ᵖᵃʳᵗ ²⁰ - sʜᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡs
❛ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ ❜
When she woke up the next morning, she had almost forgotten about the event last night, but as she stared at the ceiling the thoughts came rushing back.
When she was getting ready, there was a pip in her step, the confidence she's never felt before, that would not be dwindled down by the thunder and grey clouds outside.
She made it down the stairs, frowning at the vacant home, forgetting her parents went on a business trip, and Steve already left for work.
The girl got her sweater, tying it around her waist, before leaving the house.
Just as she left the house and locked the door, the phone rang.
On the other side of the phone, Max groaned when no one picked up.
"She didn't pick up."
El looked at the girl in paranoia, holding the fanny pack she found in Billy's bathroom, the bloody whistle in the other.
"I don't get why you're looking at girls when you have the perfect one in front of you."
Imogen furrowed her brows when she saw her brother and Dustin squatted behind one of the plants in the mall, big binoculars in hand.
"Seriously, if you say Robin again--" Steve rolled his eyes.
"Robin."
Imogen crouched behind them, "What are we doing?"
Steve glanced at his sister, ruffling her hair in greeting while Dustin shrugged, "Trying to get Steve a girlfriend."
"Who's the candidate?"
"Robin."
Imogen's frown didn't go unnoticed by Steve but did by Dustin.
"No, she's not my type," Steve stated. "She's not even...in the ballpark of my type."
"What's your type again? Not awesome?" Dustin questioned.
Steve could tell his sister was upset, wanting to shout at Dustin to stop, to tell him he wasn't the one that liked Robin but he would never out his baby sister like that.
Imogen inhaled, getting up from her position, "I think I'm gonna go say hi to Robin."
Steve glared at Dustin, before watching his sister walk away slumped.
"Hey." Imogen greeted the girl.
Robin squinted at her friend, confused when Immy wasn't energetic. "What's up?"
"Nothing, just not feeling good." Imogen dismissed, her eyes latching onto the notebook and walkman on the counter. "Have you figured it out, yet?"
Robin groaned, running a hand through her hair. "No, but I'm close, I can feel it. Come on, I'll tell you what I got."
Robin grabbed her hand, dragging her into the back of the shop, both the girl's taking a seat on the table.
Robin took a sip of her drink, handing it to Imogen, who took a drink too, no question.
"The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west. A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly."
"Tread lightly?" Imogen questioned.
Robin was about to open the Russian dictionary when a knock sounded from the door leading to the back halls.
Robin sighed, putting the book down, and walking towards the door.
"Delivery for you." The man said handing Robin a large box.
Imogen got up and grabbed the box for her while Robin signed for the package.
Robin's eyes trailed the name on the man's uniform, LYNX.
"Have a nice day." he smiled.
"You too."
The man walked away, his back turned their way, Robin huffed a laugh when she saw the silver cat on his back with the LYNX Transportation logo.
"Silver cat."
Robin turned towards Imogen with a grin, "I think I got it."
Imogen furrowed her brows, gasping when Robin grabbed her hand, pulling them out the shop, past Dustin and Steve, who were arguing.
Robin dragged them towards the middle of the mall, standing on the edge of the fountain with plants around it.
"A trip to china sounds nice," Robin muttered, her eyes latched onto the Chinese restaurant a few feet away.
"If you tread lightly." Imogen read off the rest, from the notepad in Robin's hand.
"If you tread lightly," Robin repeated, gesturing to the shoe store.
"When blue meets yellow in the west." Robin looked around.
Imogen's eyes trailed around, tapping on Robin's arm.
Robin turned, staring where Imogen was pointing, at the big clock, its arms yellow and blue.
"What are you guys doing?" Steve questioned, him and Dustin walking up to them.
"We cracked it," Robin smirked, grabbing Imogen's hand.
"Cracked what?" Steve asked, glancing at their hands giving Imogen a pointed look as she blushed.
"The code."
It was hours later, late once again, the mall was closed, but the four were on the roof of the building in their sweaters and raincoats since it was pouring out.
"Look for Imperial Panda and Kaufman Shoes," Robin said over the clap of thunder.
Dustin looked through his binoculars, staring at the large truck backing in, the intimidating guys waiting by the large drop-off.
"They're with the whistling guy. Ten o'clock." Dustin stated.
"What do you think's in there?" Steve questioned.
"Guns?" Imogen suggested.
"Bombs?" Dustin added.
"Chemical weapons?" Robin glanced at Imogen, who closed her eye when a raindrop fell in.
"Whatever it is, they're armed to the teeth."
"Great." Steve ran a hand through his soaked hair. "That's just great."
Imogen flinched when the thunder hit close.
"Hey what's in there?" Robin asked when she saw one of the guys open the door with a key card.
"Just more boxes."
"Let me check it out." Steve tried to grab the binoculars from Dustin but the boy held on.
"No, I'm still looking."
"Lemme see it."
Robin and Imogen winced when the boys bumped into the metal vent, creating a loud bang alerting the men below them.
"Duck," Dustin whispered harshly when he saw the guns the men began to point their way.
Robin grabbed Imogen, holding the girl against her front out of sight from the men.
The group hurried back into the mall when they heard one of the men coming up towards the roof.
"I think we found your Russian's." Robin rose a brow at Dustin.
The soaked group grabbed their stuff and hurried out the mall as quickly as they could, all shuffling into Steve's car.
"You want to sleep over?" Imogen whispered to Robin, who sat next to her while Dustin took the front with Steve.
Robin turned towards the girl, "Sure."
When the three arrived at the Harrington house, Steve stopped Imogen from following Robin up the stairs.
"No funny business." Steve rose his brows in a warning.
Imogen rolled her eyes with a chuckle, whispering. "She's not gay."
Steve shrugged, "Never know."
Imogen shook her head, running up the stairs to her room, seeing Robin looking around.
"You like?" Imogen wiggled her eyebrows.
Robin chuckled, her eyes trailing around the room, she's never been over to the Harrington home, them always opting to hang at her place.
"Sure."
Imogen walked over to her closet, taking out some of her clothes and handing them to Robin. "You could change, the bathroom's just the door over."
Robin took the clothes and went to change.
While she was gone, Imogen quickly changed into shorts and a big hoodie, turning when Robin stood by the door her wet clothes in hand.
Robin walked around the room when Imogen took her uniform to wash, Robin stopped by the full-length mirror.
Her brows furrowed when she saw the picture of Imogen and Issa, Issa on Immy's back, kissing her cheek.
Robin saw the look on Issa's face, one of pure love.
She and Issa used to be friends, they weren't super close but close enough to have sleepovers and gossip.
The two were in band together, spending most of their time jamming out to random songs Arlo would play.
Robin remembered Issa telling her she was dating someone, a look of pure love on her face, but Issa never said who that was.
Robin sighed, remembering the speech Imogen gave at Issa's funeral. Yes, she was there, her and Arlo with a few others, they were in the back.
Robin always felt hit by the speech, something feeling too raw about it, too deep.
"Hey."
Robin spun quickly around.
Imogen glanced at what Robin was looking at, a heaviness in her heart before she smiled. "It's my favorite picture I have with her."
Robin took a seat next to Imogen on the bed, "You guys were really close, huh?"
"The closest." Imogen nodded, a soft huff coming from her.
"Did they ever find out what caused her... death?"
Imogen swallowed, not wanting to get into the details. "A lot of crazy shit happened that year."
Robin scanned her face, taking in the hesitance, her eyes landing on the ring.
Her hand reached out, her fingers grazing the metal, her eyes connected with Imogen's, glancing at the girl's lips.
A knock on the door broke them apart.
Imogen cleared her throat, "Come in."
Steve poked his head in before taking a step in. "I just want to make sure you do your journal--"
"--Steve."
"--Hey, just because she's here doesn't mean you get to slack off." Steve pointed a finger at his sister, before giving her a kiss on the forehead, ruffling her hair.
Robin bit her lip to hold in a laugh at the siblings.
"Okay." Imogen nodded, trying to stop the blush on her cheeks.
Steve looked between them before telling them goodnight.
"Journal?" Robin asked when the boy left.
Imogen puffed her cheeks out, dismissing it. "It's just a thing my therapist makes me do."
"You never told me you see a therapist. I thought we knew everything about each other."
"It's nothing. I just have had problems these past two years."
Robin nodded, watching the girl grab a book from her side table.
Robin looked away from the book when she realized this was Imogen's journal.
"Why do you have so many hoodies?" Robin chuckled, staring into the closet that was open.
Imogen looked up, "They're mostly my dad's, I wear them because they make me feel...safe."
Robin stared at the girl concerned, before shaking it off. "Are you gonna tell me what happened these past two years?"
Imogen bit her lip, "If this whole Evil Russian thing is somehow related...maybe."
Robin rose her brows, wondering what that meant.
The two sat in comfortable silence.
Something they both liked, they didn't need to speak to enjoy each other. Each other's presence was enough for them.
Imogen sighed, rubbing her eyes before closing off her letter, with Sincerely me.
"I um--sleep with the light on--"
Robin gave the girl a soft smile, "It's fine, really."
Imogen nodded, the purple lamp being the only thing lighting up the room.
The two got into bed, on their sides, facing each other, under the covers.
"Did you love her?" Robin's voice was a whisper like she was scared to ruin the quiet bubble.
Imogen put one hand under her head, her other in between them. "I...yeah. I never really said anything though."
"What do you mean?"
"Me and her were closer than you think--" Imogen stopped herself before she could say anything else.
"--Soulmates," Robin stated what she remembered from the funeral.
"I love her. I wish I could go back and say those words. Three little words, but now...she's gone and doesn't even know I love her."
Robin could sense something in Imogen's voice and the longing in her eyes, recognizing it as the same one she gives Imogen ever since she sat behind the girl in school. "She knows, Mo."
Imogen let out a soft laugh. "You know she was the only one to call me that."
Robin's heart dropped. She didn't know that, and she felt her heartbreak thinking she was hurting Imogen each time she said it. "Do you want me to stop?"
Imogen furrowed her brows, "Not really. Is that bad?"
Robin moved her free hand between them, intertwining her fingers with Imogen's. "No."
──