secret

chapter five a day out

                                                                    -RAVEN-

" Really good Raven. Like that was really good. i didn't expect you to sing to it too!"

" Thank you." My smile was so wide it made my eyes squint. 

" I just can't believe you managed to learn all that in one night! That's just.. great! I don't really think you even need me.!"

My stomach flipped. " What do you mean?"

" I mean the only way to keep learning is to keep playing. but i can't just keep giving you music. that doesn't help you at all You gotta find your own sound. Your own feelings.."

My nerves were so out of whack i was surprised the lights didn't shatter. I was still holding the bass. " But i don't even know what kind of music to listen to!"

His laughter rang through is small rom. " Dude! That's so easy! just listen around. Your gonna find something that speaks to you." He handed me a small handheld device

" Here take my Ipod. I got a couple of different playlists ya know just basic happy, sad, angry music. Listen to it. Get a feel for what you like then go find more stuff like it."

I began scrolling through the song choices. " Cyborg, i am never gonna be able to listen to all this. I wont have the time!"

" Relax Raven. Start in genres that'll narrow it quick ten just listen to the genre you really like for  a while. here." He took the ipod and clicked on something called 'Musical ears'. "there. that playlist has like three different songs from every genre on the ipod. just listen to it and tell me what you like the most and what you didn't like at all and we'll go from there ok?"

I nodded. I trusted my teammate. 

"o.k."

LATER THAT DAY

I was laying flat on my back with my feet resting up on my headboard. I was about halfway through the first half of Cyborgs playlist when i heard a knock at my door. 

I slid off the bed and opened the door. Starfire stood there looking at the floor. "Starfire?"

" Friend Raven..." She sniffed" would you go to the mall wit me.. Boyfriend Robin and i have had the couples fight... and i wasn't to get away from the tower for a while." she wiped her nose on a tissue. before i could even ask where she got that from she continues. " I really need the girlfriend time."

As much as i really hate the mall i couldn't stand to see starfire like this.. besides there was a place i wanted to go. " O.K." Starfire suddenly jumped at me. 

" Oh thank you Friend Raven! we must change clothes. I'll meet you in the commons in 15 minutes."

" O.K." I choked out around the hug. After she finally let go of me i walked over to my closet and pulled out a pair of ripped dark grey jeans and a long sleeved black underbust crop top. I slipped on a dark grey beanie and my high top Osiris shoes then slipped out my door. I normally tired to keep a low profile when i went anywhere not titan related. I don't like the unnecessary attention. When i walked into the common room Starfire was already there n a light purple sundress and matching flats. Her hair pulled into a high ponytail. 

" Are you ready to go friend Raven?"

" Ready as i'll ever be."

AT THE MALL

The mall was a palace of teenage hormones, body sprays and stupidity. 

"Friend Raven! come on we must get the mall smoothies. They are the delicacy hidden in the food court!" I just shook my head. Starfire sometimes remind me of an amusing child. We grabbed two smoothies, one mango pineapple and the other... Zucchini and grapes with lime. I felt myself shudder so hard at Starfire's choies i could have sworn the floor was heaving. The juice boy looked like hed be heaving soon as he poured it in her cup. 

" So where are we going Star?"She took a giant sip of smoothy and looked out into space. 

" Hmmmm i wish to go to the beauty outlet. Friend Raven! Maybe i could give you the make over!" A light above us blew out. 

"Actually i would rather not. Makeup won't really change anything about the way i look anyways. But we can go for you." She smiled and grabbed my and before dragging me to the store. 

Store after store after store. Finally she agreed to go to the Barns and Nobels attachment after i promised they had a section devoted solely to the latest magazines and while she was busy squealing at all her celebrity ships i snuck off to the second floor where they kept their music section I scanned through their musical theory collection. I jumped when i bumped into someone. Turning around to apologize i felt my tongue swell the lights started to flicker.

He was prettier than aquaman. Shaggy black hair, clear skin that was pale but in a healthy way. His lip was pierced at the bottom and his eyes were a pretty blue. They promised mischief. Like someone else i knew. My mouth just kind of hung open as i tried to think around my embarrassment.

"Sorry man!" he  looked at the book in my hand. " Music through the ages?" He shook his head. '"That's the boring ages. All just classic music and the lives of the blind, deaf, boring writers. Here," he shoved a book into my hands, "this one is much better. Got a lot of kickass musicians in it, and a lot of cool stories behind their songs."

I looked down at the book he put in my hands. Rock legends through history. " Thank you."I held the book to my chest and put the other one back on the shelf. the flickering got faster, and i worked on calming myself down. No need to be so excited over a book. " So you like rock?" He leaned casually on a shelf of cds. 

" Actually i'm just starting to get into music. I never really got to listen to it before now" He shot up off the rack.

" Whaaat? No way. Strict parents?" I smirked

" Something like that. but it's different now, I'm trying to figure out what i like." He leaned back again. he smiled and his teeth were almost blindingly white. 

" Found anyone you like yet?" 

" So far i really like the rock genre. I do really like this one song by a bad called Nirvana?"

He smiled again. His hair was falling into one eye giving the whole look a bigger impact. ith a start i realised i was comparing him to beastboy." Hell yes! let me guess... teen spirit?"

I shook my head. " I haven't heard that one yet. The song is called 'Where did you sleep last night'." 

" No shit! most people just say the obvious songs. you know i know a cd you might like." he made a follow me gesture and walked further down the Cd rack till he got to where he was going then he pawed around till he pulled out a slick plastic covered cd case. 

" So why did you like that song?" 

I shrugged and tried to look at the cd cover to see what it said. " I don't know there was just something in his voice.. it sounded like he really meant it. I'm sure he always sounds like that but this song.. this song made me feel it too."

He nodded and gave me the cd " Yeah. I feel it too." I looked down at the case. PINK FLOYD THE WALL. I could feel the excited vibes leaving his body, making my own excitement spike. the light above us went out. " Man this place needs an electrician"

I nodded and flipped the cd over to scan down the song titles " Well anyways i better be going. I got some other things i really gotta get to. Maybe i'll see you around..?"

I realised he was waiting for my name. " Oh uh, call me Roth." Why did i just give him my last name?

He smiled again. " O.K. Oh and here. He pulled out a marker and grabbed my arm showing the sleeve back. several more lights flicked off. He wrote down a series of numbers than dropped my arm. " Man that light thing is really wigging me out dude. Anyways here's my phone number if you like that Cd shoot me a text and ill send you some more suggestions let me know what you think of them." I nodded and pulled my arm back towards my body. He waved and then began to walk off, he stopped short then turned around and yelled back to me. " By the way! My name is Kyle!" then he turned around and continued on his way. 

I smiled as the last light in the row blew out. I calmed myself down and began checking out my new stuff. I couldn't believe it. I had just made a connection. A real connection to another person, with an opportunity for friendship. OUTSIDE OF THE TITANS! someone who was... normal. All thanks to music. I couldn't wait to check out my new cd.