Author's Note: Hey I'm back with another chapter hope you guys like it.
Jumpside Elementary
Chapter 3
Trouble
Back at Jumpside a half hour earlier the lunch bell rang as students filed into the cafeteria taking up their trays as a line quickly formed down the left hand side of the room, and the lunch ladies served up mashed potatoes and gravy with chicken nuggets, peas and spiced apple. The kids each picked up a small carton of white, chocolate or strawberry milk and paid for their lunches before sitting down to eat. As the room quickly filled up, a small African American boy sat by himself in the back of the lunchroom wearing a red t-shirt with black stripes across the shoulders and camouflage pants. The little boy who seemed to be about 9 or 10 with an explosion of blonde hair stared crestfallen at his tray. No one else would sit with him although the other children noticed him but dismissed his presence just as fast. The other teachers took note as Gar, Richard, Kori, Vic and Tara approached the boy to see what the deal was. Gar was the first one to reach out to the boy touching his shoulder as he looked up at them with a timid expression.
"Hey. Is this seat taken?" Gar asked gently as he could. The little boy shook his head.
"Well is it okay if we sit with you?" Richard asked. The boy looked back at him questioningly and silently nodded. And the teachers gently sat down next to him.
"What are you doing over here by yourself?" Rich asked. The boy shrugged as he looked back at them.
"Nobody wanted to sit with Me." he answered in a low voice, almost whispering.
"Well what's your name?" Gar asked.
"Kaldur." The boy replied innocently.
"Don't you have any friends Kaldur?" Richard asked. The dark skinned boy shook his head.
"No one likes me." he replied.
"Well what makes you say that?" Kori asked swinging her leg over the bench and leaning in to listen.
Kaldur looked back at her hurt, his eyes rolled back as he touched his sizable blonde Afro.
"They make fun of my hair, say its not the right color. And that I'm too quiet and weird." He replied. The teachers groaned in sympathy as Richard, Vic and Rachael couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of anger at the boy's plight.
"Well I know how to fix that. Be right back." Rich said standing over the group and excused himself.
The teacher walked around the table they were sitting at and moved a few spaces where two young boys were seated amongst a sea of students. Coming up behind two boys Kaldur's age, Richard stuck his head down between them and got their attention.
"Tim, Conner you guys got a second?" he asked them. The boys went rigid as soon as he spoke to them and reluctantly turned back to see him.
"Yeah?" Tim asked.
"What's up?" added Conner.
"You see that boy down there with the other teachers? I want you guys to play with him at recess and help him feel welcome." He instructed. Conner who had short black hair and wore a blue t-shirt with the Superman emblem scowled at him.
"Do we have to?" the boy retorted.
"As a matter of fact you do. We just learned that he doesn't have any friends and everyone else picks on him." he told Conner.
"That's because he's weird and quiet. He wont talk to anyone so I don't bother." Conner said with a defiant shrug.
"Well think of this as extra credit. Give him a chance you might actually like him and want him to be your friend. That goes for you too Tim." The teacher ordered as Tim looked up at him dumbstruck.
"Why are you lumping me together with Conner?" he asked wearing a scarlet t-shirt with yellow rectangular stripes down the middle, black short sleeves and an 'R' symbol on the left side of his shirt.
"Because your best friends and it'll double the number of friends he has. Killing two birds with one stone." The teacher replied. The boys groaned in disapproval looking back at the lonely Kaldur.
"Come on, chop-chop." He told them. The boys sighed and picked up their lunch trays having to abandon their other classmates.
The two boys sat across from Kaldur and the teachers a few minutes later forced to say hi to him, Conner having no real interest while Tim was a little more outgoing.
"Hi." He said.
"Hi." Kaldur replied shyly.
"I'm Tim and this is my friend Conner." Tim said shaking hands with him. Conner rolled his eyes and didn't shake hands with the boy as the teachers stood over them. The boy in blue sighed and shook hands with Conner still not pleased with the situation he found himself in.
"Kaldur. What are you guys doing here? I thought you were sitting with your friends?" he asked.
"We were." muttered Conner and was elbowed by Tim under the table.
"Ow." He said holding his side and glared at his best friend. Tim smiled back at Kaldur and changed the subject.
"We changed our minds. It was a little crowded over there." he replied.
"Oh." Kaldur said and slumped in his seat misinterpreting his response. Earning a mild glare from the teachers.
"But you know there's plenty of room over here and we don't really talk to those guys over there anyway. We saw you by yourself and thought we'd drop in and say hi. So do you want to hang out with us at recess?" Tim recovered. Kaldur paused and looked away embarrassed.
"Um, sure I guess." He replied softly.
"Awesome, it'll be fun. Right Kon?" Tim smiled and ribbed his friend once more. Conner yelped briefly and scoffed with a disapproving glare towards Kaldur.
"Yeah…fun." he muttered.
After seeing that he was in reasonably good hands with Tim and Conner, the teachers made their way back to the lounge to start their own late lunch while several of them stayed behind to scan the lunch room one last time before turning it over to the attendants who actually oversaw the cafeteria. A short time later the recess bell rang and students raced to the playground on the other side of the school. Tim and Kon made sure to take Kaldur with them and hang out with him as promised sitting out under an oak tree bringing Tim's beloved Batman action figures out with him. And had three toys with him that day, two of which were 7" high Batman and Joker action figures, while the third one was the shell of a Batmobile that had sustained some damage from their intensive play while Tim handed Kaldur his Batman action figure as he sat between them on a tree root, and was taken back that someone would let him play with one of their toys, clutching the plastic figure delicately and looked back at the boys in gratitude.
"So come on are you going to play or not?" Conner rudely asked snapping Kaldur from his haze as he glanced back at him while Tim glared at his best friend sitting across from him.
"Oh, yes of course. But…is it okay if I play with this by myself?" Kaldur asked.
"You can do whatever you want Kaldur." Tim told him even though the idea was for them to play together, which Conner still wasn't that thrilled over.
Kaldur looked down at the coveted toy and briefly considered playing with the figure by himself. But thought better of it and looked back at Tim.
"It would make more sense if Batman had the Batmobile." He reasoned.
"Or we could just saw that the Joker stole it and he has to catch it." Conner flippantly replied. Kaldur's sudden smile faded while Tim laughed at his friend's remark.
"Don't worry you get used to him. He's kind of a jerk but once you get past that... actually he's still a jerk but you learn to tolerate him." Tim joked.
Kaldur smiled slightly and laughed realizing he was among friends as he leaned in with the Batman toy in hand, and Tim with the Batmobile while Conner begrudgingly joined in with the Joker action figure he was holding and the three explained to each other what was happening between Batman and the Joker and how the Batmobile was involved and were drawn into the game.
Across the way Conner's slightly younger cousin Chris was playing soccer with the boys. The adopted son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, Chris has short brown hair parted to one side and was decked out in a Superman t-shirt like his few months older cousin Conner, with the Man of Steel in flight, jeans and a red vest. The game was soon be interrupted by a boy named Damian the bratty and contemptible son of billionaire industrialist Bruce Wayne. At just six years old Damian had a superiority complex the size of Jump City itself. Ruled by his ego Damian had contempt of anyone that wasn't of Wayne blood and was a handful for both teachers and students. As the ball landed at his feet Damian picked up the ball as Chris ran toward him.
"Hey thanks can we have our ball back?" the older student asked. Damian glared at him clutching the ball in his tiny hands and responded in a dry, sardonic tone.
"Why?" he asked. Chris looked to his side and then back to Damian.
"Because we were playing with it." he reasoned.
"But it rolled up to me, so it's mine now. You'll have to take better care of your stuff kid." Damian replied in his self-assured tone.
"But its not yours, it belongs to the school. Which means it belongs to everyone." Chris reasoned calmly. The boy flashed an evil smile at the forth grader.
"Tell you what if you let me play I'll let you have it back." he replied. Chris smiled at the younger student.
"Yeah sure, let's go." Chris said and rushed back to the field. The kindergartner flashed a wicked smile as he tossed the ball slightly in the air.
"Yes, let's. This will be too easy." He said and walked onto the field.
A short time later he was playing with the older students and ignored whose team he was on. Pushing and shoving everyone out of the way at his attempts to volley the ball but was repaid in kind as the other kids got the ball away from him a few too many times, and initiated a temper tantrum with Damian tripping and then kicking one of the downed players that dared foul up his play until Chris was forced to step in and separate him from the older player. Outraged at the indignity of being touched by one of the 'lower class' he assaulted Chris hitting him in the stomach and legs until one of the teachers broke it up, blowing his whistle as he came onto the field. The recess instructor got between them demanding an explanation for the one sided brawl. Chris however wasn't hurt and calmly tried to explain while Damian was still having a meltdown over the minor scuffle, demanding that he was in the right as always.
The instructor had enough and carted the younger student off the field by his shoulder. And was given a timeout next to the wall of the building for the rest of the period. The kindergartner brooded having his precious playtime stolen from him yet again. It wasn't his fault they were all idiots, they weren't giving him a chance to dominate them. The boy rolled his eyes as he slid down to the concrete and sat out the last fifteen minutes of recess. The instructor blew his whistle as students lined up by the door, and Damian was finally allowed to leave. The bell rang a short time later as returned to class, but Damian was still fuming over having his recess taken away. And refused to cool off as he entered the classroom downstairs. And groaned at the bright and happy decorum that littered his kindergarten classroom and the exceedingly peppy Ms. Anders who he was convinced was there to torture them with rudimentary grade school skills, incessant storytelling and inane songs. The only thing he mildly enjoyed about it were coloring time and juice boxes, at least then he didn't have to listen to anyone while he got some work done. But today seemed especially grating to Damian, and it appeared that having his recess taken away was the straw the broke the camel's back.
Ever since the disgrace Damian had been irritable all through class period still focused on making those older boys pay and calling Kori names anytime she called on him to answer a question. Kori of course took notice and tried to figure out what was wrong with her calm demeanor but Damian wouldn't have it, saying she was an idiot and that anyone could do her job. Kori finally had enough and put her book down.
"All right what seems to be the problem?" she asked in a more adult tone.
"The problem is that I'm surrounded by idiots all the time, that includes you Anders. Anybody can teach a room full of babies. In case you haven't noticed Ms. Anders I'm not a baby, I'm smarter than anyone else in this room and I demand to be moved up at least a grade or two." The six year old replied venomously.
Kori narrowed her eyes at the student and doled out her first punishment of the school year.
"Damian I think you should go sit in the corner. We'll talk about your placement in this school later." She advised in a calm, even voice. Damian balked slamming his hands on the table as he stood up.
"You don't get it do you? You're holding me back! Your all holding me back! Well I'm sick of it!" he yelled grabbing a large toy tractor and hurling it across the room at Kori.
The teacher sidestepped briefly dodging it as it slammed into the wall behind her and was shocked by this show of violence and forced her hand. Unable and unwilling to tolerate this Kori pressed the intercom and asked for Richard to come down to her classroom, while she tried to handle Damian until he got there.
Kori made her way around the table as he chuckled papers, crayons and writing utensils at her, which did her no harm, and she was forced to apprehend the unruly student from behind. The door of her classroom opened a minute later as Richard stood at the threshold and raced in to help her.
"What's going on?" he said concerned as he grabbed Damian's shoulder.
"He's throwing a temper tantrum, help me get him up to the principle's office." She told him as they lifted Damian out of his seat while the other students watched.
"So what did he do?" he asked.
The story would soon be retold in Principle Wilson's office as the trio infront of his desk with Damian's father Bruce Wayne sitting behind them in the left corner of his office, and Chris Kent and the recess teacher standing next to the door.
While his father stared at the back of their heads in a black suit and tie, arms folded, and his left leg crossed with a sneer. Richard, Kori and Damian stood in the middle of the room facing Slade as the principle sat behind his desk with a bewildered expression, slouching slightly in his chair with his left fist pressed against his cheek and a leg crossed behind his desk trying to make sense of the situation.
"You threw a tractor at her?" he said in disbelief. Damian remained silent and stone-faced, glaring back at the principle in defiance.
"Answer him Damian." His father said with a hint of annoyance. The boy scoffed and responded.
"What difference does it make if I did?" he answered in a low voice.
"It makes a lot of difference Damian. This is only the first day of school and I've already had to call your father. This is pretty serious, starting fights, throwing things at the teacher and calling her names. I don't want to have to expel you on the very first day of school. That's not a very good way to start the year Damian." The principle said softly scolding him. The boy scoffed and was unaffected by his declaration.
The principle leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk and clasped his hands together as he continued.
"You talk about how others don't respect you and that you deserve to be moved up a few grades. But from what I've heard so far, you don't deserve any of that Damian. You're a selfish, self-entitled brat who throws a temper tantrum when you don't have your way and until you learn to behave yourself you wont be going anywhere grade wise." He told Damian before focusing his attention on Mr. Wayne who was still in the room.
"I apologize for my brashness though Mr. Wayne. But your son has some serious control issues; I do hope that you look into that Mr. Wayne." Slade added. Bruce narrowed his eyes mildly annoyed but took it in stride.
"Not at all Mr. Wilson, I suppose part of the blame is mine. Mind you I wasn't like this when I was his age." He said standing up.
"I wasn't trying to imply that Mr. Wayne, but maybe you should spend a little more time with him." Wilson replied in a courteous tone. And sat up as his mouth vanished behind his steepled fists.
"And what's the final verdict?" Bruce asked. The principle pondered for a moment.
"I believe we'll just skirt the punishment for the time being. And leave the rest of that in your capable hands Mr. Wayne." He said standing up from his desk. The two shook hands as Bruce nodded ending the conference.
"Sorry for having to bring you down here." Slade mentioned.
"It happens, this is the third school he's been to now." Bruce answered.
"Really." The principle said intrigued.
"Yeah he's had problems at other schools, the last one he went to St. Vincent's really didn't work out." Bruce mentioned.
"I can imagine." muttered Slade.
"I thought we'd try public schools and see if that would bring him down a peg. Apparently I was wrong." Bruce said looking back at his kid.
"I know a good child psychologist you can try." Slade said handing him a card from his pocket.
"I'll take it into consideration." He smiled pocketing the card.
"Hopefully we wont be in here too many times." Slade joked.
"Yeah, I wouldn't count on that." Bruce replied raising an eyebrow in a hint of cynicism.
After the meeting concluded Damian was taken home by his father while Chris went upstairs to the art room. The class was already underway as he poked his head in the door and soon noted his presence. The boy made his way up to the teacher's desk and handed her a note explaining his absence and took his seat at a table towards the back of the class where his cousin Conner and his friends Tim and Kaldur sat across from him.
The rest of the school day went on without a hitch and the final bell rang with students running to their buses. At the back of the school stood a line of bright yellow buses numbered one to thirty-one with black lettering emblazoned on the sides as 'Jump City United Public School Dist. No. 45'. Engines started as the first ten buses were filled to capacity and started to back away from their parking blocks while students continued to fill up the remaining buses and left the school parking lot. The smell of diesel smoke filled the air as the trail of buses circled around the front of the school and hit the road taking the children home as their engines raced up to speed. At last the first day of school was finally over.
Author's Note: All right so what'd you think of that? I apologize if the end seemed a little lackluster. To be honest I've been having a little trouble finding the direction of this story. One of my friends asked me if other characters would make an appearance in this story and I decided to go ahead with that. I'm fairly certain you recognized some of them. Others maybe not so much. Anyway that's all for now let me know what you think.
Please review,
The Green Gallant.