I Want You to Want Me
Chapter 11: There's No Way Her Love's As Good As Mine
Starfire woke up to find Raven missing. She felt empty. Her long flowing, red locks fell onto her shoulders. The sunlight filled the room as best it could with the blinds keeping the majority of it out. She hugged her knees and looked at the dismal pink and purple nothingness known as her room. She had told Raven everything. They had become closer in the last three hours then ever imaginable during their body-switching ordeal.
Starfire decided to rise. It was six. Robin had probably been wide-awake for a half an hour by now, unless Summer had kept him up late the night before. She shuddered at the thought. The feeling of emptiness set in again, but then as she rose and looked at her reflection in the mirror, she felt like she had made the right choice. Robin belonged to Summer, no matter how upsetting that idea was. She knew that she could never have him. She smiled at her reflection. She had made a selfless decision the night before and she was gloomy, but proud of herself for doing so. She needed to forget about he who she could never have. It would be difficult, but there had to be something or someone else out there for her.
Searching and longing for that something, she walked over to the windows and raised the blinds so that the sun was no longer restrained, but allowed to shine in all its grace and beauty inside her bedroom. She peered out of her window and watched the waves crash on sand. She opened her window and let in the ocean air and breathed in the scene before her. Her red hair brightened the day and her emerald eyes sparkled in the daylight. She wasn't sure what the future held, and she knew that she could love Robin better than Summer ever could, but regardless, she knew that it was going to be a bright, new, sunshiny day.
She went on with her normal morning activities; TV, shower, and dress. Then it was breakfast time. She didn't know what to anticipate when she entered the kitchen/ living room area, but knew that whatever happened, she had to be strong.
Robin had showered and avoided seeing anyone in the hallway, to his luck, that is minus Raven and Beastboy. He didn't know what Raven was staring at, but it was down the hall. He moved without haste so that he wouldn't have to start conversation. He wasn't really in the mood. As he stood in the shower, the warm water was washing away almost all the pain. Almost. And the water did nothing for his confusion. He didn't know what to do.
With Starfire, everything was so natural, so easy, so relaxed, and so spontaneous, they were syncopated. But with Summer, everything was planned, premeditated, it was controlled, but in a way that he liked. By the time he had made it back to his bedroom and looked in his mirror, he saw the boy wonder before him, who was no longer a boy at all, but a teenager, nearly a man, and realized that he needed to think carefully about his future and make admirable decisions. So, the question was, as he was maturing, who would be the mature choice, Summer or Star? He still had time to change in his mind and that's when he stopped himself. Robin was sitting here planning out his future, who was going to be his girlfriend for anywhere from the next three seconds to the next thirty years of his life. Robin realized that he was an organized, controlling, very decisive, dutiful human being. He was the guy who didn't really have fun unless it was already scheduled. This was partly because of how he was raised, and who raised him, but also because he didn't like for things to just happen. He liked to be in control at all times. That was why he was stressed. He could see so clearly now, things had been happening at too fast a rate for him to possibly be able to plan. He hadn't scheduled any of this. If you opened his laptop at this exact moment and looked at his organizer, love was not scheduled. Nor was teen angst and adulterous activity. This wasn't him. So he walked to his closet and began to dress in his normal attire having finally realized who was good for him. Who was the smart choice. What was his duty. What was expected. What made sense.
Summer made sense. When he was around her things didn't just happen that were out of his control. When he was Star, he didn't have any control over what was happening and he didn't ever really know what was going to happen next, and that was something that scared him. Yes, the boy wonder was scared. Mostly because things that were unexpected were always the things that created tragedy and pain. It would jeopardize everything he worked so hard for. And that was a risk he wasn't willing to take, after all, just having a relationship was dangerous.
It was now official, no more Starfire. Things with Starfire were unpredictable and Robin liked things to be, well, predictable. So he covered his eyes with his mask and also covered up any care for Starfire. He knew at that moment that Summer was right for him. She made sense. And most importantly, Summer was already his girlfriend. She deserved to be loved by him. After all, it was his duty. It was his obligation, his job, and his responsibility to love her and be loyal. It was what a boyfriend was supposed to do. So he made his way to breakfast without a second thought lingering on his decision. The old Robin was back; decisive, smart, planned, and concerned with obligation, responsibility, and humankind, nothing less and nothing more.
Since their meeting with Summer, Beastboy and Raven had made leaps and bounds in their relationship, and when I say leaps and bounds I mean, they started trusting each other and holding each other and right when they were going to share a kiss, suddenly, "Beastboy, I can't."
"Raven, I have faith in you."
"Nice try lover boy. Look, I can't. I can't control that." She said while putting her head down. Beastboy did the same and looked a little upset.
"I understand." She looked up and said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." She looked down and he embraced her as they stood in the kitchen. She looked up happy for a change. She wasn't alone anymore. And just when she thought that it wouldn't hurt to attempt a kiss in walked Cyborg.
"WHAT'S UP YALL?! MORNING! TIME FOR BREAKFAST!" The two separated at an alarming rate. Raven threw her hood up and walked towards the couch, using her powers to bring her a novel she had been reading. Beastboy went back to creating his tofu bacon and tofu eggs. Cyborg, noticing the sudden separation, walked towards BB and said in a whisper, "Hey, man, what was going on?"
Beastboy stopped making his breakfast and looked at Cyborg, then at a startled Raven, then back to Cyborg and said, also in a whisper, "Nothing, Raven and I just talked about yesterday."
"Y'all cool again?" He bought it.
"Yeah."
"Good, cause we have a enough animosity under this roof already. Did you hear? Summer-"
"-Spent the night. Yeah, dude, I had an encounter of the worst kind." He said as he began to prepare his breakfast.
" When?"
"Just a minute ago," Raven cut in.
" So you were there too I take it," Cyborg replied.
" Unfortunately," she said as she began to scowl.
" Yeah, she and Raven had a nice little conversation about Summer's behavior in the tower."
" For real? Where was I when this happened?"
"Sleeping."
"And you were awake?"
"Yup."
" Aww man! You should have woke me up!"
" I was too scared that I'd be killed if I moved."
" Yeah, Raven can be intimidating sometimes. No offense Rae," He shouted as he turned to face her in the living room.
" Don't worry. I take pride in that," she said while she turned the page and then her eyes continued moving back and forth across the page.
"It wasn't just Raven that I was afraid of," Beastboy commented, continuing his story while flipping his tofu bacon over.
" Summer threatened Raven?! What? Now I know that girl is crazy," he said while taking a seat at the breakfast table while Beastboy began to laugh.
" Well," Cy continued, "I bet that she learned her lesson after Raven beat her with her own arm," he said with a chuckle.
" Too bad that didn't happen," BB said.
" It almost did," Raven commented.
" What? Raven got into a seriously, uber amazing fight with the little mall princess, and there was not one punch thrown?"
"Nope."
" No dismemberment?"
" Nope."
" No blood shed?"
" No."
" Well," he said when Beastboy handed him a glass of orange juice, " now I'm glad you didn't wake me up. What a jip." Beastboy chuckled and Raven smiled.
" Well, I at least hope that you put her in her place, Rae."
" Not exactly," Beastboy interrupted. " I know Summer lost, but I don't think she's gotten the threats through her thoroughly styled head."
" But she's dumb! And annoying! And she's easy to get rid of."
"I don't know," Raven said, " She's one stupid, slutty, spoiled brat, true. But she's trouble."
"Now, you guys weren't talking about me, were you," Summer asked while entering the kitchen. Everyone's faces fell. Summer, dressed in a denim skirt, purple shirt and her hair out, walked right over to the refrigerator and began to look inside for something to eat.
"What are you doing?" Raven asked while shifting her gaze from her book to Summer's obnoxious figure in the kitchen.
"Well freak, what does it look like I'm doing?"
"Being the evil whore we all know you can be if you really try," she retorted.
"You know what," she said while spinning around to face Raven, her body leaning on the refrigerator door. Raven put her book aside and turned in her seat to face Summer, her face filled with anticipation. Cyborg and Beastboy just stood there, observing and trying not to burst out into laughter. Summer continued, "I am so tired of your remarks. Just do me a favor, loser, stop talking okay?"
" And I'm really tired of you being here. So can you just do me a favor, stop breathing, okay?"
Cyborg and Beastboy started laughing. They couldn't hold it in any longer. Meanwhile Summer was steaming. She couldn't take it anymore. That Raven girl was really becoming a pain in the butt.
"You think its funny, huh?" Summer said while looking back and forth at a frightened Beastboy and fearful Cyborg.
"No, they just like having sudden outbursts of laughter at random."
They began to laugh again. Summer's face began to reflect her feelings. This Goth girl was starting to get the best of her, and she didn't like it one bit. What was worse was that there were two major league losers in the room too, and they were laughing at her, not the other way around. How dare they! Summer was not laughed at, she laughed at others! She was then snapped out of her stupor when Raven let out a, "Hmm, that's odd though." The laughter ceased. Summer, Beastboy, and Cyborg all had become interested in what Raven's next words would be. So silence fell upon the room as Raven picked up her book and began to read again. Dying of the anticipation Summer let out a sigh and asked, "What? What's odd freak?"
" Oh, nothing for you to get irritable about. It's just that their sudden outbursts usually only happen when there is evil present. I guess in this case that must be you."
Beastboy and Cyborg began laughing yet again and that's when Summer snapped. She slammed the fridge shut and caused BB and Cyborg to become quiet and stare. Raven did not stop reading for a second as Summer walked over to Raven, huffily. She stood before her and tapped her foot, arms crossed over her chest. When there was no response from Raven at that time she slapped the book out of her hands, causing Raven to really become ticked off. The argument was starting to become serious and now had everyone's full attention when the sliding doors opened and in walked Robin.
"Morning Team," he said as he walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door, searching for the milk, completely missing the argument before him. "I see, that you guys found that Summer stayed over last night."
"Yeah, in the most unlikely way too," Beastboy commented as he returned to his now burning tofu bacon. Summer eyed Raven, Raven Summer. And then Summer smirked and walked over to her boyfriend. She grabbed him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She wrapped her arms around him as he began to pour a bowl of cereal for himself.
"Morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well," she queried.
"Well, I slept."
"Oh."
" I had a lot on my mind is all. I'm better now." And at that exact moment, in walked Starfire. She looked nothing like what everyone had expected. Everyone assumed that Starfire would look distraught and teary-eyed and while she didn't look exactly ecstatic to see Robin and Summer together, she wasn't upset either. She was like Beastboy the day before. She was a mere shell of herself. If you looked into her eyes, there was nothing behind them.
The reason for this being that when Star saw the two of them together, holding each other, happy, and acting like a married couple she felt that sudden, sharp pain that she had felt last night. She nearly stumbled at the sight. She had told herself all morning long that she would be happy for the two and move on, but now all she was sure of was that she had to move on. Being happy for them, at this moment, just wasn't in the cards. So she got a hold of herself and refused to cry. It was time to move on. Summer had won Robin. The battle was over. There was nothing that anyone could do about it. And why should anyone? Robin didn't seem like he needed rescuing. He stood there preparing her a meal, while she hung onto him. And he gave her the greatest gift anyone could ever ask for. He gave her his smile. That gorgeous shiny smile that was sent from the heavens and reserved for only Starfire. Or at least it had been reserved for only Starfire, but now it was for Summer. That was the only piece of him that still belonged to Starfire this morning and gave her hope that she could live with him not loving her, but now not even that belonged to her anymore. He didn't belong to her anymore. Robin belonged to Summer, completely, and there was nothing she could do about it. Every fragment of his being now belonged to Summer. And just when Starfire thought she could ignore his actions she couldn't and the reason was unknown to her. He was just doing things he did everyday, but now he wasn't doing them with her, but with Summer. And the worst part was, Summer didn't even understand the rarity or the value of such a gorgeous gift.
So the morning continued on. The titans sat down to breakfast. Raven, Cyborg, and Beastboy sat there, sharing some conversation (although it was a bit restrained because of their unwelcome guest and her constant flirting with their team leader). And the threesome all took notice to Starfire's odd behavior. Her lack of happiness and love for life. There were no words to explain her mood.
The first thing that signaled that something was still bothering her was when she walked in and said nothing more than, "morning." Was the morning not good enough to say good morning? Was everyone in the room no longer her friend? These questions remained unanswered as the titans and their guest all ate their breakfasts. Starfire did not talk, except for the occasional, "How interesting," or, "thank you," but nothing more escaped her lips. Robin never even noticed. Summer whispered sweet nothings into his ear and he would whisper back or clear his throat. The scene made everyone sick to their stomachs. Raven was ready to slap Robin and Summer, especially during the meal when Summer joined in their conversation.
"Dude, I'm telling you, the best movie last night was definitely Zombie vs. Zombie: The Hunt for the Cause of Death! It was a classic!"
"Hah," Cyborg shouted while holding a piece of sausage in his hand, "Classic? Man that movie didn't make any sense! It was terrible!"
"Terrible? Please. Besides dude, it makes perfect sense."
"No, it doesn't, man. One would assume from the title that by the end of the carnage you'd find out what killed at least one of the stupid Zombie freaks, but NO, you don't! I sat there for two hours watching two mindless Zombies fight and I still don't know what killed them!"
"Perhaps it was their stupidity," Raven chimed in.
"I can't believe you two! Those Zombies were like freaking geniuses! I never would have thought to create a very high tech, mobile device, with the ability to be steered from the outside and contain an evil spirit, to capture the evil spirit known as Dr. Evil Spirit in the end!"
" Dude, it was a remote control car from Radio Shack!"
" Call it what you want, but I admired the fact that they were able to obtain such a device-"
"- Especially since Zombies don't normally carry money to buy remote control cars from Radio Shack at two o'clock in the morning on Halloween night," Raven commented while sipping her tea and reading her novel. Beastboy narrowed his eyes. Cyborg chuckled.
"Very funny you two, but I still found it amazing. I never would have thought of that and Cy, there's no way you would have thought of that either!"
"That's mostly due to the fact that you both lack the ability to think," Raven stated very simply causing BB to chuckle until he realized it was an insult. Then it happened, she joined in. Robin was reading the paper, oblivious to everything, and then he rose to go to bathroom. He told Summer and exited the room. Starfire was just eating her food slowly. And Cyborg shouted with a laugh, "You didn't know that was an insult? Dude, you are so stupid!" He and Raven began to chuckle.
" Stupidity seems to run in this household," Summer commented while sipping her orange juice. Raven had had enough.
Suddenly, the orange juice came up out of the cup and dropped on top of Summer's freshly washed hair.
"Ahhhh! My, my hair! You Weird Psycho freak! How could you?"
" I'm sorry, since I'm so stupid and all, I thought that your hair was still dirty, after all it smells bad enough, although that could just be you, so I figured I'd help you wash it! Who knew that orange juice wasn't shampoo?"
"Everyone with half a brain," Summer shouted as she stood up and used a paper towel to dry herself off.
"Well, fortunately for me, while I may be cursed with stupidity, I happen to have a whole brain. Maybe half brains only run in your household." Beastboy and Cyborg were dying of laughter and Starfire looked at the arguing girls and was confused, amazed, amused, and happy all at the same time.
" What happened Summer," Robin asked as he entered the room only to find a soaked Summer, a laughing BB and Cyborg, a still eating Starfire and a reading Raven.
"Nothing dear, I was just clumsy, that's all."
" Yeah, she just forgot where she was for a second," Cyborg said while trying his best not laugh.
"And who she was dealing with," Beastboy whispered while taking Raven's hand under the table, intertwining their fingers. And for the first time, nothing happened. She didn't freak. Nothing blew up and that made the two of them very happy. Beastboy smiled, but stopped as soon as he noticed Robin's angry expression.
"Baby, what's wrong, it was an accident."
"I'm okay Summer. Really. Let's just finish eating."
After thirty minutes of continuous awkwardness, Starfire rose, took her plate to the sink, scrapped it, and walked out of the sliding doors as if she was walking out of everyone's lives and it didn't matter.
"Did anyone else notice the total weirdness with Star, or was it just me?"
" Trust me, BB, it wasn't just you. Since when does she not talk?"
No one answered. No one dared with Summer sitting there still. Then the silence was broken by the only non-hero at the table.
"Oh, look at the time. I have to go see daddy, to settle our dispute. I hope your strange little friend is alright Robin," Summer said.
"I'm sure she's fine," he comforted as Summer rose from the table and he kissed her forehead. Summer waved goodbye and Robin followed behind hr to escort her out of the tower. In the time that he was away the three remaining titans looked at each other.
"Three guesses what's wrong with Star," Beastboy said.
"I only need one. It beings with an S and ends an R," Cyborg said with a semi-angry expression.
"Summer," Raven said angrily.
" She's really starting to become my least favorite season," Beastboy said with venom as he finished drinking his soymilk. Cyborg looked at him with a smile and nodded in agreement.
After escorting her out, like a gentleman, Robin returned to the table and then noticed that the three titans at the table were staring at him, with less than pleased expressions.
"What?"
"Nothing," they said in unison.
"Star is fine."
"Oh yeah," Raven said while turning the page in her novel, "I'd be fine too if I had to sit at the breakfast table and watch the boy blunder, who I happened to make out with last night, oh so passionately, hold hands and hug and just hang all over some new comer. Wouldn't affect me at all. And my silence, drooping face, and watery eyes, that would be my happy face," Raven finished in an overtly sarcastic tone, causing Robin to look at her with shock and Beastboy and Cyborg look on in silence.
"Look Raven, Star's fine. She's dealing with our mistake in her own way."
"Dealing? With your mistake? Right. Look, I normally don't care what you do, mostly because I usually can't stand you and I don't care about, well, you, but just to open your eyes, Summer is bad news."
"Raven, now I know something's wrong with you. Don't talk about Summer behind her back like that."
"Like what? I'm talking about Summer behind her back the same way I would to her face. I'm insulting her. And here I thought you were the sidekick of the world's greatest detective."
"You know, I didn't want to believe it, but I guess Summer was right."
"About what?"
" She was telling me at breakfast that you don't really like her, because you're jeal-"
"Finish that sentence and die." He looked at her and didn't say a word. He wasn't afraid, but he knew that nothing good would come of finishing that sentence just to win the argument.
" I'd rather choke on my own vomit than be jealous of you. Bottom line, Star's not fine. And you need to take that stupid mask off and open your eyes."
"There's nothing wrong with Summer or Starfire. As a matter of fact they're pretty good friends. This morning Summer even said she wanted to help you guys plan Star's surprise party."
Cyborg spit out his orange juice and then said, "No that's okay, I'm sure we can handle it. Besides, we know Star a bit…better than she does, so it would be easier and better without her." Robin looked at him curiously.
"Look, what Cy means to say is, well, we would rather do it without her," Beastboy said while looking at his feet. Robin didn't know how to react to this statement. After all, it was his girlfriend that they were talking about. He had promised Summer she could help with Star's surprise party. She had been so adamant with the proposal. And Robin couldn't say no. Summer was trying to be nice, and what better way to show Star that he wanted to still be her friend, and nothing more, than by helping with her surprise party.
"Guys, what's wrong with Summer helping? She really wants to show Starfire that there aren't any hard feelings. She isn't going to hurt anyone. She just wants to help. I mean she's such a sweet person, a little selfish at times, but really sweet. I mean you guys act like you don't like her or something." And as soon as he said that everyone looked at each other as if trying to avoid Robin's eyes. Then he observed this and they shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "You guys like her, right," he asked as the three before him became very interested in their shoes. Raven looked at the other two and finally broke the silence.
"Look Robin, let me give it to you straight," he looked at her as if dreading her next sentence, "Summer is an evil bitch."
"Excuse Me?" He shouted in rage. "That's my girlfriend that you're talking about!" He shouted with hate as he approached Raven who stood her ground. Beastboy and Cyborg jumped at his rage, somewhat shaken.
"Yeah, well, if it makes you feel any better I've told her that to her face before."
"You what? No wonder she thinks you hate her."
"She only thinks that? I told her that I do, she should know it by now!"
"Raven, I can't believe you! Just because you don't have a boyf-"
"- Don't go there boy wonder, or I'll have to hurt you."
"I'd like to see you try."
"Oh. Really, well get ready because when I finish with you, for the way you've been treating Star, I'm gonna get your idiotic girlfriend too."
"Over my dead body!" He said as he stood in front of Raven looking down with a fire in his eyes that matched the one burning in her own.
"Any way you like it!" Raven said while moving her pointed index finger backing in forth in the air over his future dead body. Then Cyborg broke the scene up as the two began reaching for each other. "Hey, stop it guys! Yo! BB, help me out here."
"No way, man! Let them go man, let them go!" He shouted as back onto the sofa and began to eat some popcorn. After ignoring Beastboy's comment Cyborg pushed the two teen heroes apart and they each stood on opposite ends of the room looking at each other with pure hate for the other.
"Look, Robin, Raven's right. I mean it was VERY mean how she just said it and she shouldn't call Summer names, BUT that doesn't stop her from being right. Summer is mean, man. You should hear some of the things she's said to me, BB, Raven and Star."
"I don't know what you guys are talking about. She's probably afraid that you won't like her! Which you don't! She's probably just trying to defend herself. I doubt that she wants to hurt anyone!"
"Whatever!" Raven shouted.
"Look, while I doubt that you're right Robin, you're my friend and if you really care about this girl, then I guess I'll try to give her a chance."
"I...I...I really-"
"Well, looks like its settled then, huh? He can't even say that he likes her!"
"That's because I don't like her!" he shouted while angry. He didn't mean to say that, so he covered it up quickly.
"I rest my case," Raven said as she turned away from the scene.
"I..I love her!" Cyborg, Beastboy and Raven all turned and looked at Robin with shock.
"Really," BB and Cy asked in unison.
"Yeah, really," Robin replied nervously. Beastboy and Cyborg couldn't believe that Robin loved that, that thing. She was evil, as Raven had pointed out. They were his best friends. They had to respect that he loved her. They had to be civil.
However, Raven looked at him and knew that he was lying. As the other two pondered how they were going to start being nice to Summer she stared at him hard and long and he squirmed under her eyes. He couldn't take those accusing eyes of hers. He shifted uncomfortably and Raven shook her head back and forth disgusted. She let it go as Cyborg spoke again.
"Then, I'll, we'll give Summer one more chance. I've personally heard her only a few times, and maybe she's just trying too defend herself and we're all wrong. She can help with the party, but if she acts up or hurts Star again I'm telling you in a very unfriendly manner."
Raven and Robin were both unhappy with the arrangement, but that was as good as it was getting. They shook on it and Robin left the room to toil in the gym. Raven sat down and began to read her book again, and Cyborg and Beastboy played video games.
That smile. It was all she could think about. How did Summer deserve it? How was Summer worthy and she wasn't? How could Summer not understand how wondrous it was?
Starfire had been thinking about that smile of his for two hours now. She had returned to her bedroom after breakfast only to find a picture of Robin sitting on her dresser. She had not remembered putting it there and at the sight of his smiling face she stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't cry this time. She picked up the picture and smiled, and after thinking about how Robin was hurting her so and not even giving it a second thought, she became angry turned towards her bed and tossed the picture, frame and all, right over her shoulder and across the room. She sat in her bed, under the covers, not wanting to get out of it today. She just wanted to stay in her bed and die. She had faked liking Summer before, but she just couldn't see how she was going to be able to do that anymore, especially after the conversations that she had had with Summer in the past.
She then remembered Summer's promises or threats to make Star go away if she tried anything with Robin and she began to wonder if her threats held any merit whatsoever. After all she had been very capable thus far in getting Robin all to herself. Then she started to long for that picture across the room again. She finally got up after much contemplation and telling herself how pathetic and silly she was. It was silly really, that's what she kept on telling herself.
Regardless she threw the covers off of herself and floated across the room to where the picture rested on her bedroom floor. The pink carpet only accentuated his beautiful smile and brightened his features. Even though he was wearing a mask he was looking right into her soul, through the picture. She suddenly felt teary eyed and happy at the same time. She looked around the room and she just couldn't understand how he was nowhere and yet everywhere at the same time to her. She was going absolutely crazy. She couldn't stop thinking of him. No matter how hard she tried. She was just as unable to find a way to leave this love behind.
And as the time passed and she reclined in her bed, flipping through TV channels and tossing the picture across her bed one minute and picking it up and running her hand over his features the next she couldn't help but miss him. She needed him.
And she looked towards her communicator, hoping he would call her to him with a mission or an apology or better yet a kiss, but it never happened. Here she was sitting all alone wishing he would call her and say he wanted her back, but he never did.
'Starfire, you are such a fool.' And as she looked at his picture and that smile she thought, 'No, I'm not. I'm just a fool for you.'
The day went on. I didn't skip a beat. It gave way into evening. The titans sat down to dinner in silence. No one spoke. Raven and Beastboy shot looks of adoration at each other, which Cyborg slowly began to pick up on. At one point BB smiled at Raven, while holding her hand under the table, and when she smiled back Cyborg dropped his fork causing the two to jerk upward and Raven to look down while Beastboy looked at Cyborg with an innocent expression. Cyborg looked at the two skeptically, but returned to his meal once the doorbell rang and Robin sprinted out of the room to go answer. They all knew who it was and Starfire's already gloomy expression during the meal only became more gloomy and pathetic looking. The three around her felt sorry and worried. Cyborg put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Star, you okay?"
She looked up at him confused and said, "Oh, yes, I am fine. How are you?" He shook his head in response and returned to his meal after seeing that she had done so while he replied. He glanced towards BB and Raven who wore his same expression.
Summer walked in the room and the silent meal continued, minus Summer's thirty minute story of her conversation with her father and his apology gift of a three hundred dollar shopping spree. "Chump change really, but it was supposed to be just a small gesture anyhow," she said as Robin shook his head without moving his eyes away from his laptop. Starfire felt like she was going crazy. She couldn't take it, the hugging, the holding hands, and Robin not even noticing how upset she was and her change in demeanor.
"I can't take it" she shouted suddenly. Everyone dropped their forks and looked up at the now standing Starfire in shock and confusion.
"Now, that was rude, I was talking and you just-"
"Shut UP Summer. Okay," she yelled at a less than happy Summer.
"Star, is something wrong," Robin asked looking concerned. 'What am I waiting for,' Starfire asked herself as she realized that she had paused before answering Robin's question. She needed to tell him now that she was wrong. That she wanted him back. And just as Starfire was going to respond Summer got the perfect idea for how to regain Robin's attention. She started to "sob" in her seat. Robin automatically forgot completely about Starfire and turned to console Summer at the table. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back saying sweet nothings. Right then Starfire's mouth dropped. Robin forgot that she even existed. She was going to tell him that he had broken her heart and as soon as she saw that she realized that it was still breaking. And as Summer was hugging him and Robin consoled her and kissed her cheek she began to miss him even more. That was the moment when she realized just how far away he was. He was now completely out of reach.
"You know what, everything is wrong. Excuse me." Robin didn't even take notice to Star's scramble for the door. Raven followed after her and tried to stop her in the hall now that they were away from everyone else.
"Starfire wait," Raven said.
" For what? What am I waiting for?"
" I know that it must hurt Star, but-"
"But nothing. I was being big by saying that he should ignore me. I wanted him to move on, I just never thought he'd do it so soon and completely forget about me."
"Star, he-"
"Doesn't he see my heart breaking right in front of him? No, because that that GIRL is in there. I should just slap her," Star said while making her way back towards the door. At first Raven thought this was a great idea d wanted Summer to be slapped, but then she got a great idea. She could see how much Star needed Robin and knew that Robin was in "love" with Summer to stop him from loving Star. That's when her whole plan popped into her head. Payback was going to be a bitch.
"No Star, you can't just hit her. Trust me! You have to at least fake being civil to her. " After Raven pulled Star away from the idea of beating Summer they decided to go back to dinner. And when the doors opened there was Robin asking Summer if she was okay, holding her face in his hands and kissing her forehead. Summer of course said no and Robin began t hold her again. At which time Summer noticed Raven and Starfire's entrance and gave them a wink and an evil smile. Starfire lost it.
"I can't fake it, Rae! I can't fake it anymore. I can't stand her!" she shouted as Raven pulled her into the hallway. Star got out of Raven's grasp and made way to her bedroom. Raven watched her look away and said, "Don't worry Star."
After dinner Raven told Cyborg and Beastboy everything while Cyborg washed the dishes and Robin and Summer watched TV on the couch.
"She was going to hit her?"
"Probably kill her is more like it," Cyborg commented to Beastboy.
"I've never seen Starfire so angry. I mean, obviously when it comes to Robin, Mr. Clueless as usual, she gets really upset and worked up, but she was fuming."
"So what are we gonna do about it?"
"We're gonna beat the crap out of her!"
"Or put a stink ball in her bed while she sleeps!"
"Or turn her hair green!"
"Hey what's wrong with green?"
"Okay, so maybe yellow?"
"Yeah, then we'll-"
"We are not doing any of those things."
"We aren't," the two titans said in unison while deeply confused.
"Nope. We are going to let Summer work on Star's surprise party with us."
"WE ARE?!"
"Yup."
" Raven, sweetie-"
"Did you just call her sweetie, BB?"
"Oh, yeah, I meant sweaty, ha-ha." Cyborg looked at Beastboy skeptically, but when he looked at Raven and she had no signs of blushing and nothing blew up he just thought that it was Beastboy slipping up with the fact that he still had a crush on Raven.
"Anyway, moving on, why are we letting her help Raven. I mean, you're obviously the brains of this trio, but are you sure you ain't running a fever," Cyborg asked.
"Positive. She's going to help us out. And Starfire in the process too." Then she chuckled and Beastboy and Cyborg looked at each other confused and afraid.
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU ROBIN! I HATE YOU SUMMER!" That's all she could yell. She had been throwing pillows around and gifts from Robin and throwing starbolts. It was a little scary to say the least. And as she reached for her next piece of ammunition, his portrait, she stopped right before throwing it, and collapsed onto the floor saying in a whisper, "I love you."
"So Summer basically, we would really appreciate your help with her party, especially since Robin is way too busy with leader stuff to help," Beastboy said.
"Well, I am like so flattered," she said with a fake smile while Robin looked on happy.
"Well, its settled then. I'm going to work on some Slade stuff. You guys plan, and Summer you can stay in the guest room again if you want."
"Thanks babe." With that he was out of the room and Summer's smile fell off of her face.
"So what are you dorks trying to do here? Huh?"
"Well now that didn't last very long did it Miss Mean pants," Cy said looking semi-hurt.
"Look, I just know that you three losers told Robin you hate me-"
" He told you that," BB asked looking shocked.
"Of course. He loves me. I'm his girlfriend."
"Unfortunately," Cyborg commented.
"Well, anyway, I can't believe you jerks tried to blow my cover. I mean he was like really asking me questions about how I treat you guys and telling me to try and be nicer, like I actually care about you guys or what he wants. I mean I almost broke out laughing, but instead I just lied. But regardless, which one of you socially challenged justice babies spilled the beans?"
"It was me."
"I should of known that the witch weirdo would go cry like a baby. And here I thought the green imbecile would be the one who would cry." Lucky for Summer Raven has the ability to control her emotions very well. Otherwise she would have been thrown out the window and her body never found.
"Look, Summer, I'm really sorry. And while you might not take into consideration what Robin asks of you, I do. So I'm going to try and be you're friend. I'm sorry. Really." Summer didn't buy this for a second, but she decided to go along with it.
"Fine. I'll try, too." And with that they sat down and began to plan the party. They caught Summer up with the plans thus far and began to work on the guest list.
" So Summer, we already started the list, but you can look at some pictures of friends and family and pick some people."
"Cool. She's not invited, she dresses like a nun!"
"Hey, that's my cousin," Cy yelled.
"All the more reason she's not invited. She can come, she looks pretty normal. No, No, Hell no, ooo, he's cute, definitely invited," she said while thumbing through photos. "No, no, maybe, no, ill, she's prettier than me, she shouldn't be allowed to live! Last thing I need is more competition! No, no, no." Raven watched, knowing that everything was going according to plan. And Summer continued until found one photo. "Wow, who's this?"
"Oh, a friend," Raven said plainly, "I don't think we're going to invite him."
"Why not? He's definitely invited!"
And evening gave way to night. Robin was in his room, typing away, oblivious to Starfire's emotions, doing what was his duty; Beastboy and Cyborg sat in the living room, helping with the party, confused by why Raven was letting Summer help out; Summer continued to thumb through photos saying in her mind, 'These idiots don't even know what I'm planning. It's all going according to plan.' Raven leaned over a smiling Summer saying, 'What an idiot. She doesn't even know that I can read her mind. But she's right about one thing, it's all going to plan.' And Starfire lay on her bed in the dark holding Robin's picture in her arms, the television's light reflecting off of her skin. She missed him. She hated him. She loved him. She couldn't stop thinking of him and she didn't know why. Why? Why was he with Summer? He was probably making out with her right now. And why? How was Summer able to intoxicate him with her kisses? Summer couldn't hold Robin like she could or feel him like she could. She certainly couldn't touch him like she could and she would never be able to love him like she could. She then took her index finger and outlined his chin. 'Why am I still thinking about this? Why are you with her, when she does nothing as well as I do? She can't love you like I can, she can't even love you,' Star thought while tracing his face with her finger. She didn't know why Summer was his choice and she wasn't as she drifted off to a land of dreams with a smile, but she did know one thing as she thought of Summer trying to kiss Robin, 'There's no way her love's as good as mine.'
Hey everyone! I know it took a long time, but it was a long one. I've found that for quality writing its probably going to take me anywhere from a week to two weeks to make a good chapter, but do not fear, the wait will be well worth it! Summer's plan is not going to work like she wants it to. Wait and see. Review! It makes me write faster and with more care! Anyways, hope you enjoyed it! Later Days!
Lovin' It,
LILY