Anna's Beginning

A True Friend

The next day at school was just as depressing as the dinner had been. Anna had finally gotten up the courage to go over to Dillon’s table, but Dillon wouldn’t even look at her. During the time she’d been angry at Anna, she’d gotten herself a boyfriend. She sat there and smooched her boyfriend, leaving Anna standing there looking like an idiot.

“Hey Anna,” she heard one of the school preps call, “you can always sit with us, you don’t need those weirdoes anymore.” Anna just ignored the girl and walked back over to the corner table where she’d been sitting by herself the past couple weeks. A girl from Anna’s first hour weights class came over and sat next to her. Anna hadn’t paid much attention to this girl before and couldn’t remember her name.

“Hi, you probably don’t recognize me, but we have weights class together,” she said kindly.

“I recognize you, but I will admit, I can’t remember your name, sorry,” it was the first time in a while someone was legitimately being kind to her, not sucking up to her or being afraid.

“That’s okay, I'm Jennifer, if you want you can hang out with me, I don’t have anyone to eat lunch with,” she said, slightly sad.

“Sure Jennifer, that’d be great, want to sit here or at some other table?” she asked.

“I think here is fine. So your Bruce Wayne’s daughter, I bet that’s exciting,” she said trying to start up a conversation.

“Not as exciting as you’d think it’d be. Sure you have money, but I hate it. And not to mention he’s always off doing his stuff or taking you out to dinner with his stupid, snobby friends,” Anna said bitterly, “who are your parents?”

“Oh, my parents own a restaurant in downtown Gotham, I wash dishes, fun stuff like that,” she said sarcastically.  

“Sounds fun, I’ve been think about getting a job,”

“Why would you need a job?”

“Well, I hate the fact that I'm rich, I want to make my own money. I hate knowing that I can get anything I want. I sometimes wish I were poor, just to know what it’s like not being waited on,” Anna complained. Jennifer gave her a comforting smile.

“Well, if that’s really what you want, I bet my parents wouldn’t mind hiring you,” she offered.

“Thanks, but I was thinking about babysitting instead, I might put an ad in the paper,” she said wondering who she could babysit for.

Two weeks went by, and Alfred had finally agreed to letting her get a job, he even found the perfect people for her to work for, the Gordon’s. Alfred took her over to the Gordon’s house the first day she was to meet her employers. Barbara was home, but Jim had had some urgent matters to attend to at work, so he wasn’t able to help interview her. Barbara informed Anna that she would only be needed three times a week, the days Barbara had to work at a local pharmacy. Anna would be making $75 a week, and an extra $30 if Barbara and Jim ever wanted to go out to dinner, or other things.

“Would you want me to watch them here,” Anna asked, she really didn’t want to watch them at her house, because, knowing Alfred, he would end up trying to take over.

“Oh, well, if you’d prefer to watch them at your mansion,” Barbara began.

“Oh no, I’d rather watch them here, but if you ever need some time to yourself, they’re always welcome at the estate,” Anna said, a smile forming over her face.

She’d finally found another way to be normal, by getting a job.

Barbara smiled, “Alright, you’re hired, when do you want to start?”