no problem with Marguerite imposing on his personal space.
Feeling encouraged Marguerite continued. "Oooh Richard hmm? I've always loved the name. So tell me Richard: why the silly sunglasses? There's no sun in here. Why don't you take them off and let me see your pretty eyes?"
She moved to take away the sunglasses herself but before she could Richard gripped her wrist tightly stopping her mid-stretch. Her fingers hovered, only centimeters from reaching their destination.
" I would prefer not to remove them Miss...?
"Marguerite," she pouted.
" Miss Marguerite," he finished smoothly his voice skillfully revealing none of the disgust that Raven could feel rolling off of him in waves. He then released Marguerite's wrist and she poked her lower lip out even more as she whimpered,
" There's no need to be so unkindly dear they're only sunglasses."
Raven had to resist the urge to laugh at the girl. Marguerite would probably have been a very attractive girl if not for the constant sneer always gracing her features—as a result of her believing that she was better than everybody—and her malevolent nature. She had long curly blond tresses and big blue eyes that--despite the cold glint of cruelty they always held—were very pretty. Her skin was pale and creamy—though nowhere near as pale as Raven's—and tanned easily in the summer—also unlike Raven who was always pale.
In lieu of all this, however, Marguerite was sorely jealous of Raven. As much as the boys feared the dangerous and indifferent girl, they couldn't help but to leer at her pale skin and strange eyes. Even Zach drooled nauseatingly when their mother wasn't around to smack him for it. On a few occasions he had even attempted to back the girl into a corner but she'd always manage to get away form him.
With a glare sent in Raven's direction Marguerite stalked back down the stairs into the living room.
This actually wasn't supposed to be the entire chapter three but since you all have been waiting so patiently I'm posting it now. I haven't actually written anymore yet so…I'll just give you what I have so far.
-D.F.
P.S. thank you for all of the lovely reviews! :D