Sword of The Lanterns

Chapter Seventeen- School

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"No. Scruffing. Way."

"Come on, Jaina! It'll be fun!" M'gann tugged on her arm.

"It's my first year too, we'll be in this together!" Zatanna wheedled, grabbing Jaina's other arm.

Jaina flew out of reach and ducked under her covers. "Can't I just stay at the cave with Kal?"

M'gann yanked away the fluffy purple-and-green comforter. "Aqualad finished his schooling already, and his mentor isn't making him go." She placed her hands on her hips.

Jaina sat up on her bed, hugging her legs to her chest.

"M'gann, I've never been to school before. At least, I don't remember going to school, what if I'm not smart enough?"

Zatanna and Megan sat down on the bed with Jaina in between them.

"You know what?" Zatanna asked. "Batman tested you. You've got all the prior knowledge that you'll need for a junior in high school. You're gonna fit in just fine."

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Jaina didn't feel just fine walking onto the Happy Harbor High School courtyard, hiding behind Connor and Megan with Zatanna. There were a lot of kids, more than she was used to, talking and running around like a bunch of Wally stunt-doubles.

"Look ouuuuuut!"

Zatanna and Jaina ducked as something barreled towards them, but with the reflexes of a cheetah, Connor reached out to stop it. It turned out to be a scrawny boy, a freshman by his looks, wearing goggles and a helmet that nearly doubled the size of his head, now dangling from Connor's hand by the collar of his jacket.

"Hey Marvin." Connor sighed, dropping the boy on the ground.

"Hey Megan, hey Connor." Marvin laughed nervously, standing up and sliding his goggles up his helmet.

"Sorry I almost ran into you guys. Again. Who are your friends?"

"Oh! Jaina, Zatanna, this is our friend, Marvin. Marvin, Zatanna and Jaina." Megan introduced quickly.

"Cool name!" Marvin shook Zatanna's hand. Jaina was busy examining the device he had nearly attacked them with.

"What's this?" She held up a long wooden board with four wheels attached.

Marvin chuckled pridefully. "You mean you've never seen a skateboard before?" He asked.

"Nope," Jaina told him without a hint of irony. Zatanna and Megan giggled at Marvin's obvious surprise.

Jaina shoved the board at Marvin. "Show me how it works?"

Marvin beamed at her.

Megan introduced Zatanna to Wendy, Karen, and the rest of the Bumblebee cheerleaders, along with Karen's boyfriend, Mal, leaving Connor to brood while Jaina and Marvin laughed over each other to find balance on the skateboard.

"This is fun!" Jaina said, dusting off her shorts.

"You've got better balance than I do! You sure you've never skateboarded before?" Marvin asked.

Jaina bit her lip, trying to keep herself from admitting her secret identity as a Lantern, her green ring burning in her jeans pocket.

Something roughly grabbed her shoulder.