Mama Gotham

Hearts

When principal Johnson had said he expected great things from her, Alyssa was certain working with mobsters wasn't what he'd had in mind.

But that was certainly the way things were going. It had started out simple; Fish asking for her input on something when she came to pick up the bottles on Friday. In time it turned into having some of her boys teach her to fight – protection she had said, but Alyssa wasn't so sure.

It didn't help that high school was going south fast. Alyssa had grown dependent on Edward to help her pass all of her classes, but junior year that was put aside for his first crush.

Now, Alyssa wanted to say she was happy at the idea of her best friend liking someone, but this girl – Mary-Alice Thomas – was track jock who didn't know he existed. Even when she did, she didn't return his affections.

But every now and then she'd smile at him or tell one of the football players to stop making fun of him, and Alyssa would have to listen to a long and happy rant about how there was 'hope.'

Being his social crutch, Edward came to Alyssa for advice on how to win her heart. Wanting nothing more than to keep the smile on the boy's face, Alyssa offered every idea that came to her head; flowers, poems, secret admire notes. Nothing worked. To her credit, Mary-Alice tried to let him down easy, but perhaps she was a little too easy.

Oswald though the crush was adorable, and loved teasing Edward about it. Going to a different school, he had never met the girl however. But he took pride in knowing Alyssa, which was why he'd pulled her aside one day with a worried expression.

"Alyssa, what's wrong? You've been off the last few days."

"Have I? Hadn't noticed." she hadn't, but she did notice the slight edge to her tone now.

"You have. Ed was just talking about Mary-Alice, and you looked like you were ready to hit something."

Alyssa frowned. "Why would I do that? I think its sweet that Eddie has a crush."

"Yeah, but everytime he mentions her you – oh...." Oswald's eyes went wide in realization.

"Oh? Oh what?"

"Oh my god, you like him!" the freckled boy grinned.

"What?" Alyssa's voice squeaked in surprise. "No I don't!"

"It all make sense now, how upset you look when he talks about her, how you try to convince him she's not the right girl for him –"

"Ozzy, shut up." Alyssa said, putting her head in her hands. Everything he was saying made perfect sense, but she had never realized. It was like someone had flipped a switch, suddenly all she could think about was Edward. His grin when she answered one of his riddles, his flustered look when he spouted facts in place of not knowing what to say, his laughter when she stole his glasses and made fun of his poor eye sight....

Oh crud....

********

"Watch where you're going, creep!"

Alyssa stumbled as she was shoved into the hard metal of the bleachers she had been pacing up and down. She glanced at Edward, but he was too busy ogling Mary-Alice.

"Excuse you, but you were the one that shoved her." Oswald said, setting his homework aside to stand. The jocks were much bigger than him, but he matched there height by standing on the bleachers.

"Ooo, lookie here, the druggies got herself a boyfriend!"

Alyssa's jaw tightened. The kids at school called her plenty of things, but the only things that ever hurt were when they referenced her family, who everyone knew had been in the drug business.