Chapter 1 - The Encounter
disclaimer:(only doing this once) Teen Titans is property of DC and Warner Brothers. I own nothing, but my ideas.
Monday, December 9th 11:00 AM - Coach Garret's class.
Kori's POV
A week. That's all the time it took for him to change me from a well functioning high school junior, who paid attention in class and did the work she was assigned, to the stereotypical love-struck teenage girl. You know, the kind that write the boy of their affections name in their notebook just so they can surround it by hearts, the kind that constantly think about said boy and analyze the smallest encounters that you had with him, trying to figure out if he returns your feelings. Yeah, that's me right now.
Who is this boy that I am talking about? Dick Grayson, Gotham City's playboy and the adopted son of billionaire Bruce Wayne. He showed up here in Jump City a week ago, looking all perfect with his muscular body, gorgeous face, nice car, and sun glasses covering his eyes. And of course all the girls in the school flocked to him, practically throwing themselves at him and begging for his attention... all the girls except me.
Don't get me wrong, I obviously thought he was attractive, but unlike the rest of the female student body, I was under no delusion that he would have any interest in any of the girls here at Jump Academy. I mean the guy is a celebrity after all, he dates models, not high school girls that practically worship his every step. Besides I, as well as everyone else, knew his reputation with women. A total playboy, and that's not what I was looking for. Call me old fashion, but I don't offer up my virginity to any good looking guy that comes along.
Did I have a pre-formed opinion of him? Absolutely. I thought he was nothing but a snobbish, pretty faced rich boy who only cared for himself. Was I wrong? Very. After talking with him and getting to know him I saw the person, and he wasn't anything like I expected.
Contrary to what most people would assume, he was the one who approached me. Why? I have no idea. There's nothing special about me in any way. I'm not popular like my sister, I don't have the entire male student body swooning over me, and I think I'm pretty average looking. I'm tall for a girl, around 5'9, my eyes are green, and I have long red hair. Nothing stands out, but that didn't stop him from coming up and talking to me... But perhaps I should start from the beginning...
Monday December 2nd, 7:45 AM - Jump City Academy parking lot
Kori's POV
I pull into the parking lot of Jump City Academy, parking my white SUV next to my friend Gar's green Jeep Cherokee as I always do. Before I even get out of my car I notice that the students were all gathered outside of the school, but I don't think anything of it, guessing they were talking with their friends after returning from Thanksgiving break.
The moment I step out my car I am tackled by my friend, Karen Beecher, an African-American girl, who I have known my entire life. She practically slams me against the side of my car, pinning me there with a huge grin on her face. "Kori!," she exclaims in far to gleeful tone for this early in the morning.
"What's wrong with you?," I ask as I raise my eyebrow.
Her mouth falls open and she gives me a very odd look. "You don't know?" I continue to look confused, having no idea what she is talking about. "Dick Grayson is here."
My eyes widen dramatically. "In Jump City?!"
"No... well, yes, but that's not what I mean. He moved from Gotham, he's coming to this school," she gleefully exclaims.
I give her a very a bland look. "Why would Dick Grayson move all the way from New York to California? It's probably just a rumor, I mean it has to be."
Suddenly I hear the quiet talking pick up into a loud collective chatter, and I see Bee smirk at me. She then points off to the other side of the parking lot. "Yeah, a rumor alright," she says in a sarcastic tone.
I step to the side of my SUV and sure enough by the time that I do, a black Ferrari is pulling into a parking spot about forty yards from me. I am in hidden awe as a tall, muscular, black-haired male steps out of his car and lazily slangs a single strapped black bag over his shoulder. Even though the sun is hidden by the late Fall clouds, he has black sun glasses covering his eyes, but I know from seeing him in magazines and on t.v. that his eyes are the most gorgeous thing to every grace Earth, an electric blue color if I remember correctly.
"Someone is staring," I hear Bee whisper into my ear, and I almost instantly frown.
"I was not staring," I defend myself sounding rather sure, but I know I had been.
"Oh c'mon, you know he's cute," she continues to tease me, much to my frustrations.
I glance back at him, finding him leaning against his car, his phone being the only thing that is apparently worthy of his attention. "Yeah, he's cute, but I'm willing to bet he is a total snob, I mean just look at him."
"Oh, trust me I am," she replies flirtatious.
I frown disapprovingly at her. "Don't you have a boyfriend?," I question referring to one my closest friends, a junior wide-receiver named Vic, who is a big deal on campus. At first the only reason he ever even hung out with me was because he has a crush on Bee, but we actually became good friends and he has taken up for me on a number of occasions.
"One, Vic and I aren't that serious, two, looking never hurt anyone, and three, you were practically drooling and you have a boyfriend," she retorts.
I copy her tone. "One, Xavier is just my friend, two, I've seen you and Vic make out more than once, and three, I was not drooling."
She smirks once more. "That's good because he's right behind you."
My whole face turns red and I quickly turn to see him walking toward us. My mouth falls open and I am utterly frozen in place, just watching him get closer and closer. I am ashamed at the thoughts running through my mind currently. 'God, he is fine. He even looks ripped through his jacket. I hope my hair doesn't look bad. I hope I don't have a stupid look on my face. I hope he stops and says something.' And just as I think that, he walks straight by us with out even a glance in our direction, still not even bothering to look up from his phone.
I look back at Bee, who is fighting back laughter. "What's so funny?"
She fails to control her laughter anymore, and bursts out into a fit of giggles. "You were totally checking him out. Like you were looking directly at him and everything."
I feel like face palming myself at the moment. The first celebrity I meet and I just stare at him. Great going Kori. He probably thinks I am creeper... not that I care. He still more than likely self-centered douchebag, guys like him tend to be.
I huff and cross my arms over my chest. "Whatever, let's just go inside," I say before walking off toward the crowded school entrance way, her following behind. Around ten minutes later I am standing at my locker, Bee already having gone to class. I see Dick down the hallway, walking out of the office with his schedule in hand, and somehow the guy has been here less than twenty minutes and he already managed to collect a number of girls following, my sister being on of them.
Who is my sister? Komi Anders, other wise known as Ms. Perfect, last year's prom queen and homecoming queen, basically the most popular senior in the school, and I have no idea why. I love my sister, but she is a real bitch at times... like all the time. Regardless, I was sure that her Dick would have slep together by the end of the day, but he is known as a playboy after all.
What about me? Like I said I'm the very definition of average. There is nothing that I can name that is special about me. I'm kind of the girl next door type. If you asked me about my romantic life, my reply would be what romantic life? Guys just tend to not notice me, or if they do, they only look at me as their friend, Gar and Vic for example, but it's okay. I'm actually fine with not being the center of attention. To be honest I prefer it. No one makes fun of you if they don't notice you.
The two guys that I know like me are very odd. Roy Harper is one. The basic rich pretty boy type, probably similar to Dick. He flirts with me constantly and thinks he is God's gift to mankind. I can deal with a lot of things, but being conceded isn't one of them. Xavier Redd is the other. I used to swear that I was totally in love with him, but then I found out some things, for example he deals drugs, and that kind of threw me off. He is still one of my closest friends, but I just couldn't deal with that. Call me a good girl, but I prefer to think of myself as smart.
I am brought out of my thoughts when I felt arms wrap around my waist and I quickly turn to find Xavier standing there. Speak of the devil. I smile up at him. "Hey Xavier, you scared me."
He chuckles. "Sorry." I see him look down the hallway and notice the swarm of girls surrounding Dick. "Playboy's getting him some action I see."
I glance over to see him leaning up against a locker, my sister standing in front of him. He doesn't look like he is listening to thing she is saying and that actually makes me smile. It's about time someone dropped her ego out of orbit. "Yeah, guess so," I reply to Xavier, still focused on Richard. I have to admit, even if he is a man whore, he is a very hot one.
"What do you think of him," I hear Xavier ask, drawing my attention back to him.
I just shrug. "Probably Roy Harper 2.0"
Xavier chuckles at that. "Let's hope not. It's hard enough to handle one of him as it is."
I know Xavier doesn't like Roy. It would be easy to believe that it's because Roy is just unlikable, but I think it has something to do with the way he flirts with me constantly.
Just then the bell rings, signaling it's time for class, so I hug Xavier and tell him bye before heading off to art class. Art and my next periods, English and my free period, are pretty normal. It isn't till I walk into forth period history that the day becomes interesting. I take off my jacket and sit down in my normal two person table in the back of the room, just like I do everyday, and just when almost everyone is seated he walks into the room looking absolutely gorgeous. Who is he? Do you really have to ask? Dick Grayson of course. The chattering girls in the background speak to that perfectly.
When Coach Garret, our history teacher/head football coach/gym teacher sees him enter, his face brightens considerably. I think this is first time I have seen Coach Garret smile since football season ended.
"Grayson! How are you doing son?," Coach Garret exclaims as he sticks his hand out to Dick.
Dick studies him a moment before shaking his hand. "Good."
"Damn right good! I read your file, son. You quaterbacked Gotham Academy to two championships in a row," the coach says with more enthusiasm then I have ever heard out of him. I didn't know Dick played football, but it really doesn't surprise me.
Richard raises his sun glasses into his spiked black hair and for the first time I see his beatify blue orbs in person. They really are amazing. He shrug. "Umm yeah."
Coach Garret throws his arm around Dick's shoulders. "Listen here Grayson, this class can be pretty difficult at times, but if you play quarterback for us next season I can just make all this work disappear." He then makes a 'poof' sound with his mouth, and for the first time I notice just how ridiculous of man he is.
"But I'm the quarterback!," I hear Roy protest from the other side of the room.
"Shut it Harper, can't you see I'm trying to bribe our way to a state championship here?," Coach Garret exclaims, causing everyone to laugh... besides Roy of course. Coach Garret turned back to Dick. "So, what do you say?"
"You realize this is illegal, right?," Dick questions, raising an eyebrow, and I think my heart skipped a beat.
The coach nods. "Absolutely."
He shrugs once more. "Alright then."
"That's my boy. Now, take a seat by Anders over there," he points to me and the instant Dick looks at me everything in the room just freezes like time completely stopped for a moment.
Without hesitation Dick begins to walk over and I hear my heart beat growing louder and louder. Just before he sits down his phone begins to ring and he reaches into jacket pocket and pulls it out before glancing at the screen. "Can I take this? My brother just had surgery on his back, and I need to find out if it went well."
That must be why he was staring at his phone this morning, because he was worried about his brother. Maybe he isn't as self-centered as I assumed.
Coach Garret waves his hand. "Sure, take your time." A perfect example of a teacher showing favoritism. All hell would have to break loose for any of the rest of us to get out. Coach Garret said that if he had to suffer through this hell hole then so did we. It goes without saying that he's not the biggest fan of teaching.
Dick nods and lays his bag down beside me before exiting the room. I find myself watching the door the entire time he is gone, a strange feeling of nervousness flowing through me. I know when he gets back he's going to be sitting like a foot from me, and that is an unnerving feeling. All I can seem to think about is not staring and to not say anything stupid... or at all.
He enters the room moment a later, and it's easy to see his face is much more relaxed. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as he walks over and takes a seat beside me. I notice all the girls in the room are no longer paying attention to Coach Garret's lecture, but I can't criticize them for it because I'm not either.
I sat quietly for around ten minutes, occasionally glancing over at Dick, finding him actually listening and taking notes, which is surprising. Roy usually just flirts the entire female half of the class, so maybe they are different.
The silence is abruptly broken when the fire alarm goes off. I see Coach Garret stand from his chair, with a huge smile on his face, probably excited to get out of the room. We are escorted out to the parking lot, where we are to wait until given permission to head back inside. It isn't till we reach said parking lot that I notice two things. One, it's freezing out here, and two, I left my jacket in the room.
I stand off in the middle of scattered groups of teenagers and wrap my arms around myself for warmth. Out the corner my eye I see someone standing next to me, that I assume is Xavier or Roy, but when I look over at the person I find that it is Dick.
He looks at me with a soft smile on his face, and I forgot that I needed to breath. I see him unzip his black puma jacket with a white emblem on it before he takes it off and extends it out to me. "Here, put this on."
I gape at him, glancing from the jacket to his face. "Umm no, I couldn't. You would be cold then."
He chuckles. "I'm from Gotham, I can handle a little cold. What I can't handle is watching you stand here, shivering like a chihuahua."
A giggle escapes me and he drapes the jacket over my shoulders, allowing to slip my arm through it's sleeves, which considering I'm 5'9 and he's 6'2 they are a little long, but that's okay. This is actually really sweet. "Thank you for this."
"Don't worry about it," he says, his smile still present. "What is your name anyway?
"Umm, Kori. Kori Anders," I reply as I attempt to control the butterflies that I am currently feeling.
He extends his hand out to me and I shake it, while blushing far to much, but at least I can blame my red face on the cold. "Dick Grayson." He then stares at me for a moment and I feel that dreaded nervousness build back up in me. "Are you related to a girl named... Komi? I think."
I sigh. "Yep, she's my sister."
"Hmm," was his response.
"What?, I ask curiously.
He shakes his head. "Nothing... it's just she is a little... frisky. She gave me her phone number and address out of nowhere."
I glance down. "Yeah, that's my sister for you. Little Mrs. Perfect."
He smirks. "If it makes you feel any better, I think you are far more beautiful."
Dead. I'm serious, my heart isn't beating. "Umm, thank you. I'm not used to compliments from guys like you.".
He raised an eyebrow. "Guys like me?"
I beginning to fidget and look at anything that isn't him. "You know... cute."
He laughs at me. "I don't think anyone has ever described me as cute before, but thank you regardless."
"You're welcome," I respond rather lamely, so I quickly catch myself. "So um, is your brother okay?"
"He's fine. Fell out of a tree. Kid thinks he is a monkey."
I laughed at him, and I feel that I'm starting to let my guard down a little. "So, why did you move to Jump. It's a long away from Gotham."
He glances down at the ground before meeting my eyes. "Me and Bruce don't see eye to eye on certain things. I just needed to get away from Gotham, and start doing and think for myself."
I know there is more to the story, but before I can ask him to elaborate, I hear Kitten, a girl who hates me for some reason I'm not sure of, sang, "oh Dickie-poo, where are you?," from somewhere in the crowd. The next thing I know, Dick has his arms wrapped around my abdomen and his head in tucked in behind mine. My body tenses, and I am frozen in place. "Umm, what are you doing?"
"Hiding. That kitty girl, or whatever her name is, has been following me around all morning," he says in a whispering tone.
I laugh and relax back against him. "Most guys like kitten."
"Why? She's God awful."
"She will sleep with them. I figured a playboy like you would like that," I respond, interested in what he has to say.
He laughs. "I have standards."
Before I can comment on that the bell rings signaling that we can go back inside. Dick walks beside me the entire way in, and I notice people are watching, including Bee, who is giving me a thumbs up, to which I just roll my eyes. I know I'm going to have to listen to her drill me in lunch.
Once in the room, me and Dick talk a little more before the bell rings. He looks down at his schedule, and I can see that his next class is lunch.
"You want me to show you where the lunch room is?," I question as I pick up my history book and stand from our table.
"Nah, I think I'll eat off campus, but thanks," he says before walking off, leaving standing there. I then realize I am wearing his jacket a call him. "Dick wait, your jacket."
He turns and looks at me before shrugging. "Keep it, I have plenty like it," and with that he made his way out the door. I make my way out of the class room and it occurs to me that my opinion of him has completely changed. This morning I assumed he was a complete douchebag, and he still might be, but he just doesn't seem like it. I know Roy would never give up his jacket just to keep me warm, but Dick did it without hesitation. Maybe I had him all wrong.
Once in lunch, I avoid the horrors of cafeteria food and make my way to the table that me and my friends sat at. I notice that everyone is already seated as I approach. On one side of the table sits my best friend Raven, a girl with dark hair, fair skin, and blue, standing about 5'3 in height, and beside her is Gar. He is around 5'6 with dark green eyes, brown hair, and a nice tan. On the opposite side is Bee and Vic, who are holding hands like always.
I take a seat beside Karen and she immediately turns to face. "Okay, spill," she demands with a large grin.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, acting oblivious even though I am quite clear on what she want's to know.
"Oh, don't give me that crap. I saw you talking with Dick Grayson earlier, and..." she then notices Dick's jacket, which I haven't bothered to take off and she pauses mid-sentence. "Holy... He gave you his jacket?"
I sigh, fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. "I left my jacket in the room when the fire alarm went off and he gave me his because I was cold."
"Oh my God! He is so in to you," she exclaims, and I notice everyone at the table is now listening to us, besides Raven, who is enthralled with her book that she is reading.
I gave her a very bland look. "He is not in to me, he was simply being nice. Dick turned down my sister and Kitten scares him to death, so I'm positive he has no interest in any girl in this school. Besides he isn't my type."
Raven snorts laughter at this.
"What?" I ask defensively.
She just flips the page of her book, never looking up. "I'm just pretty sure he is everyone's type."
Gar frowns at her. I have always been pretty sure that they like each other, but if they do neither have ever made a move. I turn my attention back to Raven to defend myself. "Not mine, I'm not looking for a one week fling and I'm pretty sure that's all he would be interested in from any girl."
"And if he wasn't looking for just a fling?..." Bee trails off in question.
I consider that a moment. "I don't know, but this whole conversation is completely pointless because I can assure Dick has no interest in me."
Bee rolls her eyes with a teasing grin. "If you say so."
I just huff and cross my arms over my chest. Dick's obviously hot, and just because he is nicer than I gave him credit for doesn't mean I like him. I could see us becoming friends though, and I think I would be happy with that.
After I endure much more teasing during lunch the bell finally rings and I head to gym, surprised find Dick standing in the middle of the room shirtless and shooting a basket ball.
I could die right now and I would be okay with it. He is ripped, more so than I imagined, and yes I'm sad to say that imagined it... with great detail at that. I watch him move with impressive agility and his arms and chest are... just wow. I see him look over at me and I snap out of my daze becoming very flustered. knowing he had caught me staring.
He just gives me a two finger salute and I shyly wave back before leaving him to shoot as I head down to the girls locker room to change in. As I put on a long sleeved shirt that says 'Jump Academy' along with a pair of matching sweat pants, I listen to the girls around the locker room swoon over him, talking about amazing his body is, I fight to not roll my eyes. I mean it's not that big of a deal... right?
Once out of the locker room, I see Coach Garret talking to Dick. Coach Garret see's me and calls me over. "Anders, front and center!"
I swallow believing myself to be in trouble for something that I am not aware I've done, and walk over to them, fighting to not look at Dick's body as he wipes the sweat off of him with a towel. "Yes, sir?"
"I need someone to show Grayson here over to the football stadium, and I have to deal with the rest of these obese maggots, so I can't. He wants you to go with him. Understand?"
I glance at Richard, who is now putting his shirt back on, then back at Coach Garret. "Umm yeah, okay."
He nods before walking off over to the bleachers, and I look back at Dick. "Umm, why me?"
"I don't know anyone else," he answers with a shrug. "You don't mind taking me, do you?"
I quickly shake my head. "Umm no, not at all." Truthfully I actually feel happy that he wants me to take him. "Follow me," I instruct and begin to walk to the gym's exit. We walk in comfortable silence for a moment until we come to the gate that leads to the stadium. "Well, what do you think?" I ask once we reach the inside.
He walks out onto the grass and looks around the stadium with interest before lying down in the grass out of nowhere.
My eyebrow raises. "What are you doing?"
"Cloud watching." He pats the spot next to him on the grass. "Wanna join me?"
Laying down beside Dick Grayson? Didn't see this coming when I woke up this morning. I walk over to where he is laying and lay down beside him, feeling pretty comfortable. We lay in silence for a minute just staring up at the greyish clouds and then my thoughts just slip out of mouth. "You're not like I thought you would be."
He turns on his side, leaning his head on his arched hand and I copy him, so that we are facing each other. "What do you mean?," he inquires
"I just thought you would be more of a douche."
He laughs. "I think a lot of people get that impression just because I am Bruce Wayne's son."
I grin, now being relaxed. "Don't forget being a pretty boy."
"You've called me cute and pretty in the same day. Keep that up and I'm going to lose all the masculinity that I have," he jokes and I giggle.
"I'm sorry."
He smiles and shrugs. "You know, I kind of like talking to you."
I blush and smile. "I like talking to you too."
He just gives me a breath-taking smile. We spend the rest of the period just talking and I found out his favorite color is red, his favorite food is cheese pizza, he likes listening to Nickleback, and he assured me that's not a douchebag thing, and that he's is an All-American quarterback. I suggested he talk with Vic and he said he would sit with us tomorrow at lunch, so he could meet him and the rest of my friends.
When the bell rung he leaped to his feet and bided me farewell with a two finger salute before walking off. As I watch him walk away, I find myself excited for the next time I see him. He's definitely different than I expected.