(Ch 1)
Terry McGinnis just got home from his talk with his friend Max. As he ascended the stairs to his room, he heard his mother's voice call him. He came into the kitchen to see food on the table and his little brother Matt run past him to the table.
"Hey sweetie, dinner is ready." Terry was so distracted by today's events that he hadn't heard her. "Terry, are you all right?" she asked.
"Huh, oh sorry, I was just thinking about some stuff."
"Probably Dana," said Matt as he made kiss noises with his mouth.
"Shut it twip," he said as he sat down next to Matt as his mother placed a plate before him. He hadn't been thinking about Dana, his girlfriend. He thinks about the boy he had saved in the fire. He wondered if the boy really didn't know that he was Batman. Maybe he was a good kid who was keeping this secret for him, like Max was.
"Terry, are you going to eat?" He looked into the worried eyes of his mother.
"Oh sorry mom, it's been a long day with school and everything."
"You work so hard Terry. You need to relax. Summer's coming up."
"I'll relax when I can mom, but Mr. Wayne needs me." He could see the frown on her face, and he took her hand. "Don't worry mom, I'm ok."
She smiled. "Well all right but I won't let you leave this table until you finish your plate."
After dinner he went up to his room, lied down on his bed, and sighed. The last day of school was tomorrow and Terry was nervous. He hadn't exactly had any future plans for himself like college. He was Batman; he had to protect Gotham from evil. The lights were off in his room, and he preferred it that way. The room felt calmer that way. He closed eyes and basked in the peace until the phone on his side table rang. He groaned as he sat up in bed and grabbed the phone. "Hello."
"Hey Terry? Excited about tomorrow?"
"Dana. Hey, I don't know. It's just another day."
"How can you say that? It's the end of being a teenager and moving into adulthood."
"I guess I never saw it that way."
"So, I was thinking we could hangout tonight at the Gotham club. Everyone's going to be there. We're celebrating."
"I-I don't think so Dana. I'm kind of feeling tired. I think I'm just going to crash, but I'll see you tomorrow." The phone had disconnected. 'She hung up, great McGinnis you really messed up this time,' he thought.
He hung up his phone, lied back down on his bed in the dark, and drifted off.
He didn't see his mother open his door; letting some light in. She closed the door quietly and made her way downstairs.
She picked up the phone near the couch and dialed a number. She waited as the rings passed by until she heard the voice she called. "Maxine."
"Hello Miss. McGinnis, what's going on?"
"I-I'm worried about Terry, and I was thinking you could find out what's wrong with him. He won't talk to me."
"I'll do what I can Miss. McGinnis, I promise."
"Oh thank you Maxine. Your parents are so lucky to have someone as great as you, goodbye." Maxine swallowed the lump in her throat as she hung up the phone.
Gotham City Club…
Max found her friends in a booth and joined them. She noticed Dana was in a bad mood. 'Oh no,' she thought, 'it has to be Terry.' Dana turned to Max and smiled.
"Hey Max, glad you can make it, unlike other people I know."
"Oh come on Dana, I'm sure he had a good reason," said Max.
"He said he's tired, Max. I can't do this anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't be with Terry anymore. If he can't find time for me, it's over. I don't deserve this."
"At least talk this out with him tomorrow. Give him a chance to explain before you do anything."
"I'll give him that." Dana got up and joined her friend Blake on the dance floor. Guys were surrounding both girls, and Dana smiled at the attention she was getting. She liked it.
Max was more shocked to see Dana letting a guy grind her on the dance floor. "Wait a minute." Her eyes widened. She remembered another time when Dana was flirting with some guy. When she confronted Dana about it, she said it was harmless; girls do it all the time. Was she supposed to tell Terry? What if he didn't believe her and there friendship was ruined? It was a risk she had to take.
The pounding music combined with tonight's events was giving her a headache. She decided to go home early. She took off her shoes, placed them by her bed, and lied down. Her mind went back to yesterday when Terry had told her about the boy who knew his identity under the Batman suit. She didn't believe for one second that the boy didn't know Terry's face. He seemed smarter than that. She set her alarm, pulled the covers over her pajama body, and drifted off.
