#rrl01w10

Gen One, Day Seventy

“Robyn, I just have to say,” Liliana caught Robyn as the party was winding down. Robyn’s energy was wanning, but it had been so worth it to see all of her friends again. She’d said goodnight to almost all of them, save for Catarina and Liliana. Fateful, since those had been her first two friends in Brindleton Bay ever. 

Glancing over at Liliana, she saw her friend looking at her kindly, with admiration in her eyes. “You’ve built such a beautiful home here. And I don’t just mean the house. You, Johnny, the kids, your new puppy -- all of it. You sure have got it lucky, you know?” 

The words had Robyn’s heart stirring and she smiled brightly at Liliana in thanks. “I do know,” she agree wholeheartedly. “But thank you for saying it.” 

Aspiration Complete: Perfectly Pristine New Aspiration: Eco Innovator Store Trait Purchased: Frugal

Gen One, Day Seventy

“So... I’m still you’re girlfriend?” 

Corey looked shocked that she even asked the question, which made her feel silly again. Of course he would have been tired coming home from camp. They’d talked on the phone all of those days, that should have been enough. And here he was, telling her how fantastic she looked, making sure she wasn’t going through a phase or sad or anything and she was still worried that he’d met someone else while he was away. She felt silly. 

“What? Of course!” he told her. 

She just smiled and pulled him closer so her lips could find his. She’d been wrong to doubt. Wrong to worry. Corey had been nothing but great to her and she’d gotten it into her mind that he was going to betray her somehow. But he hadn’t. He’d remained loyal, faithful, and proven himself time and time again about what a great boyfriend he was. 

Corey was hers. She wouldn’t trade him for the world. Even if they were young still, she couldn’t see a future without Corey in it. No matter what happened with school, college or afterwards, she knew she wanted to stay with Corey. Maybe even become Mrs. Eris Metcalf.

Gen One, Day Seventy-One

“It was really good seeing you again,” Allan told her. Time was up, the day was over and Eris needed to leave now or risk not making it home by curfew. But it was hard to peel herself away from Allan. She’d been so unsure of where he’d wound up, whether he was okay, whether he hated her that seeing him today and getting answers to all of those things made it hard to want to part again. 

“You too,” she answered, before pulling him in for a hug. It wasn’t a quick one, something needy and comforting in just holding onto him. He was solid, okay, secure and there’d been so many days she’d questioned whether she’d done the right thing. 

Allan’s hug changed after he realized she wasn’t going to let him go right away. His hand came up to the back of her head, like he was grasping onto a dear friend for life. “I never thanked you,” he told her. It had her stilling in his arms, trying to hold back the emotions that broke through the floodgates at the words. “I think you saved my life, you know that?” 

Taking a deep breath, she pulled back then, her hands resting on his arms as she looked at him with adoration in her eyes. “You’re worth it,” she made sure he knew. 

The words seemed to inflate Allan with something he’d been missing. She wondered if anyone had ever said those words to him before. That he was worth the effort, worth the trouble, worth all the sleepless nights if it meant he got a better lot in life to make it his own. “Eh...” he didn’t seem to know what to say to that and she chuckled a little. “Hey, listen, we don’t have to be strangers anymore, you know? You’ve got my number now, so...we can hang out sometimes?” 

“Are you kidding? Definitely? We have like nine other ice cream flavors to try.” 

Gen One, Day Sixty-Seven

Johnny was trying to watch football that night and he kept turning the volume up the more and more Robyn got into cleaning up the house. He should have known something was on her mind the minute she started doing the dishes by hand instead of putting them in the dishwasher, but he really wanted to watch the game. 

It wasn’t until she broke out the vacuum and did one round of the house before sighing and starting on her second round that Johnny took real notice. The volume didn’t go any higher on the television anyway and Robyn kept vacuuming in his view of the game, so he flicked it off and as loud as he could, cleared his throat. 

Robyn looked at him, smiled sheepishly and turned the vacuum off. “Bug,” Johnny started, tapping the couch next to him. “Come talk to me.” 

Gen One, Day Sixty-Six

tw abuse

Almost half an hour later, the social workers and others came out, with Allan in tow. He had a backpack strung over one shoulder, head hanging low and a withdrawn look on his face. Eris stood, wringing her hands in her sleeves nervously as she watched. She half expected Allan to simply walk past her and get into the car with the social workers. 

He didn’t. He looked up at her and paused, glancing over his shoulder at one of the workers, who gave him an encouraging smile and a nod, before he headed over to stand in front of Eris. 

“Guess I’m leaving,” he said, tone detached, like he was lost standing there in his own skin. 

She didn’t know what to say. Good seemed cruel when he was still struggling with it. You’ll be fine seemed like a promise she couldn’t make, but one she hoped for. So she said nothing, just stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. To her relief, Allan did the same. He seemed to relax, his forehead coming to rest on her shoulder. She placed her hand gently on the back of his neck, not knowing if this was goodbye forever or just for now. She hoped the latter. 

“No one messes with my science partner,” she whispered to him. It earned her a laugh. Though reserved and followed by what sounded like a sob, she’d cherish that sound for a lifetime.

Gen One, Day Sixty-Six

tw abuse

Eris had made up her mind almost immediately after talking things through with her Mom. While she hadn’t given her the details, or even hinted at something this severe going on, the advice had still been sound. No matter what she was afraid of, one of her friends was in danger and it meant she couldn’t just sit on it and let it ride. He could hate her all he wanted for the rest of his life, but at least he’d have the rest of his life. 

Knocking on Allan’s door, she was pleasantly surprised when Allan came to the door instead of his father, but she was reminded why she was here when she saw all the bruises still lingering on his face. She couldn’t tell if there were more, but his eyes weren’t as swollen. 

“Hey,” he greeted her, almost sheepishly. “Look, I’m- I’m sorry about the other day...” 

“Can I come in?” she asked, not really acknowledging the apology and Allan nodded. 

“Yeah, Dad’s not home right now.”

It solidified in her the idea that she was doing the right thing, the fact that he felt obligated to tell her that. She stepped inside the trailer for the first time, taking a look around. There wasn’t a living room, just a small kitchenette with an old tv on the counter. A broken down washer and dryer in the hallway led to what she could only imagine was Allan’s father’s room, the door slightly ajar and showing an old lounge chair surrounded by beer bottles and plastic cups. Down the other side of the hall looked to be Allan’s room, his door off the hinges and just a mattress on the ground. She chewed her lip. God, he couldn’t even escape in his own home if he wanted to. 

“Uh, so...” Allan said, taking a seat at the counter. “How’d the presentation go?” 

She gave him a look, before crawling onto the stool next to him. “Not why I’m here.” 

Gen One, Week Ten Recap

Weekly Overview (x)

Eris takes things to a new intimate level with her boyfriend before summer vacation, during which the family takes a trip to Del Sol Valley. Mourning the loss of another pet, Robyn decides to adopt a puppy from a co-worker’s litter. As the school year moves on, Eris runs into an old friend and questions her relationship with Corey while Charlie celebrates his birthday and gets ready for basketball try-outs. 

Daily Overview

Day Sixty-Six (x) - Random event roll, Eris helps a friend & gets intimate with Corey.

Day Sixty-Seven (x) - Robyn works towards a new career goal & Snowball passes.

Day Sixty-Eight (x) - Eris worries about Corey going away for the summer.

Day Sixty-Nine (x) - Family vacation to Del Sol Valley & Eris cuts her hair.

Day Seventy (x) - Random event roll applied, Eris changes her style & the family adopts a dog.

Day Seventy-One (x) - Eris runs into an old friend at Copperdale Pier.

Gen One, Day Seventy-Two

“I’m telling you, Charlie, she’s got this friend I think you’d really like,” Harvey was going on as they sat and ate pizza in the arcade at the mall. Charlie sighed. They’d been over this. Throughout middle school, Harvey had gone through two different girlfriends and was starting high school out with a bang by almost immediately getting into a relationship. Each and every time, Harvey always tried to set up Charlie with one of his girlfriends’ friends. 

He’d never taken him up on the offer. 

“Dude, I don’t want a girlfriend,” Charlie told him with the patience of a saint. Harvey was his best friend, he’d put up with a lot from him and he knew he didn’t mean anything by it. Truth was, Charlie wasn’t really looking for a relationship. Not since high school was going so well and he was really starting to discover himself. The funny part was, none of that discovery involved a girlfriend. Actually, Charlie was beginning to think it was quite the opposite. Something that both scared and intrigued him. “I don’t have time for one, I’m gonna be trying out for basketball this year.” 

Harvey snorted. “Charlie...there’s always time for a girlfriend. She could come and cheer you on at your games.” Charlie sighed, because they’d been down this road long enough that he knew Harvey already had his answer and was just being a pest now. 

“No,” Charlie shook his head, adamant about this. 

“Ugh, fine,” Harvey played, slumping down in his chair. “I’ll just give you all the details of my own relationship and you can live vicariously.” Charlie snorted, sure that Harvey would be true to his word.