Two Worlds Collide (Julie and the Phantoms)

Two Worlds Collide

It was pouring rain when Luke arrived at the house late in the afternoon. He went in the house, dropped off his sleeping girl with a brief hello to Ray, then went down to the studio.

When Luke opened the doors, the dust blew straight to him like fire looking for oxygen. It had only been a few months since he'd been down here, but he was clearly the last one to do so.

He stood just inside the door, his clothes dripping a pool of water onto the concrete, and looked around the room.

The piano was still covered in its protective sheet, and their instruments were tucked away up in the loft. Luke removed his soaking jacket and allowed himself to be wrapped in the memories he had in this room with Julie.

Sitting on the couch, Luke remembered the lazy Sundays they spent lying together, writing music and planning their future.

-

"What do you think of this?" Julie said, then sung out a new lyric.

She was lying across the couch with her head in his lap, her curls spread across his legs. Luke had a leg propped up on the table and his notebook leaning against his knee.

"Not one of your best," Luke said sarcastically.

Julie sat up and turned to face him. "Alright, and what have you come up with?"

Luke looked at his notebook and his heart began to race. He wanted the song to be finished, to be perfect, but he realised it didn't matter. He loved Julie and now felt like the perfect time.

He handed her the notebook and watched her face as he dug into his pocket.

When she looked up, her eyes were watery, and then when she saw the ring Luke was presenting to her, she put a hand to her face as she started to cry.

"Julie," was all he managed to say before she interrupted.

"Yes," she said quickly. "Yes, yes, yes." Leaning towards him, Julie took Luke's face in her hands and kissed him fiercely.

-

He looked back to the doorway, the exact spot they'd gotten married not so long ago.

Luke stood up and walked over to the piano where he pulled back the white sheet. He sat down and opened the lid before playing a few keys. It wasn't even out of tune.

Sitting at the piano was where Julie had collapsed for the first time. He didn't even have a chance to catch her, but after they found out she was sick, he always sat next to her when she played, ready to catch her if it happened again.

It seemed so unfair. It had only been ten years since the miracle that had brought him back, and it wasn't enough. They were supposed to have so much more time.

Luke looked up at the chairs still floating on the ceiling. Maybe she's a witch, he heard Reggie say in his head. The memory made him smile.

Every Halloween since they'd met, Julie had dressed up as a witch, just to mess with Reggie. Oh, how he wished she was here, putting on that costume tonight.

Pulling his guitar down from the loft, Luke opened the case with shaking hands. He hadn't touched it in so long, he wondered if he would still be able to play.

Just after sunset, Luke put the strap over his shoulder and put the guitar in tune.

"Please let this work," he said, looking up at nothing.

He started to play, the chords coming to him like second nature. He played the first thing that came to his head—his solo in 'Great'. It had brought her back to him once before, when he thought he'd lost his connection to her, maybe it could do it again.