Chapter. 1
It was Rachel Roth's first day at her new school and she was already in detention for talking back to a teacher. She yawned and put her book into her torn and ripped backpack putting her hood up and looking at the clock. She was in Mr. Mod's History class. Rachel's attention finally diverted from the slow moving clock to the tall boy who was bursting in the door.
"Here! I finished my paper early, and I just wanted to give it you." Said the boy who obviously was an overachiever. Rachel began to laugh a little.
"Is there, something funny ?" he asked . Rachel began to open her mouth but decided not to say anything. "I didn't think so. You could learn a thing or two from him. He is the best in my class. Attitude and grade wise."
"Can I go now?" Rachel asked in a monotone voice looking at the clock.
"Yes you may and remember to stop at the principal's office." said Mr. Mod with a smirk.
"What? Why? I didn't do anything." Rachel said getting tired and annoyed for getting in trouble for no reason.
"For your attitude and wearing a hood. That is against school dress code." He said with a smile.
"That's not fair, you didn't tell me to take it off."
"Go. " Mr. Mod said sternly gesturing for her to leave the room. She shook her head and left.
"That wasn't very fair. She did not know the rule and you did not give her a warning" Richard Grayson said.
"Life is not fair." He said and Richard left the class.
"Hey!" Richard called to Rachel. She turned to see him and turned back to keep walking. "Wait." Richard quicken his pace to catch up to her. "My name is Richard Grayson. I haven't seen you around here before." Richard stuck his hand out for her to shake it.
"Its my first day." Rachel kept her arms crossed and kept walking.
"Oh, well can I help you with anything?" Richard asked nicely.
"No." Rachel said walking up to the principle's door about to open it.
"You should take off your hood before you go in there." Richard suggested and Rachel groaned taking of her hood. She turned and looked at Richard giving a sarcastic smile. Richard just stared at her. She was beautiful. She had long, purple hair, and violet eyes to match, with a pale face. Her look was exotic and intriguing, Richard has never seen anyone like her before.
"What are you staring at?" She asked intrigued by the boy.
"Oh...Um...nothing." Richard said nervously caught off guard and brushed his hand through his black, spiky hair nervously. Rachel rolled her eyes and went into the principal's office.
"Wait... I didn't get your name."
"Rachel." Was all she said as she entered the door.
"Wow." Richard said as he went to his locker. He laughed at the shy, gloomy girls attitude. She was so gorgeous for such a dark attitude.
In the principal's office Rachel was getting a lecture and hearing the same old things from the other schools before.
"Here is what I am going to do Rachel. I am going to give you three chances and if you lose all those chances you're out. I want you to succeed here and I think you can, but I think you need to care and give effort." Rachel rolled her eyes at the man. "See, you rolling your eyes is not a good start."
"Sorry sir."
"Well that's all for now. I want a change out of you Rachel."
"Yes sir." Rachel got up and left. She was walking down the hall and lots of people were staring at her. She put her hood up hoping they would stop, but they didn't. Being the new girl at school when its the middle of the year was hard and getting in trouble the first day made it even worse and word gets out fast in high school. Rachel made it to outside and began to walk home.
"Did you see the new girl?" Asked Victor Stone a tall, muscular African-American.
"Yeah, I did actually." Richard said to his friend leaning against his motorcycle.
"I hear she got kicked out more than five schools, and she had gotten into fights at all of them, and even more worse stuff." Victor said.
"Those are just rumors, Vic. Anyway she doesn't seem like a fighter."
"Shhh. Here she comes." Victor said. The boys both got quiet as she walked by.
"Rachel!" Richard called to her before she could get to far. She turned to him with a sigh. "How did it go with the Principle?" he asked walking to her.
"Fine." She said and kept walking.
"Oh, well that's good." Richard said. They were walking in silence and it was awkward to say the least.
"You know I'm going home right?" Richard shook his head getting out of his trance looking down at Rachel. She was so small and so different. Richard wanted to get to her more.
"Oh yeah! Sorry I don't know what I am doing. Well I guess I will head back now."
"You should do that before we get to far." Rachel suggested.
"I could give you a ride." Richard said with a smile. Rachel stopped walking.
"I don't even know you. Why would I let you drive me home?" She said pulling her backpack on her shoulder, because it kept falling off.
"You could use a new backpack." Richard replied. Rachel squinted at him like he was dumb and turned back around to walk home she did not understand Richard. "Bye Rachel." Richard said waving.
"What was that?" Victor said Richard getting back to the parking lot.
"I am an idiot."
"You are usually smooth with the ladies Grayson. What happened? Lost your charm." Victor said teasingly.
"No! There is just something about her. I don't know what it is." Richard said looking toward the way she was walking.
"I know what it is, you like her." Victor said.
"I do not! I just met her."
"Fine, okay you think she's hot then." Victor said with a smile. Richard looked at him and punched him in the shoulder. "Ha, I knew it."
"Whatever Vic I will see you tomorrow." Richard said revving up his bike and driving home.
When Rachel entered her home she was overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol.
"Great." She said whispering to herself.
"Rachel. Is that you?" Rachel's dad, Trigon turned the corner and he reeked of alcohol. "I got a call from the school saying you got detention on your first day! Are you kidding me!" Trigon yelled slamming Rachel against the wall. Rachel let out an "oof" sound. "You better knock this shit off. Do you hear me! You better not ruin this cause I am tired of having to move just because you can't handle school." Trigon grabbed Rachel's arm tight and twisted it till she screamed. "Do you understand me!" He yelled again, Rachel nodded yes. Trigon punched her in the stomach and threw her on the floor and went back to his room. Rachel had tears streaming down her cheeks and she tried not to cry. She gathered her things that fell out of her backpack and ran to her room to cry. Rachel looked at herself in the mirror.
"How am I going to hide this." She tilted her head to the side thinking. There were two bruises forming one on her arm and stomach. She sighed and got into bed. Rachel looked up at the ceiling thinking about her day, but all she could think of was Richard and how strange he was. Rachel then turned to lay on her stomach but there was to much pain. "Looks like I won't be sleeping tonight." She said and grabbed her book to read till morning.
