white boys (river phoenix)

23

Chapter Twenty Three

    (Tuesday). Days like this were days Robin cherished. The sky was clear, but the sun wasn't beating down her head. A breeze circulated the air and her hair participated with her that morning because it wasn't too humid nor too hot. The birds whistled through the trees and other indistinct creatures whispered throughout the bushes, carrying on secret animal messages for miles that only animals could conceive. The part about the animals was what River liked most about these days. He connected with animals of every kind, and if he could have a spirit animal, it would be every single living creature known to mankind.

    Today felt like one of those days because Robin had dodged a bullet that was aiming right for her. Long story short, after her irrational breakdown in front of River, her mother had asked her who he was. The same chill running through the air outside in the school courtyard where Robin and her friends were eating lunch had ran through her body then and there.

     She had gone completely stiff, but in a strained voice, answered that he was a boy who went to her school and she was just dropping off his textbook that he needed for homework that night. She also plead that he was just a touchy-feely person and that he was so glad Robin had found her textbook. And, just for the cherry on the top, he was also gay, which meant her mother wouldn't have to worry about either of them pursuing any kind of interest for each other.

    To this completely bulled story, Robin's mother contemplated, scanning Robin up and down until she smiled warmly and pulled Robin in for a hug. She had patted her on the back and crooned,

    "I believe you honey, you're smart."

Robin was drifting off into the distance, detached from her friends' rowdy conversations and the hustle and bustle of the courtyard around her as more students filed outside with their homemade or otherwise cafeteria-bred lunches. In fact, she had grown completely unaware of the jolly old time that Heather and Feldman were having while Corey watched from a safe, third-wheeling distance. It wasn't until River plopped down in the seat on the wooden bench in front of her that she realized that she was in a world of her own.

       His warm body became increasingly tangible to her as he made himself comfortable, and only then did she bring herself back to the world where her mind was conscious. He slung an arm around her and it rested on her side, his big hand with clean and trimmed fingernails hanging beyond her shoulder. Robin slightly jumped at the feeling and her hand flew to her chest when she felt his cold fingers brush gently across her arm, giving her goosebumps. He made a face, and clenching his jaw naturally as all boys seemed to do, his head craned towards her, his eyes staring down at her lap and the ground beneath his Vans.

     "You good?" he muttered, as if he were trying to keep the question between the two of them.
    
      "Yeah, just tired... thinking, too," Robin replied wearily, sighing out loud and allowing her head to fall to the side so it rested on River's shoulder.

River's hand lifted up to pet Robin's head and they looked like a couple modeling for Calvin Klein at that point. Before River could respond, everyone around them were hooting and whooping immaturely. Robin glared up at them, biting at her nails.

     "I see you River," Corey winked, then letting out an odd growling noise.

     "Yeah, go get some!" Feldman echoed, and River sucked his teeth, balling his fists up at his sides.

    "Man I'll really punch you in the face," River threatened, and from the change in his flower child tone, she could tell he was serious.
    Feldman could too, because he backed off,