Can you feel me? - Julie And The Phantoms

Chapter 10

<So... how did you guys met?>

The boys and Willie sat on the old sofa in the studio, trying to find a way to distract Luke from his thoughts.

Reggie had tried to convince him play something, but the result had been a slow snort. <You're going to upset Julie, Reggie... and I think she's upset enough already>.

Luke had then gone to sit on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest. Alex had joined him shortly after, followed by Reggie and finally Willie.

The skater's question seemed to work. For a moment, all three of them were distracted from the present situation and began to remember the day they met for the first time.

<Well..> Luke reached out a hand to touch Alex's shoulder

<We met in detention...>

- 29 years earlier -

Luke walks down the halls of the school, the hood of his hoodie pulled down over his head.
His backpack slips off his right shoulder and he pushes it back up.

He's distracted, drumming his fingers against the notebook he's holding.
It's old and worn from use, but Luke never lets go of it. There are his songs there, the ones he sings only for himself.

He is so distracted that he ends up losing all sense of time, and the bell rings and he is still by his locker writing in his notebook.
It takes him a few minutes to realise that he is alone, then he immediately grabbes his things and goes to the classroom.

He finds it already full, with the students sitting in their seats and the teachers standing at the blackboard.

He's English class, the Professor Keating, has started to explain the lesson.
Luke arrives breathless, reaching the only empty seat left, in the second row.

He tries to apologise but the teacher ignores him completely, dismissing him with a reproachful look.

The lesson continues and Luke gets distracted by his own thoughts.

There is this song, this song that has been stuck in his head for weeks. He feels like he's only one verse away, then it's over.

Still, it seems impossible for him to think of anything.
He opens his notebook and pretends to take notes, as he scribbles down ideas and options for his song.

<Luke? Luke can you hear me?> Professor Keathing tries to get the boy's attention by waving a hand in front of his eyes.

Eventually, Luke regains his concentration and lifts his head from the notebook. He tries to open his mouth to justify himself, but a paper appears a few inches from his hand.

<Don't say anything, Patterson. You already know our deal..>

Silently, Luke sighs and picks up the paper, aware that another afternoon of detention awaits him.

*********

The hours pass slowly, but finally it is time to reach the detention room.

Luke is almost relieved, at least now he has two hours to think about the missing verse.

He rubs his nose with his hand and pushes the door to enter.
He is greeted by the smell of oranges and ink, as well as the silence of his classmates who are already seated. The teacher is standing by his desk, talking quietly to a dark-haired boy who Luke does not recognise.

In fact, he recognises very few people in the school. Friends have never been his thing.

He looks around and sees that the only empty seat is next to a blond boy, who is drumming drumsticks on the table.