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"Julie? Can we talk?" I hesitate. They had just finished the rehearsal and I was dead set on amending things with Julie and giving Luke an opportunity to explain himself.
She nodded and followed me outside, I knew the guys would most definitely try to eavesdrop on our conversation but at least I don't feel their stare on us.
"I feel like even after yesterday there's something that is bothering you." I started and pulled my sweater all the way to my fingers, a nervous tick. "I still feel like there's something that makes you hate me." I finally disclosed.
"I've been a bitch to you and I'm truly sorry for that. That's not who I am." She assured me. "What I told you yesterday is true but now I see it differently after our talk. You're not competition. You're someone I can share this with so that I'm not alone." She smiled.
"I'm glad you think that way now." I smile back. "So what makes you so bitter towards me? Because I still felt like you were mad at me today." I shuffle in my place nervously.
"There's 2 more things actually." She said abruptly. "My long time crush is literally in love with you and I guess I've always been jealous of you." She explained and I could see that she was a little embarrassed of her behavior.
"Girls should never tear each other down for boys." I advise like she was my little sister. "And who's your crush?" I ask.
"Nick, the blonde sophomore." She tries to explain but I just shake my head telling her I had no clue who he is. "Now that makes me feel a little better. You don't even know who he is." She chuckles.
"What was the second thing?" I interrupt.
"I kind of feel like Im developing feelings for Luke." She answers more like a question. "But I see the way you also look at him and I- I got jealous again." She huffs, covering her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I retaliate quickly. We hear the car horn and her father's voice.
"It's my turn to give you advice. Don't hide from your feelings." She winked. "I have to go." She coughed after a few seconds of awkward silence and ran past me to her father.
I didn't want to go back inside the garage so that I didn't need to face the boys in case they heard the whole thing so I drove back to my house and focused on getting ready for their concert.
I put on my cherry red dress, some white air forces and zip up my leather jacket on top. As usual, I keep my volleyball shorts on underneath and leave the house with my bag in hand.
I decide to walk to the cafe as it was a short, five minute, walk.
I stepped inside the establishment being met with the hot air that contrasted with the cold wind that whistled outside.
"And now performing Julie and the fat ones." I hear the host present on stage and I stifle a laugh that wanted to come out.
I sneak my way all the way to the front of the stage and smile at Julie who was setting up her microphone on the piano stand.
"It's actually Julie and the phantoms." She corrects and I chuckle a little at her hesitation. "Ok, cool." She babbled and adjusted the mic when no one seemed to react to her words.
Julie's melodic voice is heard along with the piano intro.
After her verse and once the chorus begins, she stands up and the band shows up behind her, each on their place, playing their own instrument.
Inevitably, my eyes focus on the guitarist. His focused expression never ceases to amaze me, he truly loved performing and he was born to do it. His gaze meets mine and I could see his shocked expression, I mean, I didn't tell him that I was coming. I didn't even speak a word to him during the rehearsal.
He hurt my feelings when he just didn't show up at my game and during the band practice, he barely looked at me so he was definitely avoiding me. I just wanted to know why.
We were in some kind of staring contest, neither of us wanted to show the weak side. It was as if he was singing just for me, like there was no one else in the room. Just the two of us.
Our moment is interrupted when Julie comes closer to him so that they could share a mic. I saw how his eyes focused on her and how they didn't unglue their eyes from each other. Their faces were millimeters apart and I swear I didn't want to feel this way but it was like I had no control over my body. The clenching on my heart was like somebody took it away from my chest and was trying to squeeze it as hard as possible. Luke looked at me and I knew that he was also feeling it, I adverted my gaze to Reggie who looked at me knowingly. I force a smile at him and avoid Luke's figure for the rest of the performance while Julie's words repeated on loop inside my head. I couldn't be developing feelings for a ghost, right? I mean, I barely know him.
The song came to an end and I felt petrified in my place. I didn't want to feel this things, I knew how much losing someone you care deeply about hurt, it completely destroyed my mom, and Luke was bond to leave sooner or later. He wasn't just going to rummage around as a ghost forever. Someday, he would have to go to heaven or something like that and I knew that. That's one of the few things that I was able to learn about ghosts through the internet.
When I came to my senses, I was all alone in the middle of the room while everybody was either leaving, seating on the tables or next to the bar.
I caught a glimpse of Julie, Flynn and the guys talking to an older woman before I headed out. I cursed myself once I noticed that I had left my jacket on the cafe's stand and head back there while hugging my figure to keep me warm.
The first thing that comes into my sight is Luke heading in my direction as soon as I open the door. I catch my jacket as quickly as I can and scurry away from the establishment.
"Lorelei, wait!" I hear his voice but I couldn't find the strength to stop and confront him. So much for amending everything with everyone.
I speed walk to my house and fumble to find the keys inside my bag but of course that by the time I insert the key on the door, he was already by my side.
"Can we please talk?" He insists. I sigh and leave the door open for him to come in.
I head upstairs without saying anything. The sound of the door closing is heard throughout the whole house and in a matter of seconds, Luke poofs himself into my bedroom.
I lay on my bed and wait for him to start talking. He had his back against my closet and his eyes were glued to his hands while he played with his fingers. It was unusual seeing Luke nervous like that.
"I don't really know where to start." He sighs and steps closer to me. "I guess the best way is to apologize." He begins and crouches besides so that he was at my level. "I'm sorry for missing your game and for ignoring you." He finally let's out.
"I just don't understand why you would do that." I look up, finally meeting his hazel eyes. "I trusted you with stuff that pretty much no one knows about me and then you just ignored me without a reason." I explain without breaking eye contact.
"There was a part of me that was being jealous but I really can't talk about this with you, at least not until I figure myself out." He admits, scratching the back of his neck. "And I was also pretty upset about some things. Today used to be an important day for me." He shared. I pat my bed telling him to seat next to me.
"I was there, Luke. Alex and Reggie took me there." I confessed, laying my head on his shoulder. "Happy birthday." I smiled, looking up at him.
"Thank you." He whispered.
Our faces were inches apart and I could feel his breath on my nose. I started feeling the butterflies in my stomach and before Luke could feel it too, I distanced myself from him.
"I would give you a gift but I don't really know what ghosts need." I chuckled.
"A hug." He confessed. "I can touch Reggie and Alex but it feels empty. I guess is because I know that we're all dead. But with you, even when you're just touching my hand, I feel my whole body become warm and fuzzy." He elaborated.
And so I hugged him and we stayed like that, hearing each other's heartbeat and feeling the butterflies on our stomachs, for a long time until eventually, I fell asleep on his arms. I guess he also feels the butterflies when we are together.
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AN Here you go (: another glimpse on Luke and Lorelei's love story.
Let me know what you think will happen next and what you think about it so far!