How to Lose a Bird

Chapter 6

    "DICK GRAYSON GIVE ME MY BOOK BACK RIGHT NOW!" the angry red-head fumed as she ran through the long corridor.
    In response she was met with a cackle as her friend looked back at her, grinning from ear to ear as he dodged the swarm of students. He moved through them with ease, weaving in and out of the crowd until he stormed out of the glass doors.
Barbra on the other hand kept slamming into others as she tried to keep up, muttering the word 'sorry' every few seconds. She finally made it to the doors Dick slammed through only moments before, many students glaring daggers at the back of her head. Not that she would care, anyways. 
    Barging through the doors, she had to let her eyes adjust to the sudden change in lighting. Once she did, Barbra immediately scoured the courtyard of Gotham Academy for the ebony boy. Behind her, students filed out the doors, eager to end yet another day of school. She was eager as well, which made her 'friends' usual antics quite annoying.
    "Dick! Just give me my History book! I need it for our homework!" Barbra announced to the courtyard, hoping he didn't leave with Alfred already. 
    She was met with another laugh, this one more joyful and child-like, unlike the earlier one which was mischievous. This made her smile slightly, and just as she predicted from the volume, Dick was now standing right behind her.
    He held the book in front of him with his ever-present smirk, Barbra finding herself imitating it.
    "Yeah, but what's the fun in doing homework?" Dick replied as Barbra snatched the book out of his hands.
    "I see your point, but unlike you I got here through hard work and determination, not bribery."
    Dick snickered at this as they started their way down the school's steps and walked casually to the front gate. 
    "Yeah, and I'm sure your dad's subtle suggestions to Bruce about you being admitted had nothing to do with."
    At this, Barbra dramatically gasped and punched the boy lightly in the arm. They giggled all the way to the gate, facing each other as they waited.
    "So, will you be busy at all tonight? I kinda fell asleep in Geometry and didn't catch anything we learned." Barbra said, as if it were an ordinary school day occurance. 
    Dick rolled his eyes.
    "If I'm free, I'll try to teach you over the phone. I don't know if Bruce has anything planned though, so I might not answer."
    "That's alright if you don't. I can always just copy your answers tomorrow morning."
    Barbra shrugged, and Dick chuckled slightly at his friends nonchalance about cheating.
Then, as if right on que, Alfred rolled up to the curb outside the Academy in one of the many limos the Wayne's owned. Quickly saying his goodbyes to Barbra, Dick walked over to the vehicle with a warm smile on his face.
Barbra always seemed to do that to him. Even if he was in the worst mood possible, she could make him smile.
He opened the door and launched himself in, greeting Alfred as he got comfortable in the spacious limo.
"Good afternoon, Master Dick. How was school this evening?" the old man said as he pressed his foot gently on the pedal, making his way back into the crowded streets of Gotham.
"It was fine. Anything new from Bruce?" Dick asked. Alfred sighed as he glanced in the rear-view mirror.
"Indeed there is. Master Bruce wishes to see you in the basement as soon as you return to the Manor."
Dick immiditely thought this was strange. Bruce never wants him in the Batcave until it's time for patrol, and even then, he would have to finish any civilian business before he was allowed to even go near his uniform. This seemed very out of character for him, and Dick mentally noted this as they sped along the highway.
    "Any reason why?" He wasn't really expecting a straight forward answer, as both Alfred and Bruce seemed to love talking in puzzles.
    It was almost as bad as The Riddler.
    "He refused to inform me of why, but from what I could tell, he seems very distraught."
Now, that statement is what alarmed Dick the most. Neither Bruce nor Batman ever seem distraught, as it is just a part of their nature to hide emotions from others. Also a very handy tool in the Hero business, especially with the psychopaths that roam Gotham.
"Alright. We better get home then." The ebony responded resoutly. No more conversation was made, and the rest of the drive to the Manor was filled with the sound of distant police sirens and cars as the crime riddled city faded behind them.