"She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did."
~Markus Zusak

–•–•–•–

They were stunned. They didn't expect her to spill her entire story like that. They didn't exactly know how to respond.

Dick however, wasn't buying it. He was still highly suspicious of this girl. But she was crying a little. She had to be telling the truth, right?

She quickly wipes away her tears and turns away.

"Gar, why don't show Raven to the guest room?" Dick orders.

"What?"

"You don't think we're letting you go back out there do you?" Vic asks.

"Kinda..."

"Of course not! We are your friends now! Right?" Kori asks her roomates.

"Totally!" Garfield gives a thumbs up.

"Definitley." Vic answers. Dick just nods.

"I haven't had a friend in a while. Let alone four. Thank you." Garfield stands up and reaches out his hand to her. She takes it and he helps her off the couch. He throws her arm over his shoulder and she hops side by side with him to the guest room.

"It's right next to my room so I'm always right next door if you need anything." She nods.

She sits on the bed and holds her knee.

"How's your knee?"

"Could be better." He sighs.

"That's the closet, Kori will probably beg you to go shopping tomorrow. Just say yes, it's easier that way."

"Kori...is that her real name?" She asks.

"No. Her full name is Koriand'r. She's from some small country in Europe. I forget the name." He answers.

"She's quite the character. Is she always that happy?"

"Pretty much. You get used to it. It's always good to have someone to lighten up the mood around. Word of advice: don't make her angry."

"Word of advice: Don't make me angry." Raven replies with a smirk.

"Anyway, your bathroom's down the hall."

"My bathroom?"

"Well, the girl's bathroom. We kinda had to make a storage room another bathroom because of a small walk-in incident we had last year. I won't go into details. Let's just say what has been seen cannot be unseen."

"...got it..."

"Well it's late. Sounds like the others are turning in too. You got any pajamas or a T-shirt or something?" She shakes her head.

"Wanna borrow one of my old ones? You can qakeep it." She shrugs.

"Ok! Be right back!"

They're all so kind. They hardly know anything about me and they are calling me their friend.

Garfield comes back in with a large, green, baggy shirt.

"You don't have to Garfield."

"Aww c'mon just take it!" He pleads. She takes it from his hand.

"It's doesn't smell."

"Washed clothes yesterday! Ha! It got mixed in with everything else."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"Uh...we have a terrace. That's down that way. You can go there if you ever want to just unwind or anything. But that's about it."

"I guess I'll go check it out later..."

"Night Raven." He leaves and closes the door.

She let's out a long sigh and gingerly places her hands on her knee. She let's it go in e few seconds and bends her knee a few times.

"Much better."

She got up from the bed and no longer had a limp.

"Why is he so nice? Why are they so nice? I don't get it!" Raven only understood Dick's behavior. Suspicion. She knew he was suspicious of her. Other than Garfield, she liked him the most for that. He has doubts, questions, and wasn't quick about trusting her. Just like she is with most other people.

"Tomorrow is going to be weird." She looks out the window at the street below.

Then she looks at the shirt on the bed. Oh yeah.

She takes her hoodie, jeans, shirt, and shoes off and puts on the shirt. She looks at herself in the mirror and gives into habit. She braids up her framing strands and puts her hair into a neat bun.

"Oh." Do I still need to do this?

She doesn't really. The braiding of her hair and putting it into a bun was mainly for her own protection when she was outside. She had multiple experiences where she'd find a place to sleep and her hair would get caught on something. Sometimes it would screw her over too. So she taught herself how to do this.

She just shrugged and laid on the bed. She was asleep in a matter of minutes.

–•–•–•–

Raven was the first awake.

It was about 6 AM and everything was still more or less dark. She didn't leave the room with Garfield's shirt on. She changed, but forgot her hoodie. She didn't undo her hair either. She wanted to check out the terrace.

There was a wicker table set with 5 chairs, a few plants in the corners, a little cat house for Silkie (which he was currently in) and an old barbecue that looks like it hasn't been used in years.

She looked over the railing and only saw the ocean. The appartment was that close to the water and she didn't even realize. The beach was right below her and she couldn't help but smile at the sun rising.

Dawn bathed everything in bright oranges, yellows, pinks, and reds. The wind was still blowing furiously as it did the night before.

Everything seemed easy. The sound of the waves almost put her right back to sleep.

"Pretty isn't it?" Says a voice from behind. She knows who it is.

"Very." He walks up next to her. "What are you doing up so early Dick?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Sleeping to late in the day would cause people to ask questions. Go to sleep late, rise early, no one gets suspicious."

"You can take it easy here you know." Dick assures her.

"I always have to keep my guard up." They stand in silence for a bit. "I know you don't trust me. At least not fully."

"I–"

"Don't try and lie to me either. I have a knack for picking up lies. I can read people like a book. And I'm good at reading books." She turns to him. "You're embarrassed that I caught you. This is making you not trust me more. You want to trust me because everybody else is, but you just can't for some reason."

"Uhh..."

"Yesterday you didn't want me to stay either. Am I right or am I wrong?" She doesn't expect an answer. "If I'm being honest, that's what I like about you, Dick. You're not quick to trust."

"Are you not?" He asks.

"Not usually. But for some reason here, I've dropped my guard."

"Well at least you know."

"You're right to be suspicious."

"Am I now?"

"Mhm."

"You seem like one to keep secrets, Raven. Lots of them. It's nothing against you, I've just had bad experiences with people who keep lots of secrets is all."

"Figured." She looks at the sand. "Hey, do you know why Garfield dropped out of school?" He shuts his eyes in obvious annoyance.

"He didn't tell you?"

"He did, I want to ask everybody. I feel like everyone is going to have a different story."

"You're not wrong. Whoever you ask you're bound to get a different perspective." She waited for him to continue. "My dad paid for him to go to school. My dad paid for all of us. I'm really the only one here who still has parents, but as everybody else would tell you, my dad's 'loaded' so he can afford it."

"But one day Gar came home from school and asked for my dad's number. In about an hour he came back into the living room and said he's not going to school. I asked him why and he said that he was sick of school."

"You didn't like that he dropped out?"

"Course not. When we all met we agreed we'd go to collage together. It just bothered me." She shakes his head as if to shake away the conversation. Then the small pitter-patter of feet. "Here she comes..." a smile grows across Dick's face.

"Boyfriend Dick! Hooray! You are awake!" Kori almost flies out into the terrace and embraces Dick from behind.

"Morning Kori."

"Hi Kori." Raven greets.

"Good morning friend Raven! I have not had a female to hang out with in quite a while! Would you like to accompany me to the mall?"

"Just say yes. It's easier that way."

"Sure." She replies.

"Oh joyous! We can leave after breakfast!"

"Breakfast?" Raven's jaw dropped ever so slightly. She gave a face that tells you, 'Give. Food...'

Raven then left the terrace and speed walked to the kitchen.

Kori laughed and Dick smiled.

Raven was ravenous.