How Can We

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty One

Wally was between a rock and a hard place. He wanted to tell Artemis that he cared for her, more than friends, but he was also scared of putting himself out there again. Wally was a social butterfly at heart, and considered himself a very open person. However, there was always something nerve-wracking about wearing your heart on your sleeve. It brought upon a vulnerability most people did their best to avoid.

Rationally Wally knew not all girls were Linda, and they wouldn't go and cheat on him. Not to mention that statistically, the odds were in his favor. He also knew that Artemis was different than his ex-girlfriend with very clear distinctions between the two, and there was no logical reason for him to be this timid.

The risk of rejection was one he was going to have to bear if he wanted to ever tell her. Every day he didn't felt like a secret that weighed down on his soul until he could finally muster up the courage to say it face to face. Until then he was going to keep feeling like a coward.

One way he tried to justify it was that Artemis needed him more as a friend than something more. It was completely true and there was no denying that, but it didn't make it any less of an excuse.

******

Wally was shocked when Artemis showed up to school the day after her father was arrested. He expected her to stay home and try to relax. He should have known she wouldn't have wanted to stay in the same place where it happened.

He took one look at her and knew the last thing she wanted was someone to ask her how she was, or if everything was ok. She looked tired, like she barely got any sleep at night which confused Wally. Shouldn't she get a good night's sleep now that he was gone?

Still, it wasn't his place to question her actions because at the end of the day they were her decision to make. All he could do as her friend was not to push her and be there for her. If he learned anything by now, it was that she would tell him when she was good and ready and nothing could speed that process up.

"Don't mention anything from yesterday." Wally warned the rest of the group.

"We won't say a thing." Zatanna assured him. "You're not the only one who cares about her." She teased. Wally groaned, everyone would not stop bringing that up. At first it was just the guys, then it became everyone. Apparently it wasn't as discreet as he hoped, everyone figured it out.

Artemis walked into school, looking like nothing was absolutely wrong. The rest of the school remained oblivious, which was fortunate but not by pure luck. Dick managed to "convince" the cops to keep silent about this situation particularly. Apparently it didn't take much convincing from Bruce Wayne's adoptive son.

"Hey Artemis." He greeted her with a warm smile, trying to remain casual and nonchalant. Treating her with normality was probably how she wanted to deal with everything at the moment. Wally bit back a comment about the bags under his eyes and swallowed his concern for the moment.

"Wally." She nodded her head in his direction briefly before opening her locker. "Is there anything you need?" She asked Wally. Everyone else dispersed into the crowd and formed their own little groups.

"Nothing much, I'm just going to walk you to your class." He offered, feeling like a true gentleman.

"No you're not." She answered with a slam of her locker. Wally was taken aback.

"Why not?" He asked her confused, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Because I don't want you to, do I even need another explanation?" He knew exactly what she was doing. Artemis was hurting and was pushing him away intentionally to handle her pain on her own. He'd know her long enough to piece together the pieces.

"I need an explanation that's not complete bull****." Wally challenged her with an eyebrow raised. She huffed in annoyance, a look he thought looked rather cute on her and tried to push past him.

"Leave me alone Wally, I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

"Tell me what this is really about." He all but pleaded.

"No."

"I think it'll make you feel better."

"Feel better about what exactly?" She turned around to face him, challenging him almost.

"Don't make me say it." He didn't want to really.

"Say it." She told him through gritted teeth.

"Stop pushing me away Artemis." He sighed.

"I'm not doing anything." She denied automatically.

"Artemis."

She reached over, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and dragged him to a more secluded section of the hallway. "I'm going to see my father in prison, does that make you happy?" That was not the answer he was looking for.

"Why on Earth would you go see him?" He questioned incredulously.

"Closure." She paused. "I still need answers and he's the only one who can give them to me."

"Is that a good idea?"

"It's my life and only I have a say in the choices I make. Why are you so involved with what I do anyway?" She really backed him into a corner there.

"I care about you Artemis." No truer words have been spoken, albeit at a bit of an understatement. Wally choose his next words carefully. "I care about you as a friend would." It killed him to say it, but it was in both of their best interests.

She frowned at him, which does not go unnoticed by him. "You can't stop me from going." Artemis crossed her arms over her chest definitely.

'I know." He sighed. Boy did he know. "Which is why I'm going with you."

"No you're not."

"Let's face it Artemis, I'm just going to keep annoying you and probably tag along anyway."

She caved. 

Eventually. 

A/N: Short update but an update nonetheless. I wanted a quick look at Wally before we go back to Artemis in the next chapter. More romance between our favorite spitfire couple is coming sooner than you think ;) 

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I'm going to sleep because it's late and I'm exhausted. Night everyone :))