The Batwing Effect

II

On his way to his next class, Bruce couldn't get his mind off that last lesson, he had been rather shocked by his own attitude towards Jack who actually had been nothing but nice to him from the start. That didn't sit right with him, especially after what he's said in return. Bruce really didn't even introduce himself, assuming everyone would just know him. The thought of it made him face palm, oh what a self centred idiot he had been! Exactly the kind of person he was afraid he'd become after being surrounded by all those douchebags in Switzerland who'd pick on you for being the slightest bit different from everyone else. As ashamed as he felt, Bruce could only hope his next class would be with Jack to make things right while still remaining a good image to everyone else. Perhaps this had been a good lesson on how to treat those around him, after all he's never been good at.. people.
With a sigh he walked into history class, what a Monday, first endless depths of boredom and now long dead presidents with whom he'd love to switch places for the class. He threw the door open and stepped inside, yet froze immediately as his eyes fell onto Jack sitting at the back of the class, his feet resting on his desk as he leaned back in his chair, applying lipstick to his already fire red lips. Bruce's perplexity was immeasurable, there's nothing against boys wearing makeup but.. wasn't this a little gay? And so openly? Then again, there was Harley right beside him, ruffling his hair while telling him stories probably about summer vacation, sitting so close to him she was almost on his lap, looking like his pure hearted girlfriend. Bruce watched them for a second, were they a couple? They sure appeared like it, especially when the looks Harley gave Bruce when she noticed him by the door were deadlier than those rather careless ones given by Jack.

Bruce swallowed harshly as he made his way towards them, 'Let's get this over with', he thought to himself as he eventually stood right in front of Jack's desk and pointed at the seat to his right.
"D'you mind if I sit there?"
"If you don't mind sitting next to a perverted creep then go on, I couldn't care less", Jack answered without even looking at him, only admiring himself in his pocket mirror. Bruce felt an unpleasant sting in his chest in response to that ignorance shown by the other guy, though he knew he deserved it so he didn't say anything in return and just let himself fall onto his chair quietly.

The two sitting to his left didn't speak much after that until a group of tall guys entered the room, cheerfully sitting with the assumed couple.
"Ay 'sup Wayne?", one of them greeted Bruce rather bluntly.
"My name's Grundy, Solomon Grundy!"
"As in the lullaby?", Bruce chuckled and heard one of the other guys, a tall, slim one with white hair, snort at that too but Grundy's face instantly fell into a frown.
He stood up from his chair, violently pushing it to the side but Jack interrupted him with a short giggle.
"Leave him, Grundy! Everyone knows your parents lacked creativity when naming you. It's not a big deal", he pointed at his muscles and pulled a grimace speaking the word 'big' before he turned to the tall man with white hair.
"Now ask Victor here how many times he's been asked whether he'd bring chips or fries for lunch, hm?"
A rather malicious laughter now came from the strange clown like boy that Bruce felt an eerie shudder run down his spine as everyone around him only chuckled amused. Fries and Grundy, however, only shook their heads in defeat. The bell then soon rang and they left, Harley as the last of them giving Bruce who was by now rather uncomfortable one last sharp look before she too disappeared onto the hallway.

With a relieved sigh, Bruce sacked within his chair, though he remembered he wasn't done yet. He got his seat but the tension between him and Jack was still undeniably thick which pulled at his nerves more than he would've expected.
He leaned towards his neighbour's desk who didn't even spare him a look.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?", he then asked and Jack's eyes widened as his mouth jumped into a long, exaggerated frown.
"So rich boy actually wants to talk to- to me?", he fake stuttered in a sad tone before he broke out into laughter so loud he got a warning from the teacher. The taller one hesitated for a moment, taken aback by the class clown's strange behaviour but he promised himself to get things right. He wouldn't have to befriend Jack on the spot, he merely meant to apologise and move on and that's what he tried to do when he dared a second attempt to try and reach out to the now once again grinning boy to his left.
"Look, I know I've been a dick and I know I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm sorry, okay?"
Jack's face froze for a second before he moved his gaze towards Bruce and raised his eyebrow suspiciously.
"You're.. sorry?", he asked taken aback and Bruce nodded his head with zeal.
"I really am."
By the look on his face, Jack felt he was being honest and didn't plan on having a feud all year long so he decided to give the charming boy another chance and grinned widely at him.
"Oh don't worry, Brucie. It's all long forgotten!", he assured him and leaned closer.
"I was just too charming, wasn't I?", he whispered almost guilty and Bruce let out a freaked out chuckle.
"Yeah, sure", he told him and grabbed his book from his bag.
Though, it didn't help, as during the whole class he didn't get to read a single word. Jack and him would constantly chatter and giggle which even earned them a bunch of demerits, though the two of them couldn't care less. Despite the countless times the green haired guy bursted out into howling laughter, Bruce never would've expected him to be such a fun person to talk to, he was almost like a clown.
"Hey, my friend Eddie told me that new joke, wanna hear?"
"Sure!"
"What's first green and then red?", Jack asked excitedly with his green locks wiggling along.
"I don't know", Bruce admitted.
"A traffic light?"
"A frog in the blender!", he laughed.
Bruce hesitated a second before he too started laughing, not being able to get off his mind how there was something strange about Jack that both scared and fascinated him. Still, for probably the first time since he's arrived in Gotham, he was laughing and truly meant it.
"That was fun", Jack chuckled after him and Bruce left class together to actually both their surprise. Only an hour ago they never would've expected to become friends and now they walked along Gotham High's corridors together.