Chapter 12
“Thank you for driving me, Raven. Raven is a beautiful name by the way.”
Anya feels the effect of the beer in her system. It makes her a little light-headed.
“Thank you. My mom chose it.” Raven smiles and waits. They are in front of Anya’s place and so far Anya hasn’t made a move to get out. Raven wonders what this means? Also, if she thinks about it, she doesn’t really want Anya to leave. She has no clue what that means either.
Anya finally reaches for the door handle. Before she pulls it she hesitates and looks back at Raven.
“Will you be okay?”
Raven nods.
“Yes. I think so. Thanks again.”
She thinks about anything else to say, anything that will keep the conversation going, but nothing comes to mind.
“There’s no need to thank me.”
Anya bites her lip and Raven finds it quite adorable.
“Maybe this is a weird request, but … can I give you my number? Just in case you want to talk?”
Anya doesn’t know how else to do this. She has this need to see Raven again, but asking her for her number would implicate exactly that and she isn’t ready for it and she is afraid Raven might say no.
Raven smirks a little, because Anya Woods is blushing. She is pretty sure that under normal circumstances Anya has an intimidating effect on people, but right now she seems hesitant.
“Only if you’ll take mine in return. Just in case you want to talk …”
Anya frowns.
“Are you making fun of me?”
Raven grins and her answer comes without thinking about it first.
“Depends. Are you hitting on me?”
She is surprised how much this sounded like she is flirting.
Anya looks at her with a serious expression on her face and the alcohol now makes her feel bolder.
“What if I do?”
“Then I guess you scored by getting my number.”
Raven deadpans besides feeling anything but calm. She reaches for the phone Anya hands her and punches in the digits of her number. Then she calls herself.
“Done.”
She hands the phone back to Anya and when their fingers touch there is a small electric current. Now both of them blush.
“It’s late. I should get out of your car …”
Anya looks at her and then, before she has time to reconsider, she leans forward and gives Raven a kiss on the lips. It’s simple, chaste kiss, but when she opens her eyes Raven is staring at her with a mixture of shock and awe.
“I am sorry, I shouldn’t have …”
“No, don’t apologize. It was … good …”
Raven has no idea what to say.
Anya has her hand on the door handle again.
“I am still sorry. I shouldn’t just have …you know …”
She blinks, making her look like a lost puppy somehow.
“Would it be alright if I called you?”
Raven chuckles.
“Well, I can’t stop you, having given you my number and such …”
Anya manages a smile and opens the car door.
“Be safe, okay?”
“I’ll do my very best.”
“Good night, Raven.”
Raven looks at Anya and feels her mouth form a smile.
“Sweet dreams, Anya …”
Anya nods and closes the door. She stares past the car until it rounds the corner. She searches for her keys, but she’s too flustered to concentrate and so she sits down on the stairs that lead to the entrance of the house and watches her breath form little clouds in the air.
“Well, that was unexpected.”