The Distance Between Us

Sexual Tension

While Conner and Megan were having an awkward moment, and Wally and Artemis were sucking face with one another, things were getting hotter in the other ferris wheel cars.  Dick turned his head to his side towards Barbara, who hadn't given him so much as a glance since they'd gotten in.  If she wasn't going to start, he would have to.

He cleared his throat.  "Babs...can we talk?"  She didn't answer.  She just stayed focused on her cell phone.  "Barbara...please?"  After a couple of moments passed, she put her phone down and sighed heavily through her nose.  "Fine.  You have until the ride ends.  So make it quick."  Dick took a deep breath.  "Babs...I'm sorry.", he said.  "For treating you like a spare tire.  I never meant to string you along, never wanted to make you feel second to Zatanna.  I like you both a lot, but I'm not ready for a steady relationship with either of you."  Barbara looked at him.  "I know that, Dick.  I just thought you'd treat us equally."

Richard felt even worse.  "Barbara...I think the reason I don't get all romantic with you like I do with Zatanna is...I don't want to lose you."  Her eyebrows shot up at that last part.  "What do you mean, you don't wanna lose me?"  "Babs, you've always been there for me, through good times and bad.", he explained.  "You're a huge part of my life!  What if we go into a steady relationship, and it doesn't work out, and we end up not being friends anymore?  I couldn't bear that!"

He sighed.  "Guess I didn't realize I could lose you by not being romantic, either."  At that moment, all the emotions that Barbara had been feeling for the past two weeks—the anger at Dick, the sadness over their breakup, the jealousy of Zatanna, the joy at other boys' interests—it all disappeared into thin air. She was left with uncertainty as to what she should be feeling right now.

Finally, she broke the silence that had fallen on them. "Dick...I don't know what say. I'm...I'm actually glad I'm that important to you, but...if that's how you really feel...than we should be just friends for the time being." Dick looked up, his blue eyes hopeful. "Does that mean we're friends again?" She gave him a tiny smile. "Yes...friends...for now, at least."

Dick smiled. "Before we go platonic, can you do me a favor?" He went digging through his jean pockets, and pulled out two slips of golden paper, handing one to Barbara. She read the fancy cursive print. "Admit One–Class of 2012 Senior Prom" She gasped a bit as she looked up at Dick with wide eyes. "Barbara Gordon...will you go to the prom with me?" She was stunned. "Me? A-Are you sure you wouldn't rather ask Zatanna?" Dick rolled his eyes. "Zatanna, Shmatanna. I wanna go with you." She beamed brighter than the moon up above and pulled him in for a hug.

Meanwhile, Charlie and Raquel were watching the fireworks show, filling the sky with all the colors of the rainbow, their heads touching. Finally, he spoke up. "So, what's the deal with that Kaldur guy?", he asked her. Raquel shook her head. "Oh, its complicated between us. The truth is, I used to have the biggest crush on him. He never really appreciated me. Finally, I gave up on him, and that's when he noticed me."

Charlie snuggled closer to her. "Well, you guys had a good run. It was good while it lasted." Raquel furrowed her brow. "We had a good run? We never had a relationship. He totally ignored me for a girl who liked someone else!" "I meant your friendship.", Charlie said. That's when it felt like time had stopped moving. "What? Our friendship?"

Charlie shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, you can't be friends with somebody you used to like-like. Old crushes, ex-girlfriends, that babysitter you used to have fantasies about...there's history with those people. Its textbook. They're roadblocks to your current relationship." "I-I admit, I'm a little mad at Kaldur, but I never thought about ending our friendship."

"Babe, listen to me,", Charlie told her. "I've seen this before. My best buddy Blake dated a girl who stayed friends with her ex-boyfriend. Six months later, she dumped my bro so she could hook back up with said ex. You can't stay friends with a person you once had feelings for. There's no telling whether or not those feelings will resurface with them in your life."

"But-But Kaldur is such a huge part of my life!", Raquel exclaimed. "He and I are apart of the group! If we're not friends anymore, one of us can't be in the group anymore! We'll fall out, and be alone searching for a new group! And no matter which one of us it is, it'll leave a huge impact on all of us!" Charlie shook his head. "All I know, babe, is that I'm not willing to make the same mistake Blake made."

Raquel thought she felt her heart stop beating. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?", she asked, in a voice almost like a whisper. "That I have to choose between being your girlfriend and staying friends with Kaldur?"  Charlie looked up towards the sky for a moment.  "Yeah...I guess I am."  He looked Raquel dead in the eye.  "So...what's it gonna be?"
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Kaldur was slurping down the last of his cherry Slurpee when the rest of the gang returned from riding the ferris wheel.  There was Conner and Megan, who weren't looking at each other, Wally and Artemis, who were leaning on one another, Dick and Barbara, who were holding hands, and Raquel and...no one.  Kaldur walked over to her.  "Where is Charlie?"  Raquel looked down at her feet.  "He decided to go home early.  He wasn't feeling good."

She immediately changed the subject.  "Look!  A traveling circus!  Let's check it out!"  Before any more questions could be asked, Raquel ran off towards the circular stands to watch the show.
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The circus was spectacular.  There were sword swallowers, fire breathers, acrobats, magicians, lion tamers, daredevil men on motorcycles, even a guy who got shot out of a cannon!  Each act was more breathtaking than the last.  They were all so mesmerizing, Kaldur forgot all about Charlie's sudden disappearance and Raquel's strange behavior.

Conner glanced sideways at Megan, who was amazed at the great feats of the performers.  He coughed loudly, clearing his throat to catch her attention.  "Megan?  About that...that thing with the ferris wheel?  Can we talk about that?"  She breathed through her nose.  "Yes."  This is it, Conner., he thought.  Tell her how you felt in that moment.  "The thing is—"

"AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" The booming voice of the ringmaster interuppted him. "BEFORE WE END OUR SHOW, WE HAVE A RAFFLE FOR THE AUDIENCE! PLEASE CHECK UNDERNEATH YOUR SEATS FOR A NUMBER!" Everyone leaned down below them to see a slip of paper taped to the bottom of their seats. "AND OUR WINNER IS..." There was a drumroll. "NUMBER SIXTEEN!"

Megan squealed as she jumped out if her seat. "That's me! I'm number sixteen!" "Then come on down here!", the ringmaster called, waving her towards the stage. Megan happily skipped down the steps. The ringmaster led her to a spot upstage center. "Stand right there...we have a surprise for you." He looked up at the stage tech booth. "Hit the lights!"

At once, all went dark. Then, the darkness was pierced through by a giant white glowing P. A white glowing R appeared right next to it. It continued with an O and an M. Megan's heart skipped a beat when she realized what it spelled—PROM. Finally, a spotlight fell at the very end of the stage, and standing there, in nice suit, was Xander. He held up a piece of paper with a question mark drawn on it and smiled at Megan.

"YES!", she screamed in delight. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She ran over and threw herself at him as both the audience and the circus performers erupted into applause and cheering, giving the teenage couple a standing ovation. Megan beamed like the moon as she planted a deep kiss right on Xander's lips, which he happily returned.

With such excitement going on, no one noticed one lone boy, with dark hair and blue eyes, still sitting in his seat, not clapping or cheering at all.