"Ray, what would I do without you?" Alex spoke softly, pushing back my hair and kissing my forehead before adjusting my graduation cap and grinning his signature smile.
"Oh I don't know, probably die," I quipped with an equally large grin on my face.
This was the day. I was finally graduating, and I could join my best friends on tour with their band. I was ecstatic. Turning down scholarships for college didn't really seem like a win for my family, but I loved these boys, and I wanted to be there for them every step of the way to their eventual fame. Alex smiled at me again and hugged me tight, lingering more than usual. I wrote it off as excitement, but I secretly loved every single second of that hug. As Alex pulled away, he stopped short at my face and pecked my lips with a small kiss. I tensed and had no clue what to do. Suddenly we were folded into each other, and kissing like it was the only way to breathe. His tongue gently parted my lips, and I followed his lead. Nothing could make this moment bad; nothing but the loud gasp of Alex's girlfriend coming to find him.
We both parted quicker than we had ever moved, and Lisa broke down in tears. She looked at us both with so much hurt in her eyes, I instantly regretted everything. After what felt like forever of staring in shock, Lisa ran off, and Alex had no hesitation of running after her. I was in so much shock that I had no idea what to do, so I just walked back to my graduating class and sat through the ceremony without a word or movement. After the ceremony, the entire band, along with their parents, came to hug me and congratulate me; all of them but Alex.
When I inquired about him, everyone just looked at me with a solemn look on their faces. That is when I was informed that Alex had made the decision that he did not want me on tour with them. After hearing that, I was on a one track mission to find Alex, and confront him about this very bad and very sudden news. I found him outside, sitting on the curb with his head in his hands.
"What the hell, Gaskarth," I huffed, letting all of the frustration boil to the top.
"Not now, Rachel. I've made up my mind."
"So you're going to kiss me…LIKE THAT…then revoke my invitation without talking to me? I didn't realize you where such a coward. This isn't even your call is it? It's Lisa's! I mean of course she's upset but this is my future we're talking about, dude!"
Alex lost it then. He called me all the names he could think of. He blamed me for his relationship troubles, the troubles in the band, and all of his personal struggles. He told me that he never wanted to see me again, and that I wasn't worth anything to him. I rocked back on my heels at the verbal attack, and felt tears welling up in my eyes. Alex had always had this effect on me. He had my heart in his hands, and he could crush it with a few words. I turned then, away from my friend and my first love, and went to find my parents. I was leaving Baltimore as fast as possible. My hero had let me down. Nothing else mattered to me anymore.