Chapter 29: Alternatives
It had been at least a half of an hour since I had left the group of teens and had gone to my room. There wasn't much to unpack - a couple pairs of clothing and some necessities were the only things I had in my small backpack; and not to mention the folder of people I knew and many who I hated. I pulled out the folder quickly once I unpacked, throwing everything aside and setting up my laptop on the desk in the corner of the room and began my work.
It took me thirty minutes to pin most things together; by pinning I meat taping profiles and pictures to the walls (some were also placed on the floor) and then writing down their weaknesses and strengths, which were based on my prior knowledge and my ability to sift out important information on people through reports and stories. It was pretty easy for most of them, even the ones I had found harder to find seemed pretty easy in the end; except for one: Patrick.
"Hey, Sarah! Are you going to eat or become anorexic?" I heard Roy yell through the door. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I got up, closing my laptop screen and walking to the door, watching it open in front of me. Roy stood there with a smirk on his face, which I seemed to hate more than my parents' homemade sushi. I folded my arms and stared at him.
"If becoming anorexic means that I don't have to eat with you present, then no, I'm not going to eat." I said stubbornly. Roy rolled his eyes and pointed down the hall. I knew that I was being pretty harsh about the whole anorexic thing and that Dinah would surely kick my ass for saying such a thing, but Roy's face was like a target. You're bound to shoot at it a few times at least.
"M'gann will very disappointed if not pissed if you don't go eat. So you either go sit down like the rest of us and at least pretend to eat or have an angry martian on your tail all night. You choose your fate." I rolled my eyes.
"Is their an option C? You know, the one where I just flip you off and shut the door?" I asked. Roy glared at me and I held my hands up in surrender, mocking him. "Or maybe I could just surrender for your convenience like our oponents do," I said as I walked out of my room and towards the kitchen. I sat down at the table next to Zatanna as everyone began to dig into the mini buffet spread out on the table.
"So..." M'gann said, attempting to break the lingering silence. "Anyone in a relationship?" I mentally groaned, imagining what the conversation would end up like. M'gann looked at me, evidently hearing my groan and I sighed as she smiled. "You first, Sarah."
"Am I in a relationship?" I repeated. "Nope." I said simply. Zatanna turned her head to look at me.
"Why not?" She asked, curiosity glazing her blue eyes. I sighed.
"Because...I'm too busy to deal with another person on the side of everything that I do for a living." I said simply.
"And what do you do for a living?" Roy asked suspiciously.
"Why do you want to know exactly?" I asked, not wanting to tell Roy what he wanted to hear, or even what he didn't want to hear.
"Curiosity. So tell me." I swallowed and stared at Roy.
"You know what, Roy." I said, done with him being nosy all the time. "I don't know what people see in you. In my eyes all I see is a spoiled, nosy brat, who was turned into the prince of Star City after practically becoming Oliver Queen's long lost son. Even in your costume you seem the same, but with a little more attitude and leisure."
"Really?" Roy interrupted. "You know what I see in you? Well I see an unsolved mystery. One with a bunch of axe murders and serial killers. I see vengence and blood. Oh and let's not forget, a daddy's girl." I saw Artemis squirm in her seat out of the corner of my eye.
"You know, I'm not going to say whether your right or wrong, but I am going to say is that maybe you should think before you act. Because even if your statement seems harmless to the person you talking to and about, it might affect someone else and their private memories. And memories aren't exactly the best thing to have when you're in compromising positions, but I wouldn't expect you to understand." I said, standing up and walking off. I saw Artemis get up and follow me, which I didn't understand. I stopped at my door. "Can I help you?" I turned around.
"I just wanted to say thank you for that last statement, even if others think that it was uncalled for." Artemis smiled and began to walk away.
"You're lucky, Artemis." She stopped and looked at me confused. "You have something that a lot of people can never have. A group of friends who see you as you, and not someone who's made mistakes. And a second chance. Don't let them go, someday you might need both of them again."
I walked into my room and sighed as the door closed. I hated that I couldn't keep my mouth shut, but she needed to realize how lucky she was. How much she had. And of course, how much she had to loose. I had nothing. Barely anything to loose. Everything had already been taken away from me. And they'd never come back.
I sat down at the desk and opened up the manilla folders again, searching the pictures and files. I suddenly stopped and stared at the picture, realizing something else. Roy had a lot of things. Money, family, luxury. Though he had his alternative family, he didn't have his real ones. The ones that were genetic. Or even siblings. I sighed as I stared at the picture.
Roy needed to get off my back. Way off my back. He needed to stop his nagging and nosiness and get on with life. Have something to destract him. But I couldn't just invite his biological parents over for the month, not even if I knew them. I had to think of an alternative. But that alternative was something that made me question my reactions and emotions. I swallowed hard. I had to decide. Yes or no?
