Raven had been distancing herself little by little everyday for the past month and a half. Ever since the opening night of the play, she just hadn't been herself. Chelsea was hurt and concerned, but she couldn't find a way to reach Raven. Even when they were in the same room, which wasn't often anymore, she felt all alone. Chelsea was miserable. Her grades were suffering a little. She was even starting to lose her appetite. Things were so bad that Raven hadn't even looked in her direction in days, and she was going insane. She wondered what she could have possible done to her to make her act that way. Raven had long since stopped sharing things going on with her, and Chelsea had found out via Jaime, that she had been invited to have her designs in the upcoming fashion show that school put on every year called Runway. It was apparently a huge honor to have your designs chosen, especially since Raven was just a freshman. So she knew Raven was busy with that. But, truth be told, as much as Chelsea loved her romantically, she missed having Raven's friendship.
She knew she had to go to the one person that knew everything. Eddie. She'd gotten him to agree to meet her for lunch off campus at the vegetarian café down the street from campus. He walked in a few minutes after she did and they sat over in a secluded corner.
"I'm sure you know why I asked you to meet me." Chelsea stated after they'd placed their orders.
"Chelsea, you know that I can't tell you anything Raven told me. She's my best friend too." Eddie started.
"I know Eddie, but I'm dying here. She hasn't spoken two words to me in over a week, and last night she stayed over Jaime's. I have to know. Did I do something? Please tell me." Chelsea begged tears springing to her eyes.
"No, you didn't do anything, at least not yet." Eddie said the last part so quietly she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.
Then a thought struck her. Raven had been acting weird ever since her vision on opening night. "Her vision…" Chelsea whispered. When Eddie nodded in agreement she continued. "Did I…did I hurt her in her vision?"
"Well, not exactly, you know her visions they're always a little vague." Eddie replied.
"Yeah, I know. I just wonder what she saw. I would never intentionally hurt her. I love her. I wish she could just see that."
"Yeah well remember you didn't see it for a while." Eddie reminded her.
" True, but I do now. I just can't figure out why she's holding back from me. She was doing it before the vision. Like the kiss at New Year's, she has never acknowledged that it happened. I can't figure out why." Chelsea mused. Then she looked over at her friend. He had taken great interest in his napkin. "You know, don't you? I should have guessed."
"Yeah, I know, but you know I can't say anything."
"Oh come on, you can't tell me anything?"
"Well, there is one thing. She thinks you were drunk."
"I wasn't, but even if I was, why would that make difference…and ohmygod, she thinks I was so drunk I don't remember doesn't she?"
"Well in a word, yes." Eddie answered just as the waitress came back with their orders.
"Okay, her actions over the last few months are beginning to make more sense. And I bet she feels like she took advantage of me, and now this stupid vision makes her think I'm going to hurt her. What am I supposed to do?" She asked throwing her arms up in exasperation.
"Maybe you should try showing her you're not going to go anywhere." Eddie said taking a bite of his sandwich.
"Eddie that genius. And I know just how I'm going to do it." She said with a bit of her wrap.
The first thing she had to do was skip her two o'clock class. She really hadn't wanted to, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She knew Raven's classes were done for the day, and since she had two designs to work on, Chelsea knew she'd be in their room.
"Hey Rae," She said nonchalantly as she walked in the room.
The sewing machine stopped. "I uh, I thought you had a class at two." She said suspiciously.
"Yeah, I decided to skip it."
"You skipped class? Are you okay?" And for the first time in what felt like forever Chelsea got to see the honey colored eyes that she loved so much.
Chelsea couldn't stop the tears that sprang to her eyes, and were now spilling silently onto her cheeks. "No Raven, I'm not okay. I haven't been okay for a long time."
Raven hesitated and closed her eyes. Then she rose from her seat and walked over to Chelsea. When they were face to face, Chelsea could see tears in Raven's eyes, and that just made her cry harder. "Why Rae? What did I do? Why won't you tell me?"
"Shh, shh, you didn't do anything. I just…well I've been being a jerk lately. I didn't realize how much it was hurting you." She said as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"How could it not? My best friend in the world just stops talking to me, without so much as an explanation."
"I know. I had a vision, and it…well that's not important. I thought I could keep it from happening. I just didn't realize it would be at your expense. I never wanted that to happen."
"What was your vision?" Chelsea asked.
"I can't…I can't say right now. Just know that I'm sorry that I hurt you. That was never my intention."
It hurt Chelsea that Raven wouldn't confide in her, but at least they were talking. She nodded in understanding and let herself be embraced. "Is it…are we okay now?" She asked pulling back.
She saw Raven flinch at the question before answering. "Yes, we're cool." Raven answered slowly.
"Good because now you can tell me about what you're going to be showing at Runway." She said offering Raven a tentative smile. When it was returned, she breathed a sigh of relief. Things weren't perfect, but they were getting better. And by the end of the month, Chelsea planned to make Raven hers.
