Unnatural

Chapter 2: Another Day, Another Battle

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.