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"Hey Sam, where you headed?" Daniel asked as his daughter ran down the stairs. He was sitting at the table with his wife, catching up on some dealership work, as she was preparing dinner.
"Oh, Moon and I are going to go out for a little bit then she is going to come back here and spend the night… if that's okay with you?" she grinned widely, forgetting to ask for permission earlier.
Daniel eyed her. "Sam, why didn't you tell us earlier? We had a night planned for everyone, especially with it being Robby's first full night here!"
As if on queue Robby walked into the room, overhearing their conversation on accident. "Oh no please do not hold off because of me, I can handle myself," he laughed, almost awkwardly. He didn't want to be a burden on her life just because he was living there now–it would suck if she gave him a home and he took her social-life in return.
Daniel shot Robby a look, a look in which he instantly got the hint that they were playing with her.
"Sorry Robby I–" Sam started.
"No no it's okay!" He chuckled nervously, wanting to back out of the room.
"Sam your father's right! You should've told us earlier honey!" Amanda frowned.
"Mom please! We're going to go to–"
Amanda waved her hand, figuring it had gone far enough to the point where she's actually getting flustered now. "We're kidding, go. Have fun," she smiled.
Sam took a sigh of relief and bursted into a smile, hoping they were up to old tricks again. "Thanks guys," she said and turned to leave, giving Robby a warm smile. "I'll see you later okay? Moon doesn't know you're living here at the moment so I'm sure she'll be excited to meet you! I've told her a lot about karate and working with you and my dad at Miyagi-Do because she hasn't come over to the 'dark side', which she claims is learning karate in the valley," Sam joked.
"Hmm, the dark side. Maybe if you're in Cobra Kai...and you're always welcome to come say hi, both of you," he smiled. "See you later Sam."
"See you Robby."
"Shit!" Amanda screeched, taking the food out of the oven and waving her hands around. Robby jumped and tried to go in and help them, but there was no use.
Their dinner was burnt to a crisp.
"I guess that's what we get for teasing her," Daniel groaned.
"It's like bad karma or something!" Amanda rolled her eyes. "It was going to be great too–your mom would've appreciated it."
"Why don't we just go out? Make it a date night?" Daniel suggested optimistically.
"Ah, look at you! What a nice idea," Amanda smirked and turned towards her husband, moments from pulling him into a kiss when she noticed Robby trying to creep away. "Wait! We were making dinner for a reason Daniel we can't–"
"No! No, go for it please," Robby laughed awkwardly. "I don't want to be the one to throw any wrenches in your plans. I can fend for myself, I'm pretty good at it."
"But Robby it's your first full night here and to be fair I was half serious before and..." Daniel sighed, walking up to him and putting his hands on his shoulders.
"Seriously, I'll be fine. You guys made a killer dinner last night, the best i've had in a long time. Go, have fun, you guys deserve it. Consider it a thank you, I guess."
Daniel smiled.
What a great kid.
"Thank you. Hang out, have fun, watch a movie… make or order any food you want and if you don't know how to, look it up or call us and ask how to make–I don't know, penne vodka? Anyway you get the point. We'll be here for you."
Robby smiled up at his mentor. He's there for me. "Thank you Mr. LaRusso."
XXXX
It was around 10:00 when Sam and Moon got back to the house.
"I can't believe she did that!" Moon giggled as they walked through the front door of the LaRusso household.
"She made such a fool out of herself!" Sam grinned, remembering their time at Golf and Stuff earlier that night. "I'm glad we decided to go there. Those milkshakes hit the spot."
"Normally I don't have things like that, i'm more of a smoothie girl, but you were right. Live a little," she laughed, smiling at her friend.
"Live a little. Exactly what I'm thinking," Sam said and ran into the kitchen, her shoes scraping against the ground. "You think my parents'll care if I raid their liquor cabinet?"
"Sam!" Moon gasped. "You can't do that!"
"What? You get high plant-hippy oil stuff! It's not harmful. Plus, we're living a little, right?" Sam reasoned.
"What would your parents say if they found out?"
"Oh maybe a little scolding. Not nearly anything as bad as when we hit Johnny Lawerence's car, but they can't do anything too drastic because I need to train with my dad and Robby everyday anyway. And the mere fact that he's here will make them significantly less strict, trust me."
"Oh right I wanted to say hi to him! I haven't met him yet but i've heard so so much about him…from you," she grinned and walked up to the other side of the counter, leaning on its marble surface.
Sam stopped in her tracks and slowly put the two wine glasses down slowly. "From me? What's that supposed to mean?"
"I see the little twinkle in your eyes whenever you say or hear his name. You're not with Miguel anymore girl, take your own advice and live a little!"
Sam broke into a smile, letting the sealed-shut door in her mind open for a little bit that has been locking off her growing fascination of Robby Keene. The feels are not definite yet, but she knows she felt something. Their training has only just begun, but training for hours on end on a balancing deck, trying to be synchronized with each other… trying to become one, it really makes you see a person differently.
But now he's living here.
Here with her.
In the same house.
Well, sort of. He's set up in the home-dojo-ex-pool-house to have his own space, but he's still here.
She's happy.
He's happy.
Life has become better since he's been introduced into it.
He genuinely makes her smile and the thought of him gives her butterflies sometimes. Strange butterflies though. They're different than the ones she got with Miguel, but she really just doesn't know why. Why does it feel so different? Maybe because we're both so different...
"Maybe I will, we'll go stop by and see him when we head out to the back. He's set up in the pool house, or sorry-home dojo, as my dad calls it," Sam told her, grabbing Coca-Cola from the fridge.
"Imagine having a second house?"
"It's no different than a shed!"
Moon scoffed jokingly. "Yeah, okay."
"I'm going to go grab something from their liquor cabinet," she slowed down when her friend narrowed her eyes. "Carefully of course, and I don't know why the TV is on, my parents are still out. Can you shut it?"
"Sure!" she beamed and ran over to the living room which is pretty much connected to the kitchen. She stood behind the couch and looked on the coffee table for where she assumed the remote would be, but it was on a blanket on the couch. She reached down to grab it but had to stop herself from screeching from seeing theres someone actually on the couch.
Moon's expression formed into a grin. She needs to get in here and I need to see the look on her face. Unsure feelings? This'll spark them for sure!
"Sam!" Moon called. "I can't find the remote! What does it look like?"
She heard Sam put the bottle on the counter and her footsteps carried into the room. "It's a small silver one? About the length of a book?"
"I don't see it," Moon stepped back to allow her to look and just as she had done moments ago she spotted it.
"Moon it's right… here!" she gasped but kept the last part a whisper. Moon walked around the side of the couch to see Sam staring blankly down at the boy on her couch. Her chest rose and fell heavily and she blinked a few times, trying to comprehend if what she's seeing was real.
"I knew it!" Moon giggled. "Look at your face! You're so whipped."
Sam took a step back and averted her eyes from him. She had always seen characters blush in cartoons and it be described in books as 'her face turned into a tomato' or 'her cheeks lit up like roses', but she actually felt her face looked like those objects. If she was in a cartoon right now, she would be called a tomato.
Sam switched off the TV and an immense silence filled the room. She tried not to stare back at him but she did, watching the way his chest rose and fell and the way his eyes moved behind his closed lids.
Robby Keene had never looked so innocent.
He's laying on his back, though his body was tilted a little towards the TV. She almost felt bad for him, he was alone all night. Should I have invited him to hang with us? We could do girls night any night.
He didn't look very comfortable in her opinion. They'd have to wake him up and tell him to go get comfortable in his own bed, though a part of her couldn't bring herself to do so.
With the silence in the room, she only heard his soft breathing. In and out. The silence was strangely loud and she felt like every frantic breath she took countered his calm ones.
In and out.
It's like what their father had taught them, though they really do practice it all the time when they fall asleep anyway.
"We should probably wake him up," Moon whispered softly, smile still on her face. "And I get it now, why you're thinking of living a little, taking that chance… he's beautiful."
Sam let out an airy chuckle. "That's such a Moon thing to say."
She shrugged. "What can I say? I see the beauty in everything!"
"You don't have to look very hard here though," she looked down at him again.
"You're right," Moon nodded. Sam turned towards her friend and saw her get an idea. She narrowed her eyebrows as Moon moved behind her, grabbing a pillow on the other side of the couch.
"What are you doing?"
"There's this thing that my parents used to tease me about when I was a kid… they found out once when we were on vacation in Hawaii that I literally could not-not cuddle with anything that was around me. It sounds dumb I know, but my brothers got annoyed and began to test me. They would put pillows near me and I would always grab onto them. They used to make bets on it. We tried it on my brothers and my parents too. I tried it once on Yas and the two of us even did it to you one night when we were having a sleep over."
Sam eyed her. "What?"
"You didn't latch on though. No one ever really did besides me, but I still make it a point to try it with people. It's like an experiment, it shows another side of someone. Even with someone like Yas who bullied everyone."
Though she didn't fully understand, she watched Moon put a big pillow next to Robby that she often used when they would watch movies as a family in the living room on weekends-well, pre karate life. She stepped back and Sam stood to stand next to her on the other side of the couch, seeing him now from a different angle.
His eyebrows narrowed and he began to adjust himself on the small couch.
"He's not gonna grab it," Sam whispered, shaking her head.
"Wait."
He started to move onto his side to get more comfortable, snuggling his head deeper into the pillow he was laying on... but, his last action was wrapping his arms around the pillow and pulling it close to him–tightly. He rested his chin on top of it and the hand underneath hung off the couch slightly.
Sam almost felt tears come to her eyes, stinging the bridge of her nose. "Moon you're killing me," she hissed.
Vulnerability. That's what she saw but not in a bad way. She knows her partner, pretty well too after only working together for a few days. He has a strong exterior, but no one really gets to see anything on the inside.
She doubts anyone really has seen him like this. His mom maybe? Some of those asshole friends he talked about? Well, do guys even have sleepovers? Past girlfriends? Has he had any?
She bursted out laughing. "Oh my god it worked on someone! Finally!"
"Now we have to wake him up though!" she pouted. "He actually looks comfortable now!"
Sam sat down on the coffee table and studied her partner.
"Now it's going to get creepy..." Moon teased.
Sam put her face in her hand and screeched–quietly–out of frustration. "Moon!"
I need to stop imagining laying next to him. It's wrong! Why am I thinking this way? I can't start to like my partner! Dad would kill me... and what about Miguel?
"Samantha LaRusso?" Amanda stood on the doorway, arms crossed and eyes squinted.
She jumped up at her mom's appearance, standing straight up. "Mom? I thought you guys were going to be out all night!"
Daniel showed up next to her, holding the wine glass full of coke that had been sitting on the kitchen island from only minutes ago.
Her eyes widened, completely forgetting about that. "Crap um–-it's just soda! I swear!"
"You just didn't pour the rum sitting on the counter in yet, right?" Amanda threw out.
Sam groaned. "Mom!"
"You know I would be so mad at you right now, but I think your father and I had way more than this tonight," she blinked a bunch of times, clearly a little more than tipsy.
Daniel laughed. "Yeah she won't remember this in the morning. Maybe I won't either, but right now it doesn't matter. When did you guys get back?"
"Half an hour ago, maybe."
"Why are you in here? Figured you guys would go out to the pool or something."
She glanced down. "Yeah we're planning on it but–"
"Have you seen Robby? I feel really bad about leaving him earlier. I want to say goodnight."
Sam pointed down. "He um–he fell asleep on the couch."
"Oh! Please don't let him stay there, wake him up and bring him back to his room okay? I know that couch isn't very comfortable to sleep on," Daniel said, supporting his wife who he feared was going to topple over. "Tell him I said goodnight. We're going to head upstairs. Love you, see you in the morning."
"Goodnight dad, love you," Sam smiled and the two disappeared down the hallway.
Sam took a deep breath and sat down again.
"Just be gentle," Moon rubbed her shoulder, smiling warmly.
Sam nodded and moved a little closer to the boy on her couch. She put her hand on his shoulder and gently shook him back and forth.
"Robby?" she whispered softly.
His eyebrows narrowed and face turned from pure peace to discomfort. As she shook him he slowly opened his eyes, not really processing what was happening.
"Hey Robby?"
He blinked sleep out of his half-open eyes as the girl in front of him came into focus. He jumped back quickly, hitting the back of the couch as the pillow fell to the floor. "What the–"
"Shhh, it's okay," she tried.
"Sam?" he gasped disoriented.
"It's me," she nodded. "Moon's here too."
Moon came into frame and waved.
His chest was heaving up and down and he noticed his mouth was dry. He looked between the two girls, still slightly bewildered. "H-Hi nice to meet you," he stumbled, swinging his legs off the couch to sit up normally. "What um–what happened?"
"Moon and I got back here a little while ago, you must've fallen asleep watching a movie. We wanted to wake you up get you somewhere more comfortable, your room. My dad got back a few minutes ago too and wanted us to tell you he said goodnight. "
"Oh i'm sorry," Robby fumbled, embarrassed that they all had to go out of their way to cater to him.
"What why? Why are you sorry?" Sam narrowed her eyebrows.
"You didn't have to bother, I don't mind the couch. I used to sleep on it all the time at home."
"You didn't look very comfortable," Moon commented.
Robby felt his face get hot. They were watching me? That's embarrassing. Too vulnerable. What if I–
"Well Sam and I are going to go night swimming, do you want to come?" Moon asked and Sam jumped next to her–half at the fact that she invited him and the fact that she didn't do it first.
"Swimming? Now?"
"Well it's only like 10:30," Moon replied.
"Oh wow I thought it was much later… last time I saw the clock it was only 9."
"Oh so you weren't out long at all," Moon said and turned to Sam. "That's okay with you right? I mean it's your house."
"Y-Yeah! Of course it is," Sam stumbled. "And it's his now too I'm just gonna go change, Moon?"
Her friend smiled and nodded. Sam awkwardly waved goodbye to Robby and the two girls scrambled upstairs, leaving him slightly stunned in their wake.
"Moon i'm sorry, you sure you're okay with him hanging with us?" Sam asked, worried her friend would be upset that someone else is 'intruding' on their sleepover-girls-night.
"Sam, I invited him! I knew you were too frazzled to do it and of course I want him to hang! I feel bad for him, I can read his aura and he seems sad…" she frowned.
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "That's why I wanted to pull him out of his own life. It sucks having to live the way he did. My dad went to his apartment, I didn't but he told me what he saw. The bills weren't paid, lights completely shut. Power out. Food all expired."
"I'll let you know if I sense any change, maybe tonight will help him."
Sam nodded, going to her dresser and opening one of the white drawers. "Should I wear the white lace suit one or the brown one?"
Moon peered into her drawer. "Hmm… white lace top with brown flarey-bottom. It screams you."
Sam giggled. "Okay let's change and get back down there. I'll finish making the drinks."
"I'm surprised your parents didn't give you problems."
"Yeah well my parents have no room to talk, did you see how shit-faced my mom was?" Sam laughed.
Moments later she ran into her bathroom while Moon changed in her room. She ran some water through her now-frizzy curls and spritzed some beach conditioner into it that she always added to combat the chlorine in the pool that usually dried it out.
She noticed her cheeks though, and they were still slightly red. Damn crush. It'll go away. Right?
"Moon, you good out there?"
"Yeah you can come out!"
Sam walked out of the bathroom and the two girls hyped each other up, giggling over their cute suits.
They left the room and stood by the kitchen island. 'Like a professional' Sam poured three wine glasses of Coca-Cola and mixed it with some rum and topped the glass with a lemon. "Doing this is like what popular kids do when they think they're cool," Sam giggled at herself, admiring the creation.
"You're not wrong. I feel like this is something Yas would've done but she'd be set on the fact that this would be the greatest drink of all time."
"Yeah well, i'm not so set on that. Cheers?" Sam offered. The two girls clinked their glasses and tried it, faces scrunching up at the taste. "Ew oh my god more soda."
When it was near perfect, Moon grabbed the door and the two girls walked outside. It was humid out and the crickets were louder than usual–the perfect example of nighttime in California. Sam always loved the way the lights from the house reflected on the pool-the perfect cool/warm contrast.
"I told my dad to heat to the pool this morning so it wouldn't be cold," Sam told her, setting her and Robby's glasses down by the pool's edge.
"I already felt it," Robby's voice came from the entrance of the home dojo no the other side of the pool. "It literally feels like a hot tub," he laughed, stepping further into the light. "How hot does your dad keep this pool?"
If she had been any closer to the pool's edge, she probably would've fallen right in. He had worn tank tops to training before so she knew how built he is, but now? Now she felt like she was going to melt and not just because of the scorching water.
"Um–Yeah he always gets made fun of by people we have over that he keeps it at around 90 degrees always… ESPECIALLY in the summer when you want it to be cold."
"I'm not complaining now," Moon commented, discarding her shoes by one of the lounge chairs. Despite the humidity, there was a slight breeze.
"So why did you guys decide to night swim?" Robby asked. "Isn't it better during the day? Warmer? Normal?"
Sam shook her head and stepped down onto the first step, sitting on the concrete of the pools stairs. "When I was younger, I always wondered what it would be like to swim in this pool when it was nigh-time. My parents always said no because they 'claimed' it was too dark out and I would drown. But one night in the summer, I decided to go anyway and snuck out to here. I must've been maybe… 8? They were so mad at me, but I had to much fun swimming out here by myself. It's one of those moments where the world doesn't feel real. I took one of the rafts from the pool house, at the time, and floated there for what felt like hours. I remember the moon was full that night too and the sky was crystal clear. It's always been a part of me to do this and I like sharing something simple like that with others."
Robby smiled, loving hearing her talk about her childhood memories like that–ones he never got to experience. But, with the influence of her and the rest of the LaRusso's, maybe he will. This is the first step.
Moon sat down next to Sam, but Robby remained on the other side of the pool, not really knowing whether to jump right in or not.
"Well I can't wait to understand that feeling," Robby smiled.
"I have an idea!" Moon popped up just as she sat down.
The two turned their attention to her. "I hate fighting and all... but as long as you don't crack your heads open... you should duel."
"Duel?" The two said in sync.
"Whoever gets pushed into the pool first, loses."
Sam turned towards Robby and they both smirked at each other, ready instantly for the challenge. She slowly stood up, not taking her eyes off her opponent. He moved opposite from her and they circled around the pool, much like they had done in training over and over again. Eventually, he stopped and she stood only a few feet away. Though she was close and nearly melting inside, she didn't falter. Her eyes did wander a bit though, and she wanted to believe his did too.
"Strike first," he whispered.
"Never."
"Fine," he smirked and made the first move as she countered it with a block. She tried to latch onto his arms and spin him into the pool, but there was no use. He grabbed both of her arms and tried to pull closer to the pools edge, but she pulled against him and broke free, running towards the other side of the pool.
"No! Stay near the deep end!" Referee-Moon shouted. "No heads are allowed to get cracked open here!"
Their arms still tangled, they scooted back towards where they were.
"Okay resume!" She threw her hand in like a flag.
They continued to spar, using moves they've learned during training and just plain old pushing and shoving like little kids and unprofessional fighters.
"You're not going to win," Robby teased, luring her towards the edge of the pool-but she was well aware.
"You're not either, trust me I never lose," she joked.
He moved closer to her, not breaking eye contact. He placed one of his burning hands onto her shoulder and caught her chin. She stared right up at him, into those eyes. They stood there for what felt like ever, but as much as he was killing her on the inside she knew what he was going to do. Use those damn eyes to distract her. Trying to catch her off guard.
But he couldn't catch her off balance.
Her eyes shifted to his knee that was coming up to push her in, but she quickly swerved to the left and spun around him, placing both of her hands on his muscular back about to catch him off balance.
But he moved faster and knelt down, still having access to her hand that he grabbed milliseconds before he ducked. He latched on and stood up carefully with her thrown over his shoulder-kicking like a child.
"ROBBY WHAT?!" she screeched and he smirked.
He then knelt down once more and she did a full on front flip over his back into the pool, though he was careful to not let her back flop it probably stung a little.
She came up seconds later, fuming and soaked. "That was cheap!"
He stood there in all his glory, projecting a shit grin down at her and shrugged. "Moon, was there ever any rule against that?" He asked.
"Not in my book," she grinned, moving into the pool herself, but choosing to take the stairs.
"Ugh crap I forgot to put conditioner in my hair!" Sam pouted, running her hands through the mess of curls. "I have to go put it in or my mom will kill me! I always forgets and trust me that woman is like a hawk, she will notice. Robby, help me up please?" she asked, staring at him from a low angle. The steam from the pool rose up towards his body and the blue-glowing pool light casted a shadow across his face. He looked unreal from this angle, this setting.
But that won't distract her from her goal.
"Fine," he laughed and knelt down again, giving her his hand.
She swam closer to the edge and planted her feet just above the pool light that stuck out of the wall for a better grip. She latched into his hand and pulled down, hard.
A split second before, she saw his eyes widen and he was dragged into the pool, right over her head just as he had done to her.
The surprisingly cold water hit him like a truck and he came back up to the surface quickly, laughing hysterically.
"Do you actually have to put conditioner in your hair?" He yelled over the sound of the splashing, wiping the water from his eyes.
"Nope, did it already!" she giggled. "I'm a good liar right?"
"You're a pretty good liar."
The three friends stayed in the pool for what felt like hours, laughing, splashing each other and telling stories. They wanted to say it was the drink going to their heads, but they all felt adrenaline of the night-atmosphere which only amplified the experience.
"You know what I did once?" Robby started.
The girls looked at him. "What did you do?"
"I should've known I'd go in karate one day because as a kid, maybe 3 years old, my mom had a shitty guy come over and he had a son about my age. He was the absolute worst. I tried to tell my mom that he constantly took my things, my clothes, toys and practiced his 'karate' skills on me. The kid tried to brag about having a blackbelt, which was clearly just one of his fathers unused work belts. It annoyed the hell out of me as a kid. One day though, my mom forced me to go over to his house. Now, his dad was rich–I mean obviously, that's the type of guy my mother would go after. That's who she's after now, in Mexico. Not the same guy but–"
"I get it," Sam smiled sympathetically, feeling the panic in his words and put her hand on his bare shoulder unintentionally.
Robby nodded. "Yeah–and we went over to, what seemed to me at the time, his million dollar mansion and they told us to go in the backyard and play. Now, when I say backyard, I mean like this area times three. The point is though that they had a pool, a lot like this and this little kid challenged me to a karate match–like the ones we go at the tournament, only the loser has to get pushed into the pool. Even though I hated him, I agreed."
"Was he any good?" Sam asked.
"No," Robby chuckled. "But he had more experience than me and I was wearing my favorite shirt! So, during the fight I thought about what I could possibly coordinate so I can get him into the pool during the fight. Each match I stood closer and closer and on the final point, I kicked him right into the water."
Sam bursted into a smile. She liked just watching him speak, even if it was about random nonsense. She knew Moon saw right through her too. "Just like you did to me!"
"Exactly thats why I told it!"
"Was the kid mad?"
"Surprisingly, he laughed, but his mother. Oh man, I may have been young but that woman's reaction became my definition of pissed off."
"Once, my dad was teaching me karate as a kid and I kicked him so hard in his chin that he had to eat soup for weeks!" Sam said, throwing in an early karate story of her own.
"Damn! I guess even as a kid you had quite the spark," Robby winked.
Was that flirting?
Sam tried not to let that comment get to her. "Ha yeah, well i'm sure i'd do some more damage now."
"I'm sure you will," Robby grinned and looked up. "Look at the moon!"
"This is why I love having this name, it's automatically associated with beauty!" Moon said, staring up at her namesake.
"Girl you're already beautiful, you don't have to just be associated with it," Sam elbowed her. "Wait! That gives me an idea!" Sam got up and jumped swiftly out of the pool. "I'll be right back."
Leaving a confused Robby and Moon, she ran to where her dad put all of the pool stuff and grabbed three rafts.
"Oh the rafts!" Robby pointed to them as she hopped back in the pool.
"Now, we can look up at the stars!"
The two girls laid back on the rafts and Robby looked at it like the floating piece of plastic had two heads.
"Robby?"
"How the hell are you supposed to get on this?" He blinked, touching its airy surface.
"What? You can't lay on a raft?"
"It's so tiny!"
"It doesn't matter! It's just support to lay on your back! See! Look at Moon!" Sam pointed to her friend.
"Yeah well she can do it fine!"
"I'll hold it, jump on," Sam said, grabbing two corners of his raft.
Robby thought for a second and then jumped, trying to angle his back straight on, but he completely missed.
"Are you dumb?!" Sam laughed hysterically, watching him break the surface.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
"ROBBY, YOU LAY ON IT!"
"HOW? I'M GOING TO SINK!"
"NO YOU WONT! AND BY 'JUMP' I MEAN BARELY A SMALL HOP!"
He repositioned himself at the bottom of the raft and gently leaned back, Sam catching his head on the other side.
"See! You're doing it!" She laughed and looked straight down at the boy now facing the sky.
"Strangely this is supportive!" he giggled innocently.
Sam laughed and laid back on hers, staring up at the sky. They all fell into a comfortable silence, listening to the water move beneath them, the pool filter in the background and the crickets echoing.
"Look at this," Robby said to himself.
"I feel like I can make constellations with stars that aren't even a part of a major one!" Moon gushed and began to talk about all of the star signs and constellations she saw in the sky. She explained what each one meant too, and they didn't mind listening to the tales she told and hearing about their zodiac signs.
They still stared up, half listening to her friends story, but more focused on each other's notable presence and the gorgeous view.
Sam turned her head to see him in a complete trance, staring up at those stars and the moon like they were hypnotizing him. His eyes matched the color of the pool, not that she didnt notice it before, and his lips were slightly parted in awe. She watched his calm, even breathing more clearly than she had earlier when he was asleep on their couch covered with pillows and blankets. She could literally see every muscle of his stomach rise and fall. He was completely content, at ease for one of the first times in his life.
She had saved him.
She's giving him more experiences in just a few days than he's had in years.
"Hey, eyes up," Robby played, making her jump out of her own trance.
"Eyes–what um–" she stammered, knowing she was caught staring.
"Lost in thought there?" Robby smiled a white, flashy smile.
"Something like that."
They both looked back up at the endless sky. "It's just like I remembered it."
"You were right," Robby turned to meet her eyes once more. "It's truly beautiful."
And so are you, both thought at the same time-in different minds.
And with that, she knew she had fallen so in love with Robby Keene.
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
But somehow, those feelings got clouded over time. They faded far away, way more than she wanted.
Jealousy kicked in. Hatred.
She hated Tory. She hated her for being with Miguel and for the few interactions they had.
The roller rink
The beach.
She's a bully.
Just a bully with a sob story and she fears Miguel has fallen for it.
Seeing Miguel there that night at the roller-rink on 80s night changed everything. She fell for him again. For Miguel. Everything they once had came right back up in her face, the distance and jealousy pulling it out of her brain.
She had told him that she wasn't there on a date with Robby when the whole reason they went out in the first place was to go on a date somewhere that they could actually be a couple.
Miguel just clouded her mind and she re-fell for him.
Moon's Party
She kissed Miguel that night.
Cheated on him.
She's a cheater now.
She convinced herself that Robby had betrayed her with the medal of honor, which he did, but then she went and cheated on him. Cheated on him!
All he wanted to do that night was help her. He was being a good boyfriend and she didn't see that because of her anger–anger towards Miguel. Anger towards Tory.
He was good to her.
He wanted to make sure I didn't over drink, he wasn't trying to be my babysitter. Why did I say that?
But she wasn't good to him.
And oh how guilty she felt that night when they got back to Johnny's. She should've been a grown up and gone home to face her parents, maybe they would've let her off easier.
But she made Robby take her somewhere else, hell she shouldn't even be with him right now after what happened with Miguel!
He called an Uber for them. He hadn't had anything to drink but he didn't have a license to drive her car.
The whole way there he whispered in her ear that it was going to be okay, that her parents wouldn't kill her and that she didn't have to hide from him. He wrapped his around her shoulder and caressed her hair comfortably. He was there for her. He protected her.
And I betrayed him.
Though the night was foggy she remembered it clearly: her mistakes, Johnny's face when they showed up at the door, Robby's arm around her in the cab... his soft voice in her ear telling her it was going to be okay.
But her head was pounding. She wanted to throw up.
And she did, but he was there to hold her hair back.
He got her water and a change of clothes.
He took care of her.
She remembered that look in his eyes, a look of concern and worry, but happiness. He liked helping her, even if he was worried her father would be mad at him for keeping her out all night and taking his daughter to his enemies house.
In the middle of the night, she woke up in an unfamilliar room with a pounding head ache. The memories came rushing back in flashes and she wanted to kick herself and cry, but she couldn't.
How could I do that to him? How could I cheat on him...?
She closed her eyes and remembered the last thing she had felt before falling asleep, the feeling of his warm hand around her, stroking her hair. The feeling of him being there.
Where did he go?
With the little awareness she had, she turned to the other side of the bed and saw a chair pulled up close to the bed. At first, she didn't see anyone sitting in it, but she looked down and in the moonlight could tell that Robby was. He was fast asleep on the chair, resting his head on the bed and buried in one arm. The other was out-stretched and she guessed he was holding her hand.
But that didn't look comfortable.
She wanted him to be comfortable, always.
She debated on telling him to lay with her, he was probably nervous and wanted to give her space.
With guilt coursing through every ounce of her body, she grabbed his hand and shook his shoulder gently, much like she had done a long time ago now.
"Robby," she whispered.
The boy slowly sat up in the chair and rubbed his half open eyes. "Hey are you okay?" he mumbled. "Do you need water? Advil?"
Even half asleep he's only thinking of me.
"No, no you've done plenty. You don't look comfortable," she said, sadness lacing her voice.
"I'm fine," he yawned and went to go lay back in his own arms. "I'm with you. I'm comfortable when i'm with you."
She ignored the rising sting in her eyes and nose, the tears threatening to make themself present.
"That's sweet... but come here, lay in bed," she tried to half joke.
"No, I want you to have room," he said stubbornly, closing his eyes once more.
She got up a little further and grabbed both of his hands, dragging him towards the bed. He felt like dead weight, but still moved with her. She undid the covers on that side of the bed and he slipped under, falling fast asleep as soon as his head his the pillow.
He made no sound. Just quietly breathed next to her. The room was dark but she could see his soft features perfectly.
How could I have hurt you like this? You're going to be so devastated when you find out. You'll never see me the same again. I don't want to picture that look on your face. Robby, you don't deserve it.
She ran one hand along his cheek and pushed his hair behind his ear, out of his face.
She stared at him through a wall of water.
Not being able to look at him any longer she turned to the other side, shutting her eyes tightly, letting the water flow out of her eyes. She moved as far to the other side of the bed the she could without falling off. She didn't want to keep letting the tears escape, knowing it would only amplify her headache more.
But moments later she felt something pulling her closer and soon enough she was completely embraced by something warm, something that smelled like the sweet outdoors.
She blinked a few times and managed to turn around in his arms.
"What are you doing?"
"There's this thing that my parents used to tease me about when I was a kid… they found out once when we were on vacation in Hawaii that I literally could not-not cuddle with anything that was around me. It sounds dumb I know, but my brothers got annoyed and began to test me. They would put pillows near me and I would always grab onto them. They used to make bets on it. We tried it on my brothers and my parents too. I tried it once on Yas and the two of us even did it to you one night when we were having a sleep over."
Sam eyed her. "What?"
"You didn't latch on though. No one ever really did besides me, but I still make it a point to try it with people. It's like an experiment, it shows another side of someone. Even with someone like Yas who bullied everyone."
But this time he was clinging to her.
Now she felt his breathing, being pushed face first into his chest.
It rose and it fell peacefully.
He's happy. Content. With her.
And now she's going to take it away. After all the hurt he's had in his life the one person he trusted had betrayed him and she can't even deny it. The medal of honor situation barely compares, even if she had been really mad at him when she found out.
He didn't want to lose her.
He made a mistake, but she knew she made a worse one.
She squiggled slightly out of his embrace and put her chin on top of his head, hugging the sleeping boy back and twirling with the hair behind his neck.
Tightly, she closed her eyes and felt silent hot tears stream out. She pulled back again and placed a warm kiss to his forehead.
"I'm so sorry Robby."