Behind the mask

43) well then?

Danielle

"What?...."

Those word echoed through my head made my ears ring. "Why me? What?!" I stood up from my stool and I panicking. "Why not Daniel!? He's more reasonable, ya know! Or someone who is trusted!?" He chuckled at me and put a hand on my shoulder. He walked me to a booth and we sat down.

"As soon as I saw you and you gave me that look, dead in the eyes and no fear." I looked down. "I was actually scared though...." He patted a shoulder. "That's what I'm talking about! You were scared but you ignored your fear to have a stare off with a guy with a gun. A leader admit their weaknesses and embraces them. You did that." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.  "That doesn't make me a leader." I countered. "No, but you have natural talent. When you stormed into my office and finalised that deal, I saw your raw talent when it came to bargaining with people." I thought about it.

I didn't really think about actions when it came to that deal. "How is that deal going, anyway?" I mumbled. "It's fantastic. It's been an amazing deal." I gave a small smiled and he put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile. "It'll be hard... The hardest thing you'll have to do but I'll help you through it. So what do you say?"

I thought about it. It's a lot of responsibility and I'm not sure I can handle it... But I'd help people...

I want to.... Twat would kill me, so would Robin...

"Can I have some time to consider it?" He nodded and smiled. "Take all the time you need." I nodded and I walked to Daniel who was backed into a corner by loads of girls. "Daniel, we need to go." He was visibly panicked and I smiled. "Sorry ladies, he's got a girlfriend and she's waiting for us back in Gotham. So if you don't mind?" I pulled my poor poor brother out of the sea of girls and they glared at me. "My parents say's your dad abandoned us when we needed him. All for your mom. Why would Ghost want you to join us?" One girl sneered at me.

"What are you smoking? Do his actions reflect on me? No. Do I think he is a wanker? Yes. Am I going to let you bully me into leaving?" I took a step forward. "No." I said in an intimidating voice. Daniel smirked and we left.

Time skip
One week later

"Right class! I have exciting news for you!" Our homeroom teacher said smiling and clapped her hands together. "As a reward for the for doing so well in this year the school, with the help and funding from Bruce Wayne." I saw Damian roll his eyes and I smiled at him.

"All of the ninth grade are going to New Mexico, or more specifically, the ten thousand waves Japanese styles hotel." The class went mental, rightly so. I mean, New Mexico is nearly thirty hours away! But this is actually awesome. After just being aloud back in school I'm ready to be a normal student!

"Calm down. The trip will be on week before Christmas break. We'll be sending out letters to your parents and we hope you can all come." The bell rang and we went to our lessons. This was math. I sat near Tia, to my left. What a Joy that is. Damian to my right.

I looked at Damian who seemed to be bored and I glanced over to Tia who was looking at her nails. She was now weary of me, I couldn't blame her to be honest, I bloody attacked her for Christ sake. I noticed Damian had bruised knuckles and his lip had a cut on it. I grabbed down paper. I wrote on it.

'You okay, Wayne? Thats a nasty cut, you got there :)' I folded it then passed the note to him and slid it over to him. He opened it and wrote on it note. 'I am fine. I just got in a fight. Why are you concerned?' I smiled at the note and whilst I was writing mine. I noticed how neat and tidy this writing was.

'Bloody hell... Did you get in a fight with Jason or Timmy boy? And I'm your friend, why wouldn't I be concerned, you angsty little emo.' I saw his eye brow raise and he scoffed whilst smirking. 'That was unnecessary, moron.' I laughed out loud and got a few weird looks. I smiled and I felt someone looking at me. I turned to see Tia giving me a look. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a piece of paper.

'Do you need something?' She read it and wrote on it. 'Not from you, freak. Just want you to stay away from him. Now' I deadpanned. 'Dude... I sit near him in most lessons. And you don't have to worry about me going after Wayne, I don't like him like that. We're just friends.' I passed her the note and I saw Damian give a few glances towards us, probably curious on why we were passing notes. 'I don't believe you. You and him are close, to close to me 'just friends' so just stay away.'

I rolled my eyes and sighed. 'Right, if this helps you get off my back. I have a boyfriend, I'm happy with him and we have been dating for three months. Damian's not even on my mind right now.' She read the note and I saw her eyes show a little shock. 'Who? Are they in this class?' I smiled and fixed my glasses. 'He is. That's all I'm saying.' She had a curious look one her face and went back to her work.

After a tedious day school was over and I was stood in the school courtyard with my friends which consists of Daniel, Emily, Ty, Brandon and a tired and annoyed looking Tim and Damian. See Tim was an upperclassman and him and Damian were always attacked by Fangirls. Being part of Gotham's most eligible family will do that. They hate it almost as they 'hate' each other.

Ty made a joke and we all seemed to laugh, except from Damian, he doesn't smile or laugh. I smiled and I felt someone start to drag me. I stumbled back and looked at who was dragging me. Low and behold it was Tia. She dragged me to the front gates and when my friends gave me worried looks and I just gave them a reassuring smile to ease them. "Right, why did you drag me away?" I said and she crossed her arms.  "I want to here it from you." I sighed. "I don't like the naming game. What do you mean." She gave me a look. "I want to here you say you don't like Damian. Say it." I sighed.

"I don't like Damian Wayne. I don't see him like that. Even if I did, I'd hate to ruin our friendship. You can have him. I'd rather die than ruin any of my friendships." She nodded, seemingly satisfied. I heard footsteps and I saw a woman in her thirties walking up to us and smiling at Tia. "Tia, darling is this one of the friends you were telling me about?" She just shrugged and her mum nodded. "That's wonderful! You should come for dinner tonight." I inwardly panicked and smiled politely. "I'm sorry miss, that probably not a good idea. I slapped your daughter a week ago and threatened her." I said bluntly.

"Nonsense! Friends fall out all the time. Me and my friends were doing worse at your age. Please, me and my husband would love to have you." I looked at Tia who stared at the ground impassively. "U-ummm? Sure?" She clapped her hands happily and gave me an address and time. They both got in their expensive car and drove off. My friends just walked over to me and gave me confused looks. "What was that about?" Ty asked and I lifted up the piece of paper.

"I think I just got forced into dinner with Tia and her family?"

HIIIIII!!!!

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