___________________
___________________
KATIE'S POV
I run into the building, my hair bouncing up in golden strands as my breathing becomes more labored. Gosh, I've got to workout more.
I sprint down the hallway, dodging people so fast even the Flash would be jealous. I've got to make it I've got to-
The bell rings.
No!
My feet pick up as I use up all of my energy to burst through the door. Many pairs of eyes look to me as I stare back, my chest heaving.
Someone clears their throat, causing me to look at them.
Mr. Benson is looking at me with his arms crossed, his eyebrows drawn together with the corners of his lips turned down; an annoyed face. Not a good sign.
"I'm so sorry, I tried to get here as fast as I could, but-"
"It's the first day of school. I will be understanding this once." He narrows his eyes at me in hopes to seem more intimidating. "Take a seat Miss Mahone."
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from making a face at him before my eyes scan the room, hoping for a familiar face.
My chest falters as I realize he isn't in here before I take a seat at the back of the room, the only seat that is available. No one bothers to look at me, and I'm not too hurt by it.
"Happy senior year," I mutter under my breath as Mr. Benson starts going through what he expects of us.
Sebastian Crain looks back at me with a smile, "Rough morning?"
"You could say that," I grumble back, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands. "I didn't have time for coffee."
"You sound like my friend," He jokes back, "He loves his coffee too."
Tim Drake.
I bite back any comments of 'I know' because really this is a new situation and no one knows we do know each other.
"He sounds smart," I respond, only for Mr. Benson to clear his throat again and give us a look that says 'shut up' before he continues.
I readjust in my seat and lean back slightly, staring at the front, yet not really paying attention.
Tim and I met under weird circumstances. My best friend (who is sadly a year old than me and just had to graduate early) was threatened by Black Mask a few months ago. The Wayne's were really nice about it and offered to hide her away, but she visited me at my coffee shop and brought Tim along with her.
Tim Drake is one of many of Bruce Wayne's wards and happens to be my age and go to my school. Gotham Academy is big though, and we never really crossed paths before then.
I vaguely remember having a few classes with him, but we never sat together and he never really payed any attention to me.
Hopefully, he won't just try to ignore my presence this year. Though, if he does, i'm going to make it really hard for him to.
While I love talking to people, I only really like talking to people I like. Tim happens to be one of the very few people here that I like and that likes me.
Mr. Benson gets done with his spill on what we sound do this year and starts giving a lecture over the government given this is a history class, making me want to fall asleep.
I rest my cheek on my hand for the rest of the class period and staring down at my schedule. I could have sworn that my schedule was different when I checked it a few days ago. Maybe try changed it last minute.
When the bell finally rings, I pick up my paper with my schedule on it and swing my backpack around my shoulders before I leave, not giving Mr. Benson a chance to stop me to scold me about the importance of not being late.
The hallway fills quickly, but I hold back, waiting to see where Bernard is going before I follow him.
If he is friends with Tim, chances are he may know where Tim's locker may be.
Surely enough, he stops next to a boy with raven colored hair, and he doesn't need to turn around for me to know it's him.
He says something back to Sebastian, waving him off before he turns back to his locker.
A smile breaks out on my face and I quickly walk up to him and jump up, placing my hands on his shoulders, hoping to scare him.
He doesn't buckle the way I think he will, his shoulders surprisingly strong as he holds my weight, only bending his knees slightly as I let go and he turns to me.
Surprise lights up in his sky blue eyes, making them seem even lighter as he smiles at me, "Katie! I wondered-"
I don't let him finish as I lean closer to put our schedules side-by-side too see if we have any classes together.
I smile up at him a few moments later, "We have Calculus, Chemistry and English together!" He smiles back as I look back down at his schedule, "Dang, computer science, Spanish, and history are going to be boring for you without me there."
I look back up to him, noticing the faint redness of his cheeks as he takes a step back from me and clears his throat, rubbing his neck, "Yeah, I agree. I do like computer science though."
I shake my head, "Of course you do, you nerd." I tease, causing him to shake his head at me and stuff his hands in his pockets.
It's only then that I realize how fitting his suit was. I always see him in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, maybe jeans, but in the Gotham Academy uniform... he looked really good.
"You look good," I voice my thoughts, before I say, "Did Bossman make you take a first day of senior year picture?"
Tim's eyebrows raise at my words, but he recovers quickly with, "I- Um, yeah. Dick and Brooke came over to send us off too. It was Damian's first day of school-I mean for this year obviously," He laughs nervously before adding, " And Hazel sent me a text, and same with Jason, but his wasn't as reassuring..."
I smile at that, "Hazel sent me a text too."
Jason must have gotten her a new phone after he broke her's.
He nods, before looking around, realizing we are two of the last few people in the hallway.
My eyes widen at this fact, "Crap! I can't be late again," I start running to my class, sending Tim a smile over my shoulder before I call out, "See you later!"
I don't hear his response as I turn back and keep running.
____________
I have a bad habit of being late to just about anything and everything.
The one class I wasn't late to was Calculus... by only a few seconds.
My eyes spot Tim almost immediately, and I am relieved to see he saved me a seat next to him in the back of the room, by the door.
He takes his bag off of the chair when he sees me, and I sit on his left, him being closest to the door now.
"Hey," He says softly, trying to keep his voice down so the teacher doesn't get mad at us.
She was an older woman, and by the stress lines on her face, the hardness of her expression and the tension in her shoulders, she is a strict person.
Great. Strict people love me.
"Hey," I smile, turning my eyes back to Tim as I take out a notebook and pencil for the class, seeing as he already has both on his desk. "How is your day so far?"
"I accidentally slept in all of my classes so far," He admits sheepishly.
I laugh quietly, "Not enough coffee in your bloodstream?"
"Never," He responds with a grin.
"I work today, come by and get a coffee," I tell him before I turn back to the front, as the teacher starts talking again.
Her name is Mrs. Miller, she is married and has two kids who she doesn't seem to care for, and she seems to not care for her husband even more.
After that astounding introduction, she starts teaching a lesson, making me scold. It's the first day back. Come on.
Tim coughs to cover a laugh when he sees my expression.
I wipe the expression off my face guiltily and pretend to pay attention as she keeps droning on.
Hazel has always had a gift to keep her poker face on. Me? Not so much. My expression gives way what I am feeling a lot of the time, unless I am making sure it isn't. And I rarely remember to keep it hidden.
I spend the rest of the class period zoned out, thinking about work, and about Hazel and Tim's family.
I have hung out with them a few times, we had a game night recently and I think they all like we well enough.
I think Damian likes me the most though, I have fun pulling his leg on certain things despite Tim trying to keep us separated.
Tim and I have hung out a bit too, and Damian has watched Star Trek with us. It pissed Tim off, but it was fine with me because it meant Damian couldn't have hated me that much.
"Katie," Mrs. Pissy-Pants glares at me, making my head snap to her, "Is my class boring you?"
"Umm..." I trail off, biting back my true answer, which only makes her go red in the face.
"If it is so boring, you can solve problem eight for the class." She crosses her arms over her chest.
I feel my face heat up slightly as everyone turns to look at me, but I look at the problem on the paper she handed us out at the beginning of class.
Tim shifts beside me, his eyes watching me as he says, "Mrs. Miller-"
"Timothy Drake, do not involve yourself. I know you can do the problem just fine, dear," She says with a little bit of fondness for Tim, almost making me roll my eyes as I stare down at the problem, fidgeting with my hands a little.
All of the math teachers love Tim and all of his brothers for that matter. Dick has multiple trophies at the school, and so does Jason but for English. And Tim? Tim speaks in numbers. He understands that language.
"Yes, but Katie-" Tim tries to help me, but I cut him off.
"Negative fourteen," I say looking up and leaning back in my seat, crossing my arms over my chest.
"What?" Mrs. Miller asks, turning her attention to me instead of Tim. Tim's eyes went to me too, surprise in them.
"The answer is negative fourteen," I repeat, "Would you like me to do number nine as well?" I ask.
Mrs. Miller looks at me in shock before she narrows her eyes at me. "No, that is all."
I nod back at her, hiding the smile from my face as she grumbles something under her breath and goes back to the board.
Tim leans in slightly, "I was worried you weren't going to know what to do for a second there." He whispers to me, causing me to look to him.
I smile lightly, "You aren't the only one good with numbers Timothy Drake," I say, mocking Mrs. Miller for calling him that, causing him to smile even more.
"Right," He mutters back and starts to lean away.
"But thank you," I say making him pause, "for trying to help I mean. Even if I didn't need it."
He grins at me boyishly as he nods and goes back to looking at the board.
I watch him for a moment longer before I turn back too, appreciating him being willing to get in trouble for me.
It's only when the bell rings that I realize he never fell asleep during this class period as he waves good-bye to me, promising to see me at lunch and in English later today.
________________________________
A/N:
sweet and wholesome so far! this is a very different feel than my other books because they are still in high school!!
____
what do y'all think so far?
_____________
thanks for reading, don't forget to vote & comment !!
xoxo, author