Chalant Candlelight

Chapter 14

(Zatanna's POV)

And we're back to avoiding each other, well, he's avoiding me. He doesn't even look my way. It's the wrong season for avoidance at galas because it's winter and there's one just about every weekend night, because of the holidays. I called and texted, but nothing. What did I do wrong? How can he be so cold? If he's so cold could he be a least a little less enticing? Please? Is that too much to ask?

(Dick's POV)

I made her cry?

Worst of all she cried to the new kid.

What do you do when someone really likes you but you know they wouldn't if they really knew you? The answer is...you avoid them. You don't look at them, don't touch them, don't even think about it!

That's what I did, I ignored her and her calls and her texts, everything. I probably seemed like the biggest jerk but she knew the reputation I had as the 'mysterious heartbreaker' of Gotham. She should have better taste in men. Men that don't have double lives and that don't make her cry. The red flags for Dick Grayson were everywhere.

Why did she have to fall for me?

~~~~~~~~~~~

"You look nervous." I elbow-tapped Yuliya in the shoulder making her jump. We were behind the curtains, I was passing to get to the trapeze ladder while she was seconds from climbing the ladder to do her dive, "Woah, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you-"

"I'm fine." She uttered, her eyes locked on the ladder in front of her,

"Okay." I sarcastically said passing her to get to my ladder, "Do well." I smiled at her but she didn't even look.

It wayed on my mind, if anyone was fearless at diving, it would be Yuliya. She had been doing this since she was five. That couldn't be the thing bothering her.

After the show, I cleaned up and was in my trailer putting on my shirt. My consciousness was stirring, a pit growing in my stomach that something was wrong. I made my way out of my trailer and toward Yuliya's when I heard a commotion from inside. Rushing to the door I realized the handle and lock were broken so I threw the door open with no resistance to see her fighting off five people who were holding her down in her chair,

"Get off her!" I slammed my way into the tiny trailer hitting people off of her when one of the attackers grabbed me around the neck slamming me back into the wall. Only then I realized who they were when I saw a very unlucky feather boa behind the man who had my neck,

"Mr. Grayson, calm yourself." The older woman, Missy was her name, grinned bouncing over to me, "Well now, I'm happy to see you."

"What are you doing here? Why are you attacking her?" I asked, my eyes moving over to Yuliya, who the goons were forcing to sit down,

"This little jerk hasn't paid us back what she owes." Missy turned around shoving a pistol in Yuliya's face,

"Stop! Stop!" I yelled forcing myself out of the man's hands when he put a gun to my head,

"Don't act like a hero, Mr. Grayson, you are far from it." Missy shook her head at me, "Miss Romanov owes me a considerable sum of money, and she hasn't been able to provide any sort of payment, but alas, I am here to collect." Missy cocked the gun. Yuliya was shivering, shaking, sobbing, begging for her life. The room held its breath, Yuliya closed her eyes ready to hear the gun go off,

"What can I do?" I uttered, my face downcast. I knew this is what Missy had wanted. This made her perk up, turn to me, and leave Yuliya alone,

"My my Mr. Grayson, are you proposing a good old substitution?" She swung her hips towards me, which I didn't appreciate, "You be my little errand boy again and I'll let her go, debt forgiven."