I Fell Again - Luke Patterson

Chapter 10

3rd PERSON POV

Adira, like she hoped, had finished the song as the weekend rolled around. Just in enough time to write with Julie. She was proud of herself, she never wrote a song that fast and it actually being good. Her plan was to give it to her dad after she made sure the melody was right. Well, she wasn't going to actually give it to her dad, she was going to leave the song somewhere where she knows her dad will find it. She thought that maybe the lyrics of the song will remind him of that night and maybe he'll realize that she's been here.

Adira looked at the clock that hung on the wall, she had about 30 minutes before Julie would come in. So, she grabbed her guitar and opened her notebook, strumming a few cords, singing different parts of the song.

"We keep behind closed doors
Every time I see you, I die a little more
Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls
It'll never be enough
As you drive me to my house
I can't stop these silent tears from rolling down
You and I both have to hide
On the outside where I can't be yours and you
Can't be mine
But I know this
We got a love that is homeless"

Adira smiled to herself, she definitely liked the way it sounded.

"Why can't I hold you in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that?
'Cause I'm yours"

Unknown to her, Luke stood outside the door listening. It had been a while since he heard her sing something that meant something to her. And he could clearly tell this song meant a lot to her. But how he was hearing it, he thought it was about a boy. Did she have a secret boyfriend that they never knew about? He knew he shouldn't care, but... for some reason it made him feel weird.

"Why can't we be like that
Wish we could be like that"

Luke took the last lyrics as a sign that she was done. He built up enough courage to go in there. "Hey" he said, gaining her attention quickly. "Hey. How long have you been standing there?" She asked skeptically. This song was personal to her, it meant a lot. It was for her dad, about her mom, but as she guessed, she found the lyrics relatable. Adria would obviously never admit this to anyone she knew, but she couldn't think of Luke when she sang this.

"Um, not long. I just caught the end of it. That was really good. It's been a while since I heard you sing like that" Luke chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head, something he did when he was nervous. "You heard me sing, like, 3 days ago" she replied as she got up and put her book away, the last thing she wanted was for Luke to read it.

"Well, I know that... it's just been a long time since I've heard you sing like that, you know?" Adira nodded her head even though she didn't know what he meant. "What do you want, Luke? I'm supposed to be writing with Julie in a couple of minutes" she crossed her arms over her chest. Adira was tired of fighting with Luke, if he stayed on his side and she stayed on hers, the afterlife would be so much easier.

"I wanted to talk to you" he said. "We are talking" Luke rolled his eyes as the girl stated the obvious. "No, I mean, like, apologize" Adira raised a brow, this should be interesting. "Continue" she said as she sat on the couch, Luke following her. "It wasn't cool that I said that, I know us kicking you out is still a sore subject" he apologized, waiting to hear her response.

Honestly? Adira didn't know how to respond, she knew he only wanted her to fill a spot in the band, not to make amends and try being friends again. "Ok" she said simply. "Ok? What do you mean ok?" Luke was now confused. He thought she would've put up more of a fight, taking her years of pent up frustration out on him, but she didn't.

"Exactly what I said, ok. Luke, let's keep it real, you only want me back in the band so I can fill a position, and I'm ok with that. You don't bother me, I don't bother you, simple. We keep the conversation light, and go on about our day" Luke shook his head, that's not what he meant. He wanted to work it out with her, he wanted to be friends with her again.

"Midnight, that's not what I meant, and I think you know that" Adira scowled at the mention of her nickname. "What did I tell you? You don't get to call me that anymore. Besides, Luke, if you didn't believe me back then, why would you believe me now?" Before Luke could answer, Julie came in with a bright smile on her face.

"Who's ready to write?" Julie cheered as she walked to the piano. Adira stood up, getting ready to walk over to Julie, but saying one last thing to Luke. "Well, Julie's here. We can talk later" but by later, she meant when everybody else was around. "Oh, Luke didn't tell you?" Julie asked, causing Adira to turn to her. "Tell me what?" She asked.

"I'm the third song writer!" Luke said with jazz hands and a charming smile. "Great" Adira mumbled as she put in a fake smile for Julie. She had yet to tell the girl why she wasn't in the band anymore, but she plans to. "Ok, so I was thinking that we could finish this song my mom and I were working on. I think it could be an anthem for people" Julie pulled out her notebook and faced it towards the ghosts.

"Stand Tall? Nice title" Luke complimented as he towered over Adira. Feeling Luke's presence, Adira moved to the front of the piano and took a seat. "We'll start with the keys?" She asked and Julie nodded. This was going to be a long day.

The sun was setting and the boys were back in the garage. They could talk freely since Adira was with Julie. "How'd it go?" Reggie asked. The memories flooded back, causing Luke to groan. "I messed up... big time" the two boys looked at him weirdly. "What did you do?" Alex asked, he had one job.

"I told Adira that I was sorry and she told me that it was ok. What does that mean?" Luke exclaimed. "What else did she say?" Alex asked, he was the best person to take advice from when it came to Adira. "She said that the only reason I wanted her to join the band was to fill a spot, and she said she was ok with that. She also added that if I mind my business, she'll mind hers" Alex and Reggie nodded, as they tried to figure out how to go about this.

"What did you say?" Reggie asked. "I said that's not what I meant" Luke said simply, he realized that girls were complicated. "Then, what did she respond with?" Alex asked. "God, what is this? 20 questions?" Luke mumbled, as he received an annoyed look from them. "Adira told me that I wouldn't sit down and actually listen to her side of the story because I didn't listen to her before, so she thinks that I won't now" he explained.

"What should he do?" Luke and Reggie turned to Alex. "Well, Adira is a very persistent person. So, just show her that you're actually trying. Find those moments when you guys are by yourselves to talk to her. Or, if you can't, pull her aside for a few minutes. And keep sharing a mic with her, show her that you're trying. If Adira sees that, I guarantee that she'll give you the time of day" Alex promised.

Not only did, Luke take it into consideration, Reggie did as well. He felt just as guilty, probably even more than Luke. He had his reasons for voting out Adira, but it wasn't because he actually thought she took the song, he knows she didn't. All Reggie was hoping for was a chance to explain himself to her.

"On the bright side, at least we all hugged the other day" Reggie tried to lighten the mood. "Yea, it felt weird, but nice" Alex admitted, so did Luke with a shake of his head. Adira was the only person Alex had hugged in 25 years, so hugging all his guy friends with her, was nice.

It was late at night and Luke laid on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "Just be persistent" Luke mumbled to himself. "Keep trying. Show her that you care. Tell her the truth" he kept mumbling as his eyes fluttered shut. Luke Patterson was definitely determined to get back on the good side of Adira King.