Finally Free -- JATP Luke x MaleOC

Chapter 19

"Look," Luke began, the three boys moving in front of them. "We are so...so sorry that we bailed on you."

"Yeah, I mean, the night really...got away from us," Alex said.

"And the twins," Reggie muttered, making Luke slap him on the back. Jay almost growled, having an idea as to what 'the twins' meant.

"Just please tell me it had nothing to do with you getting back at Carrie's dad," Julie said, exasperated.

As the boys all denied the accusation with high pitched voices, Jay rolled his eyes and began tapping his foot in frustration, a habit of his. 

"Seriously?" Julie asked. "You're lying to me? To us?"

"Okay, look, it was something we needed to do," Alex justified. 

"Yeah, it was really important," Jay said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "More important than our band."

"We'll do whatever it takes," Luke said, stepping forward. "We'll play the next school dan-"

"What?" Julie asked, cutting Luke off in irritance. "Another dance where you can bail on us and make us look like fools? Save it." 

Jay wrapped an arm around Julie's shoulders, bringing her in for a side hug. 

"You know what really sucks?" she continued, staring at the boys. "Our songs were good. And all three of you know what I've been through and how tough it's been for me to play, and you do this?"

The three groups returned Julie's anger with silence.

"And Jay," she continued, making the boy look down at her as she moved away. "He's been risking so much to come play with us, to be a part of this band. He let us use his song for tonight's performance. He helped you write a bunch of songs. You can't do this to him."

Jay felt the eyes of the ghost boys on him and instinctively crossed his arms over his chest, looking down to the floor.

"Bands don't do that to each other. Friends don't do that to each other. This was a mistake."

Jay felt his own heart break at Julie's words, understanding her implications immediately. But his anger was clouding everything else in the moment.

"You mean the school dance, right?" Luke asked.

"No," Jay said, his voice hard as he brought his gaze up to look at the ghost boys, their guilt-ridden faces meaning nothing to him in the moment. "She means this band with you three."

The three boys had no response to Jay's words and Julie began to walk off.

"Jules," Jay called out, fishing his car keys from his pocket and throwing them to the girl. She quickly caught them and ran out of the gym, not giving the ghosts a second glance.

 "Julie," Luke began, making a move to follow her, but Jay quickly stepped in his way.

"No," he said, stopping the brunette in his tracks. "Don't follow her."

"Jay," Luke breathed out. "I'm so so sorry-"

"Save it, okay?" Jay cut off, raising his voice. "I can't believe you three completely ditched us. You guys kept telling me how important music is to you, how important this band is to you, and then you toss it on the back burner?"

"We had to get-"

"Get payback against Bobby?" Jay finished for Alex, making the blonde retreat. "Believe me, I'm all for you guys getting your revenge. But you could have gone to wherever you went another night! You could have gone tomorrow, the day after, whenever! Just the one night where we had a performance as a band in front of our school, just one night!"