The next day, Haewon, Ivy, and Selena were seated for Gabriel's game.
"Wow! He's such an excellent shooter," Haewon said to Ivy and Selena excitedly.
Every time Gabriel(Nath) made a shot, she never ceased to express her joy and surprise at how good a basketballer Gabriel was.
"You should keep your voice down," Selena, who didn't like the attention Haewon was drawing to them, said. Ivy looked at her, and seeing the disapproving look on her face, Ivy could tell that Selena had changed her mind and didn't have any plans of approaching Gabriel.
Good thing that she and Haewon had made plans for whatever Selena wished to do. They had both decided that if Selena tried to back out, they were going to force her into meeting him one way or the other.
Ivy exchanged a glance with Haewon, and they could tell they were both thinking the same thing. It was all up to them to bring the two best friends back together.
Once they had gotten to the last quarter of the game, Selena decided that it was time to make her escape from her sisters.
She would go to the restroom and stay there as long as she could so that by the time she came out, the game would have been over, and Gabriel must have left.
"I think I need to go to the restroom," She said, and Ivy raised a brow.
"The game will be over in a couple of minutes. Can't it wait a little? Maybe after you talk to him?" Ivy asked, and Selena shook her head.
"No, it can't wait. I will be quick," Selena said, and both Haewon and Ivy gave her a disapproving look.
"Don't worry. I will make sure I talk to him no matter how difficult it will be," She lied through her teeth, giving them an assuring smile which neither of them bought.
"I think I need to use the restroom, too," Haewon said, and Selena scowled.
"You think I'm trying to flee or what?" Selena asked defensively.
"Flee? Why would she think that? There is no way you would abandon us here and go home, is there? Besides, you already assured us you'd be talking to him today. So why would you think Haewon doesn't trust you merely because you want to use the restroom?" Ivy asked reasonably.
Selena looked from Ivy to Haewon. There was no way Haewon was going to be able to drag her out of the restroom if she said she was having a runny stomach, so what was there to worry about?
"Sure. Let's go," She said, and Haewon followed her.
[I think she is trying to bolt. You know what to do, right?] Ivy texted Haewon.
[Sure. Good thing we planned for this.] Haewon texted back as she walked behind Selena.
[Good thing we are here to make sure she doesn't blow this opportunity. Keep your eye on her while I find a way to get through to him. I will find out his exit route so you can bring her there.] Ivy texted as she rose to go follow through with her plan.
It would be impossible to do that if she waited until the game ended, as everywhere would be rowdy.
Ivy moved quickly, and it didn't take her long to find out where the team bus which had brought Gabriel's team was parked.
She knew he would be coming back this way with his team to get into the bus, so she quickly sent an anonymous message to Gabriel Fox's Fan page, asking all his fans who were present there to meet up there immediately after the game because she had overheard him saying he would be signing autographs.
She knew she was taking a risk by doing this, but she doubted that Grabriel would ignore his fans if he heard they were gathered together waiting for him.
It didn't take long before the place was filled with Gabriel's eager fans who couldn't wait to get his autograph.
[The game is over. I'm amid his fans. You can bring her to the underground parking lot.] Ivy texted Haewon, knowing that Gabriel and his team would be out soon.
A short while later, Gabriel and his team were out, and Ivy looked around to see if Haewon and Selena were coming. When she didn't see any sign of them, she decided to approach him herself. It was now or never.
"Nath!" Ivy called, looking at Gabriel to see if the name would ring a bell to him, but he didn't raise his head as he focused on signing his autograph on the shirts of his fans who had sprung such a surprise on him.
When he didn't raise his head, she decided to use another approach. She immediately took out his team's Jersey that she had gotten earlier that morning and stretched out the shirt.
When it was her turn, she extended the shirt to him, and as he signed on it, she said, "Your name used to be Nath, right?"
The moment he heard the name, Gabriel raised his head to look into the face of the young girl who was talking to him. How did she know that? It wasn't something he ever shared with the public.
"Who are you?" He asked, wondering if she was a reporter looking for a story or just someone digging into his past. Wasn't she too young to be either of those?
"Can you move out of the line so the rest of us can get his autograph?" The person behind Ivy asked irritably, since Gabriel's coach was already calling for him.
If only she could be fast with whatever she wanted to say, Gabriel mused as he continued to watch her.
"This autograph is for your childhood friend. Do you remember...."
"Gabe, come on, we don't have all night!" His coach interrupted impatiently as he came out to pull Gabriel away.
"I'm sorry, but he has to leave now," His coach announced.
"Her name is Selena! Do you remember her?" Ivy called after him as he walked away with his coach.
Although his steps faltered at the mention of the name, he didn't stop walking.
"Are you okay?" His coach asked, and he gave him a nod as they joined the others in the bus.
Gabriel was lost in thoughts as he thought about what the girl had said to him.
Selena. Was it the same Selena he knew years ago? The girl had said Selena was his childhood friend, right?
If that girl knew him, it could only mean that Selena had told her about him. Had Selena been at the game? If she had been there, wouldn't she have approached him herself?
He doubted she had been there. There was no way the girl would have wanted an autograph on her behalf if she had been there, right?
It had been twelve years since they had last communicated. That had been before the accident that had taken the life of his parents and left him in a coma for months.
In his attempt to forget all about his painful past, he had also totally forgotten he had put her out of his mind and had not realized it until he heard her name.
The last time they had spoken, they had both been in high school. What would she look like right now? If that girl hadn't mentioned her, he wasn't sure he would have remembered her.
Now that he was thinking about her, he couldn't help but remember how good their friendship had been. How could he have so easily forgotten someone that close to him?
How did Selena know he was Gabriel Fox? Had she been searching for him? Was it possible that she had not forgotten all about him as he had forgotten her?
He felt a pang of guilt at the thought and shook his head. He didn't want to believe that she had not forgotten him all these years. That would make him feel too guilty and apologetic towards her. It would make him feel like a really terrible person.
As much as he tried to convince himself that the girl was mistaken and it really wasn't his friend Selena she had been talking about, he couldn't help it.
To ease his conscience, he decided to try to find her first before she found him or contacted him.