Hello and welcome all to my story.
This fanfic will be my first Gotham story. I am currently watching the show on Netflix and loving every bit of it.
This isn't my first fanfic on the site, so in case you are interested feel free to read some of them :)
As you might have guessed/read, this will be heavily focused on Alfred Pennyworth. More accordingly an Alfred/OC, because there are just not enough Alfred stories out there. Being an amazing character, wonderfully potrayed by Sean Pertwee, the man deserves some love.
Monday morning.
"Bruce Wayne?"
A skinny arm rose at the back of the classroom. I nodded and placed a check mark on the paper in front of me.
Bruce Wayne. It had been a long time since I'd come across that name. Only one time before had I read his name and that was at the beginning of the year. Before his parents had so tragically died. I couldn't imagine what it must feel like for a child to lose not one but both your parents at the same time and in front of your very eyes. To see him back at school after many months could only mean a hopeful message. A message that he was probably starting to get on with his life.
"Lovely to see you, Bruce. Welcome back to Anders Preparatory Academy."
Bruce didn't reply, not even with a smile. As if it was against his will to be here. Instead he turned his head to stare out the window. His shoulders moved back for a quick second before leaning his chin in his hand. I sat back down in my chair, placing the roll call list in my top drawer. This probably wasn't going to be as easy as I'd hoped. I decided it was probably best to forget about Bruce Wayne for the moment and continue with the lesson. English literature. The subject most people dreaded or deemed extremely easy. But seeing as this was Anders Preparatory Academy, one of the most prestige private schools in Gotham and of surrounding cities, the level at which these young children were expected to preform was higher than that of any other school. Even parents expected this school to provide the best education money had to offer. These were after all, well most of them, the wealthy ones. The golden children of the future, the ones who would become important and make a change in every day society and only the best education would get them there. At least that's what they all thought.
"Two households, both alike in dignity. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene." I started and thus began another week of pouring Shakespeare into the mind of these youngsters.
Friday afternoon.
I rubbed my temples as I leaned on my elbows. It had been a busy week. Sometimes I wondered why I even chose this profession. The pay was awful even if this was a private school, the work load was massive. Not to mention the schoolboard and the parents of these children. It really made me want to go back to England. But getting into a school such as this was even more difficult back home. Especially after,-
"Mrs. Wood?"
I looked up from my desk at Bruce Wayne. I didn't correct him on the Mrs. part, truthfully it made no difference to the students what their teacher's marital status was.
"Yes, Bruce?" I asked.
"What are your rules regarding exemption?" He asked politely.
He wasn't the first to ask this. Every year a student would try to skip English literature. Most pupils were under the impression that having English as their first language and having read one or two books qualified them as having sufficient knowledge regarding the subject of literature. Every year they would try and every year I would prove them wrong. Honestly I wasn't expecting such a question from Bruce Wayne. But I guess every rich child was the same in the end. The length at which they were willing to go, persuading their teachers even going as far as asking their parents to try and convince their teachers. Of course the right amount of money could persuade anyone, anyone without morals.
"My personal rules or the school rules?" I replied.
"Whichever will get me the exemption." He quickly answered. Oh, he was cheeky.
I cleared my throat as I pushed my chair back to sit upright. "Is there any reason why you wish to apply for exemption?" This was the question which called forth a number of possible answers. The first being, 'I've read my share of Shakespeare' to, 'I've seen the play on Broadway' or my personal favourite, 'we live in America.' Instead he said something completely different. Something which threw me out of my usual cold demeanour.
"My butler is British." Bruce said. I paused. Blinked. For a moment I wasn't sure what to say other then repeat his words.
"Your butler,-" I began and Bruce nodded. "Is British?"
He nodded again. I had not misheard him then.
"I honestly don't see the purpose behind that statement." I told him.
"My apologies, what I meant with it, is that I've been homeschooled by him ever since my parents' passing. This included a lot of English literature." He continued. I honestly hoped he wasn't planning on playing 'my parents are dead' card.
"I see."
"If somehow complete exemption is not an option, then perhaps you are willing to provide me with a list of this year's curriculum so I can check off that which I've already read and thus provide you with prove of this." Bruce Wayne continued.
He very well mannered with quite and extensive lexicon at his disposal. The work of his British butler? Or did the boy already live up to the Wayne family name?
"Bruce,-"
"I could arrange a meeting between the three of us. Alfred will be more than willing to vouch for me."
"Alfred?" I questioned.
"My butler."
Right, how silly of me. His butler.
I inhaled deeply. "Bruce,-"
"Yes?"
"Sit down." I pointed at the chair behind him. I waited for him to pull the chair towards him and sit down, but he didn't.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Wood. I do have a rather tight schedule. Is there any way you,-"
"Sit."
Without further ado Bruce, quite reluctantly, grabbed the chair and sat down on the other side of my desk.
I folded my hands together and looked him in the eye. "Listen, I'm going to be quite frank with you here. An exemption, whilst common during college, is not so common here. English literature is about more than simply reading books and being able to quote or summarize what said book was about."
The boy politely nodded and didn't interrupt me this time, so I continued. "Honestly, I feel rather hurt that you want to skip my teachings. You have only been with us for a week and I'm starting to wonder if you've been trying to get exemptions for more classes aside from this one?" I looked at him and he bit his lip.
Apparently my assumption was correct. It wasn't just my class he was trying to skip.
"Would you care to confide in me why you are trying to get exemptions?" I calmly asked.
"Isn't it rather obvious, Mrs Wood?" Bruce replied coldly. I arched an eyebrow.
"Perhaps. On that note I gather you can already guess what my answer to your question will be?"
"Will you at least consider?" He then quietly asked.
"No." I replied. "Just give it time, you might enjoy my classes."
Bruce pushed his chair back and straightened his jacket. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Wood." He said before turning his back on me and with a quick pace walked out of the classroom. It took me one minute to notice the 'Wayne Enterprises' business card he'd left on my desk with a phone number scribbled on the back.
Fifteen minutes later.
I wrapped the scarf around my neck and grabbed my keys from my pocket. All I wanted was to get home, put my feet up and have a nice cup of tea. The short but rather livid conversation with Bruce Wayne drained me of the little energy I had left inside my body. He was rather adamant on changing my mind. British butler this, English books that, can I have the curriculum. I sighed deeply. How tiring.
As I walked out of the school I spotted Bruce Wayne in the distance. His head hung low between his shoulders. I frowned, had my rejection to his offer made him that upset? I stopped and for a moment contemplated to head over when a couple of my pupils passed me on the steps. I couldn't fully hear what they were talking about except for two sentences.
"You got him good, Tom."
"Thinks he's special because he's a Wayne."
I watched over my shoulder as the boys headed inside. Despite actual evidence I immediately assumed something had occurred between Bruce Wayne and Tommy Elliot. Seeing as only one boy at the school had the surname Wayne. I started to wonder if Bruce wanted exemption from classes for different reasons other than wanting to be homeschooled again.
I turned my head back in the direction of Bruce Wayne and before I fully realized whether or not I should, I was already on my way over to him. A car pulled up in front of him and I halted. Out stepped a tall man with greying hair, sharp features wearing a dark grey suit with a purple tie. The man walked around the car and opened the door for Bruce. Bruce quickly went inside and the man shut the door behind him. Without looking my way he made his way back around the car, got in and drove off.
I stood there and watched until they were out of sight before I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the business card Bruce had left on my desk. What to do?
Phew, hope you all enjoyed that!
So far we haven't learned a lot about this OC but you will in the next chapter.
This will be a slow burn in case you were wondering :)
Reviews highly welcome ^_^