On Finding Chance

Part 1 - Chapter 5

Harvey is too tired from the rehearsal but he needs to pick up his sister. Her car is still under repair and their driver called in sick. Their parents will not be back until tomorrow morning so he has no choice. It is already 11pm and he will not let her commute at this hour; not after the accident a few years ago.

Good thing the place is near and there is no traffic because he is dying to take some rest.

His phone beeps.

"Hi Harvey, are you hungry? You want something? Drive safely ☺"

He knows how Gabby feels about him even if she never told him. Well, IT IS OBVIOUS. Honestly, he likes her as well. But, he is not sure if it is like-love or like-friend. He is normally quite frank with girls and his feelings for them but it is a different case for her. They played together, laughed together, and grew up together. They were inseparable as kids. He cannot even remember at what point in time they went from very close friends to just plain friends. Maybe when they became teenagers? Or when he fell in love for the first time? Or maybe it was somewhere in the middle? Yes, he still talks and cares for her but there is an unexplainable gap between them that seems to grow bigger and bigger each year.

He thinks of a reply.

"Yes. Haha. Can you order a grilled sirloin steak with extra fries and large iced tea to go? ☺" thought Harvey. Instead he types, "No, thanks." and hits send.

He is in the parking lot now and keeps pacing back and forth. He is undecided whether to walk in the restaurant and see Gabby or simply call her and ask Madie to go down.

"To go up or to call? Go up? Call? Argh! Why am I even bothering myself with this?", he murmurs to himself.

He gets a coin and flips it. Heads means up, tails means call.

He goes to the elevator and presses the 3rd floor.

"Bro" Madie exclaims.

"Hi Harvey" says Gabby timidly.

"Hello. Let's go home? I am exhausted."

"Oh. Ok. I will drive and you rest. We will drop off Gab first."

Gab objects and insists that she can take a cab home.

"Are you crazy? We will drive you home. It's not safe.", Madie says and looks at her brother.

"Yeah." Harvey agrees.

Gab's heart skips a beat (again) and she says nothing more.

There is total silence on their way home. No one is speaking. Gab is too giddy with joy. Harvey is sleeping and Madie is feeling like a third wheel. She cannot take it anymore and decides to turn on the radio.

We raise our glasses...

Tonight we own the world

Night Sessions with Chino here at Kiss45. There you go folks, 'Dreamers Catch Up' by Goals over Drinks. To all GO.O.D. fans out there, I bear awesome news. We are giving away 2 FREE tickets and backstage passes for their concert tomorrow happening at the arena. All you need to do is answer our questions correctly and you win the prize. Easy peasy. Call us up, it is 8727274.

"Hello, Kiss45 radio. Hello?"

"Hi."

"Hi! What is your name please?"

"Jace."

"Hi Jace. Where are you from?"

"Just here."

"I see. You seem like a man of few words? Why don't we have some energy!!! Are you ready to win the tickets?"

"Yes!"

"Ok. That's better. Here we go. Let us start with an easy one. Name all the members of the band and the instruments they play."

"Harvey- vocalist and piano. Ethan – drums. Seth – lead guitar. Vincent – bass."

"That is fast. Good job. Next question, why is the band called Goals over Drinks?"

"Uh....If I remember correctly, they want to tell the world that rock stars and bands do not necessarily like alcohol and drugs. Some, like them, wish to achieve their goals by being positive inspirations to others."

"You are correct! Just one more question and the prize is yours. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Here is a tough one. One of the band's greatest hits is 'Never Ending' and in a rare interview Harvey was asked what was the inspiration behind the song. What was his answer?"

*silence*

"Hello? Jace?"

"Ahh. Yes. I am just thinking. Uh...it was written for his sister."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes."

"WOW!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You just won 2 tickets and backstage passes for Goals over Drinks concert tomorrow!!!!"

...

Madie stops the car. She cannot believe what she just heard..."it was written for his sister. "

She is searching her brain for answers; Harvey did not tell her about this.

Harvey wakes up. Gab is speechless. Both of them stare at her.

"Baby girl?" he says.

She is looking straight into his eyes.

"Did you hear that? About Never Ending?"

Harvey does not know what to say. Should he lie or tell the truth? Is it the right time? Can his precious sister handle it? Why does it have to be that question and why does the fan know the answer? Different thoughts are running in his mind. It is hard to think properly. He tries to calm down and with a sigh says, "Uhm...I'm...sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"Because I have not been a good brother to you"

"Huh? What?"

"Uhm...it is just that..."

Madie's eyes are pleading for answers. He knows she needs to know about him. But he does not have the courage to say it. Although it has been years, the pain, the worry, the sadness feels like it all happened only yesterday. For the second time in his entire life, Harvey decides to lie to his sister.

"Nevermind. It is not true. What the guy said about Never Ending. It was Ethan."

"WHAT? Ethan likes me or he said that? This is very confusing."

"No. No. I wrote the song for Ethan. He did not want to create any issues so I said that."

"OHHHHH...so it is Ethan's story?"

"Yes"