The whole next week of school went by pretty fast. I really got to know Kaitlyn, Briley, and Sarah. Most importantly though I started to get to know Dick, he was mysterious yet open. He was letting me in, but I could tell there was more to him than what he was telling even me.
“Hey Morgan,” said Dick as he walked towards me and took my books out of my hands.
“You know you don’t really have to do that,” I tell him as I reached out to grab them. He quickly snatched his arms out of my reach and stuck his tongue out. I stuck my tongue back out at him and giggled. He reached for my hand as if he wanted to grab it, then he hesitated and took a step back and smiled.
“You’re going to have to be faster than that Mo,” he laughed as he strode towards class.
Oh that boy was starting to make me actually fall for him. Which I knew couldn’t happen. There were too many factors and it was too complicated for me to be involved with anyone. This was one of the many downsides of moving so often, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re on the run. That man wouldn’t give up, it was starting to make me more and more paranoid. I need to learn how to stick up for myself and fight. But where can I learn that from? My thoughts were interrupted as I walked in my class and saw Dick waving at me. It was after lunch, where he always seemed to disappear, and it was our last class for the day.
“What were you thinking so hard about Mo?” he asked, slightly amused.
“Well if you must know Richard it was something personal,” I told him with a wink.
He faked hurt and put his hand over his heart, “I’m wounded.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed, what a comedian he turned out to be. Once you got close with Dick his funny side really came out, it’s a shame not many people got to know him.
I was about to ask Dick to explain my math work to me, since he was a level ahead of me. He really knew his stuff when it came to anything academic. Before I could ask I felt a tug on the back of my hair.
“How are you still sitting with this guy, if you want to be with a real man here’s my number feel free to call anytime. Or you could send me a picture,” a boy with blonde hair and a beard he seemed to be growing out, said, full of confidence.
I scoffed, “if that is what you call a pick up line then a twelve year old would have an easier time picking me up.”
He gave me a look of disgust and turned his attention to Dick, who looked tense the whole time, I could see his fist balled up. The kid gave him a death glare.
“Watch your back darling,” he said to me.
I could feel a shiver run down my back, that was frightening. I turned my attention back to Dick.
“Umm ok well I uh,” I stuttered out trying to get back on topic.
Dick covered my hand with his, “are you ok? Do you want to talk about it?”
I shook my head in response and tried to focus on the work at hand.
“If it makes you feel better I won’t let that guy touch you. Ever.”
I smiled a little at that, “thank you.”
He grinned back at me, “have you ever been on a motorcycle before?”
“No I haven’t actually.”
“There is somewhere I want to take you,” he said and then the bell rang signaling the end of school and he led the way to the parking lot. I texted my mom letting her knows what I was doing and she said it was fine as long as I was home by 10.
I followed Dick to the student parking lot and there was his motorcycle, it was the only one on the lot, it glistened in the sun. It was a beautiful black and looked brand new, it probably was, Kaitlyn kept telling me how much money he and his adopted father, Bruce Wayne had.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked me, a bright smile on his face, he always looked so handsome but especially when he smiled.
“I am, I think,” I said with a laugh. I have never ridden on a motorcycle before and it was kind of intimidating. I can’t believe I’m about to do this.
Dick reached his hand out and handed me a helmet. I grabbed it gratefully and put it on. Dick climbed on the bike and I hesitated, I didn’t realize how close we would have to sit until now. I didn’t want to be awkward but I don’t if I can contain myself either. I was really starting to crush on him, really crush on him.
“Are you coming?” he asked, interrupting my thoughts.
“Oh uh yeah,” I replied a little flustered, “sorry I’ve never done this and I’m nervous.”
He held out his hand I grabbed it gratefully and climbed on the back.
“Hold on tight,” he said as he revved the engine.
I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist and we took off. I couldn’t see where we where we were going but I hoped we wouldn’t get there soon. I loved the feeling of my arms wrapped him, ew stop Morgan now your being creepy. I couldn’t escape my own thoughts and I knew I was falling for him, and fast. I’ve never let myself fall for anyone before. Maybe it was because Gotham felt like a home to me, that house wasn’t just a house to me like all the other ones before, this was a home. I couldn’t let this become a place where we just move away and never look back. I felt like I had real friends and a real purpose here, my purpose may not be crystal clear yet but I know it will be.
“We are here,” Dick said, bringing me out of my thoughts. We seemed to be at an old abandoned street.
I looked around and wasn’t sure to what to think at first, “this is an interesting place.”
He laughed, more than I have ever seen him laugh, “you can be honest Morgan I know it’s a dump here.”
“Ok it is a little bit of a dump, but I figured you brought me here for a reason?” I replied.
“Well I did, I have never shown anyone this place, I mean it may look like an old run down street, which it is, but I come here to think a lot. No one ever comes down here anymore, so it’s like my own personal thinking bubble, almost like a safe place. That is needed in a place like Gotham,” he explained to me.
All I could do was shake my head and listen. He has never opened up to me this much, he was a mysterious puzzle I was trying to crack but I wanted to do so on his time.
“I brought you here because I well, uh I haven’t really been that close to anyone before, and uh I know we haven’t really known each other that long but I feel as if we are really close and that I can trust you,” he finished, there was a slight redness to his cheeks and he wasn’t meeting my eyes.
“Thank you Dick that means a lot to me, I haven’t ever been that close to anyone before either, well I moved around a lot and haven’t ever felt at home before, but here I do and I think you’re a big part of that,” I said to him and grabbed his hand.
He looked up and gave me a big smile and he was about to speak when there was a gunshot nearby. It made me jump and I didn’t know what to do. Then I could hear a lot more and I was starting to get pretty scared.
“How far do you live from here?” Dick asked me in a hastened tone.
“Only about four blocks,” I responded, sounding out of breath.
“Get on,” he responded and pulled me on the back of the bike with him.
He rushed me to my house and made sure I was home ok. He gave me one last look and was out the door before I could say bye. I assume he was running back home so he wouldn’t be hurt either.
“Mom? Dad?” I shouted.
Then before I could say anything someone grabbed me from behind and put their dirty hands over my mouth before I could scream.