Can you feel me? - Julie And The Phantoms

Chapter 12

- 2 weeks later -

Julie and the band had spent the two weeks before the gig practising, trying to work on the songs as much as possible.

The boys had worked hard to distract Julie and Luke, limiting the times they were alone.

Alex had become Julie's shadow and followed her everywhere, except when she was with Flynn.

Reggie and Willie looked after Luke, engaging him in a thousand different activities.

Yet they couldn't always prevent one of them from falling into their own thoughts and becoming sad.
At night, Julie couldn't sleep and Luke spent his nights in the garden waiting for the light in her room to go out.

He had decided to continue pretending to be just friends, but the unspoken words were slowly ruining their relationship.

Julie had stopped herself from touching him, because she couldn't stand it.
Even just holding his hand made her fall back into her dreams, where Luke was always present.

The evening of the concert had finally arrived, helping them to distract themselves for a while.

Each of them couldn't contain their excitement, the joy of being on stage again, together.
The last time they had sung together in front of an audience, they had almost never seen each other again.

They couldn't wait to get rid of that feeling of fear and finally enjoy the concert.

Alex and Reggie are waiting for Julie in the living room, ready to say goodbye to her before heading to the festival hall.

Flynn is there with them, though he can't feel their presence. She moves so fast that he ends up crossing Reggie twice, making him jump.

Alex pulls him away by the arm, signalling him to be quiet. He's trying to catch the meaning of the disconnected words coming out of Flynn's mouth.

<That girl is always late...I told her she should be ready at four. It's 4:15, she should be in the car by now. If she doesn't move we're going to be late. What is she doing? I hope the guys are there. I don't want a repeat the same scene from the last two times.. >

<Flynn?> Julie walks down the stairs, going to meet her friend with a smile on her face.
<Who are you talking to?> her gaze lifts to meet Alex and Reggie's amused ones.

<Take it easy Julie, she's talking to herself. For a moment I thought she might see me!> Reggie whispers the last sentence in her ear, trying not to be heard by Alex. 

<Julie! You're here! Hurry up, we have to go. Your dad's already in the car waiting for us, let's go, let's go..>

Flynn reaches her and starts pushing her from behind, trying to get to the door as fast as she can.

<Flynn! Slow down, I still know how to walk! Hold this, I'll be right there. I want to say goodbye to the guys first.>

Julie hands her the bag and leaves a kiss on her cheek, smiling at her to reassure her.
Flynn sighs and heads for the car, muttering something about 'some useless ghost with a perfect smile'.

<Julie, no need to say goodbye, we'll see you in half an hour there. We won't be late this time.> Alex tries to reassure her but Julie seems distracted.

<Guys, where's Luke?>

Willie appears next to Alex, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

<He's checking that all the instruments are tuned, for what feels like the millionth time. He's in the studio.>

<Thanks> Julie disappears behind the front door, heading for the studio.

<Really Willie? After what we've been through these past two weeks, you decided to leave them alone just now?!> Alex runs a hand over his face, shaking his head.

Willie smiles back at him. <Come on, hotdog, you should have learned to trust me by now. It's the right time, I know it is.>

A few seconds later they hear the sound of something crashing against the floor, and the sound seems to be coming right from the studio.

<Oh my God! Do you think they're killing each other?> Reggie's eyes go wide, pointing with his right hand to the window from which the studio can be seen.

Alex sighs and raises his hands in a gesture of surrender.
<At this point, I don't know what to think anymore.>

****

<Luke?> Julie walks into the studio, searching for Luke with her eyes.

<I'm up!> Luke's voice reaches her from upstairs and the girl smiles instinctively.

<Could you please come down? I'd like to talk to you..>
Julie walks to the stairs and waits until the boy reaches her.

<I was checking that everything was in order. You know, it's our first concert since...well since that night. I want everything to be perfect, that all..>

Luke is interrupted by Julie's hand grabbing his firmly.
<Luke, it's going to be okay. We've been rehearsing for weeks, we're ready> Julie's gaze is so sure that the boy can't help but get lost in it.

Her eyes are so serious and so bright that he doesn't know what to say anymore.

They look at each other for a while, then Luke slides his fingers between Julie's and squeezes her hand tighter. Being able to touch her again, after days of nothing, is better than expected.

But their moment is destined to be short-lived.

Something hits the window and shatters it, startling them both.

Instinctively, Luke drags Julie behind him, looking around to see who caused the crash.
It doesn't take long before he realizes that the window is now just a pile of glass; his eyebrows arch in surprise. <What.. the hell?>

Julie leans over his shoulder, wincing at the sight of the window. <Luke? What was that?>

They both walk towards the window, walking shoulder to shoulder. Luke kneels down, trying to locate the object that broke the window.

Julie's phone picks up and Flynn's name appears on the screen.

<Shit! I have to go, otherwise we'll be late for the concert. Luke..>

The boy is still scanning the floor, but turns around when Julie calls out to him. <Go, Julie. We'll continue the talk after the concert, see you there. I'll take care of the window.>

Julie leans towards him and caresses his cheek with her fingertips. <Thank you> she whispers, before running off to get to the car.

Luke stands still for a few seconds, feeling his cheek burn where she touched him.

Something catches his attention, forcing him to push the thought of Julie from his mind. He reaches out and pulls out a rock from behind the foot of the piano.

<I guess we just find the cause. This little guy broke the window, but who threw it? >