𝐌𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒 ❪ 𝘣𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘦 ❫

Twenty-three

The tears blind my vision as I walk through the tower, attempting to avoid everyone.

''Raven! You are the back!'' I hear Starfire say from behind me, but I carry on walking towards my destination: the roof.

I force open the door, and cool air rushes against my pale face almost instantly. I walk through the breeze, and I grab a hairband on my wrist, tying my hair back, letting a few stray strands dance in the wind.

The wind doesn't calm down, instead, it carries on brushing against my skin, cool and fresh. My sobs cease for a few moments, and I focus on breathing in the air and staring at the horizon.

''Ariel.''

Just that one name causes the tears to flood back once more.

''You caused her death.''

I let my legs dangle over the ledge, and I place my head in my hands. I start to shake violently. From the cold or the tears, I'm not sure.

''You killed Ariel.''

I can feel my heart shattering into jagged pieces over and over, and I can feel all my energy being drained out of me as the world becomes a blur. I can't hear. I can't see. I don't know what is there and what isn't.

''Admit that you killed her.''

I admit it. I admit it.

I killed Ariel.

The sanity that I have kept together for so long finally unravels, the thread tumbling out of my soul.

I sit on the ledge, dangerously close to falling until my arms finally obey me and I claw myself away from the edge. My upper body finally calms down from every wrack it was forced to do from the uncontrollable sobbing.

''Raven?'' I hear a familiar voice say, and the sound of a door closing behind him. I keep my eyes set on the horizon.

He sits beside me, staring off into the distance. I want to say something, but my voice is so raw I cannot say anything. I may have stopped crying, but there is still pain on the inside I can feel.

After a few minutes, Beastboy starts to speak. ''I always come up here. You know, to watch the sunset.'' He points towards the orb of gold in the sky.

I shiver slightly, as the cold wind nips at my exposed arms.

''You cold?'' He asks, taking his jean jacket off and tentatively placing it over my shoulders.

My body responds without my command. I wrap myself in the jacket, zipping it up, and I bury my body in it.

''The sunset is really beautiful.'' I look at him for a split of a second, and I snap my head back towards the horizon. ''I watch it every night.''

The ball of fire merges with the sky, creating hues of orange and yellow, drawing in the pink clouds, as the night creeps behind them. I can just make out the silhouettes of birds flying back to their homes, soaring above the sun that is now partly submerged underneath the horizon.

''Robin told me to give you some space,'' Beastboy says rubbing the back of his neck, 'but there is clearly something going on, Rae.''

The dusky sky follows in the sun's path, as the golden orb has made way for thousands of stars to fill the night sky.

''Please, Rae. Please tell me what's wrong.''

I lean into his body, trying to ignore the internal screams coming from within.

''Raven. I'm really worried.''

Only a few bright streaks remain in the sky, hinting that the sun has left.

''You always keep to yourself. You never share any of your feelings with anyone. You need to talk to someone.''

I nestle my head into his shoulder, wiping my face into his t-shirt sleeve.

''I've noticed that you are not sleeping well. What's going on?''

I undo my ponytail, allowing the long silky locks of hair to surround my face.

''Please, Raven. Please tell me what's going on.'' He gently moves my head off his shoulder and looks down at my face. ''What happened in Azarath?''

Despite all of my internal screaming, the deep wounds inside my heart, and the pain in my soul, I choke out the words, ''I'm fine,'' and I teleport back to the safety of my room.

I want help.

But somehow I can't ask for it.

And, from somewhere deep inside of me, I know I don't deserve it.

But you do deserve it, Rae! Aww. Sometimes my writing drives me mad. Any typos? Please let me know. Any parts that made you cry? Laugh? Smile? Sigh? Please comment down below. I love hearing your ideas about what might happen next. Goodbye for now.