Chapter 2
Another Day, another Battle
Raven clutched her crutches as she got out of Martha Shadow's car. She turned and glanced at Martha.
"I'll pick you up right after school, hon." Mrs. Shadows said, a compassionate look in her eyes.
"I'll be fine. Anyway you won't be able to one way or another. Smitt is going to call on an emergency board meeting, and you and Robert have to be there." Raven said, and started her way to St. Bartholomew High School.
"Raven! Wait!"
Raven sighed and looked at Martha, again.
"You know I care about you. I would love it if just called Mom one day?" Martha said a pleading tone lacing around her words.
"Says the woman that was paid to accept me in her home." Raven said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
She turned and to limp to St. Bart's High School.
†††
Raven closed her locker with a quiet thud. But she didn't turn around. She heard a mocking laughter and the click of heels that drifted to her ears. Raven didn't have to see to know who it was. Hailey Pierce. Raven took a deep breath, grabbed her crutches that were leaning against a nearby locker, and started to weave around other students, trying to make a hasty retreat.
But her retreat was brought up short when a well-built form slid into her path. Raven gritted her teeth and fought the urge to hit someone across their face with her crutches. Raven looked up, only to be greeted by Daniel Pierce's overconfident smirk. His tussled light brown hair falling over his chocolate brown eyes. Raven cocked her head to the said, looking straight into his eyes. Her ice blue eyes flashing.
"What do you want Daniel?" Raven said bluntly.
"Well, I wanted to ask you if wanted to come to my party for my victory over High Ridge in my wrestling match, but-."
"Sorry can't come, goodbye." Raven said quickly and tried to skirt around him, ignoring the death glares most of the girls surrounding her were shouting into her direction.
But stopped when she felt his hand on her right wrist. She turned her head and glared at him.
"Why do you keep on ignoring me?" Daniel asked.
"Because, you obviously don't understand the statement 'I'm not interested'. Now excuse me I don't want whatever you're selling." Raven retorted, wrenching her arm free from his grasp.
"Oh, Raven what happened to you?" a shrill voice was directed toward Raven.
Raven looked at a tall blonde, with light brown eyes. Her heels clicked against the tiled floor as she approached. Daniel turned and whispered in Raven's ear before he walked away.
"I'm not done with you yet."
Raven rolled her eyes as Daniel walked away and when Hailey approached.
"I broke my leg, obviously." Raven said as if it was a fact (and it was).
"But how?" Hailey said putting her hand on her hips and smiling at the group of boys carrying skate boards.
"I tripped and fell down the stairs at my flat, and I broke it." Raven said it slowly as if explaining it to a child.
"Oh, poor Raven." Hailey said, her eyes blink rapidly. Her eyelid was covered with heavily applied eye liner and mascara.
"Is there something wrong with your eyes? I think it's because to the mascara. I heard it's made out of bat poop." Raven said popping the 'p'.
Raven smiled as she limped away, when she heard Hailey sputtering and mumbling nonsense. She walked toward the double doors that lead to her history class that was in a small out building. Raven grimaced as a passing by student accidently bumped her right foot. The dark blue plaster doing little but making the blow harder on her stiff leg underneath. Raven huffed when no one held the door open.
"Raven! Wait for us!" two voice's said in unison.
Raven grinned and turned. She saw two boys that looked like twins, and they were. Toby and Lucas Thompson, red hair and blue eyes, both on the school swim team. And coincidently in Raven history, science, math, and P.E. Toby hurried to open the doors and Lucas started yelling.
"Make way! Make way for the injured! Make way!" Lucas bellowed his hand cupped around his mouth.
"Lucas." Raven said as she walked thru the doors.
Lucas turned and looked at Raven with a smug expression.
"Yes patient?"
"Shut-up." Raven grunted before all three of them headed to Ms. Robinson's history class.
†††
Raven hated feeling helpless. But she had to accept it, considering her position in her 'life'. Raven looked at elderly Ms. Adders, the school's cook, as she stood waiting in the lunch line, her tray on a nearby table. Ms. Adders just noticed Raven and her gaze traveled to her right leg. She walked out the kitchen.
"Toby! Lucas! I thought I told you to make sure that Raven isn't going to have ask for help!" she bellowed, Ms. Adders was their great aunt and she had great love for her grand nephews.
Raven smiled as she saw Toby cuffing Lucas. His mouth forming the word 'idiot'. Toby begged forgiveness to his fuming aunt. And Lucas took Raven's tray and held it up in his right hand, his head held high, his lips puckered out and his face stretched out.
"All you are missing is a few whiskers, and then you will be a true waiter." Raven giggled.
"Madam, may I escort you to your table?" Toby said as he bowed.
"Thank you sir." Raven said in her heavily accented French accent.
As Toby lead Raven to their usual table, with Lucas trailing behind them, his face still stretched out and puckered. It caused quite a few bursts of laughter and quick remarks from fellow students. Raven felt Daniel and his buddies gaze's at her back. But as usual Raven remained oblivious to them. They finally reached their round table in the corner of the cafeteria, right next to the glass panels that opened a view to the school's soccer field.
While Toby guided Raven to a chair, Lucas laid her tray in front of her saying.
"Your luncheon, madam."
"Toby, Lucas. I want to say one thing. You both still owe me £5." she said dramatically.
The twins sat down, and stared at Raven with puppy eyes.
"Fine." Raven sighed.
Both boys perked up, wolfish grins on their faces.
"Toby and Lucas, since you both were such gentlemen to me, I will bestow you the honors to..." Raven paused.
Both boys had hopeful expressions on their faces.
"To drive me home."
"YES!" both boys bellowed.
"Sh." Raven started but it was too late.
The whole cafeteria was starring. Raven moaned, covering her eyes with both of her hands, and stared at her single shoe and cast. But quickly the students and staff lost interest and returned to their undertaking. Raven's attention was caught by a tall handsome boy with grayish blue eyes and spiked up dirty blonde hair.
He was standing uncertainly at the double doors that lead to the hallway. Raven noticed that he was tense, and his stance reminded Raven of a soldier, or someone with military training. A few girls were admiring him, and Hailey was already slithering up to him. Raven inclined her ear and listened carefully; she ignored the useless chatter of students and zeroed in on the newcomer and Hailey.
"Are you lost?" Hailey's supposed seductive voice nauseated Raven.
"Actually, I am looking for Toby and Lucas Thompson. Do you know where they sit?" the newbie said in a husky voice.
Raven saw Hailey's face fall for a moment, but she quickly recovered her demur.
"No. But you can sit with me." She purred.
Raven kicked Toby. He yelped and glared at her, but he finally noticed the army boy and kicked Lucas. He also noticed the boy. Then Toby did the usual Toby-like action. He stood on his chair and yelled gesturing to their table.
"Hey Christopher! Over here!"
Christopher, ignoring the distrait Hailey, walked to their table.
"Christopher meet Raven, Raven meet Christopher." Lucas said when Christopher reached their table.
Raven punched Toby's knee, which caused his legs to crumble, and fell back into his chair. Christopher chuckled and sat right across from Raven.
"So you must be the famous Raven Shadows." He said, Raven noticed an unusual accent in his voice.
"And you can stop trying to cover up your American accent." Raven said calmly, sipping her milk carton.
Lucas started to crack up but stopped short when Raven slammed her plastic fork at his hand.
"Owe." Lucas squealed.
"Raven, if you are to keep on treating us this way, we won't live long enough to see you in a dress." Toby interjected.
"Dollars to doughnuts. You both are like little brothers to me. And you will have to wait a long time to see me in a dress." Raven said as she put her ice cold water bottle on Lucas's hand.
"How did you know?" Christopher asked.
" When Americans try to sound British.... it's just completely and utterly horrible. You don't have to worry about being an American. I believe you will fit in perfectly." Raven said as she took out an extra plastic fork from her pocket.