Chapter 1 – Dos Equis
Diana unceremoniously plopped down the futon in her dorm room after a particularly grueling 8am class. Who's got two thumbs and was dumb enough to decide to take ancient Greek at 8am three days a week? This gal! Being half-Greek only helped so much. She groaned silently and massaged her still throbbing temples, evidence of a typical Thursday night at the prestigious Gotham University was taking a toll on the 19-years-old.
As the headache increased in intensity, her unjustified outrage at Shayera for dragging her downtown also mounted upwards. Okay so "dragging" might have been an overstatement. Her roommate was trying unsuccessfully and when the corner of lips curled upwards mischievously.
"Bruce will be at Flan's."
That got Diana's attention. Her head popped up from behind the laptop screen, only to lower again in careful consideration. Flan's was an Irish bar not seven minutes from the main campus with cheap drinks and practically nonexistent carding culture. Well it was Gotham City. People had a lot of shadier activities to worry about than college kids getting drunk. It still amazed Diana how GU had never fallen below its current 15th slot in every "Best College in America" list there was, with freshmen to super-seniors getting shit faced Thursday to Saturday.
And Bruce was, well, a lot more complicated than Flan's.
"Come on Di!" Shay was practically begging her at this point. "I want to see John downtown but I can't go alone! Just be the amazing, wonderful best friend that you are and come to Flan's with me. I will buy you ice mochas for the rest of the week."
Shayera watched as Diana's lips pressed into thin lines before she exhaled with defeat. The redhead squealed with joy, knowing she had won, again. Guilt tripping Diana never failed. The girl was too nice to her friends for her own good. A fleeting thought about karma passed through before she pushed it asides and threw a white sundress in Diana's direction.
A mere fifteen minutes and a soft application of makeup later, the pair was already making their way downtown. Flan's was overcrowded as always. It smelled of cheap beer, floor was sticky with spilled drinks and god knew what else. Green fluorescent light was bouncing off tipsy familiar faces. Diana smirked to herself, knowing she could not possibly imagine a more stereotypical college scenario in her mind.
Shayera grabbed her wrist and quickly made a bee line to the bar.
"Hey Shay! Hey Di!" The bartender enthusiastically greeted them, blatantly ignoring his other customers to serve the girls first.
"Wallace West! Just the man I wanted to see." Shayera grinned while Diana smiled warmly at the bartender. He was another reason Flan's was their favorite bar. Wally was a track star by day, college bartender by night, and Diana's peer-mentee. After she had helped him pass Spanish last semester and basically keep his athletic scholarship, Wally dramatically swore his eternal gratitude to her in the forms of his friendship and one dollar drinks at Flan's for forever.
"Well not forever. Just as long as I work there. And when my manager's not breathing down my back for giving alcohol away for basically free." He sheepishly added. She had laughed and replied with "I'll take what I can get."
"One Guinness for me and a Dos Equis for the fair lady, por favor." Shayera ordered while leaning over to hand him two dollars. Wally returned quickly with the cold brews and amusingly coerced them into promising they would let him know when they would leave, holding the beers as hostages.
"How did you know I switched to Dos Equis?" Before last week, her drink of choice was the basic vodka cranberry. Until a certain someone introduced her to the brew endorsed by allegedly 'The most interesting man in the world.'
The redhead gave her a 'Who do you think I am?' look before answering, "Girl please, we basically spend every waking hour together."
Diana grinned and clinked bottle with her roommate, "Thank God for that sister." Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw tall, dark, and handsome approaching.
"John Stewart, coming up behind you," Diana casually mentioned. Shay gave a barely there nod in recognition. John and she had been engaged in an interesting, mildly weird, semi-sexual relationship since before Christmas. Both were too stubborn to yield to feelings and labels, therefore silently refusing to get into a relationship. The similar mindsets ironically proved that they were perfect for each other. That, and John was one of the precious few individuals in the world who can handle Shayera's rather explosive personality.
"Ladies, fancy meeting you here," the man smoothly offered. His smile, however, was genuine. And designed to make hearts melt. White sparkling teeth and piercing green eyes stand out against his delicious skin tone. All that ROTC disciplines and workouts had done wonders to the taut muscles underneath his plain white tee.
Shayera feigned surprise and whirled around, "Johnny boy, didn't see you there," giving him her most seductive smirk. Diana knew better and gave the not-couple some space, babbling some nonsense about going to say hi to an imaginary friend. Armed with her beer, Diana pushed off the bar stool and joined the fray.
She smiled in delight when she saw an arm enthusiastically waving not ten feet away. Sweet Lois Lane to the rescue. Diana gave the violet-eyed beauty a tight hug as greeting.
"Oh my god, Diana, look at you!"
Her stomach tightened in fear. Was there something wrong with her clothes? Did she have something on her face? Was there a gross, oozing lump she didn't know about out on display?
"Why? What's wrong?"
Lois laughed as she saw Diana's eyes widened in terror. The girl was so clueless sometimes.
"I meant that as a compliment! This dress is perfect on you," the petite beauty emphasized.
Diana breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Lois. She didn't think much of it, just the fact that the dress was little tight. It was Shayera's after all, who was a good four inches shorter than her slightly towering 5-foot-10 height. Lois wasn't so clueless. The thin material hugged Diana's ungodly curves in all the right places. A single slit to her mid-thigh showed off an endless, shapely leg. If Diana wasn't so modest, she would have noticed every hungry stare and envious glance casted her way.
"What's your plan for the weekend?" Diana asked, taking a sip of her beer.
Lois gave an exasperated sigh, "Ugh I have to do an interview with Clark Kent at 8am on Saturday for the school paper. It was the only time he didn't have football practice. 8am Diana, that's basically torture."
"You poor thing. Hey you're the first to interview our mysterious 5-star linebacker though. That's something!"
It was true. Clark Kent was the most sought-after high school player since he was sixteen. It was honestly unfair for the other kids to have to play against an immovable 6-foot-5 mountain of muscle. He was also famously humble and private, which meant he didn't do interviews. Colleges went crazy trying to recruit the small-town farm boy and GU finally landed him, only after the new quarterback had committed.
Lois downed her drink and replied, "I know I know. I keep reminding myself that the interview would look great for my portfolio. And seeing as I can't, well shouldn't, show up hungover, I'm going to make up for lost time right now. Want something?" She gestured to the bar.
Diana raised her half full Dos Equis and smiled, "I'm good, thanks though."
"Your loss. Be right back," Lois said as she disappeared into the crowd. It was mere seconds before a classmate came up and chatted with Diana.
In a corner of the bar, a dark hair man stood with his hand stuffed in a pocket, the other gripping his beer probably a little tighter than necessary as he watched the guy glided to her side. He had been waiting for that Lane girl to leave, only to have his window stolen by an opportunistic dick.
Why the hell does she have to be so popular? Bruce Wayne wondered, mindlessly drinking the rest of his beer.
"Stare any harder and the boy's gonna have holes in his head."
Bruce glared at Wally at that quip. The redhead raised his hands defensively, "Just trying to help."
Bruce said nothing, just laid down a five for a refill, refusing to accept free drinks. Wally needed the money much more than he did.
"Aw you guys even drink the same thing," the bartender grinned mockingly at Bruce's empty Dos Equis. Another glare.
"Dude just talk to her. She's the nicest. I should know." Wally said a little proudly. He found his friend's behaviors extremely amusing. Bruce wasn't short on lady suitors; he was the quarterback of the Gotham University Knights after all. Wally glanced around and notice half the bar looking and pointing at Bruce, in awe from the guys, and hunger from the girls.
Calm your libido kids! Some females, and well, males too, look like they would pounce on him right then and there. That would be a sight to see. Wally smiled to himself at the thought.
"Nope, God forbid Bruce Wayne talking to someone that doesn't want to throw herself at him. Ohmygod, is that why you like her? Because she's the one soul on campus that doesn't care about you?" Wally gasped theatrically.
"No!" Bruce denied immediately, a little too defensively, only to be met with a raised auburn eyebrow and a smirk. Wally was starting to know him well enough to push his buttons. Shit.
Then a voice made him jump, her voice. He didn't jump. He was a Wayne. "Another please Mr. West."
She watched as Wally disappeared to the other side of the bar before smiling warmly at the quarterback. "Hey." She offered simply, sitting down next to him, elbows grazing the wet bar top. "Don't you have practice in the morning?"
The initial shock had subsided as he slipped into his charismatic self. "I do, but who sleeps these days?" A wink. An eye roll.
He studied her profile as they waited for the drinks. She was absolutely gorgeous. Piercing azure eyes framed by dark, wispy lashes. Naturally tan, glowing skin thanks to her Mediterranean heritage. Her silky hair was braided loosely, cascading down her left shoulder like a stream of ebony. His hand longed to tuck a curly strand behind her ear so he could see more of her.
"There we are, a Dos Equis couple." Wally returned and handed a beer to each of them. The slightest pink stole over her beautiful feature at the 'couple' mention, which pushed him into a slight state of euphoria. She liked him, too! His cool façade never faltered and he smiled that oh-so-famous-Bruce-Wayne smile.
"Glad to see you've taken up my recommendation."
"Well… uh… it's cheap." She awkwardly explained. Bruce chuckled quietly, knowing full well she could get any drink for virtually free. The last time they were both drinking this beer was at his fraternity's Spring party a week ago, which had ended in them drunkenly making out in his room. He could still feel her full lips, her soft yet athletic body beneath him. Stop it. Bruce chided himself mentally. Not much happened after anyway, seeing as she fell asleep when he took a quick bathroom break. And Bruce Wayne, ever the gentleman, tucked her in and settled on the couch, albeit a little disappointingly.
She woke before he did the next morning, and quietly left the perimeter without a single soul noticing. Everyone, thankfully, was still passed out drunk. The trek back to her dorm wasn't the walk of shame exactly. She wasn't ashamed, maybe slightly embarrassed that she fell asleep. What made her leave without even saying goodbye was the fear of people finding out about their favorite quarterback's latest hookup. Because that was what girls were reduced to, another notch on his bed post for the entire campus to discuss. Some willingly and proudly went after that title; Diana couldn't want anything less to do with it.
There was only one problem. She actually liked the boy.
For the next couple of days, the two texted back and forth briefly about hanging out again. Unfortunately, his insane practice schedule and her demanding class load and social life didn't leave much room for compromise. Diana's hesitation didn't exactly help either.
Suddenly his hand was on her arm, her head turned so fast she could have gotten whiplashed. "Hey listen," sincerity in his baritone voice, "there's this thing coming up and …"
He was rudely cut off by three girls basically squealing his name and asking for a picture. Diana quickly slipped out of his hold and made her way to the door. She instantly missed the contact of his warm, calloused hand.
Goddammit! Bruce shot out of his seat but he was surrounded. Losing his temper at fans in a crowded bar was out of the question, so he swallowed his anger and posed for the picture. A hand was grazing dangerously close to his well-defined backside. Another stupid Instagram post. How he loathed social media at that moment.
Author's note: Hello friends! I've always liked the idea of JL in college but have never really encountered a story that was good or believable enough. So I decided to write my own! It's loosely based on my own college experience where football, academia and Greek life reigned. I really don't know where the story will ultimately lead as I'm just making it up as I go. The only thing I'm sure of is that it will be fun, light, and will explore American college life in depth. Any recommendation or constructive criticism is very welcomed.
And if you're wondering "Why Dos Equis?" Well, it's my favorite beer, and it's super cheap! 10/10 would recommend.