Cat and Mouse

Chapter 10

When I finally arrived hime, it was hours after the initial event and I was ready to drop. After countless questions being thrown at me by both reporters and police officers, I was glad to just flop down on my bed. But as I walked to the bed, I noticed something peculiar.

The window was wide open.

The curtains were flying in the night time wind. I was positive I didn't leave that window open before I left for work.

"Who's here?" I called into the apartment. I immediatey get into fighting stance, moving my back against the dresser in case I need to grab my utility belt. Right as I begin to open the drawer, I see the shadow with his hands raised.

"Calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you" A voice says with a chuckle. I quickly shut the drawer and lean against it as Robin appears from the kitchen, an apple in his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss. Robin raises an eyebrow.

"Peculiar question to ask the guy that just saved your life" He says.

I scoff "Batman did that, you just watched" I say.

Robin holds up his gloved hands, a half eaten apple in one hand "Hey, I was just checking up on you after all that happened, most victims would be terrorized, not hostile" he says.

"How long have you been here?" I ask, making sure he wasn't here long enough to realize I was Fox. I was thankful I had a habit of keeping my outfit hidden in my chest.

"Long enough to use your bathroom and get this apple. Kinda rotten" He comments. I wrinkle my nose.

"You used my bathroom? And hey, not like I can afford a five-star meal" I say in a defensive tone, crossing my arms and leaning against the chest of drawers.

"Hey, it's not like superheroes have the power of not having to go to the bathroom. And seeing as you work at a Happy Hamburger I can understand that. But where are your parents?" he question and I shift, knowing I had slightly revealed my past to him before and I couldn't let him make the connection.

"They don't come around often, they're on a lot of business trips so they don't come home often, kinda why they don't have their own bed" I lie, hoping he believes it.

"Kinda dangerous for a girl like you to be technically living alone in a neighbourhood like this" He says.

"A girl like me? I'll have you know I can take care of myself"

"After the robber thing, I doubt it. Though you did hit pretty hard" He says.

"Thanks, but when are you gonna, you know, get out of my house?" I ask.

"Wow, someone's rude today" Robin comments, tossing the apple in the trash can.

"You should expect that from someone who just underwent hours of police questioning and can't even go to bed because a little boy is here" I say.

"Fine, I'll let you get your beauty sleep. Apparently you need it, being so cranky can't be good for you" he says, moving to the window.

"And out you go before I shove you out of here" I say.

Robin wrinkles his nose before moving from the sill to the fire escape. He smiles at me through the window "Good night, Amber" he says before he pulls the window closed and disappears into the night.

Sighing, I move away from the drawer and turn off all the lights in the apartment before going to lay down on the bed. The day's exhaustion crashes onto me like a tidal wave and I quickly succumb to the lulling idea of sleep.

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The sun shining through the window is what jolted me out of my slumber. Growling, I force open my eyes to see that somebody forgot to close the shades on his way out. Grumbling about his incompetence, I push myself off the inviting mattress and shove the shades closed. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I glance at the clock and notice it's only 8:00. I barely even slept! I ran a small hand down my face, pulling at the oily skin. Trudging to the bathroom, I quickly took a shower (I had to keep the water bill low) and changed into new clothes. Mr. Wescott had miraculously given me the day off-- though I would've rather worked-- and since it was uncharacteristically nice out, I had a few places I wanted to go. Grabbing my purse, I jammed my feet into my 2 year old beaten down shoes and walked out the door.

The air was thick and hot, signaling a thunderstorm soon.I quickly pulled my frizzing hair into a messy ponytail, walking calmly down the streets commonly feared among others. It didn't matter what low-level thug would try to attack me-- I was perfectly capable of caring for myself. Well, when there aren't about 30 other people watching and when I'm in my costume. 

Sighing, I crossed the uneven street, slightly edging away from Crime Alley and towards the more middle-class part of Gotham. Unless it was to stop a robbery, I never dared venture into the elite part of Gotham. Practically everything cost more than I earned in a week and I could never look into someone like Bruce Wayne right in the eye. I looked up at the partially-cloudy sky (this weather was considered a miracle in Gotham) to catch a glimpse of the towering Wayne Enterprise building. It triumphed all the skyscrapers in Gotham, with it's glossy black exterier and the bright blue ensignia. As I stood marveling at its wonder, I hardly noticed myself bump into a passer-by, snapping me into cold reality.

"Sorry" i muttered in apology, lowering my head and continuing onwards. Three more blocks and I was at my destination.

Gotham Public Library was an old building, with cracked columns and a towering set of stairs. Sucking in a breath, I scaled the stairs and pushed open the wooden double doors, allowing the rustic air to mix in my nostrils. Smiling in satisfaction, I stalked through the sets of books, maneuvering through the massive bookcases like a master. Weaving around the shelves, my eyes scoured the titles in a search for satisfaction. Finding my prize was difficult, but I finally found it in the corner of the library, collecting dust like the underside of a couch. Picking up the large book, I dusted off the cover, holding in a sneeze from the collection of dust that flurried around me. After locating two more books with less trouble than the first, I approached the old librarian with the stereotypical graying hair and glasses. Shoving the books on the desk with the remainder of the dust scattering around, the librarian looked at me over the brim of her glasses and I simply smiled cheekily as she pulled out the scanner and I gave her my library card shoved in the pockets of my shorts.

"You have three weeks, Miss Stone" she said in a condescending tone and I looked down. I obviously didn't have the best track record for turning in books on time, but from the sheer size and the obviously boring interior, did you really think someone with such a busy schedule as yours truly would be able to go through these books on time?

"got it" I say, grabbing the books with a huff, straining my muscles as I exited the library and started the exhausting walk home. With these textbooks which seemed to weigh a ton, it was no wonder I came home half an hour later sweating buckets. Thunder clapped in the distance and already the bright mood from the morning vanished into the oncoming gray cloyuds.

"10th grade Trigonometry, here I come" i say and picked up the first book.

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Holy Cheez-its I haven't updated in a while! I was going to update a few days ago as a Thank You for 1,000 reads, but then I kinda forgot... Oopsies...

Anyways thanks for all the support guys and I'm almost at 100 votes, maybe that'll be the incentive to write :P. Anyways I love you guys and more updates coming soon!