Extremity

25 | Robin

After Damien leaves, there's an awkward silence. Well, except for Maurice, that is. She just kicks her feet up onto the table and chews her gum loudly. Does she eat and chew gum at the same time? Or is that chewing tobacco? Sure as hell smells like it.

"Well," Taylor, the silver haired assistant of my mom, says, placing his palms firmly on the table and looking at us. "You heard the woman. We've got an activity to do."

"I've got an activity for you. Why don't you go stand in that corner with your back to us and let us do our own thing?" Maurice asks, twirling a lock of her hair around in her bony finger.

Taylor ignores her. "It may seem kind of cheesy, this activity, but I think it's a good way for you guys to get to know each other and aspects of your lives." Isn't that what we'd been doing this whole time? Getting to know each other? "Robin, will you help me pass these out?"

How come I always had to pass out the stuff?

I hesitantly get up and take a stack of papers from Taylor. He smiles warmly at me and I shudder, recalling how he said he did his psychology report on me. I quickly shove the papers at the other four in the room and sit myself back down, before looking down at the paper.

What was the best day of your life?

Is the first thing I read. Apparently Maurice does too, because she says, "What the actual fuck?" for all of us to hear. I think I see Queb flinch.

"I told you, it's cheesy. I know. I'm not the one who prepares these things," Taylor laughs.

"I won't be tasered or anything if I rip this in half, right?" Maurice asks.

Taylor simply gestures to the large pile. "That's why I printed many copies."

Hmm. He seemed to have a different "teaching" method compared to my mom. My mom was strict and straightforward and took no bullshit from us. Taylor seemed to be rolling along with the punches and even joking with Maurice. It was as if he was willing to work with us, after all, he agreed that this was a cheesy activity but he still wanted us to get through it. I felt like he would be more effective than my mom. In doing whatever the hell we were supposed to be doing. I didn't even pay attention to that damn syllabus we got yesterday.

"Anyway, while we work on these, I was thinking we could play some music in the background," Taylor says, then he heaves a radio onto the table. Had that just been sitting under the table this whole time? "I've got Spotify open and ready. Any requests?"

I'd never really been a fan of music. It just kind of overwhelmed me; all the different types and genres out there. Like couldn't humanity just settle on one type and stick with that forever? It seemed too difficult to try and pick out a certain type just for myself.

Apparently the thought of listening to music was appealing to everyone else. Erika's face lit up and she began whispering something excitedly to Wesley, who laughed quietly. Queb began bouncing in his seat, like a five year old. Maurice even sat up straighter and stared at the radio like she was going to turn it on with her mind.

Taylor chuckled. "Now don't all talk at once. We can go one at a time, each recommending a song or an artist. This will be fun!" Then he looks right at me. "Robin? Any requests?"

Like I said, I'd never really been a fan of music. Therefore I never really listened to music. Well, I'm sure I did before, but I can't remember.

I must have looked really panicked or something, because Erika suddenly says, "Robin, I remember you told me once you really liked Taylor Swift?"

I don't remember telling her anything about what I liked. For all I could recall, I had never spoken to her before, up until yesterday. But at least she was giving me a suggestion, so I nod. "Yeah, that sounds good."