Disclaimer: I don't own anything…
Summary: I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .
Strange and Beautiful
Chapter 1: Raven loves Richard
"Hey! I didn't see you at the party last time, I was looking for you," Richard smiles at me as he sits down at our cafeteria table. His girlfriend 'the lovely Kori' sits down beside him and he immediately helps her place her food tray on the table. I can't help but feel a little bitter inside.
"Yes, we were looking for you." Kori adds as she closes the space between her and Richard.
You lie, you lie, you lie…
I give them a grim smile and say, "I just left early. I never planned on going there anyway."
Riigghhhttt… you bought a dress to wear to that party a month ago, practiced a skit on asking Richard to dance and tried so hard to look pretty that particular night… And you never planned on going there? Yeah right…
"Oh I see," Kori smiles and pats my hand a little. The resentment in me belittles, I can't help it, Kori is a sweet girl and she doesn't deserve my resentment.
"Why come to the party if you aren't even gonna stay there for at least ten minutes?" Richard cocks an eyebrow questioningly, a reaction I find really endearing.
I blink hard, trying to disregard the fluttering feelings of my heart. Hesitantly, I force myself to lie again, "I was hungry… so I grabbed a bite with someone."
Their eyes snap wide open and I could almost hear them gasp.
"With someone? I suppose that it was Garfield or Victor, right?" Kori asks, looking at me intently.
I shift uncomfortably on my seat, "No."
"You actually ate with someone besides us… Is this person special?" Richard asks and takes a bite of his sandwich.
I roll my eyes, "Yes, actually, he's a cross dresser." I answer his question sarcastically.
"So this person is a man!" Kori grins cheerfully, "May you tell us who this man is?" she holds my hand and looks up to me hopefully.
Still feeling awkward, I pull my hand from her grasp, "Wally," I say quickly, avoiding meeting her eyes.
Silence…
"Wally West…" I say as I clear my throat.
Perpetual silence…
"Well, I had nothing else to do, so I accompanied him to eat," I tell them nonchalantly, trying to fill up the silence, "we both didn't have dates, so we decided to hang-out."
To tell you the truth, I don't know why I want to explain myself to him. I also don't get why they take it so seriously, it's quite annoying.
"That is so unlike you! How can you hang-out with him? He is such a jerk! Do you know how many times a day he gets on my nerves!" Richard bursts out suddenly, making the girl beside him wince.
I frown; I find his reaction a little too dramatic.
"He gets on your nerves, Richard, not mine. Besides, it's not like he's my new best friend now."
I see him wrinkle his nose in dislike, "I just can't see why a jerk like him wants to hang-out with someone like you."
Someone like me? Now I know that he means it in a nice way, but I can't help but feel a little offended. "Yes Richard, because there's no way people will want to be with me. I am dull and boring, so it's taboo to be acquainted with me."
"Raven, that's not what I meant… It's just that people like you don't usually hang out with- "
"Don't push it, Richard," I warn, but I know I'm subconsciously taking in his words…
He sighs, "Fine, I'm sorry… but it's so unlike you to eat with someone or whatever besides the gang. What made you do it? And why Wally?"
I stop suddenly. What am I supposed to say? That I'm undergoing a major personality change? That I am not Raven and some kind of being is just controlling my body? That Garfield dared me to? That my cat made me do it? Or that I was in a desperate moment to leave and seek comfort because my heart is getting too tired of seeing him with someone else… too tired of bleeding.
I inhale deeply and suppress the uprising emotion I feel for him. I succeed in doing so and I smile and excuse myself, "What does it matter? It's no big deal, it was a one time thing… Now excuse me, I have to get my application form from the principal's office," gathering my things, I get up and leave.
Flashback-
Raven Roth blushed as her friend, Richard Grayson, sat beside her in their Biology class. She tried to hide it, even got frustrated at it. Yes, frustrated as she didn't know why she blushed every time he was near her.
Sure, he had been he friend since third grade, and he had made her laugh, smile and feel long before now. But the feeling of lightheadedness and warmth she felt every time he was close to her nowadays was very alien to her. She abhorred and loved it at the same time.
"Raven… Can I please look at your notes? I left mine at home," Richard nudged her side and she fought a blush.
"Uhh… Sure," she mumbled. She found him very handsome nowadays, which was very unusual because she had never found anyone handsome before. Their hands touched slightly and she instantly flinched, causing Richard to tilt his head questioningly.
She found it adorable.
"Oooh, what's happening there?" she heard Victor's voice from behind, teasing them boyishly. Garfield, then, poked her mockingly on the back. She turned around and saw the boy handing her a piece of paper. She took it.
'RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'
Reading the note, Richard rolled his eyes and turned to the two boys behind them, "As if… get a life, losers!"
She ignored the slight bickering of her friends and kept staring at the note.
'RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'
'RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'
Unlike her friend, she didn't mind it. It wasn't bothersome, was it? She actually had an idea why she was acting and feeling the way she was these days, but she denied it like hell, as if it was the most ridiculous thing that could ever happen to her. But now that it was actually written… spelled out in front of her...
"Hello, I am Kori Anders and I am new!"
Raven looked up only to see a tall, beautiful redhead in front of the class.
"She sure is a pretty one."
Raven stared at Richard as he made the comment. Her heart thumped.
'RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'
End flashback
I shake my head and close my eyes. I hate angst… and I hate memories angst derive from. Trying to shove some insignificant memories and thoughts away, I read the application form in my hands. I try to decide where I want to attend college at and what course I want to take.
"Sowhatcourseareyougonnatake?" I stumble forewords in shock as I suddenly find a bundle of red hair on my shoulder, uttering words I can't comprehend.
Wally...
"Excuse me?" I say as I turn to look at him.
"Course… What are you planning to take?" he asks again, a little more slowly now.
I ignore the stares we're getting and start walking along the corridor. He just walks beside me, "So?"
"I'm deciding whether I should take Psychology or go to an art school," I answer. Feeling quite satisfied that he's listening, I continue, "I want to attend an art school but there aren't any good ones here… so I guess I'll just take Psychology at Azarath University…"
Wally nodded, "I see. Why so afraid of going some place away from here?"
Because Richard and I promised each other that we'll go to the same university together… not that he remembers that…
I don't say what I thought though, instead, I just shrug and wait for him to make a comment.
"Hmmm… I didn't know you were artsy, Raven." he grins.
I ignore the, 'since when have they been close?' whispers and answer, "I'm the known artist here… as much as you're known as the jock."
He crosses his arms across his chest, "Yeah… but who cares about that shit anyway? I know I don't!"
I smile at his answer… very charming.
"So, I'm on my way to the music room… gonna practice playing the piano- "
"Play for me!" he says suddenly.
"Wh-what?" Wow… he is impulsive…
"I want to hear you play the piano!"
"Really? Why?" Only Kori had ever wanted to hear me play.
"I don't know, who cares?" he shrugs.
"I don't know…" I answer, "I don't usually go with other people… I mean other than my friends…" I look at him uncertainly.
He rolls his eyes, "C'mon! Let's go!" he grabs my hand and runs, making me cringe slightly.
He is really fast. I find it very hard keeping up with him… and yes, I feel slightly annoyed… but oh well…
Who cares?
Author's notes:First chapter done! I would like to thank EvilWhiteRaven for beta-reading this chapter… I am eternally in your gratitude.
To the reviewers:
darkfirebird1423 – Thank you very much for your kind words!
KhmerGurl113 – I noticed that you put this story in your faves list, thank you so much! I feel so happy!
mysti-eyed – I'm so sorry for confusing you… some kind of mix-up happened when I was sending you the e-mail, I'm so sorry. Anyway, I'm almost done writing the first chapter of my other story, I'll send it to you as soon as possible. Oh yeah, THANK YOU!
Chica De Los Ojos Café – I'm so flattered! Thank you! No, they don't have powers here, I think that would be a little hard for me to write, hehe.
Moon Alchemist – Thank you so much! And don't worry, I love cynical people, they fascinate me. By the way, I love your story "Emotions"… please write more.
EvilWhiteRaven – You are my God…
Mad Mauser – Hi! Thank you for reading this, and also "BABY!". I'll try to make this story clearer for you.
Oh yeah… I find it uncomfortable writing Raven as the 'goth', I don't see her as one… I find it easier writing her as the introverted artist, and so I did. I hope you don't mind. And please leave a review if you have time! Thank you!