white boys (river phoenix)

39

Chapter Thirty Nine

**UNEDITED, SORRY!!!

"So, what's the plan for tonight, Robin?" Robin's dad asked.

It was about an hour until her friends would be coming over to take her to the Halloween party and go trick or treating. Within those few hours, Robin had been lying around thinking and consuming herself as per usual. River was now her actual boyfriend- and she thought maybe the realization didn't hit until now. On one hand, it got rid of the fact that she was denying her feelings, and would probably get rid of any romantic tension between them, but on the other hand, it just opened up the door to a whole new chapter of problems, the biggest the parents. And now, she didn't know what to make of herself- it was like she had decompressed into a pile of yucky, sticky, icky goo, and it was clinging to her like super glue.

She had been sprawled out on the couch when they came home, absentmindedly watching TV, and she looked up at the both of them, who were taking off their hats and coats,

"Oh, hey- my friends and I are going to this Halloween party and then afterwards we're going trick or treating."

"Aw, that's nice," Robin's mom looked up at her dad with an endeared smile on her face. "Well, you kids have fun. We'll be up all night, watching horror movies and handing out treats to kids."

"But mostly tricks," Robin's father shrugged, and Robin's mom rolled her eyes and dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"You ever crave sweets?" Robin's mother asked suddenly, her face going blank.

Robin furrowed her brows,

"I dunno, I guess. Usually when I'm on my period. Why, are you?"

Robin's mom laughed and shook her head,

"Oh, please, Birdy, I haven't had my period since-"

She paused suddenly, her eyes going wide. Robin waited for her mother to come back to earth, but she just stood still as if she were in shock. She raised a questioning brow.

"Since?" Robin prodded.

Suddenly, her mother laughed and shook her head,

"Nevermind." She switched the topic intermittently. "You should call Ariella, ask her how she's doing, if Christmas is still on."

Her mother walked away unsteadily and Robin made a face, not sure what was wrong with her. But she did realize she needed to call Ariella and give her an update, because she hadn't yet told her that River was her boyfriend.

Even though he probably won't be in a couple of weeks, since you're so impulsive.

Shut up, me.

So she lugged herself off of the couch and made her way up to her room, closing the door and locking it shut. She definitely did not want anyone to hear her.

"Mom, dad, I'm about to get on the phone!" she called down the stairs, and she heard some murmur of understanding.

She plonked down on the bed and rolled her body out, laying on her side across the bed. She dialed the number she knew best and sat through the ring. When Ariella picked up, there was loud music playing in the background- Halloween party, Robin knew. Ariella's mother sometimes threw a Halloween bash, although not every year. In fact, Ariella's mother threw a lot of parties, mostly to fill in the void still left from Ariella's deceased father. But Robin tried to divert her attention away from that.

"Hello?" Ariella said into the phone, her voice slightly muffled because of the loud music.

"Ari, it's me," Robin answered.