Robin's Little Finch

Robin's Little Finch ~ Chapter 8

Tara couldn't believe she had done what she had done at the Wayne Ball. She had held her best friend and long lost brother hostage. Normally these types of things didn't bother her, it was her job to collect money or belongings for criminals, but lately she has been feeling more emotions than normal. As Tara considers this she realizes she is caught staring out the window during lunch the next Monday at school.

"Earth to Tara!" Dick shouts at me and Barbara is waving a hand in front of my face.

"Sorry guys, I just have a lot on my plate all of a sudden," Tara says trying to smile but failing kind of.

"What's up?" Barbara asks.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Tara says bitterly.

"Woah, what is with the attitude," Dick states kind of taken aback.

"Sorry, just have a lot going on," Tara says again. As she says this her phone rings and she picks it up.

"Hello? .... Okay I will pick it all up tonight. Glad I could do business with you properly," Tara says into the phone.

"Who was that?"

"Must be pretty important for you to pick it up so quickly," Richard and Barbara comment.

"It wasn't a big deal. It's just hard to get ahold of him so I picked up," Tara responded.

"Seriously Tara. Are you alright?"

"You seem like you are hiding something."

"If you want to talk about anything, we are here for you."

"Nothing you tell us could be that bad."

Tara glares at them before covering her ears and shouting.
"You don't know that!" Barbara and Dick look shocked by her outburst.

"I have a free period next class, I'm going to the gym." Tara mumbles walking away.

***
Dick was worried about Tara. She had been acting weird all day. And now that he thought about it she was acting a little weird on Friday. Whenever they were alone she almost seemed to want to tell him something but whenever Barbara showed up or came along she never brought it up.

If he was ever going to figure out what was wrong with one of his best friends he would have to get her on her own.

Dick goes to the gym looking for Tara. When he gets there he is surprised to find her boxing instead of using the treadmill or something.

"Hey Tara. Do you want to walk home together?"

Tara jumps suddenly.
"What?"

"I just wanted to walk home with you. We don't have to talk about anything specifically. But I just want you to know I'm here for you," Dick says rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"Uhh sure," Tara responds nervously. She didn't want to seem even weirder than she already did by denying him to walk her home.

***
"You ready to go Tara?" Dick asked her after school.

"Yeah sure. Why did you want to walk home with me?" Tara asks him.

"I don't know, just felt like the right thing to do," Dick tells her.

Earlier that day, Tara had received a call from her father and it was what he said that made her think on her way home.
(Italics are the previous phone call)