ELEVEN

Maps had already told the whole school about how she'd met Robin and Batgirl but every-time she told the story it got a little further from the truth. This time whilst she was telling Eric for the fifth time she was adding little details, her favourite invention so far was how Batgirl had flown down from the shadows of the rooftops on a giant, fuzzy bat. People had stopped believing her after that plot twist; only Eric listened to her now and that was partly because he had to because they sat next to each other in art and partly because he was too shy to tell her to stop.

"That's a really great story, Maps; but, I think you've told me before," Eric said with a jitter in his quiet voice.

"No one else will listen to me tell my woeful tail though, Eric. So you have to listen." Maps spread a violent red streak across her painting that was turning more and more abstract by the minute. "And how else would we fill the time whilst creating our masterpieces."

"We could talk about something else." Eric hid his face behind his painting as soon as he'd finished speaking.

"Like what, Eric?"

"Like…"

At that moment the door swung open and Hammer's new assistant bumbled into the room. She reminded Mia of one of those lazy pet cats that eat all day and don't go out much. She swayed from side to side before announcing her presence loudly with a cough. "Is Mia Mitsubishi in this class?" Maps hadn't heard her speak before, she hadn't realised she had a British accent.

"It's Mizoguchi, Miss Turnbald," the teacher replied. She then pointed in Mia's direction. "That's her over there."

"What have you done now, Maps?" Eric asked in a whisper.

"Zip it, Eric. I ain't done nothing they can prove."

"Come this way, Mia." The assistant replied before hurrying out the door.

"Hey, Eric. Look after my stuff, make sure no one steals anything or it'll be on your head, capisce?"

Eric nodded, traumatised.

Maps followed the lady and had to run a little to catch up with her. "Where are you taking me?" Maps asked once she fell in step with the woman.

The lady didn't look at Maps when she spoke. "To the headmaster's office. There's someone who wishes to speak to you, Mia."

"I'd prefer it if you called me Maps."

"Why would you want to be called such a god awful name such as that?"

"Never mind."

When the door opened to headmaster Hammer's office with a massive whoosh she saw the face of one of two people she would have never expected. Her mother.

The near stranger ran up to Maps and embraced her in her arms.

Maps struggled to get away from her but she was too strong. "Mum, what are you doing here?" she asked between grunts.

"I booked a flight from Europe as soon as I heard what happened to you. Oh, my baby girl. I was so worried but now that I know you're fine…"

"You can go back to not caring about me."

"Oh, Mia, what gave you that idea?"

"Oh, you know. The fact that you and Dad haven't been to a single match of Kyle's, haven't talked to me for longer than five minutes on the phone for three months, missed thanksgiving… I could go on but I really don't want to. You're wasting enough of my time as it is."

"Mia, I'm sorry about that but you have to understand we are both very busy."

"I'll give you two some privacy." Headmaster Hammer stood up from his seat with more speed than a man of his age should be able to move. Within seconds the door to his office was swinging shut behind him.

"Oh, Mia. Tell me exactly what happened."

Maps told her everything that happened without all the additions she'd made; something told her that her mum wouldn't be interested in those. She wished every second that the conversation with her mother would end the next.

"After hearing all that I feel we must set some guidelines."

"Mum, no, you don't need to do that."

"First, is that I'm imposing a curfew on you. You must be back on school grounds no later than 7pm and inside your room after 8pm."

"That's no fair." Maps felt like curling in a ball and staying like that until her mother left.

"And you will not see or talk to this boy ever again."

Maps hadn't spoken to him since what happened anyway. She'd ignored every single call he'd made, upon Olive's suggestion, which was about three in the week after the attack—that was a lot of effort for Damian Wayne. But now things would have to change.

"That's it. Perfectly fair," Maps' mum said as if she'd just shared a packet of haribos evenly between two small children.

"And who's imposing these rules?"

"Kyle, of course."

Yeah, right. "Is that it?"

"Oh, and I bought you a present. I had it delivered to your room."

Maps was immediately suspicious. The only time her mother gave her presents was when she wanted Maps to spy on Kyle for her or if she'd done something especially bad to upset Maps and wanted to win her back to her; the presents were always things she didn't want or wouldn't use and never ever worked in her mother's favour.

"You can wear it to the winter ball," Maps' mother said.

Maps didn't say anything. That meant it was either a dress or a pair of shoes; either way she wasn't going to wear it to the ball. "Thanks, Mum," she said without any semblance of sincerity.

"Well, I must be on my way back to Paris. Your father sends his regards and said he wishes he could be here for you."

Maps didn't say anything else. The quicker this conversation was over, the quicker her Mum would leave and the less likely Maps would be to breaking down and crying.

They shared a business-like hug before her mum strolled from the office. Maps waited a few seconds before following her before going back to class; she grabbed a cool knife from Hammer's desk on the way out that he'd been using as a paperweight on the way out. She tucked the knife into her blazer and gifted Hammer, as she walked past, with a wide grin. He wouldn't suspect a thing.