Whatever You Want

Chapter 7

As she by the front gates, Raven attempted to blow bubbles with her sour apple chewing gum. She’d crammed the entire pack into her mouth and chewed it until her jaw ached, but still couldn’t pull off bubbles like Adrienne.

She blew too hard and launched the green wad into the back of a stranger. Luckily it ricocheted off the girl’s satchel instead of sticking in her hair. Casting a guilty eye around for witnesses, Raven locked eyes with Matty. He stifled a giggle, looking sheepishly at the passer-by before smiling back at Raven.

“What’s so funny?” Alissa asked as she finally arrived, seconds before the bell rang.

“Nothing,” Matty covered as the group made their way into the main building. They were the last to enter, except for Kevin Pratt, one of Rick Johnsons cronies. The lad stood outside the green painted gates, arguing with the chemistry teacher Mr Ross, chest puffed up and arms flailing. Mr Ross had that blank look on his face; the one teachers get when dealing with kids they’ve given up on.

‘What adults must think of us youngsters,’ Raven pondered as she observed the scene, so full of anger and stupidity, like ineffectual clouds of seething hot rage.

“Lee’s friend Regan was asking about you again,” Alissa chirped up, interrupting Ravens thoughts. “He is really cute, and nice too.”

“How come you don’t want to date him then?” Raven asked.

“Well, I have Andy, don’t I?” Alissa shot Raven a withering look.

“Yeah, of course,” Raven was quick to agree. In the sense that he has you... on a string.

“You aren’t seeing anyone though? Right?” Alissa pushed. Is this because I was smiling at Matty? Raven wondered. You have Andy, but you still need your backup, right?

“I’m too busy with school—” Raven began.

“You need a date to prom though, Raven. Time is ticking...”

“Regan isn’t really my type,” Raven explained.

“Whatever,” Alissa huffed.

“Sorry,” she said quietly after a moment of silence. “I’m just feeling crappy. Tired.” Alissa rubbed her eyes. “I had terrible nightmares last night.”

“You’re getting those again?”

“Worse this time. It was weird. It seemed so real... and Zach was in it.” Alissa made a vomiting gesture.

“Huh?” Zach interrupted, hearing his name.

“You’re the stuff of nightmares, apparently,” Raven filled him in.

Zach burst into song, “Never fall asleep... you won’t wake up—”

“Ah, Escape the Fate! I love that song,” Adrienne interrupted before singing along. Raven couldn’t help but sing along in her head, afraid to air her terrible singing voice or risk upsetting Alissa.

On the walk to Friday morning assembly, Raven saw Connor for the first time since her plan to ask him out had tanked. She saw him often, at school and around town, and every time her body the same way; her vision sharpened, her heart pounded, and her stomach felt like vacating its contents.

‘Surprise, surprise he is with Kendal,’ Raven noticed. All the colour drained out of the day. Surely it couldn’t get any worse, Raven thought, but as the pair passed her group of friends, a certain loudmouthed blonde just had to make a comment on Kendal’s newly red hair.

“Going for the hipster little mermaid look? How original,” Alissa said, flipping her own straightened locks behind her back.

“Yeah, because the blonde bimbo look never gets tired,” Connor defended the redhead.

Breathing in, Alissa readied herself to fire an insult back when Zach stepped in front of her and curled Kendal’s hair around one of his fingers. “I like it.”

“You know, I actually think you resemble Asuka Langley Soryu than Ariel,” Zach told Kendal with a half-smile. Her face turned a deeper shade of red than her hair as she stared at Zach, mouth agape.

“Asuka from Evangelion? You like anime?” Connor asked, saving his dumb-stricken friend from having to speak.

“Yes, but I mostly read manga. She draws her own manga series,” Zach turned to Raven, wide-eyed, his expression screaming, ‘talk to him then!’

“Me too!” Connor cried, smiling at Raven for the first time.

Huffing, Alissa walked away. She always got bored when the focus wasn’t on her. Only Matty followed and sat next to her.

As the group chatted it became apparent that Connor and Kendal were not romantically involved. Kendal practically had a heart attack every time Zach spoke or even looked at her.

“I have an idea. You guys should come over for an anime marathon at the weekend. If you are free?” Zach offered.

Both Connor and Kendal agreed it was a great idea and were smiling as Ravens group continued on their way to the assembly hall.

After the assembly, Raven went to use the ladies’ room. Kendal was applying layer after layer of red lipstick to her full mouth while leaning into the mirror, smacking her lips between each application.

‘She is actually really pretty,’ Raven thought. It was easier to admit the girl was attractive now she wasn’t competition.

“It looks nice,” Raven smiled and pointed at the girl’s lips. “I’m sorry about Alissa.” Raven didn’t know why, but the apology felt appropriate, even though Alissa would kill her for it.

The redhead shrugged her shoulders as if to say it didn’t matter. “Do you think he meant it? Zach, I mean. Do you really think he wants me to come to his house?” Kendal frowned, “Uh, your house that is.”

“Yeah, of course,” Raven replied.

“He touched my hair. Did you see? Of course, you did... you were right there! ... I’m babbling, aren’t I?”

“You have a crush on Zach?” Raven asked, though the question was so redundant she kicked herself for voicing it.

“He’s so perfect. Everything about him is perfect.” Kendal looked wistfully into the distance. “He is way out of my league though.”

Raven understood. She felt the same way toward Connor. As though he was this grand deity on a pedestal and she a lowly commoner. A mud-spattered, toothless, rag-wearing wench.

“I get it, I do, but Zach is still only human. He poops the same as the rest of us,” Raven smiled.

Kendal shocked her by bursting into laughter. “Awesome, every time I feel intimidated by him, I will just say to myself ‘he poops!’”

Inevitably the subject of Connor came up. “I’m sorry about what Connor said to you. I honestly don’t reckon he knows how hard it is to ask a guy out.”

Raven considered lying, but what was the point? She shrugged instead.

“He doesn’t have a date for prom yet,” Kendal poked Raven in the side. “Maybe you could ask at the weekend. Or perhaps he will even ask you… if you want me to give him a push?”

Raven swallowed. It seemed as if her heart had jumped up out of her chest and gotten caught in her oesophagus. The idea Connor might be within her grasp was far too sudden. Raven was a planner. She considered everything carefully, at great length and in minute detail. Though to be fair, her habit of over-thinking had hardly worked out well so far. Time to give spur-of-the-moment decision making a go.

“Do you think he’d take me?” Raven asked.

“Oh, I know he would,” Kendal said with a smile, placing an arm around Raven as they slinked back into the corridor.