Barely Justified (Young Justice Fic)

Chapter 3: Anything but a Date

Chapter 3

    The alarm clock annoyingly rang even though it was a perfectly good saturday morning. My hand was barely able to turn off the buzzing. Being a teen of the current age, of corse the first thing I had to do was check my phone for text messages and missed calls. I had two texts. The first one was from Tina and the second was from Tim. Somehow, they both already have my number. Tina simply asks, "what's up?"

      Tim on the other hand writes, "Hey, wat r u doing 2day? If u want some1 to show u around I'm more than happy 2." Part of me is confused but I still text back, "sure," like an idiot. 

      So we agree to meet at this coffee shop not too far from the school which is, pretty much, the only place I am completely certain of in Gotham. It's cold so I wear a dark t-shirt and my favorite sweater. It usually has my symbol on it but that isn't something I need to walk around with now is it?

        Tim is there before me which only makes me feel bad cause I don't know how long he's been waiting. "Hey," I awkwardly wave to him from a foot away.  He smirked a bit, which was a habit it seemed. "Hey, you have anywhere in mind that you want to go?" Most people would have looked up the sights before leaving the house, me on the other hand came completely unprepared.  "Um... I didn't really have a chance to look anything up before leaving. Where's interesting in Gotham?" I sort of half smiled. "What isn't interesting about Gotham? We're talking New York!" He laughed.

        We went to this museum that had tons of cool stuff. I can't remember the name but it had something to do with history and dinosaurs. I mean, Gotham is known for its museums.... Sort of.

         After walking for hours, we went by the seaport.  "Wow, it's beautiful out here!" I felt the breeze rush through my hair and my fingers. "Yeah," Tim stood next to me and gazed at the glistening water. "Thanks for showing me around," I smiled politely. "It was no problem. I'm having fun? How bout' you?" he matched my smile with his extremely white teeth. "Yeah, totally," was the only thing I could say  as a reply.  We stood there for maybe a half hour, well, it felt shorter.

         "Hey? Are you hungry?" he mentioned as we began walking away from the seaport. Of corse I was hungry but a girl isn't suppose to say that she's hungry or something like that. Societies expectations  are weird, I know. The only thing close to a parent I had was a male mentor. Don't blame me for being short on lady manners. "Not really, are you?"

      "Are you kidding? I'm starving! How can you not be hungry?" he chuckled.  We both simultaneously looked at our watches. It was already 4pm! Where had the day gone? We had met around 1pm or noon. "Crazy how time flies," I laughed as we both looked up from our watches at the same time.        "Yeah. So, do you need to go home or like, do you want to grab something to eat?" he awkwardly asked with his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. Just when I was going to say "it's okay" my phone rang. "Give me a second, I need to take this," I checked my phone but it wasn't a number I recognized. Then again, saying that means that I actually recognized any numbers, that's what caller ID was for.        "Uh, hey." I spoke into the small phone.

        Martin, mentor's young nephew was on the other end of the line. "Hey babe? You got some time on your hands?" He visited mentor and I a lot. He was a cocky kid and a year younger than me. "Funny Martin, I know your voice, what is it?" He was so outgoing I could hear him grin. "Uncle says he wants to talk to you soon. So like, call him. What's the rush, busy on a date?"

       "Maybe," I couldn't help but smile. It's not often I have a comeback for his "are you on a date" bit. He knows just as well as me that mentor hates letting me out of the lair. Unless he needs me. "You're kidding right? You've been there for like, a few days. I guess uncle is right for saying you're fast," he laughed through the phone. "I'll call him in a bit, when I get home-ish," I spoke. And then we signed off and I pressed the red end button.

          "Everything okay? Your dad wants you home or something?" Tim just as awkwardly as before asked and scratched the back of his head. "Not really, but I think I should go. Ya know, it's getting late," I rubbed the sweat from the back of my neck.

        No i'm not going to tell him anything. What kind of an idiot would reveil they're secret identity to some guy they just met.       

 "Sure, it's okay. Uh... Is your house like, far from where we're at?" He looked around. "Not really. I was gonna take the bus anyway," I smiled. Could this possibly get anymore awkward?

          "Uh, okay then. Well, um....."

         "I can go by myself, it's no problem..." 

          " Sure. Then, bye"         

          "Bye"                

          Okay, so that was the most awkward goodbye I've experienced in my short life. Then again, I'm not exactly social and I haven't met a lot of people that I've had to say goodbye to. Once I got home I fell into my bed. That was more tiring than the last time mentor made me fight one of his ridiculous enemies... Okay, I'm exaggerating, I've been way more tired. I picked up my phone and redialed Martin's number.

 "Hey babe. How was your date?" he laughed.

"I said maybe. He's just a friend showing me around," I explained.

"You've been to Gotham. What's the need for a tour guide?" I'd imagine him smirking and thinking he's so clever.

"The last five times I was Gotham I spent the majority of my time training while HE did what he wanted," I grunted.  

"Whatever you say babe. You want to talk to Uncle?"      

"I didn't call to talk to you."    

"Ouch"           

That kid sure knows how to push my buttons.       

 Mentor's dark voice approached the phone without warning. A cold chill came down my spine. Not hearing his voice for a week was weird for me.  "Hello Alexandra." A voice as still as midnight.  "Hi Mentor. How has the week been? Miss me?" I tried to lighten things up the best I could. "Things are good. Um... Yeah. What's all this talk about a date?"

Obviously as over controlling as ever.

"It's just a friend. He was showing me around Gotham," I gridded my teeth. I hate when he's in my business like that. It's annoying like hell. "Fine then. Have you noticed anything suspicious. I know it's early to ask but I was thinking maybe you might've," At least he was showing some kind of pride.