A/N: Uh, hey... I mostly write for iCarly, but my editor Jen(I share an account) started this story and wanted me to edit and finish it, as a sort of switcheroo. For any Did you Forget? fans out there, I will update in the summer as soon as possible. Oh, and Jen came up with the coloring book idea a long time ago, when she wrote this.
Disclaimer: Two teenage girls does not equal one forty-year old man.
9/10/13: (please ignore me I just wanted to fix some grammatical errors)
As the last bell of the day sung out, Robbie collected his books from his be-pacified locker, sipping absentmindedly from his Skybucks cup.
"Yo, Fro!" A familiar voice sounded out behind him.
"Ackh!" Robbie cried in shock, causing his coffee to dribble down the front of his sweater.
"Great," he grumbled, peeling off the soggy sweater to reveal a t-shirt.
"Sorry 'bout that, you okay?" the voice spoke again, now identified to be André Harris.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Do you have a stain stick on you?" Robbie replied.
"Sorry man, fresh out." André responded, patting his pockets sarcastically. "Anyway, do you know what the homework is for Simmons' class? I forgot to write it down."
"Uh, yeah. There's an essay due Thursday on your favorite musical act of the 'Sixties."
" 'Kay, cool, thanks." André called over his shoulder as he strolled away.
"You know, you could say you're welcome." Rex chided from Robbie's arms.
"Yeah, you're one to talk about manners," Robbie snapped.
André's question had reminded him that he had been planning to start early on his own essay. He knew who he was writing on. With that thought, he headed to the library.
"Hi," Robbie said, approaching the help desk. "Do you know where I can find books on the Beatles?"
"Does it look like it's my job to answer your questions?" barked Mrs. Shrydock, the school's offbeat, crabby, librarian.
Confused and annoyed, Robbie sputtered, "Wha- Yes?
Slamming her fist on the paper-strewn desk, Mrs. Shrydock spat, "You better watch it, Curly Sue! I don't have time for your petty interrogations, I have work to do!" As Robbie walked away, he saw her turn her swivel chair towards the computer and start playing online bingo.
And so he set about walking aimlessly around the library, muttering 'Beatles, Beatles' softly to himself.
He was about to head towards the history section when he saw her, There, sprawled out on the floor, immersed in a coloring book, was none other than Cat Valentine. She was humming an unsteady tune punctured by many random high notes. For a moment he just stood there, watching her, entranced and bemused by the pure innocence she radiated. Rex looked up at his carrier, rolling his eyes before clearing his throat very loudly. Cat, noticing their presence for the first time, sat up suddenly, now sitting 'Indian Style'.
"Hi Robbie!" she chimed, thrusting a coloring book upwards for him to see. "Do you like it?" After a few seconds she matter-a-factly stated, "It's a duck!"
"No!" Rex smirked, shaking his head in mock astonishment.
"Be quiet," Robbie whispered warningly to his puppet. He took a step closer to the flame-haired girl. "I see that, but...why is the duck pink?" She had a tendency to get easily offended, and he didn't want to set her off.
"It's Carnation, duh!" she said as if it were an explanation, shaking the crayon box for emphasis. As Rex started to speak, Robbie hastily made to cover the dummy's mouth. He carefully set Rex on a nearby chair and joined Cat on the floor criss-cross-applesauce.
"So...Cat, what brings you to the library?"
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not smart or something? Do I look like an airhead to you?" She huffed and started to get up.
"No! No no no! I just mean, well, are you working on a, project or something?"
"Oh." Cat resumed her original position. "I'm here 'cause Tori brought me."
Robbie did a quick scope of the library. "And where did Tori go?"
"Well, we were supposed to work on our essays, but then she got a call from Trina, and then Trina started using bad words-don't worry, I covered my ears," she assured him. "Anyways, then Tori said she had to go, so she left me with a coloring book. And then you found me!"
"So," Robbie said changing the topic. "What musical act are you choosing for your essay? I'm doing 'The Beatles'."
"'The Who', but I can't find any books."
He helped her find what she needed, and got his information as well. 5 PM found them in the same positions. Robbie and Cat were each working diligently, but other topics kept coming up. Like how people should stop messing with Beck and Jade's relationship, and why Sikowitz drank coconut juice only from a secret company. After a bit of silence and reading, Cat spoke up again.
"Robbie?"
"Yeah, Cat?" He was a bit annoyed. Robbie had been enjoying the silence. During their conversations, he had felt compelled to stare at her.
"Do you think I'm dense?"
He finally looked up to see her solemn face, "No. Never, Cat. Why would you think that?"
"Because in Science, I couldn't understand something and some mean kid called me dense." Cat looked about ready to cry.
Robbie sighed, put his book, walked over, and put his arm around her. "Well, you should never listen to what mean kids say. They never make sense."
Cat buried her face in Robbie's shoulder. They sat there for a few minutes, while he let her regain control. Suddenly Cat's face shot up.
"Did you know that 'The Who' was originally from London, England?"
Robbie stifled a laugh. "No..."
And so it went. Robbie went out to bring back dinner around 7 PM, and the librarian eventually left herself. At about 10 PM, Robbie was typing on his laptop with Cat's head in his lap.
"Hey." Her greeting startled him. He'd assumed she was asleep.
"Hey yourself." He put the laptop on the floor.
"What words would you use to describe me?" She looked up at him. Robbie hesitated. "I won't get mad, I promise." Cat stuck out her pinky and he linked it with his own.
"Well...Innocent...radiant...playful...cute," He murmurs the last one.
She smiles at him, and a silence goes on for a minutes.
"And...For the record...I'd never let savage children eat you."
Here, Cat giggles and sits up for a moment to give a him a peck on his cheek and lays her head down on his lap and closes her eyes. Robbie turns a light shade of pink and tries to think of a response. And even though he knows she's probably sleeping by now, he goes ahead and says his cheesy line.
"You're my carnation."
Cat smiles, and he doesn't know if she heard him or she was just having a nice dream, but Robbie's glad he said it anyways. He leans his head back against the bookshelf behind him and falls into deep slumber.