*Hey all! It's finaly summer! Schools out, which means if you're reading this, lucky you! Since I have no life, updates will be coming faster. (and hopefully reviews too! *wink wink nudge nudge*) Anyways... happy reading, and I hope your summer isn't completely mosquitoed up! like mine surely will be!
One extremely long explination later...
"So, let me get this straight. The mayor of your city has decided that it isn't fair for you all to not have a partially normal childhood and to not get educated, so he's making you all go to school. He wouldn't let you skip, becuase you couldn't show him your deploma without unmasking. You can't unmask cause of your identity and the fact that batsy would kick your ass. So, you took a few tests, and they decided to just have you retake some classes, and fill the rest of your day with AP courses. The school they sent you to just so happened to be here in Gotham, and the one Tim goes to. Tim found you, realized who you were right away, told you that he knew who you were, and then you came here, I barged in, and you explained this all to me?"
Richard nodded, glad that Barbara finaly understood. "But what about the titans?"
He bit his lip, trying to find a way to word it."I uh, sorta explained without explaining."
"Do explain your non explaining."
"Well uh, I told them that I couldn't be seen with them because then people would figure out my identity. And... I made it seem like I could only be there on weekends because of some long commute, as if I was really far away."
"But isn't Gotham only about fifteen minutes away from Jump?" interjected Tim.
"Well about that... you see, I had to make it seem like I was far away. Didn't mean I actually was far away. You see, I had to trick them, because... we're going to the same school."
"WHAT?" shouted both Tim and Babs.
"But, on the news it showed-"
"Jump City High? Yea, I know. It's cause it's closer. Also, they figured if everyone thought they were at JCHS, they wouldn't go poking around here. Though, it's kinda hard to miss my friends in a crowd. The only one I can see blending in would be Raven."
Raven. For some reason, he couldn't seem to get the girl off of his mind. Of course, it could've been paranoia, after all, he was in some of her classes. But, he had fencing with Beastboy, and gym with Starfire, but neither entered his mind once. Maybe... No! He pushed the thought aside. We are just team mates! Friends! Nothing more! He sighed. It was becoming harder for himself to convince himself on this point. At least in the conversations he's had with each of them, they hadn't seemed to recognize him. Robin sighed.
"You miss them, don't you?" asked Barbara, noticing the look on his face. He nodded.
"You know how hard it is to pretend to be somthing you're not? To act like I don't know them?"
"Yea." said Barb. "It sucks. You know, every time I put on my costume and become Batgirl, I don't know my dad. I have to talk to him, pretending that I don't live with him, that I barely know him. He treats me professionally, not like his kid. It hurts sometimes, you remember some things he's said to us before. How 'every little bit helps' and all, as if Batman did all the real work. It hurt me whenever he said things like that, because instead of thinking of him as a colleague, I thought of him as my dad. I thought my dad wasn't proud of me. But it's like when Batman becomes Bruce, or you become Richard, or Robin becomes Tim. It's a mask, and we become a whole new person. Now, your mask isn't Robin or Richard, it's John Ulman."
"Yea, I guess you're right, Babs."
"Of course I am! Now come on you two, lets go do somthing!" The two boys smiled, as Babs dragged them out the door.
"Oh, hey John!" Raven called out, seeing the teen walking past, with two others. The boy turned around, and spotting her, his eyes grew wide for a second.
"Hey, Raven! What are you doing all the way out here? I thought you lived in Jump?" he asked, worried that she had figured out who he was.
"I do, but the crime rate's been down, and I'd rather not let Starfire drag me to the mall with her little 'posse' or whatever. Thought I'd hang around Gotham. Who are your friends?" she asked, looking past Robin and seeing the two others.
"Oh! That's Tim Drake and Barbara Gordon. Guys, this is Raven." The two shared a look, before politely waving at Raven. Before Robin could make his getaway, Tim spoke up.
"Hey, we were about to go out for pizza, wana join us?" She missed the stressed look 'John' sent him.
"Sorry. I'd like to, really, but I've already made plans with someone."
"Really? From what you've told me, Beastboy didn't really seem like your type." Robin joked, trying to find out who she was talking about.
"Ha! As if. Actually, I was just meeting Jake at Barnes & Nobles. I'll see you tomorow then?"
"Yea, see you then." the three continued on their way, as Raven teleported herself off to the book store. Babs noticed Richard looked a little downcast after their convorsation.
"So, you know that Jake guy?" asked Tim.
"Yea. Goes out of his way to be a perfect gentleman when around Raven, and Beastboy for that matter. He's teaching Beastboy how to fence. I don't know... I just have a bad feeling about him."
"Are you sure you're not just, you know, jelous?" asked Barb, smirking.
"Oh, shut up!" he called back playfully, and walked a little ahead of the other two, as to hide his blush.
*Yea, kinda boring filler chapter accept for one kinda important detail- you all now know, ROBIN IS NOT JAKE. Just sayin. Please R&R!