Trial By Hellfire

Chapter 6 - Pep Rally

I couldn't believe it took several months to finally get my new home put together enough to finally welcome people other than Steve, Robin, and the gang over. I was lucky enough that they all offered to help unpack and shop for furniture with me. The first day moving into our new house my parents gave me one of their cards and told me to pick out whatever I wanted, within reason, since I was going to be the one living in the house the majority of the time anyways, since my parents had gotten a small apartment to share in the city. It was now the Friday before spring break, and Steve was picking up Robin and I before the big pep rally.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!" I yelled and I heard Steve's car horn frantically honk. I ran down the stairs and out the door, only turning around to lock it. I rushed into Steve's backseat, and we were off.

"Oh my gosh, Robin!! You look super cute!" Robin was frantically putting on mascara in the passenger seat. Steve was trying to talk to Robin about his dating life, which Robin wasn't paying attention to in the slightest.

"Robin, are you listening?" Steve asked while looking at her.

"Uh, yes." Robin answered before Steve quickly rebutted.

"What did I say?"

"Something about sex with Linda."

"It was Heidi." I chimed in from the back seat.

"Cut me some slack! Please!" Robin begged. "You love life is one of labyrinthine complexity. It is 7:00 in the morning, we have the stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a total corpse!"

"Oh face it Robin, you're not worried about the pep rally, you're worried about Vickie!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Yes it is!" Steve and I both said at the same time.

"You know what else?"

"I really don't care," Robin interjected while Steve kept talking over her.

"I think you gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you're around her. Okay? You just gotta, you just gotta be yourself!" I looked at Steve.

"You know you just quoted me to me?" Robin said, a little taken aback at Steve's words.

"Well maybe you should take your own advice!"

"Robin, you have nothing to worry about!" I wanted to say something but was too entertained watching them bicker back and forth.

"You," she said as she pointed to Steve. "Ask out a girl, and it's no big deal. Maybe your ego's a little bruised."

"A lot bruised." I chimed in as Steve shot me a look.

"I ask out the wrong girl and BAM! I'm a town pariah."

"Okay but you have nothing to worry about! Vickie is NOT the wrong girl." I said.

"Yeah, well we just don't know that now, do we?"

"She returned Fast Times paused at 53 minutes, 5 seconds." Steve said reassuredly to Robin. "She likes boobies Robin!"

"Oh my god, do not say boobies!" I pleaded from the backseat.

After a long conversation trying to reassure Robin, Steve dropped us off at the school and Robin and I walked up to the gym before we parted ways. As she walked towards the band room to get ready, I walked into the gym to see if I could find a place to sit that would be close to Robin, just in case she needed me. Soon the gym started to fill up and not long after I sat down, band walked in and sat in their spots, Robin making sure to sit on the end so we could be together, but also making sure to stay next to Vickie.