June 12, 2015

Lying on my back on the red and white striped deckchair by our pool is relaxing. I count the clouds that pass overhead, trying to spot shapes. I see a duck, a star and a raven, my namesake.

My sister, Wren, is lying next to me, tanning her already tanned, curvy body, wearing cool Ray-Bans, and taking photos of herself on her iPhone. 

"Hey, Rayray, which angle is better for me?" she asks, turning one way and then the other. 

"Right side," I reply sleepily.

"Mmm. This is serious, you know. There's this app that rates you on how good your photos are, and then you get followers. I'm trying to get 100."

I turn over, glancing at her wearily. 

"You know you'll always look great in a photo - you're naturally beautiful. People will like them from whatever angle."

"Whatever. Oh Christ, Lisa just got twelve more followers. I need to beat her," my sister moaned.

I sighed, and closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of birds. I could hear a raven cawing loudly. My namesake. My hair was the cause; I had a mop of glossy black hair as a baby, so my parents called me after the bird. My hair still is the same colour now, and even Wren, who's figure could make a supermodel's envious, who has hair down to her pelvis and is the shiniest blonde, and her skin is the fairest and completely spot-free, is jealous of it. 

I love Wren, even though she can get on my nerves with her worrying about her figure and looks, and is forever going on about Tony Blackheath from school, Marmbury Collage. 

"Tony has the dreamiest eyes. I just look at them and melt." she says. It's all Tony this, Tony that. I've become used to it now though. Wren's great generally speaking, as she lets me use her hairbrush (I'm forever losing mine), and I try on her clothes if mine are too small. 

I'd hate to lose her.

June 13, 2015 - morning

 "Raven, Madison's here to see you," Mum calls from the bottom of the stairs. 

"Coming," I call back. 

I pull on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt patterned with ravens, and struggle into my Doc Martins. 

"Hey Madison," I smile, running down the stairs. 

"Hey," she answers. "Wanna go to the park? My brother is there and he's bringing a few of his mates with him. They're pretty hot."

"Ok. Hang on a sec."

I grab a pullover and walk out the door, Madison telling me about the hot boys.

We arrive at the park, Madison's brother Ryan waving us over.

"Hi Madison. You brought the Raven then? Hope she's not too temperamental, I don't want to be pecked."

I roll my eyes, but can't stop smiling. Ryan is funny. I look over to the other boys and they really are hot, especially the tallest one, with floppy blond hair and blue eyes.

Suddenly he walks over, and nods at me.

"So you're Raven? Ryan has told me about you - I guess Madison told him first. Apparently you're the feistier one out of the two sisters, am I right? I hear Wren is more of the drama queen. You're my favourite; I don't like attention-seekers."

I smile at him, blushing.

"Thanks."

"Alex, Raven, we're going to the cafe down the road. I need a coffee." Ryan says. 

"Alright, we're coming," Alex replies.

We wander along the pavement to the cafe, but Alex and I stay a little behind Madison, Ryan and his friends, saying nothing - but the silence is all we need.