Chapter Text
Wednesday, September 18th, 2024
4:56 pm.
“I’m not sure about this, Steve” Huffed the blonde girl as she walked into the small coffee shop, talking to the phone. “Maybe if I leave now, she won’t even know I left-”
“Don't you dare, Robin ” Said the voice on the phone. “It’s been a year since your break-up with Vickie and you really need to stop mopping about it ” Robin rolled her eyes as she took a sit in a little table for two.
“I still don't know if this girl is gonna be for me” The girl bit her lower lip.
“And you won’t know it if you run away now! ” Pointed her friend. “It’s just a date, Rob, you got this, you’ve done this before ”
“Yeah, but I’ve done it with someone who knew me for four years” Groaned. “I can’t even remember how my first date was after that long” Robin heard her friend sigh at the other side of the line. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to let someone get to know me that much again, Steve” The blonde couldn’t help tremble in her voice and the wave of sadness that came through her body.
Robin didn’t want to admit it, but breaking up with Vickie destroyed her life a year ago, and she still deals with the scars to that day. It doesn’t hurt as much as it did, obviously, but there were things from herself that she couldn’t take back, and that hurt more than the relationship itself.
Robin believed she won’t love someone the way she loved Vickie, she was her first girlfriend after all.
They weren’t perfect, of course not, but they loved each other like crazy, Robin could’ve done anything for her, she just needed more time; Time she didn’t get the chance to have.
Vickie left Hawkins for college, and they tried, they really tried, but, eventually, everything was too much to handle: Robin couldn’t visit her whenever she wanted, she had a job and needed the money, same as Vickie, and it was starting to become a real problem. But there was the elephant in the room Robin couldn’t ignore.
The thing about Vickie was that she was still in the closet, and Robin was fine with that, at first. She convinced herself that she could wait for her until she felt ready to take that step, but four years later, Vickie confessed that wasn’t going to happen. But Vicky wanted Robin to move with her and be her roommate forever, at least in the eyes of her family, so she wouldn’t disappoint her family.
Robin’s heart was crushed.
They talked before about getting married, getting a nice house, having cats, maybe even kids, but until that moment, Robin knew all that was a lie, at least for Vickie, but Robin meant every word.
After that, Robin knew there was no point to stay together, even if it killed her to break up when she loved her with her entire being.
“You’ll do it with the right person, but to find that person, you need to let your guard down, Bobin ” Robin couldn’t help her smile. “And keep your ass in that chair until Chrissy shows up ”
“Thank you for ruining the moment, dingus, for a second I thought you could be something besides a dingus” She laughed, until she spotted the redhead waitress walking in her way. “I have to go, but I’ll keep you updated, love you” She hung up and lift her gaze to look at the girl with a soft smile.
“Nice to see you, Robin, where did you leave Steve?” Greeted the girl with a smirk.
“I’m capable of being without him, Barb” Returned the smile
“Oh, I know you are, it’s him who I’m afraid of” Both girls laughed.
The best friends were regulars in the coffee shop, so at that point, Barbara knew their drinks of choice and their dynamic as well. She was a friend.
“Same as always?” Asked the redhead with glasses.
“Actually, I think I’m gonna wait” The blonde smiled sheepishly. “I’m waiting for someone and probably would be rude if I order before her”.
“Sure, what’s the occasion? Do you need some birthday cake?” Asked curious Barb, but there was something in her eyes that Robin couldn’t identify.
“No, thanks, it’s just a date” Robin felt her face warm in embarrassment. She didn’t have planned to tell the worker of the matter, even if she would know it eventually.
Barb frowned her brows, looking in pain, but she recovered swiftly.
“Oh, then I’ll leave you” Smiled weirdly. “If you need anything, you know where I am” Robin was about to thank her, but the waitress left, almost running to the kitchen.
Weird .
Robin shrugged and continued with her waiting.
Checking her phone every five minutes.
6:10 pm.
No messages.
Robin was trying really hard not to leave at that point, but obviously Chrissy wasn’t going to show up.
She sighed, leaving her phone screen down, just in time to see a shadow on the table.
“Sorry to interrupt, I was wondering if you were going to order something” Robin immediately lifted her gaze to see a really pretty girl.
The girl wore the same outfit as Barb did, but Robin had never seen her before. She would definitely remember her.
Gorgeous face, pretty brunette hair pulled up in a ponytail, almost hiding her perm, and her blue eyes, looking almost gray.
Pale blue eyes met her own.
“Where’s Barb?” Robin found herself saying before she could stop herself. The girl just smiled politely.
“She just left some time ago, she was feeling sick”
“I- yeah, I can do that” Mumbled the blonde, more to herself than the brunette. “I mean- order- right” Clarified quickly, feeling her ears warming up.
“Right” The girl chuckled in response, grabbing a little notebook from her apron.
“I’ll have a caramel iced latte and…” The blonde looked at the desert display. “A brownie, please” Robin smiled softly, looking at the girl again. “Sorry for taking so long to order, I was just waiting for someone who, obviously, didn’t show up” Laughed awkwardly, and the girl gave her a sad smile.
“I’m really sorry, that sucks” Robin just nodded. “But you know? I have the feeling that she's the one who's losing” Finished with a pretty smile.
Probably that girl was just being nice by saying that, but Robin was also very much a lesbian and a loser, so she couldn’t help the blush on her cheeks.
“How did you…?” Asked the blonde, genuinely curious.
Was she really that obviously lesbian?
“You have that pin on your jacket” Pointed the brunette, amused.
Right, her lesbian flag pin. Robin was definitely blushing right now. The girl laughed openly.
“I’ll bring your order in a moment” Said after her laugh died down, and left her.
Shaking her head with an embarrassed smile, Robin took her phone and immediately opened her chat with Steve.
You:
Dingus
U there?
Dingus <3:
Don’t text with me on a date wtf dude
You:
Im alone
Dingus <3:
This early?
Was it that bad?
You:
You could say that
She didn’t show
Dingus <3:
U jokin
You:
I wish i was
:(
Dingus <3:
Want me to pick you up?
Robin stared at her phone, thinking about asking her coffee to go and leaving, but the image of her waitress making her latte made her stop. She was gorgeous .
The coffee shop was empty, maybe she could stay a little longer…
You:
Im fine
C ya at home
She didn’t wait for him to respond, blocking her screen.
Robin wasn’t proud of herself for being the nerd who carries her book wherever she goes, but this time she was grateful for it. She took out from her bag her book and started reading, while she waited for her order.
At some point, lost in her reading, she felt a little touch on her shoulder, and rising her gaze found, once again, those stormy blue eyes, smiling at her politely.
“Sorry, here’s your coffee and your brownie” Robin smiled in return.
“Thank you, this surely will lift my mood” The girl gave her another sad smile.
“I’m really sorry for your date, again” Robin shook her head i little.
“It’s fine” Shrugged. “I wasn’t that excited for it if i’m being honest” Scoffed, earning a curious look from the brunette.
“How so?” Asked in return, and Robin felt embarrassed at the thought of telling her story to a stranger.
But it didn’t felt like a bad idea either. After all, talking to a stranger could make her see another point of view.
“I…” Laughed softly. “I’m sure you have better things to do than listed to a stranger talking about her problems” The brunette shook her head with amusement.
“I’m usually making coffee inside the kitchen, so believe me, i don’t mind the human company for once” Joked and Robin found herself smiling.
“Don't say I didn't warn you” Robin gestured for her to take the seat in front of her. Chuckling, the girl sat in front of her, and Robin started.
She told her about Steve and his insistence in making her date, about Chrissy, the cheerleader captain from her school, who she found on a dating app, and about her insecurities about dating.
Simple stuff. Nothing about her ex.
“I mean, she’s cute, but i’m not sure if we’re compatible, she’s a cheerleader, i’m in band!” Robin said, the girl watching her intensely.
“I don’t believe that’s the problem” Eyed the barista, cautiously.
“What do you mean?” Robin rubbed the back of her head.
“With all you’ve told me, i think you’re scared” Smiled a little.
“I’m not” Robin answered a little too fast. The brunette chuckled.
“It’s okay being scared” The girl shrugged. “I don’t know the whole story, but i’m a perceptive person, and i can tell you’ve been hurt before” Robin felt the familiar pain on her chest. “But also, i know you want to get over it, you just need to let go” Robin scoffed.
“You make it sound so easy” Robin took a sip from her almost forgotten latte. The girl looked at her with knowing eyes.
“It’s not” Agreed. “You just need to take your first step, it doesn’t matter if they’re baby steps” Laughed a little.
And looking at those pretty eyes, Robin knew .
Robin had eyes, she has seen a lot of pretty girls around since she broke up with Vickie, but the girl in front of her, with that confidence, beautiful smile, melodic laugh and gorgeous face, was the first one that actually caught her attention.
“I think i just did it” Whispered, almost to herself.
“You’re right, starting dating again is a big step” Nodded, as she got up from the chair, Robin following her with her eyes. “Just remember” The girl gave another soft smile. “Baby steps” And she turned to leave.
“Wait” Robin said, not being able to stop herself. The girl looked at her, with a too knowing look on her face. “Sorry, i just…” The blonde felt the red coming from her ears. “I wanted to know your name” The girl got closer to her.
“Not linking the concept of strangers?” Smirked, and Robin felt something new in her chest.
“I don’t think we’re strangers anymore, you just gave me a lecture about my insecurities” Joked Robin in return, and the girl laughed at that.
“Nancy” Said, once she stopped laughing.
Nancy.
“Nice, I’m Robin, Robin Buckley” Said the blonde extending her hand to take, and immediately shouted internally.
Nice? Really?
Robin must’ve made a face because Nancy laughed once again, but louder.
Either way, Robin felt good. Really good.
Even more when Nancy took her hand and shook it.
“Ok, Robin Buckley, we’re about to close, so i have to go” Gave her a small smile, before dropping her hand.
“It was nice to met you, Nancy” The blonde said sincerely.
“You too, Robin Buckley” Winked the girl. “It’s on the house” Said softly, and finally, turned once again to leave.
She winked.
Wait, on the house?
Oh.
“Wait, no, i do have money!” The blonde shouted, but the only response she got, was the faint sound of a laugh.
A laugh she could recognize everywhere from that day on.