Espera | R. Grayson ✔

[02]

The club was swirling with bright colors, music and the energy radiating from the people gathered there but contrary to the energetic atmosphere, a corner table was booked by a woman with flaming red hair and striking green eyes who seemed to prefer staying away from all the clamor.

Barbara Gordon had taken a night off after a long time. Her friend Helena had managed to convince her to take a break from continuously working on her cases, hence she was at the club with her, both sitting by themselves in the corner.

"Oh come on, Barb, what's the point of being in a club when you're just going to sit here and do nothing?" Helena must have asked for the hundredth time.

"You go have fun, I'm okay by myself."

She shook her head, bold red lips pursing into a frown, "I want you to have fun too. Just for once."

"Well... This is just not my type of fun," Barbara replied, choosing her words carefully since she didn't want her friend to feel bad, "look, I really appreciate you made me come here to bust some steam off and I am enjoying. But I would rather be by myself than go out there."

"Your type of fun is reading a novel by the window seat."

She sighed wistfully, "I guess."

"You're so boring, I pity the man who would fall for you."

"That's why no one ever will," she remarked, green eyes sweeping over the surroundings briefly.

But then she seemed to have caught sight of someone and quickly reverted her gaze, "oh God, not him..."

"What?" Helena looked in the direction she had been gazing earlier and a bright smile lit up her face as she waved at that person. "It's just Richard, what got you in such a twist?"

"For the love of God, don't call him over... Oh shit, he's already coming here," she hid her face behind her hands, not wanting him to recognize her.

"Why do you even get bothered by him so much? He's not that bad once you get to know him," Helena added.

Barbara was searching for a way out but before she could make her escape, Richard had come to their table.

"Good evening, ladies," he remarked, leaning against their table casually.

Barbara had chosen to ignore his presence while Helena was delightfully talking to him. She mentally took note of asking her friend how she knew Richard because by the way they were talking, it felt as if the two had known each other since years.

"And how's the little pipsqueak doing? Jason, was it?"

He chuckled, "yeah, Jason... He's alright. Found his dream job of working at the Gotham Theater."

"Good for him. What does he do there though?"

"Takes care of the props and sometimes gets his chance to do the minor roles," he elaborated, a fond smile spreading on his face as he talked about the boy, "he believes he will one day become a great actor."

And though he was talking to Helena, his cold blue eyes would flicker towards Barbara every now and then.

Barbara, who was painstakingly ignoring his presence still.

At last, he spoke up, "Helena, am I hallucinating or is Miss Gordon actually here?"

The woman laughed, "no you're not hallucinating, she's here."

Barbara seemed adamant on not acknowledging him as she kept her eyes focused on the dance floor ahead.

"Fancy seeing you tonight Miss Gordon," Richard came to stand right on front of her, making her startle, "and here I thought you had some permanent ban from clubbing."