Love in the Dark

Wayne Manor was a breathtaking view. It always will be. The giant house sitting at the top of the only cliff in the Gotham city area had no other job than to loom over with towering beauty. I gazed out of the window of the car and my heart jumped into my throat. It has been years since I've been here. I couldn't help but feel nervous as we approached the colossal house, knowing who was inside of it. I felt a hand on my knee, and I turned to find my mother smiling at me. She gave it a squeeze before turning to look out her own window. The car came to a stop in front of a stair case leading to the front door of the mansion. I got out of the car and just looked up at the building, scared to go inside.

The driver emptied the trunk of our luggage, and a man came out of the door, and down the stairs, "Margret, oh, how lovely to see you again."

My mother embraced the man replying, "Alfred, it's great to see you too." Turning to me she said, "You remember my daughter, Bethany."

"Bethany, how are you love?"

I smiled and hugged the old man, "I'm great, Alfred. How are you?"

"Glad to say the same. Come, come," he moved us up the stairs and into the foyer, the driver carrying our bags behind us. He set them just inside the door, and was tipped. "Master Wayne is in the parlor," Alfred pointed at a set of double doors.

"Thank you Alfred," my mother said as she grabbed me by the arm. She lead me to the doors where she knocked then entered the room.

The parlor was big. A wall of windows greeted you first, on the left side was a place for drinks to be made, on the right book cases lined with books. In the middle was a table surrounded by four very plush leather chairs. In one of them sat a man I never wanted to see again. He had short dark hair, tan skin, and was wearing khakis with a true blue sweater. He was reading a book with a glass of scotch sitting on the arm rest. Upon our entrance, he looked up and smiled.

"Margret," he chuckled, "What a surprise." Getting up, he came over and gave my mother a hug.

"Oh, Bruce, it's been too long. Look how much you've grown, a young man... and handsome too. You look just like your father."

"Thank you," he smiled and looked at me. His face changed from delight to shock, "Beth?"

"Hello, Bruce." I managed a smile.

He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but couldn't, then he managed, "You've... You look fantastic."

"How were you expecting me to look," I gave a short nervous laugh.

"I mean... you've grown up." His eyes did a full scan of my figure which was dressed in a form fitting sun dress.

"Um, thank you?"

"Oh, it's a compliment."

I was shocked, my mouth hung opened, "Mother," I turned to my mom, "I'm feeling a little tired from the trip over, I think I'll rest a bit before dinner."

"Alright."

I turned without saying anything to Bruce, and walked out of the room. I found Alfred in the main hallway, "Hello, Miss Elwood."

"Hello, Alfred."

"Might I be of some service to you?"

"Could you show me to my room?"

"Right this way." I followed him up a giant staircase, "How was your visit with Master Wayne?"

"Do you want the truth, or should I lie?"

"Was it that bad?"

"Yeah."

"Mind telling me what it was he said?"

"He basically gawked at me and told me how nice of a body I have."

"Well if you don't mind me saying, Miss Elwood, but you do have a superb figure."

I laughed, "You know, it doesn't sound that bad coming from you."

Alfred stopped in front of a large door and opened it, showing me into a giant room. The ceiling was high, and the walls tall, allowing for there to be a set of French doors to be on the opposite side of the room, the doors leading out onto a terrace. It was the room I use to stay in when I spent a week here every summer. I walked in and found my luggage in a corner waiting to be unpacked.

Turning to Alfred I said, "When is dinner?"

"Six. Shall I come and get you?"

"No. I'll come down."

Alfred went to leave, but said, "I hope you and Master Wayne work things out. It would be great to see you two friends once again."

"I don't think that will happen any time soon, Alfred."

Alfred gave a weak smile then closed the door. I was left to my own, doing. I unpacked my belongings, putting them in the dresser or in the closet. I laid out on the bed and closed my eyes remembering the last time I was here.

"Bruce, let me see it," I said as I ran after him in the first layer of the garden, "Bruce!"

"Why do you want to see it so bad," he called from over his shoulder, "What's it to you? You're a girl!"

"That's not fair," I yelled, "Stop being a jerk."

"I'll show it to you if you can catch me."

I stopped, "Bruce, that's not fair!"

Turning to me he said, "Is that all you can say?"

"Bruce, let me see it."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you're a girl."

"Is that all you can say?"

"Hey, don't copy me."

"I'm not. Now let me see it!"

"It's just a dumb old rock."

"Yeah, a dumb old rock I found."

"You just want me to show it to you so you can take it back."

"You know what, you can keep it. You're a spoiled jerk anyway."

"Hey, that's not nice."

"But it's true."

"You're just upset because I don't want to be your boyfriend."

I stopped and stared at him in shock, "How do you-"

"I found your diary."

Enraged, I walked up to him and smacked him, "How dare you read that! That's my private diary." Hitting him again, I said, "Why would you read that?"

"Ouch, okay, I'm sorry, stop it!"

"No," I kept hitting him until he dropped whatever he held in his hand. Bending down, I snatched it up and ran away.

"Hey!"

"Now we're fair!"

"Give it back!"

"No."

Grabbing onto my hand, he tried to pry the rock out of my grasp, we struggled against each other until we heard a snap. Opening my hand we were greeted by the sight of an arrowhead broken in two.

"You broke it," I said.

"I didn't break it, you did."

"You know what Bruce, why don't you just look at this fair. You read my diary, I broke your rock."

Bruce looked at me, and gripped me by the shoulders, "What do you think of this?" Pulling me in, he kissed me.

I pushed him away, "Ew, don't do that again."

"I-I thought that's what you wanted."

"Yeah, a long time ago, but I don't want you to be my boyfriend anymore."

"But what if I want you to be my girlfriend?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to be your girlfriend."

"Why not?"

"Because you're a jerk."

"I not a jerk."

"Yes you are!"

"Be my girlfriend."

"No!" Jerking out of his grasp, I walked away from him. He chased after me and we continued to argue until we were in the kitchen. My mother and Alfred were enjoying a cup of tea with each other when we came in ruining their quiet time.

"Bethany, what on Earth has gotten into you two?" My mother sat her cup down.

"Bruce kissed me."

"What?"

"He kissed me and won't leave me alone."

"That's not true," said Bruce, "I won't leave you alone because you won't be my girlfriend."

"Why does a kid like you want to date a kid four years younger than you?"

"I never said that."

"Yes you did, two years ago. You were fourteen and I was ten. You're always the big kid who doesn't want to play with the little one."

"So what?"

"Mom, I want to go home now."

"Now, Bethany-"

"No. I never want to come here again!" I turned and ran from the kitchen and as I ran up the stairs I heard, "I never want to see her again!" Good, now we were even.

Sitting up, I looked at the clock on the bedside table and decided that it was a good time to go down and join my mother and Bruce for dinner. Looking in the mirror to make sure I was presentable, I put on my best smile and made my way down to face the man I never wanted to see again.