Fan Fiction ❯ Last Bell ❯ Homeroom ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: King Cheetah 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Suspense | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.16.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 469 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Suspense | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.16.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 469 | Status: Completed
Last Bell by King Cheetah
Part One - Homeroom
I cry myself to sleep each night knowing that I own none of these characters...
Rated PG-13, Robin/Raven and Beast Boy/Jinx pairings. Starfire and Terra with probably get drunk and do something goofy at some point.
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"GAR!" yelled his sister, "Mom said get up NOW!"
Beast Boy buried his face deeper into the pillow, "Get out of my room, Taffy! I'm up."
"Mom's not foolin', you better get up!" she said, and scooping up a stray sock and pelting him with it.
"Get out of my room. I'M UP!" he said, and almost believed it. Closing the door to his bedroom, Beast Boy could hear his sister yelling, "Mom, he's not getting up!"
Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and thought that this was not a very auspicious first day of his senior year. Cleaned and dressed in record time, he was down to breakfast just as his mother was putting the first stack of hotcakes on the plate. Good mornings all around, he slumped into his chair and fished his PDA out of his backpack. Hmmmm, talk to Victor about the party on Friday, collect for his last two DJ gigs, check with Mike about a new mixing board, and oh yes, find a little present for Jinx...
"Um, hey pop. I got a few more gigs to get paid for, but can I bring the car into the shop to have the guys look over the transmission? I don't like the feeling in 2nd, and it grinds a little going into first." Logan-Kline Motors was the biggest car dealership in town, and while he had to pay for any work at the service center, he enjoyed premium service and being moved to the head of the line by his dad's mechanics.
Grinning, Beast Boy's father turned to his twin sisters and said, "Okay, did you hear that? Your brother went out and earned his OWN MONEY to take care of his OWN CAR that he bought with his OWN MONEY. Now, isn't there something you two might learn from him?"
"Yeah," said Nannette, "How to be a dork."
"Yeah dork." added Taffy, taking her weight in hotcakes.
"Girls, don't call your brother a dork at breakfast." cautioned their mother.
Beast Boy's twin sisters were the spitting image of their mother and exhibited that creepy twin behavior you see a lot on the Sci-Fi Channel. This would be their freshmen year at Julius Schwartz Memorial High School, and he braced himself for the devastation they might cause in the coming months. Dressing like Japanese pop singers, they were a social hydrogen bomb with no fail-safe.
"Yeah, am I a dork when you two mall bunnies need a ride out to Westgate?" asked Beast Boy as he buttered his wheat toast to within an inch of it's life.
"Yeah," said Nannette, "But then you're a dork with a car."
"Yeah dork." added Taffy.
By now, his father was in full retreat behind the Wallstreet Journal, as his mother continued to shovel hotcakes at the village idiots of the damned. No allies in sight, he opted to punch out.
"That's it, I'm SO outta here." he said, grabbing up his toast, "Mom, I have to stop by Mikes after school, but I shouldn't be to long." and kissed her cheek.
Taffy's eyes shot wide open, "But we're not ready to go yet! Mom, make him wait."
"Welcome to the wonderful world of public transportation, mutants. Sucks to be you." he grinned as he jiggled his car keys.
Leaving their wails of outrage in his wake, he headed out to the garage to the second most important thing in his life, the first being a certain gothie waif with eyes that made his heart flutter. It was old and rebuilt twice, but it was his. The Mustang was a mid 90's model, black, worn but well loved. With a turn of the key, he and Tim's hard work over the summer bore fruit. The engine roared to life with a sound that one normally associates with NASA, then settled into a deep tiger-like purr. Closing his eyes, he smiled and thought that all things considered, his life was pretty okay.
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Raven bit her lip as she tried to narrow her lunch selections down to just four salads. In a flurry of cooking the previous evening that would have done an Iron Chef proud, she concocted six different pasta salads for she and her mother to brown bag over the coming week. But now, faced with six salads and only four Rubbermaid containers, it was a bit like deciding who got to stay in the lifeboat. Chicken salad and club crackers were a sure thing, as was black bean, but from there her mind fell into a Sargasso of options.
"You know, " her mother said smoothly, "There's more than enough to share. Perhaps you should call Jinx and see what she might like to try. Just a thought."
Raven scowled, but said nothing. Mother and daughter were studies in contrast. Raven while very much her mother's daughter, had sought to augment what deficiencies that mirrors revealed with jewelry, make-up, and attitude. Thoughtful and surprisingly introspective for an eighteen year old, she was an academic fury for whom knowledge was a foe to be subdued and conquered. Her mother on the other hand was placid and serene, a calm sea to her daughter's gale winds. Her beauty was soft, natural and unenhanced, as her need to impress anyone were many miles back in the rearview mirror.
Sighing, her mother said, "So, still not speaking, eh? I would have thought that you two would have made up by the first day of school. Have you even talked to her?"
"It wasn't MY fault! I have NOTHING to apologize to her for. If anything, she-"
"Raven," her mother soothed, "You two have been best friends since what, the fifth grade? Is being right more important than being friends? Seven years of the two of you terrifying your peers seems like a lot to throw away over one little argument."
Again, Raven was silent, but reflective. "I'll talk to her." she finally said. Kissing her mother good-bye, she made for the front door, stopping long enough for a quick look in the hallway mirror. The hot pink highlights to her bangs turned out better than she'd hoped, and despite the bad bulb in her bathroom, her makeup was flawless, the black lipstick accenting her deep olive skin nicely. And in spite of all of their big talk and threats, neither she nor Jinx were brave enough to get anything other than their ears pierced, though five to each ear took some of the sting out of their fashion retreat.
No sooner had she closed the door, than she looked up to see Jinx standing at the foot of her driveway. Nervously shifting from foot to foot, she'd obviously been waiting for Raven for some time, and gave a hopeful little smile when she realized that she'd been seen. Waving, Raven trotted over to hug her partner in fashion crimes and begin a new school year. Life is good, she thought.
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"To be or not to be..." whispered Robin. With the new school year he'd promised himself that he'd get both his life and his bedroom in order, and oddly the latter turned out to be the harder of the two. Over the summer, when not at their jobs, he and Gar moved all of his stuff out into the room addition off the garage, painted it, laid new carpeting, and built shelves for the mountain of bric-a-brac that he'd accumulated over time. A world made new, the only nod to the past would be a picture of his parents, with only two photos having made the final cut. One was a gorgeous color photo of his mother and father from their first anniversary, young and vibrant, while the second grainy color photo of he and his parents at the beach. He was five then, and was told that this was taken a week before they died. Ironically, he couldn't remember this day at all.
From inside the house, his aunt Beth called him to breakfast. Setting the two pictures on his bed, he grabbed his bookbag and trotted into the kitchen.
"G'morning. Sorry but I was straightening up a little." he said as Beth handed him a plate of eggs over easy and sausage links. Looking around, it suddenly occurred to him that the house was unusually quiet, given it's newest occupants.
"Where are Tara and Kori?" he asked between bites.
"Your uncle had some business downtown and gave the girls a ride. He thought you'd be taking your motorbike in to school anyway." she said as she prepared to do the morning dishes. He nodded absently, concentrating on his meal.
"Um Tim, I know Ben said to give the girls some distance, but if... if you really wanted to ask one of them out, I don't think any harm would come of it. In fact, I think miss Kori has something of a crush on you. Uh... just a thought." she smiled.
He nodded, but was screaming inside. Terra and Starfire were foreign exchange students rooming with his folks for their senior year, and what at first seemed like heaven, soon enough went south. Both were slim, buxom and pretty with pleasant and inquisitive natures, but there his fascination with them ended. His few attempts at conversation had been verbal root canals sans morphine, and their obsessive desire to be on the school cheerleading squad made him want to drink paint thinner. They seemed better suited to hang out at the mall with Gar's sisters than debate the merits of William Gibson's "Mona Lisa Overdrive".
"I... I think it's better I let them meet some nice guys at school. I'll be okay." he said softly.
Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he began the long walk to school. While he could have taken his motorcycle, he wanted time to think, and the walk would give that in spades. The morning air was sweet and dew filled, while the air was just warm enough to remind you to enjoy it while you could.
Jump town. This sleepy little community had been his home all his life, and a good one at that. Mostly suburbs, it lack all of the strife of city life you see on the news, but not so backwater as to make you regret it. Senior year, then... what? College? His uncle Ben was more than willing to front him the cash to attend state university, but to what end? Even at this late stage of the game, he hadn't the slightest idea what he wanted to do with his life.
So engrossed was he, that he did even notice the car until the second honk of the horn. Turning, he saw Gar in his Mustang.
"Hey Bro, where's your bike?" Beast Boy called out of the passenger side window.
"Uh, just felt like walking today. How's she running?"
"Get your ass inside and see. " He grinned, popping the door for Robin.
The drive was an easy relaxed affair and Robin felt a small swell of pride at the work they'd put into getting this bucket humming. He hadn't seen Gar in several weeks, so some catching up was in order. The car, his sisters, Jinx, thoughts of the new year, Jinx, politics, Jinx, Jinx...
It was good to see nothing had changed, Robin thought to himself.
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With a minimum of flying gravel and squealing brakes, Beast Boy parked the Mustang in the student parking lot, and gave the engine one last roar before shutting it down.
Laughing, Robin said, "Dude, is it any doubt the trannie's acting up on this beast?"
Grinning, Beast Boy said, "Mustangs are a wild breed and should be ridden accordingly. C'mon, I'll talk you around." Grabbing their bags they headed for the school green as Beast Boy explained, "My friend, this is gonna be our year. I see nothing but blue skies for the next nine months. Oh, hold on! Vic-TOR!!" Across the way, Cyborg turned at the sound of his name and waved. As usual, Cyborg was holding court with fellow jocks, their girlfriends and hangers on, and of course, Mammoth. Slapping palms, Cyborg grinned, "Mixmaster G, the man I wanna see. We all set for Friday?"
"We're set now, but if the Mighty Mikron can hook me up, we'll be even more set." Beast Boy smiled, knocking knuckles with Cyborg, "Hey guys, this is Tim Drake. We slaved away the summer to juice our rides. Tim, this is the invincible Victor Stone, titan of the gridiron and his magog, Baran Flinders. The rest of these punks don't matter." Various of the jocks looked ready to pummel Beast Boy until Mammoth spoke up, "I didn't hear him say anything that wasn't true, did you?" as he glowered at the wannabes.
"Tim Drake," said Cyborg rubbing his chin, "Aren't you the captain of the martial arts team? Yeah, I thought you looked familiar. How do we look this season?"
"Well, I'm certified for my black belt in three weeks, and looking over my team so far, I'd say state finals at a minimum." said Robin with an easy air.
Cyborg turned and addressed the wannabes, "Okay, you hear that people? That is the voice of a winner! He knows his team, he's got a goal, he's got a plan. Learn from him!" Turning back to address Robin, "I don't know if baggy britches here told you, "he said pointing to Beast Boy, "But I'm throwing a little get together this Friday. I want you there."
Nodding, Robin smiled, "Done, thanks for the invite. I need to bring anything?"
"Attitude and a date." he smiled, then turning back to his court, signified that the meeting was over. With a nod from Beast Boy, they headed over to the fountain.
"Well, that was intense." smiled Robin.
"What can I say, he's an intense guy. Dude, you should feel honored, I've NEVER seen Victor take a shine to someone so fast. You must have really impressed him. Got a line on a date?"
Robin sighed, "Not a clue. Well, no I guess I have a fallback option, but I'd really rather not." Beast Boy looked perplexed. Sighing, Robin scanned the quad until he spotted his housemates, "Okay, see those two over there?"
Squinting, Beast Boy said, "Who, Chantrell? You know her?"
"No no, the two girls there." he said pointing.
"The blonde and the redhead?"
"Yeah" nodded Robin.
"The skinny ones with the big sweater puppies?"
"Yeah. They're foreign exchange students staying with my aunt and uncle."
"DUDE!!" grinned Beast Boy.
"The blonde is Tara Markov, the redhead is Kori something or other. Her last name is a bunch of letters that don't go together. Their both from eastern Europe and really... foreign."
"Oh man, I so envy you, dude. You have got one sweet set-up." sighed Beast Boy.
"Not really, my uncle said he'd kill me if I laid a finger on either one."
"Ouch. Too bad." he said as something caught Beast Boy's eye, "Forget the lattes, let me introduce you to the dark roast! C'mon."
With the easy languid grace of deep sea fauna, Raven and Jinx swayed and strutted their way across the green towards the main entrance. Approaching the two girls, Beast boy reached into his backpack to fish out a small, gold foil box, "Why good morning Jinx! Though it challenges every know law of physics, you're looking even more lovely than usual today. Hath not the angels taken their revenge yet?"
Tittering, she gave him a sweet smile and said coyly, "Oh hello Gar, I didn't see you there. How was your summer?" as Raven rolled her eyes at the flirtfest.
"Dreadful! A shallow mockery of human existence as like Sisyphus I toiled without purpose and without end, or so it seemed, for the world is a cold stagnant void without you near!" he said with a Shakespearean flair.
"Hey, where'd you get that book?" asked Robin, looking at Raven's backpack. Sticking from the side pocket of Raven's pack was a paperback copy of "Time Out Of Joint" by Philip K. Dick.
"Oh jeez, I'm sorry." said Beast Boy, "Ladies, this is Tim Drake. Tim, this is Raven Bishop, and the delicious Jennifer Katherine Simone, whom mere mortals call Jinx."
Caught off guard, Raven stammered, "Oh um, I picked it up at-"
"Sandlebee's Used Books, right? That's my old copy! I sold it off a few weeks ago." Robin smiled.
"Really?" asked Raven, pulling the book out.
"Yeah, look at the last page. I drew a little eye in the pyramid on it. You're a fan?"
Raven's face brightened, "Oh yeah, I love Dick!" then blushing slightly, "I mean, I really like his writing. You?"
"Oh yeah," grinned Robin, "I'm just finishing up "Now Wait For Last Year" and then I'll start into "The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch". If you want them when I'm done with them, you're welcome to them. Saves me a trip down to Sandlebees."
"Oh, uh thanks. T-that'd be great." said Raven, who found that suddenly she couldn't stop smiling.
"Well now, I see a tight little clique forming here. What better time to grease the wheels with these." grinned Beast Boy as he handed Jinx the small box of chocolates.
Squealing with delight, Jinx took the box and favored him with a coy look, "You are really something else, you know that?"
Grinning the grin, he said, "And a little bird tells me that you're looking for a certain Siouxsie and the Banshees CD, n'est pas?" Her eyes shot wide open.
Holding his hands up he said, "Now, I'm not making any promises, but lets just see how your CD collection looks come Friday, okay."
She just looked at him with an odd little smile as she rocked from foot to foot and said in a soft silky voice, "We gotta get going. See you at lunch?"
"Of course." said Beast Boy with an endearing leer.
"It was nice meeting you Tim. Join us at lunch?" asked Raven with just a hint of hope in her voice.
Nodding, Robin said, "Looking forward to it. Bye!"
Watching the dark beauties scurry towards the entrance, Robin whispered to Beast Boy, "Is she seeing anyboby?"
Poking Robin in the gut, he smiled, "Hopefully you, if I'm reading her right."
"You're kidding?"
Beast Boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he carefully studied the way Jinx filled out her jeans, "Those two have been friends forever, so I'm pretty good at reading Raven's moods. You certainly put a twinkle in her eye." He turned to face Robin, "Dude, what's your deal? You're just impressing the hell out of everyone today!"
Watching the last little bit of Raven disappear into the school he said, "I sure hope so."
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Sitting in homeroom, Jinx fumed. Last desk, last row on the left is a dream come true normally, but thanks to the seating chart posted on the blackboard, none of her friends were near her. Granted, she should have just been thankful that so many of her friends were in her homeroom to begin with, but still it was torturous. Gar was first desk in her row, which ruled out even looking at him in dull moments, and Raven was way over on the other side of the room behind Baran Flinders. Sighing, she slipped Gar's box of chocolates out of her bookbag and slid it open. Godivas, there were eight of them sitting demurely in their brown paper cups. Treating herself to a cordial, she hid the remainder back in her pack. Oh how she wanted to talk to Raven, but unfortunately she was eye deep in conversation with Gar's friend Tim, who also shared their homeroom.
Her reveries were cut short as the teacher entered the room, clapping his hands lightly to draw their attention.
"Very well now, very well. Students, please take your assigned seats. I'm quite sure you've all seen the seating schedule by now, so to your places please. Now then, I am pleased to be both your teacher for the Homeroom period, but also your English literature teacher as well. My name is Mr. Modsworth." said Mad Mod as he wrote his alias on the blackboard, "And I think you all have a bright future ahead of you. Your senior year of high school is perhaps your most important, for it is in these months that you are molded and shaped to prepare you for your futures as productive members of society." He paused to remove his small glasses, "And I expect to see profound changes in each and every one of you..." he said as his lips pulled back into a wide toothy grin.
Fade to black....
To be continued.
Writers notes---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Okay, unlike "Birds Of A Feather", this story is tight and streamlined. I have five chapters blocked out, with a sixth chapter I can add back in if you folks like. All of our cast are present, though don't seem to know each other, the reasons for this will become clear in time. Mad Mod is running the show, but not quite such a jackass this time. For a hint as to what's going on, keep your eye on the book Raven's reading. ^__^
I'll show off a few smaller bits of the story in the Bittersweet Hearts YAHOO group, and might even post a few of the drawings from this story.
As before, I use reviews as a barometer, so if you want more of something, lemme know.
Keep readin', keep writin'!
Part One - Homeroom
I cry myself to sleep each night knowing that I own none of these characters...
Rated PG-13, Robin/Raven and Beast Boy/Jinx pairings. Starfire and Terra with probably get drunk and do something goofy at some point.
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"GAR!" yelled his sister, "Mom said get up NOW!"
Beast Boy buried his face deeper into the pillow, "Get out of my room, Taffy! I'm up."
"Mom's not foolin', you better get up!" she said, and scooping up a stray sock and pelting him with it.
"Get out of my room. I'M UP!" he said, and almost believed it. Closing the door to his bedroom, Beast Boy could hear his sister yelling, "Mom, he's not getting up!"
Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and thought that this was not a very auspicious first day of his senior year. Cleaned and dressed in record time, he was down to breakfast just as his mother was putting the first stack of hotcakes on the plate. Good mornings all around, he slumped into his chair and fished his PDA out of his backpack. Hmmmm, talk to Victor about the party on Friday, collect for his last two DJ gigs, check with Mike about a new mixing board, and oh yes, find a little present for Jinx...
"Um, hey pop. I got a few more gigs to get paid for, but can I bring the car into the shop to have the guys look over the transmission? I don't like the feeling in 2nd, and it grinds a little going into first." Logan-Kline Motors was the biggest car dealership in town, and while he had to pay for any work at the service center, he enjoyed premium service and being moved to the head of the line by his dad's mechanics.
Grinning, Beast Boy's father turned to his twin sisters and said, "Okay, did you hear that? Your brother went out and earned his OWN MONEY to take care of his OWN CAR that he bought with his OWN MONEY. Now, isn't there something you two might learn from him?"
"Yeah," said Nannette, "How to be a dork."
"Yeah dork." added Taffy, taking her weight in hotcakes.
"Girls, don't call your brother a dork at breakfast." cautioned their mother.
Beast Boy's twin sisters were the spitting image of their mother and exhibited that creepy twin behavior you see a lot on the Sci-Fi Channel. This would be their freshmen year at Julius Schwartz Memorial High School, and he braced himself for the devastation they might cause in the coming months. Dressing like Japanese pop singers, they were a social hydrogen bomb with no fail-safe.
"Yeah, am I a dork when you two mall bunnies need a ride out to Westgate?" asked Beast Boy as he buttered his wheat toast to within an inch of it's life.
"Yeah," said Nannette, "But then you're a dork with a car."
"Yeah dork." added Taffy.
By now, his father was in full retreat behind the Wallstreet Journal, as his mother continued to shovel hotcakes at the village idiots of the damned. No allies in sight, he opted to punch out.
"That's it, I'm SO outta here." he said, grabbing up his toast, "Mom, I have to stop by Mikes after school, but I shouldn't be to long." and kissed her cheek.
Taffy's eyes shot wide open, "But we're not ready to go yet! Mom, make him wait."
"Welcome to the wonderful world of public transportation, mutants. Sucks to be you." he grinned as he jiggled his car keys.
Leaving their wails of outrage in his wake, he headed out to the garage to the second most important thing in his life, the first being a certain gothie waif with eyes that made his heart flutter. It was old and rebuilt twice, but it was his. The Mustang was a mid 90's model, black, worn but well loved. With a turn of the key, he and Tim's hard work over the summer bore fruit. The engine roared to life with a sound that one normally associates with NASA, then settled into a deep tiger-like purr. Closing his eyes, he smiled and thought that all things considered, his life was pretty okay.
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Raven bit her lip as she tried to narrow her lunch selections down to just four salads. In a flurry of cooking the previous evening that would have done an Iron Chef proud, she concocted six different pasta salads for she and her mother to brown bag over the coming week. But now, faced with six salads and only four Rubbermaid containers, it was a bit like deciding who got to stay in the lifeboat. Chicken salad and club crackers were a sure thing, as was black bean, but from there her mind fell into a Sargasso of options.
"You know, " her mother said smoothly, "There's more than enough to share. Perhaps you should call Jinx and see what she might like to try. Just a thought."
Raven scowled, but said nothing. Mother and daughter were studies in contrast. Raven while very much her mother's daughter, had sought to augment what deficiencies that mirrors revealed with jewelry, make-up, and attitude. Thoughtful and surprisingly introspective for an eighteen year old, she was an academic fury for whom knowledge was a foe to be subdued and conquered. Her mother on the other hand was placid and serene, a calm sea to her daughter's gale winds. Her beauty was soft, natural and unenhanced, as her need to impress anyone were many miles back in the rearview mirror.
Sighing, her mother said, "So, still not speaking, eh? I would have thought that you two would have made up by the first day of school. Have you even talked to her?"
"It wasn't MY fault! I have NOTHING to apologize to her for. If anything, she-"
"Raven," her mother soothed, "You two have been best friends since what, the fifth grade? Is being right more important than being friends? Seven years of the two of you terrifying your peers seems like a lot to throw away over one little argument."
Again, Raven was silent, but reflective. "I'll talk to her." she finally said. Kissing her mother good-bye, she made for the front door, stopping long enough for a quick look in the hallway mirror. The hot pink highlights to her bangs turned out better than she'd hoped, and despite the bad bulb in her bathroom, her makeup was flawless, the black lipstick accenting her deep olive skin nicely. And in spite of all of their big talk and threats, neither she nor Jinx were brave enough to get anything other than their ears pierced, though five to each ear took some of the sting out of their fashion retreat.
No sooner had she closed the door, than she looked up to see Jinx standing at the foot of her driveway. Nervously shifting from foot to foot, she'd obviously been waiting for Raven for some time, and gave a hopeful little smile when she realized that she'd been seen. Waving, Raven trotted over to hug her partner in fashion crimes and begin a new school year. Life is good, she thought.
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"To be or not to be..." whispered Robin. With the new school year he'd promised himself that he'd get both his life and his bedroom in order, and oddly the latter turned out to be the harder of the two. Over the summer, when not at their jobs, he and Gar moved all of his stuff out into the room addition off the garage, painted it, laid new carpeting, and built shelves for the mountain of bric-a-brac that he'd accumulated over time. A world made new, the only nod to the past would be a picture of his parents, with only two photos having made the final cut. One was a gorgeous color photo of his mother and father from their first anniversary, young and vibrant, while the second grainy color photo of he and his parents at the beach. He was five then, and was told that this was taken a week before they died. Ironically, he couldn't remember this day at all.
From inside the house, his aunt Beth called him to breakfast. Setting the two pictures on his bed, he grabbed his bookbag and trotted into the kitchen.
"G'morning. Sorry but I was straightening up a little." he said as Beth handed him a plate of eggs over easy and sausage links. Looking around, it suddenly occurred to him that the house was unusually quiet, given it's newest occupants.
"Where are Tara and Kori?" he asked between bites.
"Your uncle had some business downtown and gave the girls a ride. He thought you'd be taking your motorbike in to school anyway." she said as she prepared to do the morning dishes. He nodded absently, concentrating on his meal.
"Um Tim, I know Ben said to give the girls some distance, but if... if you really wanted to ask one of them out, I don't think any harm would come of it. In fact, I think miss Kori has something of a crush on you. Uh... just a thought." she smiled.
He nodded, but was screaming inside. Terra and Starfire were foreign exchange students rooming with his folks for their senior year, and what at first seemed like heaven, soon enough went south. Both were slim, buxom and pretty with pleasant and inquisitive natures, but there his fascination with them ended. His few attempts at conversation had been verbal root canals sans morphine, and their obsessive desire to be on the school cheerleading squad made him want to drink paint thinner. They seemed better suited to hang out at the mall with Gar's sisters than debate the merits of William Gibson's "Mona Lisa Overdrive".
"I... I think it's better I let them meet some nice guys at school. I'll be okay." he said softly.
Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he began the long walk to school. While he could have taken his motorcycle, he wanted time to think, and the walk would give that in spades. The morning air was sweet and dew filled, while the air was just warm enough to remind you to enjoy it while you could.
Jump town. This sleepy little community had been his home all his life, and a good one at that. Mostly suburbs, it lack all of the strife of city life you see on the news, but not so backwater as to make you regret it. Senior year, then... what? College? His uncle Ben was more than willing to front him the cash to attend state university, but to what end? Even at this late stage of the game, he hadn't the slightest idea what he wanted to do with his life.
So engrossed was he, that he did even notice the car until the second honk of the horn. Turning, he saw Gar in his Mustang.
"Hey Bro, where's your bike?" Beast Boy called out of the passenger side window.
"Uh, just felt like walking today. How's she running?"
"Get your ass inside and see. " He grinned, popping the door for Robin.
The drive was an easy relaxed affair and Robin felt a small swell of pride at the work they'd put into getting this bucket humming. He hadn't seen Gar in several weeks, so some catching up was in order. The car, his sisters, Jinx, thoughts of the new year, Jinx, politics, Jinx, Jinx...
It was good to see nothing had changed, Robin thought to himself.
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With a minimum of flying gravel and squealing brakes, Beast Boy parked the Mustang in the student parking lot, and gave the engine one last roar before shutting it down.
Laughing, Robin said, "Dude, is it any doubt the trannie's acting up on this beast?"
Grinning, Beast Boy said, "Mustangs are a wild breed and should be ridden accordingly. C'mon, I'll talk you around." Grabbing their bags they headed for the school green as Beast Boy explained, "My friend, this is gonna be our year. I see nothing but blue skies for the next nine months. Oh, hold on! Vic-TOR!!" Across the way, Cyborg turned at the sound of his name and waved. As usual, Cyborg was holding court with fellow jocks, their girlfriends and hangers on, and of course, Mammoth. Slapping palms, Cyborg grinned, "Mixmaster G, the man I wanna see. We all set for Friday?"
"We're set now, but if the Mighty Mikron can hook me up, we'll be even more set." Beast Boy smiled, knocking knuckles with Cyborg, "Hey guys, this is Tim Drake. We slaved away the summer to juice our rides. Tim, this is the invincible Victor Stone, titan of the gridiron and his magog, Baran Flinders. The rest of these punks don't matter." Various of the jocks looked ready to pummel Beast Boy until Mammoth spoke up, "I didn't hear him say anything that wasn't true, did you?" as he glowered at the wannabes.
"Tim Drake," said Cyborg rubbing his chin, "Aren't you the captain of the martial arts team? Yeah, I thought you looked familiar. How do we look this season?"
"Well, I'm certified for my black belt in three weeks, and looking over my team so far, I'd say state finals at a minimum." said Robin with an easy air.
Cyborg turned and addressed the wannabes, "Okay, you hear that people? That is the voice of a winner! He knows his team, he's got a goal, he's got a plan. Learn from him!" Turning back to address Robin, "I don't know if baggy britches here told you, "he said pointing to Beast Boy, "But I'm throwing a little get together this Friday. I want you there."
Nodding, Robin smiled, "Done, thanks for the invite. I need to bring anything?"
"Attitude and a date." he smiled, then turning back to his court, signified that the meeting was over. With a nod from Beast Boy, they headed over to the fountain.
"Well, that was intense." smiled Robin.
"What can I say, he's an intense guy. Dude, you should feel honored, I've NEVER seen Victor take a shine to someone so fast. You must have really impressed him. Got a line on a date?"
Robin sighed, "Not a clue. Well, no I guess I have a fallback option, but I'd really rather not." Beast Boy looked perplexed. Sighing, Robin scanned the quad until he spotted his housemates, "Okay, see those two over there?"
Squinting, Beast Boy said, "Who, Chantrell? You know her?"
"No no, the two girls there." he said pointing.
"The blonde and the redhead?"
"Yeah" nodded Robin.
"The skinny ones with the big sweater puppies?"
"Yeah. They're foreign exchange students staying with my aunt and uncle."
"DUDE!!" grinned Beast Boy.
"The blonde is Tara Markov, the redhead is Kori something or other. Her last name is a bunch of letters that don't go together. Their both from eastern Europe and really... foreign."
"Oh man, I so envy you, dude. You have got one sweet set-up." sighed Beast Boy.
"Not really, my uncle said he'd kill me if I laid a finger on either one."
"Ouch. Too bad." he said as something caught Beast Boy's eye, "Forget the lattes, let me introduce you to the dark roast! C'mon."
With the easy languid grace of deep sea fauna, Raven and Jinx swayed and strutted their way across the green towards the main entrance. Approaching the two girls, Beast boy reached into his backpack to fish out a small, gold foil box, "Why good morning Jinx! Though it challenges every know law of physics, you're looking even more lovely than usual today. Hath not the angels taken their revenge yet?"
Tittering, she gave him a sweet smile and said coyly, "Oh hello Gar, I didn't see you there. How was your summer?" as Raven rolled her eyes at the flirtfest.
"Dreadful! A shallow mockery of human existence as like Sisyphus I toiled without purpose and without end, or so it seemed, for the world is a cold stagnant void without you near!" he said with a Shakespearean flair.
"Hey, where'd you get that book?" asked Robin, looking at Raven's backpack. Sticking from the side pocket of Raven's pack was a paperback copy of "Time Out Of Joint" by Philip K. Dick.
"Oh jeez, I'm sorry." said Beast Boy, "Ladies, this is Tim Drake. Tim, this is Raven Bishop, and the delicious Jennifer Katherine Simone, whom mere mortals call Jinx."
Caught off guard, Raven stammered, "Oh um, I picked it up at-"
"Sandlebee's Used Books, right? That's my old copy! I sold it off a few weeks ago." Robin smiled.
"Really?" asked Raven, pulling the book out.
"Yeah, look at the last page. I drew a little eye in the pyramid on it. You're a fan?"
Raven's face brightened, "Oh yeah, I love Dick!" then blushing slightly, "I mean, I really like his writing. You?"
"Oh yeah," grinned Robin, "I'm just finishing up "Now Wait For Last Year" and then I'll start into "The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch". If you want them when I'm done with them, you're welcome to them. Saves me a trip down to Sandlebees."
"Oh, uh thanks. T-that'd be great." said Raven, who found that suddenly she couldn't stop smiling.
"Well now, I see a tight little clique forming here. What better time to grease the wheels with these." grinned Beast Boy as he handed Jinx the small box of chocolates.
Squealing with delight, Jinx took the box and favored him with a coy look, "You are really something else, you know that?"
Grinning the grin, he said, "And a little bird tells me that you're looking for a certain Siouxsie and the Banshees CD, n'est pas?" Her eyes shot wide open.
Holding his hands up he said, "Now, I'm not making any promises, but lets just see how your CD collection looks come Friday, okay."
She just looked at him with an odd little smile as she rocked from foot to foot and said in a soft silky voice, "We gotta get going. See you at lunch?"
"Of course." said Beast Boy with an endearing leer.
"It was nice meeting you Tim. Join us at lunch?" asked Raven with just a hint of hope in her voice.
Nodding, Robin said, "Looking forward to it. Bye!"
Watching the dark beauties scurry towards the entrance, Robin whispered to Beast Boy, "Is she seeing anyboby?"
Poking Robin in the gut, he smiled, "Hopefully you, if I'm reading her right."
"You're kidding?"
Beast Boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he carefully studied the way Jinx filled out her jeans, "Those two have been friends forever, so I'm pretty good at reading Raven's moods. You certainly put a twinkle in her eye." He turned to face Robin, "Dude, what's your deal? You're just impressing the hell out of everyone today!"
Watching the last little bit of Raven disappear into the school he said, "I sure hope so."
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Sitting in homeroom, Jinx fumed. Last desk, last row on the left is a dream come true normally, but thanks to the seating chart posted on the blackboard, none of her friends were near her. Granted, she should have just been thankful that so many of her friends were in her homeroom to begin with, but still it was torturous. Gar was first desk in her row, which ruled out even looking at him in dull moments, and Raven was way over on the other side of the room behind Baran Flinders. Sighing, she slipped Gar's box of chocolates out of her bookbag and slid it open. Godivas, there were eight of them sitting demurely in their brown paper cups. Treating herself to a cordial, she hid the remainder back in her pack. Oh how she wanted to talk to Raven, but unfortunately she was eye deep in conversation with Gar's friend Tim, who also shared their homeroom.
Her reveries were cut short as the teacher entered the room, clapping his hands lightly to draw their attention.
"Very well now, very well. Students, please take your assigned seats. I'm quite sure you've all seen the seating schedule by now, so to your places please. Now then, I am pleased to be both your teacher for the Homeroom period, but also your English literature teacher as well. My name is Mr. Modsworth." said Mad Mod as he wrote his alias on the blackboard, "And I think you all have a bright future ahead of you. Your senior year of high school is perhaps your most important, for it is in these months that you are molded and shaped to prepare you for your futures as productive members of society." He paused to remove his small glasses, "And I expect to see profound changes in each and every one of you..." he said as his lips pulled back into a wide toothy grin.
Fade to black....
To be continued.
Writers notes---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
Okay, unlike "Birds Of A Feather", this story is tight and streamlined. I have five chapters blocked out, with a sixth chapter I can add back in if you folks like. All of our cast are present, though don't seem to know each other, the reasons for this will become clear in time. Mad Mod is running the show, but not quite such a jackass this time. For a hint as to what's going on, keep your eye on the book Raven's reading. ^__^
I'll show off a few smaller bits of the story in the Bittersweet Hearts YAHOO group, and might even post a few of the drawings from this story.
As before, I use reviews as a barometer, so if you want more of something, lemme know.
Keep readin', keep writin'!