Robin Hood and Her Merry Men

THE TOMBOY IN A DRESS AND HER BOYS IN SUITS

CHAPTER TWO

With my face bare, I remove my glasses and set them on the nightstand next to the lamp. I pick up the picture frame and smile at the picture of my parents and a five-year-old me with Micky Mouse ears on my head and on my father's shoulders, behind us was the castle and other people minding their own business. I remember every second of that day, it was the worst day of my life and every time I relive it there's a large hole in my chest and a feeling of sorrow lies heavy in the pit of my stomach, my throat dries up and the patronising place I frequently stay clear of, consumes me.

Setting the picture down, I notice from my peripheral vision the cover of the assigned dress hung on the door of my wardrobe. My fingers trace over the zip, tempting me to take a peek. I restrain as my father's voice booms in my ears, "Robby?"

Hurriedly, I march to the door and open it to reply, "Yeah pops?" I stand outside the doorway so I can hear his response clearly.

"Phoebe is downstairs," he informs me and I retreat back into my room to take my phone and purse from the dresser before striding out, closing the door behind me and I make my way down the stairs. Sitting on the single couch adjacent to the TV is Phoebe, the one girlfriend I have, being she was the only female who wasn't afraid of me at school. Well not as much as the others.

At my approach she rises and smiles in my direction which then morphs into a frown, "keep your opinions to yourself, you should know by now I don't care." My choice of style is just that, mine. She's tried relentlessly for years to alter what I wear and yet every time I decline and threaten to kill her in her sleep if she asks me to try on another skirt. If my mother did not dictate what I wore, then how can a friend? On the other hand, the boys liked how I dressed, it kept the other boys away- some of the time.

"I get today you promised today of all days." She drew closer with every word, allowing her ankle heeled boots to sound through my home. I nod in agreement, she has today but only today. Her smile resurfaces, she reaches out to hug me yet I step back and her arms shoot back to herself cradling her pale skin. "I forgot, I'm sorry."

"Forget about it." I wave it away and a second later my dad walks through the kitchen doors in his scrubs. "Pops what are you still doing here?"

"I have the morning off," he says and I stare at the second piece of jewellery I have, a watch.

"Well, the morning is almost up." He too glances down at his watch and nods in agreement.

"I should be off." He embraces me in a brief hug before kissing my head then rushing upstairs to get ready for work. I clench the first piece of jewellery I own, a necklace given by my parents.

Phoebe whispers my name, "Ro," then nudges me with her elbow, "we should go."

"You're right," shaking my head I step towards the stairs and shout, "dad we're leaving!" I reach for my own set of keys on the hook and indicate that I'm ready.

"Okay, see you tonight, and Robby, don't get into trouble." He replies from upstairs, the last part causes a smile on my lips and probably on his. I'm not a trouble maker, however, trouble had the tendency to come my way and most of the time I am caught in the crossfire. He means well, I just wish he knew.

"I won't, goodbye," I call out and usher Phoebe out into the summer heat. Using my hand as a canopy over my eyes, as protection from the sun, I follow her towards her Mini Cooper and enter the front passenger seat.

"Are your boys meeting us there?" She asks turning on the engine while I buckle myself to the seat.

"No, I won't see them until tonight."