The following morning, Eddie was talking to Chantel at her locker, and he was telling her about what happened the night before with Raven.
"I don't understand. She was acting so weird, even for her."
Chantel placed a book in her backpack, then looked at her boyfriend. "What do you mean?"
Trying to explain Raven's visions without actually saying the word psychic, Eddie answered, "Well, sometimes she get these...ideas, and they tend to make her do some crazy things. But that can't be what's bothering her, because she would have told me about it."
"Maybe she was having a bad day, and didn't feel like talking to anybody."
"Raven wouldn't have hung up on me without saying anything. She's up to something; I just wish I knew what it was."
Just then, Raven and Chelsea strolled passed the couple, talking. Eddie motioned to Chantel that he would be back in a moment, then he joined his friends.
"Raven, can we talk?" he pleaded.
She began swatting the air to her right. "Chelsea, do you hear a bug buzzing around here?"
"Rae, that isn't a bug; it's Eddie." After catching the glare Raven was sending her, Chelsea began swatting the air as well. "I mean...yeah, I do hear it. What an annoying sound!"
Raven continued to wave her arm around, pretending that she didn't see Eddie. "I wish it would leave me alone."
Eddie took a step back, wearing a hurt look on his face. He returned to Chantel's side.
"She's never told me to leave her alone. She's really upset over something."
Chantel tried to make him feel better. "Technically, she didn't say it to you. She was talking to Chelsea."
Eddie shook his head negatively. "Raven may have been talking to Chelsea, but she said that to me. Why won't she talk to me?"
"Don't worry about it. Things will work out in the end."
"Baby, you don't get it. I've been best friends with those two since we were five years old, and I can always tell when something is the matter. I can't help fix it if she doesn't tell me what it is."
"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Raven may not want your help. Sometimes girls just want to work out their problems on their own."
"Well, I can keep trying. My next class is chemistry, and Raven's in there with me. I'm going to try talking to her then."
Eddie kissed Chantel on the cheek, lifted his backpack onto his shoulder, and walked away. Chantel watched him leave, hoping for his sake that he wouldn't find something out that he didn't need to know--although she didn't have any idea what he could possibly learn.
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Raven was sitting in chemistry class, trying to pay attention to the lecture, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned slightly, and saw Eddie behind her. He had barely finished saying her name before she turned to face the front of the room again.
Tearing a sheet of paper out of his notebook, Eddie scribbled, Rae, what is your problem? Why won't you talk to me? He tossed it onto her desk and watched as she opened the crinkled piece of paper.
Raven read his note, then quietly ripped it into pieces. Eddie's eyes grew wide as he watched her reaction, and he thought, I can't believe she just did that. His next thought was directed to Raven. You know, you're really starting to get on my nerves. Whatever it is that's bothering you, you're blowing it entirely out of proportion.
After class, Eddie tried again to talk to his friend, but she brushed right by him as if he didn't exist. Sighing, Eddie walked down the hall to his math class, where he didn't pay much attention. His mind was on problems other than the ones in his book.
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For the next couple days, Eddie decided to leave Raven alone. But Thursday evening, he tried talking to her again. Maybe, he thought, she's feeling better now, and she won't hang up on me.
Dialing her number, he waited for someone to pick up. Victor answered the phone.
"Hey Mr. B., it's Eddie. Is Raven there?"
"Yeah Eddie, hold on a second. I'll get her for you."
Victor carried the phone upstairs and knocked his daughter's bedroom door. "Raven, Eddie is on the phone."
Acting like nothing was wrong, Raven opened the door only long enough to take the phone and say, "Thanks, Dad." She closed the door, then she hung up on Eddie.
To herself, Raven said, "Eddie, I know this is bothering you, but trust me, I'm doing this for you. You love Chantel, and I want you to be happy."
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"Well, that turned out great," Eddie mumbled sarcastically. "Raven, don't think I'm going to give up on you. I want my best friend back, and somehow I'm going to get you to talk to me."