Broken (A Damian Wayne LS) - On Hold

Chapter Eleven

Damian left my room about an hour before dinner, which gave me time to wash up a little. I need to wash up, because I have dirt and ash on my clothes and my skin. I walk over to the door and lock it. I wonder....I walk over to the speaker and press the call button. Alfred answers. I ask him if Bruce will be joining us all for dinner, he replied with a maybe. I thanked him, then I proceeded over to the closet. I don't get it, Bruce has this 'rule' about where everyone needs to dress nice, like Sunday best nice, for dinner. But he is never here, so what's the big deal? That's my question. But this is not my house and I have no right to question his rules, I am a guest. A guest. That's it. Or at least that's what I feel like. I grab a nice outfit out of the closet then continue over to my private bathroom. I turn the water on and let it warm up while I undress. I step into the shower and let the water come over me. I start to wash off all the dirt and ash that is on my skin from my trip to my old home earlier. My old home. My thoughts take over and before I know it I am sobbing all over again. I don't need this right now, I don't want this right now. I still can't remember anything. I want to remember. I sigh and tell myself that it is time to get out of the shower and to get dressed for dinner. I step out of the shower and into the now steam filled bathroom. I dry off and grab my clothes that I picked out. I quickly change into my outfit for dinner. I smile at my self in the mirror, its simple but still nice. I walk out of the bathroom and into my room. I look at the time and decide that I might as well head downstairs. I make my way to the door, but stop just as I reach it. I retract my hand from the knob. My mind starts running what if scenarios. What if they expect me to talk to them? What if it goes like last time? What if that. What if this. They just keep coming. I slide to the floor staring blankly at the door thinking, and worrying. Probably over nothing, but still. I don't know how long that I have been sitting there or when my door opened. I had no idea that someone had entered my room until a hand was placed on my shoulder. I look up to see Alfred standing over me. He smiles at me. And I try to smile back.

"What is wrong?" he asks.

I sigh but don't answer. Instead I point downstairs and I think that Alfred understands what I am trying to say.

"Tonight's dinner will be different. Bruce is joining us and I have talked to the boys." he reassures me.

I give a small nod and stand up off the floor. I follow Alfred downstairs and into the dinning room. Great I'm the last one here. I make my way to my seat and take it, next to Damian and Dick.  Dick smiles at me, and Damian well he ignores me. I sigh. People always ignore me, well what I can remember anyways. Soon Alfred brings out the food and we begin to eat. Conversation buzzes between everyone. But I'm not really listening or talking to anyone. It's just not me, or what I know about me since I can't remember anything. I sigh again.

"What are you thinking about Arabella?" someone asks me.

I look up to see Dick looking down at me. I shake my head no to indicate nothing. He gives me a look that says he doesn't believe me but he doesn't say anything else. The rest of the dinner goes by the same as it did. Everyone else talking while I was either listening or zoned out. I'm glad that they don't push me to talk, because I think that if they did that they would risk pushing me away. Right now I am lost away in my thoughts, that is until I hear something. I snap my head up and then tilt it toward where I think the sound is coming from. What is it? I ask myself. It sounds like a beeping sound. I tilt my head in the other direction. Yes, that's it. It's louder, not by much, but it's there. Bruce notices me doing this.

"Arabella?" he asks, concern in his voice.

I look at him.

"What are you doing?"

I shrug my shoulders. And he glares at me.

"I hear something....a beeping noise..." my voice is so small.

Bruce looks at me then at all the boys. They seem to get the message, but I don't understand.

"I think you are just hearing things." Bruce tells me.

I shake my head no, "I know what I heard." I say.

Wow, I have such a small quiet voice. Bruce sighs.

"Maybe you are just tired. And besides you start school tomorrow." then he gets up and leaves the table.

Okay, I don't even know the guy that well and I already kind of don't like him. But I have to deal with this because I do not want to go anywhere else. Slowly the others get up as well and leave. Leaving me alone in the dining room, playing with my food. I give up on eating something tonight. I make my way upstairs, but not before I over hear something.