15. CHANCE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15. Chance

 

     IT’S BEEN A WEEK NOW AND I’M STILL WAITING FOR ADAM’S call. Maybe I should just really ask what’s going on. I decided to visit their house. It seems empty because of its silence, though I can hear someone playing the guitar. I guess they’re rehearsing. Shane must have seen me from the window, now he’s approaching me.

     “Hey Alyson…” Shane said.

     “Hey… um, are you the only one here?” I asked as I got off my car.

     “Nope… our parents are gone… we’re practicing upstairs… want to come join us?”

     “Sure… um, did you talk to Adam?”

     “Oh yah, I almost forgot… his phone got snatch… you know, clumsy…”

     “Ah…” no wonder he hadn’t called me yet.

     “But I haven’t asked about the park thing…”

     “That’s okay…”

     “C’mon…”

     We walk to their recording studio, where Adam and Nate are practicing.

     “Hey Alyson…” Adam and Nate said at the same time.

 

 

♦189♦

 

 

     “Hey…” I smiled convincingly.

     “Is there something wrong?” Adam asked.

     “Um, can I talk to you in private?”

     “Sure…” he led me to the other room. “So what for? Wait, you’re not breaking up with me, are you?”

     “No… not yet, I guess…”

     “Okay…”

     “Um, are you the one who send a bear with the five roses attached on it like a week ago?”

     It took him a second before he answered. “Oh yah! I’m very sorry Alyson! I was—”

     “Where were you? That you made me wait two hours for nothing?” I said calmly.

     He didn’t answer.

     “Adam… I want you to be honest with me… I don’t care if the truth hurts…”

     He took a deep breath. “I was at Stephanie’s house that day…”

     “Okay…” I put my hand on a fist. “At least you said the truth… and do you want to explain that?” I sat on the chair like a teacher talking to a naughty student.

     “When I was about to meet you, her aunt called and said that Stef fell on the stairs and she wants me to drive her to the hospital… her parents is gone on a business meeting on China… you know, the business her husband’s parents left to her…”

     “I can accept that… I just don’t get why it took you two hours…”

     “C’mon Alyson be fair… the doctor said she needs a lot of rest… I just stayed there first to make sure she’s okay…”

     “Well, you should’ve at least called…”

     “I lost my phone…”

     “Telephone, in the hospital…”

     He didn’t answer again.

 

 

♦190♦

 

 

     “You could’ve called me the next day, or the day after that or the day after that… you could’ve borrow Shane’s or Nate’s phone… but you didn’t, even just one, ‘hey Alyson, sorry I didn’t made it, I was too busy, playing or watching or rehearsing or I fell asleep’… I might accept any old excuses…”

     “That’s why I’m saying sorry now, please give me another chance…” he knelt down and held my hand.

     “Hmm…” I took my hand.

     “Please…” he gave me his puppy dog face.

     “Okay… just stand up… I can’t make a serious look on you…” I said as I stood up.

     “Thank you…” he hugged me tightly.

     “Just one more question…”

     “Anything…” he let me go.

     “Why haven’t you even visited me even just a second or just drove by…”

     “I have no choice but to take care of Nate since our parents are at Hong Kong Disneyland, celebrating their anniversary… Shane is always gone… happy now?”

     “I thought Kyla always visit Nate?”

     “Yah… but…”

     “Out of excuses?”

     “Well, not yet… she doesn’t visit everyday…”

     “Really…”

     “Well—”

     “That’s okay… I just need one excuse anyway… though you should really upgrade the excuses you used from your exes… it doesn’t work to me that much…”

     “I already know you’re really different…”

     “I’m a bit hard to fool…”

     “Yah…”

     “Well, good you know…”

     “Did you think I’m going to leave you for her?”

     “A girl can have a nightmare, right?” I hugged him again.

 

 

♦191♦

 

 

     “C’mon… I guess they’re already getting bored…” he let me go.

     “Okay, one more thing… this will be your last chance…”

     “Last chance already?”

     “Why, are you going to do it again?”

     “Nope…”

     “Then you can settle on a last chance…”

     “Okay…” he said as we went back.

     “What took you two so long?” Nate asked.

     “Just talk about some things… so how’s your leg?” I changed the topic.

     “Fine… I’m practicing my walking skills again…”

     “Ah… um, where’s Kyla?”

     “She’s staying at her aunt’s house… maybe later she’ll come by…”

     “Does she go here every day?”

     “Yah… she’s the one who’s taking care of me…”

     I flickered to Adam then back to Nate. “The only one who takes care of you?”

     “Yah… Shane’s always gone l—”

     “Hey, I take care of you…” Adam cut him off.

     “Yah right…”

     I look at Adam and his still looking at Nate as if they’re having a conversation.

     “Oh yah… of course you take good care of me…”

     “Really…” I took a deep breath. “What does Adam do for you?” I sat on the arm of the couch.

     “You know… cook for me… since Kyla comes on afternoon until nine pm…”

     “When Kyla comes, what does he do for you?”

     “Nothing…”

     I looked at Adam again.

     “Hey, you forgave me already right? One chance, remember?”

 

 

♦192♦

 

 

     “Oh, okay…”

     “So, are we going to continue this, or what?”

     “We’re already finished…” Shane said.

     “Well, I’m not…”

     “You don’t need to practice…”

     “Beside, since Shane’s here, you and Alyson can go out tonight…”

     “Of course…”

     “Maybe you should visit me on my home first… my dad is kinda—”

     “Can we bring Shane?” he looked at Shane. He knows that my dad really likes Shane, more than him.

     I looked at Shane then he looked at Nate.

     “Sure… I can wait for Kyla… she’ll be here on a few minutes anyway…” Nate said.

     “Thanks…” I mumbled, though I’m not sure if I should be the one who was suppose to say that. “Um, wait, Shane and I haven’t finish our survey yet… remember?” I looked at Shane.

     “Yah… well, you’re leading… but I’m pretty sure I’ll win…” Shane said.

     “Wait, what survey?” Adam asked.

     “Well, he’s saying that the girls like him because of his pretty face while I said that he’s curls have its moves…”

     “Hey, how come I said it’s just my pretty face?” Shane asked.

     “Well, it’ll be unfair to me if the pretty face, gorgeous voice and talent will be on your side…”

     “Okay…”

     “Can I come?” Adam asked.

     “Um, no thanks…” I mumbled.

     “Why not?”

     “Well, it’s easier to disguise ourselves… there are a lot of girls who are hard to fool… like me…”

     “Yah… we’ve been known twice…” Shane added.

 

 

♦193♦

 

 

     “Well, okay… I’ll meet you up at your house at six pm… okay?”

     “Sure…” I stood up.

     “Take care…”

     “Of course…”

     “I’ll just take the disguises…” Shane said.

     “I’ll come with you…”

     “So what’s with the ‘we’re having a survey since we didn’t finish it yet’ scheme?” he asked imitating my voice when we reached their basement.

     “Nothing…”

     “We’re not going to spy, are we?”

     “Of course not…” I put the wig on.

     “Okay… whatever you say,” he put his wig on.

     “How do I look?”

     “Um, flirty… like the mean head cheerleader, as always…”

     “Not like the nerd on the bleachers as I really am?”

     “You’ve never been a nerd nor been on the bleachers…”

     “Well, I’m imagining myself on what I look like if I’m a nerd…”

     “Cute… so what do I look like?”

     “Great… like a… celebrity…”

     “Yah, sure… like I’m not one already…”

     “You asked and I just answered…” I put my shades on.

     “C’mon…”

 

     We reached the park by four. Good thing there’s a lot of girls just hanging around; I hope they don’t recognize us.

     “Um, excuse me, we’re doing a survey on the other guitarist of the band the unknown, could you care for a second?”

     “Sure… I love that band… and I love Shane!”

     “Okay… what do you like the most about him?”

     “Hmm… I like all about him… but I guess his dreamy curls and intense eyes…”

     “Okay, thanks…” I said and pretend to write something.

 

 

♦194♦

 

 

Then I approached Shane.

     “I told you…”

     “Okay… how about that red-head girl…”

     “Sure…” I approached the red-head girl sitting on the bench. “Um, excuse me; we’re doing a survey on Shane Cyrus…”

     “Oh, I love him!”

     “Great… so what do you like most about him?”

     “His baby curls… though his hotter on fluffier curls…”

    “Thank you…” I said then went back to Shane. “Heard that?”

     “Yah…”

     “So who do you want to ask next?” I asked as I sat next to him.

     “How about you go lower… those twelve year olds, for example…”

     “Sure… c’mon…” I took his hand and dragged him to the five girls.

     “Hey, um, excuse me; we’re doing a survey, um, what do you like the most about Shane Cyrus?”

     “His curls…” the blonde girl said.

     “His eyes…” the brunette mumbled.

     “His wonderful voice and songwriting skills…” the red-head girl said.

     “Yah… his voice and his good looking face...” the black haired girl said.

     “His personality… it’s really unique…”

     “Thank you…” I said and walk away. “Okay, you win…”

     “Not exactly… you win by one point…”

     “Really?”

     “Yah… so what will I do?” he asked as we sat to the empty bench.

     “I have nothing in mind yet…”

     “Really… I know you better than that… usually when you

 

 

♦195♦

 

 

make a deal, you already have a list on what you’ll do…”

     “Oh alright… just whenever Adam will go, just ask him where he’ll be going…”

     “Okay… I’ll just give you a tip… trust is a major component of a great relationship…”

     “I know… can we take this off?”

     “Sure… wait, give me your shades… I need that…”

     “Here…” I gave him my shades and took off my wig. I usually go to everywhere I want without being recognized— since a year ago, I finally agreed to become one of them, with a contract that says I’ll go on all their tours, album signing, press conferences and all. Well, at least a lot of people like me, and I get fan mails, not hate mails.

     He took off his wig and put his shades on. I can see that other girls saw him and now coming to approach us. I never get recognize, I guess they recognize him.

     “Ready for fans?” I smiled crookedly.

     “Sure…”

     We got home by seven. It took us a long time to escape the fans; we even need to call our bodyguards just to get out of the park.

     I can see that Adam’s Mercedes is already parked in front of our house.

     “I guess Adam got here first…” I murmured.

     “Well, I don’t hear shots from a gun, so I guess they’re okay…” Shane chuckled.

     “C’mon… I hope Adam is still alive…”

     “Of course… your dad is a lawyer, not a murderer…”

     “We got off his car and went inside where Adam and Kevin are talking along at the living room. I guess Abby decided to leave them to talk. Well, at least they’re calm.

     “Hey guys…” I said.

     “Oh hey Alyson and Shane…” my dad said.

     “Hey…” Adam muttered.

 

 

♦196♦

 

 

     “So what are you talking about?” I asked.

     “You know… guy stuff…” my dad said.

     “Dad…”

     “Ask Adam…”

     “Adam…” I looked at him.

     “Guy stuff…” he said.

     “You two are hopeless… so what’s for dinner?”

     “Italian turkey sausage spaghetti and chicken Caesar salad…” my dad said.

     “Okay…”

     We went to the dining room where Abby was already finished preparing. All we need to do is sit and eat. Kevin sat at the middle. I sat next to him then Adam on my other side, while Abby and Shane sat across us.

     “So how’s the spaghetti? That’s one of Ashley’s recipes…” Abby asked.

     I took a bite. “It tastes great…” I commented.

     “Yah…” Adam agreed.

   

     After we eat, we went upstairs to my room. I took two flashlights; I gave Shane the other one, and then switch the lights off.

     “Okay, so what did you really talk about? You and my dad…” I asked. I turned the flashlight on to Adam.

     “Is it a crime to have a conversation with your dad?”

     “Kinda… so what did you talk about?”

     “Guy stuff…”

     “What kind of guy stuff?”

     “Hey, you’re not a guy…”

     “Shane…”

     “What kind of guy stuff?” Shane repeated.

     “This is ridiculous…”

     “Like that’s not your middle name…” I said.

     “It’s not… my middle name is danger…”

 

 

♦197♦

 

 

     “Seriously…”

     “Okay… he just asked me first on why haven’t visit here for a while… then like what I told you, I’m the one taking care of Nate—”

     “Which is not true…?” I cut him off.

     “Hey, want to hear the story or not?”

     “Sorry… please continue…”

     “Then he told me that good thing Shane’s keeping you company, good thing you’re best friends… then he started telling me stories that when he was a kid, and he’s best friend with your mom now… and look at what they’re now… he says best friends are the best couples…”

     “You don’t believe that, right?”

     “Sure… does he really hate me?”

     “Nope, not hate… just in favor of Shane who’s not even courting me…” then I look at Shane. “You’re already like my brother, right?”

     “Yah… of course…”

     “So what else did you talk about?”

     “He just said that I should make sure that I will never hurt you or make you cry or cheat on you…”

     “Okay…”

     “So, can you turn the lights on now?”

     “Sure…” I flick the lights on.

     “That’s much better… is that the only reason why you brought me here in your room?”

     “Yah… would you tell us the truth if we’re downstairs, with my dad’s ears on us?”

     “Depends…”

     “Yah right…”

     “So who won on your bet?”

     “Me…”

     “So, what’s the consequence?”

     “The loser will follow what the winner wants to do…”

 

 

♦198♦

 

 

     “So my brother is now your servant?”

     “I don’t like to use the word servant…”

     “So what does he need to do?”

     “That’s a secret of only we know…”

     “Really… does that include eating bugs?”

     “No… that’s gross…”

     “Okay… I just hope Shane can stay alive…”

     “Of course… I’m not giving him a punishment…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

♦199♦

Reviews

[Victoria Scott]

I love Shane!!!!