Gotham High: A Harley Quinn Story

Riddle me a Date

~POV: Ed Nashton~
Thursday:  [2 Days and 12 hours until Homecoming ]

Riddle me this: What three words are said too much but not enough?

A rather simple riddle, expect to those who are oblivious to what is right in front of them.

Jonathan said he'd be here today, that he would help me out. I pace back and forth with a knot growing in my stomach. This is a bad idea, I shouldn't be trying this. What if she's not smart enough... Across the room I see her dark orange curls, the ends of a perfectly knotted ponytail. She was on time, cordial like always.

Barbara Gordon entered the library in search of a new book. Every morning she would check out three books; one nonfiction, two fiction, then proceed to return them the following day. Of course the girl amazed Ed, she was the only one able to hack like him. He became fascinated by her a few days earlier when he caught her with a book of riddles in her arms. Barbara searched through the nonfiction isle, leaving her laptop behind a few desks back.

Now was the time. With or without Jonathan I had to ask her, before another boy did. I pause with trembling hands as I reached down to my phone. My fingers grazed across the keyboard, finding it harder to hack into her laptop then I expected. Harleen recommended that I talk to her in person, but that alone was too confrontational. Electronics were made for us to avoid awkward situations.Her firewall was well built, password changing every few seconds. She must have a two factor identification as well. I smile at the challenge and the thrill of time ticking down as I try to get past her firewall. Luckily for I, the schools wifi was not as easily protected. Pigging back on the server, I give a small grin. Her screen went to screensaver mode, but a riddle blocked her entrance from her usual password protection.

Riddle me this; What did one magnet say to the other? If you answer correctly the choice will be yours. A request of a night with food, dancing and mores.

I watch as she goes to sit back down. Her brow frays a bit as she sees my screen. Good, it should take her a while to crack that so I can set up- ding- a notification goes off on my phone. No No No.

ANSWER: I AM ATTRACTED TO YOU.

I lookup to see Barbara smiling. She already got in! How? What? I uh-

The code that encrypted her computer generated an automatic response to the correct answer; the auto prompt appeared next on her screen, making my stomach squirm.

A wonderfully correct answer my or my.
I was wondering if you would attend homecoming with I?

My face feels bright red. There's no way I can do this, I have to go before she figures that this was my doing. She is smart. What if she notices I could only hack her for short range distance, and tries to find me! I needed to get out of here. Only a couple seconds would it take for a hacker like her to piggyback on the traitorous wifi, and catch me. The rose in my hand trembles as I calculate the best way to the door.

I turn to head down another bookcase when I hear a soft voice come from behind me. "Did you do this Ed?" Her voice makes me jump. How'd she find me so fast? I was amazed and speechless. The girl stood right in front of me.

"Why?" I adjust my hat a little, flustered by her sudden appearance. "I mean..." I fumble through my words, eyes focused on the floor as I try to find the confidence I held earlier. "I-I-maybe know what your speaking of."

"Oh...."

"I mean.."Behind my back, in the palm of my hand was her bright rose which had a little magnet at the end of it. The flower was supposed to tie into the riddle. At the time I thought it was a cute idea, however, now all I could think of how stupid it is to have a magnet taped to a rose. "Yes, it was me." I say quietly to stop her from leaving, "It would be nice if you would say yes...I mean...the privilege would be mine...To take such a beautiful lady to dine."