[Storiesmaniac]

Kara sat at the kitchen table, slowly munching on her bowl of long gone soggy cereal. Her classroom textbooks lay sprawled out on the table before her. Not being in class took a toll on her, and she felt the need to study incessantly. The mid-day winter sun was bouncing playfully off that snow outside, blinding anyone who dare looked out the Windex clear windows. The clock above the stove confirmed that it was almost noon. Sitting alone in the empty house, Kara had time to think for the first time in days, not only about the studies, but about everything else that had come to her attention in the last few days. She reached for her coffee, and drowned her thoughts in it.

The ringing of the doorbell nearly made her jump half a foot in the air. Still in pj's with fluffy pink slippers, she walked to the front door and opened it, squinting as the light filled the dark hall. Robin stood hands shoved deep in his pockets on the front stoop.

"Where's Kyle?" Robin asked before Kara had even opened the door fully. Kara shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight.

"So good to see you too," Kara stepped out of the way and let Robin in out of the cold.

"I'm sorry, hi Kara, where's Kyle?" Robin reiterated. Kara walked back into the kitchen and sat down at the table, returning to her textbooks and soggy cereal.

"Not here."

"What?" Robin's eyes burst out of his skull.

"He's not here."

"Where is he?" Robin demanded bracing himself on a chair.

"In Denver."

"Denver?!?"

"Did I stutter?" Kara arched a brow.

"What's he doing in Denver?" Robin questioned.

"Are you going to tie me down to my seat and shine a bright light in my face too?" Kara asked. "It could really make this experience more intimidating."

"Tell me woman!"

"He and Whit went to Denver for the day," Kara shrugged and turned a page in her book. "Grandparents gave them money for furniture for Christmas. They went to Ikea."

"Ikea?" Robin blubbered. "Ikea?"

"Say it three times and you'll have it memorized."

Robin sunk down in the chair he had been standing against, his jaw agape, mouthing the word over and over. Kara got up to refill her coffee mug.

"Want some coffee?" Kara offered at the counter. "I know you prefer tea but I can't lower myself to make some right now."

"Ikea."

"Robin," Kara slammed the mug down on the marble countertop and then turned him to look at her, "is there some message you want me to leave Kyle?"

"I-I-I got tickets," Robin stuttered as he reached into the inner pocket of his coat. He pulled out two tickets and stared at them in bewilderment.

"To?" Kara asked as she ripped the stiff pieces of paper out of his hands. "Punk Rock Fest at Sugarloaf Resort? Clever name."

"Give me those!" Robin screeched and ripped them out of her hands.

"These things are sacred."

Kara laughed and went back to getting her coffee.

"They've been sold out for weeks and some guy at work gave them to me like they were nothing. Front row tickets!"

"Did his girlfriend leave him?"

"I was going to take Kyle. He was supposed to be here, damn it!"

"I'll let him know that."

"Now what am I gonna do?" Robin sighed, looking downcast and miserable.

"Take someone else?" Kara prompted. "Call Mike, or Becka, or Ash."

"Nah," Robin shook his head, "They're all working and if I'm going I got to go now. The drives a bitch."

"Then go alone," Kara suggested. "Nothing says you can't go alone."

"Lame core," Robin shook his head and whistled. "You don't go to these things alone, going to these things alone, is like screaming 'I'm gonna die a virgin!'"

"Get a hooker."

"Kara!"

Kara stared at him over the brim of her coffee mug. "Okay then," she smacked her lips. "I'm going to go study in my room some more. You're welcome to stay as long as you want. Coffee's on the pot, foods in the fridge, leave me alone."

With that she left Robin sitting alone in the kitchen. He stared hard at the tickets in his hands. For years he had wanted to go to this. All the local showcasing bands along with several celebrity headliners rocked the stage. The place was utter madness, non-stop. It was the biggest bash in the state, the only thing more noted was when the Warped Tour stopped by.

Damn Kyle for doing married couple things like buying furniture in Denver. No self respecting bachelor would have committed such a heinous crime. It took severe need to make most men buy toilet paper, let alone drive four hours to go to some fancy import store with a name like Ikea. It was all because he was married. Damn him and his wedded bliss.

Robin stared at the tickets once more, too good to pass up. Why did it have to suck like this? Staring intently at the cards, glistening under the fluorescent kitchen lights, he was struck by an idea. Gasping in excitement he ran up the winding stairs, taking the same path Kara had. He threw open the door to Kara's bedroom in exuberant joy.

"Change!"

"Excuse me?" Kara looked up from her book.

"Where are your clothes?" Robin demanded as he threw open the lid to her unzipped suitcase. He rummaged about until he found a pair of black jeans and a black and red top.

"What the heck are you doing?"

"Put those on!"

"Why?"

"We don't have time for questions, woman! Let's move it!"

"I'm sorry," Kara tossed her book aside. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Yes, Sugarloaf, we have to be on the road in five, c'mon, move faster!"

"I'm not going to Sugarloaf with you," Kara almost snorted as she was laughing so hard. "You must be crazy."

"I am, but that's beside the point," Robin made his way into the attached bathroom.

"You're a girl, don't you own eyeliner?"

"Eyeliner? Are you raiding my bathroom?"

"Empty box of tampons," Robin tossed the container over his shoulder.

"Robin," Kara stood up. "I don't even like punk rock."

"That's okay," Robin emerged holding her make-up bag. "I'll brain wash you on the three hour drive there. You're a fast learner."

"Robin," Kara snatched her make-up bag back and out of his hands. "I'm not going."

"What are you going to do then?" Robin asked rolling his eyes. "Sit around here and study in this empty house all day?"

"Yes."

"Kara," Robin shook her shoulders. "It's Sugarloaf! Do you know how big a deal this is?"

"Not as big a deal as I'm going to make if you don't remove your hands from my shoulders in the next thirty milliseconds."

"Please!"

"No."

"Oh, c'mon Kara Beara..."

Kara glared at him. She hated that name with a passion. Without breaking her stare, lips pursed, she snatched the clothes up from the bed and held them tight to her chest.

"Give me five minutes and I'll be downstairs."

"Yippee!" Robin cheered and bolted to the door.

"And there better be coffee!" Kara screamed after him. "Lot's of coffee!"

"Eyeliner babe, lots of eyeliner."