RAVEN. Chapter 12: Never Meet Your Idols

Ten Years Ago ( The Morning Following The Insects' Accident)

Kacey, Raven's mom humd peacefully as she made breakfast. Last night had been chaotic, and it took so hours before the exterminators arrived to wipe the insects out.

They had called the package delivery company to ascertain who the package was from but even the package delivery company had utterly no idea.

She noticed Raven was still in bed. The sa Raven that loved waking up early before anyone else just so she could be the first to arrive at school when she was still a high school student... is still sleeping?

Kacey paused.

Co to think of it, Raven has been looking a little bit off lately. It was her first week at her dream college, and she expected her to be energetic, but... why was she getting the feeling she wasn't?

Is sothing wrong? Kacey asked herself.

She stopped preparing the al and decided to head upstairs to her room.

She was just at the bottom of the stairs when she saw Jas groggily trod down and then she paused.

"Mom, I'm hungry." He murmured groggily as he rubbed his eyes, pausing a step above where his mom stood. "Is breakfast ready?"

"It will be in a minute." She answered and sidestepped him. She went up to Raven's room just to find her still snoring.

She went in and sat by the edge of the bed and shook her awake.

"Hey." She called softly as Raven stirred awake and sat up. "Ravy... what's the matter? Is everything alright?"

Raven groggily sat up, "Huh? Mom?" She called out in surprise. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Honey... I just wanted to know if everything is okay at your new school?" Her voice was filled with concern.

Raven was now alert. "Huh? Everything is... everything is fine!" She exclaid in defense. "Why would you think everything isn't?"

"I don't know... because you look... I don't know... off?" Kacey said, uncertainly. "I just thought you'd be happy that you finally got into Goz University, your dream college. You don't look happy to ."

Raven stared at her mom. A part of her longed to tell her about how lonely she was at her new school and how she was being bullied by the daughter of a conglorate.

But they had just recently lost their father in a fatal car accident, and she knew her mom was barely hanging there. She was still in mourning and the responsibility of this family was now on her shoulders.

Won't it be kind of selfish of her to burden her mom with her own problems considering the fact that she already has burdens to handle?

She had to deal with her own problems by herself!

"It's okay, Mom," Raven assured, forcing a fake smile. "Everything's fine! It's just that college is stressful... more stressful than high school... keeping schedules, circling around the school's big school grounds so you could find where a class is taking place. It's just that I'm new to these things. So, everything is okay Mom. You don't have to worry."

"Is that all?" Kacey asked, her voice skeptical, her eyes searching Raven's.

Raven closed her eyes and nodded. "Hmm hmm. Everything's fine. You have nothing to worry about."

"Okay," Kacey stood up, "Well... you better co downstairs. I'm making your favorite dish."

"Okay." Raven smiled as Kacey left. "Be with you in a minute. And please close the door behind you."

When she was sure her mom was gone, she buried her face in her palms, "Ugh!"

Then she brushed the hair off her face. "I have to deal with this by myself."

She got off the bed, showered, dressed up, and walked downstairs.

Layla and Jas were already eating when she ca to the table while her mom was still setting the table.

She settled down and in a few minutes, she was done.

"Gotta go."

"Wait... is that all?" Her mom asked, "Are you done eating already?"

"Not really hungry mom." She said, "See y'all later."

And then she walked out of the house.

She was going to put an end to this bullying today.

Nearly an hour later, she had arrived at Goz University and was at her favorite professor, Dave Hennessy's office.

Dave Hennessy wasn't just an ordinary professor; he was a famous one who showed up on TV occasionally and tutored aspiring students.

It was one of his online tutoring classes that made Raven beco a fan of his; he was her idol, her role model, and her picking Goz University as her college choice was influenced by him.

Dave Hennessy was a tall, middle-aged man with small eyes, thin lips, a brown mustache, and a bald head.

If anyone had to save Raven from Lara and whatever twisted gas she was playing, it had to be him.

"You wanted to see , Rayna." He asked, his bored eyes staring at Raven.

"It's Raven, sir." Raven corrected.

"Whatever."

"Anyway... it's such an honor to et you, Mr Hennessy. I'm a huge fan of your work, and I don't know if you are aware, but you were the one who influenced to take a step forward."

"I did?" He questioned uninterestingly, obviously, he didn't want disturbance. "Well, that's a good thing. What's your purpose for wanting to et Reagan?"

"It's Raven, sir." She corrected again.

"Okay... yeah Raven. What do you want?"

"I'd like to report a bully, sir."

Dave Hennessy raised his brown eyebrows questioningly at her. "What do you an bully?"

"Well..." Raven swallowed hard before saying. "Ever since my first day here, this girl... Lara Hopkins... she's always been on my back, she won't let have a mont of peace, she..."

"Hold on!" Hennessy interrupted holding up his hand. "I think I rember you... you're the scholarship girl... right? Your surna is Moon?"

"That's right sir," Raven answered, adjusting in her chair.

"Oh no!" Hennessy let out. "You weren't transferred?"

"What? What do you an by that?" Raven asked anxiously, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

"I ant that people like you... don't go here." He explained.

"Excuse ?" Raven felt offended. "What do you an people like ?"

"Well... I an... no offense Rayna... but sweetie look around. Have you ever seen any other person dressed in rags like you? Why do you think very few people participated in the scholarship event even though the rewards were promising? It was because everyone knew that poor people like you do not last here... maximum they do is two weeks... they simply do not belong here. I thought everyone knew an this. You see, these rich kids... they hate being around people like you. I an , it was hard before they finally got to accept as their professor. Look, this school is only ant for the higher upperclassn, sweetie. That scholarship event was just a publicity stunt to pull the dia's attention to the Goz family and their family's business."

So that was it? Raven thought.

And then the words Never et Your Idols rang in her ear. The words have never felt more truer.

This was a man she highly respected and idolized. She always thought he was a man of principle and charisma, but right now, she felt that that was all a facade... or her delusions.

Dave Hennessy was her only hope of escaping Lara's threats.

"Look... I..." Hennessy paused groping for the right word. "I advise that you transfer to another college Rayna. I can't help you. No one can.."

"Can't or won't?"

"Okay, alittle bit of both!" Hennessy said. "Look... my hands are tied. The only advice I might give you is to transfer. Being here won't do you any good." He opened his drawer and brought out a paper slip, then he handed it to her. "Here. Fill out this transfer form. You don't have to worry about the scholarship; it'll still be paid to the school you'll be transferring to."

"Wow!" Raven exclaid throwing up her hand in exasperation. "I didn't realize that this bullshit of a college is the masterpiece of discrimination! And you, the professors allow it because these shitty conglorates buy your silence with their filthy money!"

"Hey..."

"I can't believe I even looked up to you." Raven exploded. "On the outside, you're the symbol of respect and principles, but on the inside, you're nowhere near that. I'll fill in this form and then get it back to you."

And then with that, Raven angrily stord out of the office, leaving Dave Hennessy montarily stunned.

Her dream of being a graduate student at Goz University was nothing but just a pipe dream.

She blad herself.

Why had she idolized Dave Hennessy? That piece of trash! If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have picked Goz University.

She decided she wasn't going to take any class today. She was gonna go ho, fill in this form, and then bring it back tomorrow.

She walked down the lonely road to her ho, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts.

How she going to explain this to her mom? Surely she'll be disappointed, and knowing her mom's personality, she'll try to make a huge deal out of Lara's bullying.

Ugh! Even thinking of it is frustrating!

Shaking it off, she decided not to think of it.

Whatever happens happens, she told herself.

Vroooooommmmmm!

The sound of the car speeding up from behind her grew louder as it ca near.

She paused and moved to the side of the road to avoid getting hit.

But surprisingly, the car drove towards her, as though the driver's intention was to hit her. Her eyes glittering with fear, she backed away in terror and fell to the ground, her butt landing on the floor.

Just as she was trying to decipher what was going on, two guys barged out of the car.

Seeing them, Raven instinctively knew she was in danger. She got to her feet and made to run, but it was already late; the two guys were already holding her by each arm, carrying her up.

"Let go of !" She scread frantically, flailing and kicking both her arms and legs, but her attempt to break free was futile.

She was thrown into the car and was driven away.