Research: Romance

IOU

My feet flew after Robin as he tore down the sidewalk at a lethal pace. The minute he saw a building resembling a coffee shop, he threw the door open and dashed us inside. The barista looked at us alarmed before welcoming us in. 

I waved a friendly hello at him, all while Robin was weaving through the tables toward the back of the cafe where the restroom signs were hanging. The barista's face scrunched up, and he threw up an "okay?" signal at me.  

Nodding emphatically, I gave him a thumbs up, "We just really have to pee! It's an emergency. Be right there!" 

The barista's mouth formed an "O" and he nodded, "Order when you're ready." 

By the time he said this to me, Robin and I were already by the bathrooms. Of course, saying I had to pee reminded me that I did, and so I stepped toward the ladies room. However, Robin has other ideas, and is tugging my arm in the opposite direction. Before I know it, I'm standing in the men's room. 

"Robin!" I exclaim, throwing my hands over my eyes. "What are you doing?!" 

There's a second where I hear him checking the stalls before I feel a finger tap my shoulder. I let my hands drop, scanning the room wearily before meeting his gaze. 

"We need to talk. Right now." 

"Why can't we do that outside the bathrooms?" I gestured to the urinals not three feet away from us.

"Sorry," He pulls in a deep breath, and steps back to pace the length of the room. It takes a moment, but Robin eventually regains his composure. The frantic look on his face starts to melt away when he says, "I needed somewhere private and panicked." 

"Okay. Talking. Let's talk--- what happened back there?" Unable to pretend my lungs aren't about to burst from my chest a second more, I walk toward the sink. He watches me lift myself up on the rim and sit.

"Why are you on the sink?" He raises his eyebrow like that's the most bizarre part of this situation. 

"I'm out of shape." I admit, masking how winded I felt from running at his pace.

Note to self: do more cardio. 

 "And I'm certainly not sitting or leaning anywhere else in this room. Now, am I?" 

He thinks about it then nods, and steps toward me, "Okay, Caleb is a huge problem for many reasons, but let me just break them down really quick: 1. He's tortured me since high school. 2.He loves to tell horrifically embarrassing stories about me. 3.He thinks we're dating.  4.Everyone who knows we aren't dating will be there tonight. 5. He will tell them otherwise." 

"Okay..." I draw out, "That is a bit problematic, but it's not the end of the world. We can come up with a plan."

Robin barely registers my words, he's too busy pacing a trench in the tile, "Of course Drew set all this up. Every year I tell him no birthdays and every year...  I'm going to kill him." 

"Robin, take a breath." I held my hands up to calm him. This must be what Desi sees every time she talks me off the ledge. Do my eyes get that same edgy look? It's unnerving the way his pupils get all big and shaky. 

At the sound of my tone, Robin stops, closes his eyes, and inhales. 

I do the same thing, as if demonstrating for him how to calm down before saying, "We'll just pull Caleb aside, tell him we aren't dating, and he'll back off. Then, if he gets out of line, I'll help run interference for you all night. No big deal." 

"About that..." There's a pause and Robin looks squeamish when his eyes finally open meet mine, "Remember that favor you owe me?" 

"Yes?" I pulled back a bit. "Why?"