Melody - JATP x Soulmate AU

Chapter 24

"Guys, I'm heading out. I'll be back before it's time for all of us to practice." The guys don't even pay me any attention, instead playing some card game I don't understand. It's either something they learned from their parents in the 90's or something they made up.

"We'll be here. Playing hearts." Even with the name of the game revealed, I still don't know what they're playing.

"Reggie, did you seriously just play the queen?" Luke yells, and a little laugh escapes my smile. In only a few days, this will all be over, but at least they're having fun now. Walking outside, I unfold the paper I stuck in my pocket earlier—while the guys were somewhere else, I assume doing something fun—reading through the words that are driving me to do something I would never do.

No time for goodbyes
Didn't get to apologize
Pieces of a clock that lies broken

Folding it back up, I place it in my coat pocket, hopping on my bike and riding to Luke's parents' house. I know he told me to leave it alone, but I feel like his parents would love it if they got to see this and know his son really regretted running off—even if it was to chase his dreams.

A short bike ride and a minor session of reminding myself that this is the right thing to do, I walk up to the front door. Julie, they'll love the song. Taking a deep breath, I hear a poof and see the one ghost that could actually convince me not to do this. Of course, Luke has to show up just as I gather the courage to press the doorbell.

"Julie, what are you doing here?" He seems more than a little surprised, but I'm the one who should be surprised by his presence. Didn't they say they were going to play Hearts until I got back from running my errand?

"I just— I was worried about you. So, the guys brought me here on your birthday." His eyes look at the ground, as if he's embarrassed by what he did that day.

"You don't need to worry about me." But I want to, Luke.

"You made me feel closer to my mom, so I wanted to do the same for you." A flicker of light shines in his eyes as he moves to the other side of me and a smile starts to appear on his lips, curling the ends towards the sky and lighting up his face in a happy glow. As he pushes the doorbell, I turn towards the door, happy he's letting me do this.

"Hi," An older man opens the door, bearing some resemblance to his son in both looks and personality, "what can I do for you?"

"I'm Julie. I believe you had a son named Luke?" I ask. I figure that's the easiest way to break the ice, since he doesn't know who I am.

"Ah, yes. That's right." A smile full of remorse stretches across his face, reminding me of when people would ask about mom while I still mourned her. "What's your name again?"

"Julie. Julie Molina. I believe your son used to play in my family's garage." Just as I say that, Emily, Luke's mother, walks to the door to see who arrived on their front porch.

"Mitch, who is this?" She smiles, waiting for either of the living people she can see to answer.

"This is Julie. Her family lives where Luke and the band used to play." A flicker of recognition flashes by her eyes, making me think that she's seen where they played, whether or not Luke knew.

"Oh. Would you like to come in?" She offers, and I step inside, waiting a few moments for Luke to follow me, even if he could just walk through the door.

"I found this song about a girl named Emily." I pull out the paper with every scribbled thought and the lyrics in his, almost illegible, handwriting.

"I— I'm Emily." His mother looks more than delighted that he wrote a song just for her.