Exaltation (Insight #11)(29)
“No, you act as if life is a drag and Raven acts as if it’s heaven and I’m the only one in reality noticing something is up.”
River and Raven smirked. Raven put her bag on her shoulder. “I’m going to make this look hot tonight then I’m going to tell him that you told me exactly how to do it—that you had it all plotted out because you lie in bed at night and think of him.”
Ash’s mouth dropped before she could push Raven or make a comeback. Raven took off running down the stairs as fast as she could.
They heard Miss Thelma Ray yell out, “I know there ain’t no elephants in this house so I must be hearing someone running.”
Raven stopped her run and walked as fast as she could toward the kitchen.
She found that Emery had moved on to wiping down every appliance she had.
Feeling high on life Raven rushed up to her and grinned.
“Are you all right?” she asked, reaching to hold the side of Raven’s face in that motherly way.
“Perfect. By the way I told my dad today that you and him were perfect for each other.”
Emery turned white as ghost. Her heart was racing so fast that she couldn’t stand it. Raven leaned closer. “And he didn’t deny it.”
Before Emery was forced to say anything Ash came charging in the kitchen, apparently after Raven. The two of them ran circles around Emery. “So, um, curfew?” Raven yelled with a giggle.
“Midnight,” Emery said, twirling in place trying to figure out if Ash and Raven were truly fighting or just playing. It was always hard to tell. Raven never really got mad, and Ash always seemed to be that way.
“Driver?” Raven asked, running toward the door.
“River seems the calmest,” Emery called after them.
Raven snickered. “Only because Ash is like you in more ways than one.”
Ash lunged at Raven just as Raven closed the screen in her face then took off running to the Jeep yelling, “I love my life!”
***
The skate center was heaven to Raven. It was when she was in middle school, when it was just for her age, and it was now.
The owner had gotten wise and figured out it was a good idea to make his place one older kids would want to hang in. Out back there was racing. You had to have a ton of waivers signed but you could race if you wanted to. That always drew a crowd. Inside next to the large skating floor there was an auditorium full of ramps where skaters and bikers could ride, show off, and entertain. All through the entire place there was blaring music so even if you weren’t there for any purpose that had to do with wheels you could still come and dance.
Lately the girls had been working each weekend night. Raven would never call it work, though. The rink was exactly where she wanted to be.
Ash and River worked the concessions when they were not on the floor with Raven. Soren became friends with the DJ years back and managed to find a way to get paid to hang out with him. That is when he wasn’t skating with Raven or in the auditorium on both his board and bike. Soren dug anything that made him go faster.
In some way Soren and Raven were entertainment, as well. Each night the DJ would clear the floor for one song and let them skate dance. They were always wicked hard dances that would have sweet pauses within them. Over time the DJ had built a fictional love story up about them. All the kids liked to watch them act out the lie as they skated.
Tonight River and Ash were slotted for the ticket booth so Raven was on her own until the party got started. She had just put on her indoor wheels when Soren blazed by her and then did a u-turn.
“Have I seen you ‘round before?” he asked with a sly grin.
Raven glanced up at him. His hunter green eyes were sparkling with the wild energy he was known for when he was at the center. It was the skating, the music, and all the high energy that brought it out. At school he was mellow, kept it low key like the girls. Shy.
He had no idea he was a walking heartbreaker. He was lean and fit because of skating and had the sweetest little smile, semi skater boy hair that he did his best to keep out of his eyes with a sway of his head every now and again.
“You kinda look like a guy that gave me a few bruises.”
“Way to make me sound like an ass!” he said with a raised brow.
Raven laughed, knowing in most cases it was her fault he dropped her when they were practicing their routines.
“What property damage did you guys cause this time around? Mom told me I was being transferred effective immediately.”
“Nothing burned or flooded, we just traded classes without permission.”
Soren tilted his head pointing out that could not be all.
“This is my bliss zone,” Raven said, nodding to the room. “Do not jack with it. We’ll talk about it Monday.”
“You ready for tonight or are we hitting rerun on an old routine?”
“I got this.”
Once her laces were tight she stood up. Raven came to just below his chin if he held his legs just right on his skates. Yep, she was sizing up the ending to the routine they were going to do tonight. The kiss Ash was going to regret passing up.
“You’re going to chicken out and make me look like a fool,” he said with a boyish smirk.
“Am not. And for your information I told Ash I was going to make this look hot as hell and she was going to regret not begging me to switch with her.”