Alfred knew there was something wrong because I had scarcely said a word as I sat in the car. I was not, by any means, a quiet kid. I would talk "till the cows came home" if I thought anyone would listen that long. Since Alfred was always up to listening to me in the car, it was usually him at the other end of any of my one-way conversations. Today, however, I just stared out the window.

"Try to cut him some slack Master Dick", Alfred said smoothly to me, "he is rather busy you know."

"I know", I said, "that's why I'm mad, 'cause I can't be mad at him. It makes me angry." Alfred smirked. "I know I'm not priority in his life anyway", I muttered.

"Now, now young Master", said Alfred, "none of this feeling sorry for yourself. He does care about you, quite deeply, as you well know."

"I know", I said replied sassily, "but can't you give me five minutes of feeling sorry for myself. It makes me feel better." Alfred rolled his eyes. I gazed out the window again for a moment before striking up another conversation. "You think if I asked, Bruce would get me a rifle."

"A rifle", Alfred asked, "Why not just ask him if you can join a satanic cult? It would probably go over better." I grinned.

"You're probably right."

"Just out of curiosity master Dick", Alfred queried, "What is this new fascination with guns?"

"Not all guns, first of all, and second, not mine. It's just that everyone in school is talking about their new rifles and I was feeling out of the loop."

"I suppose he would buy it for you if you asked", Alfred said smoothly, "he tends to have a soft spot when it comes to you. But anyway, we're here." I looked out the window again and saw my school, bearing over me like some sinister prison.

"No", I groaned, "please don't make me go, it's so boring. Being a sophomore sucks. You just don't remember because it's been like a million years since you were fifteen."

"Get out of the car", Alfred said dryly, "I really don't want to have to drag you out." I begrudgingly stepping out of the car and gathered my stuff. Then, I hugged Alfred goodbye and turned towards the school, twitching with displeasure. Alfred drove away quickly, so I couldn't try to dive back in the car I suppose. I had been contemplating it. I gave a sigh and turned to walk up the steps.

The campus of the Gotham Academy was a nice one, full of trees and grass. The grounds were extensive and there was an over all feeling of grandeur and opulence. The building itself was one of the oldest in Gotham, made of smart red bricks stacked neatly. It was said to be a beautiful building, but I just thought it looked wicked.

"Dickie Greyson", I heard a voice behind me call. My face broke into a grin. I swung around to face my best friend Allen.

"Don't call me Dickie", I snapped playfully.

"Or what", Allen asked.

"I'll call you Ally", I replied. Allen grimaced, but seemed to take my threat to heart because he laid off.

"Anyway", he continued, "Did you finish your math homework?"

"You're not going to copy", I replied.

"Aww, come on Dick, just this once."

"Bruce would cut off my head and mount it on a stake if he heard I was cheating."

"It wouldn't be you cheating", he replied, "It would just be me and anyway, no one would ever know." I gave him a impish look.

"If you started doing well school Allen", I replied, "The teachers would think the apocalypse was happening. Everyone would notice." Allen rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, did you convince your old man to let you have a rifle yet?"

"I haven't asked", I muttered sheepishly.

"Don't tell me you're scared", Allen prompted, poking me in the arm.

"No", I replied angrily, "I just don't really want one is all.' Allen rolled his eyes.

"Sure", he said, "Anyway, "I reckon I'll just go ask Anna if I can copy her homework. I know she likes me."

"In your dreams", I replied.

"Speaking of dreams", Allen muttered softly, lowering his voice, "Have you gotten the name of that chick in yours yet?"

"No", I muttered darkly, "Though she's mega hot."

"Well, I guess a hot girl would only be on top of you in your wildest fantasies." I aimed a halfhearted punch at him, which he dodged before racing away after Anna, who was chatting with a few of her friends.

"Hi Dick" I looked up blankly at a group of three girls walking by me. They giggled furiously when they saw my face and raced off talking a mile a minute. I rolled my eyes. Girls, I would never understand them.

I sat down on one of the ornate fountains and pulled out my chemistry book with the intention of doing some last minute studying. I felt fairly well prepared, but one never could be too careful. A few boys walked by, saying hello to me before continuing their conversation about a rifle.

"Rifles", I muttered darkly to myself. That was what everyone was talking about these days. Gotham Academy was a rich kid's school and though I had begged Bruce to send me to public, he had maintained that I should get to know the kids I would be affiliated with when I got older and that the courses here were of much higher caliber then the ones offered at the nearest public school.

Still though, me and everyone else knew that I was an outsider here. I didn't belong to this world of fancy sports cars and ornate fountains. I was born a circus brat and I always would be. I felt out of place surrounded by all this, despite the fact that I had spent the better part of my life living in it.

The kids here went through these huge buying sprees and normally found a fad to fixate their enormous amounts of resources towards. The newest of these was a rifle and though everyone was obsessed with them, I really wasn't interested. It would have been nice to have something with which I could relate to them, but I knew what Bruce thought of guns and the truth was, I wasn't crazy about asking for stuff from him.

Bruce had this funny habit of finding out something I wanted and in a spur of boredom, buying it for me. I hated asking for anything from him because always a shadow of insecurity stayed with me, and an urge to not be too needy. I wasn't as if I really had want of anything either.

From my birth up until I was eight, my parents had not been rich. On the contrary, when I wanted something, I had to earn the money for it myself. When we didn't have money for Christmas or birthday presents, we didn't get them. This world of having everything one wanted was strange to me. I was used to a father who couldn't give me everything but always kept his promises, no matter how small.

Well, I suppose I really had no right to complain about Bruce. He was a good guy and he cared about me more then he did his money, which was more then I could say for a lot of the kids I knew that went to this prestigious place. I guess with all the money in the world, one couldn't buy affection. I was the only one in the whole school who was adopted and yet had the least family problems. Go figure.

The bell rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. Well, it was time for me to be on my way to my first class, Chemistry.

I know this has been a little slow so far, but I promise, it picks up the pace.