Disclaimer: I don't own them. They belong to DC Comics and however else
claims ownership to the characters.
I walk down the long hallway, lockers line both sides. I watch the other teens open lockers, pull out schoolbooks, check where their next class is, and talk to their peers. They were all so normal.
I'm not. I'm anything but normal. Try being normal when your adopted father is Batman. It's not easy. Looking at all these people who I was going to be associating with for the next four years, I would have traded in my cape and mask just so I could be like them.
I had argued with Bruce for hours about going to school. Why not teach me at home? That way, while I'm learning arithmetic, I can also be learning the skills of a crime fighter. No luck. Bruce said that I needed to be around people my own age. I pleaded with Alfred to convince him otherwise. No luck there, either. For once, Alfred took Bruce's side, not mine.
So, here I am. Looking for locker number 209 and feeling so out of place. Like a fish out of water, as the saying goes. Do they see my nervousness? I try to put on the face that Bruce uses: cold, with no hint of emotion. It doesn't work. I make a mental note to work on it. My heart is beating ten times as fast as it normally does. I'm scared. I'm a superhero, I remind myself. I have no fear. Ha! My conscious laughs at me.
I finally reach my locker. I mess around with the lock, trying to remember what the code is. I can't remember. How is it that I can remember every villain on the street and their hideouts, but not my own locker number? I want to kick my locker and scream in frustration. What prevents me is a hand on my shoulder. I turn and stare into the eyes of one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen.
"Hi." She says, smiling. "Can't remember your locker number?" I nod my head, embarrassed.
"Yeah." I mumble.
"Don't worry. I remember the code from when I had this locker last year. The school never changes the codes or locks. They say it costs too much money. The code is 40346." I nod my head and enter the code. The lock opens. I smile for the first time that day.
"Thanks."
"No problem. See you around." She turns and walks away. I watch her disappear into the crowd, thinking thoughts that I'm sure every teenage boy would think. She's so pretty. I wonder who she is? Will she go out with me if I ask? I stop right there. Bruce would never let me go out with anyone. He would consider it too dangerous, because they might get caught up in our "superhero business". Of course that didn't stop him from almost marrying Andrea. But, I'm not supposed to know that. It's what Alfred would call "classified" information. Again I wish I could turn in my cape and mask. I turn back to my locker and move the books from my book bag to my locker.
"Hi." A voice behind me says. "You must be new. My name's Dylan. What's yours?"
"Tim. Tim Drake." I turn and look at the tall red hair boy behind me. He looks friendly. I instantly like him. Which is a rare thing for me. Most people I instantly don't like. But he, well, he's different. I can't figure out why, though.
"Nice to meet you, Tim. Hey, grab your books and I'll show you around the school." I quickly agree, grab my books, and follow him down the hallway. He talks about the school and the people and stuff related to those topics. I barely listen. My thoughts are centered around the fact that I have made a friend. Bruce said I would, but of course I didn't believe him. What shocks me the most is that Dylan didn't make any of the 'You're Bruce Wayne's ward, aren't you?" comments. I like that. It feels nice to be identified as a real person, instead of as Bruce's ward. I knew I liked this guy.
"What's your first class?" Dylan's question breaks into my thoughts.
"English."
"Cool. That's my first subject, too. How about we head over there now?"
"Good idea." I reply. You know, I think I'm going to like school. I may be different and carry one of the world's greatest secrets inside me, but I think I'm actually going to enjoy school. Wow. Wait 'till Bruce hears this. He's going to go crazy. I smile. Entertaining this thought, I walk down the hall with my new friend.
I walk down the long hallway, lockers line both sides. I watch the other teens open lockers, pull out schoolbooks, check where their next class is, and talk to their peers. They were all so normal.
I'm not. I'm anything but normal. Try being normal when your adopted father is Batman. It's not easy. Looking at all these people who I was going to be associating with for the next four years, I would have traded in my cape and mask just so I could be like them.
I had argued with Bruce for hours about going to school. Why not teach me at home? That way, while I'm learning arithmetic, I can also be learning the skills of a crime fighter. No luck. Bruce said that I needed to be around people my own age. I pleaded with Alfred to convince him otherwise. No luck there, either. For once, Alfred took Bruce's side, not mine.
So, here I am. Looking for locker number 209 and feeling so out of place. Like a fish out of water, as the saying goes. Do they see my nervousness? I try to put on the face that Bruce uses: cold, with no hint of emotion. It doesn't work. I make a mental note to work on it. My heart is beating ten times as fast as it normally does. I'm scared. I'm a superhero, I remind myself. I have no fear. Ha! My conscious laughs at me.
I finally reach my locker. I mess around with the lock, trying to remember what the code is. I can't remember. How is it that I can remember every villain on the street and their hideouts, but not my own locker number? I want to kick my locker and scream in frustration. What prevents me is a hand on my shoulder. I turn and stare into the eyes of one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen.
"Hi." She says, smiling. "Can't remember your locker number?" I nod my head, embarrassed.
"Yeah." I mumble.
"Don't worry. I remember the code from when I had this locker last year. The school never changes the codes or locks. They say it costs too much money. The code is 40346." I nod my head and enter the code. The lock opens. I smile for the first time that day.
"Thanks."
"No problem. See you around." She turns and walks away. I watch her disappear into the crowd, thinking thoughts that I'm sure every teenage boy would think. She's so pretty. I wonder who she is? Will she go out with me if I ask? I stop right there. Bruce would never let me go out with anyone. He would consider it too dangerous, because they might get caught up in our "superhero business". Of course that didn't stop him from almost marrying Andrea. But, I'm not supposed to know that. It's what Alfred would call "classified" information. Again I wish I could turn in my cape and mask. I turn back to my locker and move the books from my book bag to my locker.
"Hi." A voice behind me says. "You must be new. My name's Dylan. What's yours?"
"Tim. Tim Drake." I turn and look at the tall red hair boy behind me. He looks friendly. I instantly like him. Which is a rare thing for me. Most people I instantly don't like. But he, well, he's different. I can't figure out why, though.
"Nice to meet you, Tim. Hey, grab your books and I'll show you around the school." I quickly agree, grab my books, and follow him down the hallway. He talks about the school and the people and stuff related to those topics. I barely listen. My thoughts are centered around the fact that I have made a friend. Bruce said I would, but of course I didn't believe him. What shocks me the most is that Dylan didn't make any of the 'You're Bruce Wayne's ward, aren't you?" comments. I like that. It feels nice to be identified as a real person, instead of as Bruce's ward. I knew I liked this guy.
"What's your first class?" Dylan's question breaks into my thoughts.
"English."
"Cool. That's my first subject, too. How about we head over there now?"
"Good idea." I reply. You know, I think I'm going to like school. I may be different and carry one of the world's greatest secrets inside me, but I think I'm actually going to enjoy school. Wow. Wait 'till Bruce hears this. He's going to go crazy. I smile. Entertaining this thought, I walk down the hall with my new friend.