Chasing a Superhero

Aftershock

Chapter 3 Aftershock

I emerged from the brush with huff and deep desire to just disappear in a cloud of smoke, and just magically appear home with homework done and just my bed awaiting me. As I waited for my dad to pick me up, I started to ponder what really just happened. I literally just fall on my face in front of Batman. They were complete jerks, all of them, and although any other person in their crazy mind would have died for that meeting, I wished it had never happened. I know it seems crazy but I really had a deep hatred for the Batfamily. 

They had this 'control' over Gotham City that extended farther than just fighting crime. It seemed that everyone's life was centered around everything Batman. Rarely did you hear people have celebrity crushes like Oliver Queen or Bruce Wayne anymore. The new fascination was superheroes. This attraction to the good, and the bad, was unhealthy. Look at Harley Quinn for example. She fell in love with the Joker for goodness sake! She use to be a brilliant psychiatrist who fell in love with a homicidal maniac! Now don't tell me that isn't natural.

My hatred mainly stemmed from my parent's love for Batman. Ever since I was little they were obsessed with the cowl, leaving my bedtime stories full of who else? Batman. I never heard of little red riding hood until I read a book on children's bedtime stories when I was ten. The stories were created to teach children right from wrong, how to avoid danger, and in the Grimm Fairy tales, how to fight off evil. Instead, thanks to Batman, children grew up thinking that no matter what they did, Batman would always be to save the day. You thought princess stories were sexist? Girls grew up thinking they shouldn't fight for themselves, Batman should. He was their 'dark knight'. Thankfully Batgirl came around and lessened the sexism that tales of Batman brought.

*beep beep!*

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of my dad's car zooming up to the school sidewalk. I walked up to the curb as he pulled up.

"Hey girl! What's up my home dog!?" my dad yelled out of the window, Nikki Minaj playing on full blast.

"Dad you are not twelve, and definitely not a rapper, let alone Nikki Minaj!" Typical dad. Always acting crazy and childish. I swear he never left high school. Really really bad corny high school.

"Don't go putting down your Pops! Come one, get in! mom is making dinner today!" my dad cheered, turning down the volume in the car. Dad hated making dinner, but ended up making it most of the time so mom making it meant a day off for him.

I throw my stuff in the back and hop in the car. All I wanted was to finish my homework, eat, and sleep off this weird day. We pulled out of the parking lot and headed off downtown to head home. The car ride was short and thankfully my dad noticed my exhaustion and didn't bug me with questions. I always have disliked cars; car sickness was something I was prone to, even on short rides. I was never sick on a boat or train; it was always cars that made my stomach do unhappy flips. After we got home to our apartment building, which my dad owned, I headed up the stairs and pushed my way into my parent's living room.

I had my own apartment in the building, which was separate from my parents. I had breakfast and dinner and such in my parent's apartment, but I slept in my own. My parent's was a one bedroom suite, with a kitchen and living room. I had the big, full apartment. I had four rooms, one of them the master bedroom, a kitchen, living room, balcony, and all the other awesome accessories.

It was funny how I had come across getting it. When I was ten I made a bet with my dad on if he chose this one building site in downtown Gotham over the one he had planned on the outskirts of Gotham that he would make more money, and I would not only get the room of my choice, but my own apartment. My dad decided to go with it, and he made a lot more money, and I ended up getting my own apartment. It was so awesome! But we weren't rich by any means, but we had enough money to live comfortably and invest in more properties.