Guilt gnawed at my stomach as I sat in class. The teacher droned on, writing with a squeaky marker on the white board. Chemistry formulas and atomic numbers were displayed, but my brain couldn't process it. Artemis was diligently taking notes beside me, while Amelia was texting someone under the table.
The conversation I had with Barbra played over and over in my head. Did Dick like me? No. That was nonsense. He was just a sweet guy. I'm sure he was nice to everyone. He wasn't showing me any special treatment... right? My mind flickered back to when he took me to that coffee shop. Or how he tailed the car Dr. Linh forced me into the other week. And then this morning, when he gave me a ride to school and let me take his jacket.
I fingered one of the silver buttons on the blazer I wore, gently tapping my nail on the surface. Did I like Dick Grayson? My face turned scarlet at the thought. No, I couldn't... and yet, besides Dinah, he'd given me the most emotional support out of all my friends. Granted, most of them had no idea what was going on with my father, but having a friend who wanted to be there for me meant the whole world. And yet, I still owed him an explanation.
Artemis nudged me as the teacher's gaze raked across the classroom, and I hurried and made a few scribbles on my paper to make it look like I was busy. I halfheartedly tried to write down some notes, but my brain was running a million miles an hour.
"What's with you today?" Artemis whispered to me.
I shrugged. "Just tired." I offered as an excuse.
Artemis's eyes narrowed.
"Wait, is that Dick's blazer?"
I froze instantly, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the pencil in my hand. I wasn't sure why I was embarrassed. I mean, he was just being a good friend... right? But right on cue, Amelia's hazel eyes shot to me as fast as a bullet, and as sharp as a knife. They raked over me, as if noticing the way the larger jacket hung off my frame.
But I paid her no attention. I kept thinking about how much of an explanation I owed to Dick. As far as he knew, I'd been kidnapped before his very eyes and he hadn't pushed me for an explanation. Maybe he was afraid of upsetting me? But if there was one thing I did know, it was that I trusted him. And it was time I was honest with him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Yadav? May I go to the bathroom?" I asked politely and raised my hand.
He let me go, and immediately I got out of my seat and rushed for the door. Artemis gave me a puzzled look and mouthed, are you okay? I nodded and gave her a small smile for her benefit, and left the classroom. I hurried down the hallways, my heart thundering in my chest. The foyers were mostly empty, letting me navigate them quickly.
My shoes echoed in the stairwell as I climbed them quickly, heading straight for Dick's class. I slipped past the group of students hanging up paper turkeys and plastic leaves, remembering how it would soon be Thanksgiving this week. I swallowed and wondered what Dick's reaction would be once I told him. Would he be nervous? Surprised? Angry that I hadn't been honest with him sooner? My finger tapped against one of Dick's silver buttons anxiously as I approached his door.
I took a deep breath and smoothed down my hair, still damp from being out in the snow. Here goes nothing. I peered into the classroom, my eyes scanning the rows and rows of students. The other teenagers looked a few years older then I was, and were hastily copying down math notes onto workbooks. I fought a smile. Of course Dick would be in 12th grade calculus or something like that.
Dick was fairly easy to spot, his white shirt bold against the sea of navy blazers. He sat back casually in his seat, twisting apart the pieces of his pencil and putting it back together at the teacher spoke about how to solve the problem on the board. The older students were paying attention, scribbling notes here and there, but my eyes were glued on Dick. I squinted my eyes, and upon further inspection, I noticed that he had already solved it, the answer circled on Dick's notes.
I waved my arms, trying to get his attention through the window. I wondered if I needed to throw a scrap of paper at the back of his head, but eventually he noticed me standing at the window. He blinked, a confused smile tugging at his lips. I motioned for him to come outside. He obliged, quietly standing up from his seat and making his way towards the door. My stomach clenched with nerves the closer he got. Dick silently slipped outside the classroom, closing the door behind him before turning back to me.
"Hey, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?" He asked me, a hint of worry in his voice.
I tried to smile to mask my nerves.
"What, I can't just talk to my friend without there being a complicated situation?" I laughed weakly.
He raised an eyebrow at me and smirked, not believing me for a second. I groaned, my eyes squeezing shut. I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying to find a way to begin.
"I need to tell you something." I blurted.
He blinked, his blue eyes widening slightly. He seemed to take in my nervous ticks, my tapping finger and the hesitation in my voice. Immediately, his shoulders stiffened.
"You do?"
I nodded. Dick swallowed thickly, his fingers twitching as he awaited my response. I took a deep breath in, knowing Dinah would kill me for what I was about to tell him.
"It's about last week. Why Linh tried to take me." I told him.
Different emotions flashed across Dick's face in a matter of moments. Disappointed quickly morphed into surprise. He was quick to respond.
"Jackie, you don't have to tell me anything. I understand if you don't want-"
"No." I cut him off. "I want you to know."
I took a deep breath and rubbed my palms on my skirt. My heart was beating in my chest so forcefully now, I was afraid it might bust my ribs. Dick looked like he wanted to object again, but clamped his mouth shut and patiently waited for me to tell him whatever I had planned to. Ahh, screw it.
"I'm a Metahuman." I blurted softly.
Dick's reaction was very delayed. I expected him not to know what it was and I prepared to explain, but I didn't need to. Oddly enough, he seemed mildly confused for a moment as if he expected a different answer, and then his face exploded into shock, his mouth dropping open. I blinked in surprise.
"You're a Metahuman?!" He exclaimed.
I wasn't used to hearing the word out loud, so I practically leapt on top of him to get him to shut up. I covered his lips with my hand and frantically looked around.
"Quiet down, would ya!" I hissed.
But he was still in shock. When I finally released him, Dick paced and combed his fingers through his hair, as if pieces of a puzzle were falling into place. He looked both directions down the hallway, before grabbing my hand.
"Come on." He said, guiding us down to a vacant science classroom.
A plastic solar system hung from the ceiling, with painted planets and winking stars. Dick stuck his head into the hallway, making sure we were alone, before closing it and locking the door. What we were about to discuss was probably not meant for sensitive ears, so I was grateful for the privacy. Dick made no move to turn the lights on, and we were enveloped in darkness, with only the windows for illumination.
"This explains so much." He muttered to himself, his eyes darting everywhere as if things now made sense.
"What do you mean? What does it explain?" I asked, confused.
Dick froze, as if realizing he said something wrong. He tried to fix it, regaining his composure and clearing his throat.
"Uh, I mean, the guy and the car last week. Why he wanted to kidnap you." He fumbled.
I nodded and twisted my hands together. (Well, Dr. Linh wanted an audience with me to threaten me, not exactly to kidnap me, but he didn't need to know that) Now that I had finally told Dick I was a Metagene, it felt like a huge weight had lifted off my chest. In fact, I hadn't told anyone. The doctors, Dinah, and Batman were the only ones who knew that my father and I possessed the gene. Although, after last week's mission when I sensed Billy was going to appear, I bet some of my team members had their suspicions.
I lowered myself into one of the chairs by the chairs by the window. The classroom was chilly, so I was grateful for Dick's dry blazer. I pulled it closer around me and tried to calm my nerves. Dick was still pacing, his mind probably racing.
"His name is Dr. Linh, and he's been obsessed with the gene for months." I explained, not quite willing to tell him about my dad.
Dick exhaled a heavy breath, the shock of my news finally sinking in. I flinched away at the noise. I knew Dick well enough that he wouldn't discriminate me. But even still, sharing such a private part about myself made me nervous for how he would react.
"How long have you known?" He asked gently.
I shrugged uncomfortably, avoiding his eyes. I stared out the window, soft blue light filtering in through the frosty windows. Ice and snow layered the outside of the glass, and foggy condensation rolled down the glass in fat drops. Dick slowly lowered himself into a seat next to mine.
"A few weeks?" I sighed. "It's complicated. I'm not even sure what my gene is, all I know is that Linh found out-"
"And now you have a big fat target painted on your back." Dick summed.
I bit the inside of my cheek at his tone. It was dark and low. I'd never really heard him talk like that before. I looked over at him, his shoulders taunt.
"Yeah. Pretty much."
There was a moment of silence between as Dick continued to digest the information. How could I be surprised that Dick knew what a Metagene was? After all, he was the smartest boy at school. Dick tugged at the tie around his neck and rested his elbows on his knees.
"What happens? Your... powers, I mean?" Dick asked me curiously.
"I can sharpen a pencil if I stick it in my ear."
"Wow. With an ability like that, it's no wonder that Dr. Linh is after you." Dick grinned.
I giggled, but then twisted my lips in thought, not even sure to describe my real power. I tucked one leg underneath me and blew of breath of air from my cheeks.
"I don't really know how to explain it. It's like... an internal warning system? It's like I get fireworks in my stomach before something bad happens." I told him, trying to gather the correct words.
"Do you get fireworks for anything else?" Dick smirked, tilting his head.
I nodded. "Sometimes it's not always danger. Sometimes it's to let me know someone's there." I said bitterly, remembering how I sensed Zatana and Robin together last night.
Dick frowned that I hadn't caught on, but shook his head and didn't bring it up again.
"Have you told anyone else?" He asked carefully, as if nervous for my response.
I shrugged. "There was no reason to."
Almost a look of hurt flashed across his face, but he quickly covered it up. Dick adjusted himself in his chair and studied my face intensely. I was suddenly very aware of his proximity again, and the way his eyes pierced through mine. I swallowed, ignoring the way my heart throbbed.
"Why not? Surely you have other people in your life you can trust... right?" His voice sounded hopeful.
"I do." I nodded, thinking of my Team. "I just haven't exactly told them yet."
I winced, imagining the way they'd react. I knew they, of all people, would support me in my newfound ability. But I didn't quite know how to tell them yet. At my confession that I had people I trusted, Dick's expression seemed to relax. But then, he looked almost confused. His thick eyebrows pulled together.
"And you chose to tell... me? Why would you tell me this? I don't know- shouldn't you tell someone a little more..." he trailed off.
I nearly scoffed. I did have the opportunity to tell Robin when he asked me how I knew Billy was about to magically appear, but I was too bitter (and maybe a little too jealous) to tell him anything. But now, sitting here with Dick, I realized there was no one I'd rather tell.
"I trust you."
At that confession, I looked down and scuffed the ground with the toe of my shoe. I waited for his response, but the silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Suddenly, I felt his warm hand grasp mine. I'd touched his hand before, but this time, it was like little bursts of electricity ran between our fingers. I looked back at Dick's warm gaze, and I felt like melting.
"Thanks for telling me. Your secret is safe with me. Also, if that psycho ever tries anything like that again, I'll fold him into a pretzel." Dick beamed at me.
I laughed, both humored and touched by his declaration. But soon, my smile wavered when I remembered the reason I agreed to get into Linh's car in the first place flashed in my mind. It was the image of a gun was angled at Dick's heart. Wet cement seemed to fill my stomach.
As much as my sweet, chivalrous friend thought he could protect me, he was only a normal citizen. In reality, if I wanted to keep both of us safe, it would be me protecting him. And in that moment, I decided I would protect Dick Grayson with everything I had. Even if it cost me my life.
...........................................
The rest of the week continued like normal. At lunch, I worried that Dick would treat me differently now that he knew I was a Metagene, but he carried on as if nothing had happened. The only one who was being weird was Barbra. She'd nudge me with her foot every time Dick said something funny or flirtatious, and more then once I fought the urge to kick her back.
The blizzard thankfully stopped sometime during the day, but not before Artemis, Barbra, Dick and I had a snowball fight after I laughed when Artemis slipped. After that, we all headed home for the holidays. Dinah invited me to her family's thanksgiving dinner, but I politely declined. It would be Connor and M'gann's first, so I decided to spend it at the Cave.
A few days prior the big feast, we ran to Happy Harbor's local grocery market and bought everything we needed for a Thanksgiving dinner, and more. At first, I wasn't too excited about the idea, but M'gann's enthusiasm and excitement eventually made me succumb. One thing was clear. M'gann didn't want to miss out on a single traditional dish. When the big day came, we all crowded the kitchen in an effort to get everything done.
"Gobble gobble! I love Thanksgiving!" Wally declared, eyeing the messy kitchen with glee.
It was no surprise that thanksgiving was the speedster's favorite holiday. After all, he probably ate enough for an entire family, so a massive feast probably sounded better then Christmas. Meanwhile, the Cave's kitchen looked like an absolute mess. You would think it wouldn't look so bad because we had a lot of space, but about every square inch was occupied with some sort of dish or food item.
Spices and seasoning containers were strew everywhere, while pots and pans of cooking food filled the cave with a sweet and warm aroma. M'gann and Zatana busied themselves around the kitchen: pulling dishes from ovens and stirring things over the stove and checking on the mashed potatoes, while I was tasked with fixing the pies: arguably, the most important part of Thanksgiving.
"There. Seasoned to perfection and ready for the oven." Zatanna announced.
I took a glance up from the cherry pie crust I was pinching into place to see M'gann levitate our fat turkey into the open oven. She wore a pink apron, stitched with little flowers on it. The young magician returned to the stove, checking on a pot of steaming vegetables. She and I hadn't had much interaction the past week, but it was only because Zatana preferred to stay in her room.
The Team and I tried to be as kind and supportive as we could to her; leaving meals at her door or inviting her to watch movies with us. Adjusting her new life here was bound to feel difficult, and I sympathized with her. When Zatana did come out sometimes for training or to help with dinner, she was always kind and cheerful. I wish I could say the same thing for myself when I lost my dad.
"You know, they say if you can tie a cherry stem in your mouth you're a good kisser." Wally grinned and then produced a knotted stem from behind his lips.
He offered me a clean stem, which I accepted and stuck in my mouth. It was a lot harder then it looked.
"What's the trick?" I muttered, trying in vain to tie the stem.
Wally looked at me as if he were greatly disappointed. He gave a heavy sigh.
"Blue, it looks like we need to get you a private tutor." He shook his head.
I rolled my eyes.
"And who are you suggesting? Yourself?" I asked incredulously and poked him in the ribs.
I would never kiss Wally in a million years. He just wasn't my type, plus, I only ever saw him as a friend and nothing more. Fortunately, Wally seemed to share my repulsion at the idea and gave shuddered at my suggestion.
"Course not! Yuck!" He exclaimed.
"Good." I laughed and spit out the untied cherry stem.
Wally went to grab another handful of the ripe red fruit when I pulled the bowl out of his reach. But unfortunately for me, he was much faster then I was and leapt forward, successfully snatching a few extra cherries.
"Stop eating! I need them for the pie!" I slapped at Wally's hand as he shoved them into his mouth.
"Telling me to stop eating is like asking you to stop breathing." He said with a mouthful of fruit.
Wally threw a cherry up into the air before catching it in his mouth.
"Wally, I thought you were eating with your family." M'gann reminded him, placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh yeah!" He remembered and checked his watch. "Dad'll kill me if I'm late. Save some of that pie for me, will ya?" He winked before shoving his mouth with cherries, and dashed away.
"Wally!" M'gann called.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. That boy. A moment later my phone buzzed on the counter. A text from Wally in our group chat read: HAPPY THANKSGIVING! In all caps with a bunch of food emojis after it. I couldn't suppress a smile and set my phone back down. I focused back down at my pie when someone sniffled. I looked up and saw Zatana over the counter with her head down.
"Zatana?" I asked quietly and stopped working on the pie.
"It's nothing. It's the onions." She said.
It wasn't very convincing. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked around at our messy counter.
"It's just, these are all the things I used to cook for..." her voice broke off. Zatana took a deep breath and tried again. "It's my first Thanksgiving without my dad." She explained.
My heart ached with sympathy for her. Me too, I thought. But I didn't say anything. She was handling the loss of her father much better than I had. Megan wrapped her arms around Zatanna and embraced her comfortingly. I lowered my eyes, and hint of anger growing in my stomach.
"At least she had a dad." I heard Connor say under his breath.
I turned my head and saw Connor scratch Wolf's head. Suddenly, the anger in my chest began to melt away at his comment. We were all kind of in the same boat, I realized. M'gann, while being the sweetest girl I knew, had no biological family with her on Earth besides her uncle. Connor never had parents, and Zatana and I just lost our fathers. I didn't know much about Robin, Artemis, Wally, or Kaldur's personal life, but I could imagine they probably had all gone through some pretty tough things to be here.
"Hey." I said to Connor. I threw a cherry in their direction, and Wolf snapped it out of the air. "You wanna help me with the pies?" I smiled.
I was trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't look like it was working. Connor's stoic expression didn't change.
"I think I'll take Wolf for a walk, actually." Connor said, his voice flat as he got up from the couch and left for the vehicle wing.
My smile wavered and I watched Connor sulk towards the backdoor. Something was up with him. I knew that things were tough for Connor, but I didn't thing he would appreciate it if I tried to pry information out of him. So, against my better judgment, I watched him leave.
.........................
At about 6, everything was ready. M'gann, Zatana, and I had whipped up everything from turkey, to sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, honey glazed ham, cranberry sauce, salads, cooked carrots, rolls, fruit salads, jello, mashed potatoes, and whatever other dish you could think of.
I was happy to see that Kaldur had decided to drop by for dinner. He said he would have come earlier, except he and Aquaman had some problems with King Shark somewhere along the coast of Florida. Artemis came too, bringing a traditional Vietnamese dish called Bánh mì.
So, the five of us piled up our plates and headed for the couches. Yes, we did have a dinning table, although it was rarely ever used. For most of the time, the barstools, countertops, couches, and the coffee tables served as our usual places to eat. The football game played in the background on the TV.
Connor and Wolf came back some time after dinner started, and I watched him carefully, absorbing every detail I could. Connor was a hard person to read, but one thing was for sure; something was deeply bothering him. I decided to ask him about it later when we didn't have everyone listening. I took a seat next to Kaldur, who's plate was piled high. Taking down a shark monster definitely worked up an appetite.
"Do you have plans with your mom today?" I asked him.
I picked apart my warm roll, and hot curls of steam released into the air. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Kaldur shook his head.
"No, we don't have this holiday in Atlantis." He told me.
Oh. I felt kind of dumb by forgetting that Kaldur and I came from two entirely different cultures. One of land, and one of sea. I winced at my own thick-headedness.
"But we do have a festival coming up soon." He told me, maybe noticing my expression.
That sparked my interest.
"Really? Like what?" I asked curiously.
My attention was momentarily drawn away as Artemis let out a cheer and leapt up from her spot on the couch. Her favored team had just scored a touchdown on screen. Seeing her excitement, M'gann asked her to describe the rules of the game.
"It celebrates the day our city, Atlantis, was officially founded. Every year we have a feast in the Grand Hall." Kaldur continued.
Our schools didn't really educate us on Atlantean culture, so I instantly begged Kaldur to tell me more. He smiled at my enthusiasm and was happy tell me a brief summary of their history. I was fascinated by every bit of it. He described his city to me in detail, including the school for sorcery, the coral gardens, and finally, the Grand Palace. A note of sadness overtook his voice a little bit.
"What's wrong?" I asked him.
"Nothing." He tried to ease me with a smile. "It is just... parts of our city suffered damage after an attack a few months ago. I have regularly returned to visit, but still things have been... different."
It was different to see this side of Kaldur. He'd always been my friend, but there was always another persona that overtook him on missions or training. One that was more serious, more determined. I'd never seen him express vulnerabilities before. It made him seem more human, and less of the unstoppable soldier from another world. I kind of liked the fact that I realized he was just like me- someone with fears and weaknesses.
"I'm so sorry, Kaldur." I said softly.
But he didn't seem discouraged.
"We are Atlanteans, and we are a strong people. A bit of damage will not break us." He assured me.
I smiled. That was the Kaldur'Ahm I knew. We ate for a few more minutes, listening to the sounds of Artemis's exclaims as the opposing team tackled the quarterback.
"I have a question." I admitted to Kaldur and bit my lip.
I prodded at my mashed potatoes with my fork as a I hesitated.
"Yes?" He chuckled when I didn't continue.
"Well, before I do, is there this taboo or law I should be aware of? I just don't want to offend you or anything."
Kaldur chuckled lightly and shook his head. "I won't be offended." He assured me.
I pursed my lips, still not entirely convinced. But, my curiosity got the best of me, rather then my judgment.
"Doyoueatseafood?" I sputtered.
Kaldur seemed amused by my question, an rubbed at one of his tattoos as he thought about it.
"No. We consider it somewhat rude to eat a creature you can converse with." Kaldur shrugged.
Oh. I guess that made sense. I made a mental note to never eat seafood around this guy.
"Ahh. So you're going with the whole; fish are friends, not food idea." I summed and took a bite of my fruit salad.
"Finding Nemo." Kaldur named the quote. "Am I correct?"
I beamed, knowing that the piles of movies I forced him to watch had at least done something for his pop culture knowledge. But at my confirmation, Kaldur only gave a heavy sigh and leaned back into the couch.
"Do you know how many children have asked me if I've ever met Nemo? Or princess Ariel?"
I cracked up. "Wait, are you serious?"
The Atlantean sighed. "Way too many to count."
I giggled, picturing my friend (who could rip apart metal beams with his bare hands) looking uncomfortable while half a dozen little kids ran around his feet, screaming about whether or not he was friends with Moana or some other ocean associated character.
"I'm so glad I can't talk to turkeys." I remarked, stuffing slices of meat between a roll.
Kaldur and I joined the rest of the conversation, so Artemis could explain football to him as well. We laughed and cheered and threw bits of food to Wolf, who was more then happy to serve as our vacuum cleaner. Everything was going just fine until a seventh person entered the room and joined our party.
"I bare homemade ice cream!" He announced from the mouth of the hallway.
I stopped chewing and turned to look at him slowly. Robin stood grinning with a bucket in his arms, dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. At the mention of another desert, a round of cheers erupted from my friends. I, on the other hand, felt like hurling an entire playful of mashed potatoes at his face. No one seemed to notice me as I glowered silently on the couch, clutching my plate tightly in my grasp.
Various and warm greetings were exchanged, obviously happy to see their friend. M'gann encouraged him to fill a plate of his own, but Robin insisted he'd already had his fill of thanksgiving food. I grumbled, watching Zatana give him a quick hug before looking at the ice cream he brought.
"Batman didn't make this, did he?" Zatana grinned.
Robin let out a bark of laughter, and it made my stomach boil all over again.
"Batman? Successful in a kitchen? You'd sooner see a hamster colony on the moon." He snorted.
I suddenly regretted not taking Dinah up on her offer for dinner. Maybe I can bribe Scarecrow into robbing a bank or something so Robin will have to leave, I thought. But then it occurred to me that the idea was foolish. There was no way I'd get Scarecrow's number in time. I was determined to avoid Robin, and used Kaldur's body as a human shield to block myself from his view.
"Jackie? Would you help me out? I'm not sure which pie is which." Robin requested politely from the kitchen.
I gritted my teeth. There's one way to find out, dummy! I wanted to spit from the couch. The last time I saw him, he was getting all cozy with Zatana. I had no desire to be near him, not while I probably still had some built up steam about the situation. But nevertheless, I stood and stiffly walked over to the kitchen.
"Zatana said you made these. They look great!" Robin smiled, his gaze trained on the three different deserts cooling in the fridge.
I plastered on a smile as fake as Amelia's crayola eyebrows.
"Thanks." I said and hauled two of them out onto the counter.
Robin took the third before grabbing some paper bowls from the pantry. I grabbed a knife to begin portioning the pies, while Robin produced the ice cream scooper from a drawer. He came up directly next to me, plopping the bucket of homemade ice cream on the counter next to the pies. I tried not to feel irritated by his close presence. It wasn't working.
"It's strawberry cheesecake." Robin explained, digging with the scooper.
Stripes of red strawberry jam and bits of gram cracker could be seen within the creamy dessert. I'll admit, it looked good, but nothing seemed appetizing to me any longer.
"Oh goody." I said dryly.
Robin continued to break apart the ice cream, depositing it into bowls, while I cut into the cherry pie. Red filling coated the knife, resembling blood. Even though Robin could be considered blind in many different things, apparently my attitude was something he'd caught on to by now. An exhale escaped his lips.
"Jackie," Robin said softly to me. "I wanted to talk to you-"
Something inside me snapped like a dry twig. I had planned to be casual, maybe a little salty, but that was it. I wasn't prepared for the sudden rush of seething anger that flooded my system.
"Well, I don't want to." I hissed.
Robin didn't seem threatened by my anger and set down the scooper. His voice lowered to barely below a whisper. Normally I might've blushed, but now all I wanted was to punch him.
"I know what happened to your father, and I'm so sorry we weren't able to get there first, or find where they took him." He confessed.
I clenched my jaw so tightly I thought my teeth would crack. This wasn't just petty jealously at this point. I was mad that he hadn't even bothered to check up on me when he was the only one of my friends who knew about my dad!
"Yeah. I'm sorry too." I spat.
"I swear I tried to find him. Batman and I followed the Zeta Radiation trail as far as we could-"
Oh. Robin thought all of this was about how my dad was taken. No, I already blamed Linh for that. I gave a dry chuckle, cutting into the pie again.
"They won't be found. Not unless they want to be. Not unless they slip up." I said.
And that's exactly what I was waiting for. I gritted my teeth again as my train of thought was interrupted yet again by Robin.
"We'll find him. I promise-"
I slammed the knife down violently into the pie, the crust crumbling underneath the pressure. While I was indeed tremendously distraught regarding my father's disappearance, I was also angry at Robin. Angry that he hadn't even tried to console me, let alone speak to me when he obviously had known for days that my dad was missing.
"You didn't call. Not once." I spat at him, my eyes burning.
"I did-" Robin clenched his jaw shut, the muscles underneath his ear tightening. Hesitating. "Didn't. I didn't. You're right. But you have to believe it wasn't because I forgot about you, or because I don't care."
He sounded earnest. Desperate to fix things between us. I felt a wave of sadness crash through my body. Maybe I was expecting too much out of this. I mean, we weren't even dating or anything, so was it fair to expect him to care for me like that? A bright laugh caught my attention, and I turned to see Zatana smiling with Artemis and Kaldur as they watched the TV screen. I sighed, my anger draining away.
"No, it alright. I'm sorry too." I trailed off. "Let's just forget it, okay? I think I'll turn in early. Too much turkey." I muttered.
I set down the knife and watched towards my room, the sound of laughter and my friend's voices fading behind me. A small part of me wanted Robin to stop me. But he didn't. But the more I thought about it, I realized it didn't matter what Robin thought or even felt about me, because I knew one thing for certain. There was a different boy, one who did care about me. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I began to smile as I thought about his face, hoping the message was from him. But it wasn't. The air was sucked out of my lungs as I read the message.
Dear Miss Hamilton, I hope you are in good health upon receiving this. I trust you've been awaiting me to contact you? Do not fret, your father is fine. However, if you wish to keep him like that, you'll follow my instructions exactly. Meet me in Warehouse 58, at midnight. Come alone, and please don't be late.
Ha! I bet ya'lls thought she was gonna tell Dick she was Bluejay, right? Haha sorry guys, I couldn't resist! Buuut in this chapter you can see her relationship with Dick grow, so she begins to really love both sides of him, and not just the superhero version. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!!