white boys (river phoenix)

17

Chapter Seventeen

(Friday.) Robin unlaced her fingers from River's, whom had been walking her home from school that day. The whole entire day, they'd managed to talk about everything but the movies, which Robin was still unsure about. But River sighed loudly and Robin could see the desperation welling up in his eyes. She knew what he was going to ask.

"So are you going to the movies?"

"I don't know, Riv. I'm grounded and I can't just sneak out- I mean, I've never snuck out before because there was never any reason to. My parents are very lenient and I never had to sneak out, honest."

"I guess you're right. I don't wanna have to make you lie to your parents. Well, if they change their minds about you being grounded... just give me a call," River grinned at her and she shook her head lightly. He ambled away back to his house, his hands bunched in the front pockets of his jeans.

"Of course, Riv. I'll see you."

"Not if I see you first," River's head turned with the swish of his golden blond locks and he granted her a dulcet wink. Robin's insides fluttered, and she slouched her shoulders and smiled.

When he'd disappeared into the front room of his house, Robin sighed morosely and twirled around on the heel of her foot, grasping her stuffed English binder tight to her chest. She fished in her pocket for her keys and they dangled by her ring finger until she plunged them into the keyhole. Senna and Stag were out in the backyard and didn't bother greeting her at the door. Her mother was sprawled out across the couch, picking her teeth noisily with a toothpick and smacking her lips each time she turned the toothpick. The T.V. glared in front of her and she dazedly switched channel to channel.

"Hi Robin. How was school?" her mother asked, not bothering to turn her head. Robin shrugged, peering down into her English binder at the notes that had already crumpled in there despite it being only the second week of school. She smiled towards her mother nonetheless and chirped,

"Great. Uh, mom..."

Robin stalled, trying to pass time so she could think of a way to get out of the house for the movies.

"Yes?"

"Um... I was just - just looking at your hair!" Robin's voice perked up and she swiveled around the couch to sit at the end of it where her mother's feet rested. She crossed her left leg over the right leg which was dangling above the floor and rested her elbow on her knee, placing her face comfortable in her open palm. A cheeky smile lit up her naturally narrow eyes and she gazed at her mom in awe. "Did you do something to it?"

Her mother chuckled quietly, glancing at Robin with a strange look in her eyes,

"No? Why?"

"It just looks so curly and cute! Your curls are so vibrant. And ya know, mom, you have been looking so freaking young lately. What's up with that, are you using that rosewater spray I made you?!" Robin fired questions at her mother frantically, and her mother furrowed her brows in suspicion, leaning over begrudgingly to reach for the TV remote and shut the TV off.

"All right. What is it that you want? You had me at 'you've been looking so freaking young lately'," her mother imitated Robin's brown-nosed ways, though her preeminent sugary sweet Southern accent didn't match Robin's at all, who didn't have as much of that Southern accent as her mother.

Robin rolled her eyes playfully,

"Well, I... I was wondering if you could perhaps um- maybe revoke my grounding?"

Robin's words became harder to hear and mumbled towards the end of her sentence. Her mother made a face, cupping her ear and leaning towards Robin,