Between Love And Hate

Chapter Ten

Janelle

The ice cream shop was half filled. Well, half filled with annoying teenagers who made a helluva noise.
Raven ignored them, so did I. "What ice cream flavor do you like?" Raven asked.
I told her. She nodded (I think she enjoys doing that).
"Go find somewhere you'd like us to sit. I'll bring the ice cream."
I shrugged and left her alone.

I found a sitting spot near a window and sat down, calmly waiting for Raven. Then I felt it again, that awkward feeling that someone was badly staring at me. I looked around the shop, there was no one who would be staring that much.

"Hey, are you okay?" I stared at Raven. "I am. But, I have this weird feeling that someone's staring at me. Seriously."

She smiled, and placed my order in front of me. "You got exactly what I asked for," I stated matter of factly. She nodded again and focused on her own ice cream.

"So, Kat and Morgan Williams are in a relationship?" I asked Raven.

She took her eyes of the project work she was completing and looked at me again.

"Yes. But Morgan's parents don't know that yet." She groaned softly and I couldn't help but smile. She sounded like a meowing cat, except I won't tell her that.

Raven was a weird kinda teenager. I mean, only a month ago she was thinking about how to make my life miserable, she had a quick temper and was always rude to people. That's how I saw it until I got to know her.
She definitely had a nice personality and she was a nice person too.

I quietly watched as she dragged her hand through her thick black hair. They were tangled I guess, and she was combing through it. It was more of a habit now, I'd seen her do it more times.

"You're staring. Here," She pushed the camera towards me, "Take a picture, it'll last."
I blushed. I'd been caught staring.

It took a few minutes before she pulled her hand out of her hair and stretched.
"I'm done. When are we to return this stuff?" She asked. I stared at the pictures she'd carefully glued to the paper. "Monday, maybe. I don't know."

She nodded again. I guess she really wasn't much of a talker. She picked up the camera and put it in her backpack, together with the project work. She didn't let me pay for the ice cream either.

My phone vibrated in my back pocket. I jumped at the fright I felt. I pulled out my phone from my pocket. One text from dad, three from mum, eight from Marie and one saying,

"bish! I wish you luck. Happy sleepover with the devil herself! Xo"

I chuckled, totally Ren. Only Ren kept thinking Raven was an evil person.

Mum wanted to remind me to invite Raven for dinner. That was the first text. The second was to tell me that dad burnt the casserole for the third time this week. And my kid sister had slept in my room last night.

And dad, he wanted to tell me I shouldn't believe whatever my mum had told me. He didn't burn the casserole on purpose.

I chuckled again. But then, I bumped face first into someone. My phone fell down and I bent to pick it, ignoring the person who I'd bumped into. He bent down too, picked the phone and got up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't look where I was going." I raised my head to stare at this man. I remembered him from somewhere, but I said nothing.

He handed me the phone, placed both his hands on my shoulder, it was irky. "It's completely fine."

He tried to smile, and I was completely stiff. I didn't like this man one bit. Especially with the way he was holding me and staring at me.

I swear, his eyes looked like they wished they could automatically see through my clothing.

And that's when someone pulled him from me. Boy was I thankful.

"What are you doing, mister?" Raven's face squeezed with anger.

"she bumped into me and I was just telling her it's all good. What's your problem kid?" The man answered.

I took my time to look at him, he had a dirty shirt on, old boots and a rusty looking jacket. Talk more of the black sweat pants he had on.

Raven didn't answer him, she instead pulled me towards her.

As we walked away, I turned back, I felt the same way I felt whenever that particular pair of eyes were staring at me from somewhere.

That man, whoever he was, was still standing right there and staring, no I'd rather say glaring daggers at Raven.

We walked back to her house, hand in hand. She didn't let go, not until we got to their mini mansion.

"My mum was saying I should invite you over for dinner." I said as we got into the house. Raven paused, turned around and stared at me.

Her brows knitted in confusion. "Are you sure? If I remember correctly, your mum drove all the way to school to talk to me in 11th grade when I spilled paint all over you. I don't think she'd want me over."
I chuckled, but this time it turned into head on laughter.

"My mum isn't going to eat you alive for that. Don't worry about anything. Tomorrow will be fine if you'd agree to come."

She paused again, acting thoughtful. "Well fine, okay. But... Nothing, tell her I'll come."

I smiled, watching as she left for the kitchen. I pulled out my phone to text mum.
"Mum, Raven will be joining us for dinner tomorrow night. Love you, see you tomorrow. ♥"

And maybe I was a little too excited that she was meeting my family.