Robin, Boy Virgin: Original Series

On Tuesday I woke up and took a shower. When I got out of the shower, I could hear giggling down the hall, in my dad's room. Linda was still here, in bed with Glenn. Super. Last night’s dinner had been another awkward, tasteless encounter, but it hadn’t deterred them horn dogs none.

I dressed super fast and booked it out of my house as quick as I possibly could. I walked to school and as I was walking through the parking lot, I met up with Cora. We walked to Music Composition together.

We got thrown for a loop today. Mr. Giraldi invaded the practice room and pulled the class together. He announced, with glee, that a couple packages of the new software had arrived. He'd installed the programs on the computers in the front practice room.

The front practice room is the biggest and holds a couple of Macs and an electric keyboard. It has windows along the room, though, and the windows look out to a foyer near the entrance of the school. The lack of privacy made me shy away from snatching up the otherwise prime location.

Mr. Giraldi had, very considerately, slotted Cora and me to use the new programs first, on Thursday morning. I knew before I'd even tried it out that I'd be back on Thursday after school to play with the school's new toys more.

At lunch, Cora and I met up with the others in the cafeteria. I realized slowly that I liked having Cora around me because

1.) It was nice to not be alone. I mean, I had Harold, I guess, but he's a bit of a silent, lone wolf kind of guy and when you’re with him, you can occasionally feel even lonelier.

2.) To have Cora be the one who was my buddy was really nice. While unnervingly cool and constantly teasing me, Cora was still fun to be around.

I was sitting at the table, fighting with Cora for control of the bag of chips I'd bought, while Harold contentedly ate his sushi and Max and Clarissa bickered all couple-y and shared a sandwich. Cora won the war of the chips and I looked away, swallowing my pride and admitting my defeat.

"Oh no," I muttered suddenly and looked down at my arms.

"What's wrong with you?" Cora asked insensitively. She started looking around the cafeteria, though, scanning for the trouble.

"Nothing, stop looking around," I hissed at her. Maybe if we just didn't make eye contact, they wouldn't come over. I kept my head down and looked out at the cafeteria out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh crap," I groaned.

"What is it?" Harold finally asked me.

"It's Bonnie and some of her... friends I guess," I muttered. I'd told Harold about the LOVE thing on Monday, but skipped kicking him in the nuts. I didn't tell Max and Clarissa.

"Whuh-oh," Cora said melodically. I glared at her.

"Hello Robin," Bonnie was next to me. I looked up at her reluctantly.

"Do you know Meaghan and Trevor?" Bonnie checked, gesturing to the two people flanking her.

"Sure. Hey," I mumbled at them. I'd gone to elementary school with both of them.

"Do you guys want to sit?" Harold spoke up, being polite. The traitor, how could he do that to me?

"Oh, that's ok, Harold," Bonnie smiled at him and then looked at me again. "I just wanted to let you know, Robin, that the LOVE club meeting has moved to lunch time tomorrow. I really hope you can make it," Bonnie said. Fat chance.

"Um, I, I don't know," I brushed her off.

"Well would Thursday work?" Meaghan spoke up. And Meaghan, what did I ever do to you?

"Um, I really, I don't know," I said again. I was trying to create a good lie that incorporated my divorced parents so they that they would leave me alone out of sympathy. But I couldn't think of one.

"Think about it, man. Let us know," Trevor said. Thanks for giving me the out there, dude.

"Or we'll find you, whatever," Bonnie didn't back down. She's really a nice person, just pushy as frick, clearly.

"Oh, yeah," I wish you wouldn't, I was dying to say. But I know that's not acceptable. I wish I could have been invited to the meeting where society figured out all its conversational rules. I would have raised protest on behalf of all of us awkward people.

Bonnie and her crusaders, if you'll pardon the expression, walked away.

"What the hell was all that?" Max asked.

"The fuck-me-nots," Cora said with a grin. Clarissa burst out giggling and Harold laughed. I dropped my head and raked my hands through my hair. When was this freaking embarrassment going to end?

"I'm just kidding, Boy Wonder," Cora said. I know that, she's always just kidding.

"Hey, it's ok," She said nicely. "Hey, how about I give you a lift home in my ass kicking car after school?" She offered. My brain perked up a little. That would be cool. I felt Cora put her arm around me and hug my shoulders and lean against my arm. I couldn't help but feel a little better, Cora's hug felt really nice. I lifted my head again.

A faint slam from across the cafeteria made me look over. Amanda had just dropped her lunch tray unhappily on top of a stack of trays and was walking briskly out of the cafeteria. Trouble in Paradise. I should be so lucky.

After school, I went to go find Cora at her locker, since she'd promised me a ride home. As I was walking down the hall, though, I saw Cora at her locker and that she was... talking to Brandon.

I stopped and watched them. I mean, you know, I didn't want to interrupt the conversation that they were having. But I still wanted a ride home. So you can call it spying if you want, I call it being polite.

As I was lurking by a locker that wasn't mine, a tap on my back scared the crap out of me. I turned around quickly.

"Oh, hey, Minnie," I said, breathing again.

"Hello Robin, you are in the way of my locker," She informed me.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized, sliding over. Minnie began spinning her lock.

"What are you doing over this way?" She asked me conversationally.

"Uh, you know, nothing," I said. Minnie looked at me shrewdly, disbelieving, and pulled off her lock.

"I was just waiting for Cora to finish up with what's his face..." I trailed off as Minnie opened her locker. It was full of things and incredibly organized. I was struck in awe by her organizational skills and a big folder of sheet music that was hanging off a hook in her locker.

"Wow. This is an exceptional locker," I complimented.

"Thank you," She said, sounding pleased.

"Can I look at your music?" I asked hopefully.

"Sure," She said, reaching into her locker to take out the sheet music. "You were really good in Jazz Band, yesterday. I think that the bass guitar is severely under-appreciated," She said, taking out the thick stack of sheet music and handing it to me.

"Really?? Thanks. And yeah I totally agree," I said. I was a little distracted by her spot on analysis of the bass guitar and I didn't get a good enough grip on the music she'd given me. Twenty or so sheets slipped out from the middle and scattered beautifully across the width of the hall,

stopping Erica in her tracks from continuing on her way down the hall.

"Be careful Robin. I know a girl is talking to you and all, but don't freak out," Erica said, bending down to pick up one sheet of music and look at it.

"Sorry, Minnie," I mumbled to Minnie as she and I bent down to collect the papers I'd dropped like an uncoordinated idiot. We stood up and Minnie handed me the music again, generously still letting me have the opportunity to look it over. I held out my hand for the sheet that Erica had. She held it out, uncaring, and looked down the hall. I took the sheet of music. But Erica kept standing there, looking down the hall.

She was looking at Cora and Brandon. She just stood there for a moment, and Minnie and I looked at her, wondering what she was doing. Then Erica kept walking.

"Bye," Minnie said after her, but Erica wasn't listening. I chuckled at Minnie. Erica strutted right by Cora and Brandon, pulling her cell phone out of her purse.

Cora was still talking to Brandon. What could they possibly be talking about? The secret hair products good-looking people use to make their hair perfect?

I looked down at the sheet music to distract myself. Minnie mostly had classical music, and it was all the double bass part. Still, since she and I both play fretted, back up instruments, I could talk to her about some of her music.

I felt a touch on my elbow.

"You ready to bounce?" Cora asked me. I suppose she was all finished with what's his face.

"Uh yep," I said, handing Minnie back her music.

"Hi, Minnie," Cora smiled at Minnie. Minnie smiled back at her.

"Hello Cora, I like your shirt," Minnie said and put her music back in her locker. Cora was wearing a too big Led Zeppelin concert T-shirt with a neck hole that she'd cut to make wider and show off her collarbone. You know, just so she could look too damn sexy and edgy all the freaking time.

"Thanks," Cora said happily, smoothing out the front of her T-shirt.

"How do you guys know each other?" I demanded.

"Oh please. Minnie and I are buds. We share the same geographical region," Cora said. Minnie giggled and Cora grinned.

"Yeah, Robin, get with the program," Minnie said. Oh dear, Cora was rubbing off on Minnie.

"I'm sorry," I said blinking. Cora chuckled.

"Come on," She said tugging my arm. "See you, Minnie," She said.

"Bye, Cora. Bye, Robin," Minnie waved to both of us.

"Uh bye," I said to her and followed Cora down the hallway.

Cora gave me a ride home, following my directions. She was a bit of a careless driver, with all the cool person characteristics: didn't wear her seat belt, sped a little too much over the speed limit, and changed lanes without signalling. Dangerous driving is very stupid, but cool, unfortunately. She pulled into my driveway and leaned forward to look closer at my house.

"Thanks for the ride," I said.

"No problem. I needed an excuse to find out where you live so I can stalk you properly," Cora said, shooting me a grin. My hormones liked thinking about Cora stalking me, so I had to make up for that by giving her an extra condescending laugh.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said and opened the passenger door and climbed out.

"You need a ride in the morning?" Cora offered. I bent down and looked at her.

"I don't need one... but sure I'll take one," I said.

"K," Cora grinned and made my heart pounded nervously. She's so goddamn pretty, I hate it.

"Bye," I said shortly and closed the door. I know it's not her fault she's so pretty, but I can't not act out.

Cora lay on the horn to make me look at her as I walked around the front of her car. She waved at me through the windshield. I paused and then waved back.