Chapter 4: Skipping
It was science again and Dinah thought that it was going to be a very interesting period. So many things happened last night between her and Connor. So many things happened last night in general. It had been a very interesting evening. She was still trying to let all sink in.
The entire time her and Connor were just talking, trying to get to know each other again. They talked about both their lives. He told her about his life as Green Arrow and how hard it was for him when his dad died. She told him about how she came to New Gotham and how she later found out who her mom was and how she died. They talked about everything because now they can share both their lives with one another. Finding out about the real Connor made her like him even more. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard his voice. "Hey."
"Hi." They smiled at each other. They were both so relieved that now they didn't have to hide any secrets.
"We had a very interesting evening," he told her.
"Yeah, we did. Can I ask you a question?"
"Ask me anything you want. We don't have any secrets to hide anymore."
"Is it hard?"
"Is what hard?"
"Being Green Arrow. I mean, I've had Barbara and Helena this entire time so there's always somebody there to help me. If I'm in a jam I know Barbara and Helena would get me out of it. You don't really have anybody for that, you work alone."
"Well, sometimes it can be pretty hard. Other times it's not so hard. Right before Ollie left he taught me everything he knew. I just remember what he taught me and try to keep his memory alive by being Green Arrow. You just have to remember why you're doing this. It's all worth it in the end."
"You're father meant a lot to you, huh?"
"Yeah, he did. That's why I have to stop Onomatopoeia." Connor yawned. He had been up all night working.
"You know, you need to take a break. All you do is work. I should take you to No Man's Land."
"No Man's Land? What's that?"
"It's this meta human only bar. It's awesome. Me, Helena, and Barbara go there all the time."
"Cool, I should check it out some time. Do you think I'll be able to get in? I'm not a meta."
"Gibson will let you in. You're a crime fighter and you know Helena. Crime fighters and friends of Helena Kyle are always welcome."
"Cool, do you want to go after school?"
"Can't, I have a serial killer to catch."
"Oh, right, right, the serial killer. Almost forgot about him." She smiled. She knew he didn't forget about catching the guy who killed his father. "Do you want to just go during a free period?"
"Okay, why not? When do you have a free?"
"I have one sixth period."
"Sorry, I have one fifth period. I guess we'll just have to go some other time."
"Oh well. I think we should get started on this lab, I don't want to fail," he said changing the subject. From the look on his face, Dinah knew that he wasn't going to forget about No Man's Land that easily.
* * * * *
Dinah was in the cafeteria during her free period with Gabby and Matt. She heard a voice from behind her. "Hey, Dinah." It was Connor.
"Oh, hey, Connor. I thought you said you didn't have a free this period."
"I don't."
"Then why are you here?"
"Oh come on, Dinah, you know why I'm here."
"No, no way. I am not letting you skip school. I am not in the mood for a lecture from Barbara."
"Oh, come on, you know I'm not a patient person and you know I'm really not into this whole school thing. I have much more important things to do and I'm not going to pass up a great opportunity just because I have school."
"Connor, if I take you, we'll get caught or Gibson will rat us out for some reason."
"Oh, come on, Dinah, you know you want to."
"I tried skipping class to go there on my first day of school and it didn't turn out too well. I don't want to relive that experience."
"Fine, you're obviously not going to show me where it is."
"That's right, I'm not."
"Fine, I'll just get the info out of Helena."
"She's not going to tell you."
"Well, I'll at least try and if worse comes to worse, I'll look it up in the Yellow Pages."
"You're hopeless. Just go but I'm not going with you."
"Fine, but it's your last chance."
"Goodbye, Connor."
"Okay, fine. I'll see you later. Bye." He left the cafeteria.
"Who was that?" Gabby asked her.
"Oh, that was Connor. He's my lab partner."
"You mean that guy you were telling me about? You're right he is cute." Matt has had a jealous look on his face ever since Connor came up to her.
"So, do you want to go to a movie tonight?" Matt asked her.
"Sorry, I can't. I was going to do something with Connor."
"Really," Gabby seemed very interested. "Like what?"
"We were going to work on our lab," she lied. "Nothing exciting." The jealous look on Matt's face didn't leave.
"Well, do you want to do something tomorrow?" he asked her.
"Sorry, I'm really busy all week."
"Oh, okay. Well, I have to go. I was supposed to talk to Mrs. Donaldson about my math test. I'll see you guys later." He walked out of the cafeteria leaving Gabby and Dinah alone.
"Wow, somebody's jealous." Gabby told her.
"What? Why would Matt be jealous?"
"Because you have a new guy in your life. All week while I've been working with him in science, the only thing he can talk about is you. All week while I've been trying to get a good grade, I have to force his eyes away from looking at you so we could focus on our lab. I keep telling him he's jealous but he's not listening to me. If you ask me, I think he doesn't want to be just friends anymore."
"And you decided to tell me this now?"
"Well, you seemed really happy when you talked about Connor and I didn't want to make your life complicated."
"Great, I have so much stuff to worry about this week."
* * * * *
Connor got the information out of Helena after about a half an hour of bugging her. He went in the elevator and headed towards the bar. "Hi, I haven't seen you around here before," the bartender told him. "I'm Gibson, what can I get you?"
"Uh, a soda will be great. I'm Connor by the way. Connor Hawke."
"Connor Hawke? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"I'm a friend of Dinah's."
"Oh, you know Dinah?"
"Yeah, we're working together on a case."
"Wait a minute. You're Green Arrow."
"Yeah, I am."
"Helena told me about you. She was asking me if I knew who the new Green Arrow was a couple of days ago. She came by earlier today to have a drink. She said they finally solved their little mystery." Gibson handed him a glass of soda.
"Thanks," he said right before he took a drink out of it.
"You're Oliver Queen's son right?"
"Yeah, I am."
"You're father was a great man. He helped solve some of the biggest criminal cases. One time he even helped Batman capture a group of drug dealers here. Your father also worked a lot with the Black Canary."
"Really? Dinah's mother?"
"Yeah, they worked together a lot. They even used to date."
"My father dated Dinah's mother?"
"Yeah, it's a small world huh?" Connor finished his soda.
"Thanks for the soda. I gotta get back to class."
"You're cutting school? Dinah did that on her first day."
"I know. It's really freaky how much alike we are."
"Before going back to class, do you want to play a game of pool?"
"Sure, why not." Connor played pool with Gibson for about fifteen minutes. Gibson told him all kinds of things about his father and the Black Canary that he never knew before.
"Connor, what are you doing here?" he heard a voice from behind him say. He turned around and it was Barbara.
"Oh, Barbara, hi. It's funny how I ran into you here."
"Don't you have school?"
"Don't you have school?"
"I don't have a class this period but I know you do."
"I know, sorry. Dinah just told me about this place and I just wanted to see it myself."
"You could have came here after school."
"Well, I'm not a very patient person."
"Connor, you know you have to stay in school."
"I know, sorry it won't happen again. I just don't see the point in going to school sometimes. I don't see how school will help me catch a serial killer."
"You go to school so you can have a normal life. It's what your father would have wanted."
"Yeah, I know."
"Look, I have to talk to Gibson. When I leave I better see your face when I'm walking down the hall."
"You will, I promise."
"Good, let's hope this doesn't happen again." Connor walked towards the elevator so he could head back to school.
* * * * *
Barbara walked out of No Man's Land when she was done talking to Gibson. She started heading back to the school. She couldn't believe Connor tried to skip. Him and Dinah were too much alike. They were perfect for each other. Barbara walked into the school building. What she was unaware of was that all day somebody had been following her, watching her every move, waiting for the perfect opportunity to finally make a move and get his next target.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Next chapter you'll finally get the answer to the question you've all been waiting for. Are Dinah and Connor brother and sister? You'll find out next chapter.
It was science again and Dinah thought that it was going to be a very interesting period. So many things happened last night between her and Connor. So many things happened last night in general. It had been a very interesting evening. She was still trying to let all sink in.
The entire time her and Connor were just talking, trying to get to know each other again. They talked about both their lives. He told her about his life as Green Arrow and how hard it was for him when his dad died. She told him about how she came to New Gotham and how she later found out who her mom was and how she died. They talked about everything because now they can share both their lives with one another. Finding out about the real Connor made her like him even more. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard his voice. "Hey."
"Hi." They smiled at each other. They were both so relieved that now they didn't have to hide any secrets.
"We had a very interesting evening," he told her.
"Yeah, we did. Can I ask you a question?"
"Ask me anything you want. We don't have any secrets to hide anymore."
"Is it hard?"
"Is what hard?"
"Being Green Arrow. I mean, I've had Barbara and Helena this entire time so there's always somebody there to help me. If I'm in a jam I know Barbara and Helena would get me out of it. You don't really have anybody for that, you work alone."
"Well, sometimes it can be pretty hard. Other times it's not so hard. Right before Ollie left he taught me everything he knew. I just remember what he taught me and try to keep his memory alive by being Green Arrow. You just have to remember why you're doing this. It's all worth it in the end."
"You're father meant a lot to you, huh?"
"Yeah, he did. That's why I have to stop Onomatopoeia." Connor yawned. He had been up all night working.
"You know, you need to take a break. All you do is work. I should take you to No Man's Land."
"No Man's Land? What's that?"
"It's this meta human only bar. It's awesome. Me, Helena, and Barbara go there all the time."
"Cool, I should check it out some time. Do you think I'll be able to get in? I'm not a meta."
"Gibson will let you in. You're a crime fighter and you know Helena. Crime fighters and friends of Helena Kyle are always welcome."
"Cool, do you want to go after school?"
"Can't, I have a serial killer to catch."
"Oh, right, right, the serial killer. Almost forgot about him." She smiled. She knew he didn't forget about catching the guy who killed his father. "Do you want to just go during a free period?"
"Okay, why not? When do you have a free?"
"I have one sixth period."
"Sorry, I have one fifth period. I guess we'll just have to go some other time."
"Oh well. I think we should get started on this lab, I don't want to fail," he said changing the subject. From the look on his face, Dinah knew that he wasn't going to forget about No Man's Land that easily.
* * * * *
Dinah was in the cafeteria during her free period with Gabby and Matt. She heard a voice from behind her. "Hey, Dinah." It was Connor.
"Oh, hey, Connor. I thought you said you didn't have a free this period."
"I don't."
"Then why are you here?"
"Oh come on, Dinah, you know why I'm here."
"No, no way. I am not letting you skip school. I am not in the mood for a lecture from Barbara."
"Oh, come on, you know I'm not a patient person and you know I'm really not into this whole school thing. I have much more important things to do and I'm not going to pass up a great opportunity just because I have school."
"Connor, if I take you, we'll get caught or Gibson will rat us out for some reason."
"Oh, come on, Dinah, you know you want to."
"I tried skipping class to go there on my first day of school and it didn't turn out too well. I don't want to relive that experience."
"Fine, you're obviously not going to show me where it is."
"That's right, I'm not."
"Fine, I'll just get the info out of Helena."
"She's not going to tell you."
"Well, I'll at least try and if worse comes to worse, I'll look it up in the Yellow Pages."
"You're hopeless. Just go but I'm not going with you."
"Fine, but it's your last chance."
"Goodbye, Connor."
"Okay, fine. I'll see you later. Bye." He left the cafeteria.
"Who was that?" Gabby asked her.
"Oh, that was Connor. He's my lab partner."
"You mean that guy you were telling me about? You're right he is cute." Matt has had a jealous look on his face ever since Connor came up to her.
"So, do you want to go to a movie tonight?" Matt asked her.
"Sorry, I can't. I was going to do something with Connor."
"Really," Gabby seemed very interested. "Like what?"
"We were going to work on our lab," she lied. "Nothing exciting." The jealous look on Matt's face didn't leave.
"Well, do you want to do something tomorrow?" he asked her.
"Sorry, I'm really busy all week."
"Oh, okay. Well, I have to go. I was supposed to talk to Mrs. Donaldson about my math test. I'll see you guys later." He walked out of the cafeteria leaving Gabby and Dinah alone.
"Wow, somebody's jealous." Gabby told her.
"What? Why would Matt be jealous?"
"Because you have a new guy in your life. All week while I've been working with him in science, the only thing he can talk about is you. All week while I've been trying to get a good grade, I have to force his eyes away from looking at you so we could focus on our lab. I keep telling him he's jealous but he's not listening to me. If you ask me, I think he doesn't want to be just friends anymore."
"And you decided to tell me this now?"
"Well, you seemed really happy when you talked about Connor and I didn't want to make your life complicated."
"Great, I have so much stuff to worry about this week."
* * * * *
Connor got the information out of Helena after about a half an hour of bugging her. He went in the elevator and headed towards the bar. "Hi, I haven't seen you around here before," the bartender told him. "I'm Gibson, what can I get you?"
"Uh, a soda will be great. I'm Connor by the way. Connor Hawke."
"Connor Hawke? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"I'm a friend of Dinah's."
"Oh, you know Dinah?"
"Yeah, we're working together on a case."
"Wait a minute. You're Green Arrow."
"Yeah, I am."
"Helena told me about you. She was asking me if I knew who the new Green Arrow was a couple of days ago. She came by earlier today to have a drink. She said they finally solved their little mystery." Gibson handed him a glass of soda.
"Thanks," he said right before he took a drink out of it.
"You're Oliver Queen's son right?"
"Yeah, I am."
"You're father was a great man. He helped solve some of the biggest criminal cases. One time he even helped Batman capture a group of drug dealers here. Your father also worked a lot with the Black Canary."
"Really? Dinah's mother?"
"Yeah, they worked together a lot. They even used to date."
"My father dated Dinah's mother?"
"Yeah, it's a small world huh?" Connor finished his soda.
"Thanks for the soda. I gotta get back to class."
"You're cutting school? Dinah did that on her first day."
"I know. It's really freaky how much alike we are."
"Before going back to class, do you want to play a game of pool?"
"Sure, why not." Connor played pool with Gibson for about fifteen minutes. Gibson told him all kinds of things about his father and the Black Canary that he never knew before.
"Connor, what are you doing here?" he heard a voice from behind him say. He turned around and it was Barbara.
"Oh, Barbara, hi. It's funny how I ran into you here."
"Don't you have school?"
"Don't you have school?"
"I don't have a class this period but I know you do."
"I know, sorry. Dinah just told me about this place and I just wanted to see it myself."
"You could have came here after school."
"Well, I'm not a very patient person."
"Connor, you know you have to stay in school."
"I know, sorry it won't happen again. I just don't see the point in going to school sometimes. I don't see how school will help me catch a serial killer."
"You go to school so you can have a normal life. It's what your father would have wanted."
"Yeah, I know."
"Look, I have to talk to Gibson. When I leave I better see your face when I'm walking down the hall."
"You will, I promise."
"Good, let's hope this doesn't happen again." Connor walked towards the elevator so he could head back to school.
* * * * *
Barbara walked out of No Man's Land when she was done talking to Gibson. She started heading back to the school. She couldn't believe Connor tried to skip. Him and Dinah were too much alike. They were perfect for each other. Barbara walked into the school building. What she was unaware of was that all day somebody had been following her, watching her every move, waiting for the perfect opportunity to finally make a move and get his next target.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Next chapter you'll finally get the answer to the question you've all been waiting for. Are Dinah and Connor brother and sister? You'll find out next chapter.