white boys (river phoenix)

49

Chapter Forty Nine

With the house practically empty, Robin had space for herself. With Ariella's mom and Robin's mom at the farmer's market along with Ariella and Jesus, and River and her father hanging out at the football game, Robin could finally focus on her writing for the contest. She had spent the last few days surrounded by friends and family and hadn't had much time to work on what it was she was so set on writing. She wasn't complaining about the fact, because she loved this time of year, but she had been so eager to write that having some time alone was precious. She was able to write a few things, but now she could add onto them, and although she wasn't sure when she'd be done, she was glad she had at least started a few days prior.

The day River came over for dinner with Robin's family and spoke to her father, Robin knew what it was she wanted to write about. She had been toying with multiple ideas for a topic but had never picked them up, willing to procrastinate and let it come to her. But back then things weren't as settled as they were now, not as clear to her. Now that Robin's family was fully aware of her situation and on the path to acceptance, Robin figured she had ought to write about her own path, by telling her own story. She decided what she would write would not be the average fictional story or poem she tended to crank out, but a reflection of her own journey along the following year.

If Robin could time travel back to the beginning of 1987, or even the first ripe summer day of that year, her journey would have just barely begun. Now the year was almost over and yet her journey was still in its prime time. It was a documentation of an evolution of sorts, because she had started out hiding her significant other from her parents and now that same boy was spending time with her parent without her. If that wasn't growth, Robin didn't know what was. But not only had her relationship grown, but she had too. Everyone changes physically and mentally throughout the course of the year, usually with a specific goal in mind. But that change is so refreshing and new when it involves love, and how love has impacted you as a person. Robin would probably always be the same calm, adaptable person she had been, just perhaps a little less gray, like she was naturally, but also because of her struggles with her self- image. And of course, it wasn't only River who brought her this sense of self-realization and started her journey to self acceptance, meeting him was a chunk of what started it.

So she sat in her bed, notebook and pen in hand, and began to write, and hoped that it would come together.

By the time her family came back, Robin had started the draft and hadn't stopped writing since then except to get some water and some fruit. It had been about two hours and now she was helping everyone put the groceries away, since they were out of food from having devoured Christmas leftovers from the past week. Robin was hanging out with Ariella and Jesus and baked some more cookies as per tradition when the door opened again. Just after placing the cookie tray in the oven Robin ran to go see who was there, although she knew it was River and her father.

They had been in the back of her mind too all day, tucked in a little crevice behind the need to write. They had planned to hang out almost a week ago on this day, to get to know each other and so Robin's father could test out the waters and feel River's personality out, see if it fit his daughter's. Robin had been slightly anxious but River had comforted her nerves slightly by reassuring her that he wasn't going to mess up and that he would do everything in his power to impress her dad. If that wasn't enough to confirm that they were good for each other, Robin didn't know what was. Now Robin's anticipation was amped up again, and when she saw the smile on her dad's face and the way his buff arm was slung around River's weak neck, she knew things had gone according to plan.

"This kid knows everything about football history, ask him anything," Robin's father insisted, pointing excitedly at River who had a humble smile on his face.

River shook his head and meekly said,

"I really don't."

"Sure he does! Robin, ask him anything, I'm serious."

"Really, River?" Robin asked, arms folded over her chest, unable to hide the smile threatening to beam on her face. "You don't strike me as the sporty guy..."

It was true- River was not a Jock, but due to his upbringing he had always been very active. In the summer he went surfing and he played family games of football, basketball, every other sport. So while he wasn't fully blown sporty and playing for school teams, he was athletic.

"I don't tend to strike people as any type of guy," River said with a decided shrug.

Robin looked at how close River and her father were standing and chuckled, shaking her head before quipping,

"You strike me as my boyfriend. Can I have him back, dad?"

Her father's arm dropped and so did his face as he glared at Robin, his eyebrows raised,

"Go ahead."

He pushed River towards Robin and she graciously took his hand with a victorious smile, then graduating to linking arms with him.

"So, I presume the game went well," Robin raised a brow.

"It was fantastic, Patriots won, then we went out to eat and your boyfriend forced me to eat vegan."

"As he should," Robin remarked.

Hours later, when nearly everyone was asleep or getting ready to go to bed, Robin and River were still up late, talking on the couch downstairs. The lights were dim and the TV was off, so it was just the two of them alone together. There was beauty in loneliness together, because when they were isolated from everyone else the only thing they could do was feel each other and be with each other. They were forced to adopt quieter, realer personalities and unable to stop their auras from burning bright, no matter how much they disliked them. And it worked out because the other was always a fan, seeing past their partner's flaws and yet embracing them and nurturing them at the same time. Robin was sat on River's lap in the lotus position, playing with his hair and speaking in a soft voice.

"So you think my dad likes you?" she asked, almost jokingly, but wanting to be serious to make sure. "Like, really likes you beyond the fact that you can cite every fact about football... which I didn't know you could do, that's like some weird hidden talent. Good job."

"Thanks," River laughed, gentle eyes looking down at Robin's legs, then looking back up. He was so encaptured by her beauty, even in the still of the night with it being as dark as it was. "I mean, I think he does. When I asked him if I had his blessing, all he said was, 'River. My daughter really likes you. She really does."

Robin couldn't help but chuckle, although stifled,

"Wait, you like actually asked for his blessing?"

River looked thrown off, face scrunched,

"Well yeah. Well, isn't that the point?"

Robin covered her face, now obviously laughing,

"Yeah but that's so funny to me, of course you would actually ask. Wait, what did you say to him though, like did you literally say the words, 'Mr. Skye, do I have your blessing?'"

River cracked an embarrassed smile and shook his head,

"No. something like that though."

Robin smiled, but then looked into his eyes, becoming serious again, and shifted herself,

"So..." she said expectantly. "What is it, champ? Can you be mine?"

For dramatic effect, River took a long pause, and then he smiled softly, his soft hands embracing her even softer, smaller hands, stroking her fingers,

"I'm yours and you're mine."

The deal was sealed with a kiss, and Robin knew how her writing was going to end. 

only a few more days until winter break is over and the contest is due !!! and things are gonna happen and its guna be grrreat