Just What I Needed | Robin Buckley

3. best friends

It was finally Saturday and the trio was getting ready to close up the shop. Nicole behind the counter counting the money, Steve wiping down the booths and Robin checking inventory in the back.

The three worked in silence until Steve broke the silence.

"So Nicole are you ready for the drive-in movie?" He tried to avoid Robins gaze from behind Nicole when making eye contact.

"Only if Robin is!"

Nicole turned around to peer through the open window seeing Robin already there staring back at her. Nicole and Robin were face to face and Nicole felt her face starting to heat up just looking at her bright blue eyes. She moved back a little asking Robin again if she was excited for the movie which she replied enthusiastically about how she was looking forward to it.

"Great!" Steve replied with a defeat look on his face and went back to wiping down the tables.

Nicole gave Robin a small smile which the girl returned, making both their hearts flutter a little.

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Steve pulled into the spot and put his arm across to the passenger side where Nicole was sitting staring down at her sailor uniform.

"Maybe we should have changed before coming here?"

"It's fine you look perfect"

Steve said staring at Nicole just a little longer than she liked.

"Thanks.." Nicole said awkwardly and then looked in the back seat where Robin was playing with her sailor hat.

"When does this movie even start?" The dirty blonde said barely looking up from her hat asking the duo in the front.

Steve explained how they had some time left before the movie started.

"Just enough time to buy some snacks-"

"Perfect! Me and Nicole will get some, right Nicole?

"Right! What's your fav candy Steve? You strike me as a swedish fish type of guy"

Nicole and Robin quickly got out of the car before Steve could protest them not to leave without him causing the two girls to walk away laughing at his face expressions before they left.

They laughed and talked the whole way to the concession stand. Nicole felt at home with Robin, her smile made her heart skip a beat and she brushed it off as just her first female friend in a new town.

After buying popcorn, some candies, and drinks they slowly walked back to the car.

"So.. what's it like in California?"

"It's nice, pretty sunsets, there's like these birds outside my window and they always wake me up. Sounds nice but you get tired of it after a while."

Robin stared at Nicole as she talked mesmerized by how someone could look so good wearing a sailor uniform and by simply just existing.

"So you're like a real life princess?"

"what?"

"The birds singing to you as you wake up- real life princess!"

Nicole laughed at how Robin fumbled to find the right words she went on to explain almost every princess movie she knew, even the story book ones and how they always described how birds would sing a song every morning to beauty.

"I guess you could think of it that way" Nicole said laughing cutting off Robin before she kept going on.

"Well do you like it back home or here more?"

Nicole stopped to look around at the scenery and then back at the girl. Obviously she liked Hawkins more because of her but she didn't know how to say that.

"Honestly? I like it here more, it's peaceful and my grandma lives here, far away from my parents"

Robin fell silent not knowing what to say next, thankfully the awkwardness ended when they reached Steves car and got inside.

"Here you go a big bag of swedish fish" Nicole gave Steve a smile while handing them to him and all he could do was accept the bag, not refusing the offer.

The movie that was playing was "Best Friends" a story about a couple who decides to get married but realizes marriage isn't the same as being best friends.

"Hmm I wonder why you chose this movie Steve" Robin said leaning into the middle between Nicole and Steve which made him flustered.

"What- It's- friends, I just saw friends in the movie and was like hey why don't- Oh shut up"

The two girls shared a look before laughing at Steve's behavior.

Nicole glanced outside the car into the ones next to them seeing a teen couple making out.

"Wait Steve... is this a make out movie?"

"What? Why would I take you guys to a make out movie I couldn't make out with both of you" He said leaning onto his side of the car getting annoyed at Robin and Nicole's laughter.

Nicole got out the car insisting they sat on the hood of the car to get a better view. Steve refused and said he was going to take a nap which left Robin and Nicole alone together on the outside of Steves car.

They weren't paying attention to the movie, neither of them could actually think straight being so close to one another. The whole time it was just Nicole and Robin trying to sneak a peak at the other when they weren't looking.

At one point it got a little cold and Nicole scooted closer to Robin grabbing her arm to feel her warmth.

"If I lived here, I'm sure we would be best friends, just like them in the movie!" Nicole exclaimed looking to Robin to see her expression.

"They get married in the movie though"

Nicole ignored Robins words and just laughed it off feeling her face warm up again. She curled into a ball hugging her knees covering her face.

Robin laughed to herself and stared at Nicole as she tried to hide her blushing face.

The movie eventually ended and Steve was dropping the girls off, Nicole first since her stop was closer than Robins. Before Nicole got into the door Robin ran after her.

"Wait! Nicole you forgot your walkman"

Nicole turned around to meet Robins blue eyes and thanked her for bringing her the object. Nicole gave Robin a short hug and wished her goodnight before walking into the nursing home.

Robin couldn't help but smile to herself walking back to Steves car.

"Seems like you guys are starting to become good friends." Steve said as Robin got into the car.

"Best friends even- Hey! like the movie we just watched! What a crazy coincidence I just thought of it right now" Steve was rambling about how he was such a genius for piecing the two together. Meanwhile Robin was replaying the hug Nicole had given her as the two drove off to her house.

an: sorry if its taking a while for nicole n robin to be like <3 LOL i'm trying sum new out anyways i opened a tiktok it's called defintoyou22 !! pls follow n support me lovies mwamwa comment telling me u read the story to be mutuals on tiktok n on here!