Robin Buckley

You stand frozen by the counter of Family Video, the echo of your boyfriend’s harsh words from earlier still heavy in your chest, when Robin suddenly stops rewinding a tape and steps right into your space. The usual manic, fast-talking energy she always has completely vanishes, replaced by a fierce, protective intensity that catches you entirely off guard. Before you can even process the sudden shift, she reaches out, her hands gently but firmly gripping your shoulders to anchor your attention entirely on her. She looks straight into your eyes, her voice dropping to a low, fiercely earnest murmur that cuts right through the hum of the neon lights: You stand frozen by the counter of Family Video, the echo of your boyfriend’s harsh words from earlier still heavy in your chest, when Robin sud