Okay, so before you kill me, let me explain. I've been way busy, and I've had like a tremendous writers' block with this. I haven't rewritten any of the chapters. But, hey, at least I updated. So, enjoy!

The Nightmare Before the Ball

She stirred in her sleep at the distant, annoying ringing.

RING

She snored, "No sir," she smacked her lips, "We don't sell car motors here, at Fat Ass Burger," she yawned and flipped over onto her stomach, "Just over priced food poisoning."

RING RING

"I've seen people like you before, Gar," she let out a long, lengthy, exaggerated yawn, "But I had to pay an admission fee, sucker," she smirked and snickered in her sleep.

RING RING

"One skinny water and a side of fat ass fries, will that be all?"

RING RING RING

Startled at the increasing noise, the sleeping beauty jerked her body over and fell onto the floor, where she scrambled up onto her knees.

RING

"I'm up," she immediately said, her eyes still closed, "Shut up, dammit."

RING RING RING RING!

Her eyes shot open and she snatched her cell phone from her night stand, "Raven Roth, how can I help you at three am on a school night?" she asked sarcastically.

"It's me," an all too familiar voice replied, "Dick."

"Hey, honey," Raven greeted him, climbing into her bed, "Is everything alright?"

"Uh...Yeah everything's fine, I just needed to talk to you," Dick told her, "I realized something."

"About what?" Raven inquired.

"I woke up, a few minutes ago, in cold sweat, and I realized something. Well, I just realized that I already knew..." he trailed off.

"Realized that you already knew what?" Raven queried, concerned.

"I'm madly in love with you, Raven Roth." Dick replied without hesitation.

A silence commenced, but Raven had a million thoughts running through her head. What should she do? What should she say? Did she feel the same way too? AH!

So many things, so many things she could have said, but instead, she croaked, "What?"

"I love you. I love everything about you. Your personality, your spark, your style, your edge, you. The way you say quit it, but I know you don't mean it. The way you cringe your nose when you're annoyed. The way you giggle when I say something dirty. They way you don't give a rat's ass what anybody thinks. Everything. The way you walk, talk, act, everything. I love it. And I love you no matter what, even if you don't love me back, I will still love you."

Raven sat in her bed, covering up the bottom of the phone so that Dick couldn't hear her panting. Flabbergasted was the one word to describe her current state. She was flabbergasted. All of a sudden, her boyfriend calls her up out of no where and says he loves her. What was she supposed to feel like? What was she going to say? She didn't know how she felt! She just didn't know!

"Raven," Rich called out to her, "What do you say?"

She moved her hand from the speaker and took a deep breath, "I..Honestly, I don't know what to say, Richard," Raven admitted, "This is so sudden."

"I'm perfectly fine with that, but you can sleep tonight, knowing that I love you, that you are loved," Dick informed her. By the sound of his voice, Raven knew he was smiling.

"I just need time, okay? Time, just give it time," Raven said, calming her nerves.

"I understand, Raven," Dick replied, "Goodnight, Raven."

"Goodnight, Dick," Raven hung up the phone and tossed it on the floor.

She sighed and fell back on her bed with a loud huff.

"Like I don't already have enough to deal with," she brought a hand up to her head and removed the stray hairs from her face.

Maybe not even time could answer the question, did she really love Dick?

She waited for a light bulb twinkle on or a thought bubble to pop up.

Seconds became minutes and minutes became an hour, and no sort of answer or hint came to her. The only thing that came was the overpowering urge of sleep which enveloped her, and she fell into a deep slumber.

Raven, Tara, and Kori sauntered into the library for study hall and sat at their usual table, and waited for the guys to arrive.

Raven had been avoiding talking about the incident from the night before with Dick because she still didn't have an answer for him. No bell had rung and no answers came, she was lost and confused. Everything had been going great. She had the perfect friends, and a drop dead gorgeous boyfriend, but then he had to open his mouth and leave her dumbfounded with the way he felt.

"That's hilarious, Kori!" Tara and Kori fell into fits of laughter.

Raven jumped at the sound of Tara's voice bringing her from her thoughts.

"Why are you so jumpy Raven?" Tara asked suspiciously.

"What?" Raven said, "Oh...uh...I was just up last night, thinking about something."

"About what?" Kori asked.

"Well-" Raven was interrupted by someone wrapping their arms around her waist from behind and placing their head in the crook of her neck.

She turned and saw who was evading her personal space, "Hey, Dick."

"Hey, Raven," he released her and sat in the chair beside her, his arm still around her waist, and she planted a kiss on his lips.

"How's the prom coming, Raven?" Vic inquired.

"Slowly, endlessly, and bountifully," Raven answered, unenthusiastically.

"Wow, whoever told you to be yourself, Raven, couldn't have given you worse advice," Gar insulted her, and fell into fits of laughter.

Raven allowed her forearm to fall forcefully onto the table, "Gar, did you hear? They moved you up to a remedial math class!"

Gar's laughter end, and his smile faded away, "Don't even get my hopes up like that, Raven."

Tara sighed obnoxiously, "Just another boring day in study hall," she complained.

"Well, we could ditch," Raven pitched the idea. Ditching was nothing to her, but it may be a little difficult for her friends.

"Please, is "ditch" not the term for a long narrow excavation in the earth?" Kori questioned.

"Yes it is Kori, but Raven's talking about a different meaning, to skip class," Dick explained.

"That sounds like a thing of great rebellion," Kori said, dispiritedly, but immediately perked up, "Count me on the inside!"

"If my girl's in, I'm in," Vic agreed, placing his arm around Kori.

"I like that answer Vic," Dick concorded, "I'd like to see the day I wimp out when my girl doesn't."

"I'm in, I don't know about my shrimp here," Tara giggled.

"I was in before the plan was thought of," Gar said sarcastically.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Raven asked.

The boys exchanged glances and shouted together, "Burgers! Laser tag! And Ski ball!"

"You three, are officially insane," Raven rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything else, she was being pulled by Dick around her waist and out of the door.

Gar led the way, taking silent steps sideways against the wall, being very dramatic. He peeked his head around the corner of the hall, and signaled for the others to follow. He then turned a somersault to the other side of the hallway, and leaned against it. He then turned cartwheels the rest of the way to the end of the hall and out of the school doors.

He silently exhaled and wiped sweat from his brow.

"Ahem," Raven cleared her throat, "Are you done, Agent Ass Wipe?"

She and the others had walked like normal people out the door, while ignoring Gar's foolish antics.

"Yes, Agent Bitter, I am," Gar strode with his head held high all the way over to Vic's Tahoe.

Raven peeked around the synthetic rock, and, at the last moment, she dodge a fire from Dick. She breathed heavily and sweat rolled off her brow. She held her firearm over her chest, and prepared for the final battle between her, and Dick. The others had run off elsewhere in the course, while she and Dick went their own way together, each of them really into the game and battling for the finish.

"I see you, Raven," Dick's taunting voice came from somewhere.

Raven swallowed the fear, and she stepped out to see Dick there, completely exposed with his weapon pointing straight at her.

She was quick to fire, but Dick got to her first, and after the long suspenseful battle, just like that, she was defeated.

"I win," Dick boasted, helping Raven out of her gear.

"I let you win," Raven rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, right," Dick took her by the hand and pulled her into his embrace, "You're so cute when you pout."

"Shut up," Raven pulled back, and placed a sweet, gently kiss on his lips.

"Do you have a reply to me, Raven?" Dick asked.

"Well-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Gar shouted, "Please, for the sake of America, get a room," Gar demanded and everyone laughed, excluding Dick and Raven.

"We'll talk later," Raven whispered, "My place."

"Agreed," Dick whispered back.

"Come on guys," Vic instructed, "Let's get some grub."

Raven and Dick sat on the couch in Raven's apartment. Dick was lounging in the corner of the couch, and Raven was warmly snuggled against his chest, them talking quietly as they listened to the soothing sound of Nick's gentle singing voice over his pure piano playing.

"How come we're not allowed to talk about prom like any normal couple?" Dick inquired, his voice a whisper. Upsetting Raven's beastly older brother was the absolute last thing he ever wanted to do.

"Because," Raven replied, her voice audible enough so only he could hear, "I've been working nonstop on that stupid prom for the past three weeks, and the last thing I want to do is talk about it in my spare time."

"Prom is not stupid," Dick disagreed, "And I would love it if my date would stop being pessimistic about the night that I will remember for the rest of my life." Raven had been complaining about the "stupid prom" ever since she was assigned the task of planning it and also been required to attend it. But her attending prom would have happened if she was obligated to go or not because Dick would have found someway to convince her to go with him -even if it meant him pitching the idea of going with another girl.

"No," Raven refused, "It's not fair for the president to have to plan the damn thing. I mean, what the hell does the prom committee even do?" Raven had been noting that her appointed helpers were actually no help at all, just a hindrance.

"They ignore your horrible attitude about everything," Dick teased her, his signature smile on.

Raven glowered at him, but there was more sarcasm present in her glare than intimidation. But she couldn't keep it up for long; Dick's enchanted blue eyes danced, and his smile awakened the butterflies on the inside of her stomach, and they fluttered around joyously. Her glare faded away and Dick took in all the wonder that her eyes held within the mystifying amethyst color. When she gave him that look. That very look. It made a feeling pass over him. A feeling mixed with desire, affection, trust, but also with surprise and nervousness. That was a feeling that no one -no one- could ever make him feel, other than Raven. She is, and will always be, his everything.

Dick brought his hand up into Raven's waterfall of silky jet black hair. He took notice in how she'd let it grow out to the length of her shoulders, and he liked it. He loved the feeling of running his hands through her silky hair, almost as much as he loved the feeling of her creamy, smooth, porcelain, pale skin. He caressed her cheek with his thumb, not moving his hand from her hair or his other arm from around her waist. Her hair was like an exotic black cloud that should never be spoiled by human hands. But he couldn't resist. Her eyes, her hair, her sweet embrace...it all lured him in.

"I think I..." Raven began, but trailed off when Dick leaned in closer, and he captured her lips with his. Even the very taste of Raven's lips was more than enough to awaken the desire for her inside Dick. He felt as if Raven was made for him. She was exactly what he always wanted...needed in his life; she completed him, they were one.

Raven lost herself in Dick's fiery embrace, and time seemed to stop.

Raven couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world. She had a guy that made her stomach jump when she saw him, that kept her guessing, and made her feel safe. She would give anything to stay wrapped in his protective arms forever. She'd rather spend one lifetime with Dick, than ten thousand with another.

Raven and Dick's moment was interrupted when their friends -Kori, Vic, Tara, and Gar- entered Raven's apartment, uninvited.

"There's a thing called knocking," Nick pointed out, pulling down the piano fallboard, and turning around on his piano bench, facing his sister's friends. He knew that Raven's friends felt very welcome in his apartment, and were sort of like family. Which he thought was a good thing -no matter how much he denied it- and he was happy that Raven was making friends and opening up.

Raven and Dick pulled apart, and faced their friends. Hiding their blushes.

"Raven," Kori explained, she, Tara, and Vic taking a seat on the couch across from them, "Prom is this weekend, and I believe it is time for us to begin shopping for our girl of the show dresses."

Dick let up off of Raven so that she could get onto her feet, "I need something to drink."

"Do you want me to leave the seat up on the toilet for you?" Gar insulted her.

Raven turned sharply on her heels, and glared at him. "Look," she grimaced through clenched teeth, "I have been working nonstop on a prom that I didn't even want to have in the first place for weeks, I barely get any sleep, and on top of all that, I've got to take orders from a woman who can't tie her own shoes," Raven put her mouth right next to Gar's ear, "The ice is thin," she hissed.

Gar gulped nervously, and Raven proceeded with what she was doing, smirking smugly.

"Raven," Tara reminded her, "Prom is Saturday, we need to get our dresses."

"Where are we going to get showgirl costumes from?" Raven inquired, pouring herself a glass of water.

"I am aware of this cute boutique in city of Gotham," Kori told her, "They have all sorts of things, I'm pretty sure they will even have something to your liking. And I can even drive us there."

"No way," Raven protested, "I am not driving all the way to Gotham City in a bright pink PT Cruiser, Kori. And I'm not so sure you will be able to focus on driving the entire way there."

"You have the attention span of a walnut," Gar chimed in, receiving glares from Vic and Raven. Gar knew that none of the people in that room actually took his jokes seriously. And he also knew that Raven and/or Nick would kick his but if they were offended by anything he said.

"How's about I drive us there then?" Tara offered, "I know my way around up there, I'm a pretty good driver, and my car isn't "out there"." Tara knew exactly what Raven was talking about, because she knew Raven. She knew what Raven liked and didn't like, how much she could take, and what her looks meant. And they were the most alike out of the girls. Which is why Raven grew close to Tara, and Tara to her. And they considered each other to be best friends.

"Sounds like a plan," Raven agreed. She found a way to dig herself out of that hole.

"I am agreeing on the sound of the plan," Kori agreed. Kori was open to anything that would please her friends. It was just apart of her obliging nature.

"Let me get dressed," Raven told them, monotonously, as she made her way up the stairs. When Raven returned, she was dressed in black sweats.

Everyone stood up -minus Nick-, and Raven walked over to her brother, who was casually leaning against his piano.

"Stay safe, sis," Nick stood up and kissed the top of her head before jogging upstairs.

"Pick out something nice," Rich slipped his credit card into her pocket, "But not too skimpy, I don't want anybody looking at my girl."

Raven smiled at him and he wrapped his arms around her and planted a sweet goodbye kiss on her lips.

"I'll be back soon, Dick," Raven kissed his lips again, "And thanks."

"You're welcome, babe," Dick moved a couple of strands of hair from in front of her face, and kissed the tip of her nose, leaving a smile on her face.

"Uh...Raven, before prom is over please," Gar teased her, and she and the other girls made their way out the door, after saying goodbye to their boyfriends and headed to Gotham to get their prom dresses.

Saturday evening

Okay, so the night is finally here. Prom night. Dreaded or anticipated, it was here, and our favorite lads where preparing themselves for a memorable night. But as of now, they were all dillydallying around in Dick's den in tanks and boxers.

"Yo guys!" Gar shouted from inside the bathroom, "Check this out!"

He sprang out the bathroom with his face covered in the classic Gene Simmons face-paint.

Vic looked up from rummaging through the dresser drawers, he sighed, "For the millionth billionth trillionth time, HELL NO!"

Dick glanced over at the boys and chuckled.

"What are you laughing at, Dickie boy?" Vic inquired, pushing Gar back into the bathroom and shutting the door.

"It's prom night," Dick simply stated, pulling on his black slacks.

"Yeah, so," Vic replied, putting on his own slacks.

"And me and my two best friends, the class clown and the football star, are going with the Goth, the Homecoming Queen, and the outcast," Dick clarified, pulling off his tank, and putting on his collared undershirt.

"I thought we were over the stereotypes, Dick, and you know those labels are lies," Vic countered, buttoning up his undershirt.

"But it's crazy, man. At the beginning of this year, that's how we all saw each other, and now, it's completely different," Dick explained, putting on his shoes.

"Yeah, and to think it all happened because of one simple day," Vic agreed, weaving his arms through the sleeves of his jackets.

"Well, I don't know about you, but Challenge Day is the best thing that ever happened to me," Dick stated, "I mean, can you imagine what we be doing if it hadn't happened."

"Now that I think about it, I was never really happy until I was friends with you guys and the girls."

"Same here," Dick agreed, "And life was so boring before. It was the same thing over, and over, and over, and over again."

Before Vic could agree, Gar popped out of the bathroom, this time, dressed like a normal nicely dressed teen about to attend his prom.

"Okay, Tara is going to freak when she sees me," Gar spun around, popping the collar on his tux, "I am the most attractive guy in the room right now."

"Yeah, you keep believing that," Vic rolled his eyes, tying his tie.

"Dude! What's with the cheetah print tie?" Gar asked, falling into fits of laughter.

"Kori bought it for me, it's way cooler than your bright pink tie with a matching snot rag," Vic pointed out.

"Hey! It's called a pocket hanky and it's very stylish," Gar defended himself.

"Is that what Tara told you?" Dick asked, "Well let me tell you, she lied." He and Vic fell into fits of laughter.

"What are you laughing at Dick? You're the one with that depressing purple tie. You remind of the whipped little water boy who's girl has his balls in a to-go bag," Gar and Vic then fell into fits of laughter.

"Whatever guys," Dick pushed his sleeve back and looked at the time on his wrist watch, "We've got about an hour before time to pick up the girls."

"Well, what do you guys what to do?" Vic asked, and the three exchanged glances and all shared a smirk.

"PIZZA AND X-BOX!" they all shouted together.

"I'll order," Dick said, grabbing the phone off the receiver while Gar hopped over the back of the couch and grabbed a wireless controller, and Vic went to power on the machine.

"You looking forward to tonight, big buddy?" Gar asked as Vic took a seat next to him.

"Yeah, I just hope Kitten came down with a horrible, incurable, disease just for tonight, and misses. I'm sick of her messing with my girl," Vic said.

"Who do think is going to win prom king and queen?" Gar inquired.

"Probably Kitten and some unfortunate dude. I'd pity the poor guy who got stuck baby sitting that horny monster," Vic joked and he and Gar fell into laughter.

"I wonder what the girls are doing right now," Dick pondered aloud after reentering the room. He hopped over the back of the couch, grabbed a controller, and joined his friends.

"Probably sitting in a circle, painting their toes," Gar imitated a girls voice, "And talking about their feelings."

"Back the FUCK up with that Tara!" Raven demanded, ripping her converse from her foot and launching it at the blonde.

"Eep," Tara croaked just as the shoe was about to connect with her face, but Kori skillfully and sharply reached out and caught it, barely a centimeter from Tara's face.

"Whoa!" Raven shouted, taken aback, "How did you learn that, Kori?"

"Victor gave me the lessons of how to catch the ball," Kori replied, tossing the shoe over her shoulder, "And he also showed me how to take down the opponent."

Without warning, Kori charged Raven, tackled her, and pinned her down to the ground.

"Oh, my spine!" Raven groaned, "Get the hell off Kori!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that friend Raven," Kori refused, "Tara, bring the rollers, pins, and extensions." She smiled maliciously as Tara approached them, the torture devises in her hands.

"No!" Raven screamed.

Snip. Sizzle. Spray. Clamp. Snip. Sizzle. Spray. Clamp...

"NO! NNNOOOOOOOO!" Raven dramatically screeched.

Twenty minutes of a buckling Raven later...

"Aright," Kori finally let up off of Raven and she and Tara stood back, them both panting, and their clothes and not yet done hair were a mess.

Raven growled at the two girls and sharply turned and looked into her mirror. She gasped, horrified by what she saw. Her usually short black hair, was now at least four inches longer and pinned up in extra large rollers. She turned back around to Kori and Tara, "I'm going to kill you two," she hissed.

"Just wait until we do your makeup," Tara countered, "Kori, get her."

Raven made a beeline towards the open door, and she made it to the doorframe, but she was taken down by Kori, whom had used her as a landing spot.

Raven grabbed onto to carpet, but Kori pulled her by the legs back into the room. Kori picked up the petite girl and forced her into the chair where Tara was waiting to hold her down.

"When did you guys get so strong!" Raven strained under Terra's death grip.

"Being the captain of the team of the drill comes with it's responsibilities," Kori replied, organizing the next set of torture devises, "I show up at the gym of the workouts hours before everybody else, and I'm always the last to leave. That is what being the leader means. Working harder than everyone else."

"I didn't feel like I could defend myself, so I've been working out with Vic and Gar," Tara answered.

"I HATE THIS!" Raven whined.

Oh no, they were fixing Raven's...gulp...makeup...shivers.

"What kind of cruel and unusual punishment is this?" Raven shouted, pulling her head away from Kori, but Kori cupped her chin and held her head still while applying...gulp...concealer...gag.

"NOO! NOOO!"

Smear. Smudge. Powder.

Twenty minutes of a straggling Raven later

"Okay, just a little lipstick and...ow!" Kori screeched and pulled her hands away from Raven, "She bit me!"

"Toss me," Tara strained as Raven began to kick her feet and try to free her arms, "The lipstick...hurry...losing...strength."

The lipstick seemed to take a century as it soared through the air, and Tara's quick actions were slow and gradual. All in one motion, she snatched the lipstick from the air, and pulled her arms from around Raven. But before Raven could get up and make a run for it, Tara spun the chair Raven was sitting in. It whirled around, with Raven in it, at about fifty mph. Tara moved the lipstick ever so slowly towards Raven's blurred, spinning figure, and barely touched it to her lips, before sharply grabbing the armrest on the chair, and bringing Raven to a sickening, halting stop.

Raven's eyes bounced around in their sockets, and her head was hard to hold still. She collapsed onto floor at Kori's and Tara's feet, who had stood back and readied themselves to catch her.

"Alright," Tara clapped her hands together, excitedly, "Dress time," she sung.

"So exciting," Kori threw her head back and she and Tara each grabbed one of Raven's legs, and easily pulled her into the bathroom.

"Ugghhhh," Raven moaned, "I hate prom."

Tara and Kori slammed the bathroom door shut behind them.

Rip! Snatch! Screams! Zip! Panting! Clip, clop, clang!

"What kind of torture is this!" Raven screamed as Kori and Tara exited the bathroom, now finished with Raven.

They stood back and waited for Raven to emerged for the bathroom.

Coughing and muttering death threats, a now completely, sexy, hot, and drop dead gorgeous Raven, clung to the doorframe.

Kori and Tara smiled and exchanged impressed looks, "Our work, is done," they said together and did their handshake that ended with a snap, snap, snap, hair flip, and a "Boom."

They giggled, and Tara looked at the clock on the stereo, "Shit. Kori, we'd better get ready, they guys will be here in less than an hour."

Ding Dong! The doorbell to Raven's apartment sounded, and Kori and Tara screamed "They're here! They're here! They're here!" and jumped up and down uncontrollably.

"Let's get this over with," Raven muttered, "You guys go first, I'd like to savor my dignity while I still have it."

Tara rolled her eyes, and she and Kori strolled passed Raven and went to the staircase.

Nick had opened the door, and he, and the three well dressed boys, stood in the living room, waiting for their three goddesses to emerge from the shadows.

Tara and Kori waltzed on the staircase, each of them looking completely stunning.

"Wow," Dick smiled when he saw the two young ladies.

"I've died and gone to Heaven," Gar almost lost consciousness when he saw Tara. She was fancied up in a bright pink corset, that had a skirt of darker pink feathers attached to it that stopped above her knees. The corset was made up of pink and white beads and sequins, and the top and bottom were trimmed in hot pink and white lace. The dress had straps of dark pink sequins, and she was wearing white boots. Her long blonde hair was pulled back, with a braid on the side into a loose, curly chignon.

Vic, on the other hand, did lose consciousness when he saw Kori. She was dolled up in a cheetah print corset with a waterfall of black beads for a skirt, that stopped a few inches above her knees, and matching cheetah pumps. Her fiery red hair, was now in tight spiral curls. The top was loosely pulled back into a flock of curls, her side bangs were straight, and a waterfall of red curls fell down her right shoulder.

Dick pulled Vic back up onto his feet, and Vic faked it off and brushed his shoulder.

Gar handed Tara a small gift box when she reached the bottom, and Vic did the same to Kori. They each pulled out a clip with two feathers, Kori's were black and Tara's were white.

"We figured a corsage wasn't fitting," Vic explained as Kori and Tara put the feather's in each others hair.

"You two look amazing," Dick complimented.

"I agree," Nick put in.

"Thanks Nick, Rich," Tara said, locking her fingers with Gar's.

"But wait until you see what Tara and I worked so hard to achieve. Our blood, sweat, and tears went into preparing friend Raven for tonight," Kori explained, "May we all turn very cliche like towards the staircase and act like we are surprised and didn't know that Raven would be momentarily standing there." Kori interlaced her fingers with Vic's, and with chuckles and giggles, everyone turned towards the staircase to see a girl who they thought was Raven, and this time, mouths were dropped, words were lost, and time stopped.

End chapter

Aren't I so mean! Ha ha ha! A cliff hanger! Next chapter will be the prom, I promise.

Well, please review, tell me what you think.

Again, sorry about the long update, expect one sooner this time, I've finally gotten the muse to keep this story going.

Well, until next time

Cya~ GothicPrincess