Raven & Josie - Chapter 8

Grudgingly, Raven interrupts her study for a brief moment after receiving a stress call from her Dad.

Monday 7.00 a.m. in Raven & Josie’s hometown.

Raven sat up straight from her bed when the shrieking of her alarm clock filled the room, making her want to lash out and destroy stuff.

She slung herself on the mattress and buried herself in her sheets, hoping to escape the reality of the new day. With a deep groan, she mumbled, "I hate these things." when it became certain that the sweet dream she was having would not return, she turned the alarm off and switched on the light.

Sitting up, she drew her legs close to her body, resting her chin on her knees, and balanced like a ball on her bottom. Her gaze fell upon the clothing of her alter ego, strewn in the corner, reflecting on the eventful weeks she'd had.

She had done many heroic acts that her mother was known for, even though she was not enthusiastic about them. However, the expressions of gratitude she received for her deeds did warmed her heart.

Raven wasn't sure if she wanted to take on the identity of an earth-saving superheroine.

In her mind, that was something her mother did while she and Josie lived their everyday lives.

Nonetheless, many people had warmly embraced her as the next generation's protector, with nobody knowing it was her due to Cedric's oversized garment and the balaclava. Except for one person - Kim.

The girl's keen vision had noticed the small piece of fabric that was sticking out of Raven's costume during her first rescue mission.

Kim promptly confronted Raven and threatened to expose her secret to the public if she didn't do as she asked.

Attached to her anonymity, Raven caved in immediately. Raven thought it would be an easy job carrying out errands for Kim. However, she quickly discovered that that assumption was gravely ill-guessed.

Raven was persistently challenged to remain firm in her moral convictions when Kim's expectations became increasingly stringent and demanding, testing her limits. Not to mention the time it took to satisfy Kim's never-ending needs.

Raven often had strived to establish a definite line between what was acceptable and what was not, yet she always succumbed to Kim's persuasive rhetoric.

It was interesting to note that right after Kim found out that Raven was the superhuman that saved the van full of people, her first inquiry was whether her sister Josie had some kind of powers too.

Kim seemed anxious after learning this was the case. Raven couldn't blame her. Her sister and Kim had gotten off on the wrong foot, and if anyone should be worried about her safety, it was Kim.

Raven pulled herself out of bed, reaching her arms in the air. "Insufferable brat." she groaned as she admired her reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall in her bedroom.

She was supposed to be on the other side of the country, asleep in her college dorm with her new friends in anticipation of the start of a new week.

But instead, she had been compelled to return home by her father to assist him in getting Josie to school. Without her college friends knowing, Raven had snuck away in the night, rocketed home, and immediately went to bed to steal some hours of sleep before the crack of dawn.

It had been two weeks since the commencement of the new school term, and Josie was still declining to attend.

Her behavior had changed drastically since the party where Kim and her posse had publicly humiliated her. In a fit of anger, Josie had rammed her way through a bridge, demolishing it - an event that marked Raven's debut as the world's upcoming superheroine.

It was quite a conundrum that Raven was obliged to save those who were placed in danger by her sibling in the first place.

Josie's self-confidence took a big hit after the 'boob-roast', which earned her the nickname' whisper tits.'

Raven realized that is was her mom's letter that triggered Josie's dismal attitude and intense temper. She wasn't the jocular wisecracker she used to be.

Josie was convinced that her mother was no longer alive, leaving her hopeless.

All she did all day was wandering around the house in the same pink bathrobe that hadn't been washed for over a month, snacking on cereal, chocolate bars, Chinese food, and Sprite while viewing outdated comedy shows from the 90s in her room.

When the moment arrived to attend school, Josie informed her father that she would go, though she has still not done so up to this point.

Their father tried his best to persuade Josie that the best way to avoid descending into a state of grief and despair was to go to school and pick up her life.

Raven snorted and turned into a whirlwind, swooshing towards the bathroom to spruce up, shot past her still drowsy dad in the hallway (who was utterly unaware of her presence), made a beeline towards her wardrobe, chose an outfit of her choice, donned it, styled her hair, and came to a halt – all done in less time a clock needed to count a second.

She watched the time and took it to herself to be done with this crap in no more than ten minutes. Raven had plenty of time to spare, for not only did her powers allow her to cover vast distances in the twinkle of an eye, but she also had the time differential in her favor. At her college, it was still a few hours before there.

As Raven advanced toward her sister's bedroom, her father gave her a grateful glance. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and lifted her hand to rap on the door.

"Come in!" Josie's voice resounded with a jubilant pitch before Raven's knuckles could make contact with the door.

Raven opened the door and was astonished by what she saw.

Her dad had cautioned that Josie's quarters were a wreck, with candy wrappers, half-emptied bottles, empty Chinese food containers and worn garments scattered everywhere, bringing a musty smell to the room.

What she found instead was a spick-and-span room that looked like it had been dusted and cleaned by Cinderella. Everything was neatly ordered and glimmered as if new, and a pleasant aroma of lavender filled the air.

But what astonished Raven the most was when her attention got caught by her kid sister humming some tune in front of the mirror while putting the finishing touches on her hair.

Josie whirled around and, with a dazzling smile, asked, "I didn't realize the semesters were so short these days or did they expel you already?"

"What on earth are you wearing?!" Raven exclaimed, her eyes traveling to Josie's risqué outfit.

Josie flashed a mischievous grin and replied,

"Pretty snazzy, don't you think? This is the new me. I may not be blessed with a magnetic rack like you, but I have other qualities." Josie winked.

Raven watched as Josie started shamelessly flaunting her ass. Her hands gripped the cheeks of her curvy tush and kneaded them. Her kid sister's derriere was tightly wrapped in raffled denim shorts that appeared a few sizes too small as they showed off the underside of her round buttocks. The tight shorts hugged her thighs and squeezed the butt to give it an enticing curve, making it look like its fabric stood on the brink of tearing apart.

Josie may not be as tall as most girls of her age, but she had a magnificent body, with smooth, sculpted thighs and a tight ass that could crack a walnut between its cheeks.

Josie's visage was her greatest asset - a mesmerizing sight with a similar allure to her mother's, but even more magnificent and an embodiment of beauty that elicited awe. Her countenance was the epitome of beauty, captivating the attention of those around her. Her grin emitted the delight of her personality with such intensity, prompting those who looked into her eyes to feel the same.

"I borrowed these from the same store where we got the sandals from." Josie looked satisfied at her glossy black knee-high boots while twirling her foot.

"And I suppose you've borrowed that tube top as well?" Raven inquired, eyeing the shiny green latex top wrapped around Josie's chest. It exposed her shoulders and a good portion of her perfect summer stomach.

"Nope, that one's yours, don't you remember?" Josie grinned. "You tried to put it on for your fifteenth birthday, but Dad put his foot down."

Raven chuckled. "Ah, yes. It never saw the light of day after that. Until now, that is."

"Until now indeed!" Josie beamed, gazing at her reflection in the mirror, rotating her torso from side to side. "It looks great on me, don't you think?"

"Look, I know it's hot out there, and all, but you're showing a lot of skin; Dad won't like this, and I'm not sure if I do either," Raven said.

Josie snorted indignantly. "Well, good thing I don't need approval from any of you. From no one, actually. From now on, I'm going to do everything my way."

"Umm, so I'm assuming you're going to school today, right?" Raven asked.

Josie spun around, annoyed at her sister. "Of course I am! What do you think I'm doing all this primping for?"

"It looks more like you're getting ready to attend a prison slut pageant. Is all that makeup really necessary? Your natural beauty doesn't need all that hodgepodge–"

"What are you even doing here, Raven?!" Josie cut in, glaring at her sister through the mirror with a lipstick tube in hand.

"Why, obviously because Dad said you refused to go to school. He asked me to come and help."

"Do not take me for a fool, Raven." Josie snapped. "Give me honesty or get out of my face. Why. Are. You. Here?"

Raven shifted her stance nervously. She gave a deep exhale before speaking, "I'm here to say I'm sorry, Josie."

"For what, Raven?" Josie turned around, placing her hands on her hips.

"For…" Raven swallowed. "for not backing you up when Kim and her friends were roasting you."

"There, was that so hard?" Josie said.

"You destroyed a bridge and brought innocent lives in jeopardy!" Raven flashed her finger. "I was forced to save them and now I'm stuck doing stupid errands for Kim all day."

BLEEP BLEEP!

Raven checked her phone and groand, "Seriously, Kim? Now?"

"Oh, you poor thing," Josie said with a patronizing tone. "Aww, it must be so hard for you to be at her beck and call. But hey, maybe you'll eventually learn to enjoy it!"

Raven snorted in disbelief. "I'm so fed up with this. Get in the car, so I can take you to school and be done with it."

"Oh, I'm going to school, alright. But I don't need that clunker of yours to get there."

Raven breezed. "What, really? You still riding your BMX? You're not twelve anymore, Josie. You really want to ruin your social standing so badly?"

"Is anyone talking about bikes here? Not me." Josie said, preening her locks.

"Well then, how are you going to go then? You're not taking the bus now, are you?" Raven's face lit up as if a penny had just dropped in her head. "You're going to fly," she said as a matter of fact.

"Mmm," Josie nodded as her nimble fingers made the finishing touch on a long braid.

Raven's face went serious. "Mom would never let you do that."

"Don't you even think about bringing up Mom!" Josie snapped angrily. "You haven't said anything about her since she left, so don't you dare do it now!"

"I will not allow it." Raven stepped in front of Josie, blocking the doorway. "I won't let your fool-hardened behavior blow my anonymity."

Josie merely looked up at her sister, whose stature soared a few inches above her, and presented a provocative stare. "The only way you're going to prevent me from going through that door is to do something you're not willing to do. Or better said, you don't dare to do."

Raven took a step forward, nearly grazing Josie's nose. "Do not challenge me, sister." she said, breezing hot breath over her sister's face.

Josie looked up at Raven, unfazed.

Raven clenched her fists and glared fiercely at her younger sibling's arrogant face. Then she relaxed her muscles and stepped aside.

"I figured as much," Josie said and strode past her sibling.

Josie's father was taken aback when he stumbled upon Josie in the hallway, "Hell no!" he shouted. "You get back in there and show me something you would wear to church before even thinking about leaving the house, young lady!"

Josie merely sniggered at her father's outburst.

"Are you poking fun at me?" Josie's father said.

"Never, dad." Josie smiled and stepped up to her father to plant a kiss on his cheek. "I just think you're cute when you're angry, that's all."

Raven stepped out of Josie's bedroom, "She's going to fly to school, dad."

John stared open-mouthed from Raven to Josie. "Serious? But why?" he asked his youngest daughter.

But the oldest daughter answered instead. "I don't know. Something about, 'Me doing things my way from now on.'" Raven imitated Josie's voice in an exaggerated childish tone.

"Why so gloom, dad?" Josie reached out and put a hand on her father's beefy shoulder. "At least I'm going to school. That's what you wanted, right?"

"But not like this! In these garments while flying. I forbid it!" John positioned himself in front of Josie with his hand held up as a stop sign.

Josie just smiled before using her mental abilities to move her dad out of the way. She stepped past him as he stood frozen in place like a traffic cop during rush hour. Josie blew her dad a kiss. "Love you, dad!"

Raven stepped forward, eyes shining with anger. "Hey! Don't you dare use your powers on Dad!"

"Love you too, sis!" Josie shouted over her shoulder before disappearing down the stairs. Then, they heard the front door shut and the sound of a shockwave as Josie took off into the sky, revealing herself to the world.