Reminisce.

CHAPER 3

...

"Are you sure about this?" Her supervisor asked.

Raven nodded. "I'm sorry, but I can't work at a place that has gender discrimination."

Her superior frowned. "Well, you will be missed. Your work here was exceptional."

Raven sighed. "But I have to be a man to get any recognition for it."

"Unfortunately." She huffed before looking back at Raven and smiling. "I'll write a good letter of recommendation for you, and hopefully your next job will be less biased."

"Thank you, I appreciate that." Raven said before getting up and leaving the office.

She was back at square one, on a hunt for a new job. But she wasn't worried. She was happy for the experience. And despite the unappreciated sexism, she had to accept that was something normal people experienced.

Raven walked out of the building, a small box of her belongings in her hands. But then someone caused her to abruptly stop and almost drop said belongings.

"Gar?..."

"Okay, here me out." Garfield said quickly as he approached her. "I was upset yesterday, and it made me say stupid things that I didn't mean. And I know you probably don't want me here, but I thought I should at least try and do the thing I regretted not doing the first time you left."

She stared at him, the surprise of him being there still evident.

"Which is what?" She found herself asking.

"Chase after you."

She sighed, shaking her head. She opened her mouth but suddenly found herself unable to say all the things she wanted to.

Seeing him in Jump City didn't just open up the wound for him, it also opened it up for herself. And one thing she had to admit he was good at, was helping heal old wounds.

Raven readjusted the box in her hands as she looked at him. "Won't you be leaving a trail of broken hearts behind you?"

Garfield sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, I might have exaggerated a bit."

A knowing smile appeared on her lips. "Exaggerated or lied."

"Hey, I went on quite a few dates. And just like you, they all fell for my charm." He told her and she couldn't help but scuff and roll her eyes at his arrogance. "But none of them compared to you." He finished.

She looked back at him, the sentiment in his words surprising her. She wanted to say something, but found herself unable to form a response as he looked at her, so she just started walking.

He looked to her confused as she walked past him, before she turned her head back to him.

"Are you coming?" She asked.

A grin appeared on his face as he quickly caught up to her. "So, what's with the box?" He asked.

"I quit my job." She said simply. "The sexism was a deal-breaker."

"Ah." He nodded. "So, what are you going to do now?"

She lightly sighed. "Look for a job that takes my talents into consideration and not my looks."

"Well, I wouldn't mind being used strictly for my looks." He smirked. "If being sexy helps me get a good role, then I don't have a problem with it."

"With that mindset I'm shocked you haven't done porn." She drawled and he didn't reply. His lack of response caused her to suddenly stop and turn to him as he sheepishly scratched his neck. "Gar?..."

"So, I got offered once..." He trailed off rubbing the back of his head trying to avoid eye contact.

She looked at him critically. "You didn't."

He quickly shook his head. "No. But I thought about it. Even read the script. But the story was weird."

"There was a story?" She questioned.

"Not a good one." He clarified.

She faced forward as she started walking again. "Well, I'm glad you didn't go through with it."

He smirked. "Not fond of the idea of me getting paid to fool around with porn stars?"

"I'm not fond of you filming yourself naked for other people to watch."

He laughed lightly. "Yeah, I honestly wasn't super excited about that part either. Plus, I hear once you do adult films, you can't really do anything else."

Raven shook her head at the thought as they approached the parking lot. She walked up to her car and put her box in the back seat. She shut the door to see her companion leaning on his arms over the roof.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked, smiling at her.

"Go home and start looking for a new job." She answered as she opened the front door.

"And you're not making me leave?" He questioned.

"Not yet." She responded sitting down. She shut the door and put on her seat-belt before looking over to see what he was doing, just to see him sitting in the passenger seat and leaning over the console.

Raven sighed at his close proximity. "Now just because I'm not making you leave; doesn't mean you can start making passes at me." She told him sternly, glaring at his smiling face.

Garfield smirked. "I would never..."

"Gar, I'm serious." She told him as she faced forward and started the car. "I want to try and be friends again."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "Rae, we were never good at being friends. We annoyed the crap out of each other for four years. The only reason we started getting along was because things got playfully suggestive."

"A lot has changed since then. We've both grown up a lot."

"You say we, but I feel like you just mean me." He said accusingly, narrowing his eyes at her. And the abrupt glare she gave him further proved his point.

"We aren't the horny teenagers we once were. I'm sure we can control ourselves." She told him.

He smirked at her as she drove out of the parking lot. "I know I can. The question is if you can?" She rolled her eyes and scuffed at his accusation.

"Scoff all you want. But remember at the hotel, who wanted to talk, and who wanted to-"

"I get it!" She shot back.

...