Fan Fiction |
by HuanLe
But why did that matter? We were simply two people who met each other at the wrong time. If fate did not want us to be together, then there was nothing either of us could do to change that.
However, I reassured myself that I was a strong-minded woman who would not make the same mistake as Edison did… lingering forever in the past, and hurting those around me in the present. Edison had taught me a valuable lesson, and I was persistent to avoid the path he once walked.
So, I took another path. A brighter, more hopeful one. I surrounded myself with friends, family, and ongoing positive thoughts. Before long, the pain slowly began to fade away. I would still think of Edison every now and then, but as a pleasant memory rather than a tragic heartbreak.
Life was finally pulling together for me… until I stumbled upon a fascinating discovery.
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I had scheduled to meet with a friend at Starbucks for coffee. Ironically, it was the same Starbucks Edison and I used to go to. My friend was late, and so I decided to stroll by Gabrielle’s Music Shop, just to see how he was doing. I had already moved on, and there was nothing to be afraid of. Seeing him again was like a mental test for me, to see if I had really let go.
But when I reached Gabrielle’s Music Shop, I discovered it was already closed. The paint on the windows had been washed away, the interior was completely empty. Bare white walls and silence now filled the once warm and melodious store. And the strangest, most emptiest feeling settled inside of me when I looked to the center of the room to find the grand piano missing.
I suddenly wanted to cry. It almost seemed as if Edison’s spirit had died. What had happened here? Where did everything go?
Then, I remembered something. It was my first deep conversation with Edison. We were at Starbucks, and I had just seen the photo of Gabrielle…
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“So when are you going to go back to the university?” I had asked him.
“I don’t know. I guess when I’m ready to let go of the music shop.”
“And when will that be?”
He sighed heavily and took out his wallet again, taking one more look at Gabrielle’s picture. “When I’m ready to let go of her.”
………………
A smile touched my lips when I finally realized he had let go. How free, how lighthearted he must’ve felt… just like how I felt at that very moment. No cares, no worries, no sorrow. Nothing but pure serenity.
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After my 27th birthday, my friends decided to set me up on a blind date with a guy named Nicholas Tse. They told me I was too old to still stay single, and so offered to introduce me to a guy from work.
I hadn’t been with a guy since Edison, and so was pretty excited to start dating again. After all, this would be a brand new start for me.
And so the night of the date, I put on a dress, dabbed on some makeup, and drove to Chez Francois restaurant where we were supposed to meet for the first time. I still remember my heart pounding with nervousness, hoping to make a good first impression. My friends had crammed in so many compliments about this guy, how good-looking he was, how intelligent and funny he was, how gentlemanly he was…
I asked the waitress for a reservation under the name “Nicholas Tse”, and she pointed to a private table in the far corner. As I began walking towards him, Nicholas spotted me and waved. Wow, he really was a looker.
“Hi Gillian,” Nicholas got up and greeted me with a gentle peck on the cheek. “Wow, you look amazing.”
“So do you,” I replied, smiling so much my cheeks hurt.
We both took a seat beside the cozy candlelit table. His face was completely flawless in the dimly lit room.
“So my friends told me you’re an engineer?” I tried to start a somewhat lighthearted conversation, hoping not to bore him.
“Uh-huh. It’s not too exciting, but at least it pays good,” he joked. “So is this your first time here?”
“Yeah, I’ve never really been exposed to that much French food. Is there any thing you particularly like or would recommend?”
“Actually, this is my first time here, too. I thought we could try something new for a first date. Besides, I heard there’s an awesome pianist performing tonight,” he pointed to a small stage in the far end of the room. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the grand piano sitting so elegantly upon the wooden surface. That piano looked so familiar… its contemporary classiness, its dark ebony finish, its smooth ivory keys. But then again, all grand pianos sort of looked the same.
My mind couldn’t help but drift back to the first time I saw Edison playing the piano. How bedazzled I was by him.
It felt like an eternity before the show finally started. I was sweating with anxiety the entire time, facing the possibility that the pianist might’ve been Edison. But that was absurd, right? I mean, Edison wasn’t the only pianist in the entire city. Besides, I didn’t fate would be THAT cruel to keep on playing these games with me.
But sure enough, fate was cruel… merciless, in fact. When the spotlight shone on the stage, and the pianist walked on, I nearly fainted. It was Edison. Of course it was Edison. Otherwise, I would’ve simply had a perfectly peaceful and normal life, and I would’ve enjoyed the romantic evening with Nicholas, who I was actually attracted to. But no, fate had other plans. Fate wanted to mess with my head, to torment me until I could no longer bear it.
That night, I listened with tedious ears to Edison’s song. It was beautiful and soul-capturing. I almost could not keep my eyes off of the stage. God, I hadn’t seen him for almost two years, and he still managed to take my breath away.
What about all that moving on philosophy? What about NOT lingering in the past?
I was already beginning to fall in love with him all over again…
………………
After the date was over, Nicholas seemed a bit skeptical to me. He probably noticed my strange behavior during the piano performance… my constant lack of attention to what he was saying, my frequent visits to the bathroom (to compose myself and cool down my emotions), and my eyes always wandering to the man on stage.
The nervousness and attraction from the beginning of the night was way in the past now. With an awkward hug, we parted. I didn’t expect to see that man again. Besides, my mind wasn’t even on this subject. It was completely occupied with Edison. I wanted so badly to see him again, but after he left the stage, he seemed to have just disappeared.
Disappointedly, I went home. There was nothing to do but lie down and try to sleep even thought it was only 9:00 pm. Obviously, I could not sleep. Each time I checked my bedside clock, it was always just one minute past the previous time. The seconds were going by like days. I couldn’t take this type of torture anymore.
I started driving towards Chez Francois at exactly 11:30 pm. They were probably closed already, but I had to at least go SOMEWHERE to ease my mind. Sure enough, the petite restaurant’s lights had already turned off. I got out of the car and walked up to the window, peeking in to see if anyone was still there. To my surprise, the light on the stage was still on, and there was Edison playing his grand instrument.
I stood outside watching him for a few minutes, my heart feeling oddly content to see him like this… from a distance and without any disturbance. For those few minutes, I could admire him from afar without worrying about what to say or how to act.
But as fate had it, he saw me. At first, I could tell he was simply glancing over casually and then began returning to his music. But then, he took a second look, a closer look. From afar, I could see his deep brown eyes widening in shock. It was not long before he got off the stage and walked towards the entrance. I also made my way to the door.
I heard his footsteps on the other side, and with each step, my heart beat faster. Finally, I heard the “click” of the door unlocking, and it slowly pulled open to reveal his perfect face. I had not seen him up close for so long, I almost forgot how striking his features were. Now, it was all coming back.
We both just stood there in dazed silence before he finally spoke up.
“Gillian…”
“Hello Edison,” I managed to force a smile on my face. “Umm… long time no see.”
“Y-yeah.” I could tell he was staggering with nervousness. I was nervous, too. How could we not be?
“So… how have you been?”
“Good, good. You?”
“Me, too.”
Then, there was that awkward silence again. We had so much to say, yet none of us could utter a word. We both looked away into the distance at the same time, trying to avoid each other’s eyes in fear of too much anxiety.
Then, our eyes met at the same time as well. They met, and they locked. I didn’t know what came over me at that moment, but it just felt so right. I reached forward and embraced him. How weak I was… But I did not care. After seeing him I realized how much I really missed him.
“Gillian,” he called out my name softly into my ear as he tightly wrapped his arms around me. “I’m so sorry for everything.”
“Edison, that’s all in the past now,” I told him.
“You’re right,” he agreed as we both pulled away to look into each other’s eyes once more. “Let’s put that past behind us and start over. Would that be okay?”
“Of course,” I smiled. I never felt so certain of my decisions, but when I made up my mind in that spur of the moment, I felt more than sure.
“Good evening sir, my name is Gillian,” I joked lightheartedly while extending out my hand. I was finally at peace enough to kid around.
“Hello miss, my name is Edison,” he returned the handshake and played along. “Would you like to hear a song, Gillian?”
“Why, I most certainly would, Edison.”
And with that, he took my hand and led me inside. I took a seat right in front of the stage as he got up and opened the piano. After sending me a heartbreakingly handsome smile, he stepped on the pedals and began to play.
That night, his fingers danced across the ivory keys… to a song of pure joy.
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THE END
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Hello everyone!!! Yay, this story is finally finished! =D *throws confetti*
Thank you all SO SO SO SO SO very much for supporting me throughout this story. I couldn’t have made it without you guys =)
Anyways, I hope the ending wasn’t too corny or cliché. I was going to make a sad ending where they separate forever, but I just can’t stand the thought of EG not being together. Plus, I like happy endings, lol =)
So once again, I completed a story. See? I told you guys I was gonna finish this, lol. =P I hope this was as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to write.
I leave you with one last thought:
In life, sometimes we need to just accept fate and go the way things are planned. Only with acceptance can we achieve true contentment.
Signing off,
HuanLe
/governor