white boys (river phoenix)

41

"Well, besides the whole turkey tradition and all, we try to look at the true meaning behind each holiday. I mean, it's not really a day of celebration for Native Americans, don't you think?" River inquired.

Robin raised a brow and shrugged nonchalantly,

"I dunno, I never thought of it that way. I guess it's because I'm not Native American."

They both chuckled and River smiled,

"That's true. Well, look at it this way- it's like celebrating someone else's misfortune. Like if I failed a test and you celebrate it, but ten times as worse. Maybe even a thousand."

The wheels in Robin's brain were definitely turning now. River was always feeding her head, giving her advice and showing her new things. He was always saying something, and nearly everything he said made you think, or made you want to learn more about what he was talking about. That was another thing Robin enjoyed about River- he was inquisitive and wise, and changing her perspective on lots of things. She wasn't at all ignorant, just not involved like River was. River didn't just want change.

He wanted to be the change. But he knew not to be selfish, and that the change he wanted to see would need not only his help, but the world's help. He wanted to be an activist for a living. He was most interested in ethics and environmental health, but anything involving social justice was right up his alley. It was really something, just to hear him talk about doing what he loved- helping others and the world they live in.

"Misfortune?" Robin questioned- she hadn't really truly studied Thanksgiving since fifth grade.

"The genocide of the indigenous people," River said stonily.

"It's real awful. You know something funny?"

"What?"

"We never studied that really. I mean, at my old school in Georgia. We kinda just skimmed over that unit entirely. We just talked about how in 1492-"

"Columbus sailed the ocean blue," They said in unison, and River scoffed, rolling his eyes.

He leaned in close to her as if sharing with her a conspiracy,

"It's bullshit Robin. Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but he didn't find North America. He then committed genocide against innocent people. And they don't teach us this shit because they think we're too young. But we have to know!"

He was raising his voice now. He did that a lot when he talked about things that upset him about the world- which was a lot of things. He wasn't angry, per say, just a little worked up. It was cute to Robin how much he cared, and the fact that he didn't even realize he was doing it. You could tell he really did care.

"Definitely," she nodded, putting on her listening face like she always did when he went off like this, to give him a sense of leadership.

"And fuck any school or textbook writer who says different," he shook his head, then took a sip of soda.

Robin chuckled to herself and grinned, patting him on the arm and squeezing to show moral support,

"Your mother raised you well."

River locked eyes with her and grinned,

"That she did. Your mom did too."

"She had to have raised me well for me to be with you," Robin quipped.

"Speaking of your mother..."

Robin knew what River was talking about before he even brought it up, yet already she was shaking her head and making an X with her arms. She barked,

"No."

"But why not?" River began to whine, pouting juvenilely.

"No way!"

For quite some time now, about a week after they became official, River had been talking about meeting Robin's parents. He wasn't obsessive about it, but he kept on asking her when he knew the answer was no. Nothing she could say would change his mind either. Ever since Thanksgiving break started coming up, he had this idea that his family and her family could all spend Thanksgiving together. But Robin couldn't have despised the idea more- it wasn't that she wasn't fond of River officially meeting her parents, but she definitely wasn't fond of the many reactions her parents were bound to have.

"I think it would be nice to spend Thanksgiving together," River shrugged.

"River, you already met my parents," Robin sighed.

"Okay, but I haven't really been able to sit down and talk to them. And doesn't your mom think I'm gay?" he raised a brow and glared at her.

"Right, so what I'm saying is... what I'm trying to say is that- you know what, Riv, forget it. I just don't think it would be a good idea, that's all! I mean, they barely know you, and like you said, they think you're gay. All I'm saying is, we should at least wait a couple months before I introduce you to my parents. Don't you understand?" Robin emphasized, trying to preach to him.
River nodded solemnly,

"Yeah."

Robin pouted,

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

To reassure her, River turned to face her and put his hand on her thigh, giving it a squeeze. He smiled at her, his blue eyes glimmering through those round rimmed glasses that Robin thought looked so adorable on him.

"Never." He lifted his hand, and reached out, his hand in front of her's. "Gimme some skin."

She rolled her eyes playfully, but did it anyway- a sign of forgiveness and resignation.

next chapter coming soon!

it's gonna jump around a bit. 

we're gonna go from early december to mid december, just to speed things up a bit. 

love u guys!