A Bat and Her Beginning

Chapter 4: Presents

Barbara's POV:

I hear the sound of alarm going off. Lord it's loud. I roll over my clock read 7:20. Great, already twenty minutes behind. I guess I'll be skipping breakfast this morning. I leap out of bed, only to fall onto my cold floor. I'm still not the strongest considering that there's a huge slit covering about half my thigh. Being still not full strength I probably should eat breakfast, but there isn't enough time.

I text Dick to see if he can pick me up breakfast, he replies back "sure" within like thirty seconds. He's so good to me and I love him for that. To be honest I love him as more than a friend but I have no clue if he feels the same. He's just so helpful and reliable with everything. I don't need to worry about this now running late.

I consider wearing jeans, then think nope considering my condition that's not happening. Today's definitely going to be a comfort day. I through on a pair of Nike sweats and a Gotham High long sleeve T-shirt to cover my stitches. Batman must be a surgeon, because these stitches look better then the ones I got on my shoulder from when I was eight and fell out of that oak tree.

I look in the mirror, not the most attractive look but it will do. I throw on some basic makeup. Just foundation and mascara. The least I could do is distract from my sleep deprived eyes. This will have to do. I brush my hair and teeth, and then head to the din.

I grab a bottle of ibuprofen, and throw it in my book bag. I fling the bag over my shoulder, reach for my keys off the kitchen table, and rush out the door.

I make it to my car, 7:38, not bad. I start the car and pull out of the parking garage. I turn on to the highway and head to school. I try to distract myself from that fact that I'm running behind, so I don't speed. I pull into my normal parking spot at school, 7:50. Class starts at 8:10, enough time to meet Dick in the court yard and eat breakfast.

I walk quickly to the Junior court yard, I turn the corner and there's Dick in our normal spot under a cherry tree, with a paper bag next to him. He looks up and notices me coming towards him, and pats the bench seat next to him. I sit down next to him.

He smiles and hands me the bag. "A chocolate croissant, with a black cup of coffee. Not from anywhere fancy, just creations of Alfred."

I take a long sip of the smooth hot coffee. Nice and reviving. I smile at him, "This is as fancy as it gets, your Butler made it, you little privileged rich boy."

He rolls his eyes,. He hates it when I bring up how fortunate he is to have been adopted by the richest man in all of Gotham. "Whatever," he huffs, " Aren't we trying very hard today, Barb, sweats nice."

Now this has me rolling my eyes, " Wow what a way to sweet talk a lady."

He laughs, but then in a reassuring tone says, "I'm just screwing with you, you don't have to try to look good." I feel my self blush as he continues, "Not being rude by why this attire?"

I think up an alibi for a second then open my mouth, " Well some of us have jobs and don't have all the money in the world to pay for college Dick. I worked my shift 4:00-7:00 at the library. Then I came home and studied till my head began to hurt, which for me means 1:00 in the morning."

He rolls his eyes, "You know I study too!"

"But you don't need to the same way I do, Dick."

He sits there thinking of a response. "Well that's why I love you so much, how hard you work." He smiles witch, penetrates my heart. "Now lean your head on my shoulder get yourself a well deserved 10 more minutes of sleep."

I do as he says and close my eyes, as he rests his hand on my knee.

After about two minutes of sitting there I feel someone take the coffee cup and the bag containing the croissant that had been sitting on my lap. My eyes shoot open to see the same stupid boy that Dick saved me from when we first met. He's still the same rude little 9 year old who stole my lunch. His name is Rickey Lawson.