Arkham High

Chapter 1

Arkham High

"Well, here we are," said Mr. Quinzel, as he pulled up the car in front of his daughter Harleen's new high school. "First day of school. You excited?"

Harleen stared at her father in disbelief. "Am I excited?" she repeated. "You drag me outta my high school in Brooklyn one year before graduation, take me away from all my friends, move us to this dump of a city, and throw me in here, just expecting me to make new friends and keep my grades up when I'm still adjusting to this whole new life you've forced me into? No, Dad, I ain't excited. I wanna go home," she muttered, folding her arms across her chest.

"Sweetie, you know I have to go where the job takes me," replied her father. "I didn't have a choice. This is your home now, and this is your school. And I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think it's gonna be. I've spoken to Principal Leland, and she seems like a really nice lady. And I know you'll make lots of new friends here – you're a great girl! They'll love you!"

"You know I don't do well with socializing, Dad," Harleen muttered, kicking under her seat. "I was lucky to have friends in Brooklyn – I just don't fit in with people. And I don't have a chance of fitting in here."

"Sweetheart, I think if you just put on a smile, things will work out better than you think," said her father, gently. "Now I know my daughter. She's a smart, bright, funny, kind, thoughtful young lady. And the kids here are gonna see that. They're gonna be crazy about you. Just like I am," he said, kissing her cheek. "Now, c'mon. A little smile for me?"

Harleen sighed, but forced a smile. "That's my girl!" he exclaimed. "Go get 'em, kiddo!"

Harleen climbed out of the car, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and adjusting her glasses. She waved at her father as he drove off, but dropped the smile right after he was gone, turning with dread to face the looming building in front of her. The sign out front read Arkham High School, but someone had written under it: Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!

"Great sense of humor they've got," muttered Harleen sarcastically, as she climbed up the stone steps. She took a deep breath, putting her hand on the door. "C'mon, Harley, you can do this," she muttered. She nodded to herself, adjusted her glasses again, and then pushed open the door, looking for the first time upon her new high school.

The first thing that assaulted her was the noise. Everywhere people were talking and shouting, but the words were lost in a deafening roar of sound. And the second was the mess. Books, papers, and trash were lying everywhere, paper airplanes sailed through the air, and Harleen could only stare in astonishment at the scene, which seemed more like a prison than a high school.

She was startled out of her thoughts by someone slamming into her, knocking her to the ground and causing her own books and papers to fly everywhere. "Hey, watch where you're..." she began, glaring up at the figure who had run into her, but she stopped talking and could only stare in astonishment at the most unusual boy she had ever seen.

He was tall and lanky and extremely pale, making his red lips seem even brighter by comparison. His eyes were a bright green, the same color as his hair, which flopped into his eyes, so that he constantly had to smooth it back. He smiled at her, the biggest smile she had ever seen, and held out his hand to help her up, murmuring, "Hi."

"H...hi," stammered Harleen, stunned, as she took it.

Whatever spell she was under suddenly broke as a bolt of pain shot through her, and she cried, "Ow!" The boy had a joy buzzer in his hand, which he shocked her with as he pulled her violently to her feet and hastily dusted her off.