Sell you a Bridge chapter 12 (Patreon)

My mom wasted no time getting me into school, and the next day it was  time for me to start classes at Gotham academy. I was still stockpiling  my points but I was at twenty nine still, presumably I would get five  at noon and five at midnight judging by my experience so far. I made  sure to drink my shake and take my lesson right after I woke up, giving  me more muscle density again and building on the waterwalking to let me  officially learn to walk up walls. It seemed like the balance and the  waterwalking and wall walking were all related, like the lessons were  intertwined and supporting each other, which was pretty cool, I couldn't  wait to see what I got next.

I  didn't get to see Artemis on our first morning of school really since  we were both busy getting ready. Mom made me pancakes and poured me a  glass of juice and started fussing over me non stop. The academy had  charged through the nose to have my uniform shipped over by next day  courier but it was here now and I was ready to go. Mom tugged at my  collar impatiently trying to smooth out creases that weren't there. "Do  you have everything you need? We don't want to be late on your first  day. Is there anything you forgot?"

I  snickered at that "If I forgot something I don't remember what it is,  but yeah I have everything. It's-" I checked my watch "Six A.M, school  starts at seven and they want me there a half hour early for my campus  tour with a student volunteer, so we should get going." I gulped down  the last of my orange juice and kissed my mom on the cheek "Don't worry  too much ma, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself and I have Artemis  around to watch my back." Her brow furrowed and she continued fiddling  with my collar for a second before letting her hands drop.

She  sighed "I know baby, I just really want this to work out. Did you know  that I went to Gotham Academy?" I hadn't actually known that so I just  shook my head in surprise. "I dropped out junior year when I got  pregnant, your grandparents wouldn't pay my tuition after they kicked me  out and I had to work anyway." She smiled wistfully "But I had a lot of  fun there and made some good friends. I always wanted you to go, but we  didn't have the money. I never talked about it because I didn't want  you to feel bad about missing out but now that you have the chance..."

I  smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I get it ma, I'll be good any make  sure to keep my grades up." I actually would do that, I made a mental  not to get my hands on some sort of memory boosting pills or something  with my power. Even if I hadn't though with what I was paying the school  I doubted they would kick my out unless I really screwed up. I let her  go and smiled down at her, noting that I had finally gotten to an age  where she was shorter than me, and thinking about how weird that was. I  shook off the nostalgia "Alright well it's a moot point if I'm late.  Let's get the lead out."

She  laughed and we headed downstairs to the car. The trip to Gotham Academy  was short and silent. We were both tense and worried about my first  day. While I didn't think they would kick me out for putting a toe out  of line because of a generous bribe I was starting a new school. Despite  what I let on to my mom I was kind of terrified by the though of being  silently judged by crowds of rich kids. High school at Gotham North had  been lonely but I was so below the radar no one really messed with me. I  was too poor to bother with and not ugly or brainy or loud. I was kind  of like furniture. People didn't really notice me.

But  this was the new me. The buff ninja me. I was still a bit average in  the face department but the extra muscle helped a ton. I didn't want to  be set dressing in this new school. That said my desire to stand out now  conflicted with pretty much every instinct I had for blending in and it  was giving me a sick nervous feeling. Thank god I wasn't going alone,  if Artemis hadn't been coming with me I probably would have been puking  my guts up from nerves. Finally we arrived, I climbed out of the car,  kissed my mom on the top of the head and with an exchange of I love yous  she headed off to work and I went into the den of the beast.

My  student liaison or whatever was waiting for me outside the office. He  was a tall guy with spiky blonde hair and green eyes. His uniform was a  bit patchy and hung on him in a way that suggested he'd lost weight and  his face was a bit gaunt but he had a friendly smile and warm demeanor  despite the bags under his eyes. His expression lit up when I came  around the corner and he waved me over "Hey! Thought you might not make  it in time but we still have a few minutes to spare. My name is Reginald  Willowbrook the third. I'll be your student liaison.But please, call me  Reggie."

I  raised an eyebrow "The third huh? Fancy stuff" I held out a hand "Nice  to meet you Reggie, Morgan O'Malley, though since you're in charge of  showing me around you probably knew that. So what's on the docket for  the tour today, and where do I get my schedule. Do I need to stop in at  the office to pick it up?" This transfer had been rushed as hell, I'd  paid through the nose to make it happen because i wanted mom and Artemis  out of that shitty tenement as soon as possible but that didn't  magically make it convenient, I was still kind of scrambling to find my  footing.

Luckily  Reggie seemed to be a pretty on the ball guy. He grinned and pulled a  folded piece of paper from his jacket. "No worries, got it for you right  here. And yes, my name is a bit pretentious, my family used to be  pretty old money in Gotham before some bad investments and an uncle with  a gambling problem screwed us over. Still there are limits to even old  money Gotham's pomposity so I go by Reggie and only use the formal  introduction on official school business. Gotham Academy likes to  project an air of sophistication." He shot me a wink and I laughed.  Reggie seemed like an ok guy.

He  nodded for me to follow and we set off down the hall. "Now the tour is  pretty short. Gym, Cafeteria, Library, Pool, there's a Football Stadium  but I'm not dragging us both out to it so you'll have to catch that one  on your own time. Other than that I'll show you where your classes are  so you won't be late on day one." I saw Artemis pass by with another  blonde girl and shoot me a wave which I returned with a grin. Reggie saw  and slapped me on the back "You know the other new transfer? She's got  Bette Kane as her liaison, lucky girl, spending thirty minutes walking  behind Bette in that skirt is pretty much my fondest wish."

I  snorted as we walked away from them. "That's my best friend Artemis,  I'll see if she can put in a good word for you. Now unless Bette's ass  is on the tour I suggest we get moving, as cute as she is I really don't  want to be known as the kid who was late on his first day." I liked  Reggie, and he was obviously a keen observer. Most people would have  assumed Artemis and I were dating, but he'd never mentioned her being my  girlfriend, he clearly had an observant nature. Not to mention he  hadn't made any comments about how hot she was that would have obligated  me to punch him in the throat.

He  shook his head with a dreamy sigh as we walked into a large Gymnasium.  "God I wish. I'd spend all thirty minutes there. Hell I'd do these tours  every day." I raised an eyebrow and he grinned unrepentantly "Oh  please. Every guy in school would sell his left nut for five minutes in a  closet with Bette and if he says he wouldn't he's either gay or lying."  His smile dimmed a bit "Not that she would give me the time of day.  With how bad things have been for my family most of the old money  families ignore me now. The Kane's are related to the Wayne family, you  don't get more old money Gotham than the Wayne's."

I  whistled at that. "Damn, that's pretty much Gotham royalty. Guess your  princess is in another castle." He gave me a flat stare that I returned  with my own unrepentant grin before snorting out a laugh. He showed me  around the Gym and the Library and the Cafeteria. The indoor pool was  huge, but Reggie said you had to either be on a team or reserve a spot  to use it. As we headed for the wing of the school where the classrooms  were I had a thought "So, you in any of my classes? I assume you took a  look at my schedule when you had it? Least you could do is let me copy  the homework."

He  chuckled at that "Yeah, I have a few courses with you, and as for  copying they're a bit strict about that here, but I can lend you my  notes." He gave me a genuine smile "Seriously though, if you need any  help let me know. I know it can be scary being the new kid, as long as  you don't mind tumbling down the social ladder of this place by spending  time with the broke kid I'm happy to help out." Privately I couldn't  help but smile slightly at that. I was by far the poorest person in this  school, power granted million dollars aside. Well, more like seven  hundred grand at this point, between bribes and the hundred thousand for  the condos I might need to top up my account soon.

Finally  the tour came to an end at my first class, with Reggie smiling and  clapping me on the shoulder. "Alright man well that's it. You know the  basic layout of the place and if you have any more questions I wrote my  cell number on your schedule so feel free to get in touch. If I could  give you any last minute advice now it's to just enjoy yourself, stare  at some pretty girls, maybe ask one or two of them out." His smile  dropped "But be careful. The waters in Gotham Academy are deeper than  they look. Try not to make any enemies."

That  was...ominous. But the dark look passed quickly replaced by his usual  lazy smile "Other than that have fun man, now get going, you have Kaplan  for first period and she's a total stickler about punctuality. Don't  want to be late on your first day remember. See you in chem later, I'll  let you borrow my book since I doubt you have yours yet." Then he waded  into the crowd that was filling the hallway and was gone, off to his own  first class. As I thought back to that flash of darkness across  Reggie's face I got a bit worried. What exactly had I gotten myself into  here? I shrugged, whatever it was I was sure I could handle it. I was a  millionaire ninja after all.