"This project is due in a week and I was thinking we could meet up sometime to finish it. I can come over to your house and we can— " My words cut off from the blonde walking next to me.
"No," Jack says. He looks at my surprised expression and sighs. "Sorry, I just don't think it's a good idea. My parents can be intense." I nod and an idea pops into my head.
"Well then come over to my house."
Jack looks at me uncertain. "You want me to come to your house?"
"Yeah! It should be fine, plus I think my brother and Alfred would be happy to learn I made a new friend after years of Cassandra hanging around the house all the time." I laugh and cringe internally at the label of Jack being my friend. We aren't anything more, but there is definitely something there whether either of us want to admit it or not. A part of me wants to ignore the tension between Jack and I out of fear from my past, but these past couple days have been a nice change that I am not eager to give up.
"I'll have to let my parents know, but how about today?" Jack asks.
"Oh! Yeah I can do today, how does six-thirty sound?"
"That should work, I'll see you then," he smiles at me, his dimples making an appearance on his cheeks.
"See you!" I find myself grinning ear to ear walking to my car to head home for the day.
~~~~~~~~~~
By the time six o'clock comes around, I find myself getting changed into a nicer outfit. After sifting through my closet, I settle for a pair of jeans and a fluffy black sweater. I take the remaining time before Jack arrives to touch up my makeup and pull my hair into a messy yet cute style. As I apply a light coat of lipgloss, my nerves intensify. 'We are just meeting to complete a project, this isn't a date,' I think to myself. 'Then why do I feel like I could hurl up my insides?' I find myself thinking. My inner monologue comes to a halt at the sound of the doorbell ringing and shortly after Alfred calling for me from downstairs. I take one last look into the mirror at myself and take a deep breath. 'You can do this." I finally conclude, standing up and making my way down the grand marble staircase. The cold of the floor seeps through my socks and settles my still buzzing nerves. I turn the corner to make my way into the spacious living room and see Jack and Alfred making small talk.
"Hey," I announce myself to both of them and Jack smiles once he sees me. "Thank you, Alfred."
"It's not a problem Miss Wayne," Alfred states. I sigh at the name again. No matter how many times I insist he doesn't call me that, he persists in it. I think it too formal for him to call me that. Even though he has known me since the day my mother gave birth to me, I still find it a little odd. It appears to be something I will have to get use to. We all stand there for a couple of seconds in silence. I glance at Alfred, hoping he will get the hint. He looks my way and jumps a little. "Oh, I'll leave you two to your own then. Supper will be ready at seven, Master Jack you are welcome to stay for dinner if you would like; however, I understand if you have prior commitments with your own family." Alfred smiles.
"Thank you," Jack gives him an awkward smile as Alfred bows his head slightly and leaves to go prepare supper. I smile at Jack and nod for him to follow me upstairs.
"I hope Alfred didn't give you a hard time before I came down," I state.
"No, no he didn't. He's a very polite old man. I can see why you like him so much." Jack looks at me and I nod, relief relaxing me ever so slightly.
"Yeah, Alfred is the best. Although the formalities can take some getting used to." I laugh and Jack lets out a chuckle while we ascend the stairs to my bedroom.
"He called me Master. Does he always call you Miss Wayne?" Jack inquires as we reach my bedroom door.
"Yep, he has ever since I can remember, although I don't prefer that. I would like him to just call me by name, but what can I do?" I sigh, plopping down on my bed. Jack stands for a second before I realize how uncomfortable he seems. "You can put your stuff wherever, please make yourself at home."
He sets his bag down and sits in the rolling chairs near the desk next to my bed. "So you actually live here?"
I laugh, "I do, why?"
"It's a lot," Jack says, looking around my room, taking in all of detail and furniture in my bedroom.
"What? You don't like it?" I ask, curious.
"I do, it's just overwhelming. I think the size of your bedroom is the size of my parents living room." My eyes widen in shock. I guess it's easy to be accustomed to something you've had your whole life which makes it easy to take for granted things other people don't have the luxury of possessing themselves.
"Well it's easy to be used to something if that something is all you've ever known." I say. "I'm sure you will get used to this if you come over regularly," I continue to say. Jack just hums to himself. "Okay let's start this project, I'm sure dinner will be ready soon." Jack snaps out of the thoughts he was immersed in and stands and makes himself comfortable next to me on the bed. We pile the papers in front of us and get to work.
After a while, a knock vibrates through the room from outside the door. I murmur a 'come in' while scribbling more ideas down onto the sheet of paper. Jack sits next to me, reading from a textbook, leaned back against pillows and the headboard of my bed, his elbows keeping him propped up. Alfred peeps his head in through the crack in the open door. "Sorry to interrupt Miss Wayne and Master Jack. I just wanted to notify the both if you that supper is ready and the table is set." Alfred says, his British accent prominent as ever.
"Thank you, Alfred! We'll be down in a minute." I say, glancing up and giving him a small smile. He nods his head and shuts the door. "Let's finish this section and then we can head down." Jack murmurs in agreement. It only takes us five more minutes before we called it quits and headed down for dinner. We enter the dining room and I notice an empty chair. "Where's Bruce?" I ask Alfred when he walks into the room holding a glass basket of something covered up with a towel. It is only what I could assume to be dinner rolls.
"He's running a bit behind schedule tonight. I recall he told me that a meeting was running late or something of that nature. No worries though, we will just go on without him, he'll just have to catch up." Alfred informs me.
I snort, oh yeah he's definitely running late because of a meeting. If I know one thing, it's that my brother is known for running late; however, his tardiness is never related to Wayne Enterprises. Sometimes I wonder how different things would be if I were the older sibling. We take our seats, Jack sitting to the right of me and Alfred taking a seat across from Jack. It isn't long before my brother makes his appearance, after we had already piled our plates full food.
"Sorry I am late, I hope you haven't started without me," my brother states sitting down across from me. His tie loose and hair in disarray. I roll my eyes, exactly knowing the reason for him showing up fifteen minutes after dinner had began.
"You're kidding right?" I scoff at him. "You wanted us to wait until you got home to eat? The food would've gone cold by then." He only gives me a smug smile.
"You know I'm kidding," he states with a chuckle. It is then that he finally takes notice of Jack. "Oh I wasn't made aware we were having company tonight. Who's this?"
"I'm Jack Napier." Jack says. I notice him bite down on his the skin of his lip in a nervous tick.
"Nice to meet you Jack. So how do you two know each other?" And here comes the interrogation. I decide to intercede on Jack's behalf.
"We are in the same class at school. I invited him over to work on a project." I state, hoping to defuse the questions my brother is about to shoot Jacks' way. I swear sometimes he acts more like my father than my brother, but only when boys are involved I noticed.
"Ah, a school project. I remember those days," Bruce spoons some cooked peas onto his plate. "So I hope Alfred kept his eye on you both during this study session. The last thing I need is to become an uncle so soon." My jaw dropped in shock.
"Bruce!" I exclaimed in disbelief.
"What? I just want to make sure you both are being safe when it comes to—" I quickly cut him off.
"No! It isn't like that and even if it were it wouldn't be any of your business." I say, still appalled by the route the conversation went. I glance over at Jack and his gaze is cast down to his plate, his potatoes suddenly more interesting than anything else. A silence takes over the room and it takes everything in me to control the bright red hue my face has adopted in the last five minutes. Alfred clears his throat.
"So Master Jack, are you and Miss Wayne in the same class at Gotham High?" Alfred tries to defuse the tension and I could not be more grateful. Jack clears his throat.
"Yes sir," he states, not having a whole lot to say and I don't blame him. I honestly think going to his house might have been more preferable now.
"Oh I see and I take it you live near the estates in North of Gotham?" Alfred says and I mentally face palm again. There goes my family assuming things yet again. I'm extremely tempted to take Jack and hole ourselves up in my bedroom to get out of this painful situation.
"No sir, I actually live in the Narrows with my parents," he states hesitantly, the tops of his ears turning a light pink. This is clearly embarrassing for him. He just told the richest family in a Gotham that he is poor and lives in the worst part of Gotham City. I cringe yet again. Alfred only nods in response. I quickly finish my food and ask for us to be excused. Jack and I head upstairs and as soon as I shut my bedroom door I turn to apologize to him.
"Jack I'm so sorry, I didn't know that they were going to hound you like that. Well I actually expected it from my brother but Alfred means well and he was trying to help I think—" My pacing stops as Jack takes hold of my upper arms.
"Hey, it's okay," he laughs.
"It is?" I ask a little worried he won't want to hang around me and my crazy family.
"Yes, it was a little embarrassing I will admit, but I know they didn't mean anything out of spite." His smile still remains, enhancing his facial features.
"Good," I sigh in relief. "They just want to look out for me is all. They want to know who I will be spending my time with."
Jack's eyebrow quirks up. "So we are going to be spending more time together?"
"Yeah, I'd like to." I whisper, suddenly becoming aware of the blush painting my cheeks. He gives me a small smile.
" I would too," For another time, that too familiar tension makes itself apparent between the two of us. His dark hazel eyes gaze into my brown ones, not letting go of my gaze for a minute or two. Now standing in the light of the lamp near my bed, I notice tiny brown flecks in his irises. His eyes a summer forest I could get lost in. One of the many beauties he possesses in which I could spend all of my time studying and getting to know. A knock at the door startles us from our trance.
"Hey, make sure to keep this door open." The voice of my sickeningly annoying brother states as he opens the door and walks away. I huff out a breath, completely vexed with the evening.
"I think it's probably time for me to leave, my parents are probably wondering where I am and it's getting late." He states, moving to pack up his belongings.
"I had a good time tonight. I'm glad I came over and got to meet your family." Jack says, us both now standing on the front stairs leading up to the front door of the manor.
"I'm glad and I can't apologize enough for earlier. I would say it won't happen again but my brother is unpredictable," I laugh awkwardly.
"No it's okay, I enjoyed spending my evening with you Bailey." He sends a small smile my way. The light of the moon shines upon us, it being the only light source on this already dark night. He teaches a hand up and tucks a strand of hair behind my right ear. His hand lingers on my cheek, cupping it. My breath hitches as he tilts my head up towards his face. It is only now that I notice our close proximity. His thumb softly caresses my cheek and I find myself out of breath. "You look pretty in this light," he whispers. I have no response, finding it hard to think of the right words let alone speak them properly. He slowly leans in but stops for second before asking, "Is this okay?" I nod my head and our eyes make contact for the tenth time this evening. His eyes a lighter color under the light of the moon, intensifying their beauty. As he continues to lean in I start to panic a little before I hear him murmur, "relax." My muscles immediately lose the tension and he brings his other hand to rest on my waist. I close my eyes as he closes the distance between us and I feel soft plump lips meet my own. It only lasts a second or two before he pulls away. We stare at each other before we laugh with huge grins etched upon our faces. It isn't long before we lean in again and seal our fate of no longer being just friends. I sigh as I get more comfortable with my lips pressed against his own. My arms wrap around his neck as I pull us closer to one another. After a moment, we pull away still in each other's embrace.
"I— wow, um, that was unexpected," I finally mutter out loud.
"I've actually been thinking about doing that since that day after school in your car." Jack states.
"Me too," I giggle, happy about the recent turn of events. Jack grabs my hand in his, gently stroking my palm with his thumb.
"Would you like to go on a date with me this weekend?" He asks.
I grin, "I'd love to!"
"Okay great! Well I better go now," Jack says.
"Yes, it's pretty late now, you should get home so you don't get in trouble." I agree, still in a daze from our kiss.
"I'll see you around, princess." Jack whispers in my ear before leaning down and giving me a quick peck on my lips. I kiss back and he pulls away, getting into the car he drove here in. The engine starts up and I watch as he pulls away down the long gravel driveway of Wayne Manor. I walk inside and prepare to ascend the stairs to my bedroom.
"I take it you had a good night Miss Wayne?" Alfred says from the living room entrance. I glance over and blush a little and nod my head.
"I had a great night Alfred. I'm going to bed, good night." I say to him, the tiredness from the day creeping up on me.
"Good night, Miss Wayne." Alfred smiles with a knowing look on his face.
After preparing for bed, I climb under the sheets with a tired smile upon my face, excited and eager to tell Cass of the news and see what becomes of Jack Napier and I in these upcoming months.
Authors Note: For those of you interested in reading this still, sorry for the long time lengths in between chapters being posted. I would like to get on a better schedule with this because I do intend to complete this, but school has been kicking my butt recently. Thank you to those of you who are still interested and anyone who reads this story for that matter. Things got a little awkward in this chapter😂Don't worry I was cringing while writing that specific dinner scene in this chapter lol. Also they kissed!! Hope you like it!
-TheWinterStark💜