Chapter Text
MONDAY
The door slammed shut behind Robin as she stormed into Steve’s room, throwing her backpack onto the floor and flopping onto Steve’s bed. She grabbed the nearest pillow and stuffed it against her face, promptly screaming into it. All this before Steve in had the chance to say hello.
He had to stifle a laugh as he spoke, “Bad first day back to school?”
Robin tossed the pillow aside and rolled her eyes. “I swear to God, Steve. You don’t even know.” She glanced at Steve as he adjusted his seat at the desk to face her. “Senior English is going to be hell this semester. And it’s all because of her.”
“Her?”
“Nancy Goddamn Wheeler.”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “Really? That’s why your English class is going to be so bad?” He got up and moved to his bed, next to Robin. She sat up. “Not a bad teacher, not a bunch of assholes in your class, not even heaps of school work. You’re going to suffer because of Nancy Wheeler?”
In the movie theatre bathroom that fourth of July when Steve and Robin were drugged off their asses, Robin mentioned that she thought Nancy was a priss. It’s not like he didn’t know what Robin felt, it’s just that after having been in a relationship with Nancy, he knew she wasn’t like that. He couldn’t help but show his skepticism.
Of course, Robin didn’t have Steve’s experience with Nancy. She shot Steve a glare. “Yes , I’m going to suffer because of Nancy Wheeler. Really Steve, what’s so hard to understand about that? And who’s to say Nancy isn’t an asshole?”
“I am. I dated her for a whole year, remember?”
Robin had to stop herself from reaching for the pillow again. “Spare me the details.”
Steve shrugged, “All I’m saying is that she’s really not as uptight and prissy as you think she is. She’s actually…kinda badass. You should at least give her a chance.”
Crossing her arms, Robin let out a huff. “Fine, I’ll try. But only for you, Harrington.” She paused, processed. “What the hell made me start doing things for you? Sophomore year me would’ve killed present me if she knew about this.”
A grin from Steve, “You know you love me.”
Robin gave him a shove, chuckling, “Yeah, yeah.”
TUESDAY
“For our first assignment as a class, we’re going to be doing a paired project.”
Cue groans spread widely across the classroom; Robin included. Something universally hated by all students was group projects. It might as well be a death sentence if you didn’t have friends to work with.
Scanning the room, Robin looked for someone–– anyone tolerable to do the project with, but then the teacher dealt yet another blow.
“I’ll be choosing partners.”
Was Mr. Richards trying to kill her?
Each pair listed made Robin grow more and more anxious. She begged to be put with someone who she could at least get along with a little bit. And then, just when she thought it couldn’t get any worse…
“Nancy and Robin.”
Fuck.
Robin looked to Nancy’s desk, and Nancy to Robin’s. After the last of the names were called, everyone was asked to sit next to their new partners. Nancy came to Robin, giving a weak smile before placing her things on the desk and sitting down.
As the teacher further explained the project, Robin caught herself staring at Nancy. Observing. Robin couldn’t pry her attention away from her partner.
The way Nancy’s brown locks fell in her face and how she’d gently pull them back behind her ear with her middle, ring, and pinkie fingers if they got to be too much of a bother. The way she always kept her pencil in hand for note-taking so she wouldn’t forget anything later. Her colorful but soft taste in clothes. Her perfect posture––
Stop! Stop staring at her like that!
Soon the bell rang for the end of class. As Nancy packed up her things, she eyed Robin. “Hey Robin,” she started, beaming, “I look forward to working with you!”
Shit. Fuck. Fuck shit.
“Uh, I––” Robin suddenly had a hard time finding the right words, “I uh––I mean, I look forward to uh––to working with you, too.”
Nancy laughed, but it wasn’t a teasing or judgemental laugh. It was sweet, happy. Robin could feel her face heat up.
God, I’m too gay for this.
Only the second day into the school year and Robin was already going to lose her voice from screaming into Steve’s pillow every afternoon.
“I can’t do this, Steve. I can’t.”
After taking the pillow from Robin, Steve held it in his lap and pressed his hands against it. “Why not? This is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know her better!”
“She’s insufferable . And now we’re stuck doing a project together.”
“Have you ever really talked to her before?” Steve popped a couple chips from the bag next to him into his mouth before Robin snatched the bag, taking some for herself.
“Well, no, but––”
Steve couldn’t help but laugh. “Really? You hate her that much and you’ve never even had a conversation with her?”
“Listen, I…I don’t hate her, necessarily.” Robin looked down at her thumbs, fiddled with them. She bit her lip. This wasn’t an easy thing to talk about.
“Then what?” Steve frowned, eyes softened, “What’s wrong, Robin?”
Robin sighed, “In Mrs. Click’s class, I would stare and stare at Tammy. And I’ve already caught myself staring at Nancy. I can’t spend another class obsessing over a stupid girl like this when she’ll never feel the same way!”
For a moment, Steve said nothing. Robin felt vulnerable. Exposed. She wanted to run. Admitting to having feelings for a girl wasn’t something she’d ever really done in the moment.
But so far Steve had been good about everything. He’d been supportive. Really supportive, actually. Despite past views, and the views of the community around him, Steve cared for Robin and wanted nothing more than to be a good friend to her. He wasn’t about to turn on her now.
Steve cracked a smile. Then laughed. A lot.
“What’s so funny?”
“The fact that you’re in love with my ex girlfriend, that’s what.”
Robin scoffed, “I’m not in love with her, I barely even know her!”
“Mhm, sure,” he wasn’t convinced.
“Screw off, I’m not!”
Grabbing a free pillow from Steve’s bed, Robin whacked him in the head.
Challenge accepted. Steve clutched the pillow in his lap and stood up on his bed, stumbling to catch his balance. Robin followed.
“Oh, it’s on.”