End of May // Luke Patterson

04

[Bright]

Alex stepped forward to hug Julie, but Luke and Ruth pulled him back and teleported out of the garage.

The blond boy frowned. "Dude, Ruthie, why'd you two stop me? Julie needs a hug!"

Luke faced him. "Bro, a ghost hug isn't the feel-good moment that you think it is. All right? Trust me. What Julie needs right now is a little bit of privacy."

"I think you poofed us out because you can't handle when other people cry. I should know. I cried in a room for twenty-five years and I didn't get a single hug from either of you."

Reggie moved to hug Alex. "All right. Bring it in-"

"Don't touch me!"

"This is why no one hugs you."

Rurh frowned. "All right, I think the first thing we should do is get the courage to ask Julie why she lied about playing the piano."

"Yeah, you know, maybe tell her how amazing she is."

"Yeah, 'course, bro," Luke replied.

"Okay."

Reggie held up his arm. "She's legit! I got ghost bumps."

Flynn walked past, crying, and Alex asked, "Oh my gosh, was she crying, too?"

"Yes!" Luke exclaimed. "And the only thing scarier than one girl crying is two girls crying!"

"He's right."

"Guys, we definitely can't go in there."

"But we can listen," Reggie said and they stood outside the garage and listened.

Ruth nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

"Carlos told me you'd be out here," Flynn said. "We need to talk."

"Are you okay?" Julie asked.

"No, I'm not okay! You just got kicked out of music school! I've been up all night thinking about what I was gonna say. Might have drank seven sodas, but I need to get this out..."

"Wait, I have something to tell you-" Julie was cut off.

"No, it's my turn to talk. You can't give up music! Your music is like a gift and it would be a tragedy! You're basically cancelling Christmas and I love Christmas-"

"Flynn-"

"Uh-uh! When we were six, we promised to be in a band together! Double Trouble!"

"I never agreed to that name."

"That's not the point. Jules, if you leave the music program, we'll be apart forever. That's just what happens. Sure we'll see each other in the hall sometime, but... we'll have different lives, make new friends."

"That's not true."

"You're right. I won't be making any new friends. And the only time we'll contact each other is when we'll be liking each other's posts on Instagram. Every time I'll be hitting that little heart, my heart will be breaking because my best friend left me, and... Oh!" She put a hand to her head. "Do you have any soda? My head hurts."

"Can I talk now?"

"Fine." She removed her hand.

"I just played the piano and sang again."

"What? Why didn't you say so?"

"I was trying to, and then your seven sodas kicked in."

"Look at you looking alive again."