Fantasia

XXV

Now that Eddy thought back, he remembered the scene like it had happened yesterday. He remembered how Brett had called him to come to his house when he received the letter from the conservatory. How he'd watched his best friend in the world open that big, heavy letter and how the flames in Brett's eyes had burned brighter and brighter as he'd read the judges decision: That Brett Yang was accepted into the Queensland Conservatorium as a student starting next year.

They had squealed like little school girls getting candy in the Yang houses living room. They had even danced around and Eddy had been so proud and happy for Brett. Brett was going to be a violinist! And it was going to be awesome.

A warm, fond smile formed on Eddy's lips as the scenes from back then played in his head. Yeah, they really had been the best of friends. Inseperable. Even though they hadn't even attended the same school, almost all their classmates had known that Eddy had loved to hang out with Brett and that Brett's favourite practice, busking and gaming buddy had been Eddy.
And yet, the Brett occupying Eddy's dreams didn't remember anything from him.

Eddy could only hope that he'd soon find a way to contact the real Brett Yang.

As on cue, Eddy's phone rang. He threw a glance at the caller before he picked up.
"Mum?"
"Eddy! I looked through my old contacts. You can't believe how many people I used to know back then, when you and your sister were smaller."
"I remember the hour long phone calls you used to have on a regular basis", he quipped, but was secretely dying to know what she'd found. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt while he waited for his mother to continue.
"No need to be rude, Eddy Chen. So, I have found a phone number and an adress belonging to Brett's parents, but I don't know if it's still up-to-date. I haven't tried calling."
"No need mum", Eddy sighed, trying to hide the excitement bubbling up inside him, "Thanks so much! I'll try to call and see, if they're still around."
"If they are, greet them from me. They were quite decent people, even though their son became a musician. His younger brother is a dentist though, right?"
"I think so, mum."
"At least one who succeeded. Better than nothing. Well, I have to go, Eddy. I need to get groceries. I'm having your aunt over for lunch."
"Say hello to her. And thanks again. Will you text me the details?"
His mother promised him to do so and hung up. Eddy couldn't help but roll his eyes. Had that musician comment really been necessary? At least the text came instantly and Eddy immediately opened it. He looked at the address and the number as memories flooded his consciousness. How many times had he been at that place? How many times had he called that number before they had gotten their own cell phones? Eddy had known this number by heart, could have walked to this adress in sleep anywhere.

Funny, how life sometimes seperated people. But then again, hadn't it been through Eddy's own doing back then?

He shook his head to cast away the less agreeable memories, copied the number to his phone app...
...and froze.
What if Brett's parents would pick up the phone? What was Eddy supposed to say? What if they asked what had happened all those years ago?
Eddy stared at the number on his phone. If they were going to ask him about why he'd just vanished, he'd have to explain. It was time, actually it was long overdue, that he stood up for what he did.
Eddy swallowed hard and pressed on the contact before he could change his stupid mind.

"This number is no longer available", a generic woman's voice rang through Eddy's speakers. He sighed.
Of course the Yangs didn't have that phone number anymore. It was more than a decade ago when Eddy'd last called this number. Even if they still lived at the same adress, everyone got cell phones nowadays anyway, so why spend money on a phone line? And since he wasn't going to travel back to Australia any time soon, the adress his mother had texted him didn't lead him further either. It was a dead end.

"Brett Yang...", Eddy mumbled to himself. Was this really all he could do? Play the violin and hope he'd encounter dream-Brett in his... well... dreams? It sure seemed like it. Maybe the name of some of Brett's other friends would come to him, though Eddy hadn't really hung out with them. Brett had mentioned some collaborative pianists or some quartet and orchestra friends, but Eddy'd barely met them, let alone recalled their names now.

Eddy looked up and squared his shoulders. No! Only seeing Brett in his dreams wasn't enough! One way or another, he had to find out where Brett was, and what had happened to him.

A/N: Hi everyone :-) Have a little surprise I wrote like a week ago and forgot to upload on April 1st XD. You can find it in my one-shot book through the link down in the comments. Prompt's courtesy of one of the readers (thank you you-know-who-you-are :-)). It's about how things could have gone down a year ago...