Robin, Boy Virgin: Original Series

When Jazz band was over (and I was feeling a teensy bit better because of that), I packed up the bass and poked Minnie's arm to say good-bye.

"Take it cool, Robin," She advised me with a smile before I left. From anyone else (besides her and Harold), it would have been a casual, meaningless farewell phrase. However, Minnie meant what she said. I smiled tiredly and headed out of the band room.

I went to my locker and grabbed my homework, my mind a million miles away. How do I fix what's wrong with Cora? How do I get her to talk to me and tell me what's actually wrong? Because I really do have a hard time believing that it's just jealousy. I realize that maybe Cora should be the one trying to fix stuff, but I love her too much to just sit around and wait for her to come to me. Oh no, that is not how I do things with Cora-

"Robin!"

I inhaled through my nose carefully and looked down the hall. Amanda was walking toward me, wearing her stylish jacket and had slung a bunch of books in her arms. Why was she still here? If she's been waitingfor me this whole time, I may consider calling the cops-

She walked up to me, smiling curiously. No, now, Robin, be nice. Amanda hasn't been mean to you and you're about to reject her, so... don't be a flaming asshole.

"How's it going? What are you still doing here?" She asked me. I can answer the second question, but sure as hell not the first one.

"Um, I had Jazz band," I confessed, closing my locker. See, Amanda? I'm a loser, you don't want me.

"Aw really?" She giggled. I nodded tiredly.

"What are youstill doing here?" I asked back. Because that's a much better question.

"Oh I just in Mr. Jeffrey's room with Erica. Sometimes we get him to "help us" with homework," She said and smiled. The way she said that made it clear that Mr. Jeffrey just gave them the answers in his slightly too chill style of teaching.

"Ah," I said, because what the frick else could I say?

"Listen, though, I was just wondering if you'd thought any more about the Simple Plan thing?" Amanda said. I will say this for her, she is confidently persistent. I took another deep breath through my nose.

"Amanda? Can we sit for a sec?" I said, finally growing some honesty balls. She blinked and nodded, bewildered. Now, if it was me, I'd be totally apprehensive about this because I'd be suspicious that I was about to be rejected. But I don't think it occurred to Amanda that I was going to reject her. And fair enough: I really am stepping out of the high school hierarchy saying no to her.

We sat down on a nearby window ledge. Amanda raised her eyebrows at me and waited.

"Look, I um... I really appreciate you asking me out and everything?" I started, lying, but only because I didn't want to hurt her feelings or whatever. "But, um, I can't go to the concert," I said.

"How come?" She asked curiously. Oh, shit, she thinks I'm just busy that night.

"Um... k, I'm going to be totally honest. It's cool that even though you're popular and I'm very obviously not, you're still asking me out and stuff, but I'm just... I'm sorry, I'm not into it," I blurted out the truth apologetically, shaking my head gently. Amanda blinked several times.

"Is it the band?" She asked. Shit, she's not getting it is she? Is it really so inconceivable that maybe I just don't like her?

"Um," Actually yes, that's part of it. "Kinda yeah. I don't really like Simple Plan. At all," I confessed. Amanda looked away from me and nodded.

"Ah," She said thoughtfully. Then she narrowed her eyes and looked at me again.

"It's not about the band is it?" She suddenly clued in shrewdly. "It's about that Cora girl," She accused. And just like that, the little bi-otch was smart as a whip.

"Um," I stalled. I LOVE CORA AND I WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH HER BUT SHE'S GONE TOTALLY BONKERS. "Yeah," I said anti-climatically. Amanda tilted her head and just looked at me, staring through my eyes into my brain.

"You like her a lot, don't you?" She said quietly. I paused, chewing on my lip, and then just nodded.

"Well does she like you back?" Amanda asked crisply. I looked away.

"Um...yes. But um... it's just really complicated," I huffed my confession unhappily.

"Huh," Amanda just said and looked away from me too. "Well this sucks," She realized; and for the first time, I felt like she was a real person, someone I could actually relate to. I chuckled.

"Yeah. Look, I really am sorry," I said, glancing at her. Amanda just shook her head, half smiling thoughtfully.

"Don't worry about it, Robin. I knew it was a long shot anyway," She sighed melodically and chuckled. Uhhh... don't know what that means, but ok.

"I mean, you're all lone wolf, musician-y, waiting to be in love before you have sex... and what am I?"Amanda asked rhetorically. Oh my God, she just compared herself to me and put me up on a pedestal and shot herself down. Um, someone needs a freakin' reality check:

"Uhhh, you're Amanda. You're pretty and popular and you could get any guy that you wanted. Duh," I actually said.

"Except you," Amanda caught and looked at me out of the corner of her eyes. I rolled my own eyes and looked down at my knees.

"Honestly, you don't want me to like you," I said. Amanda chuckled disbelievingly.

"Ok," She mocked quietly.

"No seriously. I'm a loser, ok? When I like someone, I get creepy and stalker-ish," I said. Amanda started giggling.

"No really! Like, this Cora thing? I fucking obsess over her like you wouldn't believe. Trust me, it wouldn't be pretty, you don't want it," I said, making a choppy, sweeping gesture with my hand, symbolizing her cutting me out of her life. Amanda laughed and smiled all-friendly at me. I half smiled awkwardly.

"Ok, ok," Amanda muttered, still smiling. And I knew that I'd successfully rejected her advancements once and for all and had managed to avoid hurting her feelings. Well, not too badly anyway.

"So, what am I gonna do with the tickets now? I bought them, thinking you'd be into it," She complained, part joking, part serious. Really? You thought I'd be into Simple Plan?

I suddenly had a spark of inspiration. I raised my eyebrows.

"You know who's into Simple Plan?" I began. Amanda looked at me and shook her head, curious.

"Brandon," I said simply. Amanda raised her eyebrows.

"Really??" She said, frowning in surprised thought and looking away. Then she looked at me again.

"How do you know that?" She demanded suddenly. Oh uh, he put them on a mixed CD that he gave to Cora that I completely freaked out about.

"Heard it through the grape vine," I said nonchalantly, shrugging my shoulders. Amanda chuckled.

"Brandon. Really. Hm," She said to herself.

"And bonus, he's almost as good-looking as I am," I said. Amanda giggled...kind of insulting me a little bit. But I smiled tiredly. Amanda stood up then, lightly slapping her thighs.

"Well I better get back to Erica. I guess I'll see ya around, Robin," Amanda said.

"Round Robin," I repeated, cuz it had sounded funny. "Bye," I said. Amanda giggled and shook her head at me.

"Bye," She chuckled and walked away.

There. One big problem finally solved.