Another Stupid High School Romance

Chapter One: A Day In The Life

High school. The words just make you wanna puke don't they? Well I mean... High school isn't that bad. But its in the same sense that standing in line for a roller coaster isn't that bad. Hours in the heat. Surrounded by strangers. Feet aching from the pressure of standing for too long. Completely and utterly bored out of your skull. You watch others whizz by on that sweet, sweet ride. Count the number of people before you. And before you know it you got that wind in your hair and some chick screaming bloody murder in your ear. High school. You always expect it to be just like in the movies and tv shows. You got yourself a tight knit gang of approximately five friends, three are guys and two are girls. You loiter around interesting places and get up to wacky shenanigans. Homework doesn't exist, the schools just a building, and everyone's gonna stay best friends after grad. Sigh. High school. If only it worked that way. 

Dick Grayson lived a pretty extraordinary life, well, in his opinion. Rich kid living in a gorgeous home, student by day, crime fighter at night. His life was like a living fairy tale. But that didn't change the fact that the thought of school made him want to vomit and then some.

He'd wake up at 6am to his butler opening his curtains and requesting that he "rise and shine". He hated calling him a butler. I mean yeah he was a servant working in a fabulous mansion; But Alfred Pennysworth was so much more than a butler. He was like... A friend. And a damn good one at that.

Dick would eventually stop his childish mumbling of "ugh can't I just call in sick?" And "come on Alfred... Five more minutes" and shuffle out of bed to stumble into the shower. Once he finished his shower, he'd join Bruce, his millionaire parental guardian, for breakfast. This morning Alfred made eggs benedict, breakfast sausage, toast and hash browns. When Bruce requested another cup of coffee Dick requested one as casually as possible in hopes it'd slip past their radar. He thought he might have succeeded until Alfred plunked him down a cup of green tea. "You know how coffee tends to tire you out mid day Master Dick, you have a busy day of academics ahead of you." Stated Alfred with "mother knows best"-esque tone. If Alfred recommends it, it's doctor's orders.

Alfred drove him to school in a classy looking, 1999 Bentley Arnage. He didn't like to show off to people how rich he was but hey, a car like this beat the bus by a long shot. The moment he stepped through the main doors of the school it almost felt like gravity got heavier. But in subtle way, a way that only became noticeable after hours under its pressure. He swerved around chatty teens standing in strategically obnoxious places in the main hallways and dumped his stuff in his locker. Locker 167. A little bit sticky from past years but still got the job done. As he grabbed his books he took a deep breath, as if he'd be holding his breath for the rest of the day. And as the ringing of the first period bell echoed through the building he held his gripped his books tight and whispered a soft "I should have called in sick" under his green tea stained breath.

First it was English [translation: reading hamlet and pretending you care]. Then spare [translation: Netflix, music and nap class. Sometimes a trip to the nearby coffee shop but only when he feels antsy]. Then lunch [translation: usually hanging out with Barbara Gordon and complaining about life. Sometimes hanging out Roy Harper and his friends. They were cool but sometimes they could be beyond annoying]. Then it was math [translation: does anyone understand what the hell is going on?]. And lastly, social [translation: pretty interesting stuff, just an intimidating amount of stuff to remember]. Every day was just a wash, rinse and repeat of the same classes, same teachers, same material, everyday. He was a pretty smart kid and pretty interested in his schoolwork but with only 4 months left till senior grad, even he stopped caring. And every day he counted the minutes until he could run into the Bently and hear Alfred tell him about Bruce needs to see him in the bat cave. Because those words meant that within the hour, he could hide all his frustration of the day behind a sleek black mask, stop being just "another student", and start being "the boy wonder".

Another torturous day in hell. Another euphoric night in heaven.