Chapter 12: What not to Wear
Over the next five days the titans saw even less of Raven. They only saw her at classes and mealtimes, but sometimes she even skipped dinner. Almost nobody knew where she went. They would check her room, the music room, even the library. But when they knocked she did not answer, she wasn't in the music room and her sea of books was unoccupied and untouched.
Raven had been disappearing to that unused, dark, dead-end hallway that no one went to… well almost no one.
She was just heading to dinner when Jason called her over. He was standing with a few of his friends and it looked like they were just heading to dinner too.
"Hi Rachel," he said as he fell into step beside her.
"Um… hi …" she glanced around and saw his friends go on without him.
"The Halloween dance is coming up, have you decided what you're dressing up as?"
"No I'm not planning on going."
"What? But it's going to be so much fun. I mean Halloween is a chance to hide behind masks and costumes. You could make a fool out of yourself and no one would know…. well maybe not the best example…" he obviously wanted her to go, she could tell even if she hadn't overheard him and his friends in the library. Well I'm supposed to be fitting in…
"Even if I did go," she started off,"I wouldn't have a costume."
His eyes lit up as he heard this. "Well…you could go as a model."
"What?!" she snapped. She was not going to a dance in a skimpy outfit that almost qualified as a bikini.
"I'm not saying you have to wear anything revealing. I mean models always bring more than one outfit in case the photographer doesn't like the style. You could dress as a model at a photo shoot, and go however you like."
"I still don't think a model would be my style." How about a grim reaper. I could wear a cloak! She thought sarcastically. As much as she thought she'd never say it, she missed the tower, she missed her tea, she missed her cloak and leotard, and most of all she missed walking down the hall without someone staring at you.
They had reached the cafeteria and Starfire was waving to Raven franticly.
"I guess it wouldn't….but if you change your mind and decide to come, save me a dance." He gave her a hopeful smile before walking over to his friends, leaving Raven to join her own friends. Starfire took this chance to bombard her with questions of what she was dressing up for the dance as.
"Please friend, what will you 'go as'? I shall dress up as an Earthly princess and Richard will be going in a karate outfit and Victor shall be a 'bouncer' and Garfield shall be a surfer, friend what will your costume be?" she said it all in a rush without taking a breath and she was defiantly excited about the dance. Maybe it was the difference of what a princess was on Earth. Either that of the chance to dress up for Robin…
"Yeah girl, what are you going as, cuz we're not letting you stay in your room," Cyborg gave her a look that said just try and say no.
"I haven't decided yet." She casually replied as they moved forward in the line. She remained deep in thought as the others patiently waited for the line to hurry up. Where could you get a Halloween costume in a boarding school? And one that would fit to Ravens tastes no less… It couldn't be pink, it couldn't be fluffy, and it couldn't be bright or flashy. Something that was a little less in the spotlight, and oozing with sarcasm, or at least lightly coated. Something original, not like a witch, but not something helpless, like Starfires' princess outfit.
A girls cameo book bag swung from her shoulder as she walked by with her lunch. Eureka.
After pasta and garlic toast was placed on her tray, the five headed to their usual table.
"So what are you dressing up as?" Beast Boy aimed a forkful of spaghetti slathered in non-meat sauce in his mouth before chomping on his bread.
"I'm not sure yet, but I have an idea."
"So you are coming to the dance of Halloween?"
"Yes Kori, I'll be there."
Just then Jason passed by her table. He smiled, if not a little shyly, and Raven allowed a ghost of a smile to pass over her own face before he sat down. Starfire glanced between the two of them, pretending to ignore the obvious.
"Well Rachel we must retreat to your room after dinner to discuss how we are going to locate a costume for this upcoming event."
All through supper Starfire chatted happily about costumes, while Raven glanced over at Jason's table. He had his back to her so she couldn't see his face, but one of his friends decided to wave and wink at her. She watched as Jason realized what he was doing and hit him over the head with a lunch tray.
The meal continued with Jason and his friends stealing glances until she got up and left with her friends. Off for another night of patrolling, homework and that nameless tune.
I KNOW, I KNOW! i haven't updated for-ever but i've been really busy with school and traveling and alot of things, and my friend garaa - o - sand (who goes to school with me) has been hassling me to write the next chapter. So anyways i shall hopefully start writing again on a regular basis, but i have to re-write the halloween dance and after that its a little fuzzy.
you-neek