Regal Arts

Broken

"What?" I whisper in complete disbelief. "You- you can't do that. Please I can pay you more just please, I'm begging you... don't do this."

"I am sorry Ms. Mills. Don't take it personally, it's just business." I hear the beep of the line ending. I could still hear the insincerity in that little imps voice ringing in my ears. I break down on the floor in tears, burying my face in my hands.

How could he do this to me.

Robin must've heard me crying because I hear him running towards me. He pries my hands from my face and cups my cheeks in his hands. "What's wrong? Are-are you hurt?" He says practically shouting. You can hear the worry boiling in his voice. I'm crying so much that I can't breathe. "Mister- Mr.Gold called," he nods his head at me knowing who he is, the owner of the building that Regal Arts is in, "and-and he sold the bui- building so he's closing down Regal Arts. And-and you an I are barely getting by as it is, so losing my paycheck-"

"We'll deal with it okay?" He looks at me sympathetically and pulls me in to him. I rest my head in his shoulder and let my tears soak his shirt. The art school was my home. It's where I met my best friends, it's wear I met Ronald, hell its where I met Robin. When I was with Leo and he was drunk I would tell him I needed to go to work cause I forgot something, then I would go in the supply closet and cry until I had thought he'd fallen asleep. Then I'd go back to him. I can't lose the art school. I just can't.

After crying for at least ten minutes Robin lifts me off the ground, my legs wrapped around his waist, my hands looped around his neck, and my face still buried in his neck. He brings me to the bedroom and very gingerly lays me down. He pulls the blankets over me and I whisper a barely audible 'thank you' as he walks away. My mind is spinning, I need to call emma, I need to call the parents of the kids, I need to find a new building. Could I even afford a new building? Can we even afford this apartment anymore? Can we afford Roland's tuition? And the more I think about it the more infuriated I become with Mr. Gold. He is hurting my family, he's hurting me. Robert Gold doesn't deserve his luxury and riches. He knows nothing of family so he doesn't mind tearing apart mine.

After lying in bed, thinking for an hour, I hear robin walk in to the room. "hey you okay?" He says softly. "I'm fine" I respond. "Regina I know you, your not fine. Do you want to talk-"

"I said I'm fine, Robin." I reply a bit more sternly. He leans in to hug me but I push him back "you don't need to soothe me like some lost puppy dog Robin. I said that I'm fine so I'm fine. End of conversation." I watch as his jaw clenches.

"I'm sorry Regina I'm just trying to help-"

I cut him off again before he can finish, "Well I don't need your help Robin. I'm a grown woman I can take care of myself." I get out of bed and begin to walk towards the closet.

I watch as his expression goes from upset to angry "You know what Regina? You can be so dam hard sometimes. I should've seen it the moment I met you. You push people away Regina, people you love."

"Oh really? Well maybe you should stop being so pushy and just give me some space."

"Well I left you alone for an hour Regina and I come in here and your still crying, over an art school!" How could he? I thought he knew, understood, how much that art school meant to me, to Roland!

"I'm sorry. Does me crying affect your life in some way?"

"You can never just be content you constantly need something. You constantly have to be in control. You can never just be happy, you can never just let me be there for you! Your just so damn hard to love. Its like everyday I have to work for hours just to get you to tell me how your day was."

I start to feel tears rolling down my cheeks. "well if I'm such an inconvenience to you and I'm so hard to love then maybe you just shouldn't love me!"

"Thanks maybe my life will a bit easier now!" He yells at me but he stops himself realizing what he had been saying.

"Am I really that much of an inconvenience to you?" I lower my voice now, hurt by the fact that its so hard for him to be with me and that he feels the way he does.

"No Regina I didn't mean that, I didn't mean any of that," he reaches his hand toward my cheek, but I turn away. "Get. Out." I say my voice cracking.

"Please Regina I'm-"

"I said get out!" I yell now as tears stream down my face. He turns around and closes the door gently behind him. I collapse on the ground when I hear the door to the apartment open and then close, and his footsteps going down the stairs.

*****

I assume that he's left to go get Roland, but he never comes back. Its late at night now and I've called all my employees and all my students parents. I'm sitting on the couch drinking hot chocolate occasionally letting a tear roll down my cheek. I shouldn't have yelled at him, I shouldn't have pushed him away. I need him here, his arms wrapped around me and his voice soothing me. I watch the clock on the wall as the hand ticks by, counting the minutes, seconds, and hours of agony.

*****

Its been two days since our fight. No call. No text.

Nothing.

I'm alone, and I've completely blocked the world out. Every time I hear my phone I rush to it hoping its Robin but walk away depressed when I see its just Emma or a solicitor.

I'm lying in bed, in the dark, the moon being my only light. I look at the gold piece of metal sitting on my ring finger and watch as the diamonds glisten under the moons pale light. How could pieces of metal and minerals hold a relationship together. How come it didn't hold mine.

It can't be over.

I repeat that in my head over and over to keep myself from going insane. Sometimes I think I hear his voice or footsteps coming to the room. But It's always just my imagination. I know I was wrong and I shouldn't have acted the way I did but I need him here. I need his fingers running through my hair, his lips on mine, and his voice in my ears. I need his arms around me, his son, his fingers wiping away my tears.

It can't be over.

Can it?

I slowly slip the ring off my finger and hold it between my index finger and thumb. I roll over so I'm on my stomach and bury my face in the pillow, and I let out the scream I've been holding in, it's volume muffled by the pillow. I let my hand flop hopelessly over the side of the bed. I feel tears soaking the pillow beneath me. As my mind begins to think again I slowly let the ring fall from my grasp. It hits the floor and I don't bother picking it up.

Maybe it can be over.