Okay, here goes nothing. Deep breaths. You can do this Kori. I open the doors to the school and walk in with Richard, hand in hand. They're only staring Kori. Nothing more. I mean...dating Richard is a big thing. Every girl in the school has a mega crush on him. Any girl would die to be called his girlfriend. And I'm his girlfriend, which is why everyone is giving me dirty looks. That's right. Be jealous bitches! No one is going near my Richard unless its me. I pass by Kitten and her goons, her face looks less swollen. She gives me a dirty look, humphs, and slams her locker down.

"People should take pictures", I comment to Richard.

He laughs and tightens his grip on my hand. "They should get used to it. You're not going anywhere for a long time."

I stop at my locker, Richard staying with me. "At least they call me Kori now." I put in my locker combination. "So did your father notice anything different about the house?"

He shook his head. "No, except he suspected one of the vases has a chip on it. I have a feeling he does know I throw parties."

I grab my books and I raise my eyebrow. "He would of confronted the problem."

"Probably not", he tells me. "Bruce isn't one for parenting. He usually ignores it or has Alfred punish us."

I close my locker and place my back against it. "So did you tell your father about us?"

He swallows a lump in his throat and itches the back of his neck. "Um...not yet."

"How come?", I ask. Really? Why not? I told my parents. "I have told my parents. They weren't surprised or anything."

He grabs both of my hands and laces his fingers through mine. "Its complicated. I mean...I'll tell him but not now. He's not like your parents. Bruce is different."

I sigh. Well, how different can the guy be? "Will I ever meet him?"

"You've met him", he tells me.

I give him a bland look. "I'd rather meet him in nice clothes, not stinky Anders clothes."

He moves in closer and kisses me on the lips. "You look beautiful no matter what you wear."

"Hey guys!"

I look over to see Karen and Vic walking up to us hand and hand. I won! They actually got together. "Hey back. What's all this?"

"What?", Karen shrugs.

Let's get her mad. "Are you that jealous of my relationship that you had to get a boyfriend the next day?"

Karen opens her mouth in shock and then smiles. "You're teasing. Sorry Kor, I've known you too long."

"Damn", I say. "So are you really together?"

Karen looks up at Vic who swallows nervously. "Yea...I asked her yesterday."

"Wow Vic, you moved fast", says Richard.

"Karens not like any other girl", says Vic. He places an arm around her waist. "My girl likes going fast."

I raise my eyebrows and laugh. "Well congrats."

Karen gives me a hug. "Thanks girl." She lets go of me. "Oh by the way I found something on my way to school." She pulls her backpack up in front of her and takes out a newspaper. "You made the front page Dick."

Richard takes the newspaper and I lean over him to read. "Gotham's Playboy Has a Mystery Girl?" There is a picture of him wrapping his arms around my waist although you couldn't see my face in the picture. I look up at him.

"Um...it's nothing", he tells me. He quickly crumbles the newspaper and throws it off in the trashcan.

"It's obviously something", I say. "Should I be worried?"

He sighs. "Damn, paparazzi. Look, we'll just have to be careful when we're out in public together. I don't want to expose you to the limelight."

Being famous sounds awesome. "Why not?", I ask.

"Not yet", he tells me. The bell to class rings. "Look, I have a football meeting for next year after school. I'll call you tonight okay?"

I nod and watch him head to class.

The whole entire school day and my car ride home, I couldn't help but think why Richard does not want me exposed. I mean I hear that the paparazzi is atrocious and all but come on. It can't be that bad. I mean, maybe a little fame can do my family some good. Perhaps the farm will get more customers if our name goes out.

"Hey mom", I say heading into the market.

"Hello sweetie", she says.

I walk over to the hook, place my cap and apron on, then walk over to the cash register. I type in my passcode to access the register and lean back against the counter.

"Any customers?", I ask my mother.

She looks up from where she is stacking peaches and smiles. "We had several customers come in. A few of them bought my pies."

"We should open up a bakery", I suggest. Probably never going to happen.

My mother laughs. "And with what money? Its a miracle we still own the farm. All thanks to Mr. Wayne's money." I nod. My mother eyes me. "Did you see the newspaper?"

I cough. "No." I lie.

My mother raises an eyebrow. "Quite the impression this young man makes. Are you sure you can handle him?"

I raise my eyebrow and smirk. "The real question is if he can handle me?"

My mother gives me a disapproving look. "Kornelia."

"What?", I shrug.

My mother shakes her head. "He has a lot on his hands. Being the son of a billionaire. People and paparazzi are bound to follow him everywhere. By continuing to be in a relationship with Dick, your picture will be in the newspaper loads of time."

I pick myself up and sit on the counter. "Mom, I can handle it. This is me you're talking about."

She sighs melancholy. "I know. I just do not want to see you get hurt. Not after-

"Mom", I say stopping her. "Richard is different. He protects me." That's what he said. He wouldn't lie to me.

Richard called me that night. Just like he promised. Luckily, my family had already finished dinner and I didn't need them breathing behind my back every time I talked to him.

Sitting down on the chair, I twirled the phone cord. "So can I ask you something?"

"Sure", he says.

"What did you mean by, you didn't want me to be exposed just yet?"

I hear him sigh. "I didn't mean it in a mean way. Look, the public can get out of hand sometimes. Especially when it comes to my family. No privacy, at all. Every time I go out I have to wear shades, just so they wouldn't recognize me. I mean, obviously you're going to be exposed but I don't want that now. We've only been together for two days, I want to at least get comfortable with us before the paparazzi finds out."

I didn't think of it like that. "I guess you're right", I tell him.

"Can you smile for me?", he asks.

I smile. "I am."

"You're not lying?", he asks.

"Nope", I say.

"You know I should really get you a cell phone", he tells me. "I'd makes this a lot easier."

"Please don't", I tell him.

"Why not?", he asks. "Think about all the cute morning texts I'd send you, the texts during class, texts from under the dinner table, texts late at night, late night video chats, videos in the bath-

"Richard!", I exclaim.

He laughs. "I'm only kidding. But seriously I have a cell phone I don't even use anymore."

I sigh. "I don't know. I really don't want you to think you have to spoil me."

"Babe?", he asks.

Yes, I've been waiting for the cute nicknames. Call me babe, baby, sweetie, princess, hun, gorgeous, beautiful-

"Babe you there?", he asks again.

Oh right. "Yes I'm here."

"Where was I? Oh yea, let me spoil you. It's my job. I'm your boyfriend, we're supposed to buy our girlfriend presents every now in then. Well, in this case, I'm giving you my old phone. Actually I don't even consider it old. It's the Iphone 4s."

"Didn't they just make the Iphone 5?", I ask.

"Exactly why I'm giving you my 4s. Please?", he asks.

I think about it. Really I do. I mean, I don't want to be seen as a gold digger. I'm not all about materialistic things. I'm about horses and farms. But I really could use a cell phone. I'd never had one before but I don't want him to think its okay to shower me with gifts. I wouldn't mind the gifts but...I don't know.

"Who will pay for the cell phone bill?", I ask. "My family could not afford it right now."

There is a silence at he end of the phone. "Kor, do you think I'd offer you a cell phone and not pay for the bill?"

"Richard-

"Just accept the gift", he tells me. "Really, its not a big problem." Why does he have to be like this? "I'm not gonna take no for an answer."

"If I say yes would you cease with the begging?", I ask.

"Yes", he says. "You talk cute by the way."

"Cute? Oh, sorry", I say. "The English language can be hard for me to speak sometimes. I'm sorry if I sound formal."

"It's no problem", he says. "I think its cute. So you speak Tamaranean?"

I nod. "Yes."

"What other languages do you know?", he asks.

"Well, the second language on Tamaran is Latin, that is why English is so hard for me to speak", I say. "Do you know any other languages?"

"Well theres English...and I know some Romanian from my mother and a little Italian from my father", he says.

"You are Romanian and Italian?", I ask.

"Yea mom was born in a Romanian gypsy family and dad was born into an Italian family", he says. I can sense the sadness in his voice. "Hey...um...I need to go okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

Maybe he doesn't like bringing up his parents. Damn me for making my boyfriend sad. "Oh okay...Richard?"

"Yea?", he asks.

"If you ever need to talk to someone, you realize I am here for you", I tell him.

"Thanks", he says.

I hang up the phone and sigh. I wouldn't know what he is feeling. Both my parents are alive and I'm so thankful for that. I can't possibly feel what he's been gone through. My poor, baby.

The next morning, Richard was standing at my locker, looking through his phone. His back was turned to me so I'd thought a little scare would do him some good.

I slowly start to creep up behind him, making sure my steps don't alarm him. One. Two. And. "Boo!" He jumps up and turns around.

"Jesus", he says holding his chest. "You almost made me drop my phone." I try to contain my giggles but its too damn funny. "Whats so funny?", he asks grabbing my waist and pushing me towards him. "Huh?"

"Your face", I tell him laughing. "You're so easy."

"Easy huh?", he asks. He moves in and kisses me on the right cheek. Then the left. Then my nose. Then my lips.

"You're making me all slobbery", I tease. Not complaining. I like it.

He stops and looks at me. "Here you go missy", he tells me. He lifts up the phone in my face. "I've already put all your contacts in."

I take the phone. He even put on a pink case with a gold tiara on the back. "Thank you", I say, rewarding him with a kiss.

"Not a problem princess", he says against my lips.

The bell rings and I smile. "C'mon lets get to class."

He whines. "Wanna skip?"

I scowl. "I do not think I'd be getting in trouble again. Not for a long time."

He pouts and gives me one last kiss before leaving to class.

School went by great. I haven't texted during class yet though. Richard tried during the second period but I just got the phone. Wouldn't want it being taken away just yet. I need to build up skill and learn the basic ninja skill of texting without being caught. That's what I told Richard during lunch. I also told him no texting and driving. Can't have anyone get hurt.

My parents weren't too happy that Richard gave me the phone.

"You shouldn't have accepted it", my mother told me.

"Why not?", I ask. "He offered and he said it wasn't a big deal."

My mother sighs. "I'll let it pass this time but don't keep accepting things from the boy."

"You guys have to get used to it", I tell them. "Richard is rich. Very rich. And he's my boyfriend, which means he's going to give me gifts every now and then."

My mother looks at my father. "Aren't you going to say something?"

My father shrugs. "As long as I'm not paying for it, she could accept any gift the boy gives her. As long as he keeps his pants on."

"Dad!", I yell. Gosh! He did not just say that.

Ryan walks into the room. "Hey I think we got an invitation."

He hands my father the letter. He reads it over and looks at us. "Mr. Wayne has invited the family to his cocktail party this Sunday." He then looks over at my mother. "And he wants a dozen of your pies."

"My pies?", my mother asks.

My father nods. "Apparently he loves your pies and want to showcase some to his friends."

"A dozen?", my mother asks. She touches her hair. "Oh wow. He wants to showcase my pies?"

I roll my eyes. "So we're going?"

My father runs a hand through his beard and nods. "It can be good for the business."

I silently thank the gods and run upstairs to my room. I take out my phone. 'Hey', I text Richard.

'hey beautiful, i was just gonna txt you'

'hehe, we got the invite'

'2 bruce's party?'

'yes. i'm excited'

'i didn't know he invited ur family'

'he did. he wants my mom's pies'

'lol. i'm gonna kill him for not telling me'

'lol'

'so that means ur coming?'

'yes, i will make sure i'm looking beautiful'

'ur always lookn beautiful. gettn used 2 txtn?'

'i'm not used to it but yes, B was excited when i texted her earlier'

'i bet she was. video chat before u sleep?'

'okay, we'll make a date at 9:45 sharp'

'see you then beautiful!'

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