XV
not a single word
~~~

Raven led him out the door and to where Gar had parked the car. Gar opened the door without question and they both got in.

Neither of them moved.

Neither of them spoke.

They sat there trying to process what had just happened. The only sound was the bass from Kori's house. Nobody was even talking in the house. Then, the entire house roared with talking and shouting again. The party had resumed.

Gar looked over at Raven and he saw that she was taking quick breaths. Her chest was very visably rising up and down. She kept the noise to a minimum however, breathing through her nose. Her cheeks were flushed. And she didn't have any blush on.

"Rae?" She snapped her head around at the name. "Are you ok? Your cheeks are the color of your shirt and it looks like you're hyperventilating."

"I-I don't..." Her breathing picked up an even quicker pace. "It-it was the crowd I..." she gave a breathy exhale through her mouth and swallowed nervously.

"Easy Rave easy! Calm down first." She looked at him with soft eyes, and then leaned into him. No hug, just a gentle lean. Like he was the back of a chair.

Her breathing began to slow down.

And it slowed down even more when Gar unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her loosely.

Soon her cheeks returned to normal. But she didn't get up off of him.

"I'm sorry I did that. But you weren't getting out of that on your own." She finally speaks. Her voice is soft as she regains her composure.

"Are you ok?" He completely ignores what she had just said. It was like she didn't even say anything. She looked up at him and he had a serious look on him. The same look he gave Adam his first day.

"..." she looked down at her hands. "Yes. Now I am. I don't do well in front of big crowds like that. When everyone looked at me I almost passed out." She explains. She feels him exhale in relief.

"It's ok. If you hadn't said anything I probably wouldn't have half my clothes." He acknowledged her previous statement now that he knew she was ok.

"But now everyone thinks we're dating..."

"But we're not." He replies.

"You don't mind that people think we're some thing we're not?"

"..." he hesitated. "Not if you don't." Because I'm already pretending to be someone I'm not anyway.

She smiled. "Then it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter..."

They sit there in eachother's comfort for a bit, then their phones started buzzing from notifications from their social medias.

Gar opened the first one, but all the latest posts were about how they were dating. "Wow. People are fast." He said in awe.

"They got a photo of us running out?"

"And me in the crowd when they started tearing me apart."

"This is insane. There's so many."

"I'm not sure how I feel about people taking this many photos."

"Without us knowing." She added.

"Yeah."

Many of them were just at random points during the party, or even at school.

"This is creepy as hell." Raven stated.

Then a blinding flash of a phone camera caught their attention.

"No. Freaking. Way." They saw a girl with her phone pressed against the passenger side window, and go figure, holding the red cup likely containing the spiked punch. She giggled and then took a sip of the toxic drink. Then through the window, they heard her yell for her friends.

"This bitch..." Raven muttered. "Gar I think you ought to–"

"Way ahead of you Rae." He started the car and the engine roared to life, but by then it was too late. People had surrounded their car like paparazzi. They couldn't drive without running over at least 10 people.

Gar slammed on the horn as Raven double flipped off everyone on her side of the car.

"Move dammit! Ugh. Rave should I–"

"Inch the car forward." She demands. He does so and it freaks out everyone in front of the car. He rolls down the window a little.

"I'll do it again if you guys don't get out!" He shouts. It takes a bit, but they move and let them leave. "Phew."

"We can't even call the police." Raven noted.

"I know. Then Kori might get in trouble because it was her party."

"Can I go to your house?"

"You don't want to go home?"

"Hell no. People know where I live."

"Alright. I'm sure Rita and Steve won't mind."

"Thanks." Raven closes the social media and opens her messages.

Vic
Gar? Rave? Where did you two go??

J
Yeah you guys just dipped

Dick
What happened??

Wally
Gar was getting ripped to shreds and girls were claiming him as his date to prom

Terra
They thought that he had a girlfriend and Raven said she was

Kori
Friends, can anyone explain why the punshs tastwew so dellicus

Dick
Kori where are you

Kori
In the attic

Dick
Dammit Kori don't move

Kori
Okie

We went to Gar's car but they found us there, so we're driving to his house. I am not going home tonight.

Vic
Smart. Practically everyone knows where you live

Wally
School is going to be a shit show

Shut the hell up this is your damn fault

Wally
...

We're here now. We'll see you on Monday. Also, Instagram and Snapchat may not be the best place to be for the next few days

J
I saw it. Don't go. Trust me

Vic
Why?

Gar
People were taking random photos of us. They even took some while we were in the car

Vic
Thats...disturbing

Exactly

"Ugh... this got really out of hand really quickly. Now Kori's drunk too." Raven said as they walked into Gar's house.

"You're drunk?!"

"Not me Steve! Our friend!"

"Oh Raven! Hello again! A bit late for a visit isn't it?" Rita greeted.

"There was a bit of drama at the party. Is it ok if I stay here for the night?"

"Of course! Gar you have some old shirts you can give her to wear to sleep, and he has a second bed in his room."

"Thank you."

"Why have her sleep in another bed? His is big enough for both of them." Steve questioned.

"Steve, not the time."

Raven was blushing. She was definitely not expecting a comment like that to so casually come from his father figure.

Steve simply shrugs, too tired to really be bothered.

After a little more conversation they go up to Gar's room.

"Woah. Your room is in your attic? This is so cool."

"Right? We were able to get the carpeted and drywall put in and everything. We even got the floors reinforced."

"You've even got the bathroom up here."

"Yeah I asked for that." He chuckled. "I didn't want to have to climb the ladder after I took a shower."

"And risk slipping and falling."

"Yeah." Gar rummaged through his drawers and found an old t-shirt. It was big yes, but when Raven tried it on, it barely covered her butt. Neither of them were bothered by it though.

Raven went to shower and Gar got all of his crap off the second bed.

When Raven came out of the bathroom with his shirt on however, he didn't take into account the fact that she would take off her shorts.

"Uh Rae, do you want a bigger shirt?"

"Hmm? Why?"

"Cuz I can uh...see your underwear."

She shrugs. "It doesn't really matter to me but ok. Find me a bigger one." Gar quickly got up and got her a bigger shirt, then went to shower as well. Only because he smelled like alcohol from the drunk people at the party though. Or else he would've waited until morning to have an excuse not to go outside.

Raven decides to do a little snooping while he's in the shower.

She didn't find much of anything useful, except three things. One was his necklace that he left on the nightstand. It was a silver dogtag necklace. One side had a tiger engraved on the front and the other had a message. Stay strong and never give up. You'll always be our happy little boy. ~Mom & Dad

No wonder he's always got this thing on. It's probably the last thing he's got of his parents.

She's known about the necklace for a while, but she's never actually seen it until now. For some reason Gar always keeps it tucked away under his shirt. But she's noticed the chain.

Another was a picture of them when they were very young at a carnival.

I remember this. He was so excited to go because he had never been to a carnival before then.

She noticed her hair: Long and jet black tied neatly into a beautiful braid. She remembered how proud she was to do that and have it look so decent.

"It's never going to get that long again."

The last thing she found was a bottle of pills. The bottle was half empty. The label read,

Logan, Garfield M.
Paxil - Paroxetine
Issued: 12-3-16
Expiration: 5-21-18
Dosage: once a day at 6 pm

I've never seen him take these... Paroxetine, what's that a medication for?

She goes over to her phone and searches up the medication.

There's so many different things it treats...

That's when she realizes the gravity of her discovery.

Wait...

She hears the door open.

"Raven what are you–?" Caught red handed. She hadn't put the bottle down. "Put that down!" His mood flipped instantly. He yelled at her with anger. Anger she's never truly seen from him before.

"You have a mental disorder?" She questions calmly. Her face is soft and disbelieving.

"Gimme that, Raven! That's none of your business!" He was truly angry. She could hear it in his voice. He grabbed at the little orange bottle but Raven kept it out of his reach. "Raven give me the f*cking bottle!" He kept grabbing at it and she kept jerking it just out of his reach. Both of their wet heads of hair flew about, getting water everywhere.

Gar somehow managed to pin her down to his bed, but when he reached for her hand she shoved the bottle under her. Now she was laying on it.

"Raven. Give. It. Back." He was dead serious and his gaze was petrifying.

"Gar the bottle is half empty and it expires the last day of school. Why did you stop taking these?" She wasn't phased by the look though. Not one bit. She's seen worse.

That doesn't mean she wasn't a little hesitant about defying him though.

"It's not for you to worry about! Give 'em!" Fed up, Gar rolls her over on his own and grabs his meds himself. He doesn't notice the loud this from behind him as he chucks them in the garbage and ties up the garbage bag.

He turns around to face Raven and she's begining to cry. His anger subsides when he realizes what he did.

When he moved her himself, she rolled off the bed and hit her head on the nightstand, and also got her arm hooked on some of the metal framing of the bed, cutting her arm in the process.

Raven looked all but happy.

"Why is it so important that you keep that bottle from me?" She says confused.

"It...I...Raven...you can't help me. Nobody can. So it doesn't matter. There's no point in telling anyone. You don't need to know."

"Gar, it's a mental illness. Not cancer. It's not like you're going to die from it. Just tell me what it is and let me help you." He sighs and shakes his head.

He walks over and offers his hand to her.

"I'm sorry." She looks up at him. "I've got bandages in the bathroom." She sighs and lets him help her up. She goes to the bathroom by herself. "They're in the medicine cabinet."

She shut the door and looked at herself. A tear started to roll down her cheek but she didn't even let it get past her nose.

"Shit that hurt..." she winced when she put the alcohol on it. It wasn't a big cut, but it was big enough. She stood and listened to the bubbles pop as she worked through the sting.

Gar cleaned up the room a bit and sat on the bed. He placed his head into his hands. He'd never felt so bad for something in his entire life. He didn't want to hurt her. He just wanted those pills back.

I'm a terrible person... Here they come. I shouldn't have done that to her. I'm supposed to be her friend. If I keep this up I'll be like Adam. Then the flood gates opened and his emotions poured through.

I'm a coward! He clutched his hair in his balled up fists. I don't have the right to even touch her like that! She deserves so much more than my sorry ass! He looked at the tied up garbage bag, and gritted his teeth in anger.

Asshat! I'm a freaking asshat!

He got up off the bed, snatches up the bag, and kicked open the trap door with a loud 'BANG!!' Raven rushed out of the bathroom to see Gar bounding down the steps. Raven quickly followed.

You're a bitch Gar! A bitch ass coward that doesn't deserve anything more than the clothes he has!

He ran past Rita and Steve on the couch to the door.

"Gar!!" He slammed the door open and didn't even bother to close it.

"Raven what happened?" Steve asks.

"I don't know..." she said calmly.

"Can you please follow him? Sometimes he does this, but he's never been this emotional." Without answering Raven runs after him. She spots him rounding the corner and goes the same way.

They get to the backyard.

Gar stands in the middle of the yard clutching the bag tightly, muttering himself.

Raven doesn't dare go farther than the corner of the house.

"WORTHLESS!!!" He screams with unadulterated irateness as he launches the bag into the woods.

Raven takes a step like she's going to him, bit stops herself and hangs back.

After a little bit, he turns around. He knew Raven was there the whole time, which she was surprised about.

"You understand now. Don't you?" She doesn't say anything. "You're not doing anything because you know. You know there isn't anything you can do. You know that you can't help me. Just like I couldn't help them..." she realizes what he means and her face shows it. But she still chooses to remain silent.

She remains silent and has no intention of saying a word.

not a single word

~~~

Oooh! The elusive double update! OwO~

I've haven't done this since the beginning of the book lol.

So what do you think? You think Raven shouldn't have said a single word? Do you agree with her actions this chapter?

Also, Gar's drug is an actual drug used to treat his mental illness. If you want to look it up you can, but for those who want to wait until I reveal it in the story, please do not reveal it in the comments if you figure out what he has. I will delete spoilers. I'm only saying this because I know there'll be people who will look it up anyways. Sorry but you gotta respect other's opinions.

Next chapter they'll be back at school!

Byeeee

~Rae

Word Count: 2609