-ˋˏ partners in crime ˎˊ- ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ◪ tim drake ◩

XXXI.

KATIE'S POV

I huff out, smoothing my dress fabric over and over again.

"You look great," Stephanie promises me.

"Thank you," I mutter as Hazel fixes a few of my curls out of my face.

"Umm, Steph, could you go get me a bottle of water?" Hazel asks, sending her a look I pretend I don't see. Steph nods silently before leaving the room, the 'click' of the door letting me know she is gone as Hazel looks down at me, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I defend. She crosses her arms over her chest. "Okay, everything." I sigh dramatically and throw my head back.

Things haven't gotten any better with Tim. Red confronted me yesterday about everything.

He said it was a mistake and he shouldn't have done it and it pissed me off a little.

But I can't tell Hazel about that. I can't tell her that the superhero that used to sit with me every night and look at my drawing, the one that promised to always find me, always be there for me... kissed me and then told me it was a mistake.

I don't understand how it could have been a mistake when it was the best kiss I had ever had. I mean the bar was pretty low with my ex, but still... I care so much about Red. He was the first person I showed my sketchbook to other than Hazel. I don't understand how he couldn't feel the same. What kind of cruel universe would do that to me?

And I'm not angry at the fact that he doesn't like me, though. I am angry that he kissed me, avoided me, and now says he doesn't like me.

The audacity of men.

But I can't tell Hazel that. So I look at her and say, "Tim is going with someone else and all night I am going to have to see them happy together and that sucks."

Hazel frowns, "I think it was all a miscommunication. I think Tim probably didn't know you would want to go with him or he would have loved to go with you."

"Well, it doesn't matter now," I huff, looking at myself in the mirror. I am wearing a red dress that hugs my figure until it hits my knees and fans out around me.

Hazel has been spending the last few hours trying to tame my hair into a messy bun, and I have to hand it to her... she did a good job. The few curls she did leave hanging, frame my face, giving it a delicate, softer look. 

"Tim is a good friend of mine," Hazel says after a moment.

"Hey-"

"Not as good as you," She reassures me, making me smile, "But a good friend. And if I had to place a bet on if he liked you or not... I would be leaning to the side of him liking you. He hasn't exactly talked to me about this, so I am not breaking friend code, but from just seeing how he interacts with you-how you both interact with each other-it seems like you both have feelings."

I sigh, looking at my reflection as Bunny hops onto my dresser and sits in front of me. "Maybe. I just wish he would hurry up and admit it," I shrug before looking at her. I smile toothy as I say, "Can you put my shoes on for me?"

Hazel rolls her eyes and sighs but she does.

When we are all ready, we drive to Wayne manor.

All of our respective dates agreed that was an easy place to meet and the pictures would look good there.

I feel my nerves amp up as Dick opens the door for us with a smile, "Ladies," He greets.

"What are you doing here?" Steph asks.