Did My Art Teacher Just Flirt With Me?

We were at the beach.

Robin and I of course, on one of our countless usual dates, I was having a blast. He pulled me into the water splashing and laughing as we both began having a splash fit. He smiled with his usual gleam, his beautiful facial feature’s soft with passion and his hair flinging droplets of sea water into the air.

I thought this was the greatest day of my life until I felt the water pull us both under. Robin desperately tried to swim back up but he wasn't going anywhere because of the strong current. I tried to swim to him but something kept pulling me back. Something tugging me. I turned around to find Alex who was desperately choking for air. I turned to look at Robin then to Alex, both dying right in front of me.

"Help! Rachael help!" They both cried.

Each sinking and choking for air, water drowning their lungs. I didn't understand how to save them both at the same time. Alex was drifting farther away from Robin who was being swept away. They both started sinking at once and each of them started screaming my name. I started to cry, screaming for help myself. My arm reached out to the person I wanted to save the most and then... I woke up.
****
T.S.P. was busy as usual for a saturday night. Robin and I sat at the bar with Jenine and Neil discussing a Mr. Coleman about their record deal. Robin thinks it's a great chance to show the man what their band's made of. Alex seems to want to take it steady though, at least that's what Robin said.

"I don't get it, this is a once in a life-time chance, why would he want to delay it?" Robin said as he took a sip of his soda. "I thought that's what we were working so hard for."

Neil grinned trying to comfort Robin. "Ah don't worry, I'm sure he's just got his mind in the gutter, he'll come out of it."

Jenine smiled at me as she got up and walked over closer, she leaned in and whispered, "So, it's been a month since you guys dated... What do you think, are you totally over Alex?"

I blushed. How could she still ask that? "Of course I'm... over Alex, why shouldn't I be?" I answered her.

In reality... in a way that it smacks you hard on the face, I'm NOT over Alex. Since the day we started dating, to when he saved me from my mother, to when he broke my heart, and to when he started stepping all over it. It's hasn't been easy these last four weeks. No. Alex shows interest for me all the time, I think he's just playing around like he usually does, but... I don't want that.

It hurts.

But other times, it seems like he really does like me. Like the way he stays up at night to sing to me through the thin walls that divide our rooms. I always wondered if he sang with his heart or if he was pulling my strings.

Whatever it was, it kept me attached to him. I can't stand it. Everytime he does stuff like that it crushes me.

That's why I have Robin. Looking at him gives me a reason to fight the urge to crumble. His beautiful features, his kind voice, and his ever so I-will-protect-you-no-matter-what attitude keeps my heart attached to him...

But not as much as it does to Alex.

"But that dream...." Jenine looked at me crossly as she put her hands to her hips. "You liar." She muttered.

I looked at Robin who turned around asking "Liar?"

"Minor, we're sitll minors and we can't drink." I said quickly with a false smile.

Robin laughed. "Aw Jim won't mind if you want a drink." He grinned.

I looked at the bartender who winked but I shook my head with a smile. "It's alright." I said, "It was just Jenine anyway."

Robin glanced at his watch and got up, heading over to the stage. "Hey, the show's starting in a couple of minutes. So be ready." He smiled, leaning in to kiss me on the lips.

Jenine gagged, Neil gave an "Aw...."
****
"Do you remember of a time, when we felt so alive..." Alex sung in his beautiful velvet voice.

Robin added background vocals as they continued singing. "Do you remember that? Do you remember that?"

The crowd went wild as they finished leaving girls swooning and holding their hands in the shape of hearts while others still screamed "I love you Alex!" I stood at the front though, gazing at my boyfriend Robin and taking a quick glance at Alex who smiled to everyone in the crowd. His eyes landed on me and I turned away before I could see what he had on his face.

"Alright! We'd like to thank everyone for coming here tonight at T.S.P.!" Alex said into the mic. "Drop Dead Diary is officially signing out for tonight! We'll see you all next time!"

The crowd went into another hysterical scream fit as Robin gave in a last minute "Thank you very much!"

The band grabbed their things and retreated quickly off the stage for the next band to perform. Robin gestured to go backstage as he began to clean up their equipment. I nodded with a smile, squeezing through the crowds to the back doors.

"Hey, you in a band?" A voice chuckled.

"No... Robin told me to meet him here." I said in a matter-of-factly voice. "You should know better Alex."

Alex grinned showing his sweaty self from the shadows of the stage curtains. "Aw you're such a b*tch sometimes Juliet."

I rolled my eyes with a smirk. "One, stop calling me that, two my name is Rachael, remember doofus?"

Alex smiled. "Of course I do." He said softly.

That's when my cheeks went hot rememberin the kiss he gave me one month ago. "Oh..." I muttered.

Alex approached carefully leaving enough space for me to hold my sanity. "Hey, so... how's it going between you and Robin?" He paused. "He's a great boyfriend isn't he."

"Yea..." I said 'better than you.' I thought to myself. "So I heard you want to go steady with the music career, what's that all about? I thought you wanted to be big."

Alex paused, his eyes flinched at each word I spoke. "So you heard that huh..." He said quietly.

"Yea, and I want to know why." I pressed.

"It's personal. None of your buisness." He said coldly.

"It's Kimberly isn't it." I said.

"Stop bringing her up everytime I do something weird." He growled.

"Well it is isn't it?" I snapped. Slightly annoyed that just the thought of her ruins every chance of the life he wanted. "You can't just let her go? Say a final 'good-bye'? Move on?"

Alex shook in place his head hung low. "It's not that." He said in almost a whining tone. "You don't get it do you?"

"Get what Alex? Everything you do is a mystery to me!" I said with growing anger. "I don't understand half the things you do and you're barely lucky that I don't blow off on the stupid things you've done!"

"Maybe if you paid more attention to what I've been trying to tell you, you'd understand me more!" He snapped. "Everything I've done this past month and you don't even think about it twice before throwing it away!"

"What?" I said in a semi calm voice, "You never speak to me anymore!"

"Because you avoid me!" He broke. "I'm taking this music thing slow because I want to stay here longer!"

I stopped. My throat aching tightly. "Why?"

"Because-"

"Hey I heard some shouting... is something going on?"

I turned around to see Robin there, standing in his black 'Girl's Love Me In Black' shirt and his straight leg jeans. He shook his blonde hair out of his eyes as he took me by the waist and landed a kiss on my cheek. I struggled to put on a smile as Alex grinned easily. "Hey, I was just asking Jim if he liked the show." He lied.

Robin laughed, "Well, considering how many people are here, Jim didn't hear a word you said. Oh by the way Rachael, Mr. Coleman liked us and gave us his number." Robin shined with excitment showing Alex hoping he's agree to call. "So, do we?"

Alex stared at the card then at me, I thought I saw him glare at me but his expression changed so quickly it only looked as if he twitched. Alex took the card and nodded with a wide smile. "You get him on the phone Robin, we're going nationside!"

Robin jumped up with glee running straight outside hoping to catch Mr. Coleman before he left. Alex walked up to me closer as soon as Robin dissapeared and pulled me roughly into his arms. "I wanted to stay here longer because I love you Rachael." He said in a hard voice. My heart pounded as I felt his warm breath carressing my neck.

"I wish you felt the same." He said soflty as he let go. "But I guess that's a fool's wish."

Alex then turned swiftly to the exit door leaving me standing there dumbfounded.

This brings me right back to my dreams, the person I'd reached out my hand to save...

Was Alex.