RAVEN'S HOPE

7- Vincent

---8:02PM---

◾Vincent◾

I knocked on the door and waited patiently. Raven said it wasn't anything fancy so it was quite a surprise when she opened the door and was wearing a pink bodycon dress. Her hair was down, as usual, but it was pinned back. She wasn't wearing her usual black jean and graphic tees with a jacket. She made me feel underdressed with my jean and plain black tee.

"Hey." She smiled at me and I smiled back too. She opened the door wider and I stepped into the house. I heard faint giggles and I frowned a little.

"Is anybody here?" I asked and I silently hoped she would say No. I wanted an alone time with her.

"Yeah. Nia and Abigail. They're on the roof." She shut the door and led me to a stairs leading to the roof. I heard her count the steps before we walked out to the roof. Why does she counts her steps?

"Hey Vincent?" I heard Nia shout followed by giggles. As I stepped into the fresh air of the roof, I saw Nia and Abigail seated on a bean bag. Well, Nia was on the bean bag while Abigail was seated on her thighs. Raven led me to a bean bag far away from Nia and Abigail, in a really secluded corner.

"Are they high already?" I asked and Raven nodded. I sat on a bean bag while she sat next to me on a bean bag too. "How are you?"

"Good. You?" She awkwardly asked and I nodded. She turned to the corner beside her and she pulled out two bottles of beer and an already lit blunt. I took the blunt first before dropping the bottle beside me. We were seated so close that I could perceive her perfume. Vanilla.

"So what kind of music are you into?" She asked and I shrugged. She tapped on her phone and 'Body ain't me' by Pink sweats came on.

"Do you have the album?" I asked and she nodded before putting the album on repeat. I exhaled the smoke that I had gathered. I handed the blunt to her. "Wanna smoke?" She looked at the blunt in my hand and back at the drink in hers. She was confused so I moved my hands closer to myself, maybe as a way to tell her that I'm cool with her saying 'no'.

"No." She softly said and I nodded before taking another drag. "How are you?" She asked.

"Just peachy." I started and she leaned closer to listen to me as she took a swig from her bottle.

"I'm sorry, I'm so awkward." She said before taking another swig. We sat in silence and the songs kept playing in the background.

"Why do you wear so many bracelets?" I asked and she shrugged. I was starting to feel the high from the weed and I was so relived. I wanted to get high or drunk. I wanted to spend time with Raven. I wanted to hold her and the song wasn't helping so much. Would it be rude if I asked her to change the song?

---9:15PM---

I felt so light like I could fly. Raven placed her head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Her body was warm as opposed to the cool night air.

"The sky looks so pretty." Raven exclaimed as she pointed at the sky. Her bracelet shifted downwards and I could see a faint line on her wrist. Was that an injury? Or what? "I wish I was a bird." She turned to look at me. "Why don't you like me?"

"Raven?" I called and she sat up. "Why don't you like me?" I questioned her which made her to pout. "You're the one that doesn't like me. You're so mean most of the time."

"I like you. I like you a lot." She said as she leaned closer to me. She cocked her head to the side as she watched me. Was she joking?

"I like you too but I don't think I'm ready-"

"Me too." She said and we looked at each other. 'Body ain't me' was still playing the background. It gave me a certain push and I leaned closer to her.

"Would it be bad if I kiss you?" She shook her head frantically and I leaned close so that I grazed my lips on hers and she gasped lightly. I moved my hands around her and I pulled her to me so that she'll straddle me. "You look so beautiful."

"You look mighty fine. That's what Abigail says." She said before resting her head on my shoulder. I leaned back on the bean bag as she rested on me. "I thought you said you're not interested in me."

"I am. I was in a mood that day." I said as I took another drag.

"Will you be in a mood tomorrow?" She softly asked as I exhaled the smoke.

"No." I said and she hummed in response. I let my hand drop down to her waist and I held her close to me. She sat up and looked at me. Her hands touched my chest and I sighed at the feeling. She moved her hands to my hair and pulled me closer to her. "You're going to be the death of me."

"I know." She said before pressing her lips on mine.

"Hey, you guys. Its time to leave. Your mum is gonna be back in an hour." I heard Abigail shout before Raven and I had the opportunity to kiss. I groaned and leaned back down. Raven got off me and picked up the bottles and I trailed after her. She walked down the stairs and out to the garbage can in the front of the house. I heard her count her steps and she looked cute doing it. I followed her back into the house and waited in the living room as she bade Nia and Abigail goodbye.

"Time to go." She said as she turned to me. I stood up and moved closer to her. "The door's that way."

"I know." I wrapped my hands around her waist and I let my hands wander downwards.

"Y-you should really be going. I'll see you tomorrow." She leaned up and kissed my cheek. Taking my hands away from her body, she led me to the door. "Good night."

"Good night. I'll see you tomorrow." I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She blushed lightly and I smiled. "I really like you, Raven."