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

Two Worlds Collide When I'm With You

The talk with Aunt Victoria after school was just about as comfortable as a cactus pillow. After blushing, squirming, and endless wishing that I could poof out of there the way the guys used to, she finally patted me on the shoulder and let herself out the back door. Thankfully, Carlos was busy playing video games in his room, so he didn't hear any of it. And Dad had a late work thing, so he wouldn't be home for a couple more hours.

I was about to trudge upstairs to do some homework when the doorbell rang. When I opened the door, I was greeted with none other than Luke's mop-top hair and signature cut-off tank. "Saw your aunt left. Everything good?"

A nervous smile oozed over my face, and I blushed, remembering the sensitive nature of the things I was forced to listen to. "Sure, uh. It's fine. And Dad is still, well, Dad. But he's not here right now. Had some kind of photography thing."

He nodded, relief flooding his face as his jaw relaxed and he smiled. "Cool. Wanna come practice?"

I shook my head. "I gotta do my homework. Dad made me promise to put school first since that night I snuck out, remember?"

Luke shrugged, resting his hand on the doorframe. "Well yeah, but see, the thing is... it's funny you should mention that particular night, actually - but we got another gig."

"We what?"

"Yeah! It's at the same cafe. Alex popped by earlier today, and added us to the list again. He was thinking that if we get back on that stage sooner versus later, that important-looking blazer chick might sign us or something. You know - if your dad doesn't interrupt again."

His voice had an air of frustration to it, but I didn't take it personally. That whole thing was super annoying - and even I could admit that. 

"Okay uh, when is it?"

"Tomorrow night."

I choked on my own spit. "Tomorrow? That gives us like, no time to prepare!"

"Relax, Jules - we got this! But we do gotta rehearse. Like now." He looked down at me from his taller vantage point, turning those puppy-dog eyes on full blast underneath the longish hair framing his face. I was not immune. Not even a little.

"Okay, okay. I'll study after."

"That's more like it!" He backed away from the doorjamb so I could follow him out to the studio, and he rambled on about what songs we should do.

"I was thinking we could play 'Finally Free' again, but I don't want anyone to think we don't have that many songs ready." Luke kicked a pebble as we walked to the studio, and it bounced down the steps down to the driveway in front of us.

"Well, maybe that's because we don't have a lot of songs ready."

"But they don't have to know that!" he said, in his particular Luke accent.

He opened the door to Reggie and Alex having a very intense arm-wrestling match on the coffee table. Reggie's concentration moved to us for a split second, and Alex slammed his fist down onto the surface.

"That's what you get, Peters!" He lifted his arms in victory, and then walked back to his drum kit.

"Not fair - every day for you is arm day. It's practically your job!"

Alex shrugged. "Hey dude, what can I say? You either got it, or you don't - and you don't got it."

"So anyway!" Luke clapped his hands together, suddenly embracing his accidental role as elementary school teacher. "We have a gig, Julie here needs to study. But first she's gonna rehearse with us. So let's get to it, yeah? What songs were you guys thinking?"

Reggie picked up his bass from the stand, while I fiddled with the hem of my shirt. It was interested how Luke always subconsciously angled his body toward me, even when we were just standing around. It was like he needed to signal to others that I was taken - or something. Not in a creepy, possessive way of course - I just mean, he cared a lot about me and wanted others to know that. 

"I dunno, maybe 'Bright'? It's, well, bright. Tempo-wise. And key-wise." The bassist tuned up while Luke grabbed his own instrument and stood next to him. Finding my microphone that plugged into Luke's amp, I realized how even our music was connected at the source. 

"Let's run it and see how it feels since we haven't played it in a bit." Then I hit the opening chords on the piano and waited for the band to come in - a lot earlier this time - since we knew what to expect. People besides me could see them now, so our stage presence needed some work to better reflect that.

The song went pretty well, except for my hands shaking every time I hit a lyric that felt different now that Luke and I were, well - whatever we were. I was still in denial, and most of my day was taken up by a combination of how I could possibly be so lucky, but then also how I could possibly convince my dad this was harmless. 

"Jules, you okay?"

Okay, maybe it didn't go so well. 

"Yeah, sorry guys. Just have, a lot going on these days. And I'm trying to balance it all, but it's been a lot." I ran my hand through my curls that were a bit matted from my long day and my stressful discussion with the always well-meaning, but horridly extra, Aunt Victoria. 

Then we tried to run it again, but a loud crashing noise disrupted us halfway through the second verse. 

"What was that?" Alex asked, dropping his sticks and running to the nearest window in the direction of the sound. I followed him, but immediately wished I hadn't. Because right on the other side of the window was none other than my dad -  waving at us.

***********************************************************************************************Hey guys, I know this was a bit of a shorter chapter today (and that I disappeared for about a month even though I TRY to publish every couple weeks at least) but I can assure you that I'm back! I only have a couple more chapters to go, but this story has been so much fun and I really appreciate all the love you've shown me while writing it. I must say that I've been so inspired by reading other amazing fan fictions (not taking their ideas of course - just learning how to be a better writer by their styles). Anyway, stay tuned for the last two coming up soon, and drop some predictions in the comments about how you think all this is going to end! Thanks so much again for reading this far <3