An Inaudible Irritation

19. Confidence

Days passed after Maya returned to the Teen Titans and school practically began to fly by again. Maya had even picked up sign language lessons after school, which Damian liked. Communicating with her was rather difficult through goofy facial expressions and hand gestures that made no sense to him.

Raven, however, was not too joyful during this time. Her grades were looking dreadful.

"Looks like you need a tutor, Miss Roth," Damian said as he held back a laugh.

Raven gave him a glare as she snatched back her graded test from his hands. Once she crammed the test down in her bookbag, she propped her elbows on the table and held her chin up with her hands.

"I was never good at math," Maya commented and gave Raven a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Just try to study."

"Yeah, I guess I'll have to if I want to pass," Raven said and sighed, closing her eyes.

"So what's this 'prom' thing everyone's talking about?" Maya questioned as she lifted up a flyer from the floor.

Raven opened her eyes to glance at what she was referring to. Damian glanced at the paper and gave an unamused look.

"It's a formal school dance," Raven informed her and began to read over the words on the paper. "I've never been to one, but in movies and stuff they go all out for it. Wearing expressive dresses, renting limousines, and eating out at a fancy place."

"Sounds kinda lame," Maya commented and put the flyer down. "But I'm down for the food."

Raven shrugged her shoulders. The thought of prom had never even occurred to her.

After the bell rang, the three of them departed. Maya went to her separate class while Damian and Raven attended Theatre Arts.

Raven tried to concentrate on the teacher's lecture, but all she could do was think of the next class. She dreaded giving a presentation. Raven had never had to speak in front of a group of people before, so she couldn't help but feel nervous.

She hated math, with every fiber of her being. So, the fact that her teacher had assigned the class a paper on 'why math is important', well, it grated on her nerves. But, she still wrote it. She needed a good grade for once.

Raven wasted most of the class period feeling nervous, and almost immediately the class started.

"Miss Roth, if you will," the teacher spoke as his eyes landed on her.

Raven gulped before slowly raising up out of her chair, causing it to squeal as it slid across the hard floor. Once she was up, she made her way to the front of the classroom and faced the crowd of students.

After clearing her throat, she raised her paper up to her face to read in front of the class. The sheet of paper trembled slightly in her hands as she spoke, and her voice was barely audible. Even then, she continued her presentation.

While she read, she tried her best to avert her focus from the students. However, the feeling of someone staring at her began to gain her attention.

As soon as her eyes left the final words written on her paper, she met a set of emerald eyes in a piercing gaze. Raven's face immediately flushed in embarrassment.

"Thank you," the teacher said when she concluded her presentation. Raven gave him a small nod and quickly made her way back to her assigned seat, avoiding making eye contact with anyone.

Once she was safe in her seat and another student was called up there, she let out a sigh of relief. That wasn't too bad, she thought.

"Why are you so nervous?" Damian whispered to her. Raven met his gaze shamefully. He must've noticed her poor posture, she realized.