Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

Poolside Duck

A week went by and Julie was able to sit in at two meetings with her dad and a few advisors. Luke would stand at her side at all times, like a shadow frozen in time. But it wasn't overbearing now that they were fine with each other. He wouldn't avoid her eyes as much anymore, and he spoke to her more. About mundane things, but he would talk.

Julie relearned the escape plans the castle had had in place for years and helped Luke teach them to Reggie because Carlos wasn't marked by the looming war yet. It was strange to go out into the square, and you knew who knew by the way they carried themselves. Reggie himself seemed to be weighed down by exhaustion of chasing ten kids around all day and the idea of his and Luke's friends going out into the battlefield if it got to that point.

Julie's kingdom had alliances which King Caleb had killed for his own kingdom years ago with his own malice. Some were willing to send soldiers while others wanted there to be a treaty made, like Julie's father. It probably would've been done already if it weren't for Julie speaking for the people in the farm towns, giving some people in her dad's advisory board the bravery to step forward and vouch for them, too.

She didn't realize how much it was bringing her down until Luke pointed it out to her Saturday after dinner. "You haven't smiled in a while," he said out of nowhere. They were going up the main stairs, and she stopped to look at him. He walked to her side now instead of behind, ready to tackle her from any flying bullets. He was a step above her now and turned back to look at her. This made him look giant in size compared to her. They were still for a moment.

"Nothing interesting has happened," she told him. She shrugged as he stared at her face. His eyes would always crawl over her face like flower petals falling in the wind. She'd stand there and allow it because she wasn't even sure if what he was doing was conscious.

"Do you want to go to the Mercer's tomorrow?" he asked. He held up his phone. "He has a pool. He said he'd invite you personally, but he doesn't have your number." Julie gave him a small smile and nodded. "Cool," Luke said, putting his phone away. "I'll tell your Sunday guard I'll be with you tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You don't want a day off?"

"I'm practically getting paid to hang out with my friends" he shrugged. He put his sight on the ceiling and said, "You included Princess." Julie found herself giggling, making him grin before she kept walking up the stairs and passed him.

"Fine. But it has to be early, or my dad will have a heart attack."

Julie's dad made them take a car with two additional guards to stand outside the Mercer's house. It was just past the town and although Julie would've liked to take the horses, she didn't want to worry her dad. Reggie also seemed to have a phobia against horses. "They're too big for no reason," he said. "I don't trust them and their beady little eyes."

They entered the gated community, and Julie recognized the elegant white house from a distance. It had been years since she went there, the last time with her mom holding her hand. She had good memories in there, but she could just be associating them with her mom living and breathing.

Alex was waiting outside, waving at them as they got off the car. Reggie got out first to run up to him, and Luke waited for Julie. He stretched out his hand to her to help her out and although Julie was fine, she took it anyways. His hand was warm, and the air felt so cold when he let go.

"Princess," Alex came up to them and kissed one of her hands. "I'm honored to host you."

"Thank you for having me," Julie smiled at him. Julie hadn't had the chance to make new friends in years and having that instant connection with Alex made everything so much easier. Alex led them inside through the elegant main room, Julie looking at portraits of his family and a larger one of his mom next to her father who died a year before Julie's mom. They all had the same glowing blonde hair and bright eyes that could peer right through you. It was almost scary to stare at them for too long.

They got to the backyard where a heated pool stretched through half the yard. "I'm not allowed to swim," Julie told Alex. "New silly rule, but if something happens, like a bomb, I have to be ready to run at all times."

"And I'm staying out with her," Luke raised his hand. Alex frowned but understood, walking back inside with Reggie to change. Julie looked around and sat down in a padded lawn chair, Luke sitting in the one next to her. She almost told him he didn't always have to be attached to her hip, but she wanted him there in this familiar yet new place. She was always good at receiving a certain feeling when things were off, and the Mercer house was not balanced.

"Willie left?" she asked Luke. He nodded.

"Alex texted me when he left in the middle of the week. His parents were chill about him being here for a few days, but I guess things are escalating. He asked me what I knew, and I told him."

"We still don't know everything," Julie said, taking sunglasses out of her bag. She put them on and laid back, appreciating the moment of silence that lasted before Alex and Reggie raced out of the house and jumped into the pool. Droplets fell on the lenses of her glasses, and she smiled. She peered through the side and saw that Luke was watching her, but he quickly got up and went to go somewhere else.

"Is Lady Flynn coming?" Reggie yelled. Julie sat up and looked for Luke for an explanation. He was sitting at the edge of the pool with his pants rolled up and a hand on his forehead.

"It was going to be a surprise but yes," he said, looking back at her. Julie smiled at him and mouthed him a thank you before laying back down.

She must've been more tired than she thought because she fell asleep without realizing, waking up to Flynn poking her cheeks. "Hey, Dimples," Flynn kept poking her cheek until she smiled. "There she is." Julie sat up, Flynn sitting next to her in the same lawn chair and making her scoot over. If it wasn't Luke invading her personal space, it was Flynn.

"How long was I asleep for?" Julie asked, taking off her sunglasses to rub her eyes.

Flynn shrugged, taking out sunblock from her bag to slather on herself. "I just got here." Julie saw Flynn was already changed into a bathing suit and would be swimming with the guys. Flynn lived nearby, but she didn't think her family and the Mercer's were friends.

"Twenty minutes," Luke answered from his edge of the pool, not looking back.

"How convenient you and your duck can't swim," Flynn whispered, winking at Julie. She rolled her eyes and lightly shoved her away, Flynn giggling and making a heart with her hands in an angle only Julie could see. She kept trying to paint a story between the two and as much as Julie said it was nothing, it was like Flynn could dig through her memories and watch them sings together and look at Julie touch the orange juice stain on his shirt. Watch him help her out of the car and see Julie catch him staring at her after he spent so long not looking her in the eye. "How is your dad doing?"

"He'd be going crazy without all the advisors."

"War or no war?"

"On the brink of it," Julie shrugged. Trying not to let it consume her was the hard part. She looked over at Luke who stood up and walked over to the lawn chair he was sitting at, leaving wet footprints behind. "I hope it's no war. I hear they're sending the younger people in first. Sir Luke and Reggie's friends would go there."

Flynn asked Julie, "Remember you wanted to be in the Knight Academy?" Julie smiled, looking over at Luke who was listening to them.

"You did, Princess?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Julie nodded. "I have a thing for knights."

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A/N: LMAO not to sound like every fanfic writer ever but I'm sorry I haven't updated in a bit, I've been in and out of urgent care BUT I'M 100% FINE!! Back to the grind >:)