𝘌𝘋𝘎𝘌 𝘖𝘍 𝘎𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘛

𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐔𝐩

Reggie and Carlos both followed behind Luke with sly little smirks painted across their lips. "He won't admit it to anyone yet, but he's totally in love with Julie. Just watch him when he looks at her at dinner. They ooze chemistry," Reggie retorted passionately.

"Ooze? Isn't that the word people use when they get zits?" Carlos asked with a questioning raised eyebrow. Reggie shrugged, still smiling like an energetic puppy. "Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that Luke is in love with your sister."

Carlos nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I noticed him obsessing with my sister the first time you guys performed Edge of Great. But it also kinda looked like she was ignoring him on purpose. But now she acts like she likes him too."

"Yeah, they're definitely soulmates. They just struggle admitting their feelings to each other," Reggie sighed dismally gazing off into the distance as if he yearned for the same kind of relationship. 

Alex studied Luke closely as he watched him strut into the house with a very determined look on his face. Instead of asking Luke what his demeanor was about, he waited until Reggie walked in to ask him about it. 

"Uh, what's going on with Luke? He's acting all testosterone-y and territorial like some kind of prideful rooster," Alex whispered to Reggie, very slowly and angstily pointing a finger at Luke.

Reggie shrugged with a hearty smile. "We were just talking about him and Julie, if ya know what I mean. He wrote a love song for her and denied that it was about her. He keeps claiming they're just friends. Oh, and he broke up with Alayna. Well, didn't break up. She tried to make them official-- and then Julie walked in-- and then Luke ran away from Alayna like a chicken! Then he told her he couldn't be with her, and she punched him in the face!"

"What?!" Alex whisper-hissed. "Alayna punched Luke?! I really didn't need another reason to dislike that girl! I swear, the next time Julie and I see her, we'll give her a really, really firm, insensitive talking to!"

Reggie nodded passionately. "If you do, record it on Julie's phone so Luke and I can watch it together later. Oh, and Ray too! Once he hears about what that girl did to Luke, woo-ie, he's gonna be a wound up jack in the box!"

Ray looked over at Alex and Reggie from behind the kitchen island and shouted, "Boys, hurry over here! Dinner's here!" They quickly scurried in obedience so that they could enjoy another meal. Ever since they could eat again, they'd taken any chance to eat they could. After all, they were growing teenage boys again.

"Do any of you know where Julie is?" Ray asked as he set aside another box of Chinese food. "I got her favorite because I thought she could use a pick me up after everything that's happened, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise for her." 

"Yea, I saw her a little less than an hour ago. Think she's up in her room," Luke replied. Ray nodded with a beaming smile. "Perfect. Would you mind going up and getting her for me? I think I'll smell too much like the food after being with all of the boxes in the car for twenty minutes."

Luke took a half step back and nervously started tapping his foot on the ground repeatedly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually-- uh-- I dunno if I can. Alex, would you mind doing it?"

"What? No, you go do it. It's Julie we're talking about. You have no reason to be afraid of her, you weirdo," Alex retorted back with sass. 

Luke's left eye twitched for less than a millisecond before he nodded, saying, "Y--Yeah, you're right. I'll go get her."

Alex nodded firmly, looking Luke directly in the eyes. "Good."

Luke quickly scuttled up the stairs as his anxiety escalated. Of course he loved seeing Julie. She was his favorite person on the planet. He just... didn't necessarily want to see her right after the conversation he'd just had with Reggie and Carlos...