Stuck In Reverse (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 19: Acceptance

Dear Juliette,

On behalf of all the faculty at the University of California Los Angeles, it gives me great pleasure to offer you acceptance into our fall semester of 2014. Please have your final deposit submitted by...

As I read on my heart slowly sank into my chest, while I also couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. This was what I had been waiting for ever since I had sent in an application. This was something I'd been dreaming about forever.

I got accepted into UCLA at the end of the summer.

The only problem, well actually, one of many problems, was that the tour would still partially be going on past the end of the summer. Starting in the fall was their Australian part of the tour, which we had all been looking forward to the most. Especially Luke. I was supposed to meet his family when we went to Australia. But if I go to college, how would I come with them to meet his family?

"Hey Julie, we're at the venue!" Michael called from outside, and I quickly hid the letter under my mattress before opening up the curtain to my bunk and getting out, already having been dressed and ready for the show that night.

I was thankful that, since the boys had all heard me sing, they didn't make an effort to get me on the stage while fans were there. The more I sang, I realized more and more that, no matter how much I loved it, I only ever saw singing as a hobby for me, not a career like it was for them. I liked doing it, it just wasn't something I wanted to do professionally.

"Okay I'm ready!" I blurted, a little too loudly because I was met with four confused and nervous looks from my four Australian bus-mates.

"Are you okay?" Ashton asked.

"Yeah," I said, "I'm perfectly fine. Why?"

"Well you seem a bit... off," Calum said, and Luke nodded, staring at me like he was trying to read my thoughts.

I shook my head. "Honestly, guys, I'm fine. Just had a little caffeine is all."

Today their show was in Dallas, and it was scorching hot outside. Because, of course, everything's hotter in Texas. I followed them inside to their dressing rooms before breaking off from them and meeting up with Lou in the makeup and wardrobe room, where I was then sent off to choose the clothes that the boys were all set to wear that night, which I did, still a little fidgety.

"Julie, honey, are you okay?" she asked. "You seem nervous."

"Yeah, I'm alright," I told her.

"What are you so nervous about?" she asked, "Is everything alright with Luke? Did anything... happen that you need to talk to someone about? Maybe have a little girl to girl chat about?"

Wait...

Is she asking if Luke and I had sex?

"No!" I blurted, "No, we... no. I mean, everything's fine with us, but we haven't done... that." I said awkwardly.

"Alright," she said, "but just know, if you ever do need to talk..."

"Then you'll be the first one I go to." I promised her. "Now, I've got all their clothes ready, but is it alright with you if I go outside and call my mum quick?"

"No, sweetie, go right ahead," she assured me, "The boys won't be in here for another twenty minutes or so, after they finish their sound check. Just be sure you're back by then, though."

"I will," I told her before heading outside the venue and making sure I was alone before I hit the call button. It was a couple minutes before her familiar voice came through the phone.

"Hi, honey," she said, and I could hear her smile through the phone.

"Hi, Mum," I told her.

"How's my girl?" she asked.

"Well, Mum, things are... complicated," I said finally.

"Complicated how?" she asked.

"Well, I got my... letter from UCLA," I told her.

"You got in?" she asked, and I nodded before I realized then in my fidgety brain that she couldn't see me nod.

"Yeah," I told her.

"Julie, I'm so proud of you!" she said, and I could tell then just how much she was beaming.

"Thanks," I told her.

"So, when the tour stops in LA, is that when they'll drop you off?" she asked then. "Is that how you and the boys worked everything out?"

"Well, actually, Mum, I... I haven't told them yet," I said nervously.

"Honey, you have to tell them." she said. "You have to tell your brother. And you really need to tell Luke."

"I know I do, I just don't know what to say to tell them." I said. "We had all these plans for after summer ended, I don't want to just cancel on all of them. I don't want them to be angry with me."

"Julie, they can't be angry with you for being accepted into a college you've wanted to get into your whole life," she assured me. "Yes, they may be upset at first, but when they sit down and think about it, it's almost stupid not to take the opportunity. If they were in that same position, I can assure you they would do the same thing."

"Okay," I said, nodding again. "I'll tell them later. Thanks, Mum,"

"That's what I'm here for," she said. "I miss you. Tell Harry I love and miss him too."

"I will," I said. "But I need to get going, sound check is almost finished and when it is I have to get to work. So I need to go find Lou. But I'll talk to you later. Tell Robin and Gemma hi."

Hanging up the phone, I quickly ran back into the venue and into the makeup and wardrobe room, right before the 5SOS boys finished their sound check and would come in here to get ready while One Direction did theirs.

"Hey," Lou said when I ran back in and went to straighten up the clothes I picked for tonight one last time. "Everything okay now?"

"Yeah," I nodded with a smile, "Everything's going to be just fine."