Chapter 15: Interview Invitation

When they left Los Angeles, the mood within the team was a bit awkward, a shadow of melancholy hanging over them.

This was the second time a record company showed interest, but both times it was for Evan Bell. Evan, loyal as ever, turned them down without hesitation.

After hearing Evan say that their band is a whole and that he hopes they can grow together, Claire Dace wasn't surprised. Young people often have an idealistic sense of loyalty. But, once they step into the real world, they start to realize loyalty doesn't pay the bills. But the problem lies within Evan's immediate refusal of Warner Records, he didn't even give it a second thought. As he left, Claire Dice said, "Call me if you need anything. I'm always at your service." His words held a deeper meaning.

The awkward atmosphere in the band wasn't due to Claire's parting words but Evan's outright refusal. The other three members were puzzled: Warner Records, one of the world's top five record companies, invited Evan alone, and he didn't even consider it. He just said no. That's what's genuinely strange.

Evan's response was, "The band is a whole, so I hope we can develop together as a whole too." If Evan wanted to go solo, Warner Records was a great opportunity. Sure, Evan had no problem with being an independent musician, but he joined the band to fulfill a dream, so Evan refused without any hesitation.

After hearing Evan's explanation, Gillen Haas and Jacob Tibo were moved to tears. Bruce Stewart turned his head awkwardly, his shoulders shaking slightly. It would be a lie to say he wasn't touched. Such a golden opportunity was right there, yet Evan didn't hesitate and thought only of the band. This is the kind of friendship worth remembering.

That night, Gillen Haas talked to Evan, thinking he shouldn't sacrifice his future for the band. To be honest, though it wasn't openly discussed, everyone in the band knew Melancholy Mood was initially a hobby band. It only started improving after Evan joined, and now it has even gained recognition at the Eagle Rock Music Festival. Without Evan, this would have been unimaginable.

"It's good that you've progressed. If you can stay with us in the future, great. If not, we know that we're not talented enough and should focus on finding jobs after graduation." Gillen Haas became a bit sentimental. For him, Melancholy Mood was a commemorative medal of youth, and that was fine.

In truth, Evan Bell isn't entirely selfless. He follows his heart and does what he wants. But after Gillen's words, it seemed like Evan was compromising.

Evan wanted to explain more, but before he could, Jacob Tibo said, "It's okay, don't overthink it. If you miss this opportunity, there will be another. Don't worry." He cut off Evan's explanation.

Evan looked at Jacob's downcast eyes, and it seemed Jacob was also deep in thought. After a moment, Evan stopped talking. The room fell into a heavy silence. No matter the reason, they had missed Warner Records' offer, and that left the other three feeling a bit down. Though Evan was fine, he didn't feel like going out to party anymore, so he went to bed early.

These past days, he'd driven from New York to Los Angeles, attended the Eagle Rock Music Festival, and tomorrow he would drive back to Boston. Evan needed some good sleep, and that night he slept well.

The next day, the four of them got into Evan's 1965 Chevrolet truck. Bruce sat alone in the back, and the three in the front were silent. The atmosphere was tense. Although Evan repeatedly said he was fine, the others had their own thoughts. Everyone was quiet on the drive.

Fortunately, all four could drive, making the cross-country trip easier. After entering Arizona, they started chatting again, but it was all irrelevant gossip, and the atmosphere remained odd. After all, it was Warner Records. Evan's easy dismissal of such a chance was abnormal. Not everyone could be as nonchalant as Evan. Even he only had such courage because he had a second chance at life.

No one lingered on the scenery, so the car moved quickly. By the early morning of the third day, they entered Massachusetts, close to Boston.

Jacob was driving, Gillen and Bruce were asleep in the back, and Evan leaned back in the passenger seat, squinting at the rising sun warming his face. It felt comfortable. He opened his eyes and saw they were near the school.

Cambridge, northwest of Boston, is known for Harvard University and MIT. It's a city on its own, facing Boston across the Charles River. The first settlers were British, and after establishing Cambridge College, the first university in the U.S., they hoped this town would become a university town like Cambridge in the U.K., hence the name. Cambridge College is the predecessor of Harvard University. Harvard became the world's number one university, and MIT also gained fame, making this town an academic haven.

The four members of Melancholy Mood attended three different colleges. Jacob and Bruce were at the Conservatory of Music, Gillen at the Art College, and Evan at the Medical College. Evan dropped his teammates off at their dorms before heading to his own.

When he entered his dorm, his roommates hadn't arrived yet, so he was alone. He called Catherine Bell to let her know he was safe. In recent years, the family's situation has improved. The two brothers had full scholarships since middle school and earned extra money, reducing the family's burden by a lot. Two years ago, they hired a worker for the dry cleaning shop, allowing them to take turns on the overnight shift, making things easier. But Catherine Bell still got up early due to her years-long habit. After talking about the music festival and chatting for a while, they hung up.

Then, Evan called Teddy Bell. Although phones now had caller ID, the monthly fee was too high, so they hadn't activated it. Teddy answered with a businesslike tone, "Hello, this is Bell."

Teddy's voice was muffled, clearly not long out of bed. Evan held back a smile and replied, "Hello, this is Bell too."

Teddy was stunned for a moment, then laughed and asked. "You've arrived in Boston?" Though, this wasn't much of a question, but rather a self-affirmation. "Have you had breakfast? Remember to eat breakfast. It's important for people with poor stomachs."

"I haven't even finished greeting you yet, but, got it, I'll change my shoes and go buy breakfast." Evan shook his head helplessly. Just like with Catherine Bell, the conversation turned to reminders about breakfast.

Over the years, Evan had always lived a fulfilling life. He helped out at the dry cleaner, studied Broadway at school, and learned guitar in his spare time, often skipping meals. At home, Catherine Bell always prepared meals, but Evan spent most of his time at school or on Broadway, or in clubs or libraries, so his meals were irregular. He didn't have a serious stomach problem, but it wasn't in great shape either. Once, he went hungry for a day and a half, and his stomach hurt until Teddy found him. Since then, his stomach became a big concern.

Evan quickly changed the subject. "How are the materials for the thesis?"

Teddy opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Evan. "Your professor isn't going to give you another hundred papers to summarize, right?"

Teddy wasn't great at arguments and usually followed Evan's pace. "Just received 40 articles yesterday, two weeks to sort them out. I'll be carrying them around for a while." Helping a professor write a paper wasn't easy. "By the way, I got an interview call from the Screen Actors Guild. Do you want to go?"

"Interview? What interview?" Evan wondered whether to shower or have breakfast first. After two months away, his desk had a thin layer of dust.

"A movie interview in Los Angeles," Teddy answered.

"Los Angeles? Damn, I just came back from there." Evan leaned back, freeing his hands to tidy up the table. "No, I have an appointment with Professor Lance on Wednesday and will be busy this week. I don't have time." Movie interviews would excite others, but for Evan, meeting the professor was more important. He cherished his days at Harvard. No matter his future career, college was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Teddy wasn't surprised by Evan's reaction at all, he just nodded and said. "Alright, I understand."