Fate

Wondering

Avi woke with a start. He had fallen asleep on a big leather couch in the main dressing room on accident.
"Avi, come look at these," his sister said, poking him in the side with her finger. He rubbed where she poked him as he stood up from the couch and went over to his sister's computer. He began flipping through pictures and couldn't help but smile.
"Are these the ones from Italy?" He asked.
"Yeah, she just emailed them to me. They are amazing! Oh look, there's the one of you and that little girl."
"Gracie. She was a cute kid. I totally forgot about these," he lied. In all actuality he had been thinking about them a lot lately. He had been thinking about her. He felt that twinge in his chest again that he always seem to get when he started thinking of the beautiful girl underneath that tree.
"Where do you think she is now?" Esther asked.
"I have no idea. I hope she's enjoying herself though."
It had been 3 weeks since he had seen her. She never came to the show they invited her to but she did send them flowers instead, apologizing for not coming. One of the notes she had sent with the flowers had been addressed to him and he kept it in his wallet with him at all times. He didn't know why he felt the need to always carry it but he did anyways. Every now and then, late at night, when her image would pop up in his head he would read the note. He had read it so many times that he had memorized it at this point.

'Fate is not on our side tonight, love. Just remember that one day it will be. Melody'

He flicked through the pictures again just as Kevin and his other band mates Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie walked into the dressing room.
"Spain is so hot this time of year," Mitch said as he sipped his water.
"Well that's why it's called summer," Scott replied as he hugged Esther's shoulders.
"Are those the pictures Melody took of us?" Kevin asked as he knelt down beside the chair Avi was sitting in.
"Melody? Is that the girl you guys met in Italy?" Kirstie sat on the leather couch Avi was just sleeping on as she asked the question.
"Yeah. She was the one that sent us those flowers too," Kevin replied.
Avi got up and let his sister have her chair and computer back and he walked out into the hallway. He couldn't get her out of his head. Why did he feel so strongly for a stranger? What was it about her that made him feel like this?
He leaned against the wall in the hallway and stared up at the ceiling. His chest still had that pain in it. He must've been standing there for awhile because before he knew it, Kevin had come out into the hallway to get him for sound check.
"Hey bro. You okay?" Kevin asked as they walked to the stage.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure? You've been kind of off since Italy."
"I will be fine. It's just. I don't know. I keep wondering where she is, you know. What is she doing now and for some reason I can't get her out of my head. It's like her words are haunting my soul."
"Sounds to me like you have a total crush going on." Kevin handed him his microphone as they headed out to the middle of the stage.
"Kev, you can't crush on someone you barely know."
"Really Avi?" Kevin gave him a side glance and Avi decided to just drop the subject for now. It was bad enough for him that this strange but wonderful girl was haunting him. He didn't need his best friend poking fun at him for it though.
Scott, Mitch, and Kirstie joined them for sound check which went straight into changing for the show and VIP meet and greet. Avi tried to be as present as he could as he chatted with fans, signed autographs, and took pictures but he was finding it difficult. At one point before the show he had to sit down in a dressing room alone to try and clear his head.
"Avi? I have something you need to see." Esther had found where he was hiding and he followed her into the main dressing room they had been using as a common meeting place. She pointed to her laptop and hurried off to help the crew with some last minute hiccups. He sat down and saw that an email was open and he began to read.
'Esther, please pass this along.
Avi, I wanted to again apologize for not showing up. Life took me in another direction shortly after meeting you and your wonderful sister and friend. I hope you enjoyed the pictures I sent you all. I will send some of my travels soon. If you believe in fate like I do then you will know that one day we will meet again. Maybe in a cafe in France or in a market square in Chile. Until then, remember Gracie and the lessons she taught me. Love everyone around you and never give up hope. Until we meet again, Melody.'
He read the message several times. He even went so far as to forward the email to himself so he could reread it again later on.
"You should reply." Esther had came back into the room and was leaning against the door frame.
"What should I say?"
"Don't ask me. Just say something. But, do it after the show. You need to go line up. Show time in 10."
Avi hugged his sister tightly and went to join the group. They had already lined up and grabbed their mics. He could hear the roar of the crowd chanting PTX over and over again.
"Well you seem to be in a better mood," Kevin said as Avi grabbed his microphone and took his place behind his friend.
"Got an email from Melody."
"Oh. I take it that it made you feel better."
"A ton."
He saw the stage go black and heard the crowd cheer and applaud.
"Here we go. Spain!" Scott said in excitement.
"Spain!" The rest of the group said before holding the microphones to their lips to begin the show.