Sell you a Bridge chapter 14 (Patreon)

I ended up finding my chemistry class just in time to avoid being  late on my first day. When I got inside I looked around for a spot and  saw Reggie sitting at one of stools. He had an empty seat next to him  and he shot me a grin and waved me over. I grinned back and headed over  to drop my bag and sit down sighing in relief as the bell rang. I  chuckled at my student liaison "Hey man, wish I could've caught you at  lunch, I barely found the room in time. Luckily I figured it out. How  about you, how's your day going to far, I had a pretty great first  class, I met this seriously cute girl."

I admit I was  gushing a bit but this felt...surreal. Having a friend save me a seat in  chemistry and then telling him about this hot girl who liked me? It was  like I was a normal guy and a super powered badass all at the same  time. Best of both worlds. Talking to Artemis had been more super  powered me, but Reggie was a normal student and we could talk about  normal stuff. He gave a whoop of joy and punched me in the arm wincing  when the teacher, who had written instructions on the white board,  glared at him. "Nice man, what's her name? Is it Sophie Chamberlain,  that girl has a rack like an italian suit warehouse."

I  kept my laughing response low so as not to incur the wrath of Mr.  Chambers, the chem teacher. "No, though with that introduction I'd be  interested to meet her. Her name is Annabel Powers. She's a little cutie  and she's super into me. She spent the whole period asking questions  about me and even invited me and Arty to join her study group. She says  she and her friends like to help out new kids but she was totally  feeling up my bicep when we were talking." My rambling explanation was  cut off by the breaking of a beaker. The teacher glared at my now pale  new friend who apologized and started cleaning.

He saw me  staring and smiled wanly, swallowing hard. "I...I would avoid Annabel  and her friends if I were you Morgan. Their families are really old  Gotham money and it makes them a bit entitled. They may seem nice but  that just means you have something they want. The Powers family are  pretty cut throat. The current company head Geri Powers, is a pretty  amazing woman by all counts, but her son Joseph, Annabel's dad is...not a  nice guy. He has a whole clique of powerful business associates whose  kids all hang together here, that would be the "study group" Annabel  mentioned."

I furrowed my brow, that sounded kind of shady  and weird, but I'd turned down joining her study group anyway. And  remember those pouty lips of hers I didn't think I could resist calling.  But if it was just the two of us I doubted she would do anything too  weird, plus I was a ninja with a sword that could cut through plate  steel. I could handle one tiny girl. I nodded though "I won't bail on  Annabel, but I already begged off her study group." I shot him a wink  "I'd rather spend some time with her one on one anyway if you know what I  mean."

His shoulders seemed to relax a bit from their  overly tight posture. "Yeah man, go for it. If it's just you two hanging  out it should be good. Just make sure to avoid her crew. She isn't the  worst of them anyway." He seemed to have talked himself out of whatever  weird panic attack talking about the study group gave him and I just  shrugged it off. "So, what are you doing after school anyway? Want to  hang out or something? There's a place up the street kids from Gotham  Academy have been going to for years, heading to the Charcoal Pit is  kind of a right of passage."

I raised an eyebrow at that  "The Charcoal Pit? Is it a barbecue place? As for today i have plans to  meet up with Artemis and head home together. I could try tomorrow  though, maybe talk to Arty and see if she can bring along her friend  Bette. I believe comments were made as per her ass and your willingness  to lead a tour of it. I can't arrange for a private viewing or anything  but I can set you up with a chance to work your magic. Unless you're all  talk." Given his pallor and discomfort when we talked about Annabel I  decided I should take his mind of things and nothing gets a guys  attention like a challenge to his masculinity.

He  dramatically put a hand to his chest and gasped. "Was that a challenge  O'Malley? Fine. Tomorrow it is. I'll be leaving with Bette's number or  not at all. As for the Pit it's an ice cream place weirdly enough. They  make amazing sundaes and they even have one of those food challenge  things. They call it the kitchen sink. It's twenty scoops of ice cream,  vanilla strawberry and chocolate topped with banana spears, crushed  pineapple, walnuts, whipped cream and cherries. The thing is massive and  if you can finish it with two or less people it's free."

That  sounded awesome. I was wincing at the brain freeze just thinking about  it. "Sounds great man, I'll warn Arty to bring her stretchy pants. We  can get one for the two of us and one for you and Bette, I'm not sure  how romantic wolfing down a melting pile of ice cream and fruit will be  but at least it'll give you an in. Not that I don't expect to beat you  guys to finishing it. I can eat a pretty decent amount. Just in case  though how much is the 'Kitchen Sink'?" I had weirdly sensitive teeth,  ice cream wasn't usually a problem but if the fruit was too frozen I  didn't want to get stuck with paying a hundred bucks for ice cream."

He  chuckled and waved it off "Twenty bucks a pop, it's fine man. We've all  given it a try and paid the price. Anyway we should focus on getting  this assignment done so Chambers doesn't rip our heads off. You need any  help on this one?" It was nice of him to offer but I actually knew chem  pretty well. It had been one of my favorite classes back at Gotham  North. We managed to get through the rest of the lesson without either  of us blowing anything up, and Reggie and I managed to not incur the ire  of the teacher with our constant laughing and shit talking, somehow.

The  rest of the day was fairly lackluster. I had no classes with anyone  else I knew and I wasn't paired with anyone either, finally though it  was time to go. I had agreed a while ago to meet Artemis outside at the  flagpole when we were going home together but she wasn't around yet when  I got there so I sat down and leaned against the thing, waiting. I  closed my eyes to wait and after about a minute I heard a voice. "I  wouldn't go to sleep there." My eyes shot open, I hadn't heard anyone  coming, and one of the perks of my silent walking skill was that I was  pretty hard to sneak up on, you have to be able to hear the noise made  by walking to eliminate yours.

The  voice was pretty high pitched but not feminine, and when I looked up I  saw a dark haired kid standing off to one side. He had bright blue eyes  shades and was casually holding his backpack over one shoulder with a  fairly mocking grin plastered over his face. Despite the tone and the  smile I didn't get a mean spirited vibe, he just seemed like kind of a  sarcastic person. I raised an eyebrow "That's an odd way to say hello to  someone. Nice to meet you random stranger, I'm Morgan. I'd shake your  hand but I'm pretty comfortable down here and I don't feel like getting  up."

The kid  laughed "I know who you are Morgan O'Malley, it's not like there's too many new people starting school in the middle of the year, and I have a  knack for finding things out. I'm Dick Grayson, and I was just saying  going to sleep right next to a high school full of teenagers, some of  whom are assholes, is a good way to wake up with a sharpie mustache and a  drawn on unibrow." I was getting pretty sick of everyone knowing who  the hell I was, but he had a bit of a point. I gave him a nod and  finally stood up, holding out my hand.

He  took it with a smile which I returned, a bit surprised at the strength  of his grip "Well I appreciate the tip, I hadn't actually considered  that. I thought this was supposed to be the nice part of town. Isn't  everyone here all well bred and raised with good manners? At the very  least I would expect my sharpie mustache to be all refined and well  coiffed." That surprised a laugh from the kid. I also couldn't resist  commenting on his name "Also, why on gods green earth would you  willingly go by the name Dick? I assume your name is Richard, why not  Rick or Ricky?"

He  just shrugged "It was what my parents called me. They died when I was  pretty young, I keep the nickname as a way to remember them." He must  have noticed the guilty expression because he waved me off "Don't worry  about it. Everyone has the same thought when they hear it but ninety  percent of the people I talk to don't have the guts to say anything  about it. I appreciate the good intentions, but honestly if people are  going to snicker let them, I don't care much anyway." I could definitely  understand that kind of stance and I gave him a respectful nod.

He  gave me another amiable smile "Anyway sorry to wake you from your nap,  just wanted to help you avoid public humiliation, you seem like a pretty  interesting guy, I have no doubt I'll run into you again around this  place and it was nice meeting you." He clapped me on the shoulder and  nodded behind me "I think your friend is here." I turned to see Artemis  hurrying up and when I looked back to thank him he was nowhere to be  found. He's vanished into thin air, though I could swear i heard a  phantom chuckle floating on the wind.

I  narrowed my eyes at the obvious flex "Sloppy. I could have done  better." I was an actual ninja, the kid had no idea who he was showing  off in front of. Regardless Artemis showed up next to me within seconds  and I turned to greet her "Hey Arty, you ready to go? I expected you a  few minutes ago, everything ok?" She looked harried and out of breath  which was an odd way to see my best friend. She was almost always  collected and rarely tired out. She must have been held up and run all  the way here for some reason.

She  held up a finger leaning down and putting her hands on her knees to  catch her breath. "I-I'm fine. Sorry I was late. I stopped to get the  form for track team tryouts and ended up talking to one of the office  aids. Sweet girl, pretty cute, you should meet her. Barbara something?  Anyway she has some friends on the track team and was giving me the  behind the scenes gossip. Is your mom picking us up today?" Her question  was answered by a honk as my mom pulled up smiling at the both of us  and waving. Artemis laughed "Question answered, well, lets go then, I  have so much to fill you in on about the rest of my day, and I want to  hear about yours."