hey guysss!! so i have two songs for this chapter. one is 'every man gets his wish' by lana del rey, the other is 'human behavior' by bjork. i'm going to link the videos to these songs at some point throughout the chapter. i literally listened to lana while writing the scene where they're at johnny rockets and bjork while they're at dennis' house... so if you wanna better reading experience listen to those at those points!!!!
Chapter Twenty Seven
(Thursday). Today was it, the day Robin had been dreading all week. Since her last encounter with Dennis, she'd put on a happy face so her friends - especially River - wouldn't get worried and ask questions. She did not want to be put up on. No matter how much she smiled and laughed and winked and wood and buzzed and chirped, she could feel the confession spilling up her throat like bile. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to find out. So, she kept swallowing it down, refreshing her worn out smiles with another one.
Last period was slowly approaching and slowly swallowing her up. She was being sucked into the vortex of her own mind and its extensive, hallucinatory thoughts. She wanted nothing more than for the day to be over. Even then, when the school day was over, she'd still have to find a way to zip out of there and make some bull excuse for River and her other friends, and have to discreetly leave the premises with Dennis. In Dennis' roaring, fast car which everyone noticed. She felt like she was a celebrity trying to devise a plan for escaping the heat of the paparazzi, not wanting to have to deal with the evasive questions from reporters, or worse, being exposed.
She walked through the halls while chewing pink bubblegum which had lost its sugary taste in her mouth. She rapidly walked and kept her hands in fists at her sides, her eyes seeming to only be able to focus in on the rush of students coming in towards her and around her. Everything seemed to be moving in fast motion around her and her eyes flickered from here to there. Panicked, she hummed a tune to herself, the sweat breaking down her forehead, her nails digging into the flesh of her hands.
"Hey!" River cried out, breaking her spaced out bubble.
She nearly gasped as she turned to him, and her vision focused.
"Hi!" she exclaimed too loudly, and smiled too wide.
He smiled back and hugged softly at her waist, then let go.
"You ready for another half assed English class?" Robin began to laugh hysterically, rocking her head back and forth. River chuckled softly along with her, and when he stopped, he realized she hadn't. She was laughing so hard, her face growing so red, it looked as though she might burst. Tears were threatening to stream down her face by how hard she was straining it. He made a face, confused. "You okay?"
Robin opened her mouth to respond, and her gum went down the wrong tube, making her gasp for air as she choked on the flavorless glob of gum that she had unwisely added pieces to as the day went on. She patted at her chest as they both turned the corner that led to the open door to English class, and it slipped down after that.
"I'm fine!"
"You sure? You just choked-"
"I know!" she yelled, sounding more angry than peppy like she had intended to sound. Then, her eyes went glossy and she smiled sort of loopily. "I'm fine."
The tables in class were set back up normally. River and Robin sat at the table they sat at with Feldman and Corey while other students filed in. Robin had her arms folded and she was still smacking at her gum, her eyes looking down at the gray table. River rattled on and on about the class and what was on the whiteboard, oblivious to the fact that Robin was paying him no attention. She wasn't even trying to pretend that she was listening to him, but he just kept going anyway, sitting sideways in his chair, only one side of his face pointing in Robin's direction.
Soon enough, Feldman and Corey rushed to sit at the table they usually sat at with River and Robin. Robin took a few deep breaths, folding her hands together at the table and trying to find her peace. In just forty five minutes, Dennis' sick plan would commence.
"Alright class, settle down, settle, settle," Mr. A instructed.
When the bell rang, Robin darted out of her seat, the strap of her backpack getting caught on the arm of her chair. She grumbled incoherently to herself and ripped the strap off of the chair, flinging her backpack over her shoulders.
"Where ya goin'?" Corey Haim asked in that high-pitched voice of his.
"Yeah!" Feldman roared. "You don't have work today, you could come hang with us."
"No can do!" Robin trilled, already on her way out the classroom. "Babysitting- can't be late!"
"Who the hell's kids are you babysitting? Tell 'em go to hell!" Feldman bellowed, receiving a smack on the arm from River.
"Shut up, Feldman."
Once she was out of the door, Robin skidded this way and that, not even going to her locker. She'd already gone during lunch, triple-checking that she had everything, just so that if Dennis were to see her at her locker after school, he wouldn't get any funny ideas and decide to talk to her in plain sight. At least when they were outside, more students were still getting their stuff. Her friends usually looked for each other or more friends depending on their schedule, so Robin crossed her fingers and prayed she'd have time before they came out front.
Robin was surely creating a scene. She nearly bumped into some tuba guy and almost knocked over a model of the solar system as she steered her way out of the school. She screeched to a halt at a corner where some girl was holding a big cake in her hand (courtesy of the cooking class only honors students could take), almost toppling the cake over.
"Hey, watch it!" the girl's nasally voice whined, and Robin rolled her eyes, sliding to the right.
Her method probably wasn't the best- she was running through the hallways like a madman, and was only making herself more conspicuous. So, taking a look around at all the students in their tight-knit circles who were staring her down, she slowed down. She gave them a quick nod before pressing her arms tight to her side and power-walking stiffly to the the front of the school. The double doors were close now. Almost there, almost - and finally, Robin pushed open the double doors. The cool almost Autumn breeze caressed Robin's skin. She sighed to herself, relieved, and closed her eyes for a while, calming herself. But, she didn't get too far before she heard a voice practically explode in her ear,
"Hey!"
"Jesus H. Christ, what the-"
"Hey, hey, calm down. It's just me, angelface," Dennis winked from beside her, and he nudged her shoulder.
"I hate you. Remember this," Robin sneered, her nostrils flaring.
Dennis nodded and licked his lips,
"Yeah, but do you really?"
"I sure do."
He laughed and led her to his car, which was parked not too far away. He swung his keys around his fingers and opened the door. He slid into the sleek, white convertible and leaned over to open her door for her, which was the door to the front passenger seat. At unbelievable speed, she stepped into the car, nearly sitting on his hand, and slammed the car door. She swiped the seatbelt around her body and buckled up, hanging her head down immediately after, trying to conceal herself from the rest of the students in and around the parking lot. She even placed her hand on the side of her face, oblivious to Dennis looking her up and down, amused.
"Gee, you really do hate me."
"Drive."
"That's how to work this thing, isn't it?" Dennis replied under his breath, cranking the keys in the ignition and roaring out of the parking lot.
Students swore and cursed at him as he nearly plowed them over, and they ran this way and that to save themselves from facing his fatal wrath. He earned himself a glare from Robin, who practically ducked beneath the dashboard, not wanting to be seen by the lot of students Dennis had almost ran over. He flipped them off, stretching his arm out the window and turning up his middle finger. Finally, they escaped the parking lot, not without him swerving impractically into the street.
Once they had gotten a logical distance away from the school, Robin's hand left the side of her face and she looked up, the air whipping against her face.
"Remove head from sphincter, then drive!" Robin shouted.
He made a face, closing up one eye real tight, the corner of his mouth turning up. He pretended to clear the wax from his ear,
"What's a sphincter?"
"Anal muscle," she muttered, emitting a laugh from him.
"Nice."
He had the top down and his sunglasses on, the sun beating down on their faces. He drove with his lip in between his teeth and his seat reclined too far back to be safe, just so he could look cool. But, secretly, Robin praised how fast he was driving. There was no other place she didn't want to be at this moment than on the road, and the way he was driving, they'd be to Johnny Rockets in no time.
He got up slightly just so he could turn the radio on, and instead of scowling, Robin silently thanked him. At times like these, music was the one thing that could heal her mind. She could blow her protective bubble again and feel safe, just like that. She noticed the song right when the piano started too, and then the guitar chimed in, which made her feel even better.
She hummed softly to herself and murmured some of the words,
"I wanted to be with you alone and talk about the weather."
Dennis smiled,
"Oh, she speaks - without insulting!"
"Not speaking, singing," Robin muttered, and reverted to humming quietly to herself.
"Sure, sure. So, what are you gonna get from Johnny Rockets?"
"I don't know. Whatever you get."
"So if I get an Angus cheeseburger with large chili cheese fries, an ice cream sundae and a large soda, you're gonna get it too?"
Robin scoffed, though she believed him. He was a football player, he had to be big and strong and... an asshole apparently.
"Are all guys as assumptive as you?"
Dennis guffawed,
"What do ya mean?"
"You think I'm not gonna be able to eat all that?" Robin asked, tilting her head towards him and looking at him for the first time since they'd gotten in the car.
"Well, honestly... no."
"Why's that?" Robin asked, perking her head to the side. When he didn't respond, she urged him. "Hmm?"
He shrugged and made a face- he hated feeling under attack, especially by girls, and especially especially by girls who he knew could beat his ass if they got mad enough.
"Well, you're just so tiny, I-"
"Tiny? So now I'm an elf, is that it?" Robin chuckled drily, humoring herself.
Dennis let out a noise of indignance and shook his head, beginning to stammer,
"W-well no, I- I meant, you got such a nice body, I didn't think-"
"Oh! So you're suddenly a dictator on what I can and can't eat because in your book, or should I say, playbook, my body is the default standard for nice? Why don't you just be honest and say I should work at Hooters or- or model for Playboy, even, why don't you just say that?" Robin rolled her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temple, clearly irked, but some part of her felt bemused. "Asshole."
"Sure thing," he raised his brows and nodded.
Robin sucked her teeth,
"Nice try. Look, I know your little jig works on all the little girls, but I'm grown. And I'm from the south. Girls aren't as naive down there. "
"Jig? What jig?" Dennis urged, steering right as he turned a corner.
He knew exactly what she was talking about, he just wanted to know if she knew what she was talking about. And if she did, what exactly did she catch on to - meaning, what should he do more of?
"Oh for god's sake, you know."
"I honestly don't. Swear to god," he lied out his ass.
Robin grunted and folded her arms across her chest, shrugging her shoulders way up high and looking out the window, facing the opposite direction,
"You know. The cutesy smile, the bedroom eyes, the innuendos, the discrete compliments. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"So I should do more of that, then," he murmured to himself, and she scrunched her face up, turning back to him,
"Excuse me?"
"Nothin'."
Robin reached forward and turned the radio up louder.
"Oh, man, don't tell me this place doesn't have a drive thru," Robin groaned, squishing her face against the car seat belt as they pulled up to the restaurant, with its title glowing in yellow letters, reminiscent of a fifties diner.
Girls rolled around outside in roller skates and old fashioned waitress outfits, making their way to customers whose cars were parked in the parking lot. The place was buzzing even on a Thursday night, and customers, mostly their age and college age, hung out around and inside the restaurant.
"Wouldn't be a date if it was, would it?" Dennis asked, pulling up into an empty parking space.
"Please. Anything specifies as a date in my book," Robin said, thinking of River and their 7/11 escapade.
"Really?" Dennis inquired.
"Don't get any ideas, buster," Robin warned, knowing that Dennis would now think that anything he did would specify as a date.
"What ideas?" he chuckled.
He slid his sunglasses up to the top of his head so they peeked out from his moussed up hair, and opened his car door. He went over to the other side to open Robin's car door, but Robin was already on it. He was oblivious, and reached for the door handle just as Robin was opening it, intentionally jabbing the edge of the car door into the crotch of his dark blue skinny jeans. He hobbled back and roared out in pain, cursing loudly and hopping back on one leg, his hands hovering over his crotch.
"That's so you don't get any ideas. Remember that feeling if you try to get me anywhere near that area. It'll come again," Robin smiled coldly, closing the door behind her.
"Oh, my fucking - son of a cocksucking whore, what the fuck!" Dennis yelled furiously, bending over and drawing attention to the two. He sounded like an exorcism was being performed on him, and the demon possessing him was a pottymouth sailor.
Robin furrowed her brows,
"Dude, chill out, you're making us look bad."
"Us?!" Dennis exclaimed. "You just slammed the door into my crotch on purpose!"
"Fine. You," Robin responded smartly.
"Oh, god," Dennis moaned, shaking his head and walking behind Robin into the restaurant, ignoring the stares from customers and employees.
Johnny Rockets was a busy place, designed like a fifties diner would be, with a counter seat area with red barstools which kids sat drinking milkshakes, burgers and fries at. A small TV playing a baseball game sat on one of the dining bar tables. Surrounding the barstool was open space and arcade games, and a few small circular dining tables for two. Tucked in at the front of the restaurant were the plush, red leather booth seats separated by larger dining tables.
A blonde waiter with her hair in a high ponytail, wearing a car hop diner uniform speedily approached Dennis. She smiled, her thick rimmed black glasses pushing up on the bridge of her nose,
"How can I help you today, sir?"
"Table for two, please," Dennis replied, his eyes gazing away from the waitress- clearly uninterested.
"Sure! What time is the other person arriving?" the waitress asked, and Robin raised a brow, looking from Dennis to her.
Robin and Dennis were standing right next to each other. Clearly, Robin was the other ½ out of the two people Dennis was referring to. Dennis made a face, his attention reverting back to the waitress. He pointed his thumb at Robin,
"I'm with her."
The waitress shook her head, not understanding, not even taking a look at Robin. So, Robin purposefully let out a long, loud sigh, and the waitress's head slowly turned to Robin,
"Oh! You're... with him?"
"Yes?" Robin furrowed her brows, her chest puffing up in annoyance. "Why's that so hard to believe?"
"Oh, no disrespect, miss. I just didn't think... anyway, let me get you to your table," the waitress gave them both a scrutinizing glare before turning on her heel and walking towards a free booth seat, the one with the red leather couches. Dennis sat on the other side of the table in front of Robin and the waitress laid out two laminated multi page menus in front of them. With an amazingly fake smile and wide eyes, she declared, "We'll be right back as soon as you're ready to order, okay!"
She hurried away and Robin rolled her eyes, folding her arms. She knew this was a bad idea. Less than ten minutes in and already someone besides Dennis was being an asshole. Dennis kept tapping his black shoes against the floor, worriedly looking up at Robin from his menu. Robin was looking through her's, though nothing seemed to interest her at the moment.
"You good?" he asked.
She raised a brow as she glared up at him,
"Are you?"
"Well, yeah. I was just askin' cuz you seem a little tense."
"Tense?" Robin repeated, as if she'd never heard the word before. She puckered her lips and then frowned. "Why would I be tense? It's not like she didn't think I was with you because you're white."
Dennis, who knew she was right, just scoffed and shook his head,
"You got the wrong idea."
Robin gently placed her menu down on the table and smiled at him, bringing her hands together,
"Really? Okay, white boy. Why don't you tell me why she was so surprised to see me with you?"
"She just didn't know, okay? She was confused," Dennis muttered his pathetic excuse.
"Sure. She was confused. Spend a day in my shoes and then let's see what you think," Robin hissed, picking up her menu again and holding it up to her face.
Dennis could feel the tension, watching Robin breathe heavily and grit her teeth, her jaw so tense, it looked like it might crack. He tried to break it with humor, a bad habit he'd picked up along the road.
"Hey, she was into me, though, wasn't she?" Robin simply scoffed, and he tried to backstep. "Look, I'm sorry. You were right. She's an asshole."
"I know."
"You'll forgive me, then?"
"Every man gets his wish," Robin breathed out through her nose.
"Right."
"You figure out what you wanna order? Nothing sounds especially appetizing right now," Robin shrugged, putting the menu back down and leaning back on the couch, struggling to keep her eyes open.
"I think I'm gonna get a double cheeseburger with hot fries. You can handle that, can't you?" he teased, remembering her lecture from not too long ago.
She shook her head and sighed, straightening her back up and looking at him, making eye contact,
"Sure thing. What do you wanna drink?"
"Diet mountain dew. You too?"
"Not a fan," Robin shook her head. "You got any other bright ideas?"
Dennis licked his lips, his eyes glimmering. He simpered, folding his hands together and leaning forward as if to tell Robin some discreet secret only him and her could know, one that had to be kept away from the other customers and employees,
"I wanna buy you a classic white milkshake."
Robin raised a brow at his sly face and flirtatious tone,
"What's so good about a classic white milkshake?"
He smirked, looking immensely satisfied with himself, as if he'd been waiting to say this line all day. Coyly, he remarked,
"Well, you're lookin' at one, angel. You tell me."
Robin shriveled her nose up,
"You're disgusting."
The rest of their lunch had gone by smoothly. Robin, as promised, had finished the entire meal, to Dennis' surprise. A different waitress had replaced the snooty, profiling one. Music blared throughout the restaurant, playing popular songs from fifties doo wop to seventies soul. Dennis had even made Robin laugh a few times, like real, throwing your head back laughter, and on occasion, Robin had to resist the urge to convince herself that Dennis was a good guy. He was all smiles and laughs, a funny guy with maybe not the best intentions, but not terrible ones either.
During the ride home, neither of them spoke to each other, but Dennis played the radio and Robin sang along to the words, Dennis tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Finally, they pulled up to an estate far from Johnny Rockets that was guarded by an electric gate. After turning down the volume of the radio, he rolled down his window and reached his arm out, his fingers pressing a code into the passcode box that was attached to the brick columns supporting the gate. The gate spread open at once, and Robin glanced over at Dennis. If she was asked to spell the word rich, Robin would just spell out Dennis' name.
He drove forward until he reached the garage, pulling into it and shutting off the radio. He rolled his and Robin's windows up, and stepped out of the car. Hesitant to open the door for Robin because of what happened last time, he stopped for a second, trying to decide whether he wanted to risk getting his crotch jammed into again.
Shaking his head, he walked over to the other side and opened the door, but Robin was already on it, making a jerking motion as she slightly opened the car door. Ready to embrace the pain, Dennis winced, and closed up his eyes, only opening them once he heard Robin laughing.
She shook her head when she saw that he was looking down at her,
"Just kidding!"
Dennis rolled his eyes and opened the car door all the way for her, stepping aside so she could get out. He led Robin out of the garage and used his car keys to close the garage door.
She stood with her hands tied behind her back, looking around and taking in the width of his house, which was excessive in size.
"I know," Dennis said under his breath, a troubled look overtaking his features.
He looked down at the ground and continued up the pathway to his house, Robin following close behind. Noticing the change in his demeanor, Robin spoke up,
"I- I used to have a house like this."
Dennis stopped and turned around to face her,
"Really?"
"Yeah... back in Georgia, where I'm from. A nice big estate with peach trees outlining it. A gate too."
"You live around here?" Dennis asked, wondering if maybe she still had a house like this- why wouldn't she?
"No. Closer to the school."
"Oh. That's nice."
He started up walking again, and, surprising herself, Robin hurried to catch up beside him,
"Why don't you like your house?"
"Who said that?" Dennis asked tersely.
Robin shrugged, fishing some hair out of her face, a small, sorrowful smile on her lips,
"You didn't have to."
"I just don't like the place. It's too big. Empty. Gets lonely," Dennis said, walking up the steps and taking the house keys out from under the mat.
"Well, where's your parents?" Robin asked, watching as he pushed the key through the hole and twisted until the door opened, revealing the rest of his house.
The floors were hard and brown, the kitchen was to the right of the both of them and it was elaborate in its marble counters, shiny grey sink, sleek looking fridge, and high-tech oven. There was no clutter anywhere, everything looked spic and span. The couch was to the left of them, where the living room was, with its flat screen TV and white fur rug, beyond them was just extra space, upstairs was where the other rooms were. Three floors in total, though.
Dennis laughed dryly,
"That's a good question."
"What do you mean?" Robin asked, confused.
"What I just said."
"You mean... you don't know where your parents are?" Robin asked, urging him to continue on.
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Dennis said, sticking his tongue out from the side of his mouth.
"Isn't it?'
"Didn't I already tell you this when I apologized to you? My parents are shitheads, " Dennis turned around to face her, his harsh tone startling Robin.
"So they just... disappear?"
"Yeah. They do it every couple weeks. For days, weeks at a time. I don't mind it though. Gives me time to think, be alone."
"I thought you said it was lonely?"
"Not any less lonely with them around. At least when they're not around I can hear myself think."
"So this is why you're such an asshole," Robin thought aloud, not realizing she had actually said those words.
Dennis raised a brow and stared her up and down, and Robin's cheeks flushed when she realized she'd said that out loud.
"Well, I thought I was a swell guy," Dennis said, slightly sarcastically.
"Okay. Let's not forget what we're here for. Tutoring. Test. Tomorrow," Robin enunciated, shooting him a stern glower.
Dennis nodded, folding his arms, the bulk of his muscles popping out,
"Sure. Come on, I'll take you to my room."
Robin shook her head abruptly, blinking,
"Your room?"
His face twitched.
"Yeah. Why, you think I'm gonna chop you up into little pieces and store you in my fridge?"
"No, but you might do something worse," Robin shuddered. Dennis raised his head.
"Like?" Dennis asked, his tongue rolling in his cheek, amused.
"You tell me."
Dennis shrugged,
"Dunno."
Robin's nostrils flared and she scowled at him,
"Try anything, I'll kill you in your sleep."
"Okay. I will try anything," Dennis smiled, beginning to walk backwards, still facing Robin.
She folded her arms, and stood with her two feet apart,
"You mean you will not try anything."
"Right, that," Dennis snorted, turning around and getting a running start at the stairs.
Robin glared over at the winding staircase and shook her head, sighing to herself. The calm before the storm.
Dennis was good at Italian, he just didn't try. He gave up the minute he thought he didn't know the answer, often shrugging and shaking his head, ignoring the question or not translating. He got most of the answers correct, but he also got quite a few wrong. He would look genuinely disappointed when he did, and his hands would cover his face and he would rub his eyes with his fingers before slamming his hands down on his knees, or his fingers would rub at his temples and he'd curse himself out. Robin figured that if he actually did the homework and paid attention in class, he would easily pass Italian.
It had been about forty five minutes since they'd first started. Some soft rock was playing on Dennis' radio at low volume. Dennis' hands were on either side of his head, digging into his temples and pulling his eyes back. He stared down at the open textbook on the desk below him and breathed out through his nose. Robin had just asked him which possession to use in order to say "his name was misspelled."
"Come on, you know this one," Robin said once again.
He cleared his throat and took a guess,
"Suoi?"
Robin shook her head and Dennis grunted.
"Nope. It's suo because-"
Dennis broke out of his posture and faced Robin,
"Look, Robin, I really need to take a break."
"Hey, no, come on, we promised an hour, then a break, then another hour," Robin raised her brow threateningly.
Dennis sighed, tilting his head back and staring up at the wall.
"Alright. Alright, fine. Fifteen more minutes."
"Correct," Robin nodded.
She flipped to the next page in the textbook.
"Okay. Can you tell me what you would use to describe a small quantity of something? Like, if I were to say 'do you want some candy?'; how would you say that in Italian."
"Uh... shit, I dunno," he shook his head.
"Sure you do."
"I really don't. I'm dumb," he shrugged.
Robin frowned and her hand reached for his shoulder. She squeezed it,
"You're not dumb. You just don't try."
"You think?" Dennis asked, peering at her.
Her hand slid down his arm and rested on the arm of his chair instead. She nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears,
"Yeah. You just have to... put a little more effort into it. You clearly understand it, it's just... in your brain somewhere behind all the cobwebs."
"Yeah?"
"Uh huh," Robin granted him a smile.
"You really think so?"
Robin nodded,
"Of course I do. I'm your tutor."
"You're my tutor?" Dennis asked, raising a brow.
"Well... yeah," Robin sunk into her seat.
"Really? Because usually a tutor is recurring. Meaning they come back for more."
"More of what?" Robin made a face.
"Well, the student of course," Dennis nodded slowly. "They come for the student because they want them to learn, that's all."
"Of course."
"I'm glad we have an understanding."
A beat passed. Robin looked down at her lap, and then back at Dennis, her eyebrows knitted together,
"Dennis."
"Yeah?" he asked, purposefully gazing into her eyes.
"Why is your hand on my leg?"
"Oh. Sorry. I thought-"
"No," Robin interrupted.
Her cheeks went red with annoyance and embarrassment, and he nodded,
"Right."
"Let's get back to the question. Now, since it's second person, you would use-"
Dennis' hand brushed against the side of her face, still facing her instead of the textbook. He was pushing back some hair from out of the front of her face behind her ear. Her head slowly turned up and she faced him again,
"Don't touch my face."
His hand still lingered, and he smiled softly,
"Sorry. You had - some hairs. Just there."
Again he did what he had just done, and Robin's chest pounded. She was scared, but only of herself. Dennis was the worst white guy of the bunch to get into, and Robin did not plan on falling for his deceptive tricks. She knew guys like him, what they did and exactly how they did it. She remembered the same white guy she liked was specifically like him when it came down to flirting and being romantic. The kind of guy who could make girls go head over heels for them in a really asshole-ish way. And she was not about to let the same thing happen again. He bit his lip, taking in her reactions, her flickering eyes, her stony posture and the hesitant expression on her face.
Mustering up all the strength inside of her that she could, she uttered,
"I can fix my own hair."
Another beat passed, and Dennis just kept on smiling coyly.
"You know you have really beautiful eyes?"
Robin sighed, trying to calm herself down, but her chest only pounded harder. She didn't feel this way with River, because River made her feel comfortable, knowing he would know when to stop and River wouldn't try to turn his charm on. He had charm, but it was a different kind- more wholesome and pure. Dennis projected a sort of malevolently charming energy that at the same time was quite intriguing, and not completely ill-intentioned. His hand was on her cheek and he held it there, peering up into her eyes as if he were inspecting them,
"You would use, um- well, it's second person, so in English you would say 'I'- uh, no, you would say 'you' because-" she tried to ignore his attempt at foolish banter that would only waste her time and continue the lesson.
"Your- face is real pretty too. And your cute little Southern accent. Your attitude, the way you hate me. All of you is... really gorgeous."
Robin clenched her teeth and tried to glare at him,
"Let's take a break."
"No way. We still have ten more minutes."
"Yeah? Well I'm your tutor. And I call break," Robin said, making to get out of her chair.
"Wait, Robin," Dennis said. Agitated, she turned around, though still in her seat. Again he did the stupid hair thing, except this time he wasn't moving any hair out, his hand was just grazing her cheek. She began to feel sort of small, and pouted gently as she felt herself giving in. "I don't really know what I've been doing these past few days. I don't mean to be an ass, I just am. So thank you."
"Uh huh," Robin's voice cowered.
"Right..."
Dennis was leaning in, and Dennis was leaning in, and Dennis was leaning in.
And then Dennis was kissing her, and Robin was kissing him back.
His hand grazed through her hair and kept pushing it out from behind her ear only to tuck it back. Robin's mind was going a mile a minute, thought passing through that she didn't even get to process. She was sort of a canvas at the moment, and Dennis was splashing her with paint colors and they went splat on the blank canvas, creating a mess of a work of art. She did stop at one thought though, and that was "oh my god, he just rolled his tongue in my mouth! In my freaking mouth!"
And then she felt like something was coming up her mouth rather than down, and she stopped at another thought, a more frantic and vivid one, which was "oh my god, his tongue is in my mouth, and we're kissing, and I'm so dead."
In a shock, she pulled away abruptly, and Dennis looked confused for a moment, pulling back too and biting his bottom lip. She gawked at him, wide-eyed, the fear plentiful in her eyes. Not fear of him, but what they had just done. Though she partially wanted it to happen, that was the little voice that was at the bottom of her stomach. These days, especially surrounding boys, the big voice in Robin's head won, surpassed the part of her that wanted to give into her feelings and let her walls down. Looking at Dennis' befuddled expression and his raised eyebrows, Robin felt her heart skip over a literal beat, and her hand raised to her mouth.
"Oh my god. Oh my god."
"You are saying that in a good way, right?"
"I think I'm gonna puke."
"So you're not saying it in a good way?" Robin shook her head, not in response to him, but at the fact that she was legitimately about to throw up her classic white milkshake and all that other stuff. Her hand was practically pulling her mouth off at this point, she was clutching at it so intensely. Dennis looked at her, examining her for a second before realizing she was being serious. He raised his brows and scooted away from her, disturbed. "Aw, shit, you really are gonna puke. Down the hall, to your right. Don't get any on the toilet seat."
rich kid asshole paint me as a villain :p
um this was supposed to be in the last chapter but i held off ... anyway today's the solar eclipse everyone from NA !!! who's gnna watch it! almost riv's birthday too!!! love uuu