Robin, Boy Virgin: Original Series

After school, I went to my locker and Cora was waiting for me. My heart pounded once, pleased that she was waiting for me. Calm down, you girl I tried to tell my brain. It didn't listen.

"Hey," Cora grinned at me.

"Hey," I replied. I dumped off my Geography binder and then Cora linked her arm through mine and began talking about her last class as we headed out of the school.

Since we had no car (thanks a lot, douche puppy), Cora and I walked to her house to get the movie. It was a quite a ways away from the school. Cora kept her arm linked through mine as we walked. I had my hands shoved on my jacket pockets, trying not to obsess about the arm linking thing. Cora just talked away about her classes and Minnie and music. Even if her voice can't sing worth shit, it's still very nice to listen to when she talks.

Eventually, Cora turned into nice town house complex and led me up to, presumably, her own house.

"Did you want to just watch the movie here?" I offered as we walked up the small walkway to her front door.

"No, no. This place is small and, and blech. Besides, we don't have mint chocolate chip ice cream," Cora said, smiling at me over her shoulder. I smiled back reflexively.

Cora experimentally twisted the door handle. It opened. She groaned slightly and then gave me a sympathetic look. Her mother must be home, and Californian ex-wives of musicians must do the embarrassing parent routine, too. I took a breath and followed Cora into her house.

"Cor?" A voice that sounded almost exactly like Cora's called from upstairs; the main living area of the house.

"Yeahp," Cora replied, dropping her binder on a bench in the foyer. I had that moment, you know, when you first go over to someone's house and you're like "is this one of those households were you have to take off your shoes?" And you think that maybe you'll take off your shoes anyway, to be polite. But Cora didn't take off her shoes, so I didn't either.

"You walked to school this morning?" Her mother called. Like, for real, she sounded freakishly like Cora. Just older, and a little scratchier. I bet that if you called this house and one of them picked up, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between mom and daughter.

Cora started up the stairs, giving me an encouraging smile to follow her. Her smile promised this would be brief. I followed her up the stairs.

"No, mom. That Brandon guy picked me up," Cora said. On the landing, Cora went off into the living room and I trailed after her. Her house was clean, with only a stray unpacked box or two around.

Suddenly, her mother came out of the kitchen area and I blinked. Cora's mom... she looked...

1.) She didn't really look like Cora. She had lighter hair, and a different shaped face, and green eyes.

2.) But I could see where Cora got her killer body from. Yeah, her mom was... yeah.

3.) And even though the two didn't look alike, her mom exuded the same kind of weird sexy confidence. But her mom wasn't as scary as Cora in that way. Probably because she was a mom.

"Oh. Hi. Brandon, is it?" Cora's mom smiled kindly at me and offered her hand, clueless. Oh, she was so nice; I tried not to hate her because she thought I was Brandon. Cora giggled huskily.

"No, mom. This is Robin," Cora said, giving me a grin. A light went on in Cora's mom's green eyes and she grinned warmly.

"Oh! Robin! I've heard of you. The music bff, it's great to meet you!" Cora's mom said, giving me a surprise hug in greeting. I blinked and very lightly hugged her back, feeling very awkward, but pleased I had a good reputation.

"It's nice to meet you, too... um Cora's mom," I said. I didn't know what to call her. I mean, she wasn't Mrs. Melaincamp anymore was she?

Cora came over to us then, the DVD in her hands.

"Mother, don't say BFF. Robin, this is my mom, Dean Nightwood," Cora said. I thought I hadn't heard her right, since Dean is pretty strictly a guy's name.

"Call me Dean," Her mother said. Oh ok, Dean is her name. Very cool. Nightwood. Very cool. Call her by her first name. Very cool. I didn't plan on calling her anything, I don't have that gold level of self-confidence to call start talking to parents like that, addressing them by name. So I just smiled. Because I'm awkward and gooney. Dean... er... Cora's mom, smiled back at me, though.

"Alright, we're outta here. I'll see you later, mom," Cora said, tugging on my sleeve. I didn't need prompting; I began following her immediately.

"Well... ok. Call if you're going to be out later than six," Cora's mom said.

"Yeahp, yeah, ok," Cora said, hustling down the stairs. I followed her. Cora slung her purse over her shoulder and opened the front door.

"It was nice meeting you Robin!" Cora's mom called down the stairs.

"Yeah you too!-" I managed to call back before Cora yanked me playfully out of the house and closed the front door. She spun her car key ring around on her finger and grinned at me.

"Sorry about that. She's a little... exuberant," Cora said, chuckling. We walked through the complex to a parking lot and, ah, there was the Charger, sitting there and waiting patiently for Cora.

"It's ok. She's nice," I said. "You two sound exactly alike," I added. Cora looked at me.

"We do?" She said, surprised.

"Yeah. I mean you look nothing alike, so I guess you look like your dad, but you sound like your mom," I said. I think too much about Cora, and I was letting that on. I clamped my mouth shut.

"People say I don't look like her. No one's said we sound alike," Cora said thoughtfully while we climbed into the car. You see?? I pay too much attention to Cora, frick!

"Well you do," I muttered anti-climatically. Cora shrugged, still thinking about it, and then turned on the Charger. She drove like she was in a Formula 1 race.

Lovely. Glenn wasn't home. One awkward parental encounter was enough for one day. And my dad isn't Californian ex-wife of a musician cool at all. He's just a suburban dork. Like father like son, I guess.

Cora pulled into the side of my driveway, being considerate in case my father did come home. I hoped he wouldn't. Or at the very least he wouldn't come home with Linda. Because that would be so super uncomfortable and I'd want to shoot myself.

Cora and I went into my house and I was struck with a sudden worry. Should we watch the movie in my living room... or on my computer in my bedroom? I mean, the bedroom was a little suggestive, but I'm not going to lie, that's where I wanted to go. I was about to ask Cora which she'd prefer, but she was kind of wandering in the kitchen toward the living room. I mean, that was where we'd hung out before.

So I went into the living room and turned on the TV. Cora plunked down on the couch and slid off her sneakers and crossed her legs.

"You've got a big comfy couch here," Cora said, bouncing in her seat. I laughed at her and put the DVD in the player.

"Come here," Cora complained, slapping the space next to her on the couch. I wanted to dive on the couch next to her when she said that, but I had to practice some restraint.

"Hang on, I'll get the ice cream," I said, standing up.

"Oh yeah! Do that," Cora remembered. "Do you want help?" She asked, getting ready to stand up.

"No, it'll just take a second," I said. Cora settled back on the couch.

I went into the kitchen and took the mint chocolate chip ice cream out of the freezer. I scooped out two, like, heaping bowls of ice cream. After school, you're always really hungry, and I figured since I was starving to death, Cora would be similarly famished. I put the ice cream carton away and came back into the living room. Cora was holding the stereo remote and looking at the DVD menu. I handed her an ice cream bowl.

"Awesome! That's a lotta ice cream. Thanks," Cora smiled, taking the bowl from me. I took the remote from her.

"This is for the stereo," I said.

"Oh," Cora said. I picked up the DVD remote and hit play. I sat down next to Cora and propped my legs up on the coffee table.

The movie, Empire Records, was... ok well,

1.) First of all, it was just a great movie.

2.) But, like, one of the main story lines is this guy who's in love with his best friend, Corey, played by Liv Tyler, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler's daughter. And he, AJ, has to tell Corey that he loves her. And he tells Corey he likes her and she... well, watch the movie. It's awesome.

And

3.) I could see why it appealed to Cora: it was set and shot in the late nineties, so it was our childhood period, and it was about this eclectic group of kooky friends that all band together to save the awesome beatnik record store they work for. Yeah, it's a good movie.

I was having a hard time suppressing the keen awareness I had to the way AJ and Corey's relationship kind of mirrored Cora’s and mine. I mean, first of all there's the similarity in the girls' names. Next, Liv Tyler is Steven Tyler's daughter and I still have a suspicion that Cora is related to John Mellencamp, so like there's the rockstar offspring similarity. And, me and Cora are buddies and AJ and Corey are good buddies.

Except, I'm not nearly as good-looking as AJ, nor am I as artsy as that guy, so that kind of throws me off. Cuz AJ and Corey would make sense as a couple; they're both on the same level of kinda cool and quirky. Cora is cool, I am not. I'm like the Warren Beatty kid... watch the movie, you'll, sigh, see what I mean.

Cora and I pretty much inhaled our ice cream. When we were finished, I super slick asked if she wanted some blanket. Of course she said yes. The blanket trick ALWAYS works.

I spread the blanket across our laps and then waited. The movie was interesting enough that it could distract me, but part of my mind was anxiously waiting. Come on, Cora. Lean on my shoulder. Don't deny the blanket trick force.

Then she leaned on me. She leaned against my arm and bent her legs out on the other side. I could smell the shampoo she used. I glanced down at her face. One thing, though, no offense to Liv Tyler or anything, but Cora is way prettier. Although, to be fair, I'm crazy-stupid and I think Cora is prettier than anything else.

When the movie was over, Cora sighed and rested her head on my shoulder. I leaned my head on her head. She fit nicely there.

"When I was thirteen, I broke my wrist in, like, a totally minor surfing accident. I was so bummed, though, cuz school had just let out and I was stuck in the house with a stupid broken wrist," Cora said. I don't know if knew she was doing it, but she was twisting one of her wrists a little bit. Probably the one she broke.

"And my dad rented this movie and promised I'd love it. And I did," Cora sighed. She said it calmly, but I could tell she was sad.

"You miss your dad a lot," I noted quietly.

"Yeah. I do," Cora said quietly. Before I could stop to think, I turned my head and kissed the top of her head. Holy crap! I couldn't believe I did that! But I felt like I'd explode or something if I didn't do it. Cora just adjusted her head a little on my shoulder. She held up her wrist.

"I had a couple stitches," Cora said, showing me. I looked carefully and I could very faintly see a white line of the stitching scar. I touched it gently, running my finger on her scar. It didn't feel any differently than the rest of her skin. She had natural, smooth girl skin. Girl skin kills me. They have such soft skin, regardless of zits or whatever imperfections they could have. It's just so soft and nice in comparison to my boy skin. I kept running my finger lightly over her scar.

"I think I loved that movie. It was awesome," I said, because I meant it. "My favourite part, I think, was probably when Warren was shooting up the store. Or when Rex Manning was like "why don't you all just fade away!" that was classic," I said, chuckling at the memory. Cora just snuggled her head closer to my neck.

Suddenly, Cora's cell phone started ringing in her purse. Oh god, it was shrill and evil and I wanted to throw the thing against the wall. Cora reluctantly sat up and took the cell out of her purse. I knew it was Brandon because Cora didn't say who it was. She answered the phone and spoke with him briefly.

I was busting with jealousy and over protectiveness. I wanted to scoop Cora up in my lap and growl at Brandon to stay away over the phone. I don't think I would do that in person, since Brandon is, yeah, he's a bit bigger than I am. And I may be crazy-stupid for Cora, but I'm definitely not crazy-stupid when it comes to fights. I know that my ass will probably get whooped, so I avoid them if I can help it.

Cora hung up the phone and looked at me. Her mouth suddenly turned down like she couldn't help it.

"I gotta go," She said reluctantly. I just nodded. Douche puppy, taking Cora away from me.

"I'll talk to you later, k?" Cora said, standing up. I stood up too. I got her DVD for her and she stashed it in her purse.

"Sure, have... fun," I didn't mean it and my voice showed that. Cora heard my tone and gave me a quizzical smile. I walked her to the door and Cora suddenly caught me in a hug.

"... thanks BW," She said. Thanks for what, I wasn't sure. But I really, really, really like it when she hugs me.

"No problem. I'll talk to you later," I said hugging her back and hating it when she left. She walked down to her car. I hate it when she walks away, I hate it when she leaves. Hey-hate. Hey-hey-HATE!