Faking Robin

Chapter 8 - You're Suspicious!

Chapter 8 - You are Suspicious!

Edited by Lostindreamz, I just can't thank her enough for helping me so much, not only in editing :D

I opened the blue envelope in my hand carefully, the glue still sticking a bit. The letters inside were written on ordinary lined paper, around 15 pages of them.

I couldn't hide my smile when I opened the first letter and immediately recognised Aunt Anne's curvy handwriting filling the page. I read the letter with her voice in my head, as if she was talking to me. For the next three minutes, her soft voice filled my brain.

"Love you, too," I said to the paper as I read the last bit of it, answering her "I love you, Robin" in the letter though she wouldn't be able to hear me.

I opened the next folded paper, wonderingwhose letter it could be. As I unfolded it slowly, big, messy, unreadable handwriting looked back at me. Must be one of the boys’, I thought.

I tried reading the squares and curves on the paper that should have been alphabets, only to recognize one word, "bread". From that only, I knew this was Jake's. Jake loves bread. He would observe the bread that we'd get after weekly grocery shopping to its pores, and then do an imitation of the food critics on TV. I honestly think it is amusing and I can certainly imagine him opening a bakery when he grows up.
The next letters were all pretty unreadable, except maybe Emily's and Alex's, because they were around 9 to 10 years old, so they had already learnt how to write for years by now.

Lily and Aaron, being the smallest ones, gave me drawings instead, or maybe doodles. I could picture them drawing these together, Lily with her bear drawing and Aaron who drew a figure that’s supposed to be me (I've only known it from Leo's handwriting on the bottom of the paper, though). They are both always very sweet.

The last one was Leo's, the only three pages long letter. I can't believe he could write this much. He wasn't a fan of the pen. His handwriting was that typical of a boy's and I could imagine him trying to write his neatest here. I chuckled as I remembered how many times I had complained about his handwriting.

Leo didn't write anything like beautiful poems, or use loving words; instead he just described things that happened while I wasn't there. Like, how his first day of his first job ever was, the usual quarrels of the kids, how the kids started to realise I won't be home for a long time, and last, assuring me everything was fine at home, so I should focus in whatever I was doing here.

Tears started welling up in my eyes; the first drop fell onto the paper. Quickly I rubbed my eyes, pretending to be sleepy as I glanced over at Apple who was making me dinner. I folded back the papers into its envelope and made my way to my large bedroom that looks rather empty with its minimal furniture. The concept was simplicity, maybe. But at thesekinds of sad moments, it looks empty. Slowly, I put the letters into the small drawer beside my bed that I had used in the past week, putting them into a neat stack.

I walked to the kitchen and saw the familiar back moving around, mixing the ingredients of today's food. "Le-" I shut my mouth when I realised I’d almost called Leo out of nowhere, maybe I was used to him cooking at home. Apple didn't seem to notice, relief filled within me.

"Apple," I corrected myself, drawing his attention to me. I placed the plates, spoons and forks neatly on the table while waiting. They reflected my face like a mirror, shining from the light. Leo would adore these. He liked to see cooking utensils and pretty cutlery, he once told me that in his mind he imagines what it would be like to serve his food in fancy pots and plates.

"Hungry, huh?" Apple teased. He glanced at me as I took a seat on one of the four seats. I nodded with a smile, I sure was.

Apple gently placed dinner on my plate and his, ready to dig in. I took my spoon as well, though I had no appetite. My eyes stared at the plate, my brain was blank.

"Robin." Apple's firm voice shook me out of my thoughts. "I cook it for you to eat it, not to stare at it," he smiled playfully, but I could see concern there. "Yes?" I blinked, trying to play innocent, which of course failed miserably. I forced myself to eat a spoonful of the food and when it entered my mouth, the delicious taste made my tongue dance in happiness.

"You're great!" I exclaimed, still feeling it inside my mouth. I should have known I would always like Apple's food, or all home-made food, for that matter, because Leo's cooking made me drool as well.

"Apple," I called him rather seriously this time; his smug expression turned to match mine. "Would you mind teaching Leo how to cook this?" I asked in a low voice. Maybe it was too much to ask, right? Leo would be more than happy to learn new dishes.

He shook his head as an answer with a wide smile, "I would love to."

His smile was contagious; I sported a smile as well, maybe even bigger than his. "I'm keeping your words."

We ate dinner with chit chats. He told me how he was very welcomed at home and that Aunt Anne had thought he was someone sent from the school. "Warm", that's how he described my house.

The night went by pretty fast. The next day was supposed to be my second week. Encouraged by the letter, I was determined to find The One more than ever.

---
Days passed by pretty fast and three weeks had passed with me as a student of Abbey Mount. I had been a good adaptor, I guess. Occasionally, some student who had a class with me would say "Hi" when they passed by me. I found it a bit strange, though. I wasn't a very social student even back then in my old school, not that I didn't have any friends, but I just didn’t expect anyone to notice me here.

And Luke. Luke had certainly been acting weird. Not that I had known him that long, but Luke wasn’t the usual smile-y boy anymore. Yes, he did act all smile-y when he was with me, but as days passed by, the frequency of him daydreaming increased greatly. 

Like today, his eyes stayed focused on the flowers in front of us, not moving a bit. He didn't even touch his strawberry pudding. I had called him a few times, but he didn't budge.

I twirled the spaghetti on my lunch box, specially cooked by Apple. The food in the school was very expensive and since I wasn't used to spending so much money on food, I chose to eat the remaining of yesterday's dinner as usual.

"Luke, I'll take your pudding if you don't answer me and I mean it," I threatened. Still, he didn't move an inch. His gaze was fixed in the flowers but his stare was empty, as if he was seeing right through them.

I put down my lunch box and slapped his arm hard. "Sorry," I muttered, though I wasn't actually sorry. He been acting that way for the last five minutes.

His head turned to face me as if nothing happened, "You've got a lot of power, there," he teased.

He was trying to play innocent. I watched him as he began eating his pudding happily, offering me some.

I was certain that something was going on.

---

The last class was Math. When we discussed the homework, I felt proud for getting the most correct answers, thanks to Anthony, the cashier guy from the coffee shop.

I pushed my chair back to stand, replying some of the goodbye wishes from my classmates. I made no progress in making any more friends other than Kate and Luke. My classmates and I were merely "greeting friends", as I liked to call it, since we did nothing but exchange greetings, not counting the occasional conversation which was merely about the tasks in class.

I was the last one to go out of the class and I slowly closed the door so it won't make any noisy sound. I turned my eyes to the huge clock in the school's main lobby where students were busy waiting for their cars to come.

I spotted an empty single sofa nearby the glass wall. Quickly, I sat on it before anyone there could, having a race by myself. I placed my hand on the armrest, leaning back.

As my body relaxed, I scanned my surrounding. I noticed not many people were talking to each other; they were mostly busy with themselves. In my old school, the hallway was always noisy and chatters always filled the air. Well, maybe that was just me.

My eyes stopped at a tall figure behind a wall in the intersection. The body shifted a bit, showing a familiar face. Luke!

I was about to approach him, but stopped when I saw the irritated expression on his face. He was busy talking to someone over the phone, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and free hand gripping his trousers. I fixed my position so I could see him better without being suspicious, my hand on my chin, as if I was thinking.

He released the phone from his ear, his expression unchanged. A boy, whom I assumed, was Luke’s friend, tapped his shoulder causing him to turn in response. His expression immediately changed into his usual smiley face, as if that phone call never happened.

I was absolutely shocked. That was simply scary, how Luke could change his expression in a split second without leaving a trace of his former state? I wondered if he ever did it with me.

I leaned back again. Luke was already out of sight. I grasped the edge of my skirt, wondering about what happened to Luke. Maybe he is like that, it's just because I’ve only known him for awhile. I assured myself.

My brain agreed to that thought, but my heart sure didn't.
---

"How was your day?" Apple asked his everyday question as I opened the car's door and made myself comfortable on the leather seat. I put my bag aside, making some more free space for myself. "Just okay, I guess," I shrugged. 

The drive to the apartment was silent. I watched Apple as he unlocked the door, then pushed it open to make way for me. I went in and sat on the red couch; that has been my favourite spot in the house lately. The view of the city from there was always amazing.

"You seem to be in deep thought," Apple said, taking a seat on the couch opposite of mine. I snapped out of my thoughts, turning my head towards him. His eyes landed on mine, his eyebrowsrising, telling me to tell him my thoughts; he didn't have to ask it out loud.

"You know, Luke," I started. Apple directly leaned his body forward, ready to listen. His lips curved into a smirk when I said Luke's name. "That boy," he responded. I'm sure he remembered Luke from when I was 'lost from his sight' last time.

"Yes, that boy." I shifted my body, finding a comfortable position. My skirt didn't help, though. "Luke has been acting weird lately," I stated, leaning my body forward as well, as if I was telling a secret.

Apple nodded, gesturing me to continue. "He is usually a very smiley boy, he usually loves strawberries, and I had never seen him mad before," I explained, taking a breath in between. My fingers played with the cloth of my skirt. "But these days he has been... just, not him," I ended. I thought I was going to explain everything, but that sentence explained it all. Luke wasn't himself.

Instead of responding to my very first 'friendship' problem seriously, Apple let out a chuckle. 

"What's funny?" I glared at him. I didn’t think what I said was anything near funny. He placed his hand below his chin, resting it there. 

"Is there anything weirder?" he asked back. I shot him a confused look, not getting what he meant. He shifted again, now putting his hands on both the arm rests. 

"You do remember we need to watch out for anyone suspicious, right?" 

I nodded in answer. Of course I remembered. I am here for the game.

It took me a while to get what Apple meant. Luke is suspicious. "He sure is," I voiced my thought. Apple smiled brighter when he saw my expression, an expression of realisation.

"You go find out, I'm making dinner," he stood up from his chair, leaving me there. My eyes followed him as he took out his apron and started preparing the ingredients. Apple might be right.

Luke might be The One.