Dead and Alive

Chapter 19

Someone was throwing pebbles against her window.

Julie opened her eyes and got out of bed, already smiling in anticipation of who it might be. She opened the curtains.

Luke was standing in the driveway beside the studio. He was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and a pair of jeans. His hair was damp and looked like he'd dried it and then barely combed it with his fingers. He waved at her, a huge grin on his impossibly handsome face. He was a complete dork and Julie was so gone for him it was stupid. She opened her window.

"Hello, Romeo," she called, "what is up?"

He grinned up at her. "Well, Julie-ette, I thought I would come see if the moon is shining through your window, or whatever it was that he said."

She laughed. "You're allowed in the house, you know."

"Yeah, but this is more fun." He winked and then ran three steps and jumped, hoisting himself onto the porch awning under her window in an impressive display of strength. He dusted off his hands on his pants and then Julie stood back while he slipped through the window into her room.

And then they were alone.

Julie suddenly realized she was only wearing the pajamas she'd slept in: a giant T-shirt she'd stolen from her dad and a pair of sleep shorts that could barely be seen under the shirt's hem. She touched her head, realizing her hair had to be a mess and she hadn't brushed her teeth. "Be right back!" she squeaked and ran to the bathroom.

She pulled her hair into a soft bun and brushed her teeth, hoping he'd forgive her for the very unfashionable clothing. Then again, none of his shirts had sleeves, so maybe he wouldn't even notice? Besides, he was her friend. The thought made her feel better.

He was sitting on her bed, going through her dream box when she returned.

"Luke?"

He looked up, guilt flashing through those stunning hazel eyes. "Um."

She snatched the box away from him and put it back on her shelf, glaring at him in the process. "Haven't you ever heard of boundaries?"

"But there were sequins on it," he said, as if that was any kind of answer. "And besides, you've got some good stuff in there. Like, really good. We should turn them into songs!"

His smile was brilliant, full of happiness and excitement. She could feel her anger melting under its warmth. "We could do that," she acquiesced, "but I get to choose which lyrics, and you don't look in the box without asking, okay?"

"Okay." He grinned, lying back and propping himself up on one elbow.

She smiled back, completely unable to help herself. "So, how's day one of being alive again?" She poked him in the shoulder to emphasize her point.

"I feel pretty much the same, honestly. Which is probably because we weren't really dead."

Julie tilted her head. "Alison's theory? That you guys were out of phase?"

"Yeah, like an episode from Star Trek: TNG."

"I have no idea what that means."

Luke stared at her. "The Next Generation? Don't you watch Star Trek?"

"No," Julie said bluntly. "Besides, that Star Trek you're talking about was in the 90s."

"Well, duh," Luke said, then laughed when she swatted him. "Out of phase basically means that our energy wasn't in the same place as everyone else's. So we weren't actually dead, dead."