You're Sitting Across From Me / Ronance

one

She's sitting across from me, Robin Buckley thought, toying with the paper wrapper of a straw with anxious fingers. She took a sip of her way too hot coffee, fighting the urge to sputter as the liquid scalded her tongue. Perhaps the burns would keep her from saying something stupid, as she often did. Perhaps this time she would say something anyway.

She's sitting across from me again, Nancy Wheeler observed, suppressing a small smile. She watched Robin's eyes widen as she gulped down scorching coffee, and laughed to herself when she kept drinking anyway. Dork.

Across the diner, Steve Harrington rolled a quarter over his knuckles as he strode to the jukebox. He cast a glance over his shoulder, finding Robin across the checkered floor of the small shop, hoping the plan had finally kicked into motion. He sighed as Nancy browsed the menu and Robin avoided eye contact at all costs, knee bouncing nervously.

"Come on, Buckley," he mumbled, waiting for the signal to insert his quarter and start the song.

This was not the first time Robin had attempted this plan- go out for breakfast as a group, have Steve put on one of Nancy's favorite songs, and Robin finally confesses her feelings. Every time Robin assured him this was the day, she was really gonna do it, but then she would look across the table at those big blue eyes and get lost in them.

"Birdie?" Nancy said softly, not looking up from her menu.

The nickname sent Robin into a panic and grounded her at the same time. She stilled her leg, attention fully on the other girl. "Yeah, Nance?"

"Getting your usual?"

"My usual?"

"Scrambled eggs. Three pieces of bacon."

"I-" Robin smiled broadly. "Yeah. Hadn't noticed I had a usual, I guess."

"You've brought me here three times now. Kind of our spot."

Robin sucked in a breath, heart aching. Our spot. Nancy knew her order. She noticed the little ritual, and accepted it. She accepted Robin, with her mile a minute thoughts and her inane rambles. She was willing to sit across from her, morning after morning, time after time, even when Robin was too nervous to speak, even when all they shared was stolen glances and stale cups of coffee.

She'd been staring too long now, Robin realized. Her eye line shifted out the window, taking in the late summer morning. The sun coated the scene in vibrant light as birds flitted about hardy trees, as flowers bloomed through the cracks in the sidewalk outside. It was beautiful. So was she.

Nancy shook her head amusedly, hiding her smile behind the sticky laminated menu. She saw through all of Steve and Robin's plans; neither one specialized in subtle. She knew Robin had something to say, something she was working up courage toward, and all Nancy could do was wait. Any prompting was sure to spook Robin, and Nancy had all the time in the world, anyway. Secretly, she hoped Robin's plans never fully developed, as she came to cherish these diner dates of theirs.

"How was the coffee?" Nancy asked after a beat, finally deciding on her meal.

"Hot," Robin said, cringing as soon as the word left her lips. "Good. It was good."

"I may order some too, what do you think?"

"Yep. Yeah."

Robin's leg resumed bouncing, but Nancy stretched out one of her own under the table, gently bumping the manic limb. Nancy shot Robin a look of reassurance, a look saying it's just me, and Robin took a breath, steadying herself.

Steve shot a meaningful look to his best friend. He held up the quarter urgently, and Robin locked eyes with him briefly before shifting to Nancy's inquisitive ones. Big mistake.