Homecoming P.1.
A/N: The following chapter briefly mentions sexual assault. If this is a trigger for you, please skip through the part where Kory is in the car with Dick. Thank you. If you or someone you know has been a victim to sexual assault, please call 1-800-656-4673.
Kory rushes through the long hallways of the hospital, Galfore right behind her. A couple of the staff members move out of the way, some in shock to see the youngest daughter's appearance. She glances at the room numbers, the receptionist at the front desk told her that her father was in the west wing with some of the best doctors in the nation operating on him. Kory slows down her pace as she spots her mother, the royal guards, Komy, and Ryan outside the room.
Luan glances up from Ryan resting in her lap and sees Kory with tears in her eyes. "Kory," She removes Ryan off her lap and runs towards her daughter. They embrace in a hug, both crying, while Komy rolls her violet eyes behind them. "How is he? Is he okay? What happened?" Luan presses her finger to Kory's lips and hushes her, "He's going to be alright. The doctors are finishing up the operation as we speak. I don't know what has happened, but hopefully, your father will tell us when he wakes up," Luan gazes over at Galfore and smiles, he smiles back at her.
"My Queen, I apologize for the circumstances in which we have to meet like this," "Galfore, please call me Luan. We aren't in public," He blushes. "Right, I'm glad to hear that my brother will be alright," Ryan scurries over to Kory and hugs her leg. Kory ruffles his fluffy curls as he holds her tight. "Kory! I'm so glad to see you! You've been gone for a long time!" "Hi Ryan," She leans down to his level and gives a kiss on his cheek.
"I'm back now, that's all that matters," Komy strolls over to the family with a smirk on her face. "Well, well, well. If it isn't sister dear and kicks. Nice of you to join us away from Kory's rehabilitation retreat," "Komy!" Luan hissed. "It's not like it's a secret mother, right Kory?" Kory wanted to snap back at Komy, however, she didn't. It wasn't the time for them to argue and Komy knew that. She wanted to get a rise out of Kory, but she wouldn't give her the satisfaction. "Komy, how nice to see you," she said through a straight line of teeth.
Komy flipped her long mane of black curls and fluttered her long eyelashes as if she was innocent. "You too sis, shame what happened to daddy," "Such a shame," Why does Kory feel as though Komy had something to do with this? Kory wouldn't put it past her if she did. A doctor in his scrubs came out of Myan's room, a small blood stain lie under his collarbone. "Good news, we were able to safely remove the bullet from King Myan's spine. Thankfully we removed it before any vital nerves or organs were damaged. Whoever shot him has terrible aim,"
"Thank you, Doctor," Luan spoke. "Can we see him?" Ryan asked. "In a few, we have to let the anesthesia wear off," "Might as well make ourselves comfortable," Luan stated. She sat back down in her seat as did Komy and Ryan. Kory stood off to the side, away from them. "Something troubles you, bumgorf?" He asked as he moved next to her. "Nothing troubles me, I'm just glad he's alright," Kory laid her head against Galfore's arm. She lied to him. That bullet wasn't just a coincidence. Someone wanted her to get the message that any of her family members were open targets. Unfortunately, she read that message loud and clear.
Bee gazed at herself in the mirror as the seamstress altered her dress. It was a gold, tulle, mermaid gown that hugged Bee's small curves. The bottom of the gown was decorated with amber rhinestones and pearls, while the bodice had small amber beads along the breast line. Oh yes, she'll wow the crowd in this ensemble. Jinx strolled into the room and noticed Bee's dress. "Wow," Bee smiled at her. "Wow, you are right. I can't wait for everyone to see this." "Wait till Vic sees it," Bee replied as she stared into the mirror. "Yeah, him too. I hope he remembered to pick up his tux."
It made Jinx's blood boil at how much advantage Bee took of Vic and Vic let her. Vic was one of the greatest guys at school, possibly one of the few good ones left. Bee is so lucky to have Vic on her arm. "Jinxie, what are you wearing?" Jinx shrugged her shoulders. "Probably something from my closet." Bee gasped. "Absolutely not! It's homecoming, you must wow people," "I don't really care," "Jinx, we're taking photos and we have to look good. Hmm, Rhonda," Rhonda lifted her head up from Bee's dress.
"Can we get Jinx a cute dress before homecoming? Please?" Rhonda gazed at Jinx up and down. "Hmm, we can make a short pink dress work. I may have something already made for you, hold that thought." Rhonda walked towards the back of the shop. "Bee, really I don't—" "—You're gonna look hella fine," Bee clapped her hands together as Jinx plastered on a fake smile.
"So, you don't want to go to Homecoming together?" Cathy asked. Dick invited Cathy to meet at the hipster cafe down the street from the school. It wasn't as stylish as the other one, but it got the job done. He checked the clock behind Cathy. It was almost time for practice, and he couldn't be late or Coach would have his ass. Although his head wasn't focused on the game, it was focused on something else or rather, someone else.
Ever since he found out about Kory and her situation, he couldn't forget it. It's all he thought about and she hadn't returned his phone calls. "I'm going to be honest with you. Homecoming isn't that relevant to me, in fact, I couldn't care less about it." "Then, why did you ask me?" He could hear the hurt in her voice. Cathy didn't deserve this. He knew deep down that he wanted Kory to feel the hurt he felt when he found out from The Hive about her and Xavier. Cathy was the third party in this, she had no right to be treated this way. "I don't know."
He wasn't sure what would happen if he told her the real reason why. Dick watched as Cathy's hand clenched around the coffee cup, uh-oh. The hot liquid scorched his face and dripped off his chin. "Fuck you!" Cathy yelled as she left. He heard the other coffee shopgoers watch in shock, others recording. She had thrown coffee in his face, which he deserved, but he didn't think she'd do it. "Dick wiped the coffee off his shades and face with napkins. That turned out well as expected.
The Hive: Aw Boy Wonder, don't you know that the best way to avoid a confrontation like this is to either break up with them through text message or ghost them. It'll save you a lot of trouble. Honestly, that smack down made me crave a non-fat mocha latte.
Rachel wrote in her notebook next to her schoolbooks. She glanced up at the mirror next to her. Rachel had so much on her face that wasn't her. Glitter all over her eyelids, with sequins underneath, cherry red lipstick that didn't fit her pale skin tone and blush a hot shade of pink. It took everything for her not to take a makeup wipe and rub everything off. Rachel gazed over at her father who was occupied with one of the strippers.
His eyes were south of her face and instead glued to the hot pink thong she was wearing. Gross. Since a girl called in tonight, Rachel had to be the lucky person to fill in. She continued to work on her homework as the night went on. "Hey Raven, I always see you in a book. It's nice to see you so focused on your studies in this atmosphere. Almost promising," Rachel glanced up from her sheet of paper to see Angel, a showgirl, with a smile on her face.
Compared to Rachel's small frame, Angel looked like the after picture of plastic surgeons' work, and she looked like the before. Angel had a turquoise robe over her body and sequined shoes to match. Her hazel eyes had little to no makeup on them, a spec of glitter, but that's it. She was a bare-faced beauty. Lucky bitch.
"Oh yeah, I've got a huge exam tomorrow. Can't miss it," Angel had a weird look on her face like she was observing if Rachel or something. "Everything okay?" Rachel asked. She couldn't have anyone find out that she was a minor here, or else the club would get shut down, and that'd be the end of her. "Who did your makeup?" "I did," "Hmmm, may I?" Rachel nodded as Angel grabbed hold of a brush off the table and a makeup wipe. She wiped off the excess disaster on Rachel's face "You're more of a cool undertone, so silvers would work better than gold. The lipstick isn't bad, but it needs to be lined. This pink blush has got to go," Rachel could see her father watching in the corner of her eye as Angel patted her face.
"I used to be just like you, I sucked at makeup," "Gee, thanks," Rachel thought. She was thankful that the bruises on her face had healed fully or else Angel may have gotten suspicious. "I fell down," was starting to be a repetitive excuse. "But then, as I got more money. I got to buy myself nice things and practice more. Also, spray tans can be your best friend," "I'm comfortable with my complexion,"
"Love that! We always need more pale gals around here," "Right," Angel blotted the red lipstick on Rachel's lips, Rachel rubbed them together. "Alright, I think that's it for now. I could send you some tutorials," Rachel glanced at herself in the mirror, she felt pretty. Her eyes didn't resemble a raccoon's, instead, the silver eyeshadow highlighted her violet eyes. Her cheekbones had a small shimmer on them from the highlighter, a hint of pink blush underneath, and cherry red lipstick applied the right way. "You can't rush beauty, Raven" Angel winked as she pushed herself off the tabletop and strutted away. "See ya out there!" Rachel smiled at her as a form of a thank you. Angel blew her a kiss as she headed toward her station.
Vic wiped the excess coke off of his lip, then checked the paper bag, he used the last of it. He turned the newspaper clipping article with the photo of his father catching a football on the wall. "I'm gonna make you proud, Pop. I swear," He sat back in his chair as he let the drug fuel through his veins and closed his eyes. Knock. Knock. Vic opened his eyes and glanced down at his desk; little hints of white were still there. He quickly wiped it off the desk table and shook it out unto the carpet. "Come in," The door opened, and Jinx came through the other end.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" He smiled at her. Jinx smiled back, he didn't know if it was the coke or himself, but he could have sworn he saw Jinx blush. "Came to check on you, excited for homecoming?" He shrugged. "Excited as most, it's kind of—what are you really doing here?" Jinx put her hands up in defeat "Bee forced me to go check and see if your tux fit correctly, then to send photos to Rhonda if they needed adjustments," Vic rolled his eyes "Of course she did. Can it wait?" "You know how your honeybee is, just put on the stupid thing so we can get on with our lives," Vic let out an exasperated sigh and got up from his seat, then grabbed the tux cover off his door and walked into his restroom.
Jinx took a seat in Vic's desk chair, she glanced at the knick-knacks he had on his desk. A stormtrooper funky pop, a protractor, the periodic table of elements desk mat, and a Rubik's cube. She giggled; she couldn't believe how much of a dweeb Vic was. Jinx grabbed the Rubik's cube off the desk and began to mess with it. It falls out of her hands and into Vic's backpack. "Whoops!" Jinx bends down into the backpack and searches for the Rubik's cube. She pushed the books past and found something orange, then pulled it out.
It was a prescription pill bottle, but it didn't have Vic's name on it. Jinx squinted harder at the prescription bottle name "Dianabol". "What the—" "—I may need your help with the bow tie!" She heard Vic yell from the restroom. Jinx shoved the bottle back into the backpack and grabbed a hold of the Rubik's cube next to it, then placed it on the desk. Vic strolled out in his black tux with a gold lining on it, Jinx's heart sped up.
"Wow, y-you clean up nice," She wanted to say something else but thought differently considering that this was her BFF's boyfriend. "You think so? I feel like I'm about to join the circus," He pulled at the bowtie. "Nah, I think you're self-conscious about the bow tie. Let me help," She got up from her seat and placed her hands over the bow tie. Vic wasn't that much taller than Jinx, she could reach around his elbow area. As Jinx messed with the bowtie, she didn't notice Vic's eyes on her. "So, are you walking down the field with anyone?" "Well, I was going to walk down the field with Dick, but since you're out of the running. Bee took the chance and snagged him away. I'm stuck with some hockey player,"
"At least you'll look nice," She fiddled with the strings in her hands, how do people do this? "What about the dance? I know Wally's asked you a bunch of times—" "-Try 30 and each time I say no," Vic chuckles. "Wally's nice, once you get past the gross table manners," "That's the thing, I don't know if I'm meant for—" Jinx glanced up at him, his eyes met hers. "—a nice guy," It felt as though they ignited a spark, Jinx swallowed and focused back on the bowtie. Vic cleared his throat. "You never know, a great guy for you could be right around the corner," "Try right in front of me," Jinx thought to herself. She shook her head and finished the bowtie off "All done!" She smiled. Vic stepped in front of his bedroom mirror as Jinx stood behind him. "What do ya think? Too much?" She reached out to place a hand on his shoulder but pulled it away and hid it behind her back.
"I think you look great! Like a magician—" "—Like a magician? Hell no—"Jinx fell into a fit-go giggles, Vic playfully rolled his eyes and smiled down at her. "Oh you've got jokes, alright. The tux fits fine, you can text Bee that," It was her turn to clear her throat. She glanced at the backpack near his desk. "Vic, earlier when you were in the restroom, I was playing with your Rubik's cube and it fell into your backpack," Jinx started. Vic's face remained blank "And?" He asked. Should she tell him about the medication she found or keep it to herself? How would he react?
"I-I saw that you're doing the same project as I am for Dr. Lights' class. I wanted to borrow your notes," She lied through her teeth. He quipped an eyebrow, then went into his bag and fished out the notes. "These?" "Yeah, thanks Vic. I'll give them to you tomorrow," "Don't worry about it, I pretty much know most of the stuff. Anything else you need?" It felt as if he was rushing her out of the door, that's weird. Jinx noticed that his eyes started to appear different as well. They reminded her of some former friends who were on drugs, they were distant and blank. Weird. "Nope. I guess I'll get going then. See ya tomorrow?" He nodded before giving her a thumbs up as Jinx made her way out of his room and down the stairs. She needed to tell Bee about this and fast.
The Hive: Seems like our Knight and Shining Armani's got himself in a bind. Turns out he's not the perfect man that everyone makes him out to be. Questions I have, starting with Who, What, Where, When, and Why. The biggest one my mind is what Queen Bee has to say about this.
"Hey Kory, it's Dick….um, I know we haven't spoken in a bit. Well, it's only been days, feels like forever. Anyway, I really need to talk to you. Please call me back…wherever you are," Kory shifted to the next message from Dick on her voicemail. "Hey Kory, I don't know where you are or if you're getting this, but I'm really wor—just text us to let us know you're okay, bye." She pressed on the last one. "Hey, everyone's worried about you. We hope you're okay…I hope you're okay," Kory sighed to herself as she clicked her phone off and headed into the hospital room. Her father wiped his face. Tears welled in Kory's eyes as she ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Oh, Father! You're okay!" He patted her back, but not like a father soothes his child. "Hello, Kory," Mean didn't sound thrilled about her presence. Did he hate her that much? She removed herself from his arms and placed her hands behind her back. "I'm fine, my daughter. They said the bullet grazed me. You're supposed to be in hiding," "I-I know, but when Uncle Galfore told me what happened—" "—You told her?" Myan turned to his brother as if he had betrayed him. Galfore folded his arms. "She had the right to know, Myan—" "—You don't dictate what she can and can't do. You aren't her father- "
"-Stop it! Myan, this isn't safe for your health. You must rest my king," Luan placed a gentle hand on his stomach and settled him against the pillow. "Way to go, Kory," she turned her nose upward. Kory was about to retort when her mother sounded like she had enough. Kory has every right to be here just as much as we do." Her father sighed then nodded "I apologize for my temper Kory, I'm just scared for your safety. Galfore is your only source of protection. What if they found out where you were?" Kory stared at Komy and glanced away. "So, Komy has something to do with all this?" Kory wondered. "Galfore and I will stay here with your father. Why don't you three head back to the castle for some rest?" Luan snapped her fingers, and three royal guards entered the room. Kory took Ryan's hand as Kory led them out of the room, the guards following close behind.
"What's about to happen to Father?" Ryan asked as Kory helped him into his bed. She sat down on the edge as she lifted the covers over him. "Mother stated that the doctors will keep him in the hospital for a couple of days and make sure he's safe." "What about the guy who did that to him?" "One of the head guards is looking into it as we speak and should hear back from him shortly." Ryan laid his head against the pillow. "What about you?" Are you going to stay?" He asked. Kory couldn't stay anywhere, because wherever she was, they would find her.
No matter how far or fast she ran, they were close behind her. "I'll be here for as long as I am needed," Kory technically wasn't lying to Ryan. Although she didn't know when to leave. She missed Tamaran, the local food places to eat at, the citizens, the castle, and her family. If she hadn't been hiding, Kory would never have met some remarkable people in the United States. Dick's image crossed her mind. His dashing smile warmed her up the most. She would hate to leave him. "Maybe I should call him back?" Kory thought. Ryan covered his mouth to yawn, then turned over to the other side of the bed and fell asleep. Kory kissed his forehead, then left the room. On the other side of the hall, Komy awaits.
Bee rolled a section of her hair into a curler. "Almost done," She tapped the oatmeal face mask as it dried. Jinx strolled into her room and glanced at the time on her phone. "I forgot, it's self-care time for Bee. How do you manage to juggle school, cheerleading, homework, and a boyfriend and still have time for self-care?"
"A queen always makes time for herself?" Bee smiled at herself in the mirror. Jinx watched as she pushed herself off her chair to reveal the bedazzled boot over her leg. "It sucks that you can't take the boot off for homecoming," "Ugh, I know. I can't cheer Vic on either, just watch," Jinx thought back to the meds she discovered in Vic's bag. She researched it once got in the car and found out they were anabolic steroids. "Speaking of Vic, I found something—" "Oh my god, a stain on his tux?" "No," "It didn't fit him?" "It fit—"
"Please tell me, the gold in his tux came out correctly," Jinx pinched the bridge of her nose "Bee the freaking tux is fine! It's not about the stupid tux!" Jinx's outburst took Bee aback "Okay, who spit in your cappuccino this morning?" "Bee, I know that you're stressed out about homecoming and the dance, but this shit is more important than that," Bee blinked rapidly before bursting out into laughter "You're kidding me…what's more important than homecoming?" Jinx swallowed, how was she going to tell her best friend that it was possible Vic's doing drugs?
She doubted Bee would believe her, after all, Vic was perfection in her eyes. He could do no wrong. "Um well…I don't know how to say this…" Bee gasped aloud before glancing down at her stomach. "Oh my god, are you pregnant?" "God no, how could you think of that?" Bee redirected her eyes to the mirror. "No reason," "Uh-huh, we can discuss that later." It's about Vic…while I was at his place. I accidentally dropped a Rubik's cube into his backpack and—" "—Jinx, I love you. You know I do. However, if this doesn't concern Vic's tux, homecoming duchess, it can't wait." "But—"
"—A future duchess needs eight hours of beauty sleep. I can't have bags under my eyes when they announce the candidates and show them on the big screen." Bee shoved Jinx out the door. "Bee, I think Vic needs—" "—His rest as well. Homecoming is in two days. We have no time to waste. I'll see you tomorrow. We can talk then. Alright?" Before Jinx could answer, Bee closed the door behind her. Rude. The pill bottle image flashed in her head. She took her phone out of her pocket and typed in the meds name in the search bar. The results loaded before displaying, and her heart sank. Jinx knew something was off and now she had proof.
Kory closed the door behind her as her sister inspected her fingernails. "Ugh, Kory dear, I'd appreciate it if we could bookmark this until tomorrow morning. I need my beauty sleep." "How could you?" Kory asked. "How could I do that? Kory, you need to be more specific with your words darling. I don't have the blandest—" "—You told them where I was, and do not lie. Psion told me it was you," Komy glanced over at Kory, her purple eyes squinting. "Fine, I did squeal. What will you do? Tell Mom and Dad? " Kory shook her head. She figured Komy would be a little concerned about her wellbeing. She never understood why her sister hated her so much and wanted her downfall. Kory could tell her parents about everything that was occurring, but then they'd force her to leave and head elsewhere, potentially to a Swedish boarding school. Not to mention the money she had to give Psion before homecoming, and time was running out. "No, I'll handle it myself. This is my mess to clean up, after all." She left Komy's room and dialed a number on her phone.
2 Days til Homecoming….
Dick glanced at the chair in front of him as Miss Mae-eye continued her lecture. She still hadn't called him back, not even a text. He didn't expect her to. Kory carried secrets. Who demanded answers from her and what happened to her? "Mr. Grayson, are you with us?" He nodded. She turned her back on the whiteboard and continued to write. Wally and Vic glanced at Dick fiddling with his pencil.
"Any word from Kory?" Jinx asked as she sat at the cafeteria table. Vic, Wally, and Gar shook their heads in unison. "I don't know where she is, but Dick's acting like a lost puppy." "Ugh, why don't those two just make out already and give us a break?" Jinx muttered. Bee sat next to Vic and kissed his cheek. Jinx glanced the other way from the exchange. "Babe, are you sure there's no way to get back to the group?"
"No way, baby. I tried talking to Wilson and he said there was no other way—" Well, that's unfair! It was a mistake, and this will be the first year we aren't running together." I know Bee, believe me, I tried. I even asked Coach to talk to him and Coach said that I was lucky that he allowed me to play in the game," "You could always hack into the homecoming ballot—" "—Wilson would see something's up and blame me,"
"—We can get Gizmo to do it—" "—He'd probably ask us to pay triple—" "—Come on, Vic. Think of what it'll be like for us, for me— "—Bee, what the hell has gotten into you?" Vic snapped; the whole table was silent at his outburst. Bee and Vic rarely fight in front of the group, but if they did, it must have been a big deal. They liked to be the happiest couple in everyone's eyes. Jinx thought back to when she saw Vic's pills and glanced at Bee. Bee seemed on the verge of mental breakdown. She could tell that Vic hated that homecoming was nearby and he couldn't do anything about getting kicked out of the race. "Excuse me for seeming to be the only one caring about our relationship!" Bee got up from her seat at the table and hobbled away.
Jinx watched as Vic slammed his fist on the table, shaking the trays around him. He picked up his backpack off the ground and turned the opposite way. "That was…intense," Wally stated. "You don't know half of it," Gar whispered to himself. His eyes widened before he covered his mouth. Wally shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat his sandwich. Jinx glanced at Gar. He averted his gaze. He knew something. Jinx couldn't figure it out. The question was, what was it, and how did it relate to Vic and Bee?
Dick threw a football toward the end of the football field. It soared through the air, then landed on the line at thirty feet. His shoulders sagged. He was in the middle of the field. She even affected his play. What was he planning to do when homecoming came? Everyone counted on him and he didn't have his head in the game. "Dick," He heard someone say, probably another one of those weird fan girls. "Look, I'm really not in the mood to—" He turned around to find Kory behind him. Kory, he wasn't sure if it was her or himself picturing her. She hugged her arms and stood away from him. Her curls were in a low ponytail, and she wore a purple sweater over tattered jeans.
Yep, this is Kory. "Y-you're back? Where were you? What happened?" She placed a hand over his mouth and shushed him. Kory glanced around her to make sure no one was watching them, or cameras were around. "I'll explain later. We need to get out of here, it's not safe." "Kory, what's going on?" She glanced down at him with pleading eyes. He sighed as he took her hand in his. A warm feeling passed through him. There are those feelings again. "I know where we could go, but we have to be careful. Remember what happened the last time we skipped school?" She smiled at him as they ran off the football field.
"I can't do this anymore," Gar texted. He pressed the send button, and then waited for a response. He couldn't betray Vic like this, even if it was for Terra's well-being and safety. Vic was there for him longer than Terra was. Half of the time they weren't talking, but still. The Hive shouldn't broadcast the cheating scandal to the whole school. That wasn't fair to him or Bee. Bzz. "You know my rules, Garfield," He gulped, figuring they'd say that.
"It's not fair to Vic, I want out," Bzz. "You really want to jeopardize your relationship with Terra and your reputation at this school for Vic? I've obviously been shipping the wrong couple." Whatever the Hive threw at him, he could handle it. He wasn't popular at school. Most of the kids in his class knew him as 'That One Kid with Greenish Hair and Braces'. If The Hive threw him under the bus, he'd doubt anyone would care…except his friends. Is he willing to risk what he worked for, start from scratch, and end his social life? Bzz. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He gulped harder.
His mind wandered to the past couple of days he spent with Vic. They laughed, and joked around, just like old times. He thought about how The Hive treated him, demanding more answers and gossip to keep them alive. Without Gar...they couldn't keep tabs on one of the hottest groups in Gotham. They have no ammo to land into their gun. "You don't scare me. Without me, you have nothing. I'm done." He sent the text and shoved his phone back into his pocket. Gar inhaled the fresh air, then exhaled. Freedom.
He shifted the gear shift into park and sighed. Kory sat with her hands in her lap as she glanced around the area. They were in the middle of nowhere, not literally, but it was a small cliff that overlooked Gotham. At night, it must have been gorgeous to look at. She could picture the lights twinkling under the night sky, a couple of planes flying across, and the sounds of cars driving. "Where are we?"
"Another one of my hiding spots. I sometimes come here to think. I've been coming here a lot lately," Kory felt his gaze on her. "I can imagine…I'm sorry I didn't answer your calls. The last couple of days have been hectic, you could say," "Is everything okay?" Kory felt tears prick her eyes. She touched her face to ensure none would fall. Dick placed a gentle hand over hers. She gazes over at him and he smiles at her. "Kory, I-I know," Her heart dropped. He knew? Of course, he did. Bruce must have told him. Tears fell from her face, and she covered her eyes.
"Did Bruce tell you?" "Actually, Xavier told me. Not in so many words, but he said Bruce knew some things about you and I should find out for myself." She wiped away a few tears. "And you aren't scared of me?" He chuckled "Kory, I'm not scared of you. In fact, I want to hear your side of the story. I know there must be another side to the story of why you did those things?" She was shocked. No one asked for her side of the story, even Xavier never heard the full story. Kory swore to herself after it happened that no one else would know what had happened. She hopes Psion is wrong about his claim that no one believes her. She took a deep breath. "Okay, my memory is still vague. But this is what I remember…"
….
The world spun around her as she stared up at the bathroom wall. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she left the party. Vivid images of Komy's smirking face flashed through her mind. Kory had to get out of there and find somewhere to lie down so this drug could wear off. The bathroom door opened, and a pair of legs strolled inside and spotted her on the floor. Kory couldn't find the words to speak or the strength to lift her arm. Kory glanced up at them through her clouded eyes, their eyes a vibrant green. "Don't worry babe, I got you," He whispered as he got her up off the ground and lifted him over his shoulder. Psion walked out the bathroom door and towards the window. "Hey, we're coming down!" She heard him shout.
"I remember that Psion climbed down from a room somewhere with me on his back and the next thing I knew…I was in the back seat of his car."
Kory turned her head to the side and saw Psion driving his car. In the passenger seat was an unknown figure. They laughed at something. The figure glanced behind him and saw Kory's half-hooded eyes close. "Damn bro, she's pretty hot," he replied. "I know," he asked, "When will I have my turn with her?" Psion whispered something she couldn't hear. They threw their heads back in laughter as the car engine roared beneath them.
"Do you think your sister roofied you?" Kory sighed. "I think she did. I hate to think that…but I I believe my sister set me up," "And this Psion guy was in on it?"
Kory managed to open her eyes again and see that her body was led into a dark room. The figure next to Psion carried her bridal style. "Psion…whaaa" Psion turned his head, and his green eyes glowed in the darkness. They weren't the eyes she knew before, instead, they were hollow and deadly.
"Shhh, princess. We'll take proper care of you, right?" The figure holding her nodded in agreement. A heavy pit fell in her stomach. Something was very wrong. They opened the door. Inside the room was a bed with drugs on the bedside table. There was a bottle of champagne on top of the sheets. The figure laid her down against the sheets as Psion stood at the door, smiling. "Be careful, this one is a virgin," he said as he closed the door.
Kory choked back a sob, Dick rubbed over her knuckles. "Kory, you don't have to talk about it—" "—No," She shook her head. "I have to talk about it or else, I'll drive myself insane." He intertwined his hand with hers. "I'm here."
He took off his shirt, revealing a similar tattoo to a Psion's tattoo on his chest. "Please stop," she said. The man touched her lips. "Don't squirm too much or I may have to cut your pretty face." He motioned towards the knife near the drugs. "Do you want something?" She knew what he meant. "No," Kory muttered as he kissed her neck. She tried to push him off her, but he was too heavy for her drugged body. He fiddled with the buttons on her dress. Tears pricked her eyes. Kory glanced over at the knife on the table as he ripped open her dress.
It fell off her shoulders. Kory grabbed the knife and raised it above his back. It shook in her hands. There was no other choice. Kory glanced up at the ceiling. Her eyes dare not to look at the knife lowering into the man's back and spine. "ARGHHHH!" He shouted. He fell off her, and blood spilled out of his back and onto her body and dress. He fell to the ground, trying to reach for the wound. Tears dripped from Kory's eyes as she held the bloody knife in her hand. She raised it above her again, her eyes met the red-glazed steel. Kory glanced down at the man through her hazy eyes and stabbed him again.
He cried harder than the last. Kory dropped the knife in agony. She glanced at the blood on her hands and clothes, then gasped at what she had just done. She was coming out of her drug haze, and the surroundings were becoming clearer around her. Kory got up from the man and backed into the corner. Psion crashed through the door and noticed the man on the ground, bleeding to death. His eyes were fixed on Kory, who heaved against the wall. "What did you do?" The blacks in his eyes were small, and the veins on his forehead popped out beneath his pale skin. She could see the pain in his eyes, the anger he had towards her. "What the hell did you do?"
….
Kory wept silently as Dick processed the whole story. She sucked in a breath and glanced at him. "That's what happened, that's why I went hiding. I never notified my parents that I was about to be—they only remember the blood on my dress when I came home that night. As soon as I saw Psion, I ran as fast as I could. They connected the dots when I found out who the dead boy was. My parents made me swear to never tell anyone what happened. I agreed with them. I couldn't explain to them what had happened, because they would have asked why I took drugs. They told me that my antics had gone too far, and I needed to be taken away from Tamaran for a while.
"And that's how you ended up here," She nodded as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "Now you know the truth. I was absent for a couple of days because I found out my father had been shot. He was okay, but it scared me. Psion swears he won't tell anyone about me or my secrets unless I give him five hundred million dollars on Friday," Dick said with a sigh. "So, he won't leave you alone unless you give him the money?" "Yes, I wanted to ask my parents for it. Believe me, I did, but my father was shot before I had the chance." Dick gazed at the girl in front of him. She was a princess, not the flawless one on TV, in movies and in fairytale books.
Kory was a princess with a difficult past. She couldn't mess up. Despite her claims that it was her fault, the whole thing wasn't. Based on what Kory told him. From the sound of it, Psion and Komy profited from Kory's nativity by turning their relationship into a toxic drug. He placed a hand under her chin and lifted it up to where their eyes met through his shades. "Kory, we're gonna get you out of this." She wiped another tear from her eye.
"We are? But how? "I can't get the money," "We have to explain to Bruce, he's the only option. You have to give him the full story—" "—No," Kory removed her head from his fingertips. "Kory, I know it's scary to tell him, but once you do—" "—He's made up his mind about me, Dick. If we tell him, he may tell my uncle and then my uncle will tell my parents. This is something I can't do," "You're not alone in this Kory, I'm here with you," Kory bit her lip, then sighed. "I know you are, but I'm scared…" He squeezed her hand with his, then kissed her cheek. "Whatever you decide, it'll be okay." She smiled as Dick shifted his car back into drive and drove down the mountain, his hand still intertwined with Kory's.
"Would you like to attend the Homecoming Game? See all your friends?" Rorek asked Rachel as he touched a strand of her black hair and pushed it behind her. She shook her head at him. "Seeing a bunch of Neanderthals fight over a ball, no thanks," Rorek chuckled. She adored his laugh. It was so sweet and charming, like music to her ears. "Alright to know your stance on American football. We could watch another movie."
"What do you have?" Rorek pushed himself off the couch and walked towards the huge bookshelf. When he scanned through the DVD cases, he picked out one and handed it over to her. "Dracula" she cracked a smile. Of course, all the films Mr. Malchoir bought were based on his books. "Dracula it is," she says as she returns the DVD to him. Rorek plucks it from her hands and pushes it into the DVD player. Rorek fans himself, then pulls at his shirt "It's a bit hot in here, don't you think?" Rachel felt sweat prick her forehead "Definitely," He waltzed over to the thermostat and turned it down. "You could take off your jacket if you want," She shrugged off her cardigan, not realizing that as she did, her bruises unveiled themselves. Rorek's eyes roamed her arms and shoulder. They all had different colors of marks.
Rachel met his gaze. Her stomach started gurgling, and she quickly pulled the cardigan back on. "Um-it's not what it looks like," she swallowed, feeling goosebumps grow. "I-It's weird, I wore this lotion today and I seem to be having a bad reaction to it," "Then why didn't you talk to the doctor?" "I'll be fine, I just won't wear it anymore," He didn't seem convinced "I swear, it doesn't hurt me," "Okay, if you say so," He pressed a small kiss to her head, then took his seat next to her in the chair. Rachel thought she would collapse at any moment from her heart pounding so fast. That was a close one. If he knew the truth, there was no telling what would happen to her or her father. She couldn't ruin this positive thing working for her, she knew that much.
Kory exhaled a shaky breath as Dick, and she stood in front of Bruce's office door. Dick noticed and clasped his hand with hers again. "Hey, I know it's scary…but everything will be okay," "I hope so, I'm tired of this," Bruce opened the door to his office "Dick…" He averted his gaze to notice Kory standing next to him. "And Kory…what are you doing here?" Kory gazed at Dick. He gave her an encouraging smile. "I need to explain everything to you." "Do you understand?" "Can I come inside?" Kory let go of Dick's hand. Bruce moved his body from the doorway and let her enter. Dick followed her inside.
"Dick, I can handle this myself. You must get ready for the homecoming game." "But—" "—I'll be okay, I'll see you there." He gazed up at Bruce. "Take care of her," Dick said before heading to his room. Bruce turned over to see Kory standing behind him. "Your private investigator didn't tell you everything. I need your assistance." Bruce eyebrowed her before closing the door behind him. Kory explained her side of the story to Bruce. His face remained straight while she spoke. "That's everything. It's the full story, why I couldn't tell anyone…" She felt tears prick her eyes. It wasn't tears of sadness; it was tears of relief. The more she opened about the incident, the less terrible she felt about it.
Bruce got up from his chair and walked over to her. She glanced up at him, scared of his next move. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled softly at her, the first smile she had ever seen from him. "I apologize for treating you this way. Had I known that—" "—No one could have. It's not your fault, truly. You protected Dick, as did I," he stroked his chin. "Five hundred million, that's a lot to ask for," he replied. "It's the only way," Bruce shook his head. "It's not the only way. You have to inform your parents—" "—No!" Kory interrupted.
Telling her family was the last thing she wanted to do. If she told them everything, that meant telling Komy. It meant she would admit she had a problem that she had kept hidden for a couple of months. It would also indicate that she lied to them. Could she face their wrath or worse, disappointment? "I'll be right here," Bruce reassured her. "I may go away…" "You never know unless you tell them. Your parents will understand," Kory glanced down at her phone. She was out of options; this was her last chance.
"Kory, we had no idea. You must have been so scared," Her mother stated. Kory glanced away from the computer screen and up at Bruce, he gave her a sympathetic nod. Psst. Bruce's phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out and glanced at the screen. "It appears, your majesty that the person Kory—you know. He was a prince to the Citadel," Kory gasped. The thought of her killing someone shocked her enough, but a royal heir. "That's preposterous, the Citadel doesn't have a royal heir…that we know of," "The Citadel has a failing monarchy. Their government system is so bad that the country itself is considered third world," Her father explained.
"The gang that Psion's a part of is actually members of the royal guard," Luan gasped. "That explains why they wanted to target Kory, they wanted an inside look into the kingdom," "With Kory's—condition. She was the perfect bait," Kory thought back to the first time she encountered the gang. They were the ones that introduced her to drinking and her out-of-control behavior. Through the madness, she remembered how Psion's eyes glowed under darkness. His eyes were the few things she could remember in her hazy thoughts. This was all her fault…had they had her way with her, who knows what would have become of her. "We need to contact the council immediately,"
"I agree. We also need to speak with Komy, she's partially responsible for this mess," "What about your injury father?" He grunted as he tried to sit up in his bed. "I'll be fine. Your safety is more important to me," That's the first time she heard her father say that. Her father was reserved and quiet, often calculating different situations in his head. This time, his voice sounded sincere. "What shall I do?" "For now, you are to remain inside of the apartment until this all blows over. Galfore will talk to your school and come up with a valid excuse," Her shoulders slumped. She wanted to go to the homecoming game and see Dick play. Bruce noticed Kory's crestfallen face; he cleared his throat.
"I would love to offer my services any way I can, to help this case come to a close," "Thank you, Bruce Wayne of Gotham. We will keep in touch," The screen cut off. Kory sat back in her chair as Bruce took the file off his desk and lit a match to it. The file was set ablaze, and he threw it in his garbage can. "Mr. Wayne, wha—" "—Consider this a clean slate, for the both of us," He grinned. Kory watched as the photos burned as the fire passed through them.
Bruce was right. Now that the secret was out. She was allowed to live freely and continue her life while she had the chance. Kory embraced Bruce in a hug, at first he was stunned and struggling for air, but he managed to pat her back. "Thank you, Mr. Wayne," "You're welcome, Kory," She let him go, and Bruce was able to breathe again. Damn, the girl was strong. Kory blushes as she averts her eyes to avoid eye contact with Bruce. She notices a small frame with a photo of Dick, Bruce, Jason, and Alfred inside. "Mr. Wayne, have you ever been to a football game?"
HOMECOMING…
Jinx placed her pom poms on the track field as the other cheerleaders stretched and got ready for the game. "Hey, Jinx!" She heard Brooke yell, her skin crawled, that bitch. "What?" "We need to practice the homecoming routine," "We've practiced it a dozen times, it's great," "Great is not perfect, you have five minutes to get your things together, and once I think we're good enough. You can go get dressed in whatever punk-rock wannabe dress you have," Internal Eye roll at that comment "Aren't you excited for Homecoming Queen?"
"Don't remind me, I'm stressed out as is, and when I stress. I bloat and when I bloat, I won't be able to look like a hottie in my dress. So five minutes or consider yourself removed from the routine," "Five minutes, got it," Brooke strutted off towards the other cheerleaders. "Damn, why is everyone so stressed over a stupid, plastic crown and sash?" Jinx thought. She could only imagine the mess Bee was right now and thank God or whoever was up there that she wasn't around both of them. Gar saunters over to her with his mascot head in one hand and duffle bag in the other.
"Hey Jinx, you ready for the game?" "Sure." "Glad to see your school spirit," "I'd like it more if I wasn't surrounded by psychopathic cheerleaders," Gar chuckled as he checked himself in his phone camera. "Then why are you a cheerleader?" "I had nothing better to do," She cracked a smile at him. "Do I have something in my braces?" He got up close to her face, Jinx shoved him away from her. "Um, ew. I don't think so, why don't you head to the restroom? I'll watch your bag," "Good call," He placed his phone on top of his bag. "I'll be back before the routine!" Gar yelled as he shuffled towards the end of the field towards the bathroom.
Bzz. Jinx glanced down and noticed Gar's screen light up with a text. "Gar! You got a text!" He didn't hear her. Gar was already halfway across the field. Jinx picked up the phone from his bag and noticed it was a text from an unknown number. "Are you sure you wanna do this, Garfield?" Jinx scrolled into their text messages, and she gasped. Gar was texting The Hive. "It's not fair to Vic, I want out." Why was Gar protecting Vic, what did he know?
"They were working together; had they been working together this whole time?" Jinx thought to herself. If Gar was the Hive's mole, what kind of information did he have on them? How much did he know? Jinx closed his messages app and headed into his photos. Most of them were pictures of animals, selfies of Gar, and food. Typical…except for two things. A text message exchange and a video. She clicked on the text exchange and read through it, and her heart sank. It was text messages between Bee and Herald. "Oh my god, she's been cheating on Vic," Jinx whispered to herself. She swiped to the right and watched the video play. Someone had taken a video of Herald and Bee making out.
"Jinx!" She heard Brooke yell. Bee had been lying to Vic and he hadn't the slightest clue of who she truly was. She never cared about him, from the looks of her text exchange with Herald. She only liked Vic because he made her reputation better. Jinx had a choice to make, her friendship with Bee or Vic. Vic didn't deserve this, he was too good for her, too good for anyone. Jinx clicked on both items and sent them to The Hive's number and removed the conversation from Gar's phone. "I'm coming!" Jinx yelled back before closing the phone and throwing it in Gar's bag. Jinx headed over to the group of cheerleaders with her head held high. She had to prove to Vic that Bee wasn't the perfect girl he thought she was. Even if the Hive had to do her dirty work for her, she did the right thing.
"In just a couple of minutes, we will introduce you to our candidates for Homecoming Duke and Duchess," The announcer said through the speakers. Dick stood next to Bee with his hands shaking by his side. Bee glanced down at them and raised her eyebrow "Is everything okay, Dick? Nervous about the homecoming competition," He gazed over at the clock on the scoreboard. It was almost time. "Not exactly," He stated. Bee wrapped an arm around him, "Don't worry, I'll make sure to wipe your tears when we win," "Har-har," Jinx butted her head in between them.
"Hey, does anyone want to trade with me? This guy kind of reeks," "Hey!" They heard him say. "Will our nominees please walk unto the left end zone? " The nominees began to walk to their designated area. Dick glanced around at the growing crowd, he saw a couple of girls swoon as he appeared in front of them. Kitten stood behind Jinx and waved a princess-like wave to the crowd. "Aw, look at my fellow followers. You hear that Bee! Get ready to eat my dust when I win!" Bee rolled her eyes and was about to turn around to give Kitten a piece of her mind, but Dick tapped on her shoulder and pointed to the crowd.
Bee averted her gaze to see Vic in the crowd with her favorite flowers as a bouquet in his hand: yellow tulips wrapped in a golden bow. She sighed at the sweet gesture, then gazed over at the band as they were playing the school song. Her eyes met Herald's, he winked at her before raising his lips to play the French horn. "Everything okay, Bee?" Dick whispered to her. "Yep, never better!" Principal Wilson stood in front of the microphone and tapped it. He cleared his throat, then began "Welcome everyone to the 2022 Gotham Academy Homecoming!" The crowd cheered.
Dick glanced at the scoreboard again, then at the crowd. She said she'd be here in time for the game, hopefully, everything was okay. "Before you are our elected candidates for the Homecoming Duke and Duchess. As I call your names, please step forward," He opened an envelope with the list of names on it. "Kitten Moth, accompanied by a young fellow named Baran Flinders, since a candidate had to drop out of the race," Kitten waved to the crowd, and a couple of people clapped for her.
"Jennifer Haiden, accompanied by Billy Numerous," Jinx rolled her eyes as they stepped forward, her eyes spotted Vic in the crowd. He gave her a thumbs up and smile. "Lastly, Karen Beecher and Dick Grayson," The crowd cheered on the two as they stepped forward. A couple of girls wore Dick's number on their shirts, and he blushed. "Alright, I have here the envelope for Homecoming Duke," Principal Wilson began to open the envelope. Bee was a bit sad; Vic should have been here standing with her. He would have looked amazing standing next to her as they wore their crowns and sashes. The thousands of people gazed at them in adoration and a hint of jealousy. Their popularity would be at an all-time high.
"And the winner is…Dick Grayson!" Confetti popped out from the sides of the field; girls screamed louder than ever as Dick approached Principal Wilson. One of the teachers came up to the field and placed a crown on Dick's head. He waved at the crowd with a smile on his face. "I'll get you next time Grayson!" Vic yelled with his hands cupped over his mouth. Dick shot him a hint of his middle finger before walking back over to Bee. "Congrats!" Bee smiled. "Thanks, I didn't think I'd win," "Ugh please, Grayson. You know behind Vic, you would have," He contemplated her words and nodded.
"I just wish Kor—our other friends were here," "Hey, she'll be here. Don't worry," Principal Wilson pulled another envelope out of his pocket, Bee squeezed Dick's hand as they waited. "And now, for your Homecoming Duchess…Karen Beecher!" The crowd roared again, Jinx clapped along with the other candidates.
Bee smiled at the adoring crowd; everything was coming together in slow motion. She could see Vic smiling at her, her parents clutching each other in a proud hug. The confetti flew and cascaded down to the field. She had won. Karen Beecher is the homecoming duchess, everything she had worked hard for was coming together. The crowd's cheers had died down as the teacher crowned Bee with a tiara and sash. "Oh yeah babe, I'd love to see you do that…" The crowd turned their eyes from Bee over to the scoreboard screen.
Bee followed their gaze to see pictures of Herald and her in a tight embrace, they were kissing each other, and her heart sank. "I miss you so much Bee," "Aw Herald, I miss you too. Just a couple weeks before homecoming and I promise I'll break it off with Vic," she brought a shaky hand to her open mouth. "Oooh!" "Oh my god!" Bee couldn't bear to see the look on Vic's face as the hot makeup session continued to play on the screen. Pics of their hot text exchanges popped up on the screen, and everyone's phones rang…including hers. She didn't want to look.
The Hive: Spotted! Long-standing cheater in a torrid love affair with none other than Herald Duncan. My sources tell me that the two were in cahoots with each other. This was done with secret hookup sessions in the janitor's closet, fancy dinners out of town, and prying eyes. I even heard he's the reason Queen Bee took a pregnancy test. Yes, you heard that right. It wasn't Queen Bee's BFF's pregnancy scare, it was hers. I was played and so were you. Here's to you, Queen Bee. You've lied, cheated, and your cover's blown.
"Turn it off! Turn off the video!" She heard Principal Wilson yell at the staff. They scrambled to the sound booth.
The Hive: Told you I had something huge to drop. I always keep my promises, unlike some of my fellow Gothamites. Consider this a royal gift courtesy of yours truly and my source who helped me get all the information, Garfield Logan. Ciao, from The Hive.
Gar swallowed. He could feel the eyes on him and Bee. They didn't know who to be mad at more, him for exposing Bee or Bee for cheating on Vic, one of the sweetest guys at school. Gar couldn't have sent that message. His phone was with him the whole time. Wasn't it? He checked around for his phone in his bag. That's weird his phone was here a minute ago…which means someone stole it and Gar had to talk to Vic.
He had to know that he didn't send the message to The Hive. Gar ran off to find Vic in his mascot suit. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and chuck him back. Gar glanced up to see Brooke with a calm expression on her face. "Where do you think you're going?" "I have to find Vic—" "—Uh-uh. We have a game to cheer for. Find him later. You're on," She shoved him toward the other cheerleaders. "But—""—Now!"
Thump. Thump. Thump. Bee gasped for air to reach her lungs but couldn't breathe. The crowd was silent, eyes watching her. It was her nightmare come true and she knew she couldn't wake up. Bee slowly turned her head to Vic... except he wasn't there. Her favorite flowers were on the ground where Vic's feet were supposed to be. Her heart sank further. She broke him.
"Vic, Vic, Vic! Where are you going?" Dick and Wally rushed after Vic who was heading out of the locker room, anger in his eyes. "Back off!" He growled. Wally caught up to Vic, reached for his shoulder, "Hey Vic! Let's cool down for a sec—"Before Wally could finish, Vic turned around and punched him in the nose, sending Wally flying backward to hit the ground. Dick stopped to check on Wally. His nose bled and spread over his face. "Not cool, Vic!" Vic didn't listen as he stomped off. Jinx came from inside the girls' locker room and ran over to Dick and Wally.
"Oh my god, what happened?" Dick took the towel out of his pocket and wiped Wally's nose. "We were trying to calm Vic down and he punched Wally in the face," Jinx sighed. "It's the steroids," Wally and Dick glanced at each other in shock. "Woah, Vic's on steroids?" Dick asked as he averted his gaze to see Vic leave the locker room hallway and out the door. "Yeah, I found out a couple of days ago. I did some research on the pills he was taking and—I should try to talk to him-" "-No, focus on the game. Let the drugs wear off on him," "That's the thing, I don't think Vic knows he has a problem," Jinx followed him as Wally and Dick tended to his broken nose.
Vic clicked on his car keys, his car chirped, and he saw a girl in a gold dress and bedazzled boot standing next to his vehicle. Bee. He turned around, ready to return to the locker room. "Vic, wait!" He didn't. Vic continued to walk. Bee hobbled after him, tears falling from her face. "Vic, please!" He stopped in his tracks. His fist clenched as his blood boiled beneath him. Bee sniffled as she wiped tears from her face, her makeup ruined and her curls falling. "Vic…I-I'm sorry—" "—Save it." He grunted. Vic couldn't bear to look her in the face. She wasn't who he thought she was.
Bee had betrayed him. "It's not what it looks like, I swear. We were—" "—Shut up!" Vic whipped around, his eyes finally meeting Bee's. His outburst stunned her. He had never told her to shut up before, but this was the first time. Bee could see the hurt written all over his face, the anger towards her. It wasn't anger from the past when she notified him about the kiss. This anger was different and scared her. "you told me you guys kissed. You said it meant nothing to you. You lied to me," Bee didn't know what to express, she tried to find something, anything to say, but she was at a loss for words. "You promised me no more lies. You said that, Bee. I guess that was a lie too." He shook his head at her.
Another set of tears dripped from her eyes, and her lips wobbled. "I-I'm sorry Vic," was all she could say to him. There was nothing else to convince him otherwise. Vic clicked on his car again and stomped towards it, leaving Bee to cry. She turned to him and met his angry gaze. He opened his car door. "It's over," Vic hopped into his car and slammed the door shut. Bee's heart cracked as the engine roared. She covered her eyes with her hands as Vic drove off. Her reputation and love life were in ruins. Jinx stood back by the school front in the shadows, out of sight. She had to see everything unfold. Jinx didn't know whether or not she was happy or disappointed by the explosion in front of her.
Dick opened the locker room door and stood aside. He was already dressed in his uniform for the game. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Vic's number, then placed the phone up to his ear. The phone rang and rang, until Vic's voicemail came through. Dick closed his phone, then leaned his head against the wall. He heard Kory say, "I believe Vic needs to "cool down" after the blast. Dick glanced up to see Kory in a black t-shirt with Gotham Academy on the front. The two hugged each other. "Yeah, Bruce and my parents handled everything. My family negotiated a treaty with the Citadel Council, so I'm safe. They even informed me that I could go home," She stated.
Dick's shoulders slumped and he removed his hands from around her waist. "Oh," Kory noticed the dejection in Dick's voice. She smiled wider and giggled. "Why are you laughing?" He folded his arms. "Because I told my parents that I'd grown fond of this place. I've grown fond of the people here as well." His heart swelled at the words she said. He tapped his fingers against his chin. "So does that mean what I think it means?" She nodded. "It does. I get to stay for as long as I please. I'll be in Tamaran for the summer, most likely. We still must work out the royal events I might have to attend, not to mention..." Dick stepped closer to her. Their lips were centimeters apart.
"What is it?" Kory whispered. "I don't know if this is stepping out of bounds or not, but I, um. I'm glad you're okay," It's as if he wanted to do something else, but he was afraid to. "Dick, is there anything else you wanted to say?" She asked with hopeful eyes. Now or Never. Dick closed the gap in between them and kissed her. Kory closed her eyes as their lips moved in sync. Her stomach flipped and a spark ignited between them setting off into fireworks. Her hands ran through his dark locks, as Dick placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer to him.
Wally walked out of the locker room and spotted the two-swapping spit. "Woah!" Dick and Kory broke apart in surprise. When they saw that Wally made the comment, they blushed. "Don't mind me, I was looking for my best friend Dick Grayson. I didn't know he was in a full-on make-out session with a hot redhead." Dick rubbed his hand against his neck as Kory blushed harder. "We were just—" "—It was a—" "—Uh huh. Playing tonsil hockey," Wally shook his head before grabbing hold of Dick and pulling him away from Kory. "Okay, lovebirds. I hate to break up this love fest, but we've got a huge game to play and Dick can't miss it. You two can finish making out afterwards," Wally pushed Dick towards the locker room doors. "But wait, I need to tell Kory something—" "—I'll catch you after the game! Kick the butt!" She blew him a kiss, Dick pretending to catch it as they stepped inside.
Wally catches the football in his hands and touches the white line in the end zone. The crowd cheers him on as Wally dances. Above him, the scoreboard changes from 7 to 14 for the Tigers and 14 for the Sharks.
Can I beat 'em now?
Can I get your love?
Can I beat 'em now?
Can I get your love?
Don't you realize
I long for your lips?
Don't you realize
I long for your lips?
The miles gauge hit 100 miles and it still wasn't enough. Vic pressed his foot harder on the gas, his fists clenched around the steering wheel. His eyes were set on the road ahead.
Let me out of here
Let me out of here
Bee closed the door to her house. Her forehead was against the door, and makeup smeared her clothes and face. Her mother approached her gently. Bee turned to her and hid in her chest, crying.
You drive me round and round
You drive me round and round
Until I crash into the stars
You take me for a spin
"You have failed the mission mission, Psion. We expected Tamaran's kingdom to fall," the voice on the other line stated. Psion swallowed. He couldn't go back home a failure. They'd execute him, he'd be finished. "I have another plan," Psion stared at the gun in his car. There was another option. He should have done the job that night. She laid her hands on their prince. "Tamaran will bow to Citadel, I'll make sure." He covered the gun with his jacket and turned his key into the ignition.
"Forget it, Citadel will figure something else out." He was afraid of the next words to come. "You on the other hand. Citadel no longer needs your services," "But sir," "Goodbye," The line fell dead. His heart sank, his green eyes blazed. They fired him after all his dedication and work. He got them intel on the royal kingdom from BOTH of their heirs. His research, hard work, dedication to the Citadel...all went down the drain.
Thanks to that stupid bitch. Psion pressed down on the accelerator pedal, anger coursing through his veins. He glanced at the gauge in front of him. Psion drove at 80 mph. They weren't heading for war anymore. The other soldiers counted on him to take over Tamaran and he failed. Kory Anders considers this your last night on earth.
You take me for a spin
Until I crash into the stars
I'm breaking into cars
I'm breaking into cars
"Clock's almost down to the end of the game, Chuck, and what a nail-biter for the Tigers this is." "Without Victor Stone, the Titans should just pack up shop and go home." Dick held the football in his hand, glancing in different directions to where he could throw the ball. Wally was blocked by two heavy guys. Another option would be to run the ball himself, but he'd have to hurry. Kory watched Dick stand still.
She heard footsteps approaching her. Kory gazed up to see Bruce wearing a t-shirt like hers on his shirt. Alfred and Jason stood next to him in the same attire. "Mr. Wayne, Alfred, Jason. You all came!" She squealed. Bruce smiled down at her "I had to be convinced to come, but I wouldn't want my son's homecoming game after all," "He will be thrilled!" Alfred nudged Bruce in the elbow "I hope they play as well as the Green Bay Packers,"
"Alfred, you watch football?" Jason asked. "Of course, I do, my boy. I watch it when I clean your tidy whites—" "—Alfred!" Jason blushes. Kory scooted over to her seat to make room for them, and the three sat down. Bruce leaned over to Kory and whispered, "Kory, I want to apologize for how I treated you." It's just that I worry about Dick sometimes and he's been on this streak lately—never mind. Can you forgive me?" Kory gazes over to see Dick run under a herd of football guys and zigzag across the field. "I may have to get back to you on that, Mr. Wayne," He chuckles "Fair enough." They rise from the bleachers as they watch Dick closely approach the end zone…
Can I beat 'em now?
Can I get your love?
Can I beat 'em now?
Can I get your love?
…Psion swerves the car to the right of the street, almost hitting a couple of cars in the process. They beep at him, and Psion flips them off as he downs his beer. On the opposite side, Vic places a hand over his throbbing head. All he can see is red. He can't stop. Approaching him is two yellow lights. Vic presses the brake, but it's too late to stop…
…Bee lifts her head off her mother's chest from crying. "Mom, I want to transfer out of Gotham Academy," Diane glances at her husband on the couch. He lifts his head as if he didn't hear Bee correctly. "Honey, it'll be okay. We know you made a mistake—" "—No!" Bee pushed herself off her mother. "It's not okay. I lost my boyfriend, I lost my friends. I lost everything. I can take online classes or transfer to a private Catholic school. Whatever it is, I'll take it. I can't be at school anymore...
You keep ignoring me
And the teardrops fall
You keep ignoring me
And the teardrops fall
….."Titans Win! Titans Win!" The announcer yelled into the microphone. Dick and Wally high-fived each other as the other team walked past them. Jinx pushed her pom-poms into her bag and shrugged it off her shoulder. A phone fell out of the pocket, with a note attached to it. Jinx picked it up and read the note: "Thanks for the tip! Much appreciation - The Hive. That's weird, she could've sworn she put the phone back in Gar's bag.
"You took my phone?" a voice called out to her. Jinx turned around to see Gar with his mascot's head under his arm. "You're the one that sent that blast to The Hive?" "Gar, I-I'm sorry. You don't understand, I had—," He snatched the phone out of her hand. "Save it, thanks a lot." Gar shoved his head back on and stalked away. Jinx hung her head low in shame. Kory walked down the bleachers and onto the field with Dick's family behind her.
Wally pointed towards them "Looks like your girl's coming." Dick turned his head to see Kory, Bruce, Alfred, and Jason behind him. His eyebrows rose in shock "What are you guys doing here?" Bruce cleared his throat "Well, two certain people convinced me that I'd be missing out on an excellent game," Bruce directed his gaze between Alfred and Kory. Kory blushed as Dick held her hand in his and wrapped them together.
Bruce didn't bat an eye when he noticed "Thank you," Dick whispered in her ear, and she smiled. Dick held out his other hand to Alfred and patted him on the back. "Thank you," he replied, "Of course, Master Dick. That was quite a game," "Don't we know it," "Um, Dick. No offense, I'd love to continue to hold your hand, but you both stink," the group chuckled. Bruce's phone rang, and he glanced at the caller's ID.
"One moment, everyone." He walked away from the crowd with his phone attached to his ear. Wally and I will change. Will I see you at the dance? " He asked Kory. "I might have something to wear in my closet." He kissed her forehead. "Wait everyone," All eyes glazed over at Bruce. He didn't look happy as he hung up his phone. "That was Vic's father…Vic's been in an accident." "What?" Dick asked. "Is he okay?" Bruce shook his head, and Kory gasped. "It was him and another driver, head-on collision…we have to go."
The Hive: If there's anything you learned from this lesson, is that it's to never make a deal with The Devil. Especially, when that said Devil could expose you and all your secrets. I warned you that if you want to play games with me, I play games back, and I play to win. You mess with my blog; I mess with your life. You've been warned Garfield Logan. Who wants the next slice of my scrumptious vengeance pie?
Comicgeek16: Whew. That's the most words I've ever written for a chapter. I couldn't help it, there was so much that had to be tied up! Next chapter or shall I say the final chapter of the season will be coming soon. Sophomore year's coming to an end for the gang and honestly, I'm a little blue about it. Next season's got a handful of more drama than the last. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please R&R. Love the reviews, thank you so much! You have no idea how much it means to me. I appreciate it! See ya soon!