We Come Alive (Julie and the Phantoms #JUKE imagines)

Shook Me To The Core

When I got out of school, I knew I had to find Luke because something was definitely wrong. When Nick... interrupted us, he marched away all frustrated and I don't totally know why. I don't think it was me, right? It couldn't have been. Well, maybe. It's hard to say.

"Jules! What's got you all messed up? You're not acting like yourself."

Slamming my locker door shut, I faced Flynn, hoping that she wouldn't freak out too much about what I was about to tell her. "Nothing, well, kinda maybe something. It's complicated." I paused, smiling politely at people walking past us. Even Carrie waved shyly while she marched away in her Dirty Candy costume. "Wanna grab something to eat? I missed lunch and I'll explain everything to you then."

She nodded. "Yeah, of course. And oh man, this better be good if you're missing band practice." I had texted her pretty late last night that the guys were able to ditch Caleb's stamp and that now they were visible and touch-able. But I left out the other stuff because, that was so not something I wanted to discuss over text.

"Shoot - I totally forgot that I told the guys I'd come straight home after school." Sighing, I kept walking toward the entrance of the school anyway. "I just, can't deal with it right now. It's all so much. Let's go and I'll just apologize when I get there."

"I mean hey, it's your band, not my problem." She raised her hands in a mock surrender, and then threw her arm over my shoulder. We made our way down the street to my favorite burger joint, and settled on the outdoor patio. Flynn and I plopped our backpacks on the extra chair between us, as always, and sipped our drinks.

"Well, no one's around. What'd you wanna tell me that was super hush-hush?" She smirked at me, and I ignored the irritating way she always winked at me. I shifted in my seat and watched the nearby traffic roll by.

"Come on, Jules - you're gonna tell me eventually so why not now?"

I sighed - Flynn was right. Heck, she was always right. "Okay, fine. So uh, thing is, I was getting ready for bed last night after the gig once I knew the guys were gonna be able to stay."

"Totally! And thank goodness for that. At the Orpheum, I was so scared they were gone." She patted my arm calmly, but her eyes bored holes into my brain, begging me to bare my soul.

Exhaling sharply, my face heated up at the memory. "Oh, me too. You have no idea."

"Jules, I have SOME idea..." She winked at me. "Go on, continue. Before I lose my mind."

Deep breath in, and out. "Okay, well, I was about to go to bed, when Luke knocked on my window."

"He couldn't just poof in?"

I shook my head. "He said they can't do that anymore. I guess the ghost rules changed. If they even are ghosts anymore, who knows?"

"Wow, okay. Go on."

"So uh, we were talking about everything, and he told me that he didn't just visit me at school the other day to ask about the song choice for the garage party."

Flynn stared at me unblinking, motioning for me to continue.

"He was annoyed about Nick asking me out."

She covered her mouth, and tapped my knee three times. "Luke said that?"

"Yeah. And then, well - "

"Okay, I've got two burgers, and two sides of fries." The waitress placed our food in front of us, and after thanking her, I dug in, grateful for the distraction. Flynn barely touched her food though.

"I'm not eating until you tell me everything!" She crossed her arms, and smirked in that irritating way she always did.

"Luke and I kissed." I mumbled the words through a large bite of my burger.