What Did You Do? [Robbie]

[Estelle Flores]

Estelle had been sick the day of the infamous Talk. And for a few days thereafter, so it took her hearing the chatter through the merciless school grapevine to hear what happened to poor little Moe. Estelle had never had a chance to really get to talk to him, since they'd only ever had a class when Estelle was new and she was too shy to say anything to him. But she liked him, and his adorable clothes, and she thought that what happened to him was awful.

Even more awful was the rumors that Robbie had been one of the people punished for what happened. Surely, there must have been a mistake. Robbie wouldn't do that to someone else. Robbie had to know better than to be so hurtful. Still.... she thought she ought to clear the air with Robbie himself.

Fortunately, when she stepped into the dorm room, Robbie was already esconced on the couch in the living room, playing video games. Estelle took a deep breath. "H-hey Robbie? I need to ask you something." Feeling unusually nervous, she asked, "Sooo... that thing with Moe. I heard people say you were involved. But I mean... they're wrong, aren't they?" Feeling horribly guilty, she hastened to clarify, "I'm sorry I have to ask, and I know that it's a horrible thing to suspect, but I gotta know, you know?" She ducked her head, hoping Robbie wouldn't be too mad at her for asking such a terrible question.

[Robbie Wilkes]

It felt so weird not having his powers activated. He had kind of been very dependent on it being around but the past week, he couldn't even feel it in his fingers and it was kind of depressing. Sure he kind of deserved it. What he had being a part of wasn't exactly the nicest thing he could have actually been a part of but at the time, consequences and other people's feelings were not taken into account.

It had simply been for his own enjoyment.

And now that he thought about it, that was extremely selfish. The Estelle in his head was screaming at him for being so callous and uncaring. Which was why when the door opened and an actual Estelle walked in with a pretty determined look on her face despite her nervous speech, Robbie knew he was in trouble. Big trouble.

His suspicions were proven correct and as Estelle stumbled through hr worries, Robbie paused his game and looked at her, determined not to make her guilt trip him into saying he was sorry or something. He didn't need it from his best friend. So with a chuckle and a grin, Robbie shrugged. "Well, yeah. I mean come on. You have to admit that prank was epic! I think it topped last year's! Zac outdid himself!"

[Estelle Flores]

...Robbie was just kidding, right?

There was no way that he was laughing about this. This--this wasn't funny. It was terrible. This wasn't the Robbie she knew and loved. There had to be some mistake. "...You did this." Estelle's eyes were wide and horrified, "You think it was epic? You made Moe cry! What has Moe ever done to you? You--you're no better than the bullies who used to pick on me and made me cry!" And she was crying now. Tears were starting in her eyes and rolling down her face.

"Oh, yeah." She spat, "It was a real epic prank, you stupid asshole!" Estelle never swore. She thought it was rude and unnecessary and awful. But she was so mad and betrayed, she didn't care, "And now you have the GALL TO LAUGH AT THIS, LIKE IT WAS FUNNY?" Her voice cracked, "You're just a stupid bully just like--like..."

She...would never really be certain what happened next. Somehow, in a blur of tears, she'd grabbed Robbie by the collar of his shirt, hauled him up off the couch--quite a feat for being several inches shorter than he-- and punched him in the face.

Hard.

She had had years of aikido to teach her how to best punch someone in the face, but she'd never had to use it before. Had never wanted to use it before. And now her best friend in the whole world, the one guy she leaned on when she was upset or alone or felt like her family problems would eat her away, had to be the first person she ever actually punched. Stunned, she dropped her hand and released her hold on his shirt. An automatic apology sprung to her lips, but she pushed it down. Instead, she said, "I h-hope that hu-hurt. I'm s-so disappointed and--and..." With a sob, she turned on her heel, heading towards the door.

[Robbie Wilkes]

The reaction from Estelle was something Robbie hadn't expected. Sure he knew she was upset but he didn't realise she was this upset. She was crying now. Damn it. He screwed up majorly hadn't he?

And just like that, one second he was off his feet and the next he was on the floor, nursing a possibly broken nose from which blood was gushing out of. He didn't even have time to whine about it when Estelle started to leave.

"No! No Estelle wait!" he hastily wiped his nose on his sleeve and scrambled to get up to race after his best friend. "Estelle wait, I'm sorry!" Briefly, he wondered exactly what he was sorry about.

[Estelle Flores]

Estelle's knuckles were stinging and split a little bit, she rubbed them absentmindedly in lieu of rubbing at her eyes. She was trembling from head to toe, she was so angry. When Robbie called her back and apologized, Estelle wanted so very, very much to turn and wipe her eyes and smile and tell him that it was okay, call him dumb, and move on. That would be the easiest thing to do. And it was something she wanted to do. Estelle didn't like being angry; she wasn't a naturally vicious person, and she didn't like holding someone responsible for their actions. But what Robbie had done was so hurtful, and when she turned to look at his face, it occurred to her that Robbie didn't even really know why he was saying sorry.

"I-if you can t-tell me," Estelle hiccuped, trying to steady her voice, "Wh-why you're saying sorry, then w-we'll be ok-okay. If I know th-that you underst-tand why I'm so upset, then it-it'll be okay." She took a deep breath, and distantly wished her mother wasn't ashamed of her, and that her brother liked to pretend she didn't exist. She wanted someone to tell her what to do. "B-because I'm tired of d-doing the right thing all b-by myself. Y-you gotta h-help me. You gotta d-do the right thing t-too." She sniffled, not sure she was making any sense anymore.

"So t-tell me, Robbie. Why are you sorry?"

[Robbie Wilkes]

Nothing could prepare him for what Estelle asked of him. Nothing. What the hell was he doing right now? It was so uncharacteristic of him, feeling guilt for something he had thought was completely harmless. They were just pictures! People should thank Mia and Zac and in little parts him for livening up that horrible talk in the first place! And it wasn't anything incriminating! Or so he thought. It was supposed to be harmless fun!

But having Estelle crying right now, this was unacceptable. Estelle, the sweetest person Robbie had ever had the pleasure to get to know, the one constant in his life that looked at him without judgment and was always happy was crying because of what he inadvertently did. It didn't matter that the plan was Zac's and that Mia was the one who procured the pictures. The fact of the matter was, Robbie had willingly gone through with the plan and did his part in humiliating people and was now the reason why one of his best friends was crying.

Her question made him balk and he was fairly certain whatever part of his brain was left just died on him right then. He didn't...know what he was sorry for. Sure, he was actually disappointed in himself for making Estelle cry but other than that...he didn't see why he should be sorry. He wanted so badly to have an answer for Estelle but he couldn't string two words together right then.

He just looked at Estelle, his eyes searching hers, like he was trying to find his own answers in them. When he found none, his shoulders sagged and he shook his head. "I'm sorry..."

[Estelle Flores]

Estelle sniffled, her chest hurting with the effort it took to keep her crying under control. She turned to look at him with brown eyes full of tears. "Yeah well..." She sniffled, "I'm sorry too." And with that, she stepped out the door.

She ran all the way back to her room, her head down and her eyes welling with tears. She sat in her room alone and sniffling for a while before she reached for her cellphone. Dialing a number, she waited as it rang and rang and rang...

"Hello, you've reached the Flores residence. We're not at home now, but leave your name and number and we'll get back to you as soon--"

Estelle hung up the phone and flopped over on her bed before curling up to cry.

[ooc: T_T wrapped for me. </3]

[Robbie Wilkes]

It took Robbie five seconds to realise he was alone again in the dorm. His head was telling him there was no way in hell Estelle was ever going to forgive him. Hell, he would never forgive himself for this.

God, the way Estelle looked at him before she left...that wasn't a good look. He understood when other girls gave him that look. He relished that look from other girls because he didn't care about other girls. But he cared about Estelle. So much. So deeply. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

Slowly, he made his way to the TV and yanked out the game console controller and switched the TV off before going into his room where he basically proceeded to trash the place in his fury and despair.

This is exactly why he never wanted to be close to anyone.

[OOC: TOO MUCH >_< TOO MUCH >_< *sobs*]