The Anti-Villain | Robin Love Story

Final Exam

"Aw, man, come on!" Cyborg whines as he lifts the curved black couch over his head; his exclamation bringing my attention from my (book/magazine/drawing). "It's gotta be around here someplace!" Beast Boy, in bloodhound form, sniffs at some of the trash on the floor as Cyborg lets out a frustrated groan. "I don't believe this!" He shakes the couch, hoping that what he's looking for will fall out.

Raven sits at the dining table reading directly across from me as I lean against one of the few clean kitchen counters. "How could you lose the remote?" Beast Boy returns to human form with an offended look.

"What makes you so sure I lost it?" he asks. The two boys sneer at each other.

"Uh... 'cause you're you."

"Hey! Just because I lost that video game-"

"And the toothpaste, and my football, and the waffle iron."

"And many, many more things," I mutter as I casually flip to the next page.

"-Things disappear. How am I supposed to know where they go?"

"Well, how am I supposed to watch TV without a remote?" Cyborg asks. Raven slams her book shut and stands up, drawing our attention to her.

"Simple. You just get up and change the channel," she states. The two boys give her and each other a puzzled look.

"Don't even joke like that."

"I wasn't joking."

"Good, 'cause it wasn't funny! Now either help us look for the remote or go back to your nasty old book and-"

"This is a pointless argument over a useless device." A drop of sweat appears on her temple as she talks, "You are wasting your energy and disrupting my concentration." The side door behind her opens to reveal Robin and Starfire talking.

"I'm telling you, I didn't lose it! You were the one watching TV last! So if you want to blame someone, look in the mirror, buddy!" Beast Boy exclaims, causing Starfire to gasp.

"Whoa! Take it easy, Titans! Combat practice is this afternoon," Robin says.

"We must mend your dispute by the sharing of unhealthy junk foods. I shall fetch them," Starfire says and crosses the common room to the open kitchen.

"I don't think that's gonna help, Star," I say as I turn to face the redhead.

"I don't need food!" Cyborg shouts.

"See?" The boys arguing gets louder as Robin joins in to stop them, "I don't think you're gonna find anything in there that's not covered in mold anyway," I say and turn back to watch the squabbling. Starfire opens the fridge, shrieks and throws a starbolt. A chill goes up my spine as the mold splatters up my back and over everyone in the common room.

"Maybe we should just go out for pizza," Robin says and a string of fungus drips off the ceiling and past his head.

"I think that's a good idea."

~~~

We sit at one of the red tables on the pizza shaped balcony as Beast Boy and Cyborg argue over pizza toppings. The green teen squats on his stool and I lean against Robin. When the dispute pauses, Raven speaks up.

"Can we please just order something?" She asks.

"As long as it's vegetarian," Beast Boy says.

"Come on, man, how can you deny me the all-meat experience?" Cyborg asks.

"Dude, I've been most of those animals!"