Rumors

Robin's Worries and Afterschool Kisses.

A few days later, when Bridget returned to the school from lunch with the girls, she was surprised to see Robin sitting at the table that was practically reserved for her in the library. Bridget had just spoken to Arielle about Mallory (who was a short, chubby Junior that was addicted to mangas), and the knowledge that Mallory would stop the yaoi anime club made her feel rather chipper. The Junior had been giving Brittany the creeps lately - and she wasn't the only one. Apparently Mallory couldn't take no for an answer, and constantly forced homosexual anime books into people's faces. While Bridget had no problem with reading yaoi manga (she even had a couple sitting in her bookshelf at home), she didn't like the fact that Mallory was forcing it onto others, making them uncomfortable.

So when she spotted Robin doodling on some paper at her usual table, Bridget's bright mood immediately flared. She almost skipped to the table, steps bouncy and light, gaining the attention of Mrs. Barton and Robin. She beamed at his small smile.

"Hey, Robin!" she chirped, giving Mrs. Barton an apologetic glance at her volume. The librarian just rolled her eyes and waved a hand in dismissal. "What're you doing here?"

Robin cleared his throat and shoved the papers in front of him into his binder. Casually, he leaned back in his chair and patted the one next to him invitingly. Bridget flopped into her seat with a wide grin. "What? I can't visit my friend in her domain?"

A flash of disappointment pushed through Bridget's chest at his words, but since she didn't understand why she felt that way, she shoved the feeling away. Bridget took a moment to observe her friend, noticing the slight tension that bled through his forced casualty. Concern began to bite at the edges of her mind. "My domain?" she repeated jokingly, nudging his shoulder with her own. "Why, I didn't know that I had claim on the school's public library."

Surprisingly, Robin seemed to relax. His shoulders slumped forward and his smile became more genuine. "Well, you're the only student that spends so much time in here," he rebutted with a chuckle. His eyes were twinkling like a certain headmaster from a magical school. "Even the librarian takes breaks from the library, you know? So I've started to see this place as your palace."

Bridget snorted and shook her head at her friend. Her palace? She didn't spend that much time in the library! Sure, she came everyday whenever she could, but Mrs. Barton was usually here more than she was. "Well," Bridget continued the line of topic teasingly. "When I die, be sure to hold a memorial in my kingdom for me."

Robin chuckled, his smile widening. Bridget found herself fascinated at the way his eyes crinkled and his left cheek dimpled. It was oddly cute. "When that happens, I'll see if I can convince the librarian into putting one of those indoor ponds in here," he said. "That way I can put one of those fake candles in it and watch it float."

Bridget found herself holding back laughter at his words. "Where did that come from?" she giggled, holding her hand over her mouth as though it would help restrain her laughs. It didn't. "A pond?"

She was amazed to see a light flush making its way onto his cheeks and the tip of his ears. "It's something I read!" he defended himself, crossing his arms across his chest. "It was on a website. The school had a lake oustide and when a student passed away, the whole student body lit candles and them in the lake. So the candles floated in the water."

Bridget felt touched. She didn't comment about how she believed that what he read a fanfiction, since she had read something quite similar on its website. Instead, she let the warm feeling that came from his words comfort her. It was incredibly sweet to know that if she were to die, he'd try to do something as spriritual as this in her memory. "Well, thank you," she said softly, setting her hand on his arm, near his elbow. "That's really sweet."