Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

Moment

"I hope he didn't," Julie sighed. "I hope it's him so he can return it." Luke didn't say anything, but she watched him hide a quick smile that flashed on his face. How could he try to hide from the world that he was jealous because he liked her? All the evidence was piling against him. But she wouldn't ask him. There were boundaries that they had to keep. As much as she liked crossing over the line on occasion, fixing his buttons, and having their shoulders meet in the wide hallways, she knew she had to stay back. It wouldn't be good for either of them.

"You think he knows he's not getting the job yet?" Luke asked. Julie almost forgot about that. She couldn't imagine anybody but Luke at her side through entire approaching war. She got too used to him. She liked him there. He was her friend. Not that Nick wasn't, but he hadn't been there in a long time. If he was trying to pick up where they left off, Julie didn't remember where that was. "Almost feel bad for him."

"You do?"

"Yeah. He's all in love with you and went to bed thinking he would get to spend every second with you." Julie clicked her tongue in annoyance and reached over to shove Luke, making him laugh.

"You're so stubborn," Julie said to him. "I already told you there's nothing there. At least on my side. He hasn't made a love confession either." Luke held up the necklace to her face, letting the gem bump her nose.

"What does this look like?"

Julie snatched the necklace back. "Like you're being annoying." Luke laughed again, crossing his arms and sitting back. She had never seen him so relaxed with just her alone. They sat together in a deep silence for a few minutes before she stood up and sat next to the pond. She dipped her hand into the water, looking for a frog. Luke took a minute before he went and sat next to her. Wherever she went, he went. She smiled at him when she felt the slippery coat of a creature.

Luke raised an eyebrow at her. "What?" Julie used both her hands to pull the frog out, shoving it in Luke's face, making him fall back. "Princess!" he groaned, scooting back. Julie looked at the frog up close, hearing a little ribbit come from it. It didn't try to get away. It must've been one that Carlos caught and released multiple times.

"Isn't it cute?" she asked him, putting up the frog next to her face. Luke sat up again with a worried look on his face, looking between her smile and the frog.

"That's gross."

"Here," she reached her hands over. "Hold your hands out." Luke looked disgusted, but he did as he was told. Julie plopped the frog on his hands, her skin meeting his palms for a quick second. Luke looked unimpressed as she smiled at him, giggling. "This is gross, Princess," he said. The frog let out a tiny ribbit once again. "Can I put it back?" She nodded, watching his face closely. Luke gently reached down his hands next to the pond. The frog stayed still.

"It likes you."

"It better not. I'm not really into frogs," he said, putting it closer in the water. Once again, it didn't budge. "Hey, can you get off me, pal?" he asked it softly. Julie watched him, feeling her heart swell like a cloud. The frog finally slipped off his hands and swam away, only to emerge on top of a rock a few moments later.

"It wants to keep looking at you," she pointed at it. "It thinks you're cute." Luke didn't say anything, but he smiled at her. Julie reached into the pond again until she found another frog and let it sit in her hand. Luke watched her as she pat its head politely.

"You really like animals, don't you?" he asked her.

"I do," Julie said. The frog jumped out of her hands and in the patch of grass between her and Luke. He scoot back from it. "It wants to meet you."