The Mistress of Venom: Part 1

Chapter 8

When Dick got to biology, he noticed Corbin by his desk. He walked over and sat down next to him. "Hey man, how was that party last night?"

"Well, I don't really remember much," he mumbled.

"It must have been pretty wicked then." Dick notice Corbin's eyes were glazed. Also, he was slumped over in his chair, looking a little more sullen than usual. "Bro, you feelin' alright?"

"It's just a headache," he grunted. "I'm fine."

"You don't remember anything about last night?" Dick questioned. "Like how maybe much you had to drink?"

"Get off my case, man. I can deal. Go bother some other drunken idiot and leave me and my pounding head in peace."

"Sure thing." Dick walked to a different seat. Barb entered the room, consciously avoiding Tim's gaze, and walked to a chair as far away from him as possible. He knew she would be unhappy with his decision but he hadn't known how far her anger would go. He sidled up to her during class as she studiously ignored him. Quietly he whispered, "I know you're mad, but now isn't the time for this. I think Corbin might have the sickness."

She looked at him angrily. "Don't lie to me again, Dick Grayson. I've had enough of your deception. And the lives of my friends are not something i take lightly."

Dick started to say, "I'm not kidding," but she interrupted him. "Don't make excuses. I know why he looks sick. He got drunk at the party. And i wish i'd gone and done it with him. I wouldn't have to be having this conversation because i wouldn't have wasted a perfectly good evening. No thanks to you, Tristan asked me to another party tonight and i have accepted his invitation. I am done with you, Dick Grayson."

She walked back over to her lab partner, another girl, who turned and glared at him. He was a bit stunned. She thought the time they had spent together hadn't meant anything to him. She thought he was trying to use Corbin's illness to get her back. Actually, that would have been a good idea if he'd wanted to. But maybe it was just a hangover. However, It did have some of the signs of the disease. Then again, he got headaches all the time and he wasn't about to panic if he did. Maybe he shouldn't worry about Corbin. He was tough and could take care of himself. Well, mostly.

But Tim's suspicions were confirmed when he was taking a paper to the nurse's office. Corbin was laying on a cot in a closeted area. Dick peeked in. "Bro, i thought you said you were alright. What's the matter?"

"Stomachache," the stocky boy grunted. His face was very red and sweat dripped down his cheeks. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." But he said it through clenched teeth and he sure didn't look fine to Tim.

Then the the nurse found him and dragged him away. "The patients are resting. You should go."

"Patients?"

"Apparently there was a big party last night. A lot of kids are suffering from the after effects. I'm surprised that boy went, though, after just getting out of the hospital."

Dick was really worried now. The kids who went to the party had the disease. He had to stop Barb from going. He texted her a bunch of times but she didn't respond. Finally he realized the only thing he could do was to got to the party himself. He'd have to sneak out of course. He didn't want his parents to know when he was gone. But he had plenty of experience with this.