Author Notes: I want to dedicate this chapter to shatterthoughts. And a special thanks to the guest reviewer Julieta, what you said meant a lot. I'm still accepting suggestions. Enjoy XD
Flash A Smile-Why We Run
Cisco Ramon's nimble fingers thrummed at his side.
He was waiting outside of the high school building.
It was late February so temperatures were still freezing.
The 14 year old noticed someone else standing near by.
Probably waiting on the same shrink.
He looked roughly around his age.
Tall, lanky and unproportionate like a Great Dane puppy.
He had brown hair and hazel-green eyes.
Cisco recognized him from his gym class.
Guy had left feet.
But he was in the mix as a nerd and a freak.
Rumor had it he killed his mother a few years back and his dad was doing time in his place.
If that wasn't enough to put a giant target on the back of the teen's head he was also freakishly smart.
Cisco could relate to that last part.
Gary(?) Allen almost looked unapproachable, chain smoking half a pack of Marlboro Reds under the span of a few minutes.
Somebody should really tell the guy it would kill him.
The small Latino cautiously moved forwards, blowing some heat into his hands to make the exchange look casual.
He stood next to him.
Not realizing the exact extent of the high difference.
Awkward silence.
What should he say?
Well now he just felt stupid.
Gary(?) exhaled a cloud of smoke, making the younger boy jump out of skin when he spoke first, "So what are you in for?"
"Huh?" Cisco blinked.
"In for," he repeated.
Oh.
"My mom thinks I need therapy to deal with all the bullying that's been happening to me."
"Aah," Gary nodded.
Cisco waited a few moments before adding, "...I'm only fourteen, I moved here from Detroit a few months ago."
"Freshman?"
Here we go.
"Senior," he said proudly, although he was masking a flinch. "Hence all the big people in my class available to punch me to smithereens."
Gary-(seriously what was his name?) laughed out right, "Get outta here! You're a senior?"
Cisco sighed inwardly, couldn't a guy be a little smart?
What was so wrong about that?
"Yeah, I get that reaction a lot. You seem pretty smart, shouldn't you have graduated already?"
Smokey's eyes glittered, "I'm only sixteen!"
"Yeah but everybody knows how smart you are. Sixteen and a senior? Seems pretty lazy to me dude."
That enlisted a guffaw from the other student.
He flicked the cigarette butt onto the sidewalk.
Not very economical...for a science prodigy.
"...I'm Fransico Ramon."
He shook his hand, "Barry. Barry Allen."
Damn. He had been close.
Checking the time on his watch, Barry pulled the door open as they walked back into the warm waiting room.
They sat down behind a table full of magazines and crossword puzzles.
It only felt fair to ask, "So what are you in for?"
Cisco studied Barry's reaction.
A tight grimace then a bemused smile, "I started a rumor about Principle Hagan. They found out and thought I needed my head shrunk."
He could spot the lie from a mile away but acted amazed anyway, "That was you?"
Barry nodded.
Man! These silent moments were happening too often.
They watched a little TV as people came and went.
Some crazy lady called Black Canary was going around saving women from sex crimes.
What was with the blue and black costume anyhow?
Cisco wrapped an arm around his still cracked ribs.
The lingering pain a constant reminder of what had happened a few days ago.
Kids in high school didn't take too kindly to people like him.
Central City was worse than the others.
His brother signed him up for martial art classes three weeks ago.
So far it wasn't enough to defend himself.
Cisco waited before asking mischievously, "So what's the real reason?"
"...My foster dad made me."
Okay...shutting up now.
'Reaching red-line territory there Cisco,'
His gut said it was serious, no matter how much Barry brushed it off.
Not normal teenage issues.
A door opened and Barry was called in.
He jumped to his feet, "See ya Cisco."
The boy was surprised.
He hadn't said he was called Cisco.
"Yeah..." the door closed, leaving him behind, "See ya."
Next time...
"I've got a lot of apologies to make-"
"I'm so sorry."
-"I wish there was some way I could say I loved you."
"But I can't do this anymore."
"-This is it."
"We can't report your son missing until 48 hours."
"-BARRY!"
"This is Gotham City damn it! Who knows what crazy psycho has got him!"
"-I think it's time I did everyone a favor and disappeared."
"What are you like a miniature superhero?"
"-Time to take the leap."
"Time to stop being Barry Allen."