Chapter two: Bruce

I looked up and down at myself again in the mirror. Honestly I felt good about myself for the first time in a really long while. The thick black mascara around my eyes made my small brown pupils pop out, and the red lipstick pulled the whole look together. Not to mention my new dress which I had so happily bought after the termoil.

Satisfied I grabbed my camera and press pass, slinging both around my neck. This was going to be fun, I hoped at least. I needed to escape and get away from downtown Gotham, and the uptown event is just the thing I was waiting for.

"Please tell me y'all not wearing those awful shoes," my rambunctious neighbor commented as I walked past. She stood outside her apartment blowing a puff of smoke from a cigarette.
"What's wrong with them?" I had some worn black flats to go with my dress, true they didn't work too well with the outfit but it was just a pair of shoes, was it not?
"Girl y'all can't go looking all sexy and then move your head down to see those old things, I've got a pair of stilettos you can borrow."
"No no no, it's fine I'm just taking pictures." My neighbor, Ruth, started to laugh hysterically.
"Y'all better not be taking pictures, just wait here."

Patiently I leaned on the wall of the narrow hallway waiting for her. The truth is that I can't walk in high heels. I've tried and failed many times, if I somehow managed to pull it off walking in the damn things the pictures I took would be wobbly and useless. I was more of a field worker, getting dirty to get the right shot, none of this fancy shit.

"Here ya go," she burst through the door with a pair of shiny beige heels. They were really tall looking, much more than I could handle.
"Thanks but I can't except these, I fell like I'm indruding," I lied.
"Nonsense, y'all would be indrutin' if ya didn't wear them, I sure as hell ain't gonna have a reason to wear those things, best they not go to waste." Cautiously I took the heels, awkwardly grinning as I kicked off my flats. The stilettos fit perfectly, fuck.
"Damn girl, now ya look hot."
I had to admit they did look good, and since they fit so well I guess I could wear them.
"Thanks Ruth," I told her still admiring my feet.

The drive over was as much as a challenge as walking to the car, how do woman even move in these things. Eventually I resorted to removing them while I drove.

When I got to the event I persuaded myself to walk calm and proud, synchronizing the rhythm in my head with my feet.

Finally, I made my way to the actually excitement with a fairly large group of press asking questions and taking videos. I flashed my pass to a tall security guard and continued to stumble walk toward the crowd. I took out my camera, picked the appropriate lens, adjusted the settings, and turned on the flash. Now I awaited the arrival of celebrities/buisnessmen, snapping pictures as they walked by tall and handsome with their sposes and guests standing next to them. Most had someone with them but one of the last people to enter the building was alone and proud, Bruce Wayne. I was staring at his handsome face for so long I almost forgot to take pictures at all. He had his brown/black hair neatly combed backwards revealing his entire face, and a few escaping strands of hair on the side for a handsome effect. Every girl whether or not they liked Bruce Wayne had to admit he was attractive. Personally the way he did buisness was outstanding and his appearance went with it.

The people were mostly all inside the large banquet hall where me along with some of the more camera operated news crews entered. The host, Bruce Wayne walked on the well lit stage in the middle of the pitch black room. His black tux and welcoming silhouette just made the light on his face more attractive. Turning off the flash I snapped some shots of his smile and wave to the guests.

"Welcome everyone," he began "I hate to interupt your buisy night." A small chuckle reacted to Bruce's charm.
"I'd like to introduce you all to Mr.Finigar, who has funded the wonderful food your having tonight, and will be presenting more than 75% of the money to Gotham children's hospital and Gotham's school district," Bruce announced. A stocky man waved at the crowd also, allowing me to get a few shots of him.
"Thank you Bruce, and the rest of you for compassionately donating the money you earn for a more than important cause, our future," Finigar said. The whole place including me and a few other photographers began to clap and cheer.
"Have a nice meal," Bruce concluded and the lights of the banquet hall lit up revealing the sparking gold room. I don't think I'd seen anything more beautiful in my life, not to mention expensive. In all my years of photography this had to be the most glorious shot I could get, my work was mostly done here but I decided since I had nothing better to do I might as well take I few shots from the stage over the entire room. It would make a great shot for a thumbnail to an article.

I rushed across the room eyes dead set on the stage. Just as I though I might actually be getting the hang of walking with heels my foot went wobbly and I came crashing down. Not only had I fallen in front of a room full of powerful rich people but I had fallen into their host, Bruce Wayne, who now had a glass of red wine all over his tux. Embarrassed I feverishly got up from the ground.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, it's all my fault I shouldn't have even been over here," I apologized. He put his palm in the air and smiled, "don't worry a little red wine won't kill me."

Damn he was really attractive, if I ever had a chance with him it was gone forver now.
"I am really sorry though," I managed to say again as he got up. When he was fully on his two feet he gave me a worried glare.
"Your bleeding," he remarked. Suddenly I felt the hot liquid on the side of my head trickling down. How did I even do that?
"Here come with me, I'll clean it up," he offered. The wound didn't hurt at all, in fact I didn't knowtice it until Bruce pointed it out. I wanted to decline but much like Daisy, he took my wrist and guided me to a secluded woman's bathroom. Dispite it being a woman's bathroom we indeed both went in.
"I'm fine really, it doesnt hurt."
"Yeah well it doesn't matter if you feel the pain, your bleeding, might even need stitches, let me see," he instructed. Blushing I tilted my head forward and let him inspect the gash. He turned on a faucet behind him and got a wet paper towel to clean it.
"It doesn't look too bad, I don't think a rush to the hospital is nessisary, as long as you really are okay," He finished up wiping the blood from my cheeks. His touch giving me tingles.
"Yes I'm fine, I'm sure, yes," I struggled. He made a crooked smile at me.
"I think since you've ruined my outfit, maybe you could make up for it by joining me for dinner."
I raised my eyebrows in suprise, Bruce Wayne, billionare, was asking me to sit down with him for dinner.
"I dont know I'm not a guest or anything, I just take pictures," I showed him my camera.
"Well then you better not wear that camera around your neck, I insist, it isn't like I'm going to be with any real company, to let you in on a secret I can't stand half the people here."
I wanted to say yes so badly but what was it going to get me, a night of happiness and then back home to my sad apartment.
"Uhh"
"C'mon, I'm buying," he tried again. People were being too persuasive lately, after this I swear I'll start being independent.
"Alright I don't see why not, if your paying that is."

He took my hand and we both walked to an empty table that awaited me and Bruce. Like a true gentleman he pulled out my chair for me to sit in and then sat across from me.
"I'm Bruce Wayne by the way, so since I'm buying you dinner, care to tell me your name?"
"Oh right, it's Harmony, Jackson."
He didn't need to introduce himself everyone knew who Bruce Wayne was.
"I'm sorry I suck so bad at walking in heels," I said, imeadiantly regretting it. He probably things I'm a cluts now, a girl who can't walk in heels what a lame excuse.
"It's fine I just can't seem to get that walk down, people tell me all the time of how embarrassed they are when I wear heels around them," he joked. Fuck me he's so attractive.
"Good to know I'm not the only one."
He picked up the menu "well now I've already decided what I wanted when I first looked over the menus a week ago, I really do suggest the cheese pasta."
Yuck, dairy, I could eat anything but that, due to my severe lactose intolerant self. I could eat dairy it's just the consiquince of whether or not I wanted to stay awake in bed all night tossing and turning with a stomach ache.
"I think I'm actually going to have the fish," I said. There wasn't many options and it was the only one I could see myself stomaching.
"Fish, really?" He announced
"Yes really do you have a problem with fish?"
"No not really it's just aren't they discusting to you?".
I shrugged my shoulders "I guess everyone is different." He nodded his head, mosty to himself.

After ordering dinner I leaned back in my chair trying hard to think of any way to start a conversation. Everything that went through my head quickly got discarded due to what he might think of me afterward.
"So I like your ring, where did you get it?". I froze up and looked at the ruby circle on my middle finger. For a second I was shocked it was still there, when I remembered that I had gotten it back from the robber, as well as having to buy a new phone.
"Uh, my mom gave it to me, four years ago, on her death bed," I answered morbidly. Bruce looked like someone had poured a jug of boiling water on his face and all he could do was sit there and let it burn. That's when I remembered, both his parents were murdered a long time ago, right in front of him.
"I'm sorry to hear about your mother, I know what it feels like to lose a parent."
"Actually you know what it feels like to lose both of them, at once."
He waves his hand away "Enough of this depressing chat, what about you? Isn't that what woman like to do, talk about themselves," he asked unsure.
"Well if your honestly that intrested I'm a 27 year old woman with a low paying job as a photographer for the GND," I answered plainly. There had been some excitement in my pathetic excuse for a life but I'm sure he didn't want to hear me drone on.
"Interesting," he replied.
"Really?"
"Sure, sometimes being a billionare doesn't come with all it's said to be, for instance you can't buy love."
"My life isn't anything special though, just becuase I'm poor doesn't mean I've got boys lined up to meet me if anything it's the opposite."
"I would think you'd have a boyfriend, seeing as your so beautiful." My cheeks turned red, and a tingle rolled down my spine. All the things I thought of Bruce Wayne were wiped clean, I actually felt like he was just a normal guy. I felt like I was really on a date, the first real date I'd been on in the last couple years.
"Thanks, your not too bad looking yourself."
He smiled letting the ends of his glamorous white teeth show. How attractive could a guy get, Harold didn't look nearly as good and wasn't nearly as nice.
"Your food is on it's way Mr. Wayne," a waiter clarified.
"Thank you Thomas, I'm sure it'll be wonderful, you wouldn't mind taking a picture of us would you?" He asked the waiter, suprising me.
"Oh no, I don't need a picture with you, I've gotten all I need for the website," I told him.
"Your still going to need a picture of your own, right?"
I smiled and leaned in as the waiter took a picture with my camera.
"There that wasn't so hard."

The food was great, and though it was a small portion, as most expensive food goes, I was full. Bruce and I continued a number of different conversations, and as weird as it may seem I really felt like I liked the guy, he was so different, so nice.
"Did I entertain you or were you just waiting anxiously for the whole night to be over?" Bruce asked walking me to my car.
"I've been satisfied, I think that's all you need to know," I said playfully. Was I being a flirt now? What's wrong with me.

I stood outside my boring silver car and managed to only get my key slightly into the hole when Bruce spun me around and looked me in the eyes. Without thinking I kissed him, pushing my fustraition into passion. He eventually pulled away and smiled. What in the world did I just do? He probably thinks I'm weird now, definitely.
"Wow."
"I'm sorry I know I shouldn't have kissed you," I quickly apologized.
"No, it was great, I liked it," he assured. Smoothly he slipped a buisness card behind me and into a small notch inbetween car doors.
"Next time don't wear heels."