Part Seven: Alright! I've Got A Date!

It definitely took some explaining to convince Blake that there was absolutely nothing happening between Bane and I.

"We're friends now!" I exclaimed to him on the phone the next morning. The fact that Blake thought that something more was going on between us was mortifying. Blake took that night in bed and spun it into a debauchery of sorts.

After ten minutes of convincing, Blake finally believed me. Our conversation ended with a slight warning.

"I'm glad that's not the case, ma'am. If it were, I'm afraid we'd have to relocate Bane to another location to complete his rehabilitation. That kind of emotional bounding would hinder our mission for him."

I assured him that those steps wouldn't be necessary before we ended our call. Now, here I am, almost a full month after that, with my hands all over Bane.

But it's not like that! Promise! The only reason I'm all over him right now is because I'm holding onto him for dear life as we ride on this cursed motorcycle. Bane sits in front of me, guiding the speeding contraption like a professional. My arms are wrapped around his midsection and I refuse to let go... or open my eyes. Bane is driving like a stuntman, making sharp turns and insane passes while I'm simply along for the ride.

"Bane, slow down!" I scream over the rushing wind passing us by. "We're going way over the speed limit!"

Bane's only response is to rev the engine and go even faster. He does enjoy torturing me, that much is true.

Finally, we make it to the gates of Gotham University. I shakily climb off of the motorcycle and take a few hobbling steps away.

"That's it! I'm walking next time, you speed demon!" I yell at Bane while patting down my wild hair. The wind has sent it flying all over the place in every direction it can possibly go. I'm like a walking advertisement for a Trollz doll.

Bane seems unconcerned as he gets off of the motorcycle and walks towards me. "You were late getting ready this morning," he reminds me as he comes to a halt right in front of me. "Perhaps you should try waking up on time?"

"Whatever," I say with a laugh before giving him a big bear hug, which he silently returns with one arm. It's nothing romantic, you Officer Blakes of the world! Rather Blake believes it or not, I feel no icky romantic feelings for Bane. I know how I feel when I like a guy, alright? What I feel when I'm around Bane is nothing like I've ever felt with a guy I like before. We're buddies, friends who fight over Scrabble and what to watch on television, pals who argue over the bathroom every morning and joke about celebrities in ritzy magazines. Buds. Amigos. Comprehende? Nothing more than that.

Gross.

I pull away from Bane, ignoring the astonished glances from the other students entering the campus grounds. "So, pick me up by 2, okay?" I instruct him while walking backwards, a big grin still on my face.

Bane gives a nod and a short, dismissive flick of his fingers before he's back on his motorcycle.

"2 o' clock, sharp, alright?" I remind him. I hold up two fingers for a visual. "Don't forget!"

With a loud rev, Bane's off into the distance, giving me no answer. Pretty soon, he turns a corner and I can't see him anymore. I sigh and shake my head, smiling at the thought of my big, surly partner.

It was pretty sweet of the Detective to get us a motorcycle to use until I save up enough for a car. Of course, the police are monitoring every move we make on it and it's weighed down by tracking devices, but still. We have a way of transportation now, even if I'm not able to actually drive it. Bane's a certified expert on it. It's fun getting to be the one being escorted around, though.

"Wow, did you see that? They're giving criminals motorcycles nowadays, huh?"

I turn around to see a group of students watching me with narrowed eyes. The speaker is named Marcy, a stick-thin brunette wearing layers of bright makeup and a sour frown. She crosses her arms and stares me down, daring me to say something. Instead of giving the speaker a well-deserved Bicycle Kick to the face (complete with the Liu Kang battle cry), I shrug my bag over my shoulder and walk by them, head held high. I can feel their eyes burning holes into me but I could care less. I am way past the age for all of this high school drama.

Suddenly, my foot catches on something and my books and I take an ugly spill on the ground. Shoot, I could have pulled off a dramatic exit. Why am I such a clumsy oaf sometimes?

I push myself onto my hands and knees, and cast an angry glare at the group of students. One boy has his foot out, the object that caused my "accidental" spill. When I squint my eyes, I can see that the boy is none other than Trevor, the football player who nearly punched me in the face months back.

"Oops!" Trevor says while giving me a playful shrug and a simpering grin. "You should be more careful, babysitter."

I pick myself and my books off of the ground, careful not to let any tears come out of my eyes. Crying would just make their days and I won't give them the satisfaction.

"You," I begin while straightening out my outfit and fixing Trevor with a hard glare, "should really grow up. That had to be the most immature thing I've seen in a long, long time." My smile grows and I lift a brow. "Maybe you're the one that needs a babysitter?"

I don't miss the suppressed laughter coming from the group of kids standing behind a fuming Trevor. Trevor's face is red with embarrassment. He takes a few threatening steps towards me before jabbing his finger against my collarbone. I bounce back a little but keep my footing. I screw my mouth over to the side and match his glare.

His brown eyes are barely slits as he begins to speak. "You think this is funny?" he whispers.

"Yes," I reply, loud and clear. I move closer to his face. "I think it's hilarious that you people are resorting to the very thing that made you hate Bane in the first place—violence."

This makes everyone shut up. Their mouths clamp shut before they begin whispering to one another, trying to find ways to go around what I just said. Good luck with that. They know it's true.

Trevor is the only one unmoved by my words. He laughs, his broad shoulders bouncing with the effort. "I don't care about all of that, Miss Goody Two Shoes. Just know there's plenty more where that came from."

With those last chilling words, Trevor bumps past me with his shoulder and heads to class. The group of students slowly disperses, leaving me alone at the gates. I sigh as the bell from the campus's cathedral tolls, alerting me to the fact that I'm, once again, late to class.

Thanks, Middle-School Bullies.

I wipe away the tears, still hot and fresh in my eyes, before looking down at my clothes. The free trip I received, courtesy of Trevor Airlines, made a decent sized tear in my jeans, which happen to be my favorite pair. My knee is bleeding just slightly, tinting the light fabric a murky red. I hobble over to a bench and drop onto it.

I'm already late; another five minutes to fix my knee up shouldn't hurt. I tear open my purse and wrench around inside of it until I find a bandage and some antibacterial spray. I spray my knee down and then open the bandage. I apply the small strip of adhesive to my minor wound with a slight hiss.

When I'm finished, I look up, ready to get to class. That's when I see him, in all of his gorgeous glory.

Masterpiece AKA Mr. Beanie AKA Kole is walking along the crowded sidewalks, surrounded by friends but outshining them all. I feel the butterflies flapping in my stomach as I take in his tall frame and beautiful grin. He's laughing at something one of his friends said. His eyes crinkle at the corners, how cute!

Before I know what I'm doing, I find myself heading towards him. I know I'm not going to just go up and say hi. He probably doesn't remember me. We've only met once, and that was months ago. Still, it seems like it's only been hours since the last time he graced me with those gorgeous white teeth. Maybe I can just bump into him from behind. Yeah, that's what I'll do! Then I can be like, "Oh, hi! Didn't see you there! Remember me? Oh, ha-ha! That's right! The girl from the library!"

Sounds like a plan! A stupid one…

I suction in the deepest breath known to mankind before continuing my trek towards him and his friends. My stomach is about to drop out of my body, my hands are wearing jackets made out of sweat, my head is swimming, but somehow, I manage to make it over to him.

I trail behind his friends for a while, waiting for Kole to notice me. I try clearing my throat a few times, hoping that maybe he'll hear me and turn around. No luck. They continue walking, leaving me to follow behind like a little duckling.

This is hopeless and completely embarrassing. I've been following them for a whole minute and no one's bothered to even glance behind them. I want to open my mouth and say hello, but I'm too nervous. I slow down, contemplating just going to class.

As soon as the thought crosses my mind, Kole glances behind him. Our eyes lock. My breathing halts. I lift a tentative hand, smile, and wave, praying the whole time that I won't make a fool out of myself in the next five minutes.

Kole doesn't return my smile. He scans over my face, blinks once, and then turns around. He and his friends continue walking until they turn a corner and disappear, leaving me to stare after them.

That's right, people. Kole completely ignored me. I know he recognized me. His eyes lit up for just the briefest of moments before the look was clouded over by... by something. Embarrassment?

I feel myself bristling with anger. I spin on my heel and march towards class, fists shoved into the front of my hoodie. If there's one thing I hate, it's guys who don't speak to you when they're around certain people. I never pegged Kole as that type but he has certainly proven himself to be that type to me. No amount of gorgeous smiles or crinkling eyes could make me reduce myself to liking a guy who's a jerk.

I huff. Why do these sort of things never work out for me?

o-o-o-o-o-o

I'm still steaming mad by the time all of my classes have ended for the day. Blake informed me during my last class that Bane wouldn't be able to pick me up today because he was taken in for more questioning. Which is absolutely perfect because it's raining! Even my Creative Writing class with my handsome Professor Hawkings couldn't make me feel any better. I just sat in the back of class, chin on my desk, unfocused eyes on any and everything but my dear professor.

Today completely bites.

I stand beneath the overhanging roof of the English department building, mentally cursing men. First, Trevor decided to try out for the role of "Middle School Bully" in ttook my crush on him and threw it back in my face like a Major League baseball pitcher. Left a pretty good-sized bruise on both my ego and feelings. Now, two of the only guys that I thought I could depend on are off having a tea party at the police station, leaving me to walk almost an hour in the rain.

Guys stink. They're unreliable, uncaring, and complete jerks.

I throw my earphones in and push "PLAY" on my iPod. Nothing like some emotional music to keep me company as I wait out this rain. "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor and John Legend flows through the cords of my earphones and travels up to my ears. I lean back against the building and stare up at the gray, cloudy sky above the cement jungle of buildings.

I kick a rock away from my foot, imagining that it's Kole's big, lumpy head. It skitters along the wet ground before it splashes into a puddle on the sidewalk. I watch the ripples roll across the water, reflecting distorted images of the dreary sky. I sniffle at the puddle and quietly sing along with Meghan.

A pair of black and white Converse sneakers suddenly appear in the reflection of the puddle.

I press "PAUSE" on my iPod and allow my eyes crawl upwards, taking in the dark jeans, white shirt, and finally handsome face of Kole. His smile grows as our eyes finally meet.

"Hey," he says after a moment passes. "Nice singing voice."

I shuffle my feet against the sidewalk, dropping my embarrassed gaze back down to his feet.

"Remember me?" he tries again, the smile still present in his voice. "We met at the library some time back? You wanted the Steven King book, right?"

"James Patterson," I correct him with a bit of a smile while bringing my eyes back to his.

Kole's grin grows as the light returns to his light-colored eyes. "Patterson, right, right! How could I forget that? Did you ever finish it?"

I want to remain silent but darn it, he's speaking book, my native tongue. I can't ignore it. "Yes," I reply begrudgingly, angry at myself for talking to him. "It was a great book, actually. You should check it out when you have time."

"Maybe I will," he says while his eyes roam over my frame, making me blush against my will. Suddenly, his head jerks upwards and he grins. "Want me to walk you home? Or are you waiting for someone?"

That's when I notice the umbrella in his hands. I take a step forward, ready to get out of the chilly air and into my slightly warmer apartment.

"No," I say before shaking my head. "I mean, yes." I sigh and smile. "Yes, I'd love it if you walked me home."

Kole wordlessly holds the umbrella out, giving me unspoken permission to step beside him. I almost want to turn away but maybe I'm overreacting again. Maybe Kole hadn't even saw me earlier when I'd been so certain that he recognized me. Maybe he was lost in thought at the time and didn't recognize me.

He's back to being adorable and mannerly, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him to escort me home. With a bashful smile, I step under the umbrella. Kole gives me a grin before we begin walking. I sidle next to him, close enough to be out of the rain, but not close enough for either of us to feel uncomfortable. At this proximity, I can smell the cologne he's wearing and feel the slight warmth his body gives off…. It's nice.

We exit campus grounds and head out to the wet sidewalks of the city. Large buildings jut up against the stormy sky like black teeth. Cars are speeding by in blurs of bright colors, rushing to get home and out of the rain. My heart aches with every car that passes us by.

Perhaps it's destiny. If my car hadn't gone plummeting off a cliff, I wouldn't be walking with Kole right at this moment. I guess fate wanted us together.

I find out that Kole is 22, loves to cook, is adopted, and can sing his pretty head off. Everything about this guy seems too good to be true. I listen to him speak as we walk, my heart fluttering every time he laughs or looks me in the eyes.

His wide umbrella does a good job of protecting us from the rain. Sometimes, Kole slips his arm around me to guide me out of the way of a big, dangerous puddle or a particularly large pedestrian, which I find incredibly adorable. Only a few drops manage to find their way to my clothing before we make it to my apartment complex.

We step into the lobby, escaping the rain.

"Thanks for walking me," I say while wiping my feet on the welcoming mat. The man behind the counter gets really crazy when it comes to dirt and uncleanliness in his lobby so I'm careful to not make a mess when I pass through here.

"Hey, no problem. I enjoyed talking with you," Kole says. He shakes out his umbrella. Wetness flies everywhere, including on the freshly waxed floor. I hear a slight groan from the man at the counter but Kole seems to ignore him. He folds away his umbrella before he gives me a cute grin riddled with adorable shyness. "Actually, I had something to ask you."

I raise my eyebrows and smile, waiting for him to continue. I'm afraid to open my mouth and ruin whatever it is he's about to tell me.

He runs a hand over his gray beanie, dimples shining. "Are you doing anything Saturday night? 'Cause I was wondering if maybe you wanted to... I don't know. Um…"

I grin up at him, mentally going through a list of things he might possibly wish to ask me.

Go watch the stars together?

Dance in the rain like a pair of happy idiots?

Run away and get married?

Kole finally settles on something decidedly less dramatic."Go somewhere?"

The world must have stopped spinning. Someone, somewhere, must have literally stolen my dreams only to dangle them in front of me right now like a bone on a piece of string. I've been asked on a few dates before but none as appealing as the one standing before me.

My mind can't function; I don't know how to respond! How do girls in movies reply when the guy of their dreams asks them on a date? Will this even be considered a date?

"S-Sure!" I finally achieve in saying. "That sounds, um, perfect!" I immediately want to facepalm but I refrain from doing so.

Kole's grin grows even wider. He swipes his hand over his mass of curly hair and nods, seeming slightly relieved. "Alright. I'll come pick you up at 7?"

"Yeah! 7 sounds...great!"

Kole nods and gives me one last smile before he slips out of the door and out into the lingering rain. I clutch my books to my chest, holding down the excited scream threatening to jump out of my mouth.

I practically dance into my apartment before squealing in sheer excitement. I hop from foot to foot, shrieking like an excited six year old. I drop my books on my couch and race to my closet. I need to find something to wear Saturday. I've never actually gone on an actual date before so I'll need to call up someone with some experience.

My hand finds my phone in my pocket and brings it to my ear. Tippy answers on the third ring. I can hear her car's radio blasting in the background so I know she's driving.

"Want me to call you back later?" I ask her.

"No, I'm parked at a rest area right now. What's going on?" Tippy asks while lowering her radio's volume somewhat.

I fill her in on my impromptu date with Kole on Saturday. Tippy soon becomes so excited that I think her excitement might beat out my own.

"I'm heading there right now. I'll be there Saturday and we can spend the day prepping you for the big date." She squeals. "Your first real date! Aren't you excited?"

I sit on my couch and kick my legs up on the table. "I am," I say. "But I'm nervous, too. What do you do on a date? What do you wear? How do you act? How does he act?"

Tippy's laughter spills out of the phone. "Calm down, girl. Just be your beautiful self. That's the reason he asked you out in the first place."

"Yeah," I agree with a small smile. "You're right. I'll just wear a nice dress with a comfy sweater and flats. Just be myself."

"Um, no." Tippy's bluntness startles me.

"Wait, but you said—"

"I said to be yourself and I meant your beautiful, sexy self! Show him everything that he can expect to get if and when he becomes your boyfriend!"

"What?" I cry, pinching my sweater closed. "He's not getting anything!"

"Guys are stupid. They think with their eyes first. If you show up looking like you're the poster girl for abstinence before marriage, he's going to leave you with the bill."

"But, I do believe in abstinence before marriage!" I declare in a firm voice.

"Well, he doesn't have to know that, now does he?"

"Oh, I'll be sure to tell him if he even so much as suggests something like that," I retort. I climb to my feet and begin pacing back and forth. Tippy brought another plausible stress factor to the table—what do guys really expect on a first date? I always thought it was hand-holding, shoulder-bumping, and, if he's lucky, maybe a kiss. If it's what Tippy's suggesting, then I suppose Kole will be sorely disappointed Saturday night. I hadn't pegged him as that kind of guy, though. Tippy, although a expert when it comes to boys, can't know every man's intentions.

"You need my help more than I thought," Tippy teases. "I'll be there Saturday morning." With that, she hangs up, leaving me to listen to the dial tone. I slide my phone back into my pocket with a sigh and a shake of my head.

Tippy was right about one thing: I need to be myself Saturday night. It's just a date and Kole's just a boy. Granted, he's the boy of my dreams, but still—just a boy.

I look into the mirror that hangs near my front door. My face is glowing with happiness and my smile looks ready to burst.

"You've got a date," I tell my reflection with a dramatic wink. "Oh yes. You—yes, you—have a d-a-t-e."

Suddenly, the front door is pushed open, without so much as a knock. I watch from the mirror as Blake and Bane stroll in, looking dry and comfortable in their warm jackets.

"Well, welcome back," I say, spinning around to face the duo. I'm still all smiles. "How'd the questioning go?"

"It went good, for the most part," Blake says after shooting Bane a disapproving glance. Bane ignores it. His eyes are focused on me instead, my face namely. He looks curious, as if he's picked up some strange peculiarity about me suddenly.

"That's great! Super!" I beam. I practically skip into the kitchen. "Did you want to stay for lunch, Blake? I'm cooking!"

"Um, no thank you, ma'am. You, uh... you have a good day today?" he asks while removing his cap and giving me the same strange look Bane's been giving me since he walked through the door.

I grin at him over the refrigerator door. "Oh, I had a great day, actually! Why?" I hum an upbeat song while digging around the fridge, scouring for suitable ingredients for a meal.

"You just seem really... happy. I figured you'd be mad that you had to walk home in the rain and all."

"Oh, I was mad about that," I admit with a hard glare at both of the men in my apartment. "But I'm over it now. It worked out nicely." I go back to humming and rummaging through the fridge.

Blake quirks an eyebrow at me before shaking his head and heading for the door. "Well, it's nice to see you smiling. I'll see you around."

"Bye!" I sing after him. Blake waves and exits, leaving Bane and I to ourselves. I shoot Bane a playful grin as I pull some defrosted chicken breasts from the fridge and set it in the sink. He's leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, still giving me that strange look.

"What?" I practically giggle while retrieving flour and seasoning from the cabinets. Chicken fingers sounded pretty good right now. I've never cooked them before but a quick search on the internet should help... I hope.

Bane tilts his head back. "Something good has happened to you," he notes before exhaling.

"Yes," I agree with a laugh while washing off my pink chicken. "Do you want to hear about it?"

"Of course!" Bane says, his voice high and enigmatic. His gaze drops to my knee. When he speaks again, the bass in his voice is more apparent. "...What happened to your knee?"

I glance down, remembering the tear in my jeans, caused by Trevor. "Oh, that?" I mumble while rubbing furiously at my slices of chicken. "I, um, fell. You know how clumsy I am." It's not a complete lie, but I still feel guilty saying it. I just don't want Bane to think I'm going around at school, getting bullied and stuff. I'm sure he'd feel a little guilty about it and I don't want that.

Bane's eyes are unbelieving. He knows there's more to it than I'm admitting.

"Anyway," I say, bringing a smile back to my face. "I have a date Saturday night."

This pulls Bane's attention from my knee, like I hoped it would. Both of his eyebrows shoot up in shock.

"A date?" he repeats.

"Don't seem so shocked," I say while cutting my chicken breast into strips about the size of two of my fingers combined. "I'm capable of getting dates, you know."

"I am not doubting your skills of seduction," Bane says in a voice dripping with sarcasm. The look on his face tells me he highly doubts my skills of seduction, or if I even have any. I push my mouth over to the side and glower at him.

"Whatever," I grunt. I angrily shove the chicken strips into my batter. I'm coating them in the thick mixture when Bane speaks again.

"Who is this man?" he asks.

The smile finds its way back to my face. "His name is Kole," I hum, stretching out Kole's name like it's a song or syrup being poured over pancakes. "You'll meet him Saturday night when he comes to pick me up." I nearly squeal at the thought of Kole coming to pick me up from my apartment. I feel like a princess!

A thought suddenly occurs to me. "Hey! Wanna give me some advice?" I ask sweetly. I turn the deep fryer on. These bad boys are ready to be fried.

Bane looks shocked, to say the least. "Advice?" he questions with a tilt of his head.

I drop the tenders into the deep fryer Blake got for us before I wash my hands and go to sit on the couch. I gesture for Bane to join me, which he does. I draw my knees up to my chin and shoot him a grin.

"You know, guy advice. What do guys look for in a girl?" I ask in a staged whisper.

Bane chuckles at my enthusiasm before he turns his head to stare at the blank television screen. He has the habit of staring off into the distance at times. He always seems to have so much on his mind.

"Loyalty is a good trait for a woman to possess," he begins in his drawling voice. I nod, almost feeling the need to take out a pen and a notepad. I feel like I'm listening to a wise shaman spill truths about the universe.

"Strength and courage," he goes on. His eyes seem to be scouring the horizon, as if he's seeing someone in the distance. I can't help but think he's describing a woman from his past. Does Bane have a girlfriend, I wonder? The way his eyes are looking, there's definitely some woman on his mind, maybe one from his past.

"Undying bravery in the face of hopelessness," he adds. What is he describing—a superhero? The ingredients to make a Powerpuff Girl?

"Well, I don't think I have many of those..." I drawl with a frown. I tap a finger against my chin. "Any others? Maybe a little less extreme?"

Bane looks over at me. The look in his eyes confuses me.

"Beauty," he exhales.

I feel myself blushing and I look away. I give a nervous laugh and shrug. "Hopefully, that's not too high on his list," I say while gesturing at my face with both hands.

Bane looks confused. "You do not think you are beautiful?" he asks.

"Not beautiful," I admit with another laugh. "But I don't think I'm ugly, either." I say with a grin while standing up and brushing off my jeans. "No person on this earth is ugly. I think everyone is beautiful in their own, unique way. But when it comes to society's view on what beautiful is supposed to be, I think I fall a little short." I think of my skinny arms and legs, my pudgy face, my crooked smile. All things that society frowns upon but, at the end of the day, it's what makes me Rose.

I pause to take a breath. "True beauty is supposed to come from the inside, anyway," I quote, finishing my monologue with a smile.

"Well spoken, indeed," Bane agrees, looking at me with a strange sparkle in his eyes. I give him a grin, glad that he agrees, before I take a bow.

"Thank you, thank you," I joke, hoping to lighten the mood some. I climb to my feet and go to the kitchen to check on the food. They look just about ready. I turn down the heat just a bit. My throat suddenly itches and I cough to the side. Ugh, I hope I'm not coming down with something. As many times as I've walked through the rain, it's a wonder I haven't gotten sick.

I cast Bane another look while I putting the final touches on our meal. "Have you ever been on a date?" I can't help but to ask. Bane looks at me from the couch. The question seems to nearly catch him off guard. After a moment of silence, he shakes his head.

"Dates are for a younger man, I believe," he replies in a crackling voice. The last part of his sentence is exhaled deeply as he climbs up from his seat on the sofa. "Besides, there was no need nor desire for such activities.

I watch as he exits the living room and heads for his bedroom. A wave of sadness washes over me. What type of life did Bane lead before we met? It seemed as if he'd been trapped in a bubble for the first half of his life, only to burst out and become the terrorizing man he was today.

I could only hope that things have started to look better for him.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Tippy arrives Saturday morning, just as she promised. Bane and I were on the couch, watching some awesome Saturday morning cartoons (well, I was watching, he was reading a thick novel), when we heard the knock on the door.

"I got it!" I cry. I move my feet off of Bane's lap and race towards the door.

"Your companion...?" Bane questions in a disinterested voice as he flips another page of his novel. I look through the peephole and find Tippy grinning up at me.

"Yep!" I tell Bane over my shoulder before unlocking and throwing open the door.

Tippy is waiting on the other side, loaded down with suitcases. Her dark hair is curled into pretty ringlets that fall along her caramel face like spiraling tornadoes. She gives me a grin before we squeal and tackle each other with hugs.

"Finally! It's been forever since we've had a sleepover," I squeal, releasing her from the hug.

"Tell me about it," Tippy agrees while striding past me and into the house. She quirks an eyebrow at Bane before she offers him a friendly smile.

"Good to see you again!" she says.

"Likewise, my dear," Bane says, still not looking away from his novel.

I see the impish look in Tippy's eyes from a mile away. She's about to say something meant to embarrass me, I can feel it.

"Hey, Bane!" Tippy begins with an innocent smile. "Has B finally gotten around to showing you that marvelous bod-"

Oh sweet gingersnaps. I quickly cut into Tippy's sentence, saving myself and Bane from an awkward moment.

"Let me show you where you shall be staying, madam!" I yell in a loud voice, successfully covering up the rest of Tippy's lewd question. She laughs as I usher her back to my room. I shut the door behind us and turn to give her a black look.

"Do I need to send you packing already?" I say, only half-joking. Sometimes, it feels like her and I never left high school, which is part of the reason I love her so much. We bring out the kid in each other.

"I'm sorry, but I had to do it!" Tippy said, her face nearly red with all the giggling she was doing. I shake my head but I can't help but to eventually join in on the laughing.

"I'm so glad you're here," I say after we finish wiping the tears from our eyes. "This is pretty much an emergency. I have absolutely nothing to wear and I have my first real date tonight. What am I going to do?"

"Girl, relax, first of all. It's just a date, not a trip to Death Row," Tip assures me, although it does little to alleviate my fears.

I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. I give a tight nod. "You're right," I admit. "It's just a date. What could go wrong? I-I mean, I could probably trip and embarrass myself or have really bad breath when he tries to kiss me or... Oh my gosh, how do you kiss someone?"

Tippy's mouth falls open. "Did you really just ask that question? How old are you again?"

I send her a glare. "It's not like I've never kissed a guy before. It's just that... I've never kissed a guy I've actually liked before." I smile and press a hand to my lips. "I want it to be perfect."

When I say perfect, I mean that I want to see stars and fireworks when our lips meet, that I want to completely lose myself in him, like I've been swept away in an ocean. When we finish, I want to walk away with a smile on my face that no one will be able to erase.

I'm not about to tell Tippy that. I'm not about to tell anyone that. Besides you guys, of course.

"You are too innocent," Tippy teased while shaking her head at me. "But, don't worry. After I'm through with you, that guy will think he just went on a date with a Pussycat Doll."

My eyes go wide. Before I have the chance to ask her what she means, she's talking again.

"You're lucky I was already on my way to Gotham City," she says while pushing her suitcases to the side of the room. I notice that she does have a lot of suitcases to just be staying here for a day or two.

"You met a guy," I guess with a smile. Tippy's face lights up and she nods. She takes out her cell phone and shows me a picture of a handsome guy with his shirt off.

"Wow," is all I can say about this guy. He looks like he should be plastered on the front of some magazine so that all women can gaze upon his beauty.

"His name is Francis," Tippy says before planting a kiss on her phone's screen. "We met on one of those dating sites last month and he wants me to come visit him.

I hold back a suppressed sigh. Tippy is notorious for her online dating disasters. She usually finds the perfect guy on these sites but it seems to never work out. She doesn't seem to mind, though. The guys usually spend tons of money on her, even after she's moved on to the next one.

"Have you met him somewhere public yet?" I ask, feeling slightly worried. I've heard enough stories of girls getting kidnapped after meeting up with these handsome strangers they met online. I don't want anything like that happening to my best friend.

"Yeah, he came and visited me two weeks ago. He was so sweet. He wanted me to come stay with him for a while so that I can meet his parents."

My eyebrows bound upwards. "Do I hear wedding bells?" I sing with a wave of my finger. We giggle and push each other playfully.

Tippy suddenly looks around. "Wait, aren't I taking your room? Where are you going to sleep if Bane took over the guest room?" she ponders while glancing around.

I feel my face staining with blush. I can't tell her that I plan on sleeping... beside Bane while she stays with us! The teasing would never cease, even after she goes over to her boyfriend's.

"I'll, uh... sl-sleep in the living room, no worries!" I sputter out with a fake grin. I clap my hands together and quickly change the subject, like the expert of changing subjects that I am. "So, are we going shopping or what? I'm sure you want to pick out some cute things to wear for Francis!"

Tippy's eyes light up. "Oh, right! And you mean sexy, dear. That's what we will both be aiming for today."

I don't have the time to argue before Tippy starts changing and insisting that I change as well. We change into suitable shopping gear (comfy sweaters and sneakers) before grabbing our purses and heading to the living room.

Bane isn't in the room anymore so I shout, "We're going out, Bane! We'll be back soon!" He doesn't respond. I want to go check on him but Tippy grabs my arm and drags me out of the door.

"He's an adult, girl. He'll be alright," Tippy assures me as we head to her car.

"I know," I say. I can't help but send a text to Blake telling him where I'm going and that Bane will be alone.

Tippy and I climb into her white Sedan. She sticks her keys into the ignition and starts it up. When I say that her music is loud, it is an understatement. I'm surprised that her windows don't shatter into a billion pieces when the bass begins. The bass surges through the car, sending warm vibrations through the seats and into my body. I'm pretty much used to the volume by now so I sit back and enjoy the ride.

"679" by Fetty Wap is thumping in the car and I can't resist dancing with Tippy as she swings her car wildly out of the parking lot and right out into the traffic, earning furious honks from other drivers. Tippy lowers her window, sticks her hand out, lifts up her middle finger, before withdrawing her hand and putting back up her window.

I cover my mouth when I see an angry guy in a suit climbing out of his black Mercedes and stomping towards our car. We're at a red light so there's nothing we can do besides wait for him to reach us.

I tap Tippy's shoulder and gesture nervously at the man advancing towards us. Tippy glances at me before looking out of her side mirror at the red-faced man. She rolls her eyes before rolling down her window and awaiting his approach.

The man stomps up to the window and practically shoves his face into the car. "Did your mother teach you any manners?" he yells. "Learn how to drive and how to behave like a citizen of..."

His voice slowly becomes inaudible as Tippy turns the music up louder and louder until we can't even hear him. The light turns green and Tippy presses the gas, zooming away from the man and leaving him yelling all kinds of obscenities at us.

Tippy is rolling with laughter while I'm covering my mouth. I'm used to this behavior when Tippy gets behind the wheel. She turns into an utter beast, turning the most laid back drivers into blubbering, angry monsters.

I need my car back.

We finally make it to the Gotham International Mall. The parking lot is packed with people and cars, all eager to get to the early Christmas deals even though Thanksgiving is over a month away. As Tippy busies herself trying to find us a parking spot, I finger through my purse, trying to figure out just how much money I have to spend. Being a sales associate doesn't exactly bring in the big bucks. I'd probably have only a hundred dollars to spend, and that was being very generous.

I'll have to wait a bit to buy Christmas presents, at least until after Thanksgiving. I want to buy nice gifts for everyone this year, including Bane. I wanted to get him something particularly special, seeing as this might very well be his first time celebrating Christmas.

Finally, Tippy finds a parking spot near the mall, snatching it up as soon as someone backs out of it and nearly hitting a pedestrian in the process. She turns off her car and smiles.

"We're here!" she announces.

"Yay..." I mutter while peeling myself off of the seat and climbing out of the car.

I love going shopping, especially when you're with someone who loves to shop just as much. If I try to go shopping with Bane or Bro, they'll either wait in the car or complain the entire time. Luckily, my best friend enjoys shopping nearly as much as I do. And since I (foolishly) gave her permission to pick out my clothes, hairstyle, and makeup for tonight's date, Tippy is particularly enthused.

"We're going to need to go to Victoria's Secret first," she explains as we enter the crowded mall. Everyone is rushing around in pairs and groups, hoping to find just the right thing for someone or themselves. I fill suffocated with so many people bunching so close to me, but I'm determined to find just the right thing for my big date tonight.

Wait, did she say Victoria's Secret?

"Why?" I ask. "It's not like Kole is going to see it."

"Isn't he?" Tippy teases while dragging me into the lingerie store. I groan as she leads me directly to the most ridiculous display of outrageous panties and bras. Isn't this supposed to be Victoria's "SECRET"? She has nothing left to hide if she's going to wear stuff like this!

"What about something like this?" Tippy suggests while holding up a black... stringy...

"What the heck is that?" I ask while taking the stringy garment and holding it up in the air. "It just looks like a bunch of black strings."

"It's a thong," Tippy announces loudly right as an elderly woman passes by us. She eyes my garment with a look of horror before she hurriedly exits the store, taking her innocence with her. My face flushes red with embarrassment as I throw the atrocity back in its bin.

"I am not wearing that," I whisper-yell. I storm over to another bin and dig around. I pull out a pair of boy shorts with the words "FUN-SIZE" scribbled on the butt. "What about these? These are cute!" I sing while making them do a little underwear jig.

"Cute," Tippy says while giving me a flat look. She snatches away the underwear and stuffs them back in the bin. She spins around and folds her arms in my direction. "Didn't you say I had free reign over your look tonight?"

"Yes," I mutter sheepishly.

"Then let me work my magic, B. You will not be disappointed with the results, believe me. These are the tactics I use to snag guys like this." Tippy whips out her phone and shows me a picture of a guy who looks like an Italian model.

"Fine, fine," I relent while swatting away her phone. "Bring on the thongs. But that doesn't mean he's going to see them." We scour Victoria's Secret for over thirty minutes before Tippy picks me out a lacy black bra and panty set. It's not a thong, thankfully, but I still feel self-conscious as I go to the counter to check out.

"Big plans for tonight?" the pretty clerk asks me as she rings up my purchase and puts it in the pink bag.

"Y-Yeah, I guess," I say with a nervous laugh as I hand her the money.

"Well, don't be nervous," she says with a smile. "These will win him over for sure."

What does everyone expect me to do—flaunt around in my underwear for a guy I just met?

"Thanks. Bye!" I take my bag from her before Tippy and I finally exit the store. Tippy is glowing with pride.

"We're making progress. Now, we just need to find our dresses and heels."

I groan at the mention of heels, my arch-nemesis. I can barely walk in the things. I'm really beginning to regret giving Tippy so much power. She's obviously letting it get to her head.

We wind up in a store called "NIGHT LYFE". The smell of cheap cologne clogs my nose as soon as we enter the blue-hued store. Red mannequins donning tight and flamboyant dresses are displayed everywhere, like a virus comprised of scantily-clad bodies.

"I love this store," Tippy informs me as she picks up a tight black dress with transparent sides and a slit that went up to the hip. I opened my mouth, ready to protest and groan but I manage to stop myself. Hadn't I complained about always being considered "cute" by people and never sexy? Maybe I'm thinking way too hard about this. Maybe it's time I just loosen up and have fun, for once in my freakin' life.

"I'll try it on," I say with a definitive nod. I take the dress from my stunned best friend and fold it over my arm. I send her a grin. "Let's go shopping!"

Once I decide to just let go, I begin to have a lot more fun. We try on dress after dress. Some are cute, some are hot, some are hideous, and some make us laugh our butts off. There are a number of dresses that make me grin at my reflection and admire the figure they seem to make magically appear. I finally decide on a dress that I just fall in love with. Tippy and I pay for our dresses and shoes before heading out of the mall.

We stop and eat before we head home. By the time we get home, it's already five 'o clock. I have no idea what time Kole is supposed to show up tonight so we burst into the apartment in a flurry of energy.

"We're back!" I sing to the house as Tippy and I enter the living room. Bane still hasn't emerged from his room. I wonder if he's asleep. I place his food on the counter before Tippy and I go into my room and close the door.

"Alright, it's time to work my magic," Tippy announces with a flourish of her small hands. "We're going to turn you into a stunning creature of the night."

"I'm ready!" I announce although that's probably the last thing that I am. Tippy lifts up her combs and makeup bags. I seriously hope I'm ready for this.

-o-o-o-o-

"And we're finished!" Tippy announces nearly an hour later. I cough and wave the hairspray fumes and noxious perfume out of my face.

"Can I finally look in my mirror?" I ask between coughs.

Tippy grins. Her entire face is lit up like a kid in a candy store. "Yes. Take a look at my masterpiece work. You look beyond hot. Like, Beyonce is going to have to work overtime if she wants to compare to you."

I scoff at her exaggerated compliment before I turn around to look in my floorlength mirror. My jaw literally drops when I see the woman staring back at me from it.

I barely recognize myself in the stunning red dress I tried on just a few hours ago. It fits me like a glove, hugging my newly discovered curves in all the right places while refraining from showing too much skin. It cuts off at the middle of my thigh, so there's definitely some leg action going on there. Tippy curled my hair into layers of wavy ribbons that fell along my back and in front of my shoulders. And my makeup! Who knew that the right amount of makeup could make you actually seem your age instead of five years younger?

"Wow," is all my mouth is able to say.

"Do you like it?" Tippy asks.

"Um, yes," I manage to get out as I study myself in the mirror. I laugh. "I love it, actually!"

Tippy bows. "That'll be one hundred bucks," she jokes. I swat her with my bag, earning a giggle out of her. She studies her work again before she gasps.

"You should show Bane!" she cries. "We need to get a guy's perspective on how you look tonight!"

I freeze. My eyes nearly fall out of my head from having opened them so wide. Okay, I forgot about Bane. What will his reaction be when he sees me in this getup? He's barely seen me wear makeup so he'll be shocked, that's for certain. But would he like it?

"I-I'll go show him," I say before heading to my door. "Stay here. I don't want you embarrassing me." Tippy just smirks and lays back on the bed, seeming sleepy. She did have a long day today. She deserves to rest. I place my hand on the doorknob, take a deep breath and push it open.

The hallway light is the only light on in the house right now, and the light bulb is on the verge of going out. I step out into the dimly-lit hallway, feeling nervous yet excited.

I suddenly feel self-conscious about every inch of my skin that is showing yet some part of me feels strangely triumphant. Bane, who always enjoys teasing me so much about my inexperience with men and my clumsy, childish demeanor, is about to have to eat his own words. Wait until he sees me. He'll have to take back everything he's ever said about my inexperience with guys. I'll make him give me a speech about what a mature, young woman I am. Yep, that's what I'll do.

I strut proudly up to his door and lift my fist to give it a knock. Right as I go to rap my knuckles on the wood, the door swings open. Bane stands in the doorway, blinking in surprise.

Every sassy word I planned on saying and every ounce of confidence oozes out of my body. I'm left staring at him, feeling like a deer in headlights. I suddenly feel like a little girl playing dress up in front of him.

I give him a shy smile and twirl one of my curls with my index finger. "Do I look okay?" I ask nervously. "I, uh, wanted to get your opinion before I leave."

I look down at the floor, having difficulty looking directly in Bane's eyes for some reason. I listen to the sound of his mechanical breathing, nervousness coursing through me every time he exhales.

Finally, Bane makes his verdict. "You look beautiful," he breathes.

My eyes somehow manage to find Bane's, my heart flutters in my chest, my lips curve up into a smile.

"Thanks, Bane," I say softly. After a few moments of peaceful silence pass, I begin to bounce my fists against the side of my hips, feeling nervous and giddy yet again. I raise a brow and bite my red bottom lip.

"Do you think he'll like it?" I ask while giving a clumsy twirl that nearly breaks my ankle.

"He'd be foolish not to," Bane quips as he leans against the doorway, regarding me with his expressive, onyx eyes. His eyes suddenly harden and he stands up tall, a hulking figure in the rectangular hole. "You will refrain from performing any actions that would dishonor you tonight."

I was in the middle of making sure I hadn't broken the heel of my shoe, but I have to pause and look at Bane because his statement throws me for a loop.

I sputter out a laugh and ask, "E-Excuse me?"

"Your appearance tonight, though beautiful, seems crafted for dubious reasons."

"Dubious?" I repeat. "I'm just going on a date, my first, and I wanted to feel pretty."

"Any man upon seeing such an outfit, would think otherwise."

I can feel my temper flaring and my cheeks burning. Does Bane really think I'm the kind of girl who would "perform dishonorable actions", especially with a guy I barely know? I narrow my eyes at him and grind my toe into the carpet. How long have we known each other? He should know me better than that.

You know what? Two can play this game.

"What I do with any guy is my business," I growl under my breath while crossing my arms over my chest. "That includes any dishonorable or dubious actions." I'm not about to tell him that there's no way in this world I would do something like that before marriage in the first place. He should already know that. He's been living with me for over three months now. Has he ever once seen me bring a guy into this apartment, yet alone go over to any guy's house? The fact that he's even mentioning this makes me doubt my outfit altogether.

Whatever. Let him think what he wants to think.

We regard each other in angry silence, both waiting for the other person to speak.

Suddenly, there's a knock from the front door. Nervousness shoots up me like an electric shock, but I keep my face calm and collected, just because Bane is still watching me.

"Don't wait up," I say in an even voice. Bane doesn't speak. I turn away from him and head to the living room, ignoring Bane's powerful gaze burning holes into my back.

"Have fun!" Tippy yells from my room. "Text me if you need an escape route!" I would've laughed, if it weren't for these stupid tears in my eyes. I remember all of the times Tippy would text me, begging me to fake an emergency call to get her out of a horrible date. Hopefully, I won't have to do the same thing tonight.

I try to blink away the tears building in my eyes as I fight to unlock the many locks on my doors with nervous, trembling hands. Stupid Bane. He should feel like a complete jerk, making me cry before my first ever date.

This is nowhere near our first fight, especially not our first physical one, but it is the one that hurts me the most. I feel belittled by one of the people I thought I trusted most.

Get it together, Rose. This is your first date. You're going to have fun. You're going to have a great time and you're not going to think about Bane while you're on it.

I unlock my many locks on the front door before my hand grips the doorknob. After taking a million deep breaths, I put a big smile on my face and pull open the door.

(CR: And we're going to stop there! What did you guys think? :D Is Bane justified in his "warning" to Rose? Is Rose sending the wrong message tonight?

What's gonna happen on the date?!

Oh, and special news! I'm writing a bunch of little bonus one-shots that have to do with this story, just for you guys! They're short stories that fill in the gaps that I left open in this story. Some scenes include Bane's POV in the beach conversation between him and Rose's big bro, Rose getting sick and Bane taking care of her, and even the freakin' Joker coming over for a stay! Oh yeah, I love me some Joker. ^_^ So keep a look out for those fun stories! I think you'll like them!

Thank you guys for reading! I'm glad to hear that people are enjoying the story! I know that it's pretty OC-centric, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm having a great time revisiting this story with you all :)

Here's a new section dedicated to my reviewers! :)

To those who reviewed my last chapter...

RJ: Love reading your reviews! Bane says that he will gladly accept your hug... if you join him in conquering Gotham City :P (seems like a pretty good trade off...Bane might give some awesome hugs)

Tribalmum: I was so worried that people might be turned off to the story! I was like, man, no one is gonna want to read about Bane shacked up with a ditzy college student! So I am so so glad that there are some wonderful people out there like you who are enjoying this! Keeping Bane in character was one of my main concerns while writing this. I didn't want him becoming too mushy-gushy or anything like that, so I'm keeping the pace nice and slow. Happy you're enjoying the story! :D