"wouldn't you like to know her?" | ronance !

17.

the silence that had settled over the car heightened the strain between steve and robin.

he broke the tension, "so... i take it you talked with her?"

robin writhed with her rings, eventually crossing her arms over one another and adverting her gaze to the passenger window.

"no,"

"what's got you all...?" he motioned to her rigid stance, to which she slumped back into her seat, "better?"

"no, robin. what happened?"

her position now more eased, yes; but her general tenor remained wary.

"johnathan..." she whispered, unsure of how to formulate a coherent recollection of the events.

robin had a perplexing quality to her, the ability to extend any conversation until the sun met the horizon. but alas, in situations that regarded something so emotional, her tongue ran drier than a desert.

"johnathan what?" steve flashed a glance to robin, filled with acrimony.

"i'm sorry, steve. i can't." her voice cracked, tears welling at the edges of her eyes.

"no, you can," he said with fortification.

she gripped the collar of her shirt, swallowing hard.

"i was waiting outside the bathroom for nancy-- she darted in like a scared puppy and i was worried. johnathan caught me-- and he..." she exhaled, mustering up any ataraxy that prevailed within her.

"he called me a dyke, then he--" she gagged over her words, "kissed me, and i hit him."

steve's nostrils flared, his temperate persona began faltering.

"i'm so sorry, robin," he spoke delicately, maintaining poise, "you didn't deserve that. i'm proud of you for protecting yourself, i'm sorry i wasn't there to protect you myself."

robin released her grip on her collar, readjusting to be sat more upright.
she lightly dabbed at her eyes, biting back sobs.

"no need to be sorry, dingus... i-" she hesitated, stifling an inappropriate laugh at the gravity of the situation, "i'm more distraught i couldn't speak to nancy. i think she heard me lie to johnathan-- steve, i'm blowing this. i don't think she'll ever like me back anyways, so why am i even bothering?"

steve visibly relaxed, robin was babbling-- which meant that she was back in harmony with herself. not so out of order and troubled.

"she'll understand if you come clean about how you feel. you seem to pent this stuff up and then let it all out at once, robin-- i digress, you need to rip the bandaid."

his realism stung for a brief moment, but robin had to value it-- because she know she'd say the same thing.

"i'm worried, i can't lose her."

"i know you are, but you almost had it today," he paused, "and she's hurt you a lot, robin. if things don't work out then it might be for the better."

"what if i wait until prom?" her raspy voice trembled ever so softly.

"oh shit... that is this friday, isn't it? you haven't even gone dress shopping."

"you're hosting the afterparty, right?"

"yeah, i have every year since freshman year," steve veered into the family video parking lot.

"perfect."