My mouth gaped wide open, face turning the red-est it's been in a while. How had this never came up in Eddie's fact of the day or news. For once I was at a lost for words. The kid was a legend. Not only was I talking to the richest person in Gotham but he asked for my help. MY HELP! Holy Crap THE Billionaire, Bruce Wayne, was standing before me, in Gotham High of all places.
I must have been standing there, gawking and staring like some freak. He cleared his throat, smiling. "And you are?"
He looked just like his photos in the magazines. Bruce Wayne didn't have one spot of acne, his chin so chiseled. "Oh, yeah...my name..its ah.." My mind went blank, what was my name? Inside my chest was thumping loudly, trying to come up with the right word. "h-harleen?" I choke on my words, sounding like fool.
Bruce didn't seem to notice, he just smirked politely. "Wonderful to meet you Miss. Harleen. If you don't mind may you lead me to the steps. I'm afraid the bell will be ringing shortly"
Again, my face flushed. Our conversation from before had escaped my mind. The first step I took floundered, tripping on a tile that wasn't placed right. "Oopies" I could hear Bruce trying to refrain from chucking. He was such a gentleman and then there was me. My face feels hotter as I try and shake it off. "Yeah it's just this way."
A sharp wail came from down the hallway as I heard Ozzie fall out of the biology classroom. "GET THAT DAMN THING AWAY FROM ME! AWK AWK!" He croaked at the end of his sentence, running across the hallway into another classroom.
A small black objected flew from the lights towards us. It moved swiftly and quick. "Eeek!" I duck, dodging what I thought was a bird. It had almost taken off my head with how low it flew. Nonetheless the creature was not a bird, but a small bat which escaped Ozzie's bird-a-rama. Science fair project. I turn around to find Bruce gone. No where to be seen. "Bruce?" I ask, looking around. The boy emerged from behind the lockers, stiff. His eyes seemed off, like he was trying to hide the panic in them. "It was just a bat, nothing harmful." I say with a small shrug.
He pauses a moment before becoming back to his proper self. "Oh I know that, i just wished to see if there was a drinking fountain over there. I'm afraid I'm feeling rather parched."
His expression read differently. Bruce Wayne was afraid of a little bat thing? How funny. I smirk, thinking about it. Bats were harmless from what I read. "Come on, the steps are to the righ-"
"Hey Bruce-" A low purr comes from behind the lockers. Much to my surprise Selina emerges, slipping her arms around his neck. Her outfit was fierce, fashionable as she always is. And here I thought her and Pamela skipped school today. Bruce looks a mixture of flustered and annoyed as she did this but doesn't bother to push her off. His face pinkins near the corners of his cheeks. The two of them, side by side sparked a memory. I had seen Bruce Wayne before. Not just on TV or in newspapers but at Selina's party. It occurred to me that they were a thing. Selina made that very clear as she moved to his side, keeping her left hand placed on his shoulder. The kitten was definably claiming this one for her own. It was almost funny how assertive she was being.
"Selina." He spoke formally by speaking her first name.
"What are you and Harley doing around this part of school..." Her voice sounded like she was accusing us of something. I fiddle with my hair during the awkward tension. Dealing with drama wasn't my best strong point. I ended up chuckling nervously like I always do. This makes Selina's head snap around. Luckily Bruce speaks up,
"Harleen was showing me around, we were just on are way to Room 117 when you snuck up on us."
"Room 117 ay? Would you look at that, I'm going there too." Selena smiled, playing Bruce very well. He was putty in her hands. We both knew she had no such class. Her next block was healthy living, which was across the courtyard. "Harleen you must hurry, your class is so far away and I wouldn't want you to miss it." Her voice held that fake niceness in it. The tone I hate most cause you look like a jerk pointing it out or objecting to it so you have no choice but to comply.
Bruce looked concern, buying her lies. "oh Harleen I never meant for you to miss your class. Go ahead, we'll chat some other time." He smiled, he was really friendly for an extremely rich kid. Yet with Selina by his side I felt myself pushed farther and farther away. I had no choice but to wave goodbye.
"See you guys later."
I could picture Selina rolling her eyes behind those black lashes of hers but she kept a fake smiled on her face as she chimed in, "Bye Harles."
"It was a pleasure meeting you Harleen."
I could hear her laughing, whispering in his ear. My heart couldn't help but sigh. Seeing them together made me miss him, I missed Jack. The past few days my stomach felt on edge, in knots because I had not seen him since the party. What if he was hurt too? He had not come back to school yet.
The bell rings but suddenly I wasn't in the mood to go to class anymore. I sit at the end of the hallway, by my locker. Purple smudges still on the object from the school's attempt to whip off the words. The marking's from that night were fading faster on the locker then the ones on me. No one figured out who vandalized the school but Principle Strange was not happy. On the upside of things, the bruises were just starting to heal.
Ozzie is who lifted my spirits. Seeing the kid run from side to side of the hallway, trying to catch the bat was an amusing sight. A part of him had to know bats were impossible to catch but all logic seemed to disappear each time he dove for it. "AWK!" Ozzie grumbled in dismay as he fell flat on his face. I laugh, going to help him up. "here." I lend a hand, smiling. From what I understood he had a rough life. The kid loved birds, so much he actually began to look like one. Due to some accident in his place of works after school, his nose was crippled. Johnny calls it his beak, the way it was indented and curved upwards. "What are you doing?" I ask, tilting my head confused.
"I need to catch that darn bat." Ozzie grumbled, trying to jump but it was no use. He was the shortest kid around, his jump was hardly an inch off the ground.
"Good luck with that." I chuckle.
"Oh I'll catch him alright! That bat won't see what's coming." I facepalm softly, logic wasn't on his side. The bat was faster than Ozzie and had the advantage of flying. Not wanting to crush Oswald spirits, I stay quiet. He waddled into another room, following the bat.
~New Student: Bruce Wayne~
Not as attractive as Jack Napier but pretty nice looking. He looks so professional and acts like he's all proper and adult. I wonder if he's British or something? Him and Selina are an item that's for sure. Kinda cute together but Selina is definitely up to something. He's such a quiet, good boy from what I saw so that should most definitely be an interesting pair. I wonder how they met?
I tap my pencil along the sides of my journal, Bruce Wayne was hard. He didn't really give off that many recognizable traits other than being famous. I would have to add more to his section later.
~Entry #23~
The thing about us humans is are brains tend to crave drama, adventure, the feeling of being alive. There's a scientific word for it but the best example is watching people in high school. They don't question the danger as much, but they crave it equally as the adults in our lives. Students fail to ask themselves, do I really need to chase a bird across the hallways or is it just another distraction I need right now from my life. Watching Oswald Cobblepot chase after a simple bat for a good 5 minutes or so is what sparks this thought. The determination comes from his failure. He doesn't give up because then he'll have to face the humiliation. The humiliation of how much time he's spent on this useless mission...
The bell rang early, causing me to jump up to my feet. I didn't understand, didn't class always let out at 1:45? Students swarmed the hallways in chattering clusters. Why is everyone getting out of class an hour early? Those who were the teachers pets moved quickly down the hallways, in fear any lingering would lead to being confronted by the jocks. At the very end of the hallway, the front doors to the school rattle open. A calm, refreshed Pamela Isley sneaks past a couple teachers. One teacher, , caught her arriving late yet pretended not to notice her as he went back into his classroom. "Harley!" She smiles kindly, waving. "Come on! We'll be late!" Late? For what? How could I be late when she hasn't even been at school all day? I wonder, slipping the red journal back into my bookbag.
"Red? What are you doing here?" I ask, confused. "I thought you skipped school."
"Shhh, not so loud or the teachers will have to admit they heard you." Pamela whispered, hushing me silent. "Well, I was spending the day at the park across town when I heard Principle Strange was making an important announcement at the end of the day. I knew I just had to attend, being the head of the cheerleading committee and all."
"Oh-" My voice drops quietly, this wasn't good. What if I was busted? This has to be for the purple vandalism across the lockers. Oh no! I was going to detention or worse jail! This would look so bad on my transcript. Principle Strange is going to punish me in front of the whole school, why else would there be a big assembly. The closer we got to the auditorium, the more I panic inside.
Pamela didn't take my suggestion about sitting in the far back of the room, instead she chose the dead center. I zoned out her voice as the principal got on stage. All I could hear was my beating heart in fear. The Principle appeared to be staring straight at me, I had to avert his gaze. He walked back and forth before tapping the microphone. Everyone groaned loudly as the sharp pitched buzz through the theater. This was it. I was gonna be called out in front of the whole school.
"Students, Students, listen up I have an important announcement for you all."
"Yah! Why else would we be called in here Baldie!" One of the jocks yelled out from the back. Murmurs of snickering resided from this, nothing too serious. Principle Strange just shook it off, focusing on the crumbled piece of paper in his hands. I couldn't look, my eyes scan the auditorium to find Johnny down a few seats to the left of me and Pam. I wave, smiling to be friendly but I had to continue and look around. It was obvious what I was looking for. I searched the seats, longing to find his messed up green curls. I found myself praying for Jack to be here, however, the one friendly smile was missing from a crowd of faces.
"It was brought to my attention that we have no class officers this year. With the Halloween ball on the rise along with numerous other events I feel that it is about time to announce-" YES! I wasn't in trouble! I started to dance in my seat a little before Red shot me a death glare. Oops. "-we need a president, someone who is willing to unite this school. Thus, Class Elections will be held these next few days. If anyone is interested in becoming President, please come up to the stage right now and obtain the proper paperwork you need to be nominated."
Both me and Pamela shot up from our seats excited. Imagine how amazing Class President would look on my college application. It would take me one step closer to getting scholarships and being a doctor. "Elections! Oh my gosh this is perfect!" I began to ramble, smiling as I start to make my way down the seats. Jonathan looks up, catch in my eye. It was almost like he knew I would be the first one to head down to the stage. I'm pulled backwards by a tight grip on my arm.
"What are you doing?" Pamela asks annoyed, pushing me back towards my seat.
"I'm going up there, I want to run for President."
"Well I'm running so you can't run."
"but Principle Strange said anyone could run and I think I would do a good job, maybe even get to know the school better."
Pamela's voice changed to almost a parenting, motherly tone. She was very stern, looking directly into my eyes. "Harley darling." Pam took a deep breath, pushing her hair to one side. "We can't have two people run from cheerleading, it would divided the squad and our friends. You wouldn't want our friends to hate you for splitting everyone apart?" She sounded concern. I began to doubt my intentions. The one thing I didn't want in Gotham High was for people to hate me. "If we both run then neither of us have any chance to win. Those divided votes would be our downfall. You of all people should understand if you run, it will only cause unneeded drama."
"That makes sense..." My voices trails off as I become hesitant to even question her decision. "-but why do you have to run?"
"I don't, and Harles you know I'd drop out in a split second if I thought you had any chance at winning this..." Pamela spoke sounding sincere. "-but lets face it, you're the new girl. No ones going to vote for someone they don't know. I've been in Gotham for years, it's just I have better odds...wouldn't you say?" I nod, biting my lip softly. She did have a point. I was still the new girl, maybe it was not best that I run.
"I know you're disappointed and I wish it didn't have to come down to this. I would truly love it if you were to become president-wait Harleen thats it! You can be my campaign manager, so it will be exactly like you were running for president." She smiled brightly, "A win, win! You can make the posters, buy my shirts, and buttons, bake hundreds of cookies. You can even write my speech, it'll be exactly like if you were running for president but it's just my face thats on it."
"Okay?" Something didn't sound right about this. Ozzie's nasty tuna fish sandwich wasn't the only thing that smelt fishy. Actually maybe it was just his sandwich, he was directly in front of us and I felt like I was gagging on the inside.
'I knew you'd understand, Thanks Harleen." Pamela grinned, hugging me. Soon enough she started to run up towards the stage where all candidates had to get their nomination form. Her strut was confident, so sure of herself. A part of me wished that was me up there. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, I still got to do some of the stuff I originally intended to do, right?
Jonathan looked over at me, a sense of pity in his eyes. He shouldn't feel bad for me, Pamela was just the more logical candidate. She had the looks, definitely wouldn't fumble in her speech and had the most friends. Jonathan moved, taking over Pamela's seat beside me. His voice was quiet, "I would have voted for you Harleen."
I sigh, sitting back down in my seat. "Thanks Johnny."