Eternity - Juke | JATP FANFICTION (BOOK TWO)

7x7. Bittersweet

"Hey, you boys okay?" Julie asks, seeing the boys in a daze. "Yeah, just , taking it all in is all." Alex sighs, as Luke and Reggie zoned out. "You sure, you guys all look like you've seen a ghost." Julie says, worried about her friends. "Well not exactly, we were just reminded that we never graduated high school or, got the chance to." Luke admits, sorrowfully, then realization hits Julie like a truck; she never even thought about the guys feeling this way. "Oh my god you guys, I am so sorry; I didn't even think of that, I feel really bad now." Julie frowns. "Why should you feel sorry, it's not your fault. If anything it's mine. I was the one who suggested we'd get hotdogs that night; not you." Luke states, feeling remorseful. "You didn't know the hotdogs were poisonous. You were just hungry, we all were." Reggie says, trying to make Luke feel better. "Yeah but I suggested it!" Luke practically screams in his face, making everyone back up a little. "Lucas." Ray says, grabbing his arms, and whispers reprimanding him. "If you're gonna have a moment, do so in the car. Your causing a scene, and your the main character!" He then let's him go, before stepping back. "Luke?" Julie asks, as he stands still. "I'm sorry." Luke says, barely above a whisper; turning on his heels heading towards the car. "Luke!" The guys call after him. "Dammit, wait up!" Alex says, running after him, with Reggie on his heels. "What?" Luke asks, as he stopped putting up the window. "I just want to be alone right now, I feel ashamed for all the pain I caused." He admits. "Man, we've all done things we are ashamed of. It's not just you." Reggie says, out of breath. "I'm definitely not an athletic person." He chuckles, catching his breath. "If that were true, why does THIS feel different? Like I wanna change my way of thinking; different." Luke asks, as Reggie looks at Alex. "Luke, my dear it's because you've never dealt with your emotions healthily. You did things based on instinct and impulsive desires, passion too. But that's all you did, you were searching for something to fix your past, you found your one, and you are dealing with all your feelings that you ran from, it's okay to show your cards once and a while." Alex says, knelt on the ground. "Is that why this hurts so much? Because I would do just about anything right now to make it stop, it's like the pain is just eating me alive right now." Luke states, almost squeezing himself into a hug. "Julie!" They hear Ray scream, followed by Julie screaming, as if she was in distress. "Luke, easy." Reggie says, opening the door for him.  Luke takes off running back to the Molina's in excruciating pain. "What happened?" He groans, falling to his knees. "Alex, what's going on?" Reggie asks, looking over at his friends that are over by a weeping willow tree. Alex puts his index finger up to Reggie as he dials Willie. "Hey, we have a little problem." Alex tells him. "What?!" Reggie says a little too loudly. "Shh!" Alex tells him, listening closely to Willie. "This has to do with something called a "soul merge," a soul merge is when two souls; or twin souls begin to energetically become one soul." Willie explains, as Alex drums on the roof of the car. "Really?!" Alex questions, a little panic stricken. "Yeah, why?" Willie asks. Alex puts his phone on speaker, to hear the blood curdling screams. "Oh my god Julie!" Willie yells, covering his ears."This sounds like this is that last merge! It'll be over soon!" He says, as Ray helps the pained duo into the car. "Are you sure kid?" Ray asks Willie. "Positive sir!" Willie affirms. "Hey jukebox! Hang in there!" Willie calls out, as they fall into a heap. "Okay!" Carlos calls back, as Alex hangs up. Within minutes the back of the car is asleep. "Thank you." Ray sighs, relieved he doesn't have to hear ear splitting screams all the way home. But, another problem presented itself; "are they breathing?" He asked himself, cautiously looking at them in the rear view mirror. "Carlos!" He calls, gaining his attention. "Yeah?" Carlos replies. "Check their pulses, Julie and Luke." He clarifies, after garnering a confused expression. "All good!" Carlos reports. "Thank god!" Ray and Alex say in unison. "This has been a long day." Alex continues, rubbing his eyes. "Tell me about it." Julie sighs, stretching. "What even was that? I felt so much pain." Julie says, questioning what happened. "It's called "soul merging." Alex explains, the concept still confusing to Ray. "Like that thing in the book Willie gave me, y'know the magic information book?" Luke asks. "Wait what?" Ray asks out loud. Alex chuckles; "yeah that." Luke groans putting his head back against the seat. "I am really sorry everyone." Luke says, met with a unanimous response. "Apology accepted." They all smiled, as they heard him sigh; as if coming to fully accept his past. "You did good kid." Ray says smiling. "Now who's ready to party tonight!?" Carlos beams. "Us!" The band laughs. "Amen to that!" Alex smiles. "What's the set list again?" Reggie asks. "C'mon Reggie!" Luke chuckles. "Daydreaming by Paramore, Edge of Great, September by Earth, Wind, and Fire, Bright, Home Is Where My Horse is, Stay With Me by Sam Smith, and we saved the most special one for last, Stand Tall!" Julie reminds him with a smile. "Oh yeah! Thanks Julie!" Reggie smiles. "You are so welcome!" She says, giving him a fist bump. "Wow." Ray sighs, turning onto their street. "Last time down this street for awhile with everyone in the car!" Ray smiles, as they all cheer. Carlos smiles at Julie, she then pulls him into a hug, kissing his head; as they look out the window, turning into the driveway. "We're home!" Ray announces.