Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Go Nick! You’ve got this baby!”

Julie rolled her eyes as her best friend Carrie screamed her support for her boyfriend directly in her ear.

She was never overly fond of these school events, what with all the testosterone, but Carrie made sure to drag her along to this soccer game. It was a friendly game, mostly for practice, but there was nothing friendly about it. Cornwall High School has had a rivalry with Illyria High School for as long as she can remember; it’d always been talked about in the local news. And now that she was a senior, it still hadn’t changed.

She didn’t know many of the Illyria students. All she knew was that her best friend Nick (who was also the captain of their soccer team) had an intense rivalry with Illyria’s team captain, and so she had no choice but to support him and hate Illyria’s soccer team too.

It’s friendship; you don’t question it.

“Yes babe, GO!”

Julie rolled her eyes again, shoving Carrie away from her. “Shit Carrie,” she snickered, “Stop screaming in my ear!”

“I’m sorry,” Carrie replied sheepishly, “But I have to make it loud so he thinks I’m paying attention and actually know what’s going on.”

The girls pass the time by chatting about their latest English essay due this weekend; Carrie had most of it done already, while Julie merely had her topic picked out. It was then that they heard the tell-tale sounds of a goal. Carrie straightened instantly, getting ready to jump to her feet and cheer on her team, but was silenced by the sea of red cheering excitedly. Player number seven, dressed in a red jersey with the name Patterson had scored a goal against Cornwall, and they were most definitely not shy about it. 

Julie watched as Illyria’s team players gathered together for a group tackle (they literally tackled each other to the ground; seriously, what’s the appeal?). Player number seven, who she could now identify as Patterson, was smiling proudly, appreciating all the attention from his teammates. She recognized him as the team captain that Nick loathed.

Nick may hate him (which by extension, means she does too), but she had to admit, he was unfairly attractive. Like so much so, that it pained her to actually have to hate him (he had the cutest smile). But from what she’d heard from Nick, Patterson was a bit of a douchebag; however, Nick was also a teeny bit biased. 

“Damn, I’ll be hearing about that later,” Carrie huffed, eyeing her boyfriend on the field. Nick was wearing a royal blue jersey with the number fourteen and even from their distance away, they could pick out his sagging shoulders. 

The referee blew the whistle for half time shortly after Illyria’s first goal and within seconds, Carrie was already tugging on Julie’s sleeve. She knew there was no point in fighting the tiny blonde, and she also wanted to check in with Nick, since she didn’t get to see him before the game. So, Julie allowed herself to be dragged down the bleachers to where her team was hydrating and cooling themselves down. 

“Hey babe!” Nick greeted Carrie with a cheery smile, much to the ladies’ confusion. “Jules, you came!”

Carrie shared a hesitant look with Julie. “You’re not upset about Illyria’s goal?”

Nick’s jaw clenched so quickly, Julie would have missed it if she blinked. “There’s still time to turn it around; it’s just a friendly game.”

Julie raised an eyebrow.

“Fine. Coach said I have to ‘be the bigger person’ and ’set an example’ or we’ll be banned from finals if there’s so much as one fight.”

Julie laughed, “there it is.”

She surveyed the crimson team a few feet down and quietly admired how unbelievably attractive they all were. Aren’t boys supposed to be awkward and dorky looking in high school? She took notice of the team captain sauntering in their direction with some lackeys. Julie instantly knew it was a recipe for disaster.

“What’s the matter, Miller?” Patterson sniggered with a malicious bite in his tone. “Need your groupies to console you before your unavoidable loss?”

Immediately, Nick threw his water bottle to the ground and charged in their direction. “Are you kidding me, Patterson?” He snapped, as Julie, Carrie and a few of his teammates held him back. They cannot afford to get into any more fights. 

“Who are you calling a groupie?” Julie whirled around and barked at him. If Patterson was surprised at her response, he didn’t show it. “Now, shut the hell up before I go over there and punch you in the throat!"

She could hear howls from all around her, including from Patterson’s lackeys. The captain himself just smirked as he backed away, hanging off his taller blonde friend. Then he had the audacity to drop his right eyelid in a wink. 

“Ugh!” Julie groaned, whirling back around in disgust. “What a douchebag.”

Nick threw an arm around Julie’s shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. “Thanks for that, Jules,” he murmured softly, “Or else I definitely would’ve punched him and gotten suspended.”

“Anytime bro, you know I’ve got you,” Julie replied, bumping fists.

Carrie smiled fondly in their direction, “Wow, how did I get so lucky?”

“Not sure,” Nick quipped, “Because we definitely got the short end of the stick.”

He didn't move fast enough when Carrie aimed a punch at his gut.

The game ended 2-0 with Illyria taking the win. It was a tense finale, but everyone left the field in one piece and ready to blow off steam in other ways. A Cornwall student was throwing a party in their house (re: mansion) and both teams were invited out of respect. 

It was honestly a recipe for disaster but Julie was excited. 

So, when she arrived, she headed straight for the kitchen to grab herself a soda. She already knew Carrie would be spending most of her time with Nick, but it was alright because Julie respected that and she honestly liked being a free spirit at parties. She could mingle with whoever she wanted and do whatever her little heart desired. 

She noticed Illyria’s students celebrated their victory in a respectful manner, which was surprising to everyone. It seemed as if both team’s players were getting along, and that was pretty unusual and unexpected.

But Julie was alright with that. She highly expected someone to bust out the karaoke machine, because there was nothing better than watching soccer players absolutely butcher everyone’s favourite songs.

She decided to venture throughout the house and look for familiar faces. She spotted Nick and Carrie dominating at the beer pong table (they were playing with soda of course; while they could all be relatively reckless, none were above the law). She watched as Carrie sank the winning cup and Nick wrapped her up in a spinning hug. 

They’re absolutely adorable, Julie thought as she took another sip of her drink.

“Hey!” She heard a soft voice from her right and turned to see a tall blonde boy with a friendly smile; he was the one Patterson was hanging off of earlier when he winked at her. “Sorry to bother you, I’m Alex.”

Julie shot him a nervous smile, curious as to why the hell he went out of his way to talk to her. “I’m Julie,” she replied, shaking his outstretched hand. “You’re on Illyria’s team, aren’t you?”

Alex nodded his head. “Yeah. My best friends and my boyfriend are on the team too,” he explained. “I just wanted to apologize about what happened at halftime.”

Julie blinked in surprise. “Oh,” she mumbled dumbly, “It’s alright. I’m pretty good at dealing with ignorant douchebags.” She doesn’t think she's said anything wrong until she sees Alex’s awkward smile. “Oh no, was your boyfriend the ignorant douchebag I told off?”

“No,” Alex laughed, “I’m dating the goalie, Willie.”

Julie breathed out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God.”

“That ignorant douchebag is Luke,” he explains, grinning mischievously. “He’s my best friend, even though he definitely is a dumbass sometimes. But really, most of the time, he’s a total sweetheart.”

Julie’s nose scrunched up in disgust. “I wonder why I didn’t get that vibe at all?” The sarcasm dripped from her tone. 

Alex laughed, stealing a glance behind Julie. “He really is,” he rushed, “And I’m so sorry but he’s coming over right now.”

In response, Julie whirled around to see Luke, roughhousing with a tall brunet dressed in flannel and another tall boy with his dark black hair tied up in a man bun. She recognized them from the team, but couldn't place their positions or jersey numbers.  

“Hey,” the boy with the man bun greeted Alex, kissing him on the cheek; she assumed that was Willie. He quickly turned his attention to Julie and shot her a friendly smile (why were they all so nice? She’s supposed to hate them!). 

The boy in the flannel started waving at her manically, even though he was only a little distance away. “Hi! I’m Reggie!”

She smiled back politely, and her eyes flickered over to Luke. He didn't seem to recognize her until his green eyes made eye contact and realization dawned on his features. “Oh hey! I know you! You’re Miller’s groupie!”

Julie watched as Alex’s facial expression dropped and he reached across to slap Luke upside the head.

Julie rolled her eyes, because just one short conversation with Luke, and she remembered why she disliked (most) Illyria students. “And this is my cue to leave,” she responded in a clipped tone. “It was nice to meet you!” She directed towards Alex, and shot the remainder of the group a warm smile.

“Uh — yeah,” Alex replied, surprised she was singling him out. “We should hang out sometime! If you're uh — up for that,” he trailed off, scratching his head. Julie smiled and moved along. “No? Okay.”

She continued to wander the premises, finding an isolated corner behind the pool. It was a small garden and she was admiring it, while trying not to trip and fall. She had a habit of being the clumsy one out of her friend group.

“Hey! You're cute,” she heard a deep rumble from behind her. “What’re you drinking?”

Julie whirled around (much too fast apparently) because the unknown figure grabbed her forearm to keep her upright. She didn’t recognize who he was, but she noticed the Illyria keychain hanging out of his jacket pocket.

“Thanks,” she mumbled breathily, moving uncomfortably away from the unknown man. The corner she was in was mostly deserted, but there were still a few people around. She kept her face calm and passive.

His eyes darted down to the red solo cup in her hands. “May I?”

She glanced down at the cup and thrusted it in his direction. If he wanted it, he could have it because she was definitely not taking it back after some stranger helped himself to it. “Yeah, take it. It’s all yours,” she replied, shooting him a small smile. “I should probably go find my friends…”

“Oh, don’t leave yet,” he insisted in a gravelly voice. “We should spend some time together.” Julie was starting to feel slightly uneasy. “Or we could get out of here, go somewhere quieter; have our own party.”

Now Julie was starting to get annoyed.

“No, thank you,” she pushed away from him to try and place some distance between them. She didn’t know who he was, and he was getting much too close for comfort. “I have to go.”

The stranger latched onto her wrist with an iron tight grip; Julie’s eyes widened. “You can’t leave yet,” he emphasized in a menacing tone. “You don’t just lead someone on like that and leave.”

“Excuse me?” Julie snapped angrily, attempting to rip her arm away from his grasp. “What the hell? I literally just met you.”

The unfamiliar stranger still didn’t let up. “You mean you didn’t come out here to a deserted corner so I would follow you?”

Julie’s eyebrows narrowed at the stupidity of his statement. “Of course, I didn’t! Now, let go of my arm, I’m leaving!” When he didn’t let go, she huffed in frustration. “Dude, I’m serious. Let me go right now!”

It felt like she was trapped in a game. She could see the stranger’s eyes and the unhinged glint in them, and she could feel his grip tightening ever so slightly. She was positive she could just throw her knee up and nail him in the groin to make a quick escape, but she found it ridiculous that it would have to get to that point. 

Her mysterious stranger seemed to find this amusing, because he was smirking like all hell; Julie wanted to throw up. 

She noticed he was starting to inch forward, and she could feel her brain starting to shut down. She could feel the panic bubbling in the pit of her stomach and all she could do was thrash around wildly in hopes that she could escape his grasp.

“Stop moving!” The stranger hissed, gritting his teeth in frustration. 

Julie was five seconds away from kneeing him in the groin and making a run for it when she heard a familiar voice.

“Hey O’Donnell! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The stranger holding onto her arm instantly straightened and Julie felt herself stop moving as well. When she peered around the stranger who she know knew was named O’Donnell, she spotted Luke Patterson. She let out a nervous breath at seeing a familiar face.

“You better let her go unless you want me to knock you on your ass.”

Julie shot O’Donnell a smirk as she finally ripped her arm free of his grasp. She could see the marks he left on her skin and she wanted to punch him in the throat.

“We were just having some fun,” O’Donnell replied, clearing his throat and meeting Luke’s eye line.

Julie scoffed; she could feel her confidence growing once again now that she felt more comfortable. “Have some fun, my ass!” She shouted in retaliation. “You are disgusting, get the hell away from me!”

She watched in satisfaction as he backed away, like a puppy with his tail between his legs. 

“This isn’t over,” Luke threatened in a low voice; Julie had to strain her ears to hear it. “Get out of my sight.”

Julie straightened her clothes angrily; she was annoyed that happened and she was annoyed she wasn’t able to fend off his advances with the same badass energy she tried to exude in everything she did.

“Hey, are you alright?”

She nearly forgot about her saviour until he spoke again. He stood a few steps away from her; he seemed hesitant to approach her, maybe because she was just manhandled by some stranger and he didn’t want to startle her. 

“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied softly. She was perfectly aware she was supposed to hate him, but she couldn't think of a single reason why she should right now. “Thank you.”

“Please, don’t thank me for that,” he sighed in disgust, “I would do that for anyone. It just isn’t okay.”

There was a comfortable silence present between them, as they just stood there, listening to the distant thumping music. She couldn’t help but notice he looked really good; he was wearing a white band t-shirt with the sleeves cut off (that did wonders for his bright green eyes) and simple black jeans. She really couldn’t remember why she was supposed to hate him.

“You’re one of Miller’s friends, right?” He asked, looking to continue the conversation. He still kept his distance, and he was looking at her almost as if he was shy. Julie didn’t believe a good looking guy like that could be shy around anyone.

At the reminder of Nick and the rest of her friends, she also remembered how he referred to her earlier. “Yeah, I’m one of his groupies,” she teased with a smirk.

“Ah, I’m sorry about that,” he apologized, scratching the back of his head with a forced, painful smile. “I tend to say stupid things around pretty girls.”

The smirk Julie was wearing instantly dropped. She was all good with fun and games when flirting, but as soon as it got serious and someone showed an actual interest in her, she shut down and became as socially awkward as they get.

She was positive she was going to say something stupid.

“Save it for your groupies, Patterson.”

There it is.

He didn't seem phased, mostly just amused. “I gave them the night off,” he chuckled. “My name’s Luke, by the way.”

“Hmm?”

“Luke Patterson.”

“Ah yes, you’re my best friend’s rival,” Julie recounted, feigning innocence. “Oh, he would absolutely die right now.”

Luke smirked, finally moving closer in her direction. “You really think he’d mind if I were talking to you?”

Julie seemed oblivious to his obvious interest in her. He was moving closer, maintaining eye contact and admiring all of her features. “Are you kidding? The only reason he didn’t beat your ass earlier is so they didn’t get banned from finals,” she explained, “But clearly I had no problem holding my own when it comes to pretentious, pretty boys.”

“Honestly, all I took away from that was that you think I’m pretty,” he admitted honestly. “And that you’re a badass.”

Julie’s smile dimmed slightly, remembering the earlier events that transpired. 

“Hey,” Luke murmured softly, reaching a tentative hand onto her shoulder. “What happened before was not your fault. I have no doubt in my mind you would have kicked his ass to hell and back. I can’t imagine how you felt, but I’m really glad I was here.”

Julie glanced at his hand on her shoulder, but he didn’t move it. “I’m glad you were here, too.”

His hand gently trailed down her arm, to where a small bruise is already forming on her wrist. 

“You still haven’t told me your name.”

She sent him a shy smile. “I think you’re going to have to get me a drink first if you want to find out.”

Luke’s smile widened, and Julie momentarily forgot to breathe because he had the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. 

“Challenge accepted."

Chapter Text

Julie loved parties. She loved mingling with people, having a good time, and jamming out to the music, even if she had to fight off entitled assholes (re: her creepy, grabby stranger). It also helped that the pretentious asshole (Luke Patterson) she thought she would have to hate for the rest of her life, actually turned out to be pretty sweet. 

The only thing she hated about parties was having to go back to school the following day. Waking up this morning had been a challenge, but actually getting out of bed? That had been pure torture. 

But she made it. She was standing in front of her locker, staring mindlessly into it; she was debating if she was small enough to fit in it and take a nap. Even though she had AP English next period, she was considering throwing it all away, purely for a nap. The quiet silence didn’t last for long because before she knew what was happening, her locker door was slammed shut, nearly clipping her nose in the process. 

Julie turned to the figure responsible, noting Nick’s furious eyes.

Uh-oh. 

“Julie, what the hell is this?”

He shoved his phone into her face and she grabbed it spitefully. It was open to an Instagram account run by someone who goes to their school; this account was notorious for posting videos, photos and stories of social events. The post in question was a video of the party, and she could clearly spot herself and Luke in the kitchen, laughing at something stupid (re: adorable) he probably said. 

After the incident that occurred yesterday, she was glad to get a distraction for the rest of her night. She loved it even more that it came in the shape of a cute soccer player (even if he technically was off limits.)

As Luke led Julie back into the house and towards the kitchen, she was on high alert. She had to avoid Nick (and by default, Carrie) at all costs, or else it would be a total disaster; he would lose his mind. Even though she knew he would be upset, she couldn’t help but want to spend some more time with Luke. He was cute and sweet, and he was kind enough to help her out when he didn’t need to. She wanted to see what would come of this. 

And it helped that he seemed to want the same thing. 

“Here you go,” he drawled, as she pushed a red solo cup into her hands. “It’s just soda; is that okay?”

Julie nodded. “Yeah, that’s perfect, thanks!”

She had to admit; it was much easier to talk to him when she “hated” him because the sass flowed out of her naturally. Now, she had to actually try and make an effort and oh god, does this mean she has to flirt with him?

“So, your name?” Luke raised an eyebrow. He was grabbing his own cup.

She was momentarily distracted by his ministrations and the way his biceps looked, just doing a small task (seriously, why wasn’t he wearing sleeves?). “Hmm, what?” 

“You said you’d tell me your name if I got you a drink,” he moved his cup to touch hers, “I did that.” 

His emerald eyes were solely focused on her now and god, was it hot in here?

“It’s Julie. Julie Molina,” she replied, taking a sip from her cup. She was literally overheating. 

He smiled at her; the corners of his lips crinkled when he smiled and one side always quirked up before the other. “It’s nice to officially meet you, Julie,” he affirmed, “I can’t say I’ve ever seen you at any other games, and I think I would notice. You and Miller are close, right?”

Julie’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head because goddamn, he was smooth. “I’m not one for sports,” she admitted, ignoring the way his words were making her heart flutter. “And yeah, Nick is my best friend,” she sent him a pointed look when she said Nick’s name, earning a laugh. “I don’t usually come to the games. Honestly, I find them super boring.”

She didn’t even realize she was saying all this to the captain of a soccer team, until she caught on to his teasing grin. “You’re breaking my heart, Molina.”

Julie wanted to scream. How the hell was he so damn charming?

“Uh — your friends,” she blurted because her brain was short-circuiting. “They seem really cool.”

A blissful, large smile overtook his features. The way his face lit up when she mentioned his friends was making Julie’s heart skip a beat. “Yeah, they’re really amazing,” he gushed, “We’re also in a band - Alex, Reggie and I; Sunset Curve.”

Julie paused for a moment.

He was cute, he played soccer, he had manners and now he was in a band?

Jesus take the wheel.

“You’re — you’re in a band?”

“Yeah,” Luke nodded, “I play guitar, and I guess I sing a bit.”

Julie was about to lose her damn mind. How the hell is he interested in her?

“Oh,” Julie swallowed, “That’s amazing. Sunset Swerve, you said?”

Luke’s eyes snapped up to meet hers, a shit-eating grin on his face; he couldn't tell if she was messing with him or not. “That’s cute; it’s Sunset Curve. Don’t get it wrong in front of the boys. They’re very sensitive.”

Julie felt her sassiness come back to her. “Yeah, they’re the sensitive ones,” she snorted. 

Luke was about to retort when Julie interrupted because she noticed Nick and Carrie enter the living room. They seemed to be looking for something and Julie paled; they were probably looking for her. 

“Shit,” she cursed, noting Luke’s concerned expression. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Nick is right over there and I can’t — I don’t want to get into this with him.”

Luke looked puzzled at everything she was throwing at him and he panicked when she turned to leave. “Wait!” He called. Julie turned around, but she kept throwing glances behind her. “I hope — I mean, I had a good time here — with you,” he could tell he finally secured her attention again as her eyes went soft. “I hope you did too. Can I maybe, get your number? Is that okay?”

Julie shot him a wide smile and his nerves went away. “Yeah, that’s okay.”

At Luke’s prompting, she grabbed his phone and entered her number quickly. When she handed it back to him, and spotted his bright smile, she impulsively leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. Luke went rigid, not expecting the sweet gesture. 

Julie leaned back, biting her lip and whispering close to his ear, “Thanks for tonight, Luke.”

With that, she turned around and fled the room.

Luke was left standing there, scratching the back of his head with the widest smile he’s sported in a while. 

He needed to find the boys to tell them all about this amazing girl. 

“I don’t understand,” Nick continued his rant and Julie snapped out of her thoughts. “He was such an ass to you at the game! I’ve told you a million times how awful he is, and then I see this? You didn’t even say anything to me about it!"

Julie interrupted him while she had a chance to. “You haven’t even let me speak!”

“Because I’m pissed, Julie!” He yelled, then thought better of it when he looked around and realized where they were. “You know I don’t like him. Why would you go behind my back like this?”

Julie rolled her eyes. “That’s not what this is, Nick.”

“Then what is it?” He snapped. “Because I don’t like finding out my best friend is fraternizing with the enemy.”

“Okay, fine Nick, I get it, you don’t like him,” Julie scoffed. “But listen to me. You can’t tell me who I can and can’t hang out with; that is not how this works. I needed help last night for something, and he was there, and we just kept talking. That’s all it was.”

Nick still didn’t look impressed, but he was starting to soften. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. I’ve known him for a long time; I don’t like him for a reason.”

“Have you ever stopped to think that maybe you just don’t like him because you’re competitive and he’s your one competition in the game?”

Nick didn’t reply.

“From what I saw last night, he doesn’t seem like a bad guy.”

“Do you like him?” Nick asked, pursing his lips.

Julie paused, contemplating her thoughts. “I don’t know,” she admitted honestly, “We only spent a little bit of time together last night. But I think I do like him; I want to see where this goes. But I don’t want to do that if you’re going to be against it,” she added sadly. “Things between him and I might not work out; hell, I don’t even know if I’m reading way too into last night. But I want to try, and I want you to be by my side as my best friend. Can you do that?”

Nick stared at her for a few moments; Julie wasn’t able to read his face.

“If he isn’t into you, then he’s even dumber than I originally thought,” he finally said, a smile cracking through his stoic features. “I just want you to be happy, and you should be able to figure that out without me being a dumbass.”

Julie grinned excitedly, punching his shoulder. “Thanks Nick, I appreciate it.”

“I promise to be on my very best behaviour,” he added with a tease of sarcasm. 

Julie rolled her eyes, closing her locker and pulling him along as they walked to class. “Relax. We had fun yesterday, but who knows? Things might not work out.”

“Sure, Jules,” he scoffed, shooting her a knowing look. “From what I saw in the video, he looks at you with hearts in his eyes. And as much as it makes me want to punch him in the throat, I can’t deny what I saw.”

Julie knew she was blushing; she could feel it in her cheeks. 

“By the way, what the hell happened yesterday that you needed Patterson’s help?”

Julie’s eyes widened and she turned and grabbed his arm. “Oh my god, wait until you hear this story…"

Later that day, Carrie and Julie decided to stop by Mel’s for milkshakes. Carrie also heard everything second-hand and she was dying for details. It was odd that Julie hadn’t told her everything right after it happened, but she didn’t want to say anything without knowing how she’d break everything to Nick. Instagram took care of that for her.

“Jules, I can’t believe it!” Carrie squealed, completely ignoring her banana milkshake because she was just so excited. “He’s cute! You did so good!”

Julie was blushing again. “Stop. We talked for like twenty minutes because I had to hide from you and Nick.”

“Well, if I had known, I could have definitely stalled him or something,” she replied pointedly. 

“It was all so in the moment,” Julie defended her actions. “He was just so charming and adorable; I was literally about to combust into flames.”

Carrie smirked. “I don’t blame you. I love Nick but Luke is a snack.”

“I know!” Julie cried, covering her face shyly. “I haven’t heard from him since and I know it’s barely been a day so it’s fine but,” she bit her lip nervously, “I really want to hear from him soon.”

“You will, Jules,” Carrie agreed, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “You’re a catch, girl.”

Julie was about to reply with some sarcastic comment to ruin the moment, but she was distracted by a tall blond entering the restaurant. An equally tall brunet followed behind and Julie recognized them as Alex and Willie, some of Luke’s friends. 

“Carrie! Luke’s friends are here!”

Carrie didn’t look the slightest bit panicked as she whirled around in her seat and flagged the boys over. She sported a smirk the entire time and ignored Julie’s quiet protests.

“Well, shit."

Chapter Text

Having a best friend has many benefits.

They’re always present to listen and support you and help you with things you don’t think you can do yourself. They’re always there even when you think you don’t need them. They’re necessary to carry on in life, and Julie agrees with that; she loves her best friend. But there are instances where she would prefer to smother her with a pillow. 

This was one of those times. 

Alex’s face lit up when he spotted Julie and all her curly-haired glory. She could feel herself blushing and she honestly wanted nothing more than to slide underneath the table and hide. 

“Julie, hey!” He greeted her excitedly. Willie followed behind him with a polite smile. “It’s nice to see you again,” he turned to face Carrie, “I’m Alex, this is my boyfriend Willie.” The brunet beside him waved.

Carrie was much too excited to meet them. “I’m Carrie, Julie’s bestie!” 

“It’s nice to see you guys again,” Julie replied politely. She wasn’t sure what they knew, if Luke had even mentioned anything, so she wasn’t sure how to act around them. “Did you guys have fun at the party?”

Willie nodded his head excitedly. “Yeah! We hit up the karaoke machine; we were awful but it was hilarious.”

“Yeah, I heard it was quite an interesting night,” Alex remarked, shooting Julie a smirk. She paled; now she really wanted to hide underneath the table. “How about you, Julie? Fun night?”

Julie narrowed her eyes at the blond; she could see right through him. “I’m onto you, Alex,” she replied sassily, “I’m betting you know exactly how my night went.”

“I do,” he admitted, shrugging, “but I wanted to hear it from you.”

“Yeah, tough luck,” she snorted in response. He shot her a smile and Julie’s insides fluttered. There was something about making a new friend (and knowing that he was Luke’s best friend) that made her inherently happy inside. Plus, the best friendships always include sarcasm and sassiness, where both sides can dish it out and take it in stride. She feels like friendship with Alex will be exactly just that. 

Willie chuckled, his eyes flickering between the two. “Hey, you should invite them to the show tonight.”

Alex’s face lit up once again. “Oh my god, yes!”

Carrie shot Julie an excited eyebrow waggle.

“Luke told you we’re in a band, right?”

Julie couldn’t help herself; she smirked before saying, “Sunset Swerve, right?”

Willie choked on his own spit, while Carrie simply looked confused. Alex’s eyes narrowed and a frown marred his face. 

“I know you said that on purpose, so I’m going to ignore it and extend a gracious invitation for you both to come to our gig tonight at King’s.”

Julie blinked. “Oh, you’re playing a show tonight?”

“Yeah,” Alex replied, “are you interested?”

Carrie instantly jumped in with a squeal and large smile. “Yes, we’re interested!”

“Uh, well —” Julie stuttered, avoiding eye contact with all of them. It was one thing to be waiting for a message from Luke; it was a whole other thing to simply show up at his show, not invited by him directly. “I’m not entirely sure that’s the best idea. Luke—”

“Luke will love to see you!” Alex interrupted. “Trust me, I’ve known that dumbass for way too long. He’s probably sitting by his phone thinking of different pick-up lines to text you, because, like I said, he’s a dumbass.”

If Julie wasn’t embarrassed before, she definitely was now. 

“Seriously Julie, he’s probably just too nervous to invite you,” Willie added, and she was surprised he was jumping into that part of the conversation. Alex sent him a fond smile. “I think it’ll be a nice surprise for him.”

“I agree!” Carrie exclaimed. “Plus, I need to meet this Luke. So, we’re going.”

Alex smirked in Carrie’s direction. “I like her. I’m counting on you guys tonight. I’ll leave your name with Flynn; she’s our good friend and social media coordinator. She’ll meet you guys at the door.”

Julie could feel her milkshake bubbling inside her stomach; she felt like she was going to throw up. Surprises? Definitely not her thing. 

“And no backing out!” He added with a trained gaze on Julie. She sputtered in denial. “I can see it all over your face. Carrie, you’ll make sure she’s there, right?”

“Even if I have to chloroform her,” she replied with an even expression.

The boys laughed and Alex continued speaking, completely oblivious to the utter horror on Julie’s face. “Oh, and bring Nick! Luke will be on his best behaviour, I promise.”

“So will Nick,” Carrie winked.

“Great!” Alex clapped his hands. “Well, we’re going to go get some milkshakes but I’ll see you all tonight!”

Alex made sure to squeeze Julie’s shoulders as he walked by and Willie shook his head, laughing at his boyfriends antics. “I’ll see you girls later; I’ll save some seats,” he added before he left.

“Oh my god.”

The words flew out of Julie’s mouth before she could even stop them. 

“Oh god, I am so excited,” Carrie laughed at Julie’s misery. “Jules, we have to go right now. We have to make sure you look amazing for tonight!”

Julie groaned, but there was no stopping a determined Carrie when she set her mind on something. 

When Julie found herself outside of King’s that same night, her nerves had calmed down slightly, and she was actually looking forward to their show. 

She was absolutely freaking out as Carrie dragged her home, but the blonde easily talked her down and convinced her on how fun the night will be. She was also looking forward to seeing Luke again, even though she still hadn’t heard from him. She believed Alex when he said Luke was probably nervous to reach out to her, because here she was, almost throwing up at the prospect of seeing him again. So, she tried to not let that bother her.

Carrie had spent hours looking through outfits for Julie. The brunette thought it was pointless, but Carrie was so excited, she just let her be. The two of them decided on a simple, yet stylish outfit; a pair of black ripped jeans, a white short-sleeve crop top and a jean jacket. She added a pair of white converse to tie the outfit together and left her curls down and natural.

Julie was surprised to see there was a bit of a lineup outside King’s. She could tell Carrie looked impressed as well, but Nick on the other hand, just looked straight up miserable. 

“Babe, can you at least try to look like you want to be here?” Carrie whispered to him, trying to hide it from Julie. 

Nick rolled his eyes grumpily. “Yes, okay, sorry.”

When they got to the front of the line, Carrie smiled politely to the bulky bouncer. She fluttered her eyelashes and said, “I believe we’re on the list? Julie and friends?”

“Hold up, Jason! I’m comin’!” 

They heard a powerful voice, but couldn’t see anything behind the bouncer. A second later a girl dressed in a colourful outfit popped up from behind the bouncer. She was sporting a bright smile and didn’t hesitate to nudge the bouncer (with her whole body weight, to which he didn’t even budge). 

“They’re with me, Jason! Let them through!”

With an excited grin in their direction, the girl Julie could only assume was Flynn, led them deeper into King’s. King’s was known for their live performances and chill vibes. The lights were dimmed and music filled the room; Julie was immediately in love with the atmosphere. 

“I’m Flynn,” she introduced herself excitedly, while making her way to one of the front tables. “I’ve known the guys forever, but I mostly thought they were idiots. It wasn’t until they started their band that I realized ‘wow, this could be something!’”

Flynn took a seat and waited until they followed suit to continue. “Now, I’m their social media coordinator and baby-sitter by default.”

“Sounds like a lot of work,” Julie giggled. 

“Girl, you have no idea!” Flynn laughed. She paused and took a long look at Julie. “I like you. I think we’re going to be great friends.” Julie smiled, ignoring the blood rushing into her cheeks. “Also, my boy Luke, cannot stop talking about you!”

Julie’s face immediately dropped in mortification. “Oh my god, tell me more!” Carrie gushed, moving in closer.

“Oh my god, tell me never!” Nick mocked, rolling his eyes. 

Flynn immediately smirked, noting Julie rolling her eyes and Carrie smacking his bicep. “Oh, hold on. Are you Nick? Captain of Illyria Nick?”

“The one,” Nick replied with a small smile. 

“I’ve definitely heard a lot about you,” she laughed, but it faded quickly, “I probably shouldn’t repeat it though…” To that, Nick actually cracked a laugh.

They were interrupted when a pair of hands landed on Julie’s shoulders, to which she jumped. For a moment, her heart leapt into her throat, thinking it was Luke, but she quickly discovered it was Willie, with an infectious smile. “Hey guys! Nice to see you all again,” he nodded to Nick, who he hadn’t officially met except on the field; Nick nodded back (men… honestly.) “Get ready! The guys are about to go on!”

For the first time since she’d gotten there, she noticed the drum set on the stage and realized she didn’t actually know what instruments the guys all played. It’d be a nice surprise, she guessed. With a quick introduction from an unknown speaker, the lights dimmed completely except for the show lights. She watched as Alex made his way behind the drums (she should’ve guessed that), beginning a drum solo and shooting a large smile in their direction. She didn’t miss the wink in her direction once he noticed she didn’t skip out on the event. 

She noticed Reggie and Luke at the same time, as they both came onto the stage at the same time from different sides. It was a different feeling watching Luke from the crowd; he was so in his element, a bright smile on his face as he looked over the clapping figures. It didn’t take long for his eyes to scan over her table, as he was expecting to see Willie and Flynn. He definitely wasn’t expecting to see Julie, and his expression showed as much. His smile dropped momentarily and he looked a little stunned; she noticed he dropped the guitar pick in his hand, but he was too busy looking at her. Alex made a comment into the mic about their first song, and she noticed him staring into Luke’s back, almost as if that was supposed to be Luke’s line.

Quickly, Luke snapped out of his fugue state, grabbed a new guitar pick taped to his microphone stand and began strumming his guitar to the beat of their first song. Before he forgot, he dropped his right eyelid in a wink, shooting a cheeky smirk in Julie’s direction. Of course, he was stunned when he saw her; he wasn’t expecting to see her at all (he wanted to invite her tonight, but he couldn’t figure out what should be his first text to her). And he definitely wasn’t prepared to see her looking so damn good. He was smitten.

1, 2, 3!

Alex counted them off before Luke took it away. Julie was nervous to hear them. What if they were absolutely terrible and then they asked for her opinion? She couldn’t lie; oh god, what if they really were bad?

take off, last stop

countdown till we blast open the top

face first, full charge

electric hammer to the heart

Julie’s jaw literally dropped open. 

Holy shit, they were good. Luke was amazing!

The butterflies she felt in her stomach earlier came back full force. She was falling for an adorable rockstar and she had no intentions of stopping herself. 

clocks move forward

but we don’t get older, no

kept on climbing 

till our stars collided

and all the times we fell behind

were just the keys to paradise

Julie could do nothing more than stare in amazement. Her whole table (and the whole club) was up on their feet cheering on the band. She, however, could not bring her limbs to move because she was just so enthralled by their energetic performance. She longed to feel what they felt; to be able to get up on stage and perform so seamlessly. But that was a story for another day. 

don’t look down

‘cause we’re still rising

up right now

and even if we hit the ground

we’ll still fly

keep dreaming like we’ll live forever

but live it like it’s now or never

By the time the chorus came around, her whole table was fist pumping and head banging. To her surprise, even Nick seemed to be enjoying himself (although, she’s sure he’ll deny it to the death). As the song continued, Julie couldn’t help but dance in tune to the song. In fact, Julie was on her feet for the entire set, and by the end, she was even more hooked than she was before. There was something about watching Luke sing and play his guitar (without sleeves of course). This just meant his biceps were on full display and of course, he was all sweaty and by the end, Julie couldn’t look him in the eye without her breath catching in her throat. 

“We’re Sunset Curve! Thank you very much, and have a good night!”

The boys all dipped in a bow before running off the stage, smiles and all. 

“Oh my god,” Carrie murmured, turning to Julie; she definitely didn’t want Nick listening to her next words. “Julie, he is perfect for you. I haven’t even properly met him, but he is so perfect for you! That was so amazing!”

Julie appreciated her enthusiasm, but it only made her more nervous. “This honestly just made it even more painfully obvious that he is way out of my league.”

“Excuse me?” Carrie hissed. “Where is the badass girl who told him off on that soccer field? I need her back because there is no one out of your league. You’re Julie; you’re amazing and I need you to know that.”

Julie was blushing again. “Carrie…” she groaned.

“Nope, I don’t want to hear it!” Carrie cut her off with a sharp tone. “And if it helps, there was dozens of people in this room, and he only seemed to have eyes for you.”

If she wasn’t blushing then, she definitely was now. And it certainly didn’t help when she saw Luke and the guys exiting backstage and making their way over in all their sweaty glory. 

“That was awesome!” Willie was the first one to break the silence, jumping up and giving Alex a hug and a sweet kiss. God, they were so adorable. 

Flynn immediately jumped into work mode. “That was killer, you guys! I’ll edit this video tomorrow and we can post it to your YouTube channel,” her eyes flickered over to Carrie with a shocked expression. “Speaking of, how could I forget? Tell me more about Dirty Candy!”

Carrie’s face lit up. “Oh my god, you know about that?”

“Know about it? Girl, Alex and I dance to your routines all the time!” Flynn exclaimed excitedly. “How the hell did he not make the connection when he met you earlier? Tell me more!”

Julie quickly tuned them out; it’s not that she didn’t like Dirty Candy, she was just so distracted with Luke and everything about him. He was currently chugging a water bottle and Julie’s focus was lost once again. She didn’t realize he was speaking to her until he was right beside her. 

“Julie? You okay?” He asked with a concerned expression.

“What?” She blurted, blinking rapidly. A slow smile spread across his lips and she nearly fainted. “Sorry, I was just in my head — Luke, that was amazing. You definitely underplayed the whole band thing. You guys could really be something.”

Luke’s eyes softened and for a moment, she was the only person in the room. It was the sweetest thing she could say and she didn’t even know it. “Hey, you want to take a walk real quick? I just need some air.”

“Yeah,” Julie nodded, biting her lip. She whispered where she was going into Carrie’s ear and pointedly ignored her smirk. She also avoided looking at Nick, but noticed Luke sending him a nod (seriously, what was it with these guys and nodding?).

Luke led her out back, into an old but spacious alley; they walked side by side, silently. “I didn’t know you were coming today,” he told her, but then cringed at how bad it sounded. “Not that I didn’t want you here! I — I did, I just didn’t know how to —”

“It’s okay, Luke,” she giggled, “I happened to see Alex today at Mel’s and he invited Carrie and me. I was a little nervous though, because I hadn’t heard from you since.”

Luke cringed again. “And I’m sorry about that. I’ve been wanting to message you, but I didn’t want to mess it up or say something stupid. I’m really good at that.”

“I’ve noticed,” Julie teased and he sent her an affronted look. “It’s okay, Alex explained that too.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Stupid Alex,” he muttered under his breath. “I’m really glad you came though.”

Julie made the mistake of sparing a glance in his direction and she caught his intense gaze; it was captivating. “Me too,” she replied honestly, “you guys were so amazing. I was so nervous it was going to suck and I’d have to lie to your face.”

She literally couldn’t believe she said that out loud.

But Luke was laughing and she couldn’t help but laugh along with him. “Well, I’m glad we don’t suck that bad.”

“Are you kidding me? You don’t suck at all; that was — wow, I can’t even form words.”

They found themselves heading back in the direction of King’s, and Luke knew he was running out of time with Julie. 

“Uh, Julie — I know we haven’t known each other for long, and I’ve been kind of terrible at keeping in touch, but uh —” He was growing more nervous by the second, but Julie looked at him with soft features. “Would you like to go out on a date with me?”

Julie knew they had chemistry; she knew there was something there. And as much as she was hoping for it, she was still floored when he actually asked. It was a pleasant surprise though; she found herself smiling before she could even form words. 

“Yeah, Luke, I would love it.”

The grin he sent her in response made her heart flutter. When he gently grabbed her hand to walk the rest of the way back, she welcomed it with an open palm. It was peaceful and quiet and she loved every minute of it. 

When Luke opened the back door and waited for her to file in before him, he couldn’t help but lean in close and whisper into her ear, “by the way, you look absolutely stunning tonight.”

She squeaked in response, to which he only laughed and led them back to their friends. They quickly bid each other goodnight (but not before exchanging numbers — Flynn was adamant), and Julie sported a smile the entire way home. 

Chapter Text

Julie hadn’t been on many dates in her life. 

She was seventeen, in her senior year of high school, but she had always been too busy and focused on other things to be bothered. She had her music to focus on, her studies, and her friends. So, boys were never really on her mind. 

But then she met Luke Patterson at a party on a weeknight, and now she was sitting cross-legged in her closet, clothes strewn all around her. 

“I can’t believe you’re going on a date,” Carrie repeated for the sixth time that day. She sighed, “I haven’t been on a first date since freshman year. Not that I’m complaining of course.”

Carrie and Nick had finally given into their feelings at the end of freshman year, and they’d been together ever since. 

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Julie questioned. She was sitting on her floor, watching as Carrie rummaged through her clothes. Luke didn’t tell her much about the date; he only messaged her for her address, to let her know he’d be there at seven and to dress casually. 

What the hell did “casually” even mean?

She was frustrated with his answer and when she pressed for more details, he merely sent a string of memes. 

“Yeah, it’s a good thing. But it brings back memories; the pre-date jitters, being so nervous you almost throw up,” she explained dreamily. “I’m glad you get to experience it now. And Luke seems like the perfect gentleman; I’m sure you two will have a great night.”

Julie grimaced, groaning, “he won’t even tell me where we’re going or what the hell I should wear. Not very gentlemanly.”

“That’s all part of the charm,” Carrie grinned, winking. “He said casual, right? Okay, so nothing fancy. And didn’t you say he loved your outfit from the show? Let’s use that.”

The brunette felt a bush rise into her cheeks. As soon as Nick dropped Carrie and Julie off at her place the night of the show (Carrie was insistent she sleep over for this very reason), Julie immediately unloaded everything that had happened that night. Carrie, of course, was over the moon and was literally melting. It made Julie giddy and helped her accept her feelings and be genuinely happy about them. Sometimes she felt as if she had to hide what she felt, because it was embarrassing, or because no one else cared, but Carrie always reminded her she didn’t need to do that around her. 

Carrie ended up choosing her outfit; a light pink shoulder-less blouse, with high-waisted blue jeans. She paired the outfit with a pair of black booties.

“You look fantastic!” Carrie cried, standing back to admire her handy work. “He’s going to love it.”

Julie raised an eyebrow. “Y’know, I’m not dressing like this for him.”

“Of course not,” she agreed, “you’re dressing like this because you’re a badass woman and you need to dress the part. Luke’s reaction is merely a bonus,” she winked.

“Is that what you’re wearing tonight?”

The judgement dripped from Alex’s tone without him even realizing it. He had just walked into Luke’s bedroom after leaving to grab a snack. He left him alone with Reggie for all of ten minutes.

“Okay, it’s not that bad,” Luke frowned.

Reggie shrugged his shoulders. He was lounging on Luke’s bed, thumbing his guitar. “I like it.”

“It’s what he wears on a daily basis,” Alex rolled his eyes, setting his sights on Luke's closet. “I have no idea how Julie’s even into you if she saw that chain on your jeans, but we have to show her you have some sense of style.”

Luke’s jaw popped open, and he looked offended. “What? I thought you said these were in style!”

“Yeah Luke, in the nineties, maybe,” he sassed, head buried in Luke’s closet. “We have to keep your general sense of style but show her that there’s a bit more to you than sleeveless shirts.”

Luke frowned. “This sounds exhausting.”

“One wrong outfit, and you’ll never get date number two.”

Luke’s head whirled around to glare at Reggie. “I thought you were on my side,” he whined.

“Luke, shut up and try this on.”

The outfit Alex picked out consisted of his trusty ripped black jeans (sans the chain) and a soft magenta sweatshirt. He was still allowed to wear his black and white vans thankfully.

“Alright buddy, you look good,” Alex informed him with a smile, “now, how are you feeling?”

Luke shrugged and murmured, “pretty good.”

“Then something’s wrong, because you should be freaking out right now.”

Luke frowned, suddenly alarmed. “What?”

“Yeah, dude,” Reggie agreed, “Julie is way out of your league.”

“Guys!” Luke squeaked, affronted. “You’re supposed to build me up, not tear me down!”

Alex shrugged, smirking. “Gotta keep things interesting.”

“We’re just kidding, Luke,” Reggie laughed, “you’re gonna have a great time. Such a perfect date spot; can you take me next time?”

Luke sputtered out a laugh. “Sure buddy.” The pure joy on Reggie’s face was worth it. “Do you think she’ll like it?”

“I chose it,” Alex scoffed, “of course she’ll like it.”

“Okay,” Luke breathed out nervously, “good.”

Alex held up a single finger. “One more thing; make sure to bring her flowers. Girls love that kind of stuff.”

“You love that kind of stuff,” Reggie replied bluntly. 

“And so will she,” Alex rolled his eyes. He shot a pointed look to Luke, who was nervously googling local flower shops. He seemed to find one because it was already open in this maps app. “You ready, buddy?”

Luke nodded his head, puffing his chest and taking a deep breath. “Yeah, I think I am.”

“That’s the spirit!” Reggie cheered, clapping Luke on the back. “Don’t even think of everything that could go wrong. Like, I don’t know, what if we have an earthquake or something? Tragic.”

Alex glared at his brunette friend, smacking him upside the head. “Dude! He’s already freaked out as it is! Don’t you think his insecurities and crippling fear of being alone forever is enough?”

“You guys are so bad at this,” Luke groaned. “I’m leaving now before you two can cause any more damage.”

Alex grimaced, hanging an arm around Reggie’s neck. “Relax, dude. You guys will have fun. Make sure you update us later!”

“Love you dude!” Reggie yelled, appreciating Luke’s bright smile as he left the room.

Luke nervously made his way out of his jeep, with a bouquet of sunflowers in hand. The pre-date jitters were in full effect as he walked up the pathway to Julie’s front door. It was ten minutes to seven and he felt like he was about to throw up. It was very unlike him to be nervous, but maybe that meant something.

Upon ringing the doorbell, he was surprised when the door flew open within seconds. However, it wasn’t Julie on the other side; it was a young boy, about half Luke’s height and he looked severely unimpressed.

“Are you Luke?”

Luke’s jaw dropped for a second. “Uh — yeah, that’s me.”

“Carlos!” He heard Julie’s voice from inside. “Quit it!”

Luke couldn’t see Julie, but he watched as Carlos rolled his eyes and motioned for him to come in. Carlos’s eyes dropped to the flowers in his hand and he nodded in approval.

“She has a curfew,” he informed Luke seriously, “and you better be on your best behaviour. Or I will come after you. I have friends in high places, you know.”

Luke isn’t sure whether to laugh or play along because her younger brother is just absolutely adorable.

“I’ll take your word for it, bud,” Luke laughed.

Luke heard footsteps coming from the stairs and he looked up. “Carlos, stop embarrassing me,” Julie chastised him but Luke was too distracted with the goddess descending the stairs.

She looked absolutely phenomenal and he was positive his jaw was hanging wide open. He couldn’t close it; he couldn’t move, he could barely even breathe. She was gorgeous, and he knew in that moment, this date had to go well because he didn’t want her out of his life anytime soon.

Carlos glanced at Luke and took in his reaction as Julie made her way to them. “I like him,” is all he said before he walked back into the kitchen.

Julie shot Luke a surprised look, her lips curling in amusement. “Wow, did you bribe him or something?”

“I happen to be very charming.”

“Don’t I know it.”

Julie was surprised with her answer but then she saw Luke’s hazel eyes light up, and she was glad she said it. She glanced to the bouquet of sunflowers in his hand and he pushed them out to her.

“I brought these for you,” he said shyly. “I wasn’t sure what your favourite flowers were and I think roses are overrated, and the lady suggested these, and I really like them because they’re bright and they remind me of the sun, but they also remind me of you and your light and oh god, I’m rambling; you can stop me at any time, please.”

Julie laughed as she grabbed the flowers, but also placed an appreciative hand on Luke’s forearm. “Thank you Luke, I love them. Give me a sec, please.”

She took a minute to place the flowers in water very quickly before turning back to join him. She noted his outfit was slightly different from his usual, but he looked amazing. She wanted to tell him that, but he looked so nervous as he led her to his jeep, she decided not to.

Even as they made their way over, he still refused to tell her where their date was. She huffed in frustration, but he only looked amused. His tongue poked through his lips in a wolffish grin. Luckily for her, they arrived relatively quickly and Julie’s jaw dropped.

“Do you hate it?” Luke immediately asked with worry. “It was Alex’s suggestion, because I honestly had no idea what to do but I didn’t want to do dinner like some normal loser. But shit, do you hate it?”

Julie turned to Luke with a mega-watt smile. “No, Luke, I absolutely love it,” she gushed. She didn’t even wait for him to come around and open her car door, like he intended to do; she was much too excited. “I haven’t been to a roller rink in forever!”

Luke smiled at her reaction and let out an involuntary sigh of relief. As they waited to get their rollerblades, Julie was practically vibrating in her shoes. He found it utterly adorable. When Julie got her rollerblades, she switched her shoes in record time, anxiously waiting to get inside. Luke took his time, suddenly aware of how absolutely horrendous he was at rollerblading. He’d done this once, at a birthday party when he was ten. And he fell. A lot.

Luke shot her a nervous smile as they entered the rink. Julie was so excited, she started moving right away, not even realizing Luke wasn’t by her side until she did a full lap. Luke was frozen in the entrance and Julie met him again with a frown.

“Luke?” She promoted gently. “What’s wrong?”

He let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his messy shag. “I’m an idiot.”

Julie tilted her head, smiling softly. Oh god, he was so done for. She was so gorgeous.

“I’m sure you’re right, but why this time?”

In any other situation, Luke would tease her right back. But he was a little distracted with his current predicament. “I’m an idiot because I brought this beautiful girl on a date to a roller rink, even though I’m the worst skater known to mankind.”

“Well,” Julie pursed her lips. “Lucky for you, your date is an excellent teacher.”

With that, she reached out to grab his hand and lead him further into the rink. He wobbled horribly, but it just gave him an excuse to hold on tighter to Julie. She tucked herself into his side, pulling him along as she went. They went a few rounds, Luke slowly becoming more confident.

“You think you can try it on your own now?”

Luke bit his lip nervously, but nodded. Julie laughed; his nervousness was absolutely adorable.

She pulled herself away from him and watched as he maneuvered himself all by his lonesome. He wasn’t perfect, but he held his ground and didn’t knock anyone down in the process. Luke could feel the absence of the warmth next to him, and he didn’t want to let it go. Pushing himself, he skated closer to her, reaching for her hand. She allowed him to, surprised.

“Just in case I fall,” he replied cheekily with a wink.

After going a few rounds around the rink, the couple decided to stop by Mel’s for some milkshakes and fries. Julie insisted this part was on her, since Luke took care of the first part of their date. He argued like all hell, nearly about to pick her up over his shoulder so she’d be trapped. But then she pulled the puppy dog eyes and all his resolve was lost. “I’m not trying to emasculate you at all. I just think it’s fair; a relationship is give and take, and I want it to be fair.”

Luke was much too distracted by her use of the word relationship between the two of them to put up much more of a fight. He allowed her to pay and they made their way back to a booth with their treats. They didn’t have much of an opportunity to talk earlier, so Luke really wanted to take advantage of this time. He eased into it, starting with himself and the boys; how they met in kindergarten and have been inseparable ever since. 

“I love them,” he said honestly. He isn’t sure how else to phrase it; they’re his family, his brothers. “I just — I genuinely don’t think I’d be here without them.”

There was a certain sadness to his voice that had Julie reaching across the table to touch his hand with hers. His eyes raised to meet hers, and she decided it was time she opened up a little bit too.

“I feel the same way,” she said, “my mom was best friends with Carrie’s mom, so I really couldn’t get rid of her if I tried. And Nick happened to be my neighbour growing up; we’ve always been close.”

He sensed some hesitation in her words, so he encouraged her with soft eyes.

“I can’t imagine life without them, but it’s senior year. Next year, everything changes. It’s just a lot to process,” she chuckled nervously. She doesn’t like to think of the future. One would think she’d actually enjoy it, considering her past was always so unstable. But she liked consistency and she hated change. This was just another one of those situations where she had no control. She’d rather ignore it altogether until she had no other option. 

Sensing her change of mood, he decided to take the focus off her with a truly honest confession. He doesn’t talk about it often; he doesn’t talk about it with anyone but the boys. But Julie… she had him feeling some type of way. 

“I told my parents about my post-secondary choices,” he started, scratching the back of his neck. “I told them I didn’t want to go to college.” Julie raised her eyebrows. “You can assume how that went.”

Julie frowned. “But the band. They get that, right?”

“I wish,” he replied sadly. “They always thought it was a hobby. But now they realize I’m serious about it. It’s not going well, but I’m working on it. They’re my parents, you know? I don’t want to lose them over this."

Julie took a deep breath and whispered, “my mom passed away over a year ago.”

Luke was ready for absolutely everything; everything except that.

His face dropped at the pure pain etched across her face, and he reached over to cover her hand. “Julie, I’m so, so sorry.”

“Thank you,” she replied, looking up and into his sad eyes. They shined brighter than usual, and she realized they were watery with tears. “She was everything to me. It was horrible. No matter how prepared you are, you’re never truly ready to let go.”

Luke swallowed the overwhelming urge to cry. “You shouldn’t have to be. Not at this age.”

“It’s getting easier,” Julie added with a small smile. “I have a great support system.” Luke smiled at that; clearly her friends were incredibly supportive (even if one of them was technically his nemesis). “And it’s getting better.”

Luke’s breath caught in his throat and he only thanks the gods he wasn’t taking a sip from his cookie dough milkshake or else he would have choked and it would have been incredibly not date appropriate. He happened to look at the clock on the wall to his right (mostly to hide his flaming cheeks), and frowned at the time registered on it.

“I should probably get you home. I want your brother to continue liking me,” he teased, stacking the dishes at the end of the table (he was nothing but a gentleman, especially to the waitresses). 

As they drove home, Luke couldn’t help but think how absolutely perfect this night turned out. He was so nervous, but for what? Everything with Julie was so natural. He stopped his jeep in front of her door and hopped out, set on walking her to the front door and ending this date properly. Julie was quiet now and he could sense her nervousness; he just wanted to take it away from her. They stood in front of her door; she was wringing her fingers together and biting her lip. 

Luke was so fixated. 

“Can I kiss you?” He asked quietly.

He wasn’t sure if it was particularly attractive that he asked, but given how they met, he figured she would appreciate it.

Also, consent is key, everyone.

When Julie nodded her head slightly, he moved in slowly and cautiously. Her eyes were so big and brown, he was mesmerized. He pressed his lips against hers softly at first, then once again with more pressure. It was soft and sweet, and all too quick. 

But he didn’t want to overwhelm her or scare her off. 

Julie didn’t have the same idea, however.

As he started to pull away, Julie surged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in even closer than before. He stumbled on his feet and knocked into her clumsily, but he was much too distracted by the fact that she was kissing him again. Julie herself didn’t know where the surge of confidence came from, but she was certain it had something to do with the way Luke looked at her; as if she was the most precious thing in the world. 

He eventually pulled away for survival reasons, but he couldn’t stop grinning. Julie’s shy smile reappeared, but as she tucked her curls behind her ears, she’d never felt more seen. 

“Thank you for a great night, Luke,” she told him earnestly. They were still close, but they weren’t touching anymore. “I was thinking — if you want, of course,” Luke had no idea what she was about to say, but he’d honestly agree to anything as long as it was with her. “You and the guys could come over tomorrow? To my garage?”

Luke raised an eyebrow.

“I have a piano in there,” she giggled, explaining, “it used to be my mom’s studio. We wrote songs in there together.”

Luke forced his eyebrows even higher at the revelation that she writes songs. Or did. But that’s a conversation for another day.

“Yeah, we’ll be here,” he promised. “Goodnight Julie.”

She sent him the brightest smile he’d seen from her all night. “Goodnight Luke.”

Luke took a moment to compose himself and danced all the way back to his jeep. 

Julie watched from her bedroom window, with a full heart and a lovestruck smile. 

Chapter Text

“She writes music?”

Luke cringed at the loud volume of Alex’s voice. They were on their way to Julie’s house, where she invited them for a jam session in her garage, which doubled as a studio. He knew it must be challenging for her, given that it used to be her mom’s. And now that he knows everything he knows about her, he’s even more thankful she decided to share that part of her life with him. 

“Oh buddy, she’s your dream girl.”

Luke grinned wolfishly. “I know, right?”

As Luke parked his jeep in front of her house, he ran around back to grab his acoustic and Reggie’s bass. Obviously Alex couldn’t bring along his whole drum set, so he brought his portable stool which doubled as both. Julie was waiting outside her garage, smiling brightly at the sight of them. She was wearing a light blue dress with a white t-shirt underneath and Luke momentarily stopped to admire her beauty. Of course, he was just wearing his usual clothes; a black band t-shirt, black jeans (with the chain because fuck Alex and his nineties style bullshit) and a plaid jacket. 

“Jules!” Alex cheered, shoving his stool into Reggie’s unsuspecting arms so he could run over to wrap Julie in a hug. He was so much taller than her, she was literally suffocating into his chest, but it was the warmest hug she’d received in a long time. “I’ve missed you,” he told her quietly, “and I need to hear all about your date.”

Julie raised an eyebrow, but she was still squished in his embrace, so he couldn’t even see it. “Are we seriously doing this again? I know you heard everything already.”

“Yeah, but that was from Luke’s perspective,” he explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I have to play both sides. I hate not knowing everything.”

Julie chuckled, pinching his sides until he let go of her. “We’ll talk later,” she promised and he beamed. 

She gave Reggie a hug as he walked by, careful to avoid the many instruments he was carrying. She opened the door to the garage for them, but stayed behind to wait for Luke. 

“Hey,” she greeted him shyly. He was sporting a large smile, and little did she know how much he just wanted to forget about his best friends in the room over and spend his day watching Netflix on the couch; complete with cuddling, snacks and of course, making out during the uninteresting parts. But as he heard Reggie groan from inside the garage, he knew that wasn't a possibility… today.

“Hey yourself,” he replied smoothly. His tone was smooth, but his words? He was kicking himself for opening with that. “You look fantastic, Jules.” Ah, that was better. 

He leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek (much closer to her lips than anywhere else) and she inhaled sharply. Having him this close to her made her brain stop working. He pulled back with a smirk, noting the blood rushing to her cheeks.

Julie smacked his shoulder in response. “Don’t get cheeky with me, Patterson.” 

He raised an eyebrow at the use of his last name; it brought back memories from the first night they met. “I can’t help it,” he sighed dramatically, “you’re just so pretty.”

Julie turned away, mimicking as if she was about to throw up. “You crossed the line from sweet to just downright corny. And I don’t do corny, Patterson.”

“Stop calling me that,” he pouted, reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist. “My name is Luke; I even wrote a song about it. Wanna hear it?”

Before Julie got the chance to reply (not that she was about to; his proximity once again fried her brain), she heard banging coming from inside the garage. “Can you two lovebirds hurry up? It’s too early for me to be throwing up!”

Luke rolled his eyes at his best friend, but pulled Julie in behind him. 

“This,” Reggie starts, admiring her grand piano, “is a work of art. Do you play?”

Julie slightly hesitated to answer, but Luke squeezed her hand reassuringly. He trusted these boys with his life; she could too. 

“I used to,” she whispered sadly. “My mom taught me. She lived for music; she taught me how to play and we used to write songs together. She passed away over a year ago, and I haven’t played since.”

Alex frowned, and Reggie reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We’re so sorry, Julie,” Alex replied. He wasn’t too familiar with loss, but he knew at this age, it couldn’t have been easy. He can spot the hurt on her face; just looking at the piano brought back the best and worst memories of her life. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Luke noticed a music sheet placed on the piano’s stand. Detaching himself from Julie, he slowly sat on the piano bench and studied the song. There was an inscription at the bottom clearly signed by her mom. “She left that for me,” she explained, feeling the emotion start to affect her voice. “I haven’t been able to — I don’t know how —”

“Can we help?”

It was merely three words, but her chest was constricting and her breathing stuttered. With a gentle hand, Luke reached out for hers. She hesitantly took it, and took a seat next to him. He surprised her by beginning to play the keys while Alex and Reggie took the hint and situated themselves behind their instruments. It took her a moment, but with a comforting glance from Luke, she took a deep breath and focused on the lyrics in front of her. 

here’s the one thing

i want you to know

you got someplace to go

life’s a test, yes

but you go toe to toe

you don’t give up

no, you grow

Julie’s focus was elsewhere; she was getting lost in the music and the familiarity of it all. Luke was sitting there in pure awe, her angelic voice filling the room powerfully. Alex and Reggie were amazed. How the hell did Luke get so lucky in finding his dream girl? Because there was no doubt in their minds after this, that Julie wasn’t perfect for him. 

Julie moved in closer to him, joining him on the piano. He was failing to keep his jaw closed.

and you use your pain

cause it makes you you

though i wish

i could hold you through it 

i know it’s not the same 

you got livin’ to do 

and i just want you to do it 

Julie’s expression filled with emotion as she truly listened to the lyrics her mom left for her. 

so get up, get out, relight that spark

you know the rest by heart

Luke was absolutely done for. 

He knew in that moment, as she started to belt out the chorus, that she was never getting rid of him now. 

wake up, wake up

if it’s all you do

look out, look inside of you

it’s not what you lost

it’s what you gain

raising your voice to the rain

wake up your dream and make it true

look out, look inside of you

it’s not what you lost

relight that spark

time to come out of the dark

wake up

wake up 

“Julie,” Alex gasped, unable to contain himself. “Julie, that was amazing.”

“That was the best thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” Reggie gushed, “I’m sorry Luke; you’re great but she has the voice of an angel.”

Luke watched as Julie blushed madly, busying herself with gathering the papers on the stand. He was assuming she hadn't sang in front of anyone for a while, and this was probably extremely intimidating for her. “Jules,” he whispered lowly, but she still struggled to maintain eye contact.

With a quick look to his friends, they made up an excuse about having to disappear for a bit. Julie was too distracted to pay any attention to their excuse, much less to the fact she was now alone with Luke.

“Are you okay?”

It was the only thing he could think to ask, but he already knew the answer.

“I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “I haven’t done that in so long. I’m not sure how I feel about it.”

“Well, you were amazing,” he blurted; there was no other way to phrase it. “Honestly, I had no idea you could sing like that.”

She giggled nervously, finally turning on the bench to face him. “I’m a little rusty.”

“No, it was perfect. You’re honestly my dream girl.”

He wasn’t meaning to tell her that, because it’s a little on the embarrassing side. But she was staring at him with her big, brown eyes and all logic disappeared from his brain. 

“Am I?” She grinned, moving in to nudge his shoulder with hers. “That’s adorable, Luke.”

For once, he was the one blushing and he needed to take the focus off his reddening cheeks. Hoping off the bench, he grabbed his acoustic and turned back to her. “I want to show you some of Sunset Curve’s songs,” he pulled an overused notebook out of his back pocket. 

Julie eagerly reached for it, excited, but Luke pulled it back. 

“You have to sing with me,” he negotiated, eyebrows raised. “That’s the deal.”

She rolled her eyes but conceded. “Alright. Hit me with it, Luke.”

Julie and Luke spent the better part of two hours flipping through his notebook of songs. Julie was absolutely mesmerized by his talent, and she couldn't help but think of his future and how bright it will be. Not only for him, but for all of Sunset Curve. They were a force to be reckoned with. Eventually Alex and Reggie found their way back (and they brought iced coffee — Julie had never loved anyone more than in that moment). Before they left, Luke mentioned they were playing another gig tonight. It was a small one, at a local under twenties bar, but he wanted her to be there; Luke had a devious idea planned. 

Julie promised to be there, along with her entire entourage. 

When they met up later, Flynn had already reserved a table and was waiting expectantly. She dealt with the boys so often, sometimes she went a little stir crazy; it was nice to have some girls around for a change. When the boys took the stage, Julie was just as mesmerized as the first time. They played different songs than last time, and they had only gotten through two when they announced the next one would be their last. 

“We’re gonna shake things up this time!” Luke hollered into the microphone, his eyes meeting Julie’s. She furrowed her brows, wondering what the hell was happening. He hadn’t mentioned they were going to do something different for this show. With a side glance at Flynn, she saw her actively avoiding Julie’s gaze. 

Her skin started prickling. 

Luke shared a knowing glance with his boys, and brought his mouth to the microphone again. “Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome to the stage: Julie Molina!”

When her name left his mouth, she nearly fainted. 

Her jaw dropped in disbelief and she was instantly shaking her head no, shrinking deeper into her seat. But her friends were right there next to her, and their words were just as encouraging as Luke’s puppy dog eyes. With a deep breath, she found herself making her way up onto the stage. She debated murdering Luke, right here in front of all these people, but there were far too many witnesses, so she’d wait for later. 

Julie walked by Reggie, shooting him a terrified expression. He grimaced, motioning to Luke with a head tilt. 

Luke was setting up another microphone on the left side of the stage for himself. Alex sent her an encouraging thumbs up with a vibrant smile. “Luke, what the hell? I can’t do this!” She hissed, meeting him halfway.

“Yes, you can,” he asserted. “You were on fire earlier today, and I’m sorry if this seems selfish, but the world needs to see it.”

Julie casted a look to the expectant crowd. “What am I even going to sing? I don’t have anything prepared, Luke.”

He grinned, leading her to the main microphone in the middle of the stage. “You can sing Bright. It’s perfect for you.”

“Luke, I don’t know…”

“Julie, you got this.”

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and let the music fill her.

sometimes i think i’m falling down

i wanna cry, i’m callin’ out

for one more try

to come alive

and when i feel lost and alone

i know that I can make it home

fight through the dark 

and find the spark 

Julie opened her eyes, revealing the crowd. She was absolutely terrified, but as she looked across the crowd and spotted Nick and Carrie smiling proudly, she knew she could do anything she set her mind to. 

life is a risk but i will take it 

close my eyes and jump

together i think that we can make it

come on let’s run 

Luke jumped into the chorus with her, and he couldn’t take his eyes off Julie. She was perfect in every way. She started off performing so shy and conservative, but as the song progressed, she was electric. As he sang the second verse, she was right there next to him, feeling the music in her soul. And when it came to the bridge and she held her microphone out to him, he realized just how amazing they truly sounded together. 

The audience seemed to agree as well, because when they finished the song, everyone was on their feet, cheering. For a moment, she was frozen in the middle of the stage; she could not believe she had just performed like that in front of a crowd. But then she felt the boys nearly tackle her to the floor in a giant hug and she’s perfectly aware that it happened and she absolutely rocked it. 

“Julie, you were amazing!” 

“That was so rad, we rocked the pants off this place!”

Julie didn’t realize she was crying until she pulled away from the hug and was met with their worried eyes. 

“Oh god, she’s crying,” Alex groaned, “Luke, do not bolt like you usually do.”

Luke rolled his eyes, punching Alex in the shoulder. “Shut up, bro. I’m not going anywhere.”

But then Julie started laughing, and it only confused them further. 

“I genuinely don’t understand girls,” Reggie sighed, placing a comporting arm around Julie’s shoulders. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew human contact usually helped. 

Alex snorted, “can’t get ‘em either.” When Reggie turned to him with an exasperated glare, Alex threw his hands up in defence. “It was purely a joke to make Julie smile. And look, it worked!”

“Hey,” Luke murmured quietly, “are you okay? Was that too much? Did I mess something up?”

Julie shook her head, struggling to find her voice. When she cried, her voice crackled and sounded like a fourteen year old boy going through puberty; she didn’t need them to see that after her rockstar moment, even though she was already crying. 

“No, it’s not that,” she explained. Reggie was still holding her close and Luke had absentmindedly grabbed her hand sometime earlier; god, she had just met these boys and they already meant the world to her. “I just — I never thought I’d be able to perform again. Not after my mom. But — you guys,” her voice broke slightly, “thank you.”

Luke tugged on her hand and pulled her into his chest. He could never deal with criers, much less girls and even worse, Julie. He would gladly spend the rest of his life making it so that she never had to shed another tear again. The boys joined in on their hug and soon, the rest of their friend group was up on the stage with them.

Julie stayed tucked into Luke’s side as she listened to their friends gush about their performance. Flynn was talking a mile a minute, about how it was going to be the next big thing as soon as she posted it on their YouTube channel tomorrow. Carrie was nearly in tears at the power and strength her best friend exuded on that stage, and she couldn’t be happier for her. Even Nick, who absolutely hated seeing her wrapped around Luke, had absolutely nothing negative to say. It was obvious that Luke and the guys were going to be prominent in Julie’s life and he was ready to get on board with that. On a high, Willie and Alex suggested heading down to the Karaoke Café to let off some steam; there were absolutely no complaints. 

Upon arrival, Carrie and Nick were on stage before the rest of the group was even seated. It had been a while since Carrie performed, what with school and everything else going on, so she was really looking forward to this. Nick, on the other hand, was definitely not, but how could he say no to his very convincing girlfriend? Flynn promised to film the performance so it could be used as a bonus for Dirty Candy’s followers. 

The song Carrie chose, unbeknownst to Nick, happened to be Time of My Life from Dirty Dancing, and while he actually wasn’t half bad, Carrie was the real star. She absolutely dominated the song and had the whole group on their feet cheering; even the others in the audience were enjoying it. 

Reggie had insisted he go on next, solo. Luke and Alex were slightly surprised, considering they’re mostly a package deal, but Luke was personally enjoying his time with Julie. They were sat side by side, Julie actively leaning into him as he held his arm around her. They jumped to their feet quite a lot to cheer on their friends, but somehow, they always found their way back to that position. Julie was absentmindedly playing with Luke’s fingers, admiring his calluses and the hard work he clearly puts into the band, when she heard the opening notes to Old Town Road. Her neck snapped up towards the stage, as did the rest of her friend group’s as they looked on in horror.

She couldn’t help but admire Reggie’s confidence as he rocked that song (even though they were cringing like all hell). And you best believe, they were all on their feet giving him a standing ovation at the end. Since Reggie got his moment, Alex insisted on his own (Willie would never be caught dead on the stage, so Alex had it all to himself). Julie was expecting something pretty wild and dramatic; it was Alex, after all. So, she was only a teeny bit surprised when the soft opening of My Heart Will Go On started playing. 

It was one of her all-time favourite songs, so she quickly found herself on her feet belting out the words. When Alex pointed at in her direction, Carrie, Flynn and herself giddily made their way up on stage. With the four of them and their uncontrollable giggles, it wasn’t as professional as it could have been. But Julie couldn’t remember feeling more at ease during a performance before in her life. Next up was Flynn, who absolutely showed everyone up with her rendition of God’s Plan. 

She easily got everyone on their feet for her performance; the room roared to life at the familiar line that nearly everyone in the place knew. 

she said, “do you love me?” 

i tell her, “only partly”

i only love my bed and my mom, i'm sorry

As Flynn’s epic performance came to an end, Luke turned to Julie with a cheeky smile. “We’re up next, babe.” Julie raised an eyebrow at the new nickname. “Get used to it, it’s my thing.”

She could feel her cheeks reddening and the instant hot flash that swept up her body. 

“What song should we do?” She asked instead, to distract herself from her body’s betrayal. 

With a quirked eyebrow and a smirk, Luke responded, “already got it locked and loaded. Come on.”

He grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stage, ignoring Julie as she asked what song they were even singing. When the opening notes to You’re The One That I Want blared through the speakers, a large grin spread across Julie’s features. Luke took their only microphone for the first verse, dancing around her as he sang; he was a true crowd pleaser. Julie took over for Sandy’s part, making sure to embody the sass her character displayed in the movie. 

Their friends watched and cheered them on in awe. Anyone in the room, even the strangers who didn’t know them, could see the chemistry between them as they sang. This performance was so freeing, so natural; by the end of it, they were just laughing to each other as Luke pulled her off the stage. 

They decided to call it a night, with Luke whispering into Julie’s ear that he’d drive her home. Alex had made some comment about not doing anything he wouldn’t do, to which Willie exposed him by replying “that’s not much.” Alex had retaliated by jumping on his back as they made their way down the street. 

Luke and Julie's drive home was complete with the windows rolled all the way down as they belted out the lyrics to classic songs. As Julie took a breather and watched Luke in his element, she couldn’t help but thank her lucky stars (and her mom - Julie’s positive her mom had something to do with this) for blessing her with this boy and everything he was. 

She didn’t know where this would go and if it would last, but she was excited to find out.

As he walked her to her door again, he couldn’t stop smiling. 

“You’re smiling a lot,” she observed, leaning against the front door.

He let out an adorable chuckle where his eyes crinkled. “Can you blame me? Tonight was perfect.”

“It really was,” she sighed happily.

“Only one thing would make it better though.”

Julie furrowed her brows. “What’s that?”

“I’m sorry I don’t have a big elaborate plan,” he chuckled, “I just have me and —”

“That’s enough,” Julie interrupted. Luke’s eyes snapped up to meet hers in surprise and she momentarily stopped breathing. “That’s enough for me. You’re enough for me.”

A large smile spread across his features. “Do you remember the first night we met? How you didn’t even want to tell me your name?” She nodded shyly, giggling. “I guess we’re lucky I’m so charming.”

“Your point, Luke?”

“Julie, will you be my girlfriend?” He asked and she stopped breathing again. He looked so nervous, despite everything they’d already been through together. Only an idiot would say no to this sweetheart. “I want all of it. I want to be exclusive, and I want to tell everyone you’re mine. But not like in a possessive way because feminism is everything and you’re obviously your own person but—”

She interrupted him by surging forward and kissing him. 

“You talk so much sometimes.”

“Is this a yes?”

“Wasn’t it obvious?”

“Not really, no. Can you make it a bit clearer?”

Julie kissed him again, giggling as he wrapped her up in his arms, in quite possibly, one of the best moments of his life. 

Chapter Text

It had been a strong five months since that fateful party that led Luke to Julie.