A Julie and the Phantoms Fanfiction

Chapter 2

Julie knew Luke wrote songs in his spare time, but she thought that maybe with a gig coming up, he would want to work on one together. But he declined and retreated into the quiet space of the studio. Alex and Reggie took the hint, nudging her to leave. They knew that he could get into these types of phases, where he would write songs for a span of hours to days. She followed them outside, letting them talk her into making hot chocolate as she saw Luke flop down onto the couch, his couch, before she shut the doors to the studio.

She turned the radio to a Christmas station, Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" blasting through the kitchen. Reggie and Alex danced along to the melody, grabbing spoons and cups out of the cabinets. (Apparently, spending all that time with Ray had helped Reggie memorize and reorganize all of the kitchenware. Alex thought it was hilarious, Reggie found it embarrassing, and Julie....didn't know what to call it. Cute, maybe?) They pulled out a board game from the attic and a classic game of go-fish with an old battered deck of cards.

The kettle let out a scream as it went off, Reggie and Alex jumping to take it off the stove. But before she could stand up from her spot on the floor, she caught Luke sneak back into the studio, a smile plastered across his face. She called Alex and Reggie, telling them she would be back in a minute, which led to sly smiles creeping on to their faces.

She didn't notice. She was too worried about Luke.

Grabbing her coat from the hook, she raced down the stairs to the studio doors, which were still slightly ajar, nearly stumbling into them because of the wind.

She was scared to go in.

What if he was writing a song and didn't want to be disturbed? Would he be mad? But he seemed so happy...

She let her mind wander, trying to figure out why he would be so secluded and then be so happy? And walking outside in this weather with barely a decent coat?

She wondered if ghosts could get cold.

It seemed that ever since the Orpheum performance they had been corporeal, and it felt like she had been able to touch them more and more. She couldn't remember if she was imagining it when she felt a short stutter when she laid down on Luke's chest the other night, or if they seemed to be brighter, more energetic, more alive.

She gulped, carefully placing her hand on the painted wood.

What if he yelled at her? What if it ended their friendship? What if it was meant to be more than that? What if she told him she lo-

A crash from inside the studio interrupted her thoughts yet again.

She barreled into the studio, staring at a pile of old clothes and trash that had been thrown in the middle of it.

Another crash came from the loft.

"Luke? Luke, are you up there?"

A head full of shaggy brown hair popped over the railing.

And he was practically beaming.

No, literally. He was glowing.

He caught her staring at him, thrown into a trance by his strange demeanor. He ducked behind the railing again, coming up with a bundle of lights in different colors.

So that's why he was freaking glowing. Of course. Get it together Julie.

"Sorry about the noise. Just wanted to get into the Christmas spirit."

She stared at him in disbelief. Poofing down to the floor, he shuffled over to the potted plants.

"Luke-"

"Hear me out," he announced, cutting her off. "I was thinking we could line the arches with the lights and have them all come down in the middle-"

"Luke."

"And it could look really cool, almost like a disco ball lit up behind you and you would look amazing. Not that you don't already look amazing because you're beautiful it's just-"

"Luke!"

He stared at her, his face flushing a deep crimson. He dropped the bundle of lights beside the mess on the floor, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What's all this?"

He stared at her, confused.

"I'm not in trouble?"

"Oh no. You're in a hell of a lot of trouble but first I need to know what's going on?!"

Luke sighed, plopping down beside the pile of clothing, running his fingers along the soft cloth.

"I went to see my parents."

Julie's gaze immediately softened, coming over to sit in his lap, mostly to avoid his puppy dog eyes. His hands immediately flickered to her hair, tugging on it to distract himself.

"They looked happy," he started, his voice hesitant and unsure. "Which made me happy. I think this was around the time I ran away, so I almost expected them to be grieving. But they weren't. It was almost like they were celebrating. And it helped y'know? Not having to worry if they would be okay. I mean, you saw the house. They haven't touched anything in over 25 years. You'd think they would still regret who I was."

He paused, wondering if he had gone too far. But Julie stayed silent, and his fingers continued to pull on her curls.

"You know that I left, but I don't think you know the backstory behind it?"

Julie smiled.

"Reggie and Alex gave a brief history on the subject."

"Well, would you like to hear it again?"

"Why? Is it too depressing?"

Luke grabbed a pillow off of the couch and hit her in the head, her melodious laugh echoing through the empty space.

"No. It's just a hard story to tell," he muttered, the pain and guilt  suddenly clear in his hesitant words.

"Okay then. I'm listening."

So he told her everything. Everything. How he kept staying away past curfew, was failing school but was too afraid to drop out, how the nit-picking to go to bed turned into full on screaming matches. How he felt like a disappointment, like he wasn't good enough, like he would never be able to prove music was a dream, a career, that was worth chasing. How instead of facing his fears and apologizing, he ran away.

"I think that was the last time I saw my parents. I mean, before I died because I visited them after. Then we visited them. But it just felt different. With you. Almost like there was hope for us."

Julie turned to face him, a few stray tears still on her cheeks. Luke's eyes widened in concern, gently wiping a tear off her cheek.

"Jules, why are you crying? It's my pity party."

She looped her arms around his neck, holding him closer to her in a tight hug. Instantly, he wrapped his arms around her, making sure not to squeeze her too hard. They had done this before, the night they played the Orpheum, when they realized they could touch her. They had been clinging to life(well, afterlife), and when he said "no regrets" he meant it.

But this.

This was something different entirely.

This time he knew what to expect. He knew the moment she turned around she would and could hug him. He knew what she had gone through, and how she used it as a way to reconnect with music (and him). He knew that he would die all over again for Julie Molina.

And he loved her with all of his non-existent heart.