"What else is new?" Batman curled his lip.
"Were you always this full of yourself?" Kate looked exasperated. "Has Roland been a bad influence on you?"
"Let's go check on Damian instead. He's out having fun right now. We might see something interesting."
"Seriously? You're even throwing your own son under the bus to change the subject?"
"Just tell me whether you're coming," Batman said.
"Well, obviously I am," Kate said. This was too juicy to miss.
Monica's Cafe.
The faint scents of coffee and fruit filled the cafe. Damian was slumped over the table, playing on his phone. Annie and Stephanie were eating sandwiches, while Tim was still busy working, his fingers tapping nonstop on his laptop.
"What a coincidence running into you here! How have you been?" A brown-haired girl in a red dress spotted Damian and waved brightly.
"Good. Are you here with your family?" Damian turned to greet her. The other three immediately looked up, and Tim even stopped working.
"Yep! We're having lunch before going to the park!"
"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Stephanie's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"This is my friend Skyler," Damian introduced her. "Skyler, this is Tim Drake, Annie, and Stephanie Brown."
"Just call me Tim. You can call her Stephanie, too," Tim said.
"Hi," Skyler said with a smile. "Actually, I recognized you from the family portrait in art class. Damian's a really good artist!"
"Thank you," Damian said, smiling.
"I'd better get back. See you at school, Damian!" After exchanging a few pleasantries, Skyler waved to them. "It was nice meeting you all, too!"
"You, too!" Tim's expression was a little awkward.
As soon as Skyler left, Stephanie threw an arm around Damian and said excitedly, "She's a friend from school? She seems really nice!"
"Why do you sound