Can you feel me? - Julie And The Phantoms

Chapter 2

<Guys!> Julie approaches the garage door and tries to get Alex and Reggie's attention.
After Ray's embarrassing comment the boys dematerialise, leaving Julie alone with her father.
They continued to eat breakfast and stayed quiet. This way, they tried not making the situation even more uncomfortable.

Julie is confused about her feelings, not knowing what to think. The night before she managed to touch him for the first time, and she still can't push away the thought of their hands intertwined.

She sighs, just before a voice jolts her. Luke reaches up to her ear to whisper <Hey, why are you screaming?>
<Luke! Stop appearing like that! I thought I told you that already..> Julie backs away slightly, walking backwards to Alex.

He smiles at her and scratches his head. <Sorry, but your scared face is too funny. It's impossible to resist>

<So..> Alex interrupts them <why did you call us Julie? I thought you went to school>
<Yes, I'm going right now. We can't rehearse after school today, I promised Nick yesterday that I would help him with something>

<Nick?> Luke lifts his head and looks at her.
<Isn't he that boy who brought you the dahlias yesterday?> Reggie asks her, getting up from the couch.

<Did he bring you flowers? When?> Luke looks even more confused.
<Yesterday, we all saw him. What were you thinking about Luke?>

Reggie finally reach them, pulling himself right in front of Luke. He didn’t respond and starts looking his own shoes.
<Anyways..> Julie seems more uncomfortable as the conversation goes on.

What the hell was going on that morning? Why everyone wants to take her in embarassing situation, and why Luke is always involved?

<I think I have to go school now, see you later guys!> she leaves and the silence fall all over the three dead boys.

Alex pushes his hand out and touches Luke shoulder.
<Bro? Is everything ok?>

He disappered, without saying nothing.

*******

<Flynn I've told you the story a dozen times already, I don't know what happened, it's all a mess.... > Julie is leaning against the locker, her arms crossed over her chest.

She has just told Flynn what happened on the night after the Orpheum, despite she has already done it on the phone before.

<What are you going to do now?>
<We're going to play!> Luke appears just behind Flynn causing Julie to flinch.

<Jesus, I don't think I'll ever get used to this.> Julie tries not to make too much noise. Luckily, Flynn is too busy staring at her own cell screen.  She has just received a text message.

Luke tries to read it over her shoulder but Julie admonishes him with a stern look <boundaries> she says.

The boy immediately stops and starts smiling at her, trying to make her laugh. <Flynn? Is everything alright? Who's texting you?>

The bell rings and the only thing Julie can hear is Flynn's muffled voice telling her <None>.
They head off to history class together, Luke following them a short distance behind.

<Julie, I need to talk to you>
<Here? Is it really that important?> Julie continues to speak softly. Something about him coming alone makes her curious. She doesn't want Flynn to know that he's with them, and a part of her can't understand why.

Suddenly, the boy who was walking in front of her stumbles and she is forced to stop. Her sneakers crawl across the school's linoleum floor, but the rubber doesn't hold and Julie is about to fall. Someone catches her, welcoming her into his arms.

<Are you okay?>
Luke is way too close and Julie starts to feel her own cheeks heat up.
She blinks twice before she can say anything.

Too late, he has already put her back on her feet, worried that someone might see her 'floating'.

Flynn's eyes are wide and a hand covers her mouth from the schok. <What did I just see?>

Julie still doesn't know what to say, she can't process the sensation of her own body against Luke's. It's all still so new..

<Flynn? What exactly did you see?>
The girl continues to stare at the spot where Luke was before, not saying a word.

<He was? He was, and I saw... no, that's not possible. I imagined it. Did I imagine it Julie?>

Luke's eyes go wide.
<You think, you think she saw me?>

The headmistress walks past the two girls. <Molina, shouldn't you two be in class by now?>

<Yes, absolutely headmistress, let's go now.> Julie pushes Flynn, pulling her away from Luke and moving towards the history class.

<But Julie! I need to talk to you!>
<I'll see you at lunch, wait for me at my locker. It's number 223!>