Gotham Girls #2: Nights For Nightwing (Batman) [Watty Awards 2014]

Chapter Eight - Date with Destiny

I walked into through the gates, waving at Dick, who had a massive grin on his face as his car stalled for a few seconds, waiting for me to get inside safely… Or at least that’s what he told me. My heart fell into my stomach as I waltzed into the mansion, feeling light like a feather and down-right excited. He was so amazing – such a gentleman, such a charmer, and such a darn attractive fellow! I was definitely looking forward to the date tonight.

“So…?” Em asked, flaunting out to me, a spring in her step as her arms embraced me, knowing that I had just been dropped of home by the guy that I was going to be seeing again later that night.

“So what?” As hard as I tried to pretend I didn’t think anything of it, it didn’t work as well as I had planned – instead, a smile betrayed me and I was left staring at the ground, unsure of what I was really supposed to be doing. Em giggled at my reaction and ran up to me, hugging me.

“I knew something was happening between you two! And I knew you wouldn’t want to tell me what it was…” Her eyes widened pleadingly, as though she was attempting to give me a puppy dog face, but it wasn’t working for her, though I did feel a little guilty because it was true. “Anyway, forget that! I want details!”

Em gripped my hands and dragged me quickly up the stairs and back to my room, pushing me onto the bed and sitting next to me, awaiting my response. I didn’t know what to say – I was a little too excited to respond with any intelligent answer.

“What kind of details?” My eyes ran around the room as Em leaned even closer.

“The juicy details.” Her breath drifted across my cheek and I shivered, thoughts of Dick running through my mind. I didn’t even know where to start!

“Nothing really exciting happened! I mean, I took him to the nurse because –“

“Did you kiss?” Emerald’s words shocked me a little, causing me to pause momentarily before searching for an answer to her question.

“”No-no… No, we didn’t kiss.” I stared at her, asking exactly what kind of ‘details’ she wanted. So far, those kinds of details weren’t happening. A disappointed expression overran her face, before she shrugged and pulled me back to my feet.

“Alright, well, we need to get you ready!” She grabbed my hand and began pulling me toward the wardrobe, a wide grin on her face. Before I could protest, she had the sapphire dress in her hand, and was looking me up and down, sizing me up for tonight. “You’re gonna kill him.”

I stopped in my tracks. Kill him? Why would I kill him? I wanted to impress him, not become some psychotic murderer overnight!

“Why would I kill him?” I squealed quietly, and it was obvious I hadn’t taken Em’s words with their actual meaning. She quickly began trying to calm me down, getting herself worked up in the process.

“I didn’t mean that! I mean, he’s gonna love you! He’s gonna think you look amazing! And if he doesn’t, which isn’t going to happen, then you know he’s lost his nut… Or is going to lose both…”

I chuckled at her comment, and began changing, with neither Emerald nor I becoming mildly fazed by the fact I was stripping down to my underwear in front of her. Instead, she began tapping her foot, waiting for me to put on the dress, so she could help me with the rest of it.

Before long, I was dressed and ready to go. The dress still looked beautiful, but now, it looked even better. She had done my make-up, putting a combination of two tone of brown eye-shadow on my eyelid, applying the darker tone to the corner. My lips had become a subtle pink colour – ‘A baby pink so he’ll want to kiss you when you’re his baby,’ in the words of Emerald Daniels. I wasn’t so fond of the little comment, but I thought it looked good nonetheless.

“So, am I ready?” I asked, standing from the chair I had spent the last two hours getting ready in, and twirling in front of the girl I could have easily considered my best friend. It was getting close to five, and that was the time that Dick said he was going to be picking me up. Em stared at me, smiling and nodding. By the look on her face, I looked mighty fine. Honestly, it began to worry me, ever so slightly.

I walked out of the room and almost fell down the stairs as my matching blue heels began to come out from under me, but luckily, Bruce was there to catch me, only noticing me by the amount of noise me squealing made. He grinned slightly as I looked up, being held up by his strong arms, and finding myself blushing more than I had cared to. Emerald followed me flawlessly down the stairs, and I jokingly hissed at her after thanking Bruce for helping me.

“I kind of wish that Nightwing could see this…” I mumbled, more to myself than to Em, who looked at me, smirking.

“You like him, don’t you?” I stopped talking for a second, quickening my pace so that I’d reach the door even quicker, but Em didn’t let up on the conversation, following me and reiterating that I had a crush on him, which I wasn’t admitting, but wasn’t denying either. Because of my silence, she knew it was true, but as much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t – it would only escalate things. “Oh my god, you do!”

“Fine! But shut up about it! I don’t want Dick knowing!” My voice was low and insecure, but Em just continued to smile.

“Dick is going to be thrilled knowing that – trust me.”

I continued walking, seeing Dick’s car parked at the front of the mansion, and immediately, my heart sunk. He had been waiting for me! As I kept pace with Em, who was grinning looking around the air as though she was following a swooping bird along the front yard, I noticed something – the car was missing.

“Hey, uh, do you know where he is?” I whispered, leaning to my right to speak to Emerald, who refused to answer me.

“He’s right here,” Dick stated, walking up behind me and linking his right arm with mine, leaving Em to my left, just staring in humour.

“So, this is the infamous ‘Dick Grayson’ I’ve heard so much about,” she teased, but I had no idea why she sounded so calm. Mind you, she was extremely calm when she met me. Maybe it was just her personality.

“Settle, petal. I’ll bring her back home before late, and besides, it’s the weekend. She can stay at my place if it gets too late.” His words absolutely stunned me; I could do what at his what?! Em simply nodded, her face turning somewhat serious.

“I mean it. Take care of her, otherwise you’ll have to me to face, along with the others.” I felt myself blushing at Emerald’s and Dick’s conversation, watching between them like a ping-pong match as each of them took turns in speaking.

Soon, Dick led me to his car, and opened the door for me.

“You look beautiful…” he whispered in my ear as I sat in the passenger’s seat, making sure he didn’t notice that I was blushing uncontrollably.

“You too… I mean, uh… Yeah, you look pretty beautiful,” I chuckled, mentally cursing myself for being such an idiot and trying to keep my cool… or something like that. Now, I was off for my date with Dick Grayson – aka Destiny?