A Child's Reality (BBRae AU)

XVI

XVI
Always Changing and Everlasting
~~~

Gar and Raven jump out from Gar's car. Raven makes sure to hand him his keys after locking it. They intertwine their fingers once they lock hands and Gar stares up nervously at the high school that not only has he not seen in months but seems almost foreign to him.

"What's the matter?" Raven questions.

"What's gonna happen when I go in there?" he hesitates.

"People are going to be really shocked that you're back. None of us told anyone other than Mrs. Lhorwik. There have just been rumors."

"I'll get bombarded with questions won't I?"

"Yeah, just like the rest of us..."

"I don't think I'm gonna last a whole day. My arms are still kinda sore."

"What does that have to do with school other than writing? You're not cleared for gym and you're going to shadow me for almost all of my classes for the rest of the year. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"I hope so, Rae."

It's been four grueling weeks, but Gar's been cleared to finally enter the outside world. Getting discharged about a week ago and the last few days in preparation for school, today, December fifth is his first day. Gar and Raven have caught up on mostly everything. Raven still danced around the elephant in the room though as well as good old Kai Redfield. But those would come with time, whether either of them likes it or not.

Raven's taught him as much as she can to make sure he's not totally clueless when he jumps into the current units of classes. She wants him to be as comfortable as possible in school before things begin to go downhill again (as they always seem to do with her). She's did exactly what she said she'd do: Called him every morning to make sure he took his pills and when he didn't answer, she called again, and again, and again. In an attempt to get him back into the swing of things, she even streamed with him in his first returning stream. She watched him play games as the chat scrolled past at light speed, all of them saying something about how cute or hot she was rather than focusing on what Gar was actually doing in the game.

Regardless, it got Gar back into the swing of things. Of which he is really thankful to Raven for. Now the problem isn't more getting him prepared for school, it's getting him into school.

As the bell grows ever closer, Raven reminds him how Lhorwik doesn't like it when students are late and that he needs his schedule before the bell rings. That doesn't get him to move. So as a last-ditch effort, Raven simply walks away from him with a sigh and a groan. Just as she expects, Gar panics and immediately follows her, catching up in no time.

Once they walk into the school, it's like a repeat of the first time Gar came into the school last year. All eyes were on him. Except Raven is there for him this time. She keeps him on a straight path towards the main office as they remain connected, hand in hand. Whispers arise from the students like smoke from a fire. Then, breaking the tense air, some of Gar's friends from his classes the previous year come up to him giving him fist bumps and acting like he wasn't gone for three months.

Raven's elated now that he's smiling again.

Once they get Gar's schedule they find out which classes he doesn't have with Raven — Calculus and AP Psychology with Pre-Calculus and Computer Programing/Game Design in their place — and headed to their first class.