Hello everyone! This'll be a longish chapter- I had a lot I wanted to cram in. Happy reading, and thanks for your reviews!
Under the Rose
Chapter 3
Jinx slipped the black material over her head under the harsh fluorescent of the dressing room at Jump City Mall.
"Rose, are you going to show me even one?" Miranda called.
"No! They all fit wrong. I'm too much of a toothpick." She grimaced in the mirror, pinching away at the extra material in the waist of the dress. It hadn't been the best idea to wait until the day of the dance to buy a dress.
"Don't be so silly! Come out here right now, or I'll crawl under the door."
Jinx had adjusted enough to her new friend to know that the seemingly idle threats were actually very serious. These first days of college had been rough- especially that French test- but to Jinx it was also enthralling (in particular, art class, where her drawings wouldn't be taunted by stupid boys).
After the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil, Jinx didn't know where else to go. It didn't help that Flash had to return to his own city on short notice (not that he really would have left her a note or something anyways; they weren't that close were they? But the gesture would have been nice, like letting her know he'd been serious...or something. Whatever, she didn't care). In short, Jinx had returned to the Hive base and begged forgiveness. She stole them a PS3 and, predictably, the guys all welcomed her back. She never saw Flash after that, but Hive became something devoid of meaning for her as those couple years wore on. He had been right; she needed to do better. She forged the papers and applied to JCU.
And here she was, legitimately buying some clothes for this dance with her legitimate date, Brian, with a legitimate friend- who knew (unlike Mammoth) the difference between a skirt and a poncho. Friend...that hadn't been a phrase in her life used very often. Jinx smiled and stepped out of the dressing room to Miranda's critical observation.
"Hmm."
"Are you going to pace around me whenever I come out of here?" Jinx exclaimed. "Honestly, Mirry, you're like the Jump City Mall's pet vulture."
"Har har. Now put on something else. That dress doesn't look quite right."
"That's because it doesn't fit...why do I even have to wear a dress to this thing? It's just a dumb party!"
"It's semi-formal, dummy. Go try on more clothes."
Jinx whimpered in defeat and bolted the dressing room door once more.
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Wally ambled casually into the Pizza Place for what must have been the seventeenth time that week and walked up to the counter to meet the gaze of his new archenemy.
"Nice to see you again, Captain Crazy," he said, puncturing the mock greeting with a salute. "How goes the fight?"
"My name's Delia, moron," she countered. "It says so on the name tag. You haven't forgiven me for reading into your very soul yet, have you."
" 'My very soul'?"
"Yours doesn't go very deep. The entire room was turning green with your glares. Who's the lucky girl?" (Not so lucky, being stuck with -Brian- and not -him-, Flash thought negatively. Only because it annoyed him when guys asked out girls they barely knew. More like when guys ask out girls I'd like to know and not Brian stupid).
Wally rolled his eyes. "You really are nosy. Can I just have my pizza?"
"Pepperoni and mushroom, coming right up. But seriously, what's her name?"
Wally ignored her question, busy fishing through one of the pockets in his pants to find some change. Delia gave him a cool stare from beneath her glasses.
"If you keep on coming here, you'll be broke."
Wally pulled out a ten, in addition to the "Help Wanted" sign he had taken. "I'll just have to get a job then, won't I?" He smiled. "I only have two classes this semester, so I can work daily if you need me to." He glanced around the crowded restaurant. "Which you probably do."
Delia snatched the poster from his hand. "No wonder nobody's been applying for it. Sneaky-"
"I just really wanted the job." Wally leaned against the counter, ignoring the impatient customers behind him, and put on the most pleasant face he could muster. Delia looked at the line behind him and sighed. She pulled a smock from under the counter and threw it at his head, pointing to the closet at the back of the store. "You're hired. Now quit the cutesy face and sweep this floor. And tell me her name. I like to be friends with my employees."
Wally tied the apron on himself and stepped away, grinning mischievously. "Sorry boss, duty calls."
"Wipe the tables outside too then! And no pizza for you!"
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"So are you excited?" Miranda called from her post by the dressing room exit.
Jinx grimaced once more, both at the new dress (a fluffy hot pink thing that had been stuffed into the door before she could react) and the question. She honestly had no answer. But "Yeah, I think I am," she replied finally.
"You know, he and Ellie used to date."
Jinx paused in removal of the ugly garment and for a moment of surprise saw only pink tulle with her wide eyes. "What?!" She hastily grabbed the next dress in line, shoved it on without a glance in the mirror, and walked out to see her friend face to face as she zipped it up.
"Yeah, she'd kill me for telling you because she claims she's so over him now, but I think she just goes to these extra volleyball practices of hers to smack something to relieve the tension that is just so obvious between them and- oh. My. God. Rose."
Miranda stood and pointed to a mirror. Following the finger, Jinx met her own gaze, eyes landing on the impeccable fit of the deep blue dress she had thrown on so haphazardly. Jinx wasn't vain most days, but she had plenty of self-confidence, and right now she looked pretty. She stepped away from the mirror and slowly turned to face Miranda. Then suddenly threw up her arms.
"FINALLY! Let's leave."
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As Miranda continued to talk about the various crushes and dates and dances at their high school, Jinx listened in silence, adding an affirmative "mhmm" every few minutes to let her friend know she was...um, paying attention.
Was Ellie okay with this? Miranda was very relaxed about the whole affair, but then again, she was pretty laid back about everything ("Hey guys, I failed the first English paper. Oh well, tried my best. Let's get some coffee!). As for Elisa, well, Jinx had no idea, even if they were roommates. She was hardly ever in her room, between volleyball and schoolwork. They were friends enough, but what if she was angry with this?
"Miranda," Jinx interrupted, "Elisa won't mind, right?"
Her green-eyed companion just waved her arms reassuringly, making the hot pink bangles clink with movement. "That was all high school, Rose," she replied. "Besides, I asked her and she specifically said she didn't care. After all, he asked you. We think it's cute."
That makes two of you. The thought came to her mind before Jinx even comprehended it. She scratched her head; this was not a good thought to have before a date. Oops. "Uhh, thanks then." Jinx adjusted the shopping bag on her shoulder. "But if she was just playing brave or something, she doesn't have to worry. Brian's nice, but I think it'll just be a one-time thing."
"Whatever you say," Miranda teased. Jinx rolled her eyes.
"Stop being such a busybody."
Miranda just laughed. "We'll see. Listen, I'm meeting Andrew for a date down by the football field."
"You're having a date at an athletic facility? Sounds romantic."
Miranda slapped her arm playfully. "It's not like we're going to stay there! Honestly, you sound like Wally sometimes."
Jinx glanced downward and replied softly, "Maybe." In the several days of adjustment to college that had already passed, Jinx still found herself unable to look at that redhead for much longer than a few moments. She didn't like the deja vu, 'familiar stranger' feeling that he emanated; it made her too uncertain. Jinx had always preferred knowing the answers, and Wally was just a big annoying mystery.
"Okay, I'm heading this way. You're dropping the dress off at your room?"
"Yeah, I'll see you around." Miranda branched off across a different street with a wave, and Jinx continued on her way down JCU's main college street, taking the quickest route to her dorm room. She checked her watch and yawned; some coffee from the Starbucks by The Pizza Place was sounding pleasant after the hassle of shopping.
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Wally frowned at the grease stain on his olive green shirt that had somehow eluded his red "The Pizza Place" apron. Stupid name. He checked his watch and groaned, letting the broom clatter against the wall. Two hours and I already hate work. I may never eat pizza again. He sighed.
"Need...air...the walls...closing in..." The couple two tables over stared at the redhead as he dramatically slid down the wall, pretending to be impaled on the mop handle.
Just as Wally was about to finish his monologue with a gruesome and yet, he thought, believable and fantastic death scene, a dishrag landed across his face with considerable force.
Delia's voice screeched from her post at the register. " Can it, drama queen, and go wipe those outside tables!"
The door slammed behind him, bells clanging resolutely. Wally glanced across to the quiet bank and began on the first of the aluminum-colored tables. He had just finished his third table when the door to the coffee shop next door opened and Rose Thompson emerged, holding a coffee in one hand and a shopping bag slung over the other shoulder. She had a (kind of cute) look of concentration on her coffee, trying not to spill any on her black shirt or her gray jeans.
If he had begun to 'like' Rose before, Wally was probably somewhere between "head-over-heels" and "major-crush" now, even after just a week (in which he saw her three times for at least an hour due to the fact that they were Chemistry Buddies! he thought with a smile). But the quick infatuation struck Wally as very odd. Normally it was Speedy who fell quickly for- well, pretty much any pretty girl. Wally, however, hadn't met anyone as intriguing or elegant as Jinx. And he still liked Jinx- wasn't that why he was determined not to arrest her until he absolutely had to? Looking at the girl walking right towards him unawares, with her stick-straight ebony hair and the black, angular glasses hiding big brown eyes: she was nothing like Jinx (not counting the affinity for dark colors). So...I mean, why?!
She still wasn't looking up from her coffee. Wally dropped the rag and waved. "Chemistry buddy!" he shouted.
Rose screamed and spilled some coffee on her shoe, narrowly avoiding the pant leg of her jeans. Wally pointed and laughed. Funniest thing all day...and now she's glaring. Fantabulous start, Flash. "Bad luck there," he said cordially.
Rose scowled. "Just what I've been trying to avoid."
He took the coffee and gave her a napkin from one of his pockets. "The smock comes in handy once in awhile," he quipped. "Hand me your...um, ballet shoe thing." Rose stared at him oddly, confused, but she took off her silver flat and placed it in Wally's hand. He promptly began to wipe at it with a napkin.
"Are you working here now?"
Wally looked up and nodded. "Just started today. It's terrible."
Rose teasingly patted his head. "Poor Wally."
He reached out and poked at the shopping bag. "Whadja get?"
"A dress for tonight. Are you coming?" She asked very casually, but Wally got the impression that it was a more serious question (or was he just being super-optimistic like always?).
"Yeah, I am. Even if I wasn't, I'm curious about the dress now." Hey, suave!
Rose rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a hopeless flirt. Miranda told me today that I was starting to sound like you and I almost puked."
Wally wiggled his eyebrows. "You know, you should take that as a compliment. And"- now he was only inched from her face- "I am a flirt."
Rose stared at him, wide-eyed, and they were both silent. Music blared from the speakers outside that connected to the restaurant's jukebox.
She's frequently kind, and she's suddenly cruel
Wally backed away and nodded towards the speaker mounted on the wall outside. "Sounds like someone I know," he chuckled, pointing right between Rose's eyes. She slapped at his hand playfully and walked past a few steps, turning her head to smile at him. "I'll see you tonight," she called, and Wally was left standing there with a huge smile.
"Who's trying to be suave now, huh?!" he shouted. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He held up her shoe and twirled it around his finger by its heel. "I don't think silver is good with my complexion."
Rose blushed and marched back to him, snatching the shoe angrily. And then she slapped him with it, smirking. "Suddenly cruel, you got it," she said.
"But that's not the line anymore! You're supposed to...um, "throw shadows" at me now?" Wally rubbed his cheek, scowling.
Rose laughed. "Fresh out of shadows right now. Bye, Wally."
The redhead watched her as she rounded the corner, only pausing to slip on her shoe and turning to give one last smile.
But she's always a woman to me
He glanced up at the speaker. "You got that right, buddy." A squeaked ring tone interrupted the beginning of the next song and Flash grabbed his flip-phone from his pocket. "Hello?"
"Flash. It's the Chief. How are things checking out so far, I haven't received a report yet. Did you find her." To Wally, everything the Police Chief said sounded more like a statement than a question. The boss had no variety in his speeches; they were all steady and monotonous. Wally checked his surroundings and, making sure there were no civilians within earshot, stepped into the alleyway between Pizza Place and Starbucks.
"No sign of Jinx or the Hive Five yet, sir," he replied. "My job here is working as additional cover- the bank is under my surveillance for a good part of each day. If anything happens on my shift over there, I know right away."
"Good work, Flash."
"Thank you sir. I pride myself on my spying abilities."
"Whatever. Keep it up- we need that Jinx behind bars now." Wally winced.
"...Yes sir." The Chief hung up, and Wally looked down at his watch. Only three more hours and his shift was over. He sighed.
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There was a knock on the door of her dorm room just as Jinx had finished smoothing a wrinkle out of her dress. The halter-top was adjusted right according to the small mirror on the wall, so Jinx felt it was safe to go ahead and open the door. Ellie, wearing a black minidress, sat on her bed trying to cram just a little for a math test she had the next day. The blonde stood and grabbed her purse when the knock turned out to be not Brian, but Miranda and Andrew instead.
"Ellie, come on!" Miranda smiled at Jinx. "Rose, you look fantastic." Andrew looked down the hallway and pointed, tugging the sash of Miranda's pink dress. Miranda followed his finger and squealed. "He's here, and he has a flower for you!"
Jinx blushed slightly and looked out the door to meet Brian holding a yellow rose. "Rose for Rose?" he said. "You look great."
Jinx scoffed at the lame pun, but took the rose and his arm.
She really preferred red roses.
Not a thought to be bothered by. Just stop thinking. "Well, let's go," she said.
The dance was being hosted in Jackal Gym, and by the time they had arrived the party was already very very...loud. Jinx wasn't the biggest fan of loud, but she did like the songs that were being played inside. She looked around at the five of them as they approached the doors. "Where's Wally?" she asked.
"He's already inside," Andrew said. "Meeting up with old friends."
"Oh." Brian held the door and Jinx walked through several streamers to enter the gym, which was filled with all sorts of balloons. "Wow." It was much larger than the gym at Hive- and the dance committee did a much better job at decorating than Bumblebee and Kyd's girlfriend (what was her name again...). Brian started talking and Jinx forced herself to pay attention (Stop scanning the crowd. Don't. Don't).
"Yeah, every year the college does a great job with this. They want all their new students to get to know each other, or feel welcome, I guess."
"Well, it's very...welcoming." Miranda and Andrew immediately joined the dancing, and Ellie had drifted off somewhere. Jinx and Brian were standing there, awkwardly. Brian lightly tapped her arm. "Dance?" he asked.
"Sure, why not," Jinx replied warmly.
After several dances, without seeing Wally West at all, Jinx began to tire of dancing. Just as she was about to do the traditional "I want punch" routine (she actually didn't want punch anyways, some frat boys had spiked it), Brian stepped away from her.
"I'll be back in a bit, I just saw someone I need to talk to," he said (shouted was more like it, the music was loud). Jinx nodded and he disappeared into the crowd.
Jinx turned in a full circle, deciding on what to do next. Andrew and Miranda were still dancing; Elisa was nowhere to be found, and-
He was standing to the side, laughing with a big group of people. He must have been part of a redhead support group or something; he stood next to another redheaded male and laughed at a face made by a beautiful redheaded girl whose arms were around another dark-haired guy (who was, for some reason, wearing sunglasses). Jinx glanced down at her dress. She had to admit, Wally looked pretty nice. When she finally tilted her head back up, Wally was looking back at her.
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A dark, royal blue halter top with a (kind of) swishy skirt that seemed to hit everything perfectly. Dark hair flawlessly curled to frame her face. Wally despised it. There it was again- the dumb jelly legs.
Speedy (well, "Roy") elbowed him in the shoulder and he stumbled forward a bit, turning to glare at the fellow redhead before straightening up and walking over to Rose.
He acted innocently, wandering over with his hands behind his back, and then grabbed her and started to spin her around.
"You know, even though you hit me with that devil shoe, I'll forgive you if you dance," he said.
She gave him a cool stare in reply, but then smiled slightly as she took his hand. "You look nice," she said. "Having fun with your friends?" She motioned towards the group that Wally had just left...the group that was currently laughing at him...I hate them all.
"You could say that. I'd rather be over here though. Where's Brian?"
Jinx scanned the room as he twirled her underneath his arm. "I don't actually know anymore," Jinx replied casually. "It was only a friend-date anyways, he'll turn up eventually."
Wally laughed (friend date means she doesn't like you, Brian!), pulling her back in. "Where'd you learn to dance?" Jinx asked.
"I don't know. I'm actually just making it up as I go along." He smiled at her. "I could dip you if you want. It'll be like in the movies."
"Maybe next time," Jinx replied sarcastically.
"Thus implying that we will dance again," Wally victoriously replied. He was pleased to finally silence Rose with his (stunning, lively, and dashing if I say so) wit. He could have bet that she was blushing, but the dark lighting made it impossible to tell. The song ended and a slower song began to play. Wally pulled her a bit closer. "How's art class going?" he asked after a pause.
"It's fantastic," Jinx replied enthusiastically. "We're learning some shading techniques that'll be used in the landscapes we'll be making."
"Sounds awesome. I can't draw to save my life."
"For what it's worth, you're a decent lab partner."
Wally grinned and was about to reply when he felt his pocket vibrate. He reached down and grabbed his phone to see a message from the chief. I didn't even know the old man knew how to text.
STUDENT STORE ROBBERY. JINX. GET HERE NOW.
Crap, crap, CRAP! Wally broke away from Rose and put his phone away. He looked at her and she tilted her head slightly, confused.
Wally sighed. "I have to go," he said, drifting further away. He turned back after a few steps. "You look...completely awesomely fantastically...you look great." With that, he blended into the crowd, making his way towards the nearest door as quickly as possible.
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Three seconds later, Kid Flash stood outside the student store where a couple of squad cars surrounded the entrance, armed policemen waiting. The Chief held a blare horn and was shouting, "Come out with your hands up!" in typical fashion.
The door opened and Flash stepped forward. The only thing that rolled out was a small round smoke bomb that immediately, before even Flash could react, covered the area with the thick gray substance. The police began to cough and Flash sped through the fog, entering the store but stopping short.
Two dark-clothed figures were escaping from the window in the back, but he hadn't seen them yet. His gaze was focused solely on the pink-haired villain holding the bag of money. Jinx.
"Jinx. Why?"
She walked towards him slowly. "Flash?" she asked slowly.
He nodded. Jinx stepped forward more, until they were almost nose to nose. And then she smiled. His feet were glued.
She punched him, and the superhero, unprepared for the solid blow, fell unconscious to the ground as she made her escape.
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Billy Joel, "Always A Woman To Me": an awesome song :)
-Silver Miracles!