Artemis sighed her first day at Gotham Academy, It wouldn't be so dismal if it wasn't for the dress code. The girl's uniform consisted of a white button-up shirt, black jacket, Blue tie and to her dismay, a black skirt. It was sexist, forcing her to wear a skirt which would undoubtedly get in her way owning the punks which she would probably meet at school…that is… if private school was anything like public school. Wasn't private school a breeding ground for the socially inept? Most likely her classmates were all either rich snobs, or hopeless nerds. Nerds she thought I don't like to brag, I'm smart I know that, but I've never shown that on my test scores or anything and most of my teachers have been apathetic towards me, why did I get that scholarship? Surely it's not because…she looked at her mother. No, I doubt they'd choose me out of pity.
"Mom I'm heading out!" She slammed the door out of habit before her mother could protest her walking to the distant bus stop alone.
Nobody on her bus seemed to notice or even care about the new girl. Perhaps I'm not the only new one, she thought. The ages of the bus-dwellers ranged from K through 12, so even the teenagers with obvious problems with authority were pretty well behaved.
Artemis's locker was bran-new, it gave her a small bit of happiness, a token of her connection with the team, this must have been the exact pad of lockers Superboy, no Conner had destroyed the first time she saw the team. A ruby-redheaded girl fumbled with the lock on one of the lockers, a frustrated look on her face.
"Forget your combination?" Arty promised her mother she'd make efforts to be friendly.
"Heck no." The redhead laughed. "This is my friend's locker, but it's okay I have a back-up plan." She preceded to remove a packet of jumbo water-balloons from her school bag. She slipped the top portion of a balloon through the locker's vent and preceded to fill it via a water bottle. She tied it and forced the knot through the slit, listening to it drop gently to the shelf below. She repeated the process. Artemis shrugged it seemed more criminal to stop her ingenious plans than it was to prank your friend's locker. Ruby-red finished her misdeeds and turned towards Artemis. "I'm Barbara by the way." she held out her hand.
"Artemis." Arty said, shaking the hand offered to her.
"Wanna swap schedules?" Barbara continued in a friendly tone. Artemis compliantly handed her the folded up piece of paper she had received upon entering the main building. "Ah sweet!" Babs chimed "We have first, third and fourth period together! That's practically the whole day!"
"Great." Artemis said, whether it was sarcastic or not she wasn't sure yet. It turned out to be genuine, Barbara was hilarious to sit next too and the two swapped inappropriate comments about Mr. Gines their English teacher.
She had math class alone, it was math of course it was boring no amount of livelihood would of made it better anyways. Artemis could not help but wonder, Why did I get invited here? It had been on her mind ever since she had left her new friends company why? She found out heading towards her next class, a boy was running down the hall, most likely escaping after jokingly dissing one of his friends. He slammed into Artemis, knocking both her, and himself down. Artemis swore and rubbed her head, she was about to scold the idiot who ran into her but instead…
"YOU!" she accused.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Robin nonchalantly said to Artemis.
"I can't believe Bat-"
"Hold on-" Robin interrupted.
"Sent me here-"
"Na-uh-uh"
"just so you could baby-"
"Whoopsie!" Robin clasped his hand over Arty's mouth.
"Mmmfffph!"
"I think we have a class together, what was it oh P.E. yes, we must leave immediately or we shall surely be late!" He yanked Artemis away, she smirked His clothes are still a bit wet.
Barbara pulled on her new gym shirt and followed Arty into the main gym. "I see you met Dick, where did you two meet?" she was purposely putting Artemis on the spot. It still made her mad, the Batman letting Robin have all the fun while poor Babs was stuck in Wyoming with her dad…worse vacation ever she was never going to forgive Bruce.
"Yeah um… we met in a boy's and girls club no um…online..uh..um…" She rambled on until Babs shrugged. "Never mind I don't really care." She glanced over and Dick who was stifling a laugh. She punched his shoulder. "Me you. Opposite sides." She leaned in close. "I'll whip your butt so hard you'll wish you were kidnapped by the joker again."
"Not funny."
"Heck yeah it was, watching you whine and beg like that."
"I was in character!" He protested.
"What are you two talking about?" Artemis questioned.
"Nothing." Barbara smiled. "Nothing like a little friendly competition eh Grayson?" She patted his back, hard she nearly knocked him over.
Artemis sat down on the courtyard's lawn with Babs and Dick eating lunch which consisted of fired green beans, mashed potatoes, and a chicken sandwich. It was the exact same thing Arty would eat at her own school only a higher quality. "So how did you two meet?" Artemis said slyly rudely inferring that the two had a relationship. "The city hold annual charity balls I sometimes attend them with my dad-because of his job and Dick attends them with his guardian Bruce Wayne." Artemis lurched.
"Holy crap Bruce Wayne is-" She slapped her hand over her mouth before Dick could. "Exceedingly generous" she continued. "I mean really- he paid for my tuition yup that Mr. Wayne heh heh soooooo generous. So Barbara, who's your dad again?" Artemis chugged her milk nervously.
"James Gordon, Y'know the Comish?" Artemis chocked on her milk, Dick narrowly dodged the spray. Crap, please tell me she doesn't know about my family's criminal record.
"Are you alright?" Barbara said, her voice laced with concern.
"Just peachy." Artemis wheezed.
