Somehow the writing just keeps coming and coming.
I'm so happy to see people reading the story and a few people leaving a review. I know Alfred is not the character you expect a romance story with but I think his character is one of the best in Gotham, therefore he deserves a bit of love :)
Enjoy chapter 3
It was late, around eight p.m. when my phone rang. I wasn't expecting any calls. Nobody ever called me, except for my brother and he usually only called if he needed advice or if it was my birthday. It could also be Kristin. Though she knew I wasn't big on going out during a weeknight.
"Hello?" I said as I picked up the phone.
"Good evening, Mrs. Wood?" A young boyish voice said. It had to be a student, I didn't know any children outside from school. But how did a student get my private number?
"I'm sorry, who is this?" I asked.
"It's Bruce Wayne." The voice replied and I turned my head away from the phone. Of course it is. Who else would be able to somehow get a hold of someone's phone number, you were not suppose to have in the first place?
Which I then asked as I had to know. "Bruce...how did you come across my contact information?"
"Oh that, that was easy. After I'd informed Alfred about our conversation earlier, he told me to contact you." He paused for a second as I heard muttering coming from the background. "It is, as he states, a gentleman's thing to do."
I closed my eyes as I let out a frustrated sigh. "I see. And why, may I ask, is it a gentleman's thing to do?"
Again a silence fell. I got the feeling that Bruce was more of the middle man than the actual man it was about.
"Because of your advice." Bruce then said and I sat up straight.
"Advice?" I repeated.
"Yes, the weakness oppresseth thine foe's strength,-" He stopped for a second. "Or something along those lines."
I really did not understand how I managed to get into this situation. Honestly, I didn't even understand why he was calling me. Had he not been angry with me after his encounter with Thomas? Was he actually saying it was my fault he'd gotten into a fight? I had to settle this once and for all.
"That's all right, Bruce. I wanted you to feel better and not let someone like Thomas Elliot get to you with dim-witted words."
"They helped. I mean at first they got to me. But I did not show any weakness when he confronted me in the hallway." It sounded like he was smiling and I started to get that bad feeling again.
"I mean it didn't hurt him or anything, which is why I was very upset. That is why I am calling you now. It was very rude of me to blame you for taking blows from Tommy."
I inhaled deeply as his words echoed through my mind. It had been because of me they had thrown fists at each other. I couldn't take this. If school found out I was the one who unintentionally caused the Wayne heir to fight with a student, I would surely lose my job. Perhaps it wasn't that bad, I mean I only quoted Shakespeare, it wasn't my fault that Bruce interpreted it that way.
"Mrs. Wood, are you still there?" Bruce voice sounded again.
"Unfortunately..." I said under my breath.
"Sorry?"
"Yes, Bruce. I'm still here." I replied and he continued.
"Seeing as I haven't heard from school, I take it you haven't informed them about the fight?"
This child was unbelievable. I didn't want to admit it but he was very, very clever. More clever than I had been at that age. "I have indeed not." I admitted.
"In that case let me tell you, that neither Thomas nor I will inform school about the incident either. We have resolved it amongst ourselves."
Again the young Wayne heir left me speechless. He had already resolved it? I wonder when he did.
"If that's the case, then I see no need either." I simply replied. Wasn't I suppose to be the teacher here? It was about time I took matters into my own hands.
"If that's all, Bruce, I wish you very pleasant evening."
"Likewise, Mrs. Wood. Oh, Alfred would like to have a word with you. Goodnight."
What?
"I think that's hardly necessary, Bruce. I'll see you at school,-" I quickly said into the phone.
"I insist, Miss. Wood. It's only customary to let the guardian of the pupil end the conversation in a formal manner." A voice, that did not belong to Bruce, said.
I felt quite queasy at the moment. This is not how I wanted to spend my evening. Next time no more answering the telephone after seven p.m.
Mr. Pennyworth. I,- Yes, thank you. I'm glad we got this all sorted out and you have nothing to fear regarding Bruce's education. He is very well-behaved,-"
"Really?" Mr. Pennyworth said with surprise.
"Well, perhaps today is not the best example,-"
"No, no, by all means, Miss. Wood." He continued. "It is rather...refreshing, the way you approached the situation."
Oh dear,- He'd gotten the wrong idea, hadn't he? Probably thought I wasn't fit for my job. Which I probably wasn't after today's series of unfortunate events.
"Same type of advice I would have given him. Had I known the correct Shakespearean quote at the time."
I paused as he spoke, not having caught all of what he said but I did catch the latter part. Had I heard it correctly? Was he complimenting me or was this good old Cockney sarcasm? What the bloody hell was I going to say?
"Mr. Pennyworth. I apologize if I've come across unprofessional in any sort of way. I assure you it won't happen again. Thank you for calling, I bid you a goodnight." And before he could respond I hung up.
The next day
I didn't sleep well at all last night. Even though the matter between Bruce and Thomas had been resolved, I still had this feeling nagging inside of me that it wasn't. Especially after that rather peculiar phone call last night. I walked into my classroom and sat down in my chair, after having dumped a stack of papers on the desk. I grabbed a compact mirror out of my suitcase and stared at my reflection in it. My blue eyes appeared more turquoise because of the redness surrounding them due to lack of sleep.
A knock came from the front of the room, followed by a. "Good morning Mrs. Wood."
I looked up from behind my compact mirror to see Bruce Wayne waiting patiently at the door. I quickly placed the mirror back in my suitcase and stood up from my seat.
"Good morning, Bruce. Come in. You're early." I said.
"Being punctual is very important. Something I lack, according to Alfred." Bruce walked past me to his desk at the end of the room. He dropped his bag, went to the window and waved at someone. I automatically assumed it was his butler. Bruce went back to his desk quietly, sat down and took his work for English literature out of his bag. And thus it happened that for the first, I was desperate for other students to arrive. Luckily, within a minute, another pupil arrived. Thomas Elliot. Curse it.
Today was not my day. But as Thomas walked past my desk to greet me I noticed something. Something I hadn't seen yesterday. There was a mark on his face. actually there were two marks. Fighting marks.
"Thomas?" I said slightly shocked. "What on Earth happened to you?"
Thomas halted immediately and his hand went up to his face. "What do you mean. Miss Wood?"
"I think you know very well what I mean. Did you have an accident?" I was genuinely worried. Yesterday, when I broke up the fight between him and Bruce, he had looked fine. Now here he stood with obvious damage to his face.
"I fell." Thomas said quietly.
"You fell?" I repeated.
"Yes." His eyes suddenly moved swiftly to the back of the room. "Against a door. At home. It's quite all right." I didn't push the matter any further as Thomas went to his seat. The moment Thomas sat down I turned my gaze towards Bruce Wayne. Who sat in his seat quietly, but looking rather pleased with himself. It wasn't hard to deduce what had occurred between the two after Bruce had left the school property. If he hadn't called last night, I probably wouldn't have figured it out as fast as I did. Bruce had clogged him, and he'd clogged him good. I could not do nothing. I had to confront Bruce, I had to be sure I was wrong about this.
The lesson ended after an hour and everyone hurried out of the room. Thomas was actually the first out of the room. Surprisingly, Bruce was still in his seat. As if he knew I wanted to talk to him. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how incredibly smart this boy was. Perhaps creepy was a better word. I stood up and walked over to Bruce, who politely got up as well.
"Bruce. I need to have a word with you." I said coldly.
Bruce nodded. "I thought you would after seeing Tommy."
I pressed my lips in a tight line for a second before continuing. "When you told me last night that you and Thomas had 'resolved' the matter. Did you mean it in a physical sense or a verbal manner?"
"Words were involved, Mrs. Wood. After the physical part, I admit." He replied calmly.
Oh dear Lord. He didn't even deny any of it. What had I done? Wait, no. Don't blame this on yourself, Rosalind. He obviously misinterpreted your words. If I were to mention this to the headmaster, it would be me who would get kicked out of school, not Bruce.
"Bruce, I,-" I stopped. I was incredibly frustrated. I was this close in giving Bruce the exemption he so desperately had wanted a week ago. Had it only been a week?
"I can tell your upset." Bruce stated. Stay calm, Rosalind.
"I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough over the phone with how matters were resolved between Thomas and me. I truly believed you understood, Mrs. Wood." He added.
"Clearly, Bruce. I did not. Goodness, boy. If I had known you would clog Thomas in his face, I would have prevented you from doing so." I told him.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Wood. I thought you told me not to have any fear for my foe?"
"I did say that and I meant it. I still do. But it didn't mean you should go over to your foe and beat him to,-"
"Rosalind?"
I froze at the loud voice coming from the front room of the class. I turned around and smiled politely at the headmaster. Oh, please. Don't tell me he heard all of that?
"Richard, lovely to see you. Bruce and I were talking about the Shakespeare play we are currently analysing in class."
Richard Crown frowned and asked. "What play might that be?"
"Julius Caesar, sir." Bruce said before I could. At least that made it sound more convincing.
"I see. In any case, I'd like to have a word with you, Rosalind. About Thomas Elliot." Richard continued. My heart stopped andfor a quick second I looked at Bruce, who didn't appear to be quite as shocked as I was but I did catch a glimpse of worry crossing his face.
I nodded at the headmaster of the school and asked Bruce Wayne to leave the classroom, which he did without objection. He threw one last glance into the room before closing th door behind him.
