Just Harleen
It was a cold evening in Gotham City. A blonde woman was walking by herself. There weren't many people about as this was a quieter part of Gotham. The wind howled menacingly. The woman held her elbows shaking. She gazed around. She looked at her watch anxiously. The woman then entered a building. As she entered she squinted due to the bright light. As her eyes readjusted she saw her friend with an unhappy look on her face. She was sitting at a table near the bar. "Harley you're late." Her friend said. "Sorry Tiffany but my mom kept me on the phone for ages. She's really worried about my new job." Harley explained. Harley sat down by her friend and took off her coat to reveal a blue night dress. "Oh that Sharon, she doesn't have to worry about you. You'll be fine Harley." Tiffany giggled. "I'm actually a bit nervous. I can't believe I start my career at Arkham tomorrow." Harley said calmly. "I wish I had a career set up. A diploma in landscaping makes me a bit overqualified to become a florist." Tiffany said. "I still don't get why you didn't just go to a florist school." Harley said confused. "Because my dad wanted me to go to the family college, anyway if I didn't go to Gotham U I never would've met you." Tiffany said. "True, you could always get a job at that florist near the monarch theater." Harley suggested. "With that Pamela Isley woman? No way! I hard she beat up one of her employees for accidently breaking a plant. That crazy woman should be locked up in an Asylum." Tiffany said. "Oh roomie you haven't changed a bit. Anyway Tiff crazy doesn't exist; it's a layman's term. While she clearly has anger management issues, I don't think she belongs in an Asylum." Harley explained. "You're gonna do great in Arkham Harley, you're like a sponge for knowledge." Tiffany said as the both giggled. A man then approached the two women. "Well if it isn't Harley Quinzel." He said with a smile. "I'm sorry do I know you?" Harley asked confused. "You don't remember me? I took the intro to psychology class; we sat next to each other." The man said. "Oh hey, Jack was it?" Harley asked. "Jake." He corrected her. "Now I remember you, the guy with the economics major." Harley said. "Yeah, so are you leaving Gotham now?" Jake asked. "Nope, I got a job at Arkham Asylum." Harley said proudly. "Really, wow you sure are doing great Harley. I'm leaving Gotham at the end of this week. I got a job offer in Connecticut, can't say I'll miss this city." Jake explained. "Good for you Jake, this city isn't for everyone." Harley said. "Yeah, so Harley care to have a goodbye drink? It's on me." Jake asked. "She'd love too!" Tiffany said cheerily. "I dunno guys; I don't want a hangover for my first day." Harley stammered. "It's just one drink Harls." Tiffany reasoned. "Oh alright." Harley agreed reluctantly. The rest of the night was a blur.
Harley woke up with a killer headache. As she opened her eyes she was in an unfamiliar room. Harley sat up and rubbed her back. It was sore from that couch she slept on. Harley staggered to the window trying to figure what was happening. Harley stared out the window for several minutes when Jake walked on. "Well good morning Harley." Jake said with a smiley. Harley turned around still confused about what was happening. "Who are you?" Harley said confused. "Wow you really are a lightweight." Jake said chuckling. "Look mistah, my head hurts a lot and I'm not in the mood for joking." Harley said trying to sound calm. "It's me Jake. We used to sit next to each other in intro to psychology. We ran into each other last night at a bar. You and your friend Tiffany drank a little too much so you slept on my couch. Don't worry we didn't hook up or anything." Jake explained. Harley suddenly remembered that today was her first day at Arkham. "Jake what time is it?" Harley asked calmly. "Twelve o'clock." Jake sound confused. "What! Crap I need to get to Arkham now!" Harley shouted panicky. "Oh yeah I knew there was something I was forgetting." Jake said casually. "You freaking idiot!" Harley shouted rushing to the door. "I can drive you there if you want." Jake said in a friendly manner. "You've done enough!" Harley shouted. Harley ran out of the apartment to the elevator. It seemed to take forever to get to the bottom floor. Harley rushed to the street corner to get a cab. Harley pushed over a man and took his cab. "Arkham Asylum and step on it!" Harley shouted. The cab driver wasn't too pleased with the way Harley spoke to him, nonetheless he take Harley to the Asylum as quick as possible.
Harley was incredibly antsy. She was five hours late for work in her dress from the night before. She also had a terrible headache. There was an unusual amount of traffic only adding to the tension. When Harley finally arrived she threw the money at the cab driver and slammed the door. "Stupid Malaka! What's wrong with people in this city?" The cab driver shouted. As Harley entered the lobby she saw a very moody receptionist. "Hi it's my first day and I'm a little late." Harley tried to explain calmly. "You're more than a little late. What's your name?" She asked. "Doctor Harleen Quinzel." Harley said anxiously. "Do you have any ID?" Harley flashed her driver's license. "I'll call Doctor Leeland. Doctor Leeland, Doctor Quinzel has arrived. Yes she knows she's more than five hours late for work. I'm sure she has a good reason." The receptionist hung up the phone. "She'll be here in a minute." The receptionist said. Harley took a seat on a bench. Her legs were shaking and she was breathing heavily. Leeland finally arrived looking furious. "Where the hell have you been?" Leeland shouted. "Doctor Leeland if you just let me explain." Harley said before being cut off by Leeland. "I don't wanna hear it! You're extremely late, you're dressed inappropriately and you have an obvious hang over! This isn't a game Harleen! You can't party your way through life! Now get outta here!"Leeland screamed. "Shall I come in tomorrow?" Harley asked confused. "No Harleen you're fired! Get off the premises before I have to call security!" Leeland shouted. Harley felt heartbroken. She'd finally found the perfect career and it was taken away from her without a single chance. Harley walked off Arkham island tears running down her face. Harley didn't know where her life was going now, but one thing was for sure. She hated Jake with a passion. Had she ever seen him again she would punch him right in the face.
When Harley got back to her apartment she rang tiffany about what happened. "Oh my God Harley I'm so sorry." Tiffany said with sympathy. "Had I not told you to have that drink this never would've happened." "No Tiffany this is Jakes fault. He got me drunk even though he knew I had my first day." Harley said bitterly. "Now hold on Harley, you're the one who had all those shots. I'm the one who told you to have it in the first place. Jake only offered." "Whatever, I'm probably gonna have to leave Gotham now, so much for getting a job at Arkham." Harley said cynically. Harley made a call to her university teacher explaining the situation. He said there was nothing he could do and Harley would have to leave Gotham if she wanted to pursue her career in criminal psychology. Harley also called her mother explaining she would be temporarily living with her until she found a job.
Several years later Jake was in New York City. He'd gotten a job at a big insurance company. His work required him to travel quite a lot. Although he'd never been to New York City before, it was one of the places he'd pray his superiors would send him. He was staying at the New York Palace in Manhattan. The company hired a coach from Connecticut to New York. Jake was allowed to drive himself or pay for his own plane if he wanted, but it was a long drive and planes were expensive. After a coach ride from hell Jake had finally arrived in Manhattan at 4:00 pm. After check in Jake snuck off, he was supposed to go to some orientation thing but he'd been to a thousand of them so he knew what they would say. Jake spent half an hour walking around Manhattan. It was far better than he ever imagined. Jake was staring at the sky when he bumped into a woman. "Sorry I didn't see you there." Jake said as he recognized the woman. It was Harley and she looked terrible. Her hair was messily tied into a bun; on her face was a pair of scratched glasses. She was dressed in a white doctor's jacket, an orange blouse and a black skirt. As she recognized Jake her face went red with anger. "You!" She shouted. "Harley, how are things going these days?" Jake asked. "Awful! You ruined my life Jake!" Harley shouted. "I'm sorry, but how did I do that?" Jake asked confused. "You got me drunk the night before my first day at Arkham! Then you let me sleep in!" Harley shouted. "So I take it things didn't go well at Arkham?" Jake said still confused. "Doctor Leland fired me on the spot! She said awful things to me! Then I had to move back in with my mother!" Harley shouted. "But, you've got a job surely? You're dressed like a psychiatrist." Jake said still confused. "Oh I got a job, in one of the most expensive cities in the country! I'm now at some big psychologist firm where they treat me like crap! They make me work long hours, and treat me like a doormat!" Harley screamed. "I'm sorry to hear that Harley." Jake said apologetically. "You know why they get away with treating me like crap? Because this is New York! Everything's expensive and people are begging for jobs! I have to get up at the crack of dawn so I can get from my shitty apartment in Brooklyn to Manhattan! And let's not forget about the people on the subway spreading they're colds! All this happened because you had to get me drunk!" Harley screamed.
Jake hadn't said much. He thought he'd let Harley blow off some steam. Her life had clearly gone downhill since she left Gotham. "Look Harley, I'm sorry you had to suffer like that but if anything I did you a favor. I read in the news that one of the Arkham Psychiatrists got murdered. The Joker tried manipulating her but she refused so he killed her. That could've been you." Jake explained. Harley just seemed to get angrier. "That would not have been me! No way would I be so careless as to trigger a patient's manic phase! This girl clearly upset him triggering his mental illness! I could've worked with mentally unstable criminals! You know what I got instead?" Harley shouted. Jake shrugged, he was speechless. "Now I have to work with whiney snobs who have a heart attack over which color car to get their children!" Harley screamed. "Well at least you get to live near your family." Jake said trying to lighten the mood. "Oh you mean my deadbeat brother who mooches off my mom? Or my father who's in jail for fraud? My mom constantly criticizes and makes me feel bad! She blames me for what you did!" Harley shouted. Jakes phone started ringing. He answered his phone to hear his angry boss. "Sorry, I went to buy a laptop cable but I got lost in this city, I'll get a cab back to the hotel ASAP." Jake said apologetically. "Look Harley, I really am sorry for what happened. But that was years ago and I was still an idiot back then. Anyway I really have to leave; I hope things get better for you." Jake said calmly as he walked away. "That's right, walk away like the greedy fat cat you are! You don't care who you screw over so long as you're okay!" Harley shouted. Jake got into a cab. As it drove away he saw Harley crying her eyes out. Jake felt terrible about what happened but there was nothing he could do. Maybe in another life Harley was a successful Psychiatrist, or maybe she got murdered by the Joker. Jake sighed trying not to think about it. He never saw Harley again.
End-