Ghostly Heartbreak | Luke Patterson

Chapter 17

I found Julie on the couch, doing her homework. "What happened back there," I asked making her look up at me.

She sighed as she closed her book, "Nothing happened. I just told him how I felt about the band and about him. They're just using me, us, because without us the band wouldn't even exist. If this whole band is that important to them, then I'm just gonna do what they did to me, bail."

"You don't mean that Julie," I sat in the love seat, "You're just still mad and hurt about the dance. That's understandable but, this band does have potential to be something.. great."

Alex and Reggie poofed behind me, making me gasp, but Julie sighed as she went back to her homework.

Alex shoved his hands in his jean pockets, "Hey you, uh... you got a second?"

Julie sighed again, this time putting her books to the side and continued to work, while putting her legs up on the couch.

"Oh my gosh," Reggie exclaimed, "She can't see us anymore!"

I rolled my eyes, "Reggie. She's ignoring you." Reggie's face fell, hurt.

Alex went to sit next to the girl. "Julie, please."

She looked up with her glasses, "I already told you that I'm done with the band."

"We know, but before you decide that forever, we just..we wanted you to know that Luke isn't as selfish as you think," Alex defended his friend.

"Yeah you've got him all wrong," Reggie added.

"Julie, maybe you should listen to them because after you screamed at Luke for being a selfish guy, he left," I glared at her. She scoffed and went back to her work.

Alex and Reggie shared glances, Alex opened his mouth, "You remember that song 'Emily'? Can we at least show you who that's actually about?"

- - -

The boys led the way to a house and forced both Julie and I to hide behind the potted trees, as we spied on the elderly couple on the inside. "Oh my god," I gasped, "She's his mother."

I felt myself begin to tear up as I saw Luke sit on the island, starring at his mother. He looked beyond broken as he admired his parents, wishing that they could just see him one more time.

"Yeah," Reggie glanced at me, "Yeah, Luke comes here a lot"

"He thinks we don't know, but... We've been following him," Alex said as he stared at his friend that was crying. 

"All he does is just hang out like this and watch them. They never really do anything though."

"I understand why he would want to do that." I remember my grandma telling me how grandpa would just visit her, and I knew that it was just because he wanted to be in her company. If I was the one that was dead and everyone else was alive, I would want to do exactly what Luke is doing. Just hang out with them, make sure they're fine and happy without me, even though it would break me on the inside.

We watched as Luke's parents place a chocolate cake on the table and sit down

"They're having cake," Julie said as we observed, trying to make light, "That's something."

"It's a ..." Reggie stumbled as he looked at Julie, "It's a birthday cake. For Luke."

"I never knew Luke was hurting this much," Julie's brows furrowed as she stared at a broken Luke.

I shook my head, "Yeah of course you wouldn't Julie. He hides it in front of people, because he knows he has to be strong for some people."

"It's even worse because when he died, he," Alex paused, "left on bad terms. You know his parents didn't want their 17 year old in a rock band, so.. he just left."

Luke got off the island and made his way to the table.

Alex glanced back at Luke, "He never got the chance to make up with them."

I felt my heart break. My heart went out for Luke. I knew the pain that his parents went through when they found out Luke passed. He must of knew how they felt when he saw how broken I was left without my parents and brother. All I want is to give him a hug, to let him know that now I'm here for him, but I can't. There's a barrier between us. A whole world between us.

Luke's father lit the birthday candle, and Luke bent over to blow it out. Obviously, his parents couldn't see him blowing it out so it surprised both of them. They both looked around, wondering were the draft of wind came from.

"That's why Luke was so angry." I hear Reggie say, but my eyes are glued onto Luke, who was now sitting down, facing his mother. "If Trevor had given Luke credit for writing all the songs, then...his parents would've known his dream was worth chasing."

Trevor, or Bobby, whatever his real name is took everything from Luke. His legacy. Luke's parents would've known that Luke was right for following his dream. That he did know what he was doing with his life, before everything was ripped away from him.

"They would have been so proud," Julie's chimed.

I continued to watch Luke, "Extremely proud of him." A tear trailed down my face, for him. I felt his pain and his parents.

More tears came down as Luke's parents blew out of the candle once more, without them knowing that Luke was helping them.

"I guess you judged him too soon Jules," I coldly said because I was angry at the fact that she would dismiss the way he was acting earlier. Even, I noticed that he was acting a bit different. Although, I knew that it wasn't her fault. We didn't know about Emily or about how he truly felt.

Alex stood up from his spot next to me, "We know how bad it hurts whenever someone that should've had your back, completely lets you down. We never meant to make you feel that way."

"Julie," Reggie's voice broke, "we love our band. And Luke does too. Please give us another chance."

I sniffled, never taking my eyes off of him, "I will."

Julie looked back at me, shocked. Alex and Reggie shared the same grin, happy that I agreed to come back.

I glanced back at everyone, "Come on, we don't want him to notice that we've been spying, and plus, we have to start practicing. And I need to write a brand new song for that gig."

- - -

We were practicing for the past hour, to a song that Julie decided we could sing for the gig when Luke poofed onto a chair. He jumped out of the chair as he noticed that both Julie and I were practicing.

"Whoa, Julie. Nova." He kept looking between us two, confused.

Julie smiled at him, "Grab your guitar. We got work to do."

He looked over to me, open mouthed. I grinned at him, with my guitar in my hand. Luke smiled like a kid, before he finally grabbed his guitar. He walked in front of Julie's piano, "What made you come back?"

"I realized how important music is to all of us," Julie spoke softly, "And we've lost so much already." Julie looked over at me, "We can't lose this too."

"Thanks," Luke said raspy. The two shared a glance, before he started walking backwards, "All right, boss. Where we at?"

I cleared my throat as I turned away from the two, facing Alex and Reggie. Both the guys looked at me, pity filled their eyes as I shook the feelings off. What can I say. Guess I'll never be his number one.

"Oh and by the way," Julie grinned at him, "Happy Birthday."

He looked confused at her, as he looked at the boys, then at her with a small smile.

"Let's go from the pre-chorus Nova," Julie giggled at me.

I nodded at her, "Yeah, course." I gave her a weak smile, guess if I'm gonna stay in this band I'm gonna have to get used to her and Luke. It'll never be Luke and Nova.