"Settle down class!" Mr Matters called from the front of the classroom.
"I know that it is the last week of term but remember, you all have work to
do still!"
Terry sat down next to Dana and sighed. He was really tired and would be glad when this term was over and he could go home and sleep all day. Dana smiled at him and shifted her bandaged arm to a more comfortable position, she could still write with her other hand so had come back to school for the last week.
"As you know you all passed my class." Mr Matters stopped the class from cheering. "But we also know that that was on principle. If your grade from your project pulls down your economics grade low enough then you could easily fail."
Terry's heart leapt in his chest. His report! With all the excitement of the past few days he had totally forgotten it.
"So I'll start by taking in your projects." Mr Matters began walking around the classroom collecting in reports. Dana handed him her report and Mr Matters looked at Terry. "Well Mr McGinnis?"
"Sorry sir I." Terry began. But Mr Matters topped him and sighed.
"I have made allowances for you Terry. I don't want to hear any more excuses." Mr Matters walked to the front of the classroom, put all the other reports on his desk and sighed. "However I'm very sorry. We talked about this Terry. You promised that you would hand it in. I have no choice but to fail you in my subject."
"No!" Terry groaned. Mr Matters opened up his computer and scrolled down to Terry's name. He was about to change Terry's mark from a pass to a fail when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Mr Matters said. He looked up just in time to see Lark hobbled through the door, still on crutches. "Miss Robertson, I didn't know you were back at school."
"I'm not officially sir." Lark said. "I just came in to give you something." Terry looked up at the sound of Lark's voice. She wasn't even meant to go out yet; her legs weren't even out of the bandages.
Lark handed Mr Matters a thick wad of paper covered in diagrams and text. It was ring bound professionally.
"What is this?" Mr Matters asked. "The Rise and Rise of Wayne Enterprises, Economics Project by Terry McGinnis?" Mr Matters said, looking shocked. "May I ask what you are doing with this?"
Terry's mouth fell open as Lark replied casually. "Oh. Terry's computer broke down so he came around to my house to finish the work, because I have a computer that's the same as his."
"And how did Terry transfer his work if his computer was broken?" Mr Matters asked suspiciously.
"He had sent a draft copy to me, because he wanted my grandfather, Bruce Wayne, to have a quick look over it to check that he approved. Mr Wayne didn't want any incorrect information printed on his company."
Mr Matters looked at Terry who tried to look as if this whole story wasn't new to him. "Why didn't you tell me this before Terry?"
"You didn't give me chance to sir." Terry replied.
"Well. I suppose that providing that this report is good, I won't have to fail you Mr McGinnis." Mr Matters said. "Let's continue with our lesson."
Lark limped out of the room. Terry wanted to follow her, but Economics was his last lesson and he knew that he would just have to wait till the end of the day to talk to Lark. He couldn't wait for the school bell to ring to signal the end of the day. When it did he jumped out of his seat and rushed out of the classroom without even saying a word to Dana. He walked quickly out of the school building and made his way to the train station so he could get to Wayne Manor, he had to talk to Lark.
"In a hurry are you?" Terry turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. Lark was sitting in the sun outside a cafeteria, sipping iced tea. "Pull up a chair." She said. Terry got a chair and sat next to Lark.
"I didn't see you there." He said. "I was heading for your house."
"Do you want a drink?" She asked.
"No thanks. I wanted to say thank you." Terry said.
"Don't mention it." Lark replied.
"How did you?" Terry asked. "How did you do it? Mr Matters graded my, your, paper during the lesson and gave it an A."
"It wasn't exactly my work." Lark confessed. "I convinced Gramps to find me a copy of the last sales pitch to the public made by Wayne Enterprises. I made a few alterations and ring bound it."
"Bruce lets you call him Gramps?" Terry asked. "Whoa! But he let you have the report, did he know it was for me?"
"Oh yes. I had to convince him though. He said that you should handle your own school work on your own." Lark said.
"How did you convince him? He's pretty stubborn on that sort of thing." Terry said.
"So am I!" Lark laughed. "Let us just say that I have Bruce Wayne wrapped around my little finger. To him I can do nothing wrong, I'm his little granddaughter after all!" Terry laughed and stretched out in the sun.
"Thank you." He said. "I really don't deserve you as a friend."
"I may be more than just a friend soon." Lark said. Terry looked at her in surprise. "Not like that!" She said quickly. She whispered, "Bruce gave me the Phoenix suit yesterday, with a few Batman style extras. He says that a certain Bat-like friend of his might was a little bird-like sidekick."
Terry looked at her in astonishment. "He was you to be the sidekick?" He asked.
"He says it is in my blood. Unless you don't want an assistant." Lark added.
"Are you kidding? Of course I do!" Terry cried. He hugged Lark in excitement and she hugged him back, thankful that he actually wanted her help.
"Well, I guess that these days you have to watch even your best friends with your boyfriend!" Terry and Lark turned around to see Dana standing looking at them, hand on hips.
"Dana. It's not what you think!" Lark said quickly.
"Well, that's a new line!" Dana said sarcastically.
"No Dana, it's true." Lark stood up with difficulty. "Whatever you may think, Terry and I are good friends. We were just sharing some good news. And besides, even though I do have feelings for Terry I know that I can't act on them because he only has feelings for you." Lark grabbed her crutches. "I'll leave you two alone now."
"No!" Terry stood up quickly. "Don't go. There are a few things that have to be said."
"I've said it all Terry." Lark said. "You and Dana are together, and no matter what I may feel nothing can happen because you two love each other don't you?"
Dana nodded, but surprisingly Terry said, "No."
"No? What do you mean 'no'?" Dana asked.
"I mean that I don't love you Dana. I thought that I did. But I don't." Terry said. "I spent so long trying to keep you happy that I forgot what it was like to just have fun with my girlfriend, rather than having to apologise and toe the line all the time. When we split up I just moped around because I felt like I had to. But other things have made me realise something."
Lark and Dana were both looking at Terry in shock. "Dana, you are a wonderful girl. But as you said, I have changed." Terry said. "I'm not how I used to be. If I were then I would still love you like I used to. But the fact is that it is too difficult for us to be together. You deserve better than me Dana. You deserve someone who will treat you like a princess, not someone who may always have to put other priorities first."
"I see." Dana said. "And what made you realise this?"
"It was when you and Lark were injured." Terry said. "You wanted someone to look after you, Lark wanted someone to have fun with. You are the same in relationships. Dana wants someone to take care of her every whim, and Lark wants a friend." Terry sighed. "I'm sorry Dana, but I don't want to be your slave."
Dana looked at Terry for a moment before speaking. "You are right."
"I am?" Terry looked shocked.
"Hey, we both knew that we were fighting for a lost cause to keep us together. Since we have been going back out I've realised how much better a boyfriend Rick was, for me anyway." Dana smiled. "I hope we can stay friends, but I agree. We should give it up now before I get all emotional again and you have to run off on errands."
She walked over to Terry and kissed his cheek. "See you around then." She walked off, obviously off to catch the next unsuspecting boy in her trap.
Terry looked at Lark who was swaying slightly on her crutches. She avoided his eye. "I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't mean to cause you two to break up."
"It was always coming." Terry replied. "Come and sit down, you look pale."
Lark sat down slowly and sipped on the last of her iced tea. "So, you had fun with me?" She asked finally.
"More than I ever had with Dana." Terry replied. "You have more of a zest for life. And besides, you wouldn't have a go at me if I have to cancel a date. You know why I have to cancel."
"So, is there going to be a date to cancel?" Lark asked.
"I won't cancel it." Terry said, moving closer to her.
"So when will you pick me up?" Lark asked. Terry jumped up and physically picked Lark up. She laughed. "I meant for our date!" She said.
"I know that." Terry said. "You should make the most of me being your slave. I won't be doing this when you are off of those crutches."
"In that case I might push myself down the stairs." Lark joked. "But you do know one thing?"
"What?" Terry asked.
"Someone may not be too happy about us being an item."
"Bruce?" Terry asked.
"You got it." Lark said.
"I think he will come around to the idea. And if he doesn't, tough on him!" Terry said as he put Lark down and walked her home.
THE END
Terry sat down next to Dana and sighed. He was really tired and would be glad when this term was over and he could go home and sleep all day. Dana smiled at him and shifted her bandaged arm to a more comfortable position, she could still write with her other hand so had come back to school for the last week.
"As you know you all passed my class." Mr Matters stopped the class from cheering. "But we also know that that was on principle. If your grade from your project pulls down your economics grade low enough then you could easily fail."
Terry's heart leapt in his chest. His report! With all the excitement of the past few days he had totally forgotten it.
"So I'll start by taking in your projects." Mr Matters began walking around the classroom collecting in reports. Dana handed him her report and Mr Matters looked at Terry. "Well Mr McGinnis?"
"Sorry sir I." Terry began. But Mr Matters topped him and sighed.
"I have made allowances for you Terry. I don't want to hear any more excuses." Mr Matters walked to the front of the classroom, put all the other reports on his desk and sighed. "However I'm very sorry. We talked about this Terry. You promised that you would hand it in. I have no choice but to fail you in my subject."
"No!" Terry groaned. Mr Matters opened up his computer and scrolled down to Terry's name. He was about to change Terry's mark from a pass to a fail when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Mr Matters said. He looked up just in time to see Lark hobbled through the door, still on crutches. "Miss Robertson, I didn't know you were back at school."
"I'm not officially sir." Lark said. "I just came in to give you something." Terry looked up at the sound of Lark's voice. She wasn't even meant to go out yet; her legs weren't even out of the bandages.
Lark handed Mr Matters a thick wad of paper covered in diagrams and text. It was ring bound professionally.
"What is this?" Mr Matters asked. "The Rise and Rise of Wayne Enterprises, Economics Project by Terry McGinnis?" Mr Matters said, looking shocked. "May I ask what you are doing with this?"
Terry's mouth fell open as Lark replied casually. "Oh. Terry's computer broke down so he came around to my house to finish the work, because I have a computer that's the same as his."
"And how did Terry transfer his work if his computer was broken?" Mr Matters asked suspiciously.
"He had sent a draft copy to me, because he wanted my grandfather, Bruce Wayne, to have a quick look over it to check that he approved. Mr Wayne didn't want any incorrect information printed on his company."
Mr Matters looked at Terry who tried to look as if this whole story wasn't new to him. "Why didn't you tell me this before Terry?"
"You didn't give me chance to sir." Terry replied.
"Well. I suppose that providing that this report is good, I won't have to fail you Mr McGinnis." Mr Matters said. "Let's continue with our lesson."
Lark limped out of the room. Terry wanted to follow her, but Economics was his last lesson and he knew that he would just have to wait till the end of the day to talk to Lark. He couldn't wait for the school bell to ring to signal the end of the day. When it did he jumped out of his seat and rushed out of the classroom without even saying a word to Dana. He walked quickly out of the school building and made his way to the train station so he could get to Wayne Manor, he had to talk to Lark.
"In a hurry are you?" Terry turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. Lark was sitting in the sun outside a cafeteria, sipping iced tea. "Pull up a chair." She said. Terry got a chair and sat next to Lark.
"I didn't see you there." He said. "I was heading for your house."
"Do you want a drink?" She asked.
"No thanks. I wanted to say thank you." Terry said.
"Don't mention it." Lark replied.
"How did you?" Terry asked. "How did you do it? Mr Matters graded my, your, paper during the lesson and gave it an A."
"It wasn't exactly my work." Lark confessed. "I convinced Gramps to find me a copy of the last sales pitch to the public made by Wayne Enterprises. I made a few alterations and ring bound it."
"Bruce lets you call him Gramps?" Terry asked. "Whoa! But he let you have the report, did he know it was for me?"
"Oh yes. I had to convince him though. He said that you should handle your own school work on your own." Lark said.
"How did you convince him? He's pretty stubborn on that sort of thing." Terry said.
"So am I!" Lark laughed. "Let us just say that I have Bruce Wayne wrapped around my little finger. To him I can do nothing wrong, I'm his little granddaughter after all!" Terry laughed and stretched out in the sun.
"Thank you." He said. "I really don't deserve you as a friend."
"I may be more than just a friend soon." Lark said. Terry looked at her in surprise. "Not like that!" She said quickly. She whispered, "Bruce gave me the Phoenix suit yesterday, with a few Batman style extras. He says that a certain Bat-like friend of his might was a little bird-like sidekick."
Terry looked at her in astonishment. "He was you to be the sidekick?" He asked.
"He says it is in my blood. Unless you don't want an assistant." Lark added.
"Are you kidding? Of course I do!" Terry cried. He hugged Lark in excitement and she hugged him back, thankful that he actually wanted her help.
"Well, I guess that these days you have to watch even your best friends with your boyfriend!" Terry and Lark turned around to see Dana standing looking at them, hand on hips.
"Dana. It's not what you think!" Lark said quickly.
"Well, that's a new line!" Dana said sarcastically.
"No Dana, it's true." Lark stood up with difficulty. "Whatever you may think, Terry and I are good friends. We were just sharing some good news. And besides, even though I do have feelings for Terry I know that I can't act on them because he only has feelings for you." Lark grabbed her crutches. "I'll leave you two alone now."
"No!" Terry stood up quickly. "Don't go. There are a few things that have to be said."
"I've said it all Terry." Lark said. "You and Dana are together, and no matter what I may feel nothing can happen because you two love each other don't you?"
Dana nodded, but surprisingly Terry said, "No."
"No? What do you mean 'no'?" Dana asked.
"I mean that I don't love you Dana. I thought that I did. But I don't." Terry said. "I spent so long trying to keep you happy that I forgot what it was like to just have fun with my girlfriend, rather than having to apologise and toe the line all the time. When we split up I just moped around because I felt like I had to. But other things have made me realise something."
Lark and Dana were both looking at Terry in shock. "Dana, you are a wonderful girl. But as you said, I have changed." Terry said. "I'm not how I used to be. If I were then I would still love you like I used to. But the fact is that it is too difficult for us to be together. You deserve better than me Dana. You deserve someone who will treat you like a princess, not someone who may always have to put other priorities first."
"I see." Dana said. "And what made you realise this?"
"It was when you and Lark were injured." Terry said. "You wanted someone to look after you, Lark wanted someone to have fun with. You are the same in relationships. Dana wants someone to take care of her every whim, and Lark wants a friend." Terry sighed. "I'm sorry Dana, but I don't want to be your slave."
Dana looked at Terry for a moment before speaking. "You are right."
"I am?" Terry looked shocked.
"Hey, we both knew that we were fighting for a lost cause to keep us together. Since we have been going back out I've realised how much better a boyfriend Rick was, for me anyway." Dana smiled. "I hope we can stay friends, but I agree. We should give it up now before I get all emotional again and you have to run off on errands."
She walked over to Terry and kissed his cheek. "See you around then." She walked off, obviously off to catch the next unsuspecting boy in her trap.
Terry looked at Lark who was swaying slightly on her crutches. She avoided his eye. "I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't mean to cause you two to break up."
"It was always coming." Terry replied. "Come and sit down, you look pale."
Lark sat down slowly and sipped on the last of her iced tea. "So, you had fun with me?" She asked finally.
"More than I ever had with Dana." Terry replied. "You have more of a zest for life. And besides, you wouldn't have a go at me if I have to cancel a date. You know why I have to cancel."
"So, is there going to be a date to cancel?" Lark asked.
"I won't cancel it." Terry said, moving closer to her.
"So when will you pick me up?" Lark asked. Terry jumped up and physically picked Lark up. She laughed. "I meant for our date!" She said.
"I know that." Terry said. "You should make the most of me being your slave. I won't be doing this when you are off of those crutches."
"In that case I might push myself down the stairs." Lark joked. "But you do know one thing?"
"What?" Terry asked.
"Someone may not be too happy about us being an item."
"Bruce?" Terry asked.
"You got it." Lark said.
"I think he will come around to the idea. And if he doesn't, tough on him!" Terry said as he put Lark down and walked her home.
THE END
