Grab N' Go [Robin Arellano]

26: Cheech and Chong

"Christmas break is next Friday already! My mom gets really busy around the holidays. I mean, she'll definitely be home for Christmas night. Probably not the week after though. That's how it always is. So I was thinking we can throw a New Years party? And by that I mean just me, you, Finney, and Gwen," Valentina rambles excitedly, happily looking out the window on their bus ride home.

When she gets no response, she glances to Robin who seems to be lost in thought and her excitement is quickly replaced with concern.

"Robin?" She softly calls.

He perks up, shifting his gaze to her with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I heard you, I was just thinking...I kind of wanna go see my uncle for Christmas. I can go before your mom gets home and I'll ask him to give me a ride back in the morning?"

The suggestion makes her tense up slightly, something he doesn't fail to notice.

With everything that's happened, she really doesn't feel comfortable being away from him yet. What if she thought he was at his uncles and he was taken again? What if got taken when dropped back off? At the same time though, it would be selfish to revoke his right to see his close family on a day that was meant to be spent with them.

"What if...you and I go together to celebrate during the day? Then, we come back to celebrate with my mom during the night?" She offer her alternative, although the thought of meeting more of his family is intensely nerve wrecking. "I just don't wanna be away from you..."

His eyes widen at the suggestion, and she expects him to decline. So nervously, she begins to ramble again before he can answer.

"I know, I know! I can't be with you at all times forever, I just feel like everything happened so recently and I just need more time to get over it," she spews, nervously letting go of his hand to play with her own in her lap. "Plus, you can just pretend to go home after and then sneak back in through my window."

He chuckles, "nah, I wasn't trying to make it seem like that bothered me. I don't wanna be away from you neither. I just thought you wouldn't want to meet my family since my mom treated you so shitty...and....you want me to meet your mom? On Christmas? That's like, a big deal, isn't it?"

With a relieved smile she replies, "honestly, I'm nervous to meet more of your family, but you've said nice things about your uncle before. And I'll do it if it means we won't have to be apart. As for my mom....yeah, it's a big deal, especially on Christmas. It's alright though. She won't be rude, as long as you're respectful."

"Yeah, I'll be on my best behavior. Swear," he nods with an excited smile. "Man, I'm so fucking excited now. My uncles gonna be so impressed with you."

She blushes, waving him off, "you're just saying that."

"No, I'm for real," he insists, excitedly grabbing her hands and tugging them to make her look at him. "You have it all! You're Mexican like us, you speak Spanish, you cook, you're letting me live with you, you're the most gorgeous girl to ever have existed. You're the ultimate ride or die. Like, for real. He doesn't know shit about the kidnapping stuff, but if he did, he would like you even more. We're like Bonnie and Clyde. They're real ride or dies! Or Cheech and Chong, except we're dating."

Amused by his excitement, and flattered by his compliments, she decides he deserves a kiss. So, she leans forward and grants him a passionate one.

She can feel him still smiling, and when they separate her theory is confirmed. He is sat with a huge grin.

"My mom will like you too. Because you're not white," she laughs playfully. "I wish I was lying, but the only white boy she would ever let me date is Finney. And even that's questionable because of his dad."