Chapter 12: "Cotton face"

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"Hi." Raven mumbled. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah." Ali shrugged. "Hank said that I didn't have a concussion, so that's a good thing. And I learned that Alex's blasts are really powerful. Like those things knocked me like ten feet back."

"So, about what happened-" Raven started, but Ali held her hand up.

"Look Raven, I'm really sorry. I truly am." Ali went on. "I really am sorry that I kissed you so I'm really freaked out. You're a great person and-"

"I'm not mad." Raven replied softly.

"What?" Ali dropped down next to the girl.

"I'm the one that leaned in. It wasn't on you." Raven shrugged.

"Pretty sure it's on both of us." Ali muttered.

"Point is, I don't want things to be awkward between us." Raven twisted the strands of blonde hair between her fingers.

"You know Raven, you can change back to your regular form." Ali pulled out her cigarette.

Raven paused before scales rippled across her body, changing to her blue form with short red hair. "You know, you're the first person other than Charles to ever see me like this."

"Really?" Ali wrinkled. "The fake blonde lady in the pictures didn't see you?"

"Charles' mom didn't see me." Raven shrugged. "Charles asked me to change into one if the maids if she got suspicious. When she finally found out, Charles erased her memory and made her think I was her daughter." Raven paused. "When she remarried, that's when the trouble started." Raven's eyes shone in fear, before settling in a measured indifference. "But that's something for later."

"You don't have to tell me anything, Raven." Ali grasped her hand gently. "I have a feeling this is a bit painful."

"It's more painful for Charles than it is for me." Raven admitted.

"Then it's his story to be shared when he wants." Ali conceded.

"My parents tried to kill me, you know?" Raven took her cigarette and took a drag. "Charles was the first to ever truly give a fuck about me. And sometimes I feel like even he doesn't care. Like he cares more about fitting in than me."

"My girlfriend," Ali lit a cigarette. "Was lesbian. So she knows what it's like, to be persecuted for something you have no control over. But, she still walked away from me like everyone else when she saw my ability. Hypocritical bitch." Ali chuckled darkly. "Sometimes, I'm jealous of Erik and Charles."

"They could accept this..this-fucking hell." Raven swore. "They don't know what it's like to have to hide every day. Even you don't know what it's like!"

"I feel like I'm going to lose my mind every day, Raven." Ali muttered quietly. "Isn't that enough?"

Raven fell quiet. "Maybe. But I still hate it."

"So, maybe it'll be the world against us, Raven." Ali mused. "Whether we fit in or not, we're in the same boat."

"I just hope we're friends after the dust clears." Raven smiled softly.

Ali pulled the other girl into her arms, hugging her gently. "I want that too."

A clapping noise startled the two girls, causing them to jerk apart. Ali whirled around to find Sean clapping. "Touching moment." He faked wiped tears. "Beautiful." Raven threw a pillow while Ali flipped the boy off. "Fuck off, Cassidy."

"I just wanted to invite you two ladies to dinner. Unless you guys are busy...." Sean began making kissy noises until Raven lost it and began barraging him with pillows.

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