The week passed pretty quickly as I waited for school to start. We had gone to Walmart to get supplies. I had a notebook with Robin on it, and a custom backpack with Robin, Flash, and Miles Morale's Spider-Man, some of my favorite superheroes. Some could argue Robin didn't count as a superhero, as my brother, Joshua, did, but I always thought he counted. Finally, the day had arrived, I stood outside my two-story house and waited for the bus. I was slightly anxious as a few prominent thoughts came to me, who will my teachers be? What will it be like riding on the school bus? My thoughts ended without answers as the school bus arrived. Soon the last question would be answered. I walked over and stepped up to see it was already basically full. I sat down next to a girl a hadn't met, and didn't really think about meeting. She seemed content enough. I did, however, get that feeling that I was being watched. I looked back, and there she was again. Mandy. Taking more notes on me. How much could there be to write about? The ride was actually pretty quick and uneventful as we passed the streets of Havenbrook, a small city right outside of Gotham. I thought back to the conversations Will and I had the previous week, and it did come to me that Tim was also the name of the third comic-book Robin. I shrugged that off though. Sort of. Comics aren't real life, I told myself, but it didn't change the interesting thought. The school bus pulled up in front of the school that I supposed would become somewhere I went almost every day. Right as I walked off the bus and into the school, I heard a slightly familiar voice, "Hey, Christie! Do you want to eat lunch together later?"
"Uh... sure" I wasn't so sure about Will. He was nice, but he already seemed to think we were best friends, and I had literally only talked once at a meet and greet. I heard the bell rang cutting Will off from whatever he looked like he was about to add, "Cool! We can talk more about stuff then!" With that he walked into school starting a new chapter of life.
Tim's POV
I had a bad feeling about today. I hadn't been even close to convincing Flash out of the fireworks, and I hadn't pulled it off smoothly enough to avoid his threat. "Do NOT tell anyone about this, or you'll regret it." He didn't have to tell me that. I knew it. I needed to figure out what was up with him and his dad. Something was definitely up. "You ready?" Flash's voice came through my thoughts as the school bus emptied near the entrance. Unfortunately, he was not asking if I was ready to start school. He was asking if I was ready to wreck the first day by lighting explosives. Sometimes I wondered if I would ever be able to repair my reputation after I was done with Flash. I already struggled to get to school and complete everything on time due to commitments, and if that weren't enough, I couldn't let Flash know I had other commitments, or he'd never let me not tell him. And telling him wasn't an option either. "Yeah," I said reluctantly following him away from where we were supposed to be. What happens if we end up in Juvie? It wouldn't be good. I knew that. "Flash! Tim! Where are you going? If I catch you back there again, I won't just be asking you to come back!" The call came from the front where we had been noticed missing. Maybe because I was lagging behind. I didn't really mind, it at least bought time. "Ugh" Flash grunted. He obviously did mind. That didn't surprise me at all. He had been trying to get this set up all week, but I had convinced him someone would find it and mess it up. That also bought time, but he really wanted this done today, and I was pretty sure he wouldn't let it pass.
Christie's POV
I walked into my first class, Bible, and noticed Tim joining us, but he was definitely older. Why is he in our class? I noticed Mandy again, but this time her focus and note-taking was on Tim. "Hello, everyone. I am Ms. Burns" Our teacher said from the front. She didn't really smile as she said it. She probably wasn't going to be super fun. I decided to be one of the people she liked, rather than one she didn't. She didn't prove any different as she taught about creation. I knew it well, which helped me to answer the questions that no one else seemed to want to ask. The bell rang and off we went to math. "I saved you a locker next to mine!" Will said excitedly how he always said things, as we walked through the hall past them. "Ok, thanks." I responded putting my books in it for the few minutes we had to get to the next class. As we entered, I quickly noticed the different mood that filled the room, "Hey, everybody!! I'm Ms. Williams! Are y'all excited for math!" She's a lot more excited than Ms. Burns, I noted mentally. She's probably going to be nice. I took a seat next to Will, not failing to notice Mandy writing on Tim and me again. We finished a very excited math class and headed on to science, the last class before lunch. Ms. Burns once again greeted, rather plainly, everyone as we began talking about planets. When the lunch bell rang everyone seemed ready for lunch, and I was with them in that. We walked into the cafeteria and as I got my mac and cheese, I noticed Will asking Tim to join us at the table where no one currently sat. He seemed a little nervous going over to where Flash was and returned to join me at the table alone and slightly dejected. But he didn't stay down for long, "So what do you like about Flash?"
"I don't know, he's just cool. I like his color scheme."
"Yeah, it's epic!" That's about the time I noticed he certainly liked or was obsessed with Flash. He had a Flash shirt, backpack, pencil case, and it even looked like his shoes had the little Flash lightning bolt on them. "What do you like about him?"
"He's just epic! He can speed, control lightning, time travel, and I could almost be him! My last name is literally 'Allen'. It's SO close!" He barely paused for a breath before continuing, "How about after Flash? Who's your second favorite?"
"Probably Robin" I responded, once again, the thought slipped into my mind, Tim in the comics...probably not. "Cool! Why?"
"I don't know, my brother always liked Batman, so I always played as Robin"
"Cool! Tim never really seemed to like Robin; I don't know why..." His thoughts drifted for a second, "I wish he still hung out with me, we used to be like, best friends! We did everything, but I guess I got you now, so that's cool..." He sounded like he was making an attempt to sound happier about it than he was and it only partially worked.
Tim's POV
"Come on!" Flash whispered harshly to me while slightly shoving my arm. I tried not to look tense, but I had a feeling that he wasn't going to change his mind at the last minute and decide to just have a normal first day. Maybe actually not get in trouble. Just for the first day... I followed him outside, more carefully than I had before, but not nearly as carefully as I was capable of. That's when I saw the box was gone, and realized Flash must have somehow gotten this set up between classes. I had less time than I thought. He reached for a match and prepared to set it off. "Are you positive you want to do this the first day?" I knew it wouldn't work, but I had to offer one more peaceful resolution to this. I was about to lose everything I had worked for. I was about to have to abor... "Yeah! I'm sure! If you were scared, you should've said so earlier!" Flash returned rather aggravated. I had asked him that about fifty times this past week. The match lit. There was no choice now...
Christie's POV
"Maybe he's like Superman or something." Will dropped so casually I wasn't sure how to respond.
"What? Superman?" I questioned, but he was unfazed. "Yeah! He kinda looks like him, and he's always hiding things... it makes sense!"
"No, not really... It doesn't make sense" Robin maybe... I kept the thought to myself though.
"We should follow him and Flash. See where they're going! Maybe we'll learn some secrets!" Will added with a slightly mischievous smile while leaning forward on the table.
"Sure!" I said, also interested to see where they may go or do.
"Where do you think they're going?"
"I don't know," I replied honestly.
"I guess we'll have to watch and see."
"When?"
"I think eight'll work. Tim's always away fromhis phone by then" He paused as if thinking something more solemn to himself.In the following moment of silence, I looked over to see Tim and Flash leavingthe cafeteria. "I'll be right back... I said walking to the doors that had justclosed behind them. I followed them around the side of the school. That's whenI noticed fireworks. Right next to the school wall. Flash maybe... but Tim?Really? I saw Flash go for the match box right as Will walked up behind me.He audibly gasped, obviously shocked. ShouldI get water? What should I do? Before anyone could say or do anything aboutit, Flash's match lit. Just as it did, Tim tackled Flash to the ground, puttingout the match as it landed in the slightly damp grass getting them involved inquite a fight. Tim was good. Really good...