Raven Saga 01 - Raven

to find out, finally, just what was going on.
    “I'm afraid he's had to leave town for a day or two... which is why I'm here. I'll be staying with you until he gets back.”
    I tried to hide my disappointment. I loved being with Meredith but I had been hoping to finally get some answers. And why hadn't he told me he was going away? Why was everything so secretive? Life seemed even weirder all of a sudden. Instead of getting the answers I craved, the questions were just piling up and I was becoming increasingly frustrated.
    Early that evening, however, something happened to take my mind off things. Oliver came round to see me. Yes... to see me!
    Meredith and I had just finished eating dinner, followed by a dessert totally new to me: pumpkin pie. I'd only ever read that pumpkins were for Halloween, after seeing pictures of them carved out to make creepy lanterns. I'd no idea something so delicious could be made from them. So there I was, totally stuffed with the top button of my new black jeans undone, the jeans that Jo had given me when she'd seen my wardrobe – or lack of it. So I was lazing on the sofa when the doorbell rang. I assumed it would be for Meredith so I stayed put, eagerly reading the first Harry Potter book which I had found on the bookshelf, when in walked Oliver. Blood rushed to my cheeks as I saw him standing there.
    “Hi Lilly,” he said as I struggled to get up from the sofa and do up my button at the same time.
    “Er... Hi! What are you doing here?” I asked, hoping that I could make a better impression this time.
    “Well... I was kind of in the area and thought I'd pop by and say hello... so hello,” he laughed as he fidgeted with a pair of gloves in his hands.
    “He..llo.” God I felt stupid. Why couldn't I utter more than a few syllables to this boy?
    He stood and looked around awkwardly.
    “Er... why don't you sit down.” He sat.
    And then silence again.
    “Can I get you a drink?” I asked.
    “Sure. A Coke would be great. Thanks.”
    I rushed into the kitchen, via my bedroom where I brushed my hair and put on a little lip gloss (another gift donated by Jo), picked up two cans of coke and walked back into the living room. He stood as I entered the room and sat when I sat.
    “So... Lilly. How are you settling in?”
    “Okay I guess. Pretty well under the circumstances,” I said without even thinking.
    “I'm so sorry about your parents.”
    “I'm sorry about yours too.”
    “Kindred spirits,” he said.
    “Sorry?”
    “I guess we're like kindred spirits. You and me,” he said with a sad smile.
    I warmed to him even more than before and all I could think was that I just wanted to know everything about him.
    “I'm sorry about the other day at your party. I didn't mean to be rude.”
    “I didn't think you were rude at all. I thought you were... kind of cute, actually. Okay maybe a bit weird too,” he laughed.
    He thought I was cute!
    “I was disappointed that you left so abruptly though. It would have been a great party... if you'd stayed.”
    “Sorry,” I managed to mumble.
    “That's okay. I understand that being thrown into a party after everything you've been through was probably a little tough. All those people and stuff. I was very tempted to come after you but I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable.”
    “Are you always this quiet?” he asked as he turned to look me in the eyes.
    I looked at him and shook my head, “No... not really. It must just be you.”
    “Oh.” He looked disappointed.
    “No... I don't mean that in a bad sense. I mean, it's like at the party. I just couldn't talk. I wanted to say so many things. I just couldn't. And now, I don't know where to start.”
    “So it's not because you don't like me, then,” he asked, smiling.
    “Oh no! Absolutely not. You're great. I guess I just get a little shy around you.”
    He laughed.
    “Why don't we start like this: I'll ask you some questions about yourself and you answer?”
    I agreed. “So, do you miss England?”
    “That's a difficult one because if I say no, that's almost like saying I don't miss my parents. But I honestly really don't miss England. I never felt particularly alive there, if you know what I mean. Here it's so different. I feel like I belong here. I never felt that over there.”
    “I don't think it means you don't miss your parents. Of course you miss them. I still miss mine and they died a long time ago.”
    I smiled sadly, “Ask me another.”
    After a few moments he