͏͏͏͏b͏͏r͏͏i͏͏g͏͏h͏͏t ͏͏t͏͏o͏͏g͏͏e͏͏t͏͏h͏͏e͏͏r

014. callin' out

~~~

"REGGIE! YOU'RE OKAY!" Alex shouted as he ran and threw his arms around Reggie. Reggie didn't hug him back. "Reg, what's wrong, buddy? Did Caleb do something to you?" Alex asked. Reggie shook his head. Alex looked at Luke and then around and didn't hesitate to ask. "Where's Julie?"

Tears started streaming down Luke's face. "She's-- She gave up her life for Reg. Caleb's going to kill her." Alex's face turned balloon-colored red. "No, he won't. That son of a--" He was about to storm into the Orpheum when Flynn came running out, shouting "I know where Julie and Caleb are going! We have to hurry!"

~~~

Julie and Caleb got out of the car as soon as they got to the Hollywood Dam. Strangely enough, he was in a human form. It was like he was living again. She didn't understand. "Go jump," Caleb ordered. "I will," Julie promised, "but you have to answer some questions for me first."

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Fine. What do you want to know, Miss Molina?" Julie blinked. "Did you actually know my mom?" Caleb smiled. "Oh, yes. I did. She didn't know me, but I knew her. I know everyone. Even your father and little brother."

"So you did lie about 'facing your kind'? Why did you think I'd actually try to join my mother?" Julie asked. Caleb looked over at the girl as a dark shadow crept over his face. "You're going to join her. Now. We made a deal, Miss Molina. Unless, of course, you want me to go end your little band friends."

"No, no, don't do that. I'm going to jump. I can't join my mother because she's already crossed over. Even you know that," Julie replied. Caleb continued staring at the girl. "Then why did you bother asking me? Biding your time? Your fate is inevitable. You have already chosen."

Julie stared at him for a second and then nodded. "You're right. I have."

She stood up and carefully made her way closer to the dam. Flynn and the boys were on their way, and she knew it. She'd talked to Flynn about this before just in case their big plan with the boys didn't work.

"What are you waiting for, damned girl? JUMP!" Caleb shouted at her.

Julie looked back over at him and said, "Just give me a few more minutes. I want to remember what it's like to fully breathe in air and take one last look around this place."

Before Caleb could say anything else, Reggie came screaming out of the woods and pushed him over the dam, and it was all over.

"Julie! Stop, don't jump!" Alex shouted from the woods. Julie smiled and carefully made her way back towards her friends.

Luke went charging at Julie and threw his arms around her. He squeezed her so tightly it was hard for her to breathe. "Don't ever do that again."

"I won't. I promise, Luke," Julie said, hugging him back even tighter.

"Jules, you are invincible! I'm so proud of you!" Flynn shouted, running towards her best friend and throwing her arms around her. It only took Alex and Reggie another minute to join in.

It was done, Caleb was gone, and everyone was safe.

After they left the Hollywood Dam, they dropped Flynn back off at her house and went home to celebrate. Flynn showed back up at the house about twenty minutes later with a celebratory cake. It had Welcome home, Reggie written on it in pink icing. No one knew how she'd gotten a cake so fast, but no one questioned it.

While they were all eating cake together, Julie noticed that Luke still looked a little sad. She sat down next to him and said, "Hey, I've been thinking about you lately." Luke smiled a little. "Gee, I wonder why."

Julie shrugged. "Definitely not the reason you think. Look, I know that your mom's birthday is coming up soon... and I've been thinking. Now that everyone can... well, actually see you guys, I think you could go visit them. You can explain everything to them. I just want you to be happy again."

Luke's eyes widened in fear. "Thanks for the idea, Jules, but I think I'm just gonna stay here. It's better that way. My mom already got the song I wrote for her, and I think that's all the closure she needs."

"Luke, I know we're going to make it in the industry. I just have a feeling, okay? And the last thing we need is your parents to find out about you and the guys from someone else. Please just think about it," Julie said.

Luke sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll think about it. But only for you." Julie smiled. "Okay. Good."

The rest of the night, the Molina family, the guys, and Flynn just had a fun night. They played board games and got super competitive. But it was all worth everything. No one would have changed it for the world.

But Luke just couldn't help but think about what Julie had said...