fake dating buckley - ronance

chapter 7

Everyone, including Nancy, had gone up to bed a couple of hours earlier. They were all full from dinner, which had been a gorgeous Bolognese that Karen had outdone herself with. Barb was absolutely stuffed, practically splitting at the sides and while she was in a little pain, it was the good kind of pain. She was lazing on the couch, legs up and eyes closed, relishing the evening. The door creaked and she peered up, one eye open; Robin was in the doorway, waiting to be invited in. Barb gestured for her to join her, and Robin slipped silently into the room. She scrunched up on the couch, legs crossed underneath her, and waited for the other girl to speak.

Robin sat down beside her.

"We need to talk about it."

Barb pursed her lips. "I thought we said we’d never talk about it."

Robin was bent over where she sat, leaning on her knees, wringing her hands. "Things are different now."

Barb smirked. "You mean Nancy."

She scooted a little closer and touched Robin's shoulder. She responded to it, turning her head to Barb, but she didn’t smile. Robin simply nodded and Barb withdrew her hand, folding it into the other between her crossed legs. She shrugged, because really she wasn’t too sure where Robin was going with all this. Barb hadn’t told Nancy yet, or Max – God, Max would be a nightmare if she found out. But Nancy… Barb had always suspected that Nancy would be fine about it, that she’d be cool. Although now she was doubting herself, and Barn wondered if it meant more than it should; that the idea of telling Nancy what happened with Robin all those months ago was suddenly so important, she’d risk Nancy’s disappointment. Barb bristled at the thought.

"It’s not her business," Barb said, keeping her voice low. Robin frowned.

"Of course it is."

"Why? Because you’re her girlfriend now? You weren’t at the time, obviously. You didn’t even like her then, and she hated you."

Robin sat back with a sigh. "I’m not her girlfriend."

"And don’t you just loathe it?" Barb said, biting her lip to hide a grin. Robin looked at her. It was rough, at first, but her eyes softened first and she nodded. Barb chuckled. "You’re as good as."

"It’s not real."

"Then make it real," Barb said simply. Her phone buzzed in her pocked. "Just leave me out of it. Hello?"

"Barb, are you okay?"

Barb froze as she always did whenever she heard her voice on the other end of the line. More than ten years they’d been friends, and so much had happened between them and around them and to them and yet, here they were; awkward, still half in love and hundreds of miles apart. Barb cleared her throat and shook her head at Robin, who had perked up upon seeing her so uncomfortable.

"Kali," Barb said simply, and she watched Robin’s shoulders tense at the name. "What’s up?"

"I’ve been trying to call you. Are you alright?"

"I’m fine, why?" Her mind went immediately to the last time she’d called her this way. "What’s happened?"

Kali took a minute to reply, and Barb could just see her twiddling her thumbs on the other side of the phone, all the way back in freezing Chicago. She sighed. "Barb…"

"Not again." She closed her eyes and bent over, leaning against the back of the couch.

"My uncle brought your mother in again last night. She was wasted and with a couple of men in the park and now she’s in Chicago med –"

"Stop."

"They’re talking about rehab and jail, Barb, but everything’s under your name-"

"Stop, please."