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Her eyes staring at the clock above Mrs. Click, at this point not just counting down the minutes until the end of the class, not even the day, but the whole damn semester.
Luckily for her, Robin was more smarted than people usually think about her. She passes her classes without much trouble, if she put a little more effort in it her degree could be much higher, but she was okay with the mid grades and passing the exams. She was okay with just finish that boring ass senior year.
Mortarboards up, celebration and maybe she could rest a little bit more, focus on work and finally moving out of her mom's house.
Any stable job, just enough to economically sustain herself and wouldn't doubt to throw her packs in any small house in Hawkins. Under any roof or any bridge.
With her arms on the desk and her head lay in them, she stretched her neck to get a better view of the mane of hair four seats away.
Nancy Wheeler had changed, god she had changed
Robin had tried to scape Nancy's charms, convincing herself that she still was a spoiled girl, too worried on being perfect to even have a personality, a priss.
She no longer thought that way, maybe influenced by her unexpected friendship with Steve, who made her realise that people can change, that perhaps she had been too judgmental with people she never had the chance to really get to know.
Since junior year Nancy Wheeler has been surprising her every day. A new look, sharp and defined political ideals, unafraid to speak them out loud, and a big passion for reviving the stagnant journalism club.
She wasn't sure if they could be considered friends, but little by little, between small things like asking her for a pencil, teamworks, and small smiles in the hallways, Robin began to grow fond of her.
Nothing serious, really. Just the normal kind of affection someone feels for their classmate. The kind that makes her tell sarcastic comments in class just to see her stifle a laugh, the kind of affection that makes her look at her empty seat when Nancy is not there, that makes her subtly inhale when she passes by her side, that makes her stare at her curls falling down her back. That makes her think about her all day.
That kind of affection. A normal one.
"Hey, are you listening?"
Robin blinked, shaking her head slightly. Steve were there, probably talking about his new crush "Definitely the right one this time" instead of doing the class exercises. Just like her, lowkey.
"Oh- yep, you got this, buddy. Go for it." She said, raising her head and stretching. Steve narrowed his eyes, and his suspicious silence was what finally made Robin look at him. He continued to look at her with misgiving. "What?"
He look at her up and down, squinted eyes more than ever and he snapped:
"Thats it." He slammed dramatically on the desk. "You have to tell me."
Robin looked at him, confused, with a grimace of annoyance.
"Tell you what, dumbass."
"You, Robin Buckley... have a crush. I know you've had it for months, and you didn't tell me!" Robin's face transformed, her mouth opening to protest, but only mumble came out. "You can't deny it, Buckley, I know you. I haven't seen you this distracted since Vicky."
Steve had an excited and annoyed tone, with a stupid smile on his face.
"¡Hey, hey, down the voice!" Feeling the heat in her cheeks, Robin discreetly glanced around, checking that no one was listening. "It isn't- Its not a crush." Yes it was.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah! Its..." She studied for a moment how much longer she could keep her secret. "She's just... a girl... who's caught my attention"
"Aha"
"Dude, you know I'm really anxious to get this year over. I need a distraction, something on my mind to make the time go faster, you know? Especially with you skipping school every day! It's a miracle you're here today, dude, I get bored!" She tried to turn the conversation with her complaint.
Steve seemed satisfied for a second, and when he opened his mouth to continue the bell rang. She took the opportunity to sound more convincing, resting her head back on her arms, her hair covering her profile to conceal where her gaze was directed. To whom.
"Belive me, Harrington, If I really liked a girl, I wouldn't miss the opportunity to ask 'Great King Harrington' for some charm advices."
Steve let out three fake laughs as he packed his things into his backpack hanging behind his seat.
Without hurry she kept her gaze on Nancy, who turned slightly in her seat, putting her notebook in the bag, but her eyes instantly locked onto her, almost as if she were searching for her.
Robin tensed up and lifted her head slightly from her arms, wondering if she should pretend she hadn't seen her or if it was too late already.
Wrinkled eyes and a small smile across the other desks relaxed her body and quickened her pulse.
In response, she raised one of her hands, waving it slightly in greeting, then checking that Steve was still too busy struggling to put his book into his backpack, because the idiot always threw his stuff around aimlessly without fit them.
She was wrong, she never wanted this year to end.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
That damn clock again.
She had said she wanted to focus on work. Yes. "Be careful what you wish for," as they say.
It was one of those endless days where all you could hear was people having a good time at the mall through the store. A torture designed by some psychopath so that the humble caged workers can sadly see the free ones.
To make it worse, four days later his friend hadn't dropped the subject. They were doing something else, and out of nowhere he would casually blurt out a name.
Sitting together in calculus class "Mindy!".
Snooping through rental histories at Family Video "Megan H.!".
Adding extra sprinkles at Scoops Ahoy "Megan T.?"
A note slipped in during an test "Anne!!! ;)"
A text message at 11pm: "The girl who always rents 'Lianna'?"
Maybe they spent too much time together.
Robin snorted at the mention of another name. She resisted the urge to strangle him. Instead, she gave him a distinctly fake smile and said:
"Oh, woah, look! We run out of strawberry. Do you think you could go and get more, Stevie?"
"Sure, capitain" Without losing his smile, Steve walked to the back of the store, and before crossing the threshold he added "I'll keep thinking and I'll get it right next time, you'll see."
Robin rolled her eyes.
The real reason Robin hadn't said a word to Steve about Nancy had nothing to do with the girl being his ex, but because if she said it out loud, it would be too real. Because, really, Nancy Wheeler? There wasn't any universe in which she could be interested in Robin.
The mere thought of Nancy Perfect Wheeler noticing her overwhelmed her. What would she do with all that? No. She knew how far to push her luck.
These past few months they'd had so many conversations they could almost be considered friends. She didn't want any more. She didn't want to want any more. She was going to settle for the greetings in the hallways and the chewed pens that Nancy lent her and that she never returned. She was going to finish school, move out, see Nanncy occasionally around town, one day see her holding hands with some stereotypically attractive man, and she'd smile, feeling absolutely nothing about it. Boom, over it before 20. That was her plan. Without illusions or disappointments, treasuring what little of Nancy she could take. What she was entitled to take.
The sound of the door pulled her out of her head and her perfect get over plan.
She raised her head, without hiding her reluctance, which betrayed even more the abrupt change in her face.
"Hi ¡Hey, welcome! Hi.."
Too many hellos, Robin!
"Hi!" A sweet and honest smile lit up her from the other side of the counter.
"Nancy!" As if she hadn't noticed who she was in the first four greetings. Her hands were now adjusting her bangs, not so discreetly. "¿What brings you here... to Scoops Ahoy? Ahoy, by the way! Before Hi, or Hey, or Welcome, you know because- Anyway. Strange to see you here. Craving for ice cream? I mean, of course you are, I don't know why I asked earlier. It's an ice cream shop, of course you're here to buy ice cream. Unless you came just to say hi! That would be fine too, that would be cute, I mean, what's your order?
Smooth, Buckley...
While her ramble, Nancy looked at her without any particular expression, a kind smile and patient eyes. In the end, a soft and brief laugh. Geez
"I'd would like two cones, please. Strawberry and chocolate."
"Cool, don't let anyone tell you how many cones you can eat"
Nancy laughed a little.
"Actually, one is for me and the other is for Jonathan."
Robin tried to hide her grimace of disgust as she turned to the bucket of chocolate, scooping out the ice cream and grabbing a cone.
"Oh! Right, that makes more sense..."
A brief silence, an eternity for Robin. She heard the girl beside her inhale, holding her breath for a second.
"I didn't know I'd find you here, I thought you worked at Family Video."
"Oh, yes actually! I'm here Monday to Thursday and Friday and Saturday on Family Video"
"Wow, that sounds... exhausting" Nancy raised her eyebrows with surprise as Robin handed her the chocolate cone.
"Oh, yes. It is."
The back door opened.
"Okay, I've got it. If I don't get it right this time, I officially give up... Hey, Nance!"
"Oh, and... Steve works here too." Nancy said, returning the greeting with her free hand.
"You know, Working hard or hardly working." Steve clicked his tongue and winked as he took out the old ice cream bucket to replace it with the new one. He watched as Robin approached to open it and serve another cone. "Hey, two cones! Don't let anyone tell you how many cones you can eat, we always say."
"Actually, she's going to share them with Jonathan." A strange tone escapes her when she says it, especially when she mentions the name.
"Oh, cool, tell him I said hi! I know the three of us haven't had the best dynamic in the past, but y'know. Maybe we should hang out sometime!
"Sure! I'm going to ask Jon." Nancy took the strawberry cone that Robin handed her. Their hands made contact for 2 seconds longer than normal and their eyes met intently. "What about you, Robin?"
"What? What about me?" She asked with a nervous laugh, while rubbing her hands in her blue shorts in a futile attempt to stop them from sweating. Her voice full of air.
"Want to join us? We could have dinner."
Robin's brain short-circuited, causing a brief silence, completely lost in Nancy's gaze that had not moved away from hers.
The only thing that prevented Robin from labeling Nancy as a "friend" was that they didn't go out or chat outside of school.
Seeing Nancy at night, in the clear light of the streetlamps, maybe with a little more makeup than the usual and a sweater she reserves only for outings. For her close ones. It was an image that only lived in her dreams. Her heart leaped from her chest, forcing her to react.
"Yes. Dinner. I love dinner! So cool! The four of us, I mean Steve, you and me... and Jonathan, it's going to be great... i mean I don't- i really don't know Jhonatan, but i'm sure he's cool, he seems to, you know him, he must to be... Cool. Dinner. I love pasta. Yey."
Once again Nancy was looking at her attentively, listening to every word, with more of a amused expression this time.
"Nice, I'll see you at school then and we'll talk about it." Nancy looked down only to point out the money on the counter that she had left there at some point, she turned her gaze one last time to Robin and with a smile squished her eyes slightly. "See you guys!"
"See ya!" said Robin when the other girl was almost out alredy.
The shop filled with silence for several long seconds. Her gaze was fixed on the door, and some eyes staring at her, which she didn't want to check.
"I definitely have a crush on your ex." She said with her eyes still glazed over, as Steve blurted out "OH. MY. GOD" before she could even finish the second word.
"And it took you so long to tell me? What were you doing about it?"
"Doing about it? Keep my distance and settle with impossible fantasies! Until, of course, you sentenced me to go out to dinner with her! What were you thinking?" Robin took off her sailor's cap to nervously comb her hair.
"Oh no, actually Nancy asked you out." Steve smiled with total excitement. "So good you finally decided to tell me, because I know a few things 'bout Nancy Wheeler and I can venture to say, she's into you."
Robin stared at him, incredulous. Burst of laughter started to spill from her open mouth, surprised that her friend was serious.
"Me? Nancy Perfect Wheeler? into me! Did your crunchy hair finally crush your brain? Should I be worried?" Robin grabbed Steve's face, checking him all over, looking for any bumps on his head.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want" he said as he broke free from her grip "But believe me, I know that look. That tone in her voice"
Robin knew exactly what he was talking about, she had studied Nancy's face countless mornings, afternoons, and nights.
Big eyes that looked up at her and her small mouth forming a shy smile, fanning her bangs with her long eyelashes that stood out almost as much as the wrinkles at the side of her smile. Maybe if they shared a banal conversation or been in a teamwork together, Robin would make a joke, and if it was good enough, her reward would be that beautiful smile, or failing that, a couple of teeth biting her lower lip, holding back a laugh, overshadowing its delicate pink color.
But that didn't mean anything. Nancy was a beautiful woman, with stars in her eyes and a knack for taking the breath away from any living being. Whatever. There's no signal.
"You're forgetting, my good friend, the small detail that she just mentioned her boyfriend. Twice!"
"Boyfriend? Who?"
"'Who?' Where have you been? The dullest man in all Hawkins, Jonathan Byers."
"Hey, don't say that, Jonathan's cool."
"Since when?" Robin raised an eyebrow and Steve shrugged.
"We've been talking."
"... Okay, bi-curious Steve?" Robin smiled with intrigue as she gave him little nudges on the shoulder. "Something I should know?"
"Nothing you wouldn't know if you actually listened to me when I talk instead of thinking about, apparently, Nancy Wheeler."
"Wait, then. What? Wait, so you can confirm that they're not dating?"
"Mmm... nop" Robin threw her head back with a groan. "Almost sure they broke up last year, but I can't totally confirm it."
"I thought you said you and him were talking!"
"We don't talk about those things, okay?! We talk about... other things. But listen! The way she was looking at you while you were serving that cone, come on."
"Shut up!" Robin was in denial, completely in denial.
There was nothing about Nancy that could make her believe she would notice her, she didn't even know if Nancy liked girls.
The new possibility that Nancy might be interested in women added a weight to her chest. The possibility of it being more than just a fantasy was killing her with anxiety.
That night Robin thought again about Nancy's perfect pinky resting careless on her fingers, without taking her eyes off hers.
She thought about her own face, red and with a ridiculous expression, and how then she talked about loving pasta. What was she thinking? Why couldn't she said something normal. "Sounds good, I'm free on Sunday" or even better "Actually, I'm out. I don't think I could survive even 20 minutes sitting across from you, looking even more beautiful than usual, much less watching you pick something out of the menu and then give it to your insipid boyfriend to try. My worst nightmare. No thanks! See you in class!"
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
Part of her wanted to brutally murder her friend, and another part wanted to build him a shrine and be devoted to him for life like a deity. Maybe she'll do both, in that order.
Steve had skipped classes, as it was normal now because he insisted that going to classes in senior year was a waste of time and he preferred to spend that time being young and hippie or something stupid like that.
He'd be at home doing God knows what. Maybe she'd know if she'd paid more attention to him these past few months instead of fantasizing about whether Nancy is more of a face holder or a waist holder while kissing.
There was no time for guilt, because in Steve's absence she'd been paired at the start of her french class with the probably face holder. Maybe more like the nape.
The assignment was to write a biography of their assigned partner entirely in French. They began with the basics: name, age, family group, etc.
Once they covered the basics of the biography, they started chatting, and Robin prayed she wouldn't ramble for 10 minutes every time Nancy asked her a question. She managed to get it down to 6.
"And I was totally mad at her for like a whole week, I mean, 'Sparky'? Is there even a more cliché name for a dog? Corny as fuck.
Nancy stared at her, back straight and perfect curls, then lowered her head to write, in round letter, also straight and perfect.
"Oh... Actually, I think it would be more like 'Sa mère avait un chien nommé Sparky' " Robin commented almost in a whisper, gently sliding her finger near the phrase Nancy was tracing.
She felt conceited doing that. During the first few minutes of class, she had corrected one of the sentences Nancy was writing and Nancy looked at her confused, her pride slightly wounded. But as soon as Robin apologized, she asked her to keep pointing it if she wrote something wrong. "No, it's okay. Please tell me. After all, it's the only way to learn, right?" she had said, smiling.
Nancy went over the sentence, reading it and reshaping it in her mind, finally her lips curled as she crossed out the sentence with a carefull line and rewrote what Robin told her.
"This is the 4th time you've corrected me, I didn't know you knew so much French."
"Well, I mean, I actually speak French... quite well..." She started confidently, but when Nancy looked up at her, embarrassment overwhelmed her. Sweaty palms again. "I mean, I don't know if you could say I'm fluent, but I guess I can defend myself."
Robin liked to boast about her skills if she had the chance. Prove she was more than just a pretty face who never shuts her mouth. Or just a face who never shuts up.
For this reason she claim herself for trying to downplay her own abilities in front of her crush. She tried to fix it, lowering her head to her sheet where she doodle something so as not to fall to the pressure of Nancy's eyes fixed on her with her head tilted.
If she'd keep her eyes in front, she might have noticed a pair of flustered cheeks, which certain girl also tried to hide.
"I also speak Spanish, obviously, and Italian." She added, still trying not to sound arrogant "I'm trying to get into Russian."
When she felt ready to lift her head again, Nancy was no longer looking at her. She was smiling at her sheet, her tongue sucking on her teeth, then her eyes on her again.
"So... senior year of school, school band, 4 languages and 3 jobs?" Nancy was clearly surprised, listing each thing in an even more exaggerated tone. "What other surprises are you hiding, Buckley?"
Robin stood there, with a silly smile, unable to say a word.
When she didn't get a response, Nancy added: "Okay, that's going to the biography."
The torture of stomach cramps and hot cheeks could have ended there, but while Robin was fleetingly and hopelessly reviewing every word and expression of the other girl, a particular number stopped her heart for a few seconds.
"Three jobs? You only saw me on Family Video and Scoops Ahoy..."
"Yes... I've only seen you there" She was now writing on her sheet of paper. "But... I think I've heard you somewhere else" Her eyes shifted to Robin, without moving her bowed head, with an amused smile. "...Rockin' Robin."
Bright red. There was no hair, nor any head movement that could hide the fluorescent color that her face now has, a slanted expression and a tingling sensation from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
Nancy looked at her for a few seconds and let out a giggle, enjoying the moment.
Robin had a short radio segment at noon on weekends before going to Family Video. The pay wasn't big and sometimes she wondered why she submit herself to waking up early on the only days she didn't have to go to school, but she really liked it. It was her little moment, where two of her favorite thing came together, entirely controlled by her: music and nonstop talking.
It was a small radio station, so she assumed not many people knew she worked there. Honestly, she didn't care, as long as it wasn't Nancy.
She simply changed the subject by starting to ramble again and finishing her anecdote, stumbling over her words.
The rest of the class, her brain was divided, one quarter on the assignment, another quarter on how beautiful Nancy looked writing, and a whole half of her neurons dedicated to go over what she had been talking about in her recent programs. Whether she had said something ridiculous, if she'd been funny, if she'd exposed her incredible taste in music right.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
"And can you believe she practices shooting? I mean, with guns, real guns! Dude, she's scary... but like, in a hot way"
Steve was putting movies on the store shelves while Robin followed him around the store, chattering about her lovely afternoon with Nancy. About everything she'd learned about her.
"Thank god she didn't when we date" The idea terrified Steve.
"And hear this, she laughed so hard when I finished the Sparky story."
"Your mom's dog?" Steve stopped arranging the movies and leaned back on one of the shelves while Robin responded with an 'aha'. "I told you, see? Totally into you, because, that's story it's not that funny"
"Um... excuse me, all my anecdotes are hilarious".
Steve made a sound of doubt, accompanied by a grimace.
"Well... yes, but that's more of a 7/10."
"Oh. Wow, okay. Any other confessions?"
"No, hey, listen, this is great, I'm telling you, now you have to go to phase two: start with physical contact."
The mere thought made Robin almost smoke from her ears
"Physical cont- What? im NOT going to try anything, i told you!"
"Wait, so, you came here all excited talking about how she laugh with your mid stories" Robin's face more insulted than ever. "but now you're telling me you don't even want to try to make a move with her?"
Robin stammered, stumbling over her words, a mixt of nerves and bruised ego.
"Exactly! I told you! This is just a temporary crush. T. E. M. P. R. Whatever. No flirting. No crazy plans. I just like to fantasize, Steve, let me fantasize!"
Her friend paused and fumbled through the films to get back to his work, but was unable to drop the subject.
"It's just- I just think... I think you are being a dingus."
Robin gagged.
"Do not dingus me, Steve Harrington."
"I'm sorry" He raised his hands innocently. "It's the true. You have the chance to kiss Nancy Wheeler and you're wasting it."
"Kiss- ¡Ah! Kissing, i never said- I never even thought about kissing her!"
Yes, she had. A lot. In fact, she spent a lot of her time rotting in bed , just thinking about kissing Nancy. Sometimes more than just kissing.
"Uh-huh. I'm sure that every time I catch you staring at the wall, you're just thinking 'bout holding hands."
Her mind was now a jumble of different thoughts and fantasies. Her brain is torn between projecting Nancy in her lap, kissing her gently, or Robin running over Steve with his own car and then crashing it.
Afraid that these two fantasies would bizarrely merge, she gave up and decided to simply disconnect the system of her brain. Without coming up with any witty response for Steve. She just sighed.
Lucky she, someone entered the store, so she had an excuse to return to the counter.
Unlucky, it was Nancy.
She approached the counter smiling, knowing she would find her there.
Robin's brain reconnected the circuit without permission, and for a microsecond the fantasies returned to her mind.
"Hey, Rockin' Robin" A short pause between the 'hey' and the nickname. She seemed to know it made her nervous. And how could she not, after she'd been a walking fire siren the day before when she'd first mentioned it.
"Hey... Hey, Funky Nancy! That sounds awful, I'm so sorry."
Nancy laughed. Nancy laughs and it's almost as if the walls suddenly turn pink. The sun shines behind her through the door, bluebirds fly in singing melodies while a cheesy rock ballad fades in.
"What do you feel like watching today?" Robin shook the hallucinations from her head.
"Well, actually I wanted to ask you..." a little doubt in her voice "a recommendation?"
Nancy rested her arms on the counter and leaned forward. Robin inhaled and held her breath, hesitating whether to lean back or keep that short distance.
When she saw Nancy's shy smile, she chose to stay that way.
"Oh... Yes, of course! Any particular genre?"
Nancy shrugged slightly and shook her head. She seemed distracted, too focused on staring into Robin's eyes.
"Okay, umm..." Robin glanced down at Nancy's arms, one of her hands playing with the pink fabric of her sweater at her elbow. "Maybe an action movie, or" She raised her gaze slightly. A delicate necklace adorned the pale neck, and curls of hair fell over her shoulders "or romantic..." the ends still damp, as if she had recently bathed, only now beginning to dry, making her hair appear a little longer than usual. "or something quieter..." Her eyes lingered on Nancy's face. Her perfect nose, tilted upwards, her jawline highlighting her features. And lips, thin, pink lips, drawing inwards and then parting to inhale a little air. "Oh, I know!" Robin snapped her fingers and took a step back. Nancy jumped slightly and blinked a couple of times. "I'm sure we have a couple of those old, pretentious movies, some of them are actually quite good, I'm sure you'll enjoy them and..." unintentionally, her tone began to decline, she tried with all her might to at least keep her smile. "I'm sure Jonathan will too. I suppose you are watching it together, it seems to be his style..."
Robin studied Nancy's face, and she seemed to be doing the same. Her expression was somewhat confused, almost disappointed, but she clearly couldn't deny that the movie wasn't just for her.
"Well... yes, actually" Nancy took a step back while swinging slightly on her feet, letting her arms swing at her sides.
Before she could say anything, Steve appeared, almost out of nowhere, tripping over his own feet and standing next to Robin.
"Whoa-oh! Hey, Nance! Hey, Robin, I think the lady might want to see something, I don't know, more fun."
Robin fixed his eyes on his partner, an intense look that said, 'What the hell are you doing?' A look that perhaps not everyone would understand, but Steve would, because he answered with the "Trying to stop you from fuck it up!" little shake head.
"Well... partner, 'the lady' its not watching the movie alone" She said, emphasizing certain words and trying in vain to hide her irritability. "So I think it's best to play it safe. No room for error, you know what works, keep it simple. No disappointments!"
Steve rolled his eyes, and Robin looked at Nancy, waiting for her approval to head to the 'cult films' section.
Nancy frowned, trying to decode the conversation between the other two, which was clearly not just about the movie.
"Well, I guess I asked for your recommendation so... if that's what you think then."
Robin smiled victoriously, she could see Steve with his arms crossed and nodding his head as she turned to leave from behind the counter.
"See, Stevo" She sang triumphantly while waving Nancy to follow her, "The lady knows what she wants."
She took 5 steps towards the sector but Nancy's voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
"What do you want?"
She froze for a few moments before turning to look at Nancy, who hadn't moved an inch. As she turned, she vaguely saw Steve, his eyes wide open and his gaze darting between Robin and Nancy.
"I mean... what kind of movie would you rent?" Her voice was tense, almost hesitant, but her body showed no bashfulness, no swaying or hands fiddling with her clothes. She stood upright, one hand resting on the counter and her gaze fixed on Robin, as always. "I think- That's what I wanted to ask you. What kind of movies do you like?
Robin quaked, her whole body shaking. She was grateful for those powerful five steps that had put distance between them, otherwise she swore Nancy could have heard her heart pounding in her chest under her intense gaze.
It wasn't sweet like it used to be. Her eyes weren't smiling and her eyelashes weren't fluttering, they still held a beautiful spark, but they expressed something else, she was determined, confident, almost demanding. Her cheeks were burning.
There was a long silence until a customer opened the door, whom Steve hurried to care.
"Well, I..." She was now playing with the ring on her middle finger and staring at the ceiling, pretending to think rather than trying to stay calm. "I don't know, maybe I'm more of a..." Turned her gaze back to the other girl, who remained motionless. "I usually like science fiction."
Nancy watched her for a while longer. From top to bottom and left to right, making sure she wasn't lying. Robin's palms were sweaty and her face flushed from such a thorough inspection. She wasn't even bothering to hide it anymore.
Satisfied, Nancy relaxed her expression and curled her lips upward, momentarily rising onto her tiptoes and giving a small jump. "Good then. I changed my mind, show me your best science fiction movies."
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
Robin defeated.
Her bed with a couple of clothes lying around and in the middle of it, her, staring at the ceiling with her hands clasped over her chest.
While on the outside it seemed like a calm moment, inside her mind was a cyclone, and she could visualize herself in her stupid ice cream uniform, with only an oar and a small wooden boat trying to survive, trying to arrive, but she didn't know where exactly.
She remembered her beloved yet hated friend talking about Nancy's eyes and tone of voice, and pictured her teasing her with that nickname. "Rockin' Robin." Her crinkled shining eyes, her mischievous smile searching for a reaction.
She remembered Nancy and her cold eyes. Her upright posture, her serious face. A stubborn gaze, hungry for know, unwilling to accept any answer she didn't like.
Robin had decided that she would answer any question Nancy asked her. That she would do anything Nancy asked.
Robin got her cheeks heated. An embarrassing argument began in the background of her mind about if she would prefer Nancy to ask her for things with starry eyes and a sweet voice; or with a demanding tone and firm hands.
She went over that strange question again, too serious to be just talking about movies. "What did you want?"
She grabbed the pillow and buried her face in it, stifling a long, rasping groan filled with despair.
When Nancy left Family Video, her brain died, as if she'd used up all her energy choosing a movie for Nancy. She had no energy left to talk to Steve, who seemed to notice it, because he only gave her a couple of raised eyebrows, no questions.
It wasn't until two hours had passed that Robin almost snapped "Yeah, okay, some weird shit is definitely happening."
"See!" Steve had replied, somehow even more exasperated than she was.
Her heart in her throat and her brain trying to figure out what the hell that had been. She kept telling herself that her anxiety was playing tricks on her. That Nancy only asked her about a movie, that's all. They were getting to know each other, becoming close, and as a friend, she wanted to know her taste in movies.
But there was something in the intensity of her gaze, there was disappointment when she mentioned Jonathan.
And now there was dinner. Dinner with her friend who, instead of helping her, made her skin crawl, and with the girl who made her feel like she was three heartbeats away from a heart attack. And her supposed boyfriend.
A horn pulled her out from the sea. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand: 6 p.m. She looked out the window and saw Steven's car.
"Oh, fuck, shit! Coming!" she shouted out the window, though I wasn't sure if he'd heard her.
She nervously eyed her bed. The dented center perfectly outlined her lay body, the result of hours and hours of thinking nonsense and losing track of time.
She had pants and shirts throw on her bed, clothes she'd tried on but wasn't sure to like. Wasn't sure Nancy would like.
In hurry she picked out random.
She go out, sliding her arm down the sleeve of a shirt, and walked over to Steve's car. She opened the door and sat down.
"Dude, you know I'm not good with schedules! You're supposed to arrive exactly 10 minutes late. The horn will sound only after the 10 minutes late!"
Steve looked at her with a small, almost straight smile, and as Robin fastened her seatbelt, a small figure in the rearview mirror startled her.
"Oh. Wow. We're all already here. The whole party!"
Nancy and Jonathan smiled at her, Jonathan seemed a little more uncomfortable and less sincere than Nancy. She saw that side by side. No middle seat separating them, hip to hip, Jonathan sitting behind Steve and Nancy beside him. Robin felt a fist pulverize her stomach.
"Hey, Jonathan! Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot 'bout you. Actually, almost nothing, hardly at all, but sometimes your name just 'pops' up, you know, in the conversation. That's cool, man! You're a cool man."
A brief silence.
"Yeah, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Robin, I've heard a lot about you as well-"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like 'nobody talks about you' tho, that's why I say you seem like a nice guy, a cool guy actually, I said cool, but maybe "nice" suits you better-"
"Okay, so!" Nancy interrupted "We thought about the restaurant across from the square. If everyone agrees."
The car filled with affirmations of "Yeah, sure." "Totally." "That's fine by me."
"Great." Nancy patted Steve twice on the shoulder, squinting a little and with a slightly tense smile "Drive."
Robin turned her ayes forward as Steve obeyed and started the car. She pressed her lips together. Once again, her freckled cheeks slowly warmed up. Out of embarrassment, because she didn't know when to shut up. And because of that damn tone of voice in Nancy Wheeler.
The restaurant was nice, cozy and not too fancy, perfect for four teenagers. They sat in booth cushions in a corner and the dynamic between them established quickly. Steve, extroverted bugger, started conversations and made questions, Nancy kept up with him. She regularly answered the questions by involving Jonathan so he could tell his side of the story, and ask questions directly to Robin, making sure neither of them was left out of the conversation. It was sweet and effective.
Slowly they both began to make more jokes and she allowed herself to talk as much as she always does, instead of getting lost in the girl sitting in front of her.
Instead of getting lost on how close Jonathan was to Nancy. Tempted to return on her spiral, tempted to reconsider if they were really dating, if that even matters any way.
When the menus arrived, Nancy's hand slid across the sheet Robin was reading, pointing and tapping.
"Look, Robin. They got pasta" Her tone was teasing. Intimate, directed solely at Robin.
She smiled, a little embarrassed.
"Yay!" And then they both laughed.
Robin 01 | Jhonatan 00
When the waiter was a few steps away from them to take the order, Nancy gave Jonathan's hand a small squeeze and asked him to order the stew so she could try it, and in return she would let him try her salmon. Jonathan laughed and agreed.
So intimate. So natural.
Ugh.
Robin 01 | Jhonatan 01
When Robin told another of her anecdotes Nancy laughed so hard that small tears welled up from her eyes and she could feel her kicking her feet under the table.
Robin stopped the counter and declared absolute victory. She didn't care anymore. She didn't care about anything when she saw Nancy laughing.
But for the record Steve 00 because her stories are haliarius. Screw him.
Nancy stole some of Jonathan's food and when he complained, between laughs, Nancy took her fork and scooped up some of her salmon and potatoes from her plate, bringing the fork to Jonathan's mouth.
The scene was horrifying. Robin felt her blood pumping throughout her body, and a wave of heartburn combined with nausea hit her stomach. Suddenly her spaghetti smelled too much to sauce, and she'd lost the appetite.
She glanced at Steve, expecting a mocking grin from him. But instead she found him staring at the scene, with the same expression she'd had. Like it was a horror movie.
Robin gently kicked him under the table.
"Hey, wanna taste?" She brought the plate of noodles closer to him, bringing him out of his trance and he gave her a warm smile, twirling his fork in the spaghetti.
Things gradually began to settle down again. The conversation flowed, and there were no more terrifyingly awkward moments.
Robin had decided to enjoy the good time. She really liked the dynamic between the four of them and, to her surprise, she liked Jonathan too, pretty much.
If she had a coin for every man she hated for "coming between" her and the girl she liked, only to realize he was actually a cool guy, she'd have two coins. Which isn't much, but what a strange pattern.
Steve seemed to be fine again, regaining his characteristic charisma.
She didn't know the situation could affected him, until then she'd never taken his comments about Jonathan seriously. This time, she let the guilt fester. She really hadn't been the best friend these past few months.
When the waiter came to clear the plates the girls ordered dessert. A pudding for Robin and a creme brulée for Nancy. When Robin asked the boys if they wanted anything, Jonathan get out of his seat.
"Thanks, I pass. I'm going to get some air, want to join me, Steve?" He nodded towards the door as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
"Oh, yeah, sure"
Robin looked at Steve with wide eyes, something that did not go unnoticed by either of them.
She knew she hadn't been the greatest friend. But a couple of weeks being distracted and now Steve was smoking? A small pang of revulsion ran through her again when she glanced at Jonathan for a moment.
Steve gestured to her with his hand, and his lips murmured something inaudible. their inside nonverbal communication failed because she couldn't tell if Steve meant "Don't worry" or "Don't exaggerate."
There was a silence after the two boys left. Robin was too caught up in thoughts of guilt, hatred, and confusion to realize that she was alone with Nancy, facing each other.
"I get it" Nancy's hand took Robin's, who was playing with her napkin, lost in her own world. She jumped slightly at the touch and looked up. "that you're worry. It's a disgusting habit."
"I..." Robin tried to snap back to reality, to get her bearings. She was standing in front of Nancy, a candle in the center of the table, her hand being held between the cold fingers of the most beautiful girl in the world. "I just had no idea Steve smoked. And we spend a lot of time together." She chuckled a little. "It took me by surprise, that's all."
She thought that by showing she was okay, Nancy would take her hand away, but didn't happen. Instead, she rested her face on her free hand, her elbow on the table, and the hand holding Robin's trembled slightly.
"Yes, I've noticed that you spend... quite a lot of time together."
Nancy's hand slid back slightly, her fingers caressing Robin's knuckles, until they found her rings. She began to rotate them, loosening them a little on her fingers and returning them to the base. With especial interest in the middle finger. The one Robin played at Family Video.
"How long have they been together?"
Robin thought that she and Steve had told everything already during dinner: The ice cream shop last year, questionable substances in a curious situation, an unspecified confession, and ta-da! A totally unexpected friendship, best friends forever. But her brain wasn't working at 100% with Nancy touching her hands and playing with her rings, so maybe they never told the story.
In any case, she didn't mind telling Nancy anything again. She could repeat the same phrase over and over if it meant Nancy would stay like this, clinging to her hand, her eyes fixed on her.
"It was over a year or so. When they told me my partner would be Steve the Hair Harrington, oh my god, I wanted to kill myself." Robin's voice mimicked Nancy's, soft, low, something only between them. "But to my surprise, after a while I realize that he's actually a great dude-"
Nancy's hand moved back up to her wrist, giving another small squeeze, a little stronger this time.
"No, I mean..." Nancy's eyes finally met Robin's, who hadn't stopped staring at her for a second, mesmerized. — I mean, like, dating.
Robin only became aware of the intoxicating warmth enveloping her when the tense cold hit her. She choked with air, having to clear her throat a few times.
Dating Steve. She didn't know whether to crack up or burst into tears at the thought of Nancy believing they were dating. How long had she believed it? Why did everyone think they were dating? Okay, she did know why. But the idea was so absurd that she completely forgot that's how people usually perceived it.
"No- I- We're just-" A small laugh escaped her lips. Once again, that look on Nancy. Her eyes glued to hers, shifting between them, as if she wanted to mentally open her head and rummage through her brain. Finding for the truth. Robin was too nervous to just be telling the truth. "We are not dating. Like, really, not dating at all. We are just friends."
Nancy didn't look surprised, nor dissatisfied. But her face didn't relax.
"Oh, It's just thought..." Once again she lowered her head, observing their hands. With an overwhelming gentleness, she turned Robin's wrist over. Her fingers brushed against her palm and then returned, now making small circles and tracing her veins. "As you say, you two are always together and have so much chemistry... I don't know, it would make sense, honestly."
Waiting an answer she once more turned her gaze to Robin, who this time was looking at her wrist. Her head spinning and her mouth dry as she watched the delicate, slender fingers caress her skin. She trembled as discreetly as she could with each back-and-forth movement of Nancy's fingers.
"No, I- Really, Nance, i'm..." A short hesitant pause, and this time it was Robin's eyes that deepened a little, trying to respond in the same lenguage as Nancy . "He's like, NOT my type. You know..."
Their eyes met for a few seconds, and Nancy slowly broke into a wide, bright smile. So slowly that Robin could see every muscle in her face working in slow motion. A sight to behold. So perfect.
"Okay. That's good to know."
Robin collapsed, right there on the tablecloth. She didn't even try to hide her heavy sigh, her burning cheeks, or her face of utter confusion.
An echo. Like a buzz in her ear. "That's good to know." And suddenly she was in that damned cyclone again, but perhaps a bit of land could be seen in the distance. "Ask her about Jonathan. It's not weird because she asked first." Her brain had to repeat it about three times before she finally found the air in her lungs to open her mouth.
"Excuse me."
The waiter place the desserts on the table, and Robin quickly freed herself from Nancy's grasp, placing her hand back on her lap. Nancy also moved her hand away, but not as hastily as Robin. She left it resting on the table, just a few inches from where it had been.
The waiter took Nancy's glass to take it away, but left Robin's when he saw how firmly she held it, drinking her soda as if she hadn't ingested any liquid in months.
Nancy thanked the waiter and looked at her dessert picking up her spoon. Her eyes innocent, she let out a craving "Mmm. as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn't been caressing her wrist ten seconds ago. As if she hadn't been glad that she and Steve weren't dating.
Robin had her heart pounding in her chest, her head dizzy, and a very important question stuck between her tongue and teeths.
While she's trying to find again the words, Nancy is talking about how her mother makes great desserts, but this one is almost better. By the time Robin finally gathers the courage, too much time has passed. She thinks Jonathan and Steve will probably be back soon, and it would be terribly awkward to have this conversation in front of them, or worse, to have it interrupted by their arrival.
She remains lost in her mind, plunging the spoon into her pudding but not eating it, crushing her hand between her knees, feeling every spot Nancy traced burn. Retracing it in her mind without even wanting to.
"Here." Nancy held out her spoon in front of her, smiling.
The spoon, just inches from her face, reminded her of the scene with Jonathan, and her stomach twitched strangely, a mix of repulsion and then adrenaline at the thought of recreating it with her in his place. Nevertheless, she took the spoon with her hand and brought it to her mouth.
A pleasant sound. The sweet brought her back to a slightly more pleasant atmosphere.
"It's really good!"
"My mom's even better, trust me."
Robin handed the spoon back to Nancy and pointed to her pudding, asking if she wanted to try it. Nancy flinches with excitement. For a few microseconds, she can see her eyes plotting something, and with a leap, she jumps up from her seat, leaves the table, and sits back down, this time taking Steve's place, next to Robin, very close.
Nancy's vanilla perfume suffocated her in a torturous way, just as her wrist still burned with electric shocks. Now it was also the side of her thigh that had made contact with Nancy's.
As Robin rose the spoon, offering it to her, she could see the same mischievous eyes as moments before. Nancy took Robin's hand and guided it to her lips.
Robin cursed in her mind with frustration, as she involuntarily exhaled and felt all her blood rush to his face. Her eyes followed the path the spoon was taking.
Nancy took the spoon between her lips, her eyes once again fixed on Robin, her expression blank. Without parting her lips, she pulled the spoon out from her mouth. Savoring. Swallowing.
Her hand slowly released Robin's and Robin was trembling so much that the spoon almost fell from her hand when she lost Nancy's contact.
"How is it?" She murmured, her eyes inevitably drifting to Nancy's lips, to her eyes, and to her lips again.
"You don't even taste it yourself, and want me to tell you?" Nancy laughed, speaking even more softly.
Robin took a breath. Nancy's face was getting closer, and there was a clear demand in her eyes.
She took a second to admire her own resilience. Just days ago she'd been convinced that simply having dinner with Nancy would make her spontaneously combust, and yet here she was, surviving whatever this shit was.
Robin picked up her spoon again, bringing it to her mouth. Nancy followed, pausing at her lips.
"How is it?"
Suddenly Nancy's face was only centimeters away from hers, waiting for the review.
She paused to think, she tried, actually, but her normally loud head was now an empty room, with nothing to say. She could only focus on the small tingling sensation running up her spine, from bottom to top. An impulse. A want.
"It's... sweet." She began to whisper. "Tastes like... vanilla."
"Hm-mm, maybe cinnamon or" Nancy is leaning closer now, tilting her head, and Robin's brain starts to snap fighting with the shiver in her spine "maybe caramel."
Robin takes air, warm air that tastes like Nancy.
"You are dating Jhonatan." Robin finally manages to say. 'Better late than never' she console herself.
It supposed to be a question. It was a question. She hoped her face reflected the true intention of the sentence, because she no longer had the strength to try to rephrase it. She didn't have the strength to utter a coherent word.
Nancy was surprised, she pulled her face away from Robin's, her body no longer invading her personal space.
A confused expression, oblivious to the "question." For a moment a small glimmer in her eyes, then confusion again, and finally a curious smile. Her brow was slightly furrowed, searching for a concrete answer to the 'question', more like an statement, and her eyes were squinting, highlighting her eyelashes, darker than ever.
Robin could kiss her right there. Robin would have kissed her right there without waiting for response just because of how perfectly angelic she looked.
Perhaps if she kissed her, her cheeks would turn so red that she would die right there, and she would be happy.
The tingling in her spine returned, stronger than ever, ready to give her the push she needed. But before it reached the back of her neck, she noticed two figures approaching.
"Hey, sorry for the hurry but, are you done? I'm kinda tired and my driving skill pass from 10/10 to 7 when i'm sleepy. Security first." Steve's tone remained cheerful as usual, but there was a strange, dull tinge to it.
He saw his seat was taken and sat down in front of them while he was talking, Jonathan did the same, sitting next to him.
"Yeah, no, I'm... I'm done, I don't want more, actually I don't know why I even ordered it, I'm not even hungry" Robin rubs her nape, her eyes lost in different points on the table, and then on her companions, frustrated, lost, with heat. She saw Steve's looking at her, probably noticing her breathless tone and red cheeks "I'm actually feeling kinda sick? Must be just tired as you say, I think we should go too. I'm going to ask for the bill."
The walk to the car remained surprisingly normal. Comments about the food, references to their previous conversations, and remarks about the lovely place.
As soon as they stepped into the car, they all seemed to sigh simultaneously without realizing it.
No chat, nor glances exchanged, each immersed in their own world, the radio playing softly in the background. When five minutes had passed without anyone saying a word, Steve turned up the radio, either to make the silence less louder or to ensure it stays that way.
Robin glanced in the rearview mirror. Jonathan rest his head in the car window, his eyes lost in the passing trees and houses. Nancy leaned against him, leaving no space between them. Her head was bowed, she fidgeted with her fingers and licked her lips, clearly thinking about something. Robin would give anything to know what it was, because after so many months of denial and running away from the situation, she could finally say with certainty that it was something that involved her.
No more than 15 minutes later, Robin was back home. Before getting out of the car, she heard Nancy's voice, "Hey, Robin..." But she ignored it. She quickly got out of the car, muttering a goodbye to everyone.
Once in her room, she replayed every minute of the night. Nothing and no one could get her out of her mind anymore. She was drowned.
The memory of Nancy's laught pierced her chest like a stake. Maybe that's what she was to her. A joke. Something fun to pass the time. And even though she refused to believe Nancy was like that, she wouldn't be the first straight girl to "experiment with girls" for fun. It wouldn't be that strange.
She remembered the "you picking something out of the menu and then give it to your insipid boyfriend to try" actally coming true.
She remembered Jonathan next to Nancy, in the car, at dinner. Appearing just when they were so close. She felt sick. The thought that it'd all been just a show for him made her want to throw up. Her body filled with anger. Her heart breaking.
She cursed herself repeatedly for having accepted that dinner, for having allowed herself to fall into that stupid game.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
Nancy took one last breath before entering Mrs. Click's class. She had came a little later than usual this time. Wasting time wandering the hallways and walking slower, all so her eyes could find a certain girl sitting in the fifth line of the classroom.
She was alone. Steve hadn't gone to class, which had become a regular lately, giving Nancy more opportunities to spend time with her. She chat with her in the hallways without interruption and asked her professor to be paired with her in the teamworks.
There was something so pure about Robin, so enchanting. It wasn't just her freckles and her captivating eyes, nor the way her hair perfectly framed her face, she had noticed all of that from the first day she saw her, although it might have taken her a little longer to understand exactly what it was that made her feel.
Robin was smart, smarted than anyone she knew. Somehow she managed to be funny, adorable, hot, and transparent, all at the same time. It escaped her understanding how Robin could be all those things and more, how she continued to surprise her with every conversation they had, how she kept finding a new curve, a new freckle, a new look that gave her shivers.
She had tried to send signals, tried to get closer, and decided that the best way would be to be as obvious as possible.
For a moment she thought that maybe she had misunderstood everything and that Robin and Steve were dating, which would actually make perfect sense because they were together 24/7, and that thought alone made her sick.
This had been ruled out by Robin herself, and she believed that things were finally going well for her.
"You are dating Jhonatan." Robin had said, completely sidestepping the situation they were in that night. And now Nancy walked slowly to her desk, her gaze fixed on Robin, but the look wasn't returned, leaving only one possibility: Robin didn't like her.
Her heart were shattered. She felt stupid and guilty for having subjected Robin to her courtship plays, for making her uncomfortable.
She felt like everyone knew, shame burning in her hot cheeks as she swore everyone was watching, judging. In the center of the crowd, Robin and Steve mocking her.
She spent the whole class lost in her own thoughts, sitting up straight with her back stiff, occasionally pressing her lips together, fighting the urge to look back for one last sign, something that change things.
Maybe Robin will be staring at her, and maybe they will smile at each other as they used to, and her heart will resurface, rebuilding itself piece by piece.
As she chewed on her pen, she saw her teacher stifle a sigh.
"I need to go to the bathroom." The familiar voice made her tense up, still trying not to turn around.
The teacher nodded, immediately returning to the lesson.
Nancy felt Robin's movements as if she were the only person in the room. She pulling the chair back, standing up and walking to the front, dragging her feet slightly. She walked right past her and could see Robin's face struggling to not look at her, but her eyes betrayed her and look at Nancy for a moment.
When she left the room, Nancy clutched her skirt with both hands and mentally counted an eternal minute, then raised her hand as high as she could.
"I'm sorry, I need to go to the bathroom too."
She knew that if a boy and a girl happened to want to go to the bathroom at the same time, there was no way any teacher would allow it. But that wasn't the case, and anyway, Mrs. Click adored Nancy.
Nancy walked briskly through the empty hallways, not a soul around, only the muffled voices of the teachers in the classrooms.
She turned towards the bathrooms and stopped in her tracks when she almost bumped her forehead against Robin's chin as she was coming out.
Both were frozen, staring at each other with mixed expressions, studying each other.
Robin made a move to the side to leave, but Nancy's voice stopped her.
"Robin, I think we should talk."
Robin made a small nervous gesture, shaking her fist up and down while biting her lip.
"I don't know, Nance, I- I think it would be better if-"
"Robs. I want us to talk."
Robin exhaled sharply and held it, her eyes doubtful and her lip still being roughed up by her teeth.
Finally, she nodded, as if saying no wasn't an option. As if Nancy's word was law.
She successfully suppressed a smile at her docile demeanor.
Nancy hooked one finger around Robin's and led her to the nearest empty class, which happened to be the music room. She didn't want any possible interruptions, no more loose ends.
Robin went into the class and sat in a chair, looking at Nancy who remained standing.
"We're not." Nancy's hands rested at her sides, her fingers tracing her skirt as she tried to calm her nerves when Robin frowned. "We're not dating. Jon and I."
Robin's expression doesn't change, and that kills Nancy.
"I tried to tell you yesterday in the car, but..." She looked down, embarrassed. "At this point, I don't really know if that changes anything. I didn't mean to- I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, if I misinterpreted the signals... But I wanted to make it clear."
There was a silence, which made her turn her gaze back to the seated girl, searching for some change in expression.
Robin's brow was still furrowed, but this time with some frustration in it.
"Okay, but... you two used to date, right? And yesterday in the car, during dinner... I assumed-" She interrupted herself, trying to separate reality from her insecurities. Why would Nancy lie to her? Perhaps to keep up her act with Jonathan? But she didn't seem to be lying. "It's just, you two look so close."
Then she let out a small laugh, remembering that she too was ridiculously close to her friend, and that their relationship has also lead to misunderstandings.
"I know, so are you and Steve. And he's my ex, so I get the confusion." With the atmosphere a little less tense, she began to throw her legs foolishly forward, breaking the extreme distance between them. "Listen i... " Nancy paused again, as if she didn't want to say the words. Her now weak eyes pulled Robin from her resilient posture, almost worried ate her vulnerable gaze "John and I went through similar things... Really rough shit. And I love Jonathan, I really do, but we figure it out it wasn't necessarily romantic, you know? We're very close, like friends. That's all."
Robin looked down, fidgeting with her hands, her knees together and her body tense.
"So, you were... flirting with me."
"Well, I did my best, I hope I wasn't too obvious." Nancy laughed, and Robin looked at her with a smile and red cheeks. She was about to say something, but Nancy was quicker. "And you? Were you? flirting with me."
She was now closer, her neck in front the other's forehead. Robin look at Nancy's eyes, her mouth moving between a smile and a grimace of pain, in a tug-of-war of emotions.
"Look, Nancy, I- I need you to know... I'm not normal about you." She laughed at her own pathetic confession. "I think about you like, all the time, I've memorized all your expressions, and I only listen to songs that remind me of you. And I like you a lot. And if this is a 'just to try' thing, if you get as close as you did last night and then don't do it again, or never talk to me again, or... I won't be able to handle that"
Nancy smiled, mesmerized. It took her a moment to respond. She whispered a soft "Robs"
She took one of her hands, interlaced their fingers, and then separated them, running their fingertips over their knuckles, playing with each other hands.
"You know, I used to sleep until late on weekends. One day I woke up early to help my mom with the shopping and turned on the radio. I skipped around until I found a familiar voice, talking about a song for 'a special someone'. You were so passionate, and even with all those goofy sound effects, you always had something really interesting to say. I started waking up early every weekend, and I swear I could listen to you talk all day about anythig. You're so honest, Robin, more genuine than anyone I've ever met. Plus, you speak four languages, and that's kinda hot." They both laugh, Robin a little less, drunk and drown with her voice, their hands now clasped tightly together. "You'r smart, funny, and you are so goddamn pretty, and i definitely, really-"
She couldn't finish the sentence. Robin let go of her hand and cup Nancy's face guiding it to her lips, without much effort. Instinctively, Nancy leaned towards her. Sweet and extended.
Nancy's vanilla perfume filled her mouth and seeped under her skin. They began to move their lips, Nancy's mouth sucking on Robin's upper lip, and the rest of the world disappeared. All physical matter disappeared, surviving only the parts Nancy touched. Her mouth, her hands holding and caressing Robin's wrists. Nancy's thighs pressed against her knees.
The kiss grew more desperate as the shock subsided and they realized how much they had longed for this moment. Robin breathed through her nose, refusing to break apart to find more air, feeling every trace of fear in her body and mind dissipate with that sigh. She was no longer afraid of what to do with all of this, she knew exactly what to do, and she was the luckiest person in the entire world.
Nancy increased the pressure on Robin's knees, asking for more contact. Robin opened her legs and lowered her hands to Nancy's waist, pulling her closer. Nancy stifled a small groan at the movement, while her hands get around Robin's nape (bingo!) stroking her scalp and her jaw with her thumb.
They separated. They separated because they'd run out of air, and they wanted to keep living to experience that again.
Panting on their noses, Nancy tried to move away a little but Robin's grip, fitting perfectly around her waist, wouldn't allow it.
"I'm sorry, you were saying something?" Robin said amused, still panting a little.
"Actually yes, you are so rude. I was trying to say that I really-"
Another kiss, and Robin's hand rubbing her waist up to her back and back again made her sigh.
When they separated, she frowned, still with an unavoidable smile.
"I really-" Another kiss, a little shorter. "I-" A smooch. "...really-"
On the way to her lips, Robin's face paused, leaving only the contact of their noses, with Nancy's hand holding Robin's hair, pulling slightly to avoid further contact.
"I like you. a lot" she whispered.
Robin smiled, feeling on top of the world, with his whole body tingling.
"Oh, what a surprise, I like you too!" 'I love you, even' she thought, but maybe that would be a confession for another day.
Robin looked behind Nancy at the classroom door with all the reluctance in the world.
"You think we should go back before Mrs. Click suspects something?"
Nancy made a small grumble. She pulled away from Robin, dragging her hands, not really wanting to let go. Once she moved out from between her legs, she went to her side, forcing Robin to bring her knees together again, and sitting on her lap. Her arms now intertwined around her neck.
"It's the last semester. I don't think she'll mind."
Without losing her smile, she moved closer to Robin's lips again. A slower kiss this time, without fear that either of them might escape. Taking advantage of the moment to memorize every movement, every texture. And Robin giggled over her mouth, recalling that specific fantasy. Apparently, it's not just the horrifying fantasies that come true.