I Knew You Were Trouble {TMNT Raph Love Story}

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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*Raelin's POV*

I don't know what it is about this moment, but I don't pull away from Raph, which is what I would've originally done. I keep myself locked in his embrace and his lips perfectly set on mine. It felt somewhat wrong, but at the same time, it felt right. 

I try my hardest not to let the popular girl inside of me that I've created get the best of me as I felt his hands tighten their grip around me. But, I wasn't the popular mean girl in that moment. I was the real Raelin. The girl I've hid from since freshman year. That's who I am.

I'm Raelin Brown, the girl who won the science fair and got straight A's all her life. I'm the over achiever with my future practically right in front of me. I'm Raelin Brown, the girl who isn't afraid to love the one her heart belongs to.

We break the kiss and all I can think of when I stare into his bright green eyes is that I shouldn't be afraid of what others are going to say to me because I have all the real love I could ever want right in front of me.

"You didn't push me away," Raph whispers as I keep staring at him.

"I didn't want to. It was about time I did something for myself once again since Middle School," I explain and he smiles.

"April was wrong about you," he states and I look down at me feet. I feel embarrassed, once again.

"Let me guess. She said that I was mean and that I don't care about anyone but myself, right? I'm just a self centered mean girl, right?" I ask a little defensive and Raph can sense the anger building inside me.

"Look, Raelin, words of others can hurt really badly, but you have to ignore them because you know you're so much better than anything they can say. They judge you, but it doesn't define you, it defines them," Raph explains, and I can see the logic behind his words.

"Raph, I act like I don't care about anyone but myself, but that's only because I once cared too much for others. I don't want to get hurt again, but I feel actually more hurt than before. It's like, I be myself, no one likes me. I'm not myself, no one likes me. I can't win no matter where I go!" I complain and Raph wraps his arms around me as I cry on his shoudler.

"You win to me," he whispers and honestly, if it were anyone else, it wouldn't have helped. But, for some reason, Raph's words always help, no matter how cliche they may be.

"I'm gonna go to school like this on Monday," I whisper and let go of him. I turn around in my chair and look at the mirror on my desk.

I tried so hard to get rid of girl I see right now. The glasses and the pony tail never worked in my favor before. I've always wanted to get rid of this girl and now she's back in my life somehow.

How would I even be able to look at anyone in that school the same way ever again? I'm definitely embarrassed, no doubt. I would be embarrassed especially because of what happened with Carrie and Haidley. That would be embarrassing.

**school on Monday**

I wake up in my bed as my mom walks in.

"Raelin? Are you feeling okay to go to school today?" she asks in a sweet caring tone.

"Yeah, I can go to school today," I respond and she walks over to the side of my bed. She sits down and sets her hand on top of my hand.

"You weren't really sick, were you?" she asks with caring green eyes looking at me.

"No, mom," I reply and she nods.

"I knew you weren't really sick. What happened?" she asks and I couldn't lie or hold back any information. I am always honest with my mom, but that's not including the past week.

"Well, the thing that started all of this was actually Middle School. Everyone there would make fun of me because I was a nerd and that I would never have a social life in High School and how I'm a dork and stuff. So, we came here for High School and I changed all of that. Now, I guess you would say I'm popular. Well, I have my two best friends, which I guess every popular girl needs. They're Haidley and Carrie. I started taking walks with them at night and then I started taking them alone. I told them I wanted to stop the walks because it was getting weird, so I took walks by myself with them thinking that none of us were. So, one night, I got attacked by some guys and since I took Karate lessons two summers ago, I knew how to fight. Well, I almost defeated them, but then I got kicked to the ground. This...uh...thing came and saved me. Well, I went back to school and started talking to this girl named April, and she's considered a nerd. Well, it turns out the thing that saved me had a crush on me then I realized I couldn't date him because he's a...uh...thing and it would bring my popularity down. Well, a few things happened with this girl named Taliyah and she tried to ruin my social life and I freaked out on Carrie and Haidley and I couldn't go to school because I couldn't face them, mom. I just couldn't. But, then, Raph, the thing that saved me, came here and told me that I should just be who I was meant to be and I realize that the girl I was in Middle School who I tried to forget is who I really am and now I wanna go to school like that," I explain without looking over at mom once. I finally look over to her, and instead of looking confused or judging me, she looks caring.

"Why do you say thing?" she asks and I gulp.

"Because he's a...uh...mutated turtle," I reply and her expression becomes confused. 

"A mutated turtle?" she asks.

"Yes," I confirm what she heard.

"Okay, honey, I know you'll make the right decision. But, I would like to meet this Raph," she finally states after a few moments of silence and she stands up.

"Okay."

"Be careful," she concludes the conversation and heads back to her room. She's going to get ready for work and leaves me to fend for myself. I have to walk to school and face everyone by myself. April's probably mad at me and I don't even want to know how Haidley and Carrie think of me now.

I get out of bed and put on the clothes in the back of my closet. Instead of designer clothes and expensive stuff, I'll simply wear a blue t-shirt with my mom's company advertised on it, light denim regular jeans, and my sneakers. I go to my desk and put on my glasses and put my hair in a pony tail. 

Here goes nothing.

I head towards the front door of my apartment and grab my backpack that is leaning against the couch. I put both straps over my shoulders whereas I would've usually only used one strap over one shoulder.

This was going to be a weird day. I'm nervous, no doubt, but I have to be myself and try to start over with the last shred of dignity I have.