Zoe didn't want to tell him what happened, but she felt like she owed him an explanation.
Zoe
My mom found out me and Elise drank my dad's gin. She flipped out. She took away my computer and grounded me for a year.
Zoe let that hang in the air while she wondered whether to tell him the rest of the story. She decided against it.
Robert
Your mom sucks.
Zoe
Yeah.
She leaned her head on his bony shoulder and looked at the TV. Now the robot and the cat girl were fighting as friends against a common enemy: a group of mutants or demons. It was hard to tell what they were. One had tentacles for arms.
Zoe
Can you play with my hair?
Robert obeyed. Zoe loved it when he played with her hair. She had dated two boys, but neither of them knew how to do it. Her hair was thick and had a lot of knots in it, but Robert could somehow unravel the knots as he stroked her hair without pulling on her scalp.
Robert
Why were you drinking with Elise though?
Zoe
I don't know. We were bored. She is boring, you know.
Robert
I thought you said you weren't going to drink anymore, though.
Zoe
I know, I know. I didn't even have fun.
Robert hit a snag in Zoe's hair. He twirled the strand around his finger gently and spent a moment working it out.
Robert
But if it's not fun, why do you keep doing it?
Zoe
Because all the cool kids are doing it.
Robert
Hey. Don't be sarcastic.
Zoe set the ice cream on the end table and lay her head down on Robert's lap, facing the TV. This afforded him a better position for his hair-playing.
Zoe
I don't know why I did it. We were bored.
Robert
Don't you think it's weird that you drink when you're bored?
Zoe
I've only drank twice.
Robert
Yeah, but—
Zoe waited for him to finish his thought. But he continued to twist her hair in silence.
Zoe
But what?
Robert
Aren't you worried that you're, like, susceptible to alcoholism? Because of your dad?
Zoe
I don't know. I've never really thought about it. I'm pretty sure you have to drink more than twice in your life to become an alcoholic, Robert.
Robert
Alright, I'll drop it.
The cartoon, whatever it was, was over. It had ended in the middle of a battle. The demons were about to summon an even bigger demon to the battlefield, and then the credits rolled to the tune of a sacharrine Japanese pop song.
Robert
It's just that I worry about you, you know. I mean—I care about you.
Zoe
I know. I worry about you too, Bobby boy.
Robert nudged her with his knee. He hated being called Bobby. Zoe grinned at the TV.
Robert
What do you mean you worry about me? What about?
Zoe
Well. Why do you think I always try to go shopping with you? You're never going to get a girlfriend if you let your mom buy your clothes.
Robert
Zoe....
