3: Lunchtime Blues

Bruce's next few lessons passed him by, as they had with the private tutors in the days after his parents death. The news of Jenna Duffy's murder was spreading like wildfire and bringing up painful memories Bruce had spent the last couple of years trying to suppress. His stomach constricted painfully as he exited U.S. History. His girlfriend, Selina, eyed him warily.

"Bruce, honey?" She asked, taking his arm gently. "Are you okay?"

Selina's warm touch snapped him out of it. "Sorry," Bruce said. "Mind bunnies."

"Mind bunnies..." Selina giggled and looked as though she was trying to picture that. "Come on, let's go get some grub."

Bruce accompanied Selina down the winding steps of the Maths block towards the main school building and the cafeteria. "So..." Selina practically purred. "Football tryouts are after school today through to Friday. Maybe you should try out," She squeezed Bruce's biceps teasingly, making him blush. "You've got the guns."

The word "guns" stirred the memories from earlier. Bruce pulled his arm abruptly away from Selina. She looked confused and Bruce quickly said, "I'm not a football kind of guy."

"Oh, come on," Selina pushed. "It'll be fun! Who knows, maybe you could finally take quarterback position out from under Harvey Dent."

"Or I could get pounded into the dirt by Croc and Bane," Bruce said flatly. "Thanks but no thanks."

Selina sighed. "They're not all bad. Luke Fox is a Fullback and he's a pretty nice guy. Hell, Victor Fries is a wide receiver."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought you hated football?"

"I never said that." She shouted over the din of the voice as they entered the cafeteria.

"We're not going to sit with the 'popular kids' are we?" Bruce asked, sounding like he was entering the gates of hell.

"All you have to do is say hello," Selina whispered back to him. "Then you can go catch up with Babs over whatever."

Bruce was glad Selina was so understanding. He'd dated so many jealous girlfriends over the years who all insisted on dragging him to preppy dances and socializing with their bitchy friends he'd just...ugh, he'd had enough. It was what had initially attracted him to her. They'd met in a coffee shop in Bristol when Bruce had still gone to Elliott. Selina had been a Goth princess and so friendly, that he'd found himself returning to the shop more and more often until he finally got the guts to ask her out. So far they'd shared one awkward dinner with her family and though Selina's mom liked him, her dad was a different story.

"Hey, guys!" Selina called and bounced over to join the table that was in the center of the room and that other students seemed weary of.

"Hello Selina," The drop-dead gorgeous girl from earlier said. "Bruce."

Selina had informed on the way here of Pamela's...ugh, condition. Back in freshman year, she'd been a nerd and hanging out with the likes of Kendra Kiss and Jonathan Crane. She'd also had horrendous acne and had discovered a cure for it. And it worked. Except, one of the side effects was that her skin was permanently dyed green. She'd also developed a weird obsession with plants. She'd fought tooth and nail for a position on the cheerleading team and her popularity sky rocketed when she started to lead the team. She was still an over-zealous activist and feminist but Selina had assured her that she only really got scary when she was passionate about something.

"Pamela." He said as Selina took a seat. Bruce stood standing for a few seconds before sitting down.

She smiled at him. It was a smile that seemed to be layered with meaning, a little flirtatious and a little condescending. "I do hope you're enjoying your first day at Gotham High. Couldn't have been easy starting the day with all that morbid news."

"Ugh, don't even, Pam," Selina gripped Bruce's hand a little tighter. "Poor Alison. I just saw her standing outside of homeroom, crying her eyes out. I had no idea what to say."

While the girls discussed Alison, Bruce wondered whether he should go and find her and say something. He had no idea who either Jenna Duffy or Alison Wonder were but his own experience with loss made him want to find her and hold her. To tell her everything was going to be okay. He suppressed the urge as his attention was attracted by something else in the room.

Bane, the big guy that had (maybe?) threatened him earlier was with another hulking mass of a guy who Selina had told him suffered from something called atavism. Anyway, everyone called him "Croc" not only because he was a vicious, nasty piece of work but because he did actually did look little like a crocodile. And at the moment, he was busy harassing some kids. He recognized all three from his homeroom. One of them was a short, fat kid who resembled a penguin with a hooked nose and chubby stature. The other was a kid who dressed a bit like the poorer kids at his old private school. He was kind of hispter-y, brown hair and black thick rimmed glasses, smart black pants, a tie and shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a purple sweater vest. Yes, quite pretentious for somewhere like Gotham High. He was taller than his two friends but Bane and Croc still towered over him. The third was another weird kid in the school called Victor Fries. His mom has been dying of cancer a while back so - naturally - his dad froze her and both he and his father had spent the next three years trying to find a cure. A cryogenics accident in the lab caused him to develop a body temperature below freezing. He even had to wear special clothes to keep him warm.

Pamela huffed, irritated. "I really wish those two would just leave them alone..." She didn't so anything but her eyes looked pretty intense. Bruce guessed that she still had solidarity for the 'geeks' even if she wasn't one of them any more.

"We should do something..." Bruce said. He hated bullies. There'd been plenty at Elliott. He remembered the first few years of that school, people constantly shoving him into lockers and spitting on him. His hands curled into fists.

"Bruce. Don't." Selina told him wearily.

"You're better off waiting until Kendra finds out," Pamela smirked. "Now that is always entertaining."

If there's one thing Victor Fries hated the most in life, it was probably Waylon Jones. He had some minor - very minor indeed - respect for Bane. He seemed to have some half-dogged strategy of waiting until they weren't around Kendra or Vicki or Jonathan - the people who could actually defend themselves and their friends.

Croc was busying tipping the contents of Eddie's and Victor's bags all over the floor, much to Victor's chagrin. "Gentlemen," He said through gritted teeth, trying to keep a pleasant demeanor. "Enough. We don't have that much on us today."

"Same here," Cobblepot flapped about under Bane's steel grip. "I've only got a couple of dollars."

Bane chuckled, his laugh booming across the cafeteria and drawing a few glances. "Don't make me laugh, Oswald," Bane grinned. "You're as rich as the sun is bright. A couple of dollars to you is a couple of twenties to me."

"Yeah," Croc backed, his voice deep and cavernous as ever. "A couple of your dollars is like a freakin' house to me."

"Fine!" Cobblepot snapped and handed over a wad of cash.

Eddie stared at Victor and motioned for him to do the same but Victor balled his hands into fists. Eddie handed the money to Croc and Waylon turned to Victor, "And you, Icecube? You gunna fork it over?"

Victor gritted his feet and spat, "No."

Bane dropped Oswald with a thud. He let out a cry of pain while Bane stalked towards Victor. "What's that, little man?" Bane demanded as Waylon flanked him. "Because I thought I heard you say no. I really hope I didn't."

"You must have something in your ears, Bane," Victor growled. "Because I was pretty clear."

"You were pretty good last year as our wide receiver, Fries," Bane said, maybe even a little respect coming into his tone. "I guess little guy's like you have to have something going for them. See if you can catch this one, Frosty."

Bane swung at him and Victor narrowly avoided, having predicted his actions. Victor tried to get his hands up to protect his face as Bane and Croc readied themselves for another attack. Luckily, it never came.

"There a problem here?" A gruff voice came from behind Bane and Croc. They turned to see Luke Fox, the football team's Fullback, glaring at the two Neanderthals.

"Mind you're own business, Fox," Croc spat back. "This ain't got nothing to do with you."

"Really? 'Cause it looks like you just mugged two guys and are beating on another in the middle of a public place," Luke said and suddenly he turned deadly serious. "Give them their money back and get out."

"What you gunna do about it, Fox?" Waylon said, advancing on the other slightly shorter boy.

Croc stopped dead and yelped in pain, clutching his foot, he turned growling to see what had hurt him. Barbara Gordon had run him over with the wheel of her chair. Good on her, Victor thought.

Barbara then maneuvered her chair so she was positioned between Victor and Bane. "What are you going to do, Bane? Hit a girl in a wheelchair?" She was smirking at him.

"Get out the way, Barbara." Bane spat at her.

"Hey!" Luke called. "You don't get to talk to her like that, Bane! I'm warning you for the last time, give them their money back and get out of here before I kick your ass so hard, you'll miss all of this weeks try-outs!"

Bane regarded Luke coldly for a moment. Then he turned to Croc and snapped, "Give them their cash back."

"ARE YOU SERIO-!"

"Croc," He snapped. "Not here."

Croc tossed the cash to the ground and shoved into Luke Fox on the way out. Luke just ignored them. "Don't think this is over," Bane snarled at them. "We'll be seeing you around, Victor. You to Babs...Luke..." He chuckled evilly on the way out.

"I really hate that man." Barbara informed Luke.

While Eddie and Cobblepot collected their cash, Victor said, "Thank you for the assistance," His heart was still pounding. "It was much needed."

"No worries, man," Luke told him. "Team-mates gotta look out for each other. Speaking of team-mates, you played pretty well last season, Victor. You trying out for running back this year?"

"Probably not," Victor replied with a sigh. "I'm obviously already on those imbeciles's hit list. I'd rather not give them an opportunity."

"You shouldn't be scared off by them, Victor," Barbara told him sternly. "Like you said, they're imbeciles. Let them stop you from doing something you enjoy, they win. If I let this chair dictate my life, then I'd never get anyway. Literally."

Guilt welled up inside Victor. Here he was, moaning because he was afraid to face up to two idiots. He remembered middle school, when the news had spread of Barbara's car crash, that she was now in a wheelchair. Still, the first day back into school after the accident, she held her head high and didn't let any of the staring get to her. If Barbara could overcome something as life changing as that, Victor could certainly try out for the football team.

"Just have a go, Victor," Luke encouraged. "If all else fails, we'll put a good word in for you to our dads."

Victor even managed a smile. All current problems aside, maybe he could learn to enjoy Junior year.

The first thing Kendra Kiss did when she emerged from an hour of English - pure torture when you're brain's not creatively wired - was make a beeline for the auditorium. It was a place staked out by her friends for breaks and lunches, known as the Geek Den. It had all started first day of Freshman year. Her and Vicki had snuck in here after finding all the tables in the cafeteria. For the first three weeks, they'd been eating their lunches there and just generally messing around every day without fail. Then one day, they'd been caught by the head drama professor, Mr. Tetch. He'd yelled at them but eventually took pity on their lowly social status and (after a lot of sucking up, promising to be in every school production and electing theater class as one of their subjects) the girls had been allowed to stay, as long as it looked like they were working.

Edward Nygma had found the place about a month later, when he'd run in there hiding from Bane and Croc. Kendra and Vicki had covered for him when the bruisers had come in here sticking their noses around and Vicki had warned them off by telling them Tetch would give them a detention for harassing two hard-working drama students. Eddie had started eating lunch with them after that and it had been the beginning of a beautiful (and hateful) relationship...and hopefully something more, in Kendra's case.

God, she really needed to stop thinking about that purple sweater vest.

Yes, the auditorium had been a blessing for Kendra and Vicki. It had brought them a place of their own to hang out in (when they weren't kicked out by the drama club and had to wander the school like lost souls) and it had brought them friends. Eddie had kind of just showed up with Victor Fries and Jonathan Crane one day and the girls had kind of just rolled with it. Victor didn't speak much. Not because he was shy but because whenever he did, someone usually talked over or mocked him so he'd gotten used to keep his mouth shut. They'd managed to bring him out of his shell a bit more but he was still a tad...cold? Jonathan was a little emo-y but brilliant. Every year, he'd think of some new way to prank the entire school - much to Joe Kerr's anger.

They were all crazy smart, Kendra kind of felt like the one just hanging on to the edge of her AP classes while they coasted theirs. Sure, she loved science and wanted to be a CSI when she grew up. She liked photography and swimming. But where the hell was that going to get her in later life?

When she entered the auditorium, it was empty. That was strange. The guys usually beat her here.

"Hello?" Kendra skipped towards the stage, swinging her arms and the sound of her shoes echoing across the large expanse. "Heeeeeello? Anyone hoooooome?"

"Hello, Kendra."

Kendra jumped a foot in the air and spun around with her heart pounding. "Jonathan!" She hissed. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," He grinned at her as he emerged from the shadows. "Couldn't resist."

"Where are the others?" Kendra asked as she rummaged through her bright blue backpack for her lunch.

"Beats me," Crane said, shrugging. "I think Vicki had French. The others had...business, maybe?" Kendra made a mental note to learn people's schedules for this year.

Just as Kendra and Crane had started eating, the others arrived. She could hear Cobblepot's obnoxiously loud voice a mile away. "I'm really starting to hate those guys!"

"Hate is such a strong word," Eddie said. "I prefer..."

"Despise?"

"Better."

Kendra sighed, "What happened this time?"

"Bane happened." Eddie spat, throwing his book bag onto the stage.

"Are you guys okay?"

"No bruises," Cobblepot told her. "But Frosty the Snowman decided to put a huge target on all our backs. Thanks, by the way, Vic."

"You stood up to Bane?" Jonathan asked, impressed. He ruined it when he said, "That was stupid."

"Add pretty brave." Kendra chimed in.

"I used reason," Victor said as he walked off up onto the stage via the steps rather than pulling himself up. "Apparently not something Waylon and Bane understand."

"I'll say!" Cobblepot sniggered. "Especially the part where he swung his fist at you like a confused monkey."

"He tried to hit you?" Kendra asked, suddenly serious.

"Barbara and Luke intervened," Victor explained, even managing something that resembled a smile. "And I dodged the blow."

"And almost fell over..." Eddie muttered.

"Still, that's good!" Kendra said. "All that football, I'll bet. Speaking of, are you going to the tryouts."

Victor sighed and grumbled, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Perhaps it's because despite you're intellectual pursuits you are one of the few of us - bar Kendra and Vicki - who actually enjoys sports." Jonathan stated.

Victor mulled this information over for a moment. He thought about what Barbara said earlier. "Maybe I'll try for wide receiver this year. Or running back."

"See!" Kendra motioned at Victor. "We losers can be good at sport and Math!"

"The only reason you're good at Math is because I tutor you," Eddie pointed out. "Without me, you'd just be like Joe Kerr."

"Oh god, no," Kendra whispered, miming fake horror. "Anything but that!" Then she threw a book at Eddie.

He narrowly avoided it and snickered, "Knowledge is power, I suppose."

The door of the auditorium opened and all eyes snapped towards the sound. It was Vicki and...Bruce Wayne?

"Is that the honorable Bruce Wayne gracing us with his presence?" Jonathan drawled sarcastically. Kendra suppressed a smirk. Yes, she knew it was mean to laugh at the new kids but she couldn't help it. Kendra knew Bruce's type. He'd be sitting with the popular kids within a week and would likely be the next in line to hand out beatings to the weaker students of the school.

"Lay off, guys," Vicki snapped. Kendra noticed her friend sounded a little angry with the way they were treating Bruce, "He's just here for some notes from last semester."

"You'd think a rich boy like you would be able to write your own notes," Jonathan continued, ignoring Vicki's warning. "Or at least be able to afford to buy your own instead of leeching off far more capable students."

Vicki shot him a mucky look and Bruce just ignored him as she handed over the notes.

"And one would think a self-proclaimed master of fear such as yourself wouldn't be afraid of his own shadow." Victor said promptly.

"Oh, come on," Jonathan snapped at him. "Who's side are you on, Victor?"

"Stop bickering you too!" Kendra said. Then she forced herself to sound pleasant enough to say, "Hi, Bruce."

"Hi, Kendra."

Again, the door to the auditorium slammed against the walls, causing the sound to echo like a pot crash against a stove. Kendra flinced at the sound, that and the maniacal laughter and then grimaced. "Well, well, well," Joe Kerr drawled, stepping into the auditorium. "What do we have here, a slumber party?"

"It's called a private social gathering, Kerr," Kendra told him firmly. "Note the word private."

"Calm down, Queenie," He teased. "The door was open."

The five friends on the stage glared at the Bruce like he was the anti-Christ. "Well, um," Bruce said, suddenly awkward. "I'll see you around, Vicki."

"Not so fast, Master Wayne," Joe mocked, putting on a phony British accent. "You're the one I'm here for."

As Joe advanced on Bruce, Kendra felt a little uneasy. "Well...what do you want him for?"

"I don't kiss and tell," Joe chuckled. "Get it! Kiss and tell!" Kendra rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, my talent is wasted on you people!" And with that, Joe steered Bruce out the room.

And that's where I've written up to so far! I really hoped you enjoyed it, god knows I had fun writing up.

I really appreciate all the feedback, good and bad. I want to make sure I'm capturing the voices of these characters. I'm also interested in any ideas you have to contribute for future chapters and such like what characters you'd like to see more of and what POV's you most want to see.

There hasn't been much romance - because there's so many characters, argh! - but it's definitely on the horizon. I had a lot of fun writing Joe/Harley interactions and Kendra/Eddie. Expect Selina/Bruce moments and some Vicki/Bruce moments as well as a couple of cute Nora/Victor (F) interactions and maybe some Pam/Harvey, Dick/Babs and Kathy/Lydia in the future.

Who do you ship? Knowing me, this story is probably going to turn into a mess of ships, sexual innuendo and romantic subtext so I'll try and get in any character interactions (romantic or not) you'd like to see. Also, expect to see more of the long-suffering teachers.

Plus the murders. Bet you thought I'd forgot about that, didn't you. Well, no. This is Gotham guys. Not everything can be puppies and rainbows. Expect some shocking revelations about Alison Wonder and a lot of sneaking around by teachers that Vicki might ending up getting too close to.

And most of all READ AND REVIEW OTHERWISE JOE WILL BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE AND PUT ITCHING POWDER IN YOUR UNDERWEAR.