Chapter 1
"Come on, you can't be mad at me forever! I don't even know what I did!" Dick pushed past a few students trying to catch up with his best friend nearly bumping into him as he abruptly stopped.
"Three months!" Wally quickly spun around shoving a finger into his chest.
"What?"
"THAT'S HOW LONG YOU STOOD BY AND WATCHED ME WATER A FAKE PLANT!" Wally threw his hands up glaring. Dick stared at him for a solid two seconds before he burst out laughing.
"It's not funny!"
"You have to admit it's kind of funny."
"You're not helping!" Wally turned towards Donna and a very irritated expression formed on his face. Donna opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off by the bell ringing. A clear indication lunch was over.
"Finally." Wally grumbled quickly walking away ignoring Dick and Donna's cries for him to come back.
Wally sat down with a huff dropping his head on his desk.
"I know I shouldn't ask but... what's wrong with you?" Wally turned his head keeping his cheek pressed against the top of his desk staring at Hartley. He looked mildly amused and curious.
"You're my only true friend."
"What?" Hartley laughed at Wally's sudden exclamation.
"You're my only true friend."
"I know, I heard you the first time you said it. What happened to Dick?"
"He's a liar." Hartley quirked an eyebrow at Wally waiting for a more thorough response.
"For three months Dick, Donna, and Roy watched me water a fake plant. A fake plant!" Wally groaned, turning his head face down on the table. Hartley tried-he really did-but he couldn't help the laugh that came out.
"Noooo stop laughing! You're supposed to be my one real friend in this world."
"I'm sorry but it's funny." Wally huffed not even bothering to look over at his now ex best friend.
"Fuck off."
"Come on if you did the same thing to Dick you would be laughing your ass off the moment he found out." Wally looked over at Hartley. Curse him for making a very good point.
"It is funny isn't it?" He started chuckling.
"It is." Hartley said, smiling at Wally.
"You gonna forgive them?" Wally sighed, sitting up in his chair stretching.
"Yeah I guess I'll give them another chance." Wally wasn't really mad mad at them but they do deserve some type punishment. It's only fair.
"I swear you guys-especially you and Dick-fight about the most stupidest things." Hartley's voice was fond as he shaked his head back and forth chuckling. Wally opened his mouth about to go on a rant to defend his honor when the teacher walked in loudly setting down a book.
"Alright class today we're learning about-"
And just like that Wally found himself completely blocking out his teacher. He was busy watching as the leaves got blown around by a strong breeze outside. Or maybe his attention was on the few kids trying to sneak out of campus. No, his attention was definitely on the squirrel stuffing nuts in its mouth. How could it fit so much in such a small space? Just how many nuts could it fit before its cheeks couldn't hold anymore? But then again there was that -
"Dude are you even listening?" Hartley tapped Wally's shoulder pulling him out of his thoughts.
"Huh?"
"I said do you want to be partners?"
"For what?" Hartley stared at Wally before sighing.
"For the project we just got assigned. You know the one just explained to us?"
"Oh, uh, yeah sure." Wally sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. He really needed to stop spacing out.
"Want me to explain the project again?"
"You don't have to-" Wally cut himself off seeing Hartley give him his signature "don't give me any of that bullshit" look.
"Yeah that'd be great."
-
"I didn't think he would be that mad!" Dick sighed sliding down in his chair.
"I mean we did watch him take care of a fake plant for 3 months. It's only fair." Donna sat down in the seat next to Dick flipping through her science notebook.
"Who took care of a fake plant?" A man in a red vest walked over. He had blond short hair and blue eyes.
"We watched Wally water a fake plant for a few months and now he's angry at us. Could you talk to him since y'know-" Donna gestured to the man standing in front of her, "You're his uncle." Barry laughed at the memory of watching Wally water a plant for the last couple of months now realizing it was fake. He thought it was weird how the plant hadn't died in the first couple of days.
"I'll see what I can do." He walked back towards the front of the class still chuckling as he watched more kids file into his room before the bell rang.
"At least Barry found it funny." Dick grumbled. Donna smacked his arm giving him a stern look.
"Ow, what was that for?"
"Quit whining like a little kid."
"Easy for you to say he wasn't even that mad at you." Dick rubbed his arm pouting. Donna sighed, rolling her eyes.
"You were the one that gave him the plant."
"I know that!" Dick tossed his hands in the air sliding further down in his chair. He didn't regret his decision.
Mostly.
-
"You're serious? A fake plant?" Hal laughed grabbing onto Barry's shoulder.
"That's what Donna said. I thought it was a little strange how he managed to keep it alive for so long."
"Say's the one who has killed any plant he's gotten in less than twenty-four hours."
"Shut up." Barry smacked Hal's hand off his shoulder walking across the teachers lounge towards the coffee maker. The machine gurgled as it started up slowly pouring coffee into Barry's mug. Hal walked up beside Barry leaning against the counter grabbing a mug of his own.
"You think Wally's actually mad?" Barry scoffed, shaking his head fondly.
"Of course he's not. He's just being dramatic." Barry grabbed his coffee mug, setting it down, taking Hal's and putting his in the coffee maker.
"He's always been a bit dramatic." Hal patted Barry's back pushing off the counter heading towards the Mini fridge.
"Wait a minute- did you eat my sandwich!?" Hal closed the door turning around quickly looking towards Barry. Barry kept his back to Hal taking a sip of his coffee.
"Maybe."
"I was looking forward to eating that! Unlike you I don't stand in front of a classroom all day teaching! I need nutrients." Hal huffed out the last part of his sentence crossing his arms. At this point he was going to starve to death. No matter where he hides his food or how many sticky notes with his name he puts on Barry always manages to find and eat his food. He might as well just give up.
"Relax, you can just buy some chips from the vending machine. I'll give you money."
"You better." Hal huffed walking past Barry, grabbing his coffee mug.
"If it's any consolation it was a good sandwich."
"Shut up." Hal said, purposely bumping into Barry's shoulder as he walked towards the exit.
"Ow!" Barry rubbed his shoulder grumbling as he picked up his coffee mug following Hal. Why did he have to piss off the gym teacher?
Barry caught up to Hal walking beside him as students started rushing the halls to leave. Over in a corner Barry noticed Bruce, head of the PTA arguing with none other than Clark Kent principle of Justice Academy. A pretentious name but true nonetheless. They were currently the top ranking public school in the county.
From what Barry could tell Bruce had it out for the guy since first sight. He never really understood why. After all, Clark was a kind, good natured man at heart. Making it seem impossible to hate him. Then again maybe that was the problem.
Bruce and Clark were to separate sides of the same coin. One was well liked among many and very open while the other was cold and distant to most people making it hard to get to actually know him. It took a while before Barry was able to actually get the guts to talk to Bruce. Shortly after pestering him for a while he would like to think they've become good friends.
Once you get to know him you can see he's a really good guy at heart.
"They're at it again." Barry nuged Hal tilting his mug towards Bruce and Ckark's direction.
"They should just bang already. It would make things a lot easier for the rest of us."
"The day that happens pigs will fly." Hal stifled a laugh as he sipped his coffee.
"True. Which one of Bruce's kids do you think got in trouble this time?"
"You don't know if that's the reason they're fighting."
"Oh come on, that's clearly Bruce's protective dad face." Barry looked closely at Bruce's face considering Hal's words.
"Yeah you're right."
"Told you. My money's on Tim."
"Mines on Jason or Dick." Hal looked over at Barry with a skeptical look.
"Dick? Really?"
"Hey we both know he does some crazy shit."
"True." They watched as Bruce and Clark finished whatever argument they were having before they both stormed off in opposite directions.
"Well tomorrows going to be fun." Hal sighed, finishing the last of his coffee.
"Wally, come on, just talk to me!" Dick screamed chasing after Wally as he made his way towards his locker. Speak of the devil.
"Well would you look at that. They're still fighting." Hal smirked looking towards Barry.
"Are you going to step in?"
"No, they can solve this on their own."
"Ok." Hal turned back, watching the scene before him unfold.
Wally stopped at his locker, opening it as he grabbed his bag.
"Wally, it was just a joke!" Wally sighed, shutting his locker turning towards Dick.
"I know and I'm not mad." Dick stared at Wally, a confused look stretched across his face.
"If you're not mad then why are you ignoring me?"
"Because this is your punishment for standing by as I wasted three months worth of water on a fake plant. Three months of my life I'll never get back."
"Oh come on, that's just unfair! Besides, it wasn't just me who knew it was a fake plant."
"That's why it's not just you I'm going to be ignoring. Starting now I will no longer acknowledge you or anyone else involved exists."
"Wait, how long is this going to last?" Dick asked as Wally began walking away.
"Wally! Come on!" Dick began chasing after him once again. His pleas were heard throughout the hallway.
"How long do you think Wally's going to last?" Hal turned towards Barry watching as he sipped the last of his coffee.
"A week at most."
"A week? Aren't you giving him too much credit?"
"You're right, three days at the most."
"That's more like it." Hal smiled, throwing an arm around Barry.
"Now how about we go get those chips you owe me?" Barry laughed, sighing as he shook his head.