Chapter 31

Raven

He may be irritating, but damn, he's talented. Promiscuous bastard. I walk into the bathroom and touch up. My hair, my eye liner, my mascara, my lipstick, etc. etc. I walk out entirely regained. He thought he could throw me off my game. He was wrong. I look at the time, 2:30. Ugh, could this day go any slower? I walk past Ren, sitting on the floor up against the lockers. He has one leg out in front of him, the other tucked under his thigh. His eyes are closed; and he has earbuds in. His music must be deafening, as I can hear it loud and clear from where I'm standing. I notice the flush of his cheeks, he was crying. Normally I can get a good read on people and their emotions. I can't do that with him, which only provides more evidence to Amora's psychosis theory. Only sociopaths and psychotics can hide their emotions as well as he does.

He also has the edge in his voice, nearly imperceptible, but there. He has the impulsions, the hyper-awareness in his eyes, the different way of thinking, and the anxiety. At this point, getting him to meltdown would just be icing on the cake. Or maybe a confession…. Dammit, I hate when Amora figures someone out before me. I nudge him with my combat boot and he opens his eyes, ever so slowly and trains them on me.

"Yes, Raven?"

He says. I cross my arms over my chest and watch as his eyes graze over me, a lot like they did earlier, but then was just harmless wandering. Now, it feels like he has a motive, much like AJ's motives. It leaves me feeling…vulnerable. I hate that he can do that. I hate the fact that anyone can do that. Especially when it's easy for them.

"What are you doing?" I ask him accusingly, "I thought you were supposed to be a genius. Not a slacker."

He rolls his eyes and sighs, he pulls out one of his earbuds. "I am a genius, but my IQ did not come from studying and putting in all the hard work. It simply came from my ability to think differently than most average people like you. I can learn faster, and more efficiently. It is in my DNA, almost certainly from my father's side." When he looks at the confusion on my face, he sighs again. "I am a genius, but that does not mean I am a good student. Better?"

I glare at him, "Screw you, England." I begin to walk off down the hallway, but he comes after me, predictable. What comes after is less so, he grabs my arm and looks at me. His eyes spark like fire. "How do you know my last name Raven? I never told you."

I shrug. "I would explain it to you, but I guess I don't speak your language, douchebag."

his grip sticks on my arm like steel. "Douchebag? That is hardly a well thought out insult. Please Raven, do not diminish your cleverness. It is really the only reason I am interested in anything about you. You are better than douchebag."

He looks frustrated, as if he was provoking me only so I could give him an insult that really packed a punch. As if everything else has been so disappointing, he was relying on me to reinstate his tolerance of humanity. I yank my arm out of his grip and stare at him exasperatedly,

"Are you serious? Were you trying to piss me off? That's low, even for you. You don't try to make people angry unless you don't want them around. But you pissed me off for a clever insult? Sorry Ren, but I'm not feeling all that creative right now."

I cross my arms over my chest and raise one annoyed eyebrow at him. He shrugs. Just shrugs, and it only makes me angrier.

"Who gave you the rules of why to make people angry? Not everyone is you, Raven. And while other mindless societal robots may agree with you. I am not one. I do not care what society thinks of my actions, our entire rule book of right and wrong is severely opinionated and I do not wish to follow it's ridiculous ideals. So yes, I am serious. You can do so much better than such a predictable insult."

I scoff, "You know, for I second, I believed we had a connection. A real connection, but talking to you now, it's like you don't even remember last night. You're so hung up on that jackass AJ that you can't even see when you're acting like him. Irritating, Irrational, and stupid. So much for being a genius, right four eyes? But you're right, you're not a societal robot. You're just a normal one, fast mind, no heart. Congrats, you've officially downgraded to nothing."

I turn away from him and walk out, trying not to scream. I need to talk to Amora. Hot tears are pooling in my eyes. I thought he was different, psychotic? Sure. But still, different than that bullshit he just pulled. I thought that was at least above him.