Thank you VieveCipher for your review on the last chapter.
This chapter does contain alcohol consumption and a minor bit of violence.
For the ten seconds of silence on stage the crowd continued to applaud the original song. However Robbie never heard their cries of delight as his eyes were locked with the pale brown ones of Jil. The middle-aged man grinned revealing his set of ivory teeth.
Tambry was the only one to notice the change in her boyfriend's demeanor. She followed his line of vision to see the crowd's applause slowing. Robbie swallowed, his voice suddenly unable to make a sound.
All the cheering and applause gradually ceased. The musician had yet to tear his eyes away from the man who nearly ruined his life a year prior. The crowd whispered among themselves, some pointing, and others shouting Robbie's name-all went unnoticed by Valentino.
At once Tambry sprung up the stairs. She put her hands on her boyfriend's shoulder and slightly turned him so their eyes met. Robbie shuddered as he looked into the concerned eyes of his girlfriend.
"Robbie, what's wrong?" Tambry asked.
The boy didn't know how to answer. He glanced out in the crowd to see Jil had vanished. Robbie looked back over to Tambry to see concern in her eyes.
"I, I just..." Robbie began. Another look into the audience proved that Jil no longer stood among them. Had he not been staring directly at him for such a long period of time Robbie would have considered him a trick of his imagination. He shook his head and offered Tambry a small smile. "It's nothing."
She saw through his words, but decided not to question him further. She jumped off the stage and headed back to her spot. On the way there she glanced over her shoulder to see Robbie begin his next song.
For the duration of the forty minute concert Robbie played without interruption. Tambry never shook away the fright he had given her. Her foot impatiently tapped during the final song that the majority of the audience had long since tuned out.
At last he sang the final note with the guitar strumming four extra measures before he finally ended. Robbie looked up to see only Tambry and five others still attentive. The six remaining fans clapped, although Tambry looked around for whatever could have spooked her man to the point of abandonning his show.
The precious guitar was secured in its stand. Robbie looked out at the crowd milling about, of them he saw Tambry heading in his direction. Not wanting to discuss Jil at the moment he hurried from the stage and stormed into the bathroom. Once inside Robbie locked himself inside a stall.
Robbie pressed his back against the black walls with fragments of yellow chipping through. The tiny square formation that encircled him smelled of urine and beer. The musician held his face in his hands for a few seconds. He rubbed at his eyes then let his arms fall by his sides while he stared up at the browning ceiling.
There was no doubt that was Jil he viewed in the audience. Every detail down to his voice matched the man he had long forgotten about. It didn't make sense why after all that time Jil decided to show up. Suddenly Robbie wondered even if the man had ruined his chance with Wendy if he were perhaps truly a fan of his music. Fans were so hard to come by in his town, so he decided he shouldn't shun the weirdo until he received satisfactory answers.
Leaving the stall Robbie felt grimy and stopped by the sink to wash away whatever lingered on his hands. He noticed a figure standing at the sink beside him and nearly fell backwards seeing the very man who occupied his most recent thoughts grinning at him.
"Good show tonight, Robert," Jil said. He rolled up the sleeves of his expensive forest green suit. Four pumps of soap foamed over his open palm. He massaged the generous lather over his hands and wrists.
"You don't seem like the guy who'd be into this kind of music," Robbie commented.
Jil chuckled. "Don't judge by apperances," he replied. The faucet was flicked on by his wrist. "I am fond of many musical genres."
Robbie scoffed. Too often he heard that same response from older generations who tried desperately to fit in with the youth. His smile faded when he realized in a year's time he too would step into adulthood. He knew too many who were forced to sacrifice dreams when they accepted their new age.
"So you came out to hear the show?" Robbie asked as he turned off the water.
Jil grabbed two brown paper towels and shook his head. "As a matter of fact, I'm here on business."
Robbie hummed. He hadn't seen anyone else with Jil, but it was possible the other party sat somewhere in the bar, or he referred to the owner himself.
"Well, don't let me keep you from your responsibilities," Robbie said and dried off his hands with those sandpaper towels.
Jil placed his hand over Robbie's head on the door just as the teenager was about to exit. Robbie's brown eyes narrowed at the businessman.
"I believe you're mistaken," Jil said with a laugh. "As my business tonight concerns you."
Robbie stepped back. He clenched his right fist and snapped, "Unless you're here to sign me, I won't accept anything you have to offer."
The older man only laughed harder. He grinned then replied, "If I did offer to sign you, do you think I'd even mention the deal by how you spoke to me?"
Robbie narrowed his eyes. "I'm not here to learn manners," the boy snarled. "My parents didn't succeed, and neither will you, old man." With that Robbie threw open the door and walked out.
Smirking, Jil followed closely behind.
Robbie felt the presence behind him, but chose to ignore him in hopes that he would disappear. Both hands slammed down on the bar the instant Robbie approached. Swiftly the musician turned with clenched fists glaring at the grinning man who wouldn't leave him alone.
"Okay, what do you want?" Robbie snapped.
Jil sat down on the leather bar stool and patted the one next to him. Agaisnt his better judgment Robbie complied with the older man's demand. Leander approached with his hands folded in front of him.
"I'll have Scotch, and whatever this man wants?" Jil said and clapped Robbie on the back. The teenager jerked from Jil's touch, glaring at the man who found the exchange amusing.
"Rum and coke," Robbie ordered. Leader lifted a brow while giving him a knowing look. The teenager pounded the counter. Robbie leaned in and said in a voice low enough for only Leander and Jil to hear. "Look, man, you've given me privileges before, if you even consider acting like a hypocrite right now, I'll rat you out to your boss and the police."
Leander was taken aback, but Jil only laughed.
With a dismissive wave the businessman said, "It'll be okay." He winked at Robbie. "If anyone finds out, I'll take responsibility."
Leander nodded and went to fix the customers their drinks. Sweating, the bartender glanced up at the camera and prayed that this of all nights nothing of incident occurred that would require that roll of film to be examined.
Less than a minute and Leander offered the beverages to the patrons. As Jil handed over the necessary cash, Leander glared at the guitarist. The bar owner already looked for reasons to no longer hire Robbie, so Leander decided to keep an eye on Robbie throughout his stay in order to supply one good enough so that Robbie V. never played in their facility again.
Jil held out his glass which Robbie ignored and downed half his drink. The stinging bitterness felt good sweeping down his throat. Jil on the other hand savored the full texture of his drink. He slowly sipped, allowing himself to fully indulge in its fine flavor.
The older man nodded over to where Tambry sat at the table scrolling through her phone. She looked in their direction to meet Jil's gaze-the female's frown deepened which caused Jil's grin to widen.
"Your girlfriend cares for you," Jil commented.
Robbie's heart skipped, but he put on a mask of indifference. "What's it to you, old man?"
Jil took a long sip and sighed his delight in the beverage. "So I take it you recall what I did for you exactly one year ago?"
The rum and coke lodged itself in Robbie's throat. He pounded against his chest while violently coughing. What little had yet to be swallowed poured from his open mouth all over the counter. Leander nodded for his assistance to clean it up, all while chalking it up to karma.
Robbie regained his ability to breathe, but a slight sting scratched at his throat. For the next few minutes he continued to attempt to cough it out.
"I take that as a yes," Jil said with a chuckle.
Robbie slammed the near empty glass down on the counter. He demanded the assistant bartender to give him a refill to which the timid worker hurried to fulfill.
"How can I forget?" Robbie snapped. "You ruined everything."
Jil pursed his lips. "It didn't work?"
"Oh, it worked," Robbie hissed. "It worked too good." He grabbed hold of the collar of Jil's jacket. "You bastard! As soon as she found out how your song worked, she dumped me." Robbie's right hand let go of Jil's clothes and formed into a tight fist.
Everyone sitting at the bar along with Leander and his assistant stared in Robbie's direction. The hushed murmurs forced Tambry to look over and see her boyfriend about to put out that other man's lights. Leander ordered the other bartender to pour out Robbie's drink.
Jil raised a brow. "You two seemed to be on good terms," he replied and sent a glance in Tambry's direction to see her slowly approaching.
"Not her," Robbie snapped. "Wendy Corduroy." Robbie roughly released his grip on the other man. Jil sat back down while Robbie stood still steaming.
"Well, it looks like things worked out better for you," said Jil. "No matter. As promised, I have returned for my payment."
"Are you kidding?" Robbie yelled. "You think I'll give you anything? After you cost me Wendy-the only girl I ever really loved."
A nearby gasp caught the two men's attention. Both looked over to see Tambry standing only three feet away with an open mouth. Robbie reached only for Tambry to smack his hand away.
With her back to Robbie she said, "I don't know what I ever saw in you."
"Tambry," Robbie argued and followed her out the door. "Tambry, wait. Let me explain."
The teenage girl spun on her heel and stared into her boyfriend's face with her shoulders hunched. The rage radiating from her eyes made Robbie back up against the brick wall.
"Explain what?" Tambry spat. "That what Wendy said is true." She pounded on Robbie's chest. He never felt the bricks scraping his back. "That your songs are nothing but lies, because all you are is a sad ass liar." She punched Robbie in the nose then stormed away.
Robbie watched as a second girlfriend walked away from him. Although he felt concerned that the sting of Tambry's parting wasn't as deep as Wendy's. He rubbed at his nostril to see a few droplets of blood on the side of his index finger that dripped onto the back of his palm. Down the sidewalk, the vague outline of Tambry's retreating figure slowly disappeared from view.
To his right he felt Jil come into view. With his hands in his pants pocket Jil commented, "I don't think it's my song that cost you Wendy after all."
"Shut your mouth," Robbie snapped.
Jil pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and handed it over to Robbie who snatched the cloth and held it against his bleeding nose. Very little time was needed for the sky blue cloth to be dyed red.
Jil leaned the top of his back against the brick wall. "The point is, Robert, I did keep my end of the deal." Robbie stiffened. Those brown eyes shut. "I gave you the disc. I am not responsible if you let her find out."
"I didn't let her find out!" Robbie retorted and tossed the handkerchief at Jil's face. "That little brat she hangs out examined the CD until he found those messages."
"Again your carelessness for leaving it unattended," Jil said.
"I'm not giving you squat, 'cause your stupid CD and that awful song you dare to call music didn't do its job," Robbie hissed through clenched teeth.
Jil clenched the soiled cloth in his left hand. "The point is I gave you the means to win your girl." He pocketed the bloody handkerchief with a chuckle. "If what that girl just said is true, then it was your other choices that cost you your Wendy."
Robbie spun and pinned Jil up against the wall. Jil no longer wore his smirk. Robbie's other hand in the form of a fist aimed for the older man's jaw. Jil caught Robbie by the wrist and forced it behind his back. He then pushed Robbie's frontwards against the bricks. He released his hold on the teenager's wrist and backed away.
Robbie rubbed the stiffness out of his shoulder while glaring in the other man's face. In the new moon sky Jil's soft brown eyes appeared to glow.
"I kept my word," Jill said. He held out his hand. "There's nothing you can do to get out of our contract. I will be paid."
"What? You gonna get a lawyer or something?" the teenager scoffed. "I mean what do you even want?"
Jil patted Robbie's shoulder. "Everything in this world costs something. You'll understand the cost of these agreements soon enough." Jil's grin sent shivers through Robbie's body.
Jil pivoted and headed in the direction that Tambry fled only minutes ago.
Robbie was left alone outside a bar that didn't want him. Wendy was gone and now was Tambry. It was only a matter of minutes before the tech savvy girl sent notifications to their entire social circle and he was once again treated as a pariah.
Tomorrow he would stop by in the daylight to receive his last paycheck from the bar owner. Without a band, without a fan base, and without a girlfriend to inspire his lyrics music, he no longer felt the desire to play.