Did My Art Teacher Just Flirt With Me?

A weeks has passed and I'm at T.S.P. again with Jenine, Neil, Dave, Alex, and Robin, we all sat together at the round table near the bar. Everyone was excited about the record deal. Everyone except Robin. Scary.

I looked at him with uncertain eyes, he only gave me quick glances that were cold and sad at the same time. He kept biting his lip. A habit he said he always had when he was upset. So why was he upset? Did something happen?

"Last song tonight, we should make it big huh?" Dave grinned.

Neil nodded in agreement. His arm was tightly gripped by Jenine who was also overly excited about the band. "Yea, but we can't be too long because some new guy is going to be singing something after us."

Alex nodded. "Can't let the amaetours go without a fight." He said. "We have to give everyone a chance to perform on T.S.P."

I smiled at that comment and Alex seemed to have given me a quick wink before returning to his drink. "Hey Robin, aren't you excited?" I asked in a bubbly voice. "Come on! Cheer up!"

Robin shook his head lighlty and then gave a struggled smile. "Y-yea." He mumbled.

"Alright! Our own local band 'Drop Dead Diary' is making it big time! For their last show here at T.S.P. give them a round of applause!" The DJ announced excitedly.

Alex and the rest of the band got up quicky jumping over to the stage using T.S.P.'s equipment, compliments on the owner. They all got to their places and the music began...

"Cuz we are invincible, and we got all the time in the wo-rld. And it feels so right and slow down, keep moving along, we can sing with out eye's closed..." Alex bowed before the mike leaving the crowd screaming with yet another exciting end to their show. More people seemed to crowd at the stage tonight. I was squished up at the front with Jenine as we both contributed to the screaming crowd.

The band left. They all jumped off the stages into the screaming crowd signing shirts and arms and legs and god knows what else. All except one. Robin. He remained up there with his keyboard and mike. The DJ, at his station, turned his mike on for another announcement.

"Next up, Robin Neller!"

What???

Robin smiled at the audience who died down on their excitement and stared at Robin in confusion.

"Hey guys, sup?" He said in a casual tone. The room remained silent but Robin stayed calm. "I'm... sorry to announce that I'm leaving 'Drop Dead Diary'."

Another, WHAT??? Alex, Neil, David, Jenine all had their mouths hanging from the jaw as the crowd gave a horrified gasp. Robin laughed into the mike and the audience whimpered slightly. "No! Robin! Don't leave!" one of the girl's said in the back.

"Sorry guys, I have to... I've got my own record deal to do." He finished looking at me with all his might. A look that said I'm-sorry-but-this-is-kind-of-your-fault kind of look. I swallowed hard. What could I have done to drive him from the band?

I turned to Alex who stood there frozen. His eyes wide, his skin paler than usual, and his body in a trembling state. Shocked.

"Before I leave though, I'd like to sing a song I wrote the other night." He pressed several buttons on his keyboard and a soft guitar sound started playing melodies from it. He lightly pressed his fingers on the keyboard and stared at me with... tears? In his eyes? "This song is for someone very close to me..."

"Didn't they teach you?
Everything's okay if you settle enough?
Forget your dreams
Let's pretend I'm everything you want me to be

Complicated breathing
You never had the guts just to throw me away
Life moves slow
When everything's a worse version of what you need

But I'm just the ground
That you happened to fall on
When you lost your balance walking around in the rain
And you got to your feet
Scratched your head and started to gather
The life that you dropped all around me

I can't fight for a graveyard anymore
Some people have their money
To keep their legs pumping away at the ground
What moves me is fear
Got to always be alone at the end of the day
(At the end of the day)

But I'm just the ground
That you happened to fall on
When you lost your balance walking around in the rain
And you got to your feet
Scratched your head and started to gather
The life that you dropped all around me

I can't fight for a graveyard
I can't fight for a graveyard anymore

But I'm just the ground
That you happened to fall on
I'm just the ground
I'm just the ground

But I'm just the ground
That you happened to fall on
When you lost your balance walking around in the rain
And you got your feet
Scratched your head and started to gather
The life that you dropped all around me

I'm just the ground
I'm just the ground
I'm just the ground
I'm just the ground

I can't fight for a graveyard anymore"

For a moment nobody could say anything and then, everyone screamed, cheered and jumped with excitement. The crowd raced to the stage and Robin was now the center of everyone's attention.

Alex, Neil, Dave, Jenine, and me stood by ourselves staring at Robin who was now engulfed by his new fans. Smiling and signing whatever they had and then I started to cry.

Alex turned to me and gripped his fists. I looked at Robin who now glanced at me with a pained expression. He shook his head. Jerking it towards Alex and I realized he was talking about my birthday, the birthday kiss in the hallway. He was breaking up with me. Letting me go.

"Robin..." I whimpered my hands clutching at my chest as my eyes blurred over with tears. "I'm so sorry."

Robin smiled softly, he too stood in the crowd with a small tear that he quickly wiped away. His thumb went up and gave me an "it's okay" nod and then he dissapeared into the crowd.

Alex approached me from behind and yanked me into his arms giving me another hug. "I'm really sorry Rachael..."

My hands stayed at my side, I leaned my head against his warm chest and cried. Jenine came over, Neil and Dave all together and we all came into a group hug. Our love, and friendship molding together to keep me warm from this sudden cold weather.