Rose's Journal

Chapter 15: The Confrontation

Luke looked for Reggie for an hour everywhere he could think of: on top of the Orpheum sign, at his parents' house, the Walk of Fame, even at the ghost club. But, unfortunately, he couldn't find him anywhere. He decided to look one last place: the pier outside where Reggie's old house was. He just has to be here, Luke thought to himself. He walked along, trying to find him, but instead he found Alex sitting on the railing.

"Alex?" Alex turned to Luke, and Luke could see that his eyes were bloodshot, even from a distance, "ALEX!" he yelled this time, running over to hug his friend. Alex hopped down from the railing to accept the hug, burrowing his head into Luke's shoulder. They just sat there for a minute. Luke wanted to ask, but he knew the best thing he could do then and there was just hug him. Luke needed that hug too.

"Thank you. I needed that," Alex said solemnly after breaking away.

"What's wrong? How long have you been here for?"

"I don't know how long I've been here for, honestly," Alex paused, not wanting to share.

"Alex, please tell me what's wrong."

"It's not that big of a deal I'm just overreacting. And it was my fault anyways."

"Even if that's the case, I still want to help you," Luke said, putting his hand on Alex's shoulder.

Alex sighed, "I told Willie I loved him, and he didn't say it back, okay? Not a big deal."

Luke felt an anger grow inside of him. He didn't say it back? And now Alex feels guilty for saying it in the first place? Luke's blood boiled. Maybe it was his breaking point after all that had occurred that day, but he still knew this was wrong.

Alex's eyes widened as he saw Luke's face grow angry, "Luke, I know that look please don't –," but before he could finish, Luke had already poofed away. He was going to find Willie.

Luke appeared on the Walk of Fame near where Marilyn Monroe's star was. Just as he thought, he found Willie sitting on the curb there. Luke ran up to him and pushed him over.

"What the h-," Willie began before realizing it was Luke.

"Stop playing with his emotions like this!" Luke yelled as Willie got back up.

"Look I-,"

"You what? Just were lonely? Just wanted someone to like you? And now you realize it's gone too far so you run?"

"Luke-,"

"I know he said that he loved you and you didn't say it back. Alex loves you, and you just left him crying on the pier for hours, thinking that you don't care about him because the bottom line is you have already put him in danger once, and I let it slide because he liked you and trusted you for some reason, but you repay him by making him feel like shit for saying 'I love you?' What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I LOVE HIM TOO!" Willie screamed now, ensuring that Luke couldn't interrupt him, "I love him so much that I was afraid to say it. I love him more than I could tell him."

"If you truly loved him, why would you leave him feeling like this? It looks like you don't even care about him."

Willie finally lashed out, all the pent-up anger and hurt coursing through him, "I really don't want to hear shit from you when it comes to caring about Alex and his emotions, okay? It's your fault his parents kicked him out."

Luke froze when Willie said this. It was still his biggest regret. Alex had told him several times not to kiss him at his house, but one time, he just leaned in and kissed him when he thought no one was going to be home. Alex's mom walked in and caught them, and the next day Alex was living out of the band's studio. Luke held back tears, "That's different, and you know it. I never wanted to hurt him."