I HAD asked Ray to drop me off at some random house near my complex. This earned a weird look from Julie as I stepped out of the car, but all I did was give her a small smile and thank Ray for the ride.
It's not that I didn't want them to know where I lived, it's just I didn't need Ray to get the idea I'm living alone. So I picked a house with the lights on and you can see an old couple sitting on the couch. I made up the quick excuse that they were my grandparents and I'm staying with them until my parents get back from a work trip before exiting out of the car.
I waited for his car to get out of site before I turned my back to the house and towards the direction of where I actually live.
It was a bit chilly as I walked the distance to my apartment, and the thin material of the flannel on my shoulders barely helps with anything. So keeping my arms crossed, I continued with my walk.
I couldn't even take a step towards the stairs before I was once again crouching down in pain. This time it felt worse than it was a few hours ago, and it took me a bit longer to regain my composure.
Taking deep breaths and rubbing my chest as I stand back up, I once again force my panic down knowing that it will do nothing but make-whatever this situation I got myself into worse.
Though I was thankful I hadn't started walking up the stairs, otherwise this could've been a lot more painful.
Now walking up the stairs I count the floors I pass until I reach mine. My mother had gotten us one in the middle of the complex, and I was thankful for that at this moment because I was already sort of out of breath from the walk here-plus the jolt. So not having to walk up anymore stairs only made my night a sliver better.
Entering and closing the door to my apartment, I make sure all the locks are done before I start to walk to my room. Once again, my night was a sliver better when I found that the heating system was working.
I throw the flannel onto my desk chair, and quickly change out of the outfit I had on and into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.
Once I'm comfortable I walk over to my bed and just lay down, but don't close my eyes and instead just let myself stare up at the ceiling and think about tonight.
Tonight was a pretty good night, beside the fact of Mr. Molina coming and getting us early before Julie could hear the offer the lady had for her band.
It still feels surreal having performed on stage with the band, and honestly am not mad at them like I thought I would be. At the moment I was, but now thinking back I'm glad they had pushed me to perform the song Luke and I had written.
Now sitting up from my laying down position, the strange feeling starts to form in my stomach again as I think about that part of the performance. And as if he could hear me thinking about him the ghost pops up into my room next to my bed.
I almost fall off the bed when he comes in, but he catches my wrist before I could fall backwards.
Looking up at him he has an amused look on his face as he lets go of my wrist. Clearing my throat I fix myself back on my bed and turn towards him. Real smooth, Florence.
"Don't," I point at him as he looks like he's about to laugh.
"Real smooth," Luke says in a teasing tone as he bites back a grin. My eyes widen and face flushed slightly. I said that out loud?
"U-um . . . What are you doing here?" I stutter a little as I ask him the question. I watch as he grins a little at my stuttering.
"Well I wanted to tell you that Julie came home a few minutes after her dad dropped you off and then came storming into the studio. First she told us that her dad didn't force her to quit the band, and then lectured us on scaring her tía." He laughs and I do as well. "I also wanted to tell you that . . . I'm really glad you performed with us tonight."
A shy smile stretches out on my face as I look at him and all I can see is pure happiness.
"Thanks, ghost-boy." I smile and he chuckles a little at the nickname.
"On the conversation of singing, what was the song you played last night?" Luke says after a few seconds and I look over at him and raise a brow. He throws his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry I can't help it. You should know this by now."
I roll my eyes, but a smile is still on my face as I reach over and grab my father's journal that I had hid in my bedside table. And in an apparently good mood I open it up to the back and Luke leans over to look at the page.
"It's called 'the grudge' I've been working on it for a while. It's about my mom." I explain, doing a once over of the lyrics before looking up at the boy beside me.
"No pressure if you don't want to answer but . . ." Luke trails and when he looks at me I nod for him to continue. "Where is your mom by the way? I mean every time the guys and I come here it seems to just be you." He says, watching me carefully hoping he didn't say anything wrong.
I sigh as I drop the journal beside me and run a hand through my hair. "Yeah . . . it's just me." I admit and when I look over at him he seems to be waiting for me to continue.
"Well, I thought Alex and Reggie would've told you this already since they found out about it while we were walking back to the studio," I tell him. I freeze up a little hoping he doesn't ask where we were walking back from, and when he seems to not have noticed I almost sighed in relief.
"So, do you wanna know?" I ask and watch as he nods his head. Then letting out a slightly shaky breath, I rest my head on the wall behind my bed. And as I do all these things I can still see Luke watching me carefully.
I don't look at him once as I give him the whole rundown of my relationship with my mom. Just my life in general. And we're probably sitting there for twenty minutes with my nonstop explaining that I'm surprised he hasn't gotten bored yet.
The story I give him is slightly more detailed, but has the same information as the one I had told earlier.
He doesn't take his eyes off me once because I can feel them practically burning into the side of my face while I watch myself play with my hands, then eye my desk in my room, until I finally just keep my gaze trained on my fathers guitar.
A few moments after finishing my story I clear my throat and look away from the guitar. "That's basically it. Now you have a look into my life," I tell him. Too scared to look over and find the same expression that the rest of the band had because I really don't want to dampen my mood anymore after my spiel.
Luke doesn't say anything and surprises me when he pulls me into a hug. But the shock is only present for a second before I hug him back, staying in this position for a moment. I guess everyone is in a hugging mood today.
"You'll never be alone again, Florence." He mumbles into my hair as we pull away from the hug. If he keeps saying stuff like that I may breakdown in front of him, but instead of tears I look up at him and smile in appreciation. He returns the expression, but his soon changes and he looks as if he is debating something.
"Though my story may not be similar to yours, my parents and I never got along." He speaks after a minute of silence. Catching my attention, I snap out of whatever daze I was in and turn my body to fully look at him.
"You don't have to tell me this if you don't want to," I tell him. Luke turns his head to look at me for a second before looking back down.
"It's okay. I want to tell you. You told me yours and it feels unfair that I keep mine from you," he assures me. I don't say anything as he takes a deep breath, preparing himself to speak as I had done so.
"My parents were never big on the idea on me wanting to pursue music as my career." He starts. I keep my gaze on him, watching him attentively as he speaks. "They wanted me to go to college and not form a rock-band."
Luke keeps his gaze on the floor as he speaks, only flickering to me every once-in-a-while. "My parents and I had always had arguments about my music . . . but it was one night that we had one that got pretty heated."
"It was with my mom and I, my dad on his way home. Things got pretty intense and we both said things that at least I know wish I had never said. And it got to a point where I had taken my things and walked out." I place my hand on his back as he continues with his story.
"I never came home that night, nor that day after or the day after that. I was staying in the studio, until it came time to play the Orpheum." He pauses for a second after talking about what he would have never thought would have been his last day.
"I never got to apologize to my mom after our fight, and it haunts me that those words that were shared on that night were the last ones I would ever say to her." When he stays silent after that I know that he's done with his story.
"Do you want a hug?" I ask quietly. He lets out a little laugh and I take that as my cue as I'm now the one initiating the embrace.
"I'm so sorry, Luke." I mumble into his shoulder. Pulling away I only hesitate for a short moment before I take hold of his hand. "Who would've thought this night was going to turn into this little heart-to-heart."
That makes the boy in front of me smile slightly and chuckle as he nods his head.
"Yeah, who would've thought," he says. We lock eyes with each other, and there's another look that I can't decipher that crosses his features. And holding his gaze for too long I clear my throat and look away and only then do we seem to both snap out of the trance we were in.
"I-is there anything else you needed to talk about?" I ask stuttering a little that I want to slap myself.
"Actually, yeah . . . There is one more thing." Looking back up at him when he says this. I find that his face is now holding a smile.
"And that is," I nod my head for him to continue what he had started.
"Before Julie had left the studio, we came to a group decision that . . . " He pauses for a few seconds before continuing. "We want you to join the band."
My mouth falls open when he says that. "I, um, you want me to. What?" I manage to get out, shocked. And Luke just laughs at my reaction.
"We want you to join the band. Consider the performance from tonight your tryout for it." He states with the same smile on his face. "So what do you say. You in?"
I wait a few seconds-even though I already know the answer-before nodding with a bright smile. This seems to make his smile even bigger if that's even possible before he pulls me into another hug.
"I can't wait to tell the guys, they'll be so psyched to hear this. Same with Julie as well," He tells me as he pulls away from the hug. I laugh as I look up at him with the same smile plastered on my face.
"I bet they will," I chuckle and then my phone seems to light up with a notification. This also tells me what time it is and my eyes widen a bit. "Speaking of the guys, you should probably go." I tell him pointing at the time.
"Trying to get rid of me so fast already," he says with an overdramatic gasp, but when he looks over at the time on my phone before it disappears his eyes widen a bit as well too. "But you're probably right. I didn't tell the guys I was coming here."
Nodding along with what he is saying I glance at the journal next to me and an idea hits me. Just hopefully it's not one I grow to regret.
I'm quick to stop him, earning a confused look while I get off my bed to stand in front of him.
"One more thing," I play with the journal in my hands for a moment before sticking it out to him. "Happy birthday."
Luke glances between the songbook and me. "Are you sure?" He asks hesitantly, though I can tell he's itching to grab it.
"Yeah. But this isn't for you to keep only to look at. There's a few unfinished songs, but for the most part the journal is filled." I reply and once I assure him it's okay he takes it.
"Thanks." He smiles and I return it.
"Goodnight, Luke." I tell him and he still has that same grin on his face.
"Goodnight, Florence." And with that he disappears.
Smiling to myself, I lay back down on my bed and read the notification I had gotten. It was a text from Julie saying that the band is still together, as well as asking if I want to join.
Still with a smile on my face I type out a 'yes' and am greeted with a ton a emojis with smiley-faces on them. I roll my eyes a little before I grab my earbuds off my bedside table and plug them into my phone and then place them in my ears.
Selecting my playlist, I just lay down on my bed staring at the ceiling with my music playing. Silently thanking my father-wherever he is-for bringing the boys to me if he was the one behind it.
AUTHORS NOTE:
SURPRISE! I wanted to get out some Florence and Luke content on Valentines Day because why not!
Also I hope you all had or are having a great Valentines Day, and just an amazing day in general!!
The love on this book makes me want to cry! Thank you so so so much for the votes and reads it's honestly insane!
I have a question also...would you all want me to make a playlist for Florence? Like what I would picture on her playlist? If so then please let me know because I'm debating on doing it right now.
Other than all of that, the next update my come a few days later than usual because of school and stuff.
Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes you may find in this chapter, I'm still learning.
Anyways it's night where I am so I love you all and once again thank you! Also if your day isn't going as well then remember tomorrow is a new one and I hope it is better for you!