Chapter Nine

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, just ask my cat. She'll tell you.

~-~-~-~-~-~

I let out a sigh of relief as I stepped onto the subway a second before the doors closed. Now I knew why I never rode subways. In the last fifteen minutes, I had received creepy stares from creepy people, had to put in my $2.50 twice, and gotten my bag caught in the turnstile. Plus just barely making the subway. Now, as I stood surrounded by people who looked like they didn't even have a penny to spare, I tugged on my skirt, willing it to be longer than it was. I wore shorts under it, but that didn't help the fact that I felt completely defenseless and stupid in the dark blue material. My eyes scanned the crowd of people around me and, to my surprise, found another girl wearing the same thing as me. She had long blond hair tied back in a ponytail, and she looked both Vietnamese and Caucasian. Her eyes were dark grey, and I could see annoyance swimming in them. Seeing that an old man with no teeth was smiling and staring at me, I walked over to the girl to get away from him. She had noticed me now, and was staring at me with an expression I couldn't describe.

"You going to Gotham Academy, too?" I asked.

"Yep. Hating the skirt already," she said to me, looking at the toothless man who was still smiling and staring.

"As am I," I stated. That was all I said, for I remembered the promise to not trust anyone ever again. I intended to keep it.

"So...what should I expect from the school?" the girl asked me.

"Um, I don't really know. I'm new this year," I replied. She looked confused for a minute, but realization soon replaced it.

"...You don't happen to be the other scholarship person this year, do you?" she asked me.

"Yeah. Wait, are you the other one?"

"I guess so. Why're you riding the subway?"

"No car. You?"

"Mom can't drive."

"Oh." The subway then announced Gotham Park, which was the closest stop to the school. We both got up, along with a few other people and the toothless old man. The girl and I began walking in the direction of the school, and the man followed us. Okay, this was seriously starting to freak me out. I glanced over at the girl, and it looked like she noticed him too. Making up my mind, I turned around and punched him in the face. He stumbled back and then ran away. The girl next to me smirked.

"I like you already," she stated. I smirked back, and we continued walking.

~-~-~-~

In the couple of blocks to the school, I learned that the girl was named Artemis, and that she was fifteen and going into tenth grade. Plus we had a couple of classes together. Since my GPA was what it was, the Academy put me in tenth grade math, literacy, and biology, all in the same class as Artemis. I had no idea why they put me into advanced biology, because I didn't know the slightest thing about it. I was just glad that I had classes with the only person I knew at this school. When we walked through the doors, we immediately attracted stares. Students started whispering as Artemis and I walked past them, heading to the main courtyard where the majority of students were. Artemis fiddled with her skirt some more, and I looked around. Most of the people around me were huddled in groups, talking and laughing. Normal people, with normal lives.

"Artemis? Vanessa?" Artemis and I turned our heads to find a girl with blue eyes and curly blond hair walking towards us. "I'm Bette, your new student liaison. Welcome to Gotham Academy." She looked around fifteen, so I guessed she was going into 10th as well as Artemis.

"Thanks! Um, I'm Artemis. But, you knew that." Artemis stammered. I could tell she was nervous. I was about to introduce myself, but suddenly a boy a couple of inches shorter than me ran up to Artemis and slung his arm around her shoulders, holding up a phone.

"We'll laugh about this someday," he said, taking a picture of the two of them. Then he looked at me, with his brilliant blue eyes, and shyly smiled. "See you later," he said, still looking at me, and then ran off. Artemis was still blinking from the flash on the phone, and looked around to see where the raven-haired boy went.

"Uh, who was that?" she asked Bette. Clearly, she didn't know him.

"A freshman. Ignore him," Bette replied, and started to walk away, with Artemis and I following.

"I'll try not to take offense to that," I spat at the liaison. After all, I was a freshman.

"I said that wrong. That was Richard Grayson. You know, Bruce Wayne's ward? He's so annoying," Bette explained to me. I froze when she said that. Didn't Selena tell me to stay away from him? Shoot.

"Vanessa? You okay?" Artemis asked, and I shook my head, clearing my thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

~-~-~-~

"Welcome, class, to the first day of your new school year," my math teacher, Mr. Morris, droned. I was surrounded by 10th graders, in a 10th grade class, with a 10th grade teacher. Frankly, I was a little overwhelmed. But at least Artemis was here. "Now I'm going to call attendance. When you hear your name, say here." Mr. Morris walked to his desk and got on his computer, starting to take roll.

"Arlo Beckham?"

"Here."

"Robert Burns?"

"Here."

"Artemis Crock?"

"Here."

"Cate Dustin?"

"Here!"

"Vanessa Edwards?"

"Here." I replied.

"Richard Grayson?"

"Akai."

"We speak English here, Mr. Grayson. Not Romanian," Mr. Morris said.

"Right, sorry. Here," he said, smiling. As Mr. Morris continued attendance, I looked back at Richard. He was writing something on paper, a smug look on his face. Why did he have to be in here? I guess that he was in my grade and that he was like me, taking an advanced class.

"What's he doing in here?" Artemis whispered to me. I only shrugged in response.

~-~-~-~

I held my lunch in my hands while standing in the cafeteria next to Artemis. The room was bigger than Selena's apartment, and all the grades ate all at once. So it was beyond crowded, and I felt like I was something from the Island of Misfit Toys.

"So. Where do you want to sit?" Artemis asked. She also looked out of place. My eyes scanned the sea of people for an empty table, and I finally found one by a huge window.

"C'mon. I found one." I led her to the table and we sat down. The round table was nice marble; I didn't think I had ever sat at a table worth more than $15.

"What class do you have next?" I asked Artemis, taking a bite of the best sandwich I had ever eaten before.

"Geography," she groaned, rolling her eyes before eating her own sandwich. "Yours?"

"Acting. Which I have no idea why they put me in it," I stated.

"Hey, who's that coming towards us?" Artemis suddenly asked. I turned around but didn't see anybody.

"Who?"

"The redhead." I kept looking, and to my surprise, I saw Barbara walking towards our table.

"Hey, can I sit here? Decent tables are impossible to find today," she asked me.

"Um, sure." Barbara then sat down next to me.

"Getting used to the skirt yet?" she smiled at me. I remembered my outburst in the clothing store about wanting to wear pants instead of the skirt.

"No, and I won't be as long as I go here," I scowled. Barbara giggled. She soon saw Artemis sitting there, and introduced herself. They seemed to get along fine, and I was actually enjoying myself, when that all came crashing down when Richard Grayson and Bette walked up to our table at the same time.

"Hello, ladies. Sorry I'm late," Richard smirked at us, sitting down with his lunch.

"Artemis, do you want to come sit at-" Bette cut herself off when she saw Richard. "C'mon, Artemis. Only people of the same grade can sit together." Bette said in a clipped tone, then started to drag Artemis away.

"I'll see you later, Vanessa?" Artemis said to me.

"Um, yeah. Sure," Artemis then was sitting across the cafeteria, surrounded by sophomores.

"I didn't know that," I said to Barbara.

"That's not even a rule. Bette just made that up. She thinks-" Barbara started, but was cut off by Richard.

"That I'm a smart aleck. And a spoiled little kid who can't go anywhere without annoying everybody." Richard finished.

"She's not the only one," I mumbled before drinking my bottled water. Barbara stifled a laugh, and Richard glared at me. I noticed that the skin around his left eye looked dark, like he had gotten a black eye or something.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Nessie," he said. I almost choked on my water.

"What did you just call me?" I asked, coughing.

"Nessie. You know, short for Vanessa?" Richard explained.

"How do you know my name?" I scowled at him.

"Well, I'm not deaf. The whole school knows who you are. Plus, you're in my math class." He grinned at me. So he knew who I was. Selena's words of wisdom - Stay away from Gotham's billionaire playboy and his ward - were obviously not working. As was my plan to stay under the radar at this school.

"Okay, Richard. Don't call me Nessie, and I'll try to put up with you," I said. He smirked before replying.

"Sounds good. Oh, and call me Dick."

~-~-~-~-~-~

I am SO sorry for the many days that have passed. Probably won't be updating as often anymore, because of school and such. Being in Honors classes takes a toll on a person. Anyways.

Thank you to everyone who has read my story!! Seriously, I'm still in shock that I have 132 reads on this story.

And thank you to everyone who has been commenting and leaving feedback for me!

Okay, I'm done ranting on how awesome my readers are.

Vote, comment, follow.

~~The Bat has left the room~~