white boys (river phoenix)

46

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Chapter Forty Six

"You're not serious, are you?" was the first thing anyone said, and it came out of her dad's mouth.

"Yes?" Robin squeaked timidly.

Robin looked around the room and was met with a variety of expressions she never thought could be conveyed all at once. Her mother- a slightly shocked and blank stare in River's direction; River, a small, awkward and shy grin; Ariella, a half open mouth and eyes that darted between Robin and River and Jesus; Jesus, a confused and somewhat hurt expression, his bottom lip in his teeth; Ariella's mother, a forced smile. But Robin's dad was steaming mad. As dark skinned as he was, his face was a deep reddish purple color and his eyes were bug-like, the veins at his neck standing out.

"Robin Indera Skye!" her dad shouted, using her full name which was always, always, a bad sign in the black community.

"Hugh, calm down," her mother coaxed him, gently holding onto his arm.

He ripped free of her grasp and began to march towards Robin, who was glued in her spot. He was muttering and spitting and Robin's eyes were wide. Her mother's pleads: "Hugh, enough!" weren't enough. Robin knew he wasn't going to hurt her or anything, but what he was about to say might hurt just as much as an ass whooping. But before her dad even got to her, Jesus stepped protectively in front of Robin, holding his arms out at each side of him.

"Hey, hey. Just, everyone calm down," Jesus tried to reason, and Robin thanked him in her head- the fact that he would even defend Robin in any way of the sort even after what she had said was astonishing to her. How could she ever forget him, she wondered now.

"Boy, get your ass on out the way," her dad rolled his eyes and Jesus stepped aside immediately, his voice now barely even a croak,

"Yes sir."

Robin felt her dad's eyes look at her with, not disgust, but disbelief and disappointment. Not able to stand the feeling of his eyes burning deep into her and the sound of his breathing coming angrily from his nostrils, she looked down to the floor.

"Really, Robin? After everything you've been through?" her dad questioned, but she didn't give him an answer. Still he prodded. "Huh? After what we agreed to? You, me, and your mother? You're just gonna let us down like that?"

"Hugh," Robin's mom said fruitlessly. His head whipped around to face her. She shook her head slowly. "Let's talk about this some other time."

"Some other time?" Robin's father scoffed. "How long has he been your boyfriend?"

He folded his arms and leaned back, watching Robin as she mustered up the courage to speak. It came out a low utter, a plea for help,

"Two months."

"What?" her dad barked.

And now the tears were coming. Looking up hesitantly, she quickly wiped them from her face,

"Two months."

"Birdy, don't cry," Ariella chimed distantly, but the tears continued to stream down her face.

Both Jesus and River crowded around Robin to comfort her out of instinct, but it was clear to Jesus that it wasn't his place when he saw River try to hold her hand. Robin's father looked over at River, then to Robin, and scoffed,

"I just don't get it. After everything we've done for you."

That did it. Robin sniffled loudly, sucking up all the snot and tears, raising her voice,