Chapter Text
It was the first day of school and Robby had absolutely no desire to get out of bed.
Robby had wanted to go back to school and graduate and he had brought it up with his family after he and Miguel had started to become friends. Johnny and Carmen agreed that Robby should attend school, so they went through a series of meetings at the school in order to get Robby back in school. In the end, the high school did agree to take Robby back if he agreed to see the counselor once a week. Robby had been thrilled by the news, but now, all he felt was a sense of impending doom, like something really terrible was about to happen.
So, Robby laid in his bed. It was easier than moving towards that doom, whatever form it may come in.
When Johnny came into Robby’s room to get him moving, Robby was still curled up in bed. “Come on, Robby. Get up,” Johnny said with a sigh.
With a sigh, Robby did just that.
After Robby had gotten out of bed, Johnny closed the door and left him to get ready for the day. The man had no idea that what was going through Robby’s head was more than just the typical teenage angst. Little did he know that Robby was struggling with so much more than that.
Once the door was closed, Robby plopped onto his bed with a sigh. He tried to take a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down, but it wasn’t working very well.
But Robby forced himself to stand up and get dressed for the day. He picked up his backpack from the floor and put his phone in his pocket.
He exited his room to find his father right outside the door. Johnny had been getting ready to knock again in order to get Robby’s ass in gear. The man stepped back when he noticed that such action was unnecessary.
“Breakfast is ready, Robby,” Johnny said, retreating towards the kitchen.
Robby could smell it too. Scrambled eggs, which seemed to turn out fairly well, considering that Johnny had just learned how to make them a couple months ago, and slightly burned toast.
All in all, not a terrible Johnny Lawrence breakfast. Robby couldn’t help but smile when he remembered why his dad had learned to cook.
It had been Carmen’s doing. The moment that she had realized that Robby was staying with Johnny permanently, or more so than she had thought that he would, Carmen had insisted that Johnny learn how to cook something other than fried bologna. She wanted Robby to be able to eat well.
But he didn’t really feel like eating right then.
He was too anxious for the day ahead.
The night before, Robby and his friends had gathered to compare schedules. Robby had been held back a year because of everything that had happened the year before and the fact that he had missed out on a whole year of schooling. As a result of this, Robby was going into his junior year while Miguel, Sam, Tory, Demetri, and Eli were all seniors.
Robby had known going into the session that he would probably not have any classes with them, but he had been hoping that they would at least share a lunch period. But as everyone shared what lunch period they were in, Robby had discovered that he would be alone then too.
They had gone around, starting with Miguel and ending with Robby. When Miguel stated his lunch period (lunch C), Robby had felt a pang of sadness that he wouldn’t get to see his brother all day. But as more and more people said that they also had lunch C, Robby knew that he would be alone during his lunch period. He would be alone all day. And it sucked.
When they got to Robby, the teen stated, “lunch B.” Robby had wanted so much to cry, but he couldn’t let himself. This would have been something stupid to cry about. It’s not like it’s even the first time that Robby would be eating lunch alone at school, so why did it feel so bad?
Why did everything feel so overwhelming?
The gang had planned to hang out after they had shared their schedules, but Robby hadn’t really felt like hanging out anymore. So, he decided to go home.
“Hey, guys, I forgot that I have some stuff to get done before school,” Robby stated. “I’m going to head home.”
“I can go with you, if you want?” Miguel offered.
“Nah. I’m fine. Go have fun with your friends!” Robby didn’t want Miguel to come with him and deal with his shit when the other teen could be out having fun.
Miguel didn’t notice when Robby referred to their friends as only Miguel’s friends. Miguel thought that Robby understood that he belonged with them, but Robby didn’t get that. Not yet.
He felt like an outsider in his own family.
Robby had gone home and went to bed, even though it was only 7:00 by that time.
Because he’d gone to sleep so early, Robby woke up ridiculously early too, around 3:00 a.m.
More time to lay in bed dreading the future.
But now, Robby sat in front of the meal that his dad had attempted to cook him, and he didn’t want it. He didn’t want any of it.
But he ate anyway.
Robby didn’t want his dad to know what he was feeling. He didn’t want his dad to tell him that he was weak for being afraid, even if he was. Robby didn’t want or need the criticism that he would get from his father on top of everything else.
After Robby had eaten as much as he could manage, Robby scraped the rest of his plate into the trash can and put his plate into the sink.
Johnny handed Robby his red backpack from the floor. The same one he had taken to the school on the day of the school fight. Robby felt fear well up in him. It was a little bit too much like last year, Johnny handing Robby the bag, like he had before the year before. Robby felt nauseous at the memory, but he grabbed the bag from his father and slung it over his shoulder, following his dad out to that stupid “Eagle-Fang” van.
God! Robby really needed to get his dad to paint over that! It was embarrassing! But there was nothing that Robby could do about it right now.
As Robby took his place in the shotgun seat and went to buckle himself in, Johnny turned the key. 80s Rock came blasting out of the speakers. It was so loud and it felt like the sound went straight to Robby’s spine. It was uncomfortable. But Robby didn’t turn it down either.
The loud music was vaguely comforting. Robby didn’t love 80s Rock, but he loved his dad, and wherever the 80s Rock was, Johnny Lawrence was nearby. Robby knew that his father would protect Robby with his life. Johnny would never let anyone hurt Robby again. Not if he had a say in it. And Robby knew it.
But as they pulled up to the school, Robby realized one thing.
His dad wouldn’t be able to protect him there.
And, just like that, the anxiety came crashing back like a wave.