Chapter Text
Julie Molina moved to Los Angeles four days ago with her inheritance and a dream. She was twenty-two, a recent graduate of the Midwestern School of Music and had woke up in her childhood bedroom six days ago hearing LA calling her name. She packed a suitcase and a carry bag, convinced her Papi and her brother Carlos that it was finally time for her to find herself in the town her Mom had loved so much. She booked a flight and left the very next day knowing she had a couch to sleep on until she had a better plan.
Hoping that LA would give his Daughter back her love of music; Ray didn’t hesitate when she asked to go. It had taken Julie nearly a year after Rose’s death to sing again but the joy and the passion had never returned. She had been going through the motions for years now, hoping that something would come along and make the music feel how it felt when she played with her Mom. Hoping that the spark would come back, and music could truly mean something more than just a subject she studied at school.
Her high school best friend Flynn had been living in the city of angels since the start of college. Just like Julie, she was incredibly gifted when it came to music. Flynn had skipped the education route however and had started getting her name out as an amazing DJ and producer with her incredible social media and management skills the second she had moved to LA four years ago. Flynn was completely independent and had made a pretty good name for herself in the club scene; and boasted a cool two million followers on Instagram for her efforts. She also had the couch Julie would be crashing on, in the apartment she shared with her girlfriend Carrie.
Julie’s Dad had called his connections in LA and had set her up with a reception/assistant position at a friend’s new studio and gallery. Ray’s friend, Cyn had been more than happy to help Julie out and enthusiastically informed her that when she told Ray it was a new studio and gallery, she had meant it in the literal sense. Julie had six weeks to explore the city of angels, find a place to live that didn’t have her couch surfing, and get herself settled before she would be needed for prep by Cyn.
The first three days in LA had been spent getting Julie comfortable in the apartment and girls' days and nights around all the couples favourite local haunts. Today, they had plans to introduce Julie to their group of friends with a beach party down at Santa Monica. It was mid-June, and the weather couldn’t be more perfect as they arrived at the packed beach, it was about four and she could see while there was still an insane amount of people on the beach, most were looking ready to pack up rather than settle in like Julie, Flynn, and Carrie. Carrie pointed to the Santa Monica pier, which was visible about 2 miles to the left of them.
“Nick and Rachel are about twenty minutes away, once they get here, we can start looking for a spot that will fit all of us.” Flynn decided, dumping the two big cloth carry bags into the sand carefully and sitting herself down next to them on the beach chair she’d had strapped over her shoulder, whipping her shirt off and showing off the bright pink top of her one-piece, which only had one thick strap across her left shoulder.
“Is Willie bringing Alex?” Carrie asks, pushing her aviators up the bridge of her delicate nose. She bends over to rest the bag of towels they brought beside Flynn’s bags along with three more beach chairs she’d held by their straps, gesturing for Julie to do the same with the guitar case with Carrie’s acoustic safely locked inside and another full bag of what Flynn had deemed ‘necessary beach items.’
“Yeah, I think he said that Luke and Reggie might make an appearance as well,” Flynn replies, tipping her head up, eyes closed and enjoying the sunshine on her serene face. Julie scoured her memory for a second, trying to remember if she ever heard of Alex, Luke, or Reggie before, but she couldn’t remember Flynn or Carrie ever mentioning them.
Julie knew Nick from high school. He had moved out here for school and briefly dated Carrie before the pair parted amicably, having decided they made better friends. Rachel, his fiancé, was an aspiring lawyer and the daughter of a senator. The pair had met in college and she had been a fixture in his life for a few years now, so Julie knew her very well.
The other person mentioned; Willie had stolen Flynn’s phone during a facetime on Valentine’s day last year and Julie had instantly fallen in love with the free-spirited artist with his beautiful dark hair and bright smile. They had quickly followed each other on Instagram and Julie kept up with all his skating videos on TikTok, where he had become an overnight star.
Flynn, noticing Julie’s confusion smiled reassuringly, “Don’t worry, you’ll love the guys. Alex and Willie have been dating for like three months now and Luke and Reggie are his bandmates. They are in a band called Sunset Curve.” Julie hadn’t heard of them, but she’d make sure to check them out when she got home tonight.
“They’re doing pretty well actually; they have a decent following and they’ve been on the radio a few times. They had some drama after their EP ‘Now or Never’ dropped with their fourth member but, they kicked him to the curve and now they're working on their first album.”
“Did you just say, ‘kicked him to the curve?”’ Julie laughs.
“I was trying to be punny, Julie,” Flynn replies with a dramatic pout.
Carrie and Flynn take turns explaining the drama with Bobby; Sunset Curve’s rhythm guitarist, who had stolen a whole book worth of songs, kicked them out of the garage they had been rehearsing in at his family home, and then signed to Covington Records as a solo artist. The trio had apparently thrown all Bobby’s stuff onto the street that night and they hadn’t seen him since.
Julie couldn’t even imagine how it must feel to not only have all your work stolen but to have it taken by someone you considered family. Since the death of her Mom when she was twenty, Julie hadn’t done much songwriting, only what had been expected from her in her composition classes during her final years of college. She had never found her voice again after her Mom’s death. However, the songs she had written with her Mom that she would treasure forever were her most prized possessions, she couldn’t even fathom what it must have been like for them.
“I can’t even imagine how awful that must feel, to have your songs stolen and then having to hear them sung by someone else on the radio,” Julie replied with a sympathetic shake of her head when Carrie told her that Bobby, who was actually her cousin, now went by Trevor Wilson. He had successfully been an industry plant by Covington Records with his first single ‘My name is Luke’ a song, Trevor claims, (in all the interviews where he’s being lauded as the next big thing in rock.) as a conceptual song, exploring the life of a stranger and not the life of his best friend who wrote all the songs for his previous band.
“Safe to say that family dinners have not been at all fun for him since we met Alex and he told us the whole story,” Flynn smirked. “You could say I made it crystal clear that I’m team, Luke.” Julie laughed at her best friend's devious grin as she rubbed sunscreen into her bare shoulders and under the halter strap of her cantaloupe-coloured bikini top. “To be honest, I was team Luke before I’d even met him because of Alex. And then I met him and well...” Flynn trailed off.
“He’s really hot,” Carrie finished, her eyes rolling heavenward.
Julie’s hand stopped suddenly on her arm. “Not you thinking a boy is attractive. Who are you!?” Flynn waggles her eyebrows over her sunglasses, a grin growing on her face. The DJ had always prided herself on not just being a lesbian; but a ‘gold star, men are gross please keep them away from me’ lesbian. Julie had never seen her even pretend to think a guy was attractive.
“Just wait till you see him and then realise he’s actually the coolest and nicest person in LA on top of looking the way he does.” Flynn flicks her hand dismissively, a smirk on her lips. Carrie nods along seriously. Julie can’t help but laugh at her friends as she continues slathering herself in sunscreen.
The trio had been basking in the Californian sun for fifteen minutes or so when Julie pushed herself up precariously from her neon orange and white striped chair that was too low to the ground for her uncoordinated self, announcing she was going to go for a swim. She folded up her denim shorts and left them on her seat before making her way down to the surprisingly still sea.
The first cool touch of the salty water against her toes made her smile. The last time she had been near the ocean was with her Mom when she was sixteen. It had been the first and only time she’d ever seen the sea before her move to LA, and it had changed her life. The seas were different than the ones she waded through now. It had been turbulent and violent, churning a deep, dark green and foaming white. When they got home the next day, they had tucked themselves away in the studio for the rest of the weekend and written a song about the tempest. They called it Break.
She strode out as deep as she dared to watch a few kids play water volleyball a few meters away, bouncing and dunking each other in the deep water as they tried to keep the ball in the air and jump over the gentle waves. Despite the noise, she felt so at peace as she stared out to where the never-ending water met the azure sky. She couldn’t help but think of her Mom as she quietly hummed the song they had written to herself with a smile.
Slowly, Julie lowered herself into the water, letting her chest get used to the temperature of the water before closing her eyes tightly and submerging herself fully. Wrestling the hair-tie from her curls gently and pulling it around her wrist so she didn’t lose it to the ocean floor. She let the seawater wash through her hair. Julie knew she was completely going to regret the decision when the curls were a tangled, stiff mess later today but right now it was worth it to feel her long hair fan around her. Besides, Julie knew if she begged enough, Flynn would braid it for her once it was damp. She wouldn’t pretend she wasn’t completely living her mermaid fantasy right now, which she would tell Flynn when she begged for a manageable hairstyle.
Julie pushed her head up above the water, pushing all her hair away from her neck and shaking the saltwater from her face before attempting to open her eyes. Rubbing her eyes carefully, she turned back toward the beach in search of her friends when she felt something grab her ankle and yank her off her feet. Julie fell backwards into the water with a shocked squeal. Spluttering as she emerged again, she quickly wiped her eyes finding the wet and laughing face of Nick in front of her.
“You little shit!” Julie squawks, launching herself at her friend with a battle cry. Nick burst into a loud laugh as he catches her effortlessly, using her momentum against her and tossing her right back into the water with ease. Julie rises again with a faux glare, the saltwater stinging her eyes. With a petulant pout, she splashes him to distract him before launching herself again. This time getting her arms around his neck successfully which she takes as a victory despite him still being upright.
“The Julie Molina battle cry feels like I haven’t heard that in forever!” Nick jokes, resting his hands gently on the middle of her back. “I’ve missed you, Molina.” He smiles, his familiar boyish smile and Julie can’t help her mouth crawling up as well.
“Yeah, yeah,” Julie snips with a smirk and a roll of her eyes. “I’ve missed you too.” Nick laughs and pulls her in for a crushing hug that she reciprocates with just as much strength. “Mark my words, before the day is through, I will have your head underwater, Nicolas.” Nick pulls away with a smirk of his own.
“I’d love to see you try, Molina.” Gesturing to the beach, which is now behind Julie again, he points in the general direction of the small camp Flynn and Carrie had made. “C’mon, we found a better spot for all of us, Rachel’s there and Willie is dying to meet you.” Offering his childhood friend his back, Julie jumped on with a laugh after wetting her hair one more time and wringing it out so it can dry down her back.
“You look great by the way, the pending nuptials suit you, bud,” Julie remarks with a grin as she adjusts her hold around his neck. She felt him chuckle as they made it to the shoreline, letting go of her left knee to quickly point out the new set up, about a hundred metres or so away from where they had been before. It looked like more people had packed up since Julie had left and the spot the small group had chosen gave them plenty of room to spread out and keep enough distance from the rest of the beachgoers who probably didn’t want to have to listen to their music all night.
Trudging through the dry sand with his wet feet, Nick told her all about the wedding, which they had set for next summer at Rachel’s parents’ house in the hills. The engagement parties were only a few weeks away, they were having two to keep Rachel’s family happy. One in the honest to god ballroom housed within the Mansion Rachel’s parents owned. Over two hundred guests would be attending that. The couple had decided to rent out the club they had met in on the strip for the second party a week later, for just their close family and friends.
Julie hadn’t realised that their union was such a big societal event, but Nick had briefly touched on how important Rachel’s family wherewith her father being a Senator and her Mom coming from old money. That meant they had to have a big political and societal showing at the Wedding and all the parties leading up to it.
“Ah Alex, Luke, and Reg are here already,” Nick said happily as they approached. Julie looked over his shoulder to see Willie holding hands with a blond in a powder pink Whitney Huston t-shirt while a brunet in a faded tee with the sleeves cut off hugged Flynn tightly, a wide grin on her face. Carrie was helping another dark-haired guy, who was strangely wearing a leather jacket, with his bags while he carried a large cooler.
Flynn dislodged herself from the boy with a loud laugh at whatever he had said to her as Julie and Nick approached the group. Flynn laughed again when she spotted the pair her head shaking with her amusement as she reached for two towels from the bag at her feet. “What? The Princess couldn’t walk herself back?”
Julie grinned at her best friend as she walked up to dry her feet so she wouldn’t have to deal with dry sand caked in her toes like Nick. “I will never turn down a free piggyback, you know this. Besides, Nick needed to prove he could still lift me even though he’s not the quarterback anymore.” Nick made a motion of dropping Julie at her witty comment much to her and Flynn’s amusement.
“I didn’t even play football; you literally came to my lacrosse games!”
With her feet dry, she finally removed herself from her friends back being instantly swept into a crushing hug by Willie who doesn’t seem to care that she’s still wet. “Ghost girl! I can’t believe I finally get to meet you properly!” He exclaims, twirling Julie around once in his arms. Giggling at the nickname, Julie squeezes back lifting her legs off the ground while Willie spins her.
“Skater Boy! Told ya I was a real girl!” Julie jokes, when Willie sets her back on the sand, finally allowing her to wrap herself in the fluffy purple towel Flynn was holding.
“Ghost Girl?”
Julie looks over to the boy who spoke with the flippy brown hair and the sleeveless shirt. His voice was soft, and she picked up a slight rasp when he said ‘ghost.’ ‘He’s very pretty’ was the first thing that popped into her mind when her dark gaze met his deep green eyes.
And he really was, she confirmed; very pretty that is. Probably one of the prettiest people she’d ever seen. And then he smiled, his teeth biting gently into his bottom lip and she had to avert her gaze to get herself under control. Oh, so that’s what Flynn and Carrie had been talking about; she got it and if she was suddenly blind to the knowing smirk on her best friends face, well no one needed to know about that.
Willie (who was completely unaware of her having an embarrassing mini-mental shutdown over this cute guy smiling at her.) wrapped his arm around Julie’s shoulders. It was thankfully the reminder she needed to act like a normal person, and she returned the green-eyed boys charming smile with a bright one of her own. “Willie started calling me ‘Ghost Girl’ cause we’ve never actually met in person. He was convinced that I was a ghost and the only way I could communicate was through Socials and Facetime.” She grinned up at the long-haired boy.
“I’m still pretty sus, I’m not gonna lie,” He remarks with a smirk earning a laugh from Julie. “Oh!” He says suddenly. “You haven’t met the band! Let me introduce you.” Directing her over to the blond he was holding hands with before, despite the fact that the other two boys, Luke and Reggie were both standing a few feet away. Julie noticed them both share a look like ‘they are so in love, it’s so cute and annoying.’
“This is my boyfriend, Alex. We’ve been trying to keep it quiet on socials, that’s why you’ve never seen him.” Willie explained. Alex smiled kindly at Julie; he exuded nervous energy but when he greeted her with a gentle hug an instant calm surrounded her.
“It’s really nice to meet you in person, Willie’s told me tonnes about you, and I may have stalked your Instagram on his account once or twice.” He admits with a sheepish smile, a surprised laugh falling from Julie’s lips. “Your insta-stories slap by the way.”
Her stories were mostly close friends only and were just her essentially vlogging about stupid stuff, but she was flattered he liked them enough to compliment her.
The heart eyes Willie was aiming at the taller boy in the pink shirt made her like him even more than she already did. Willie was good people, and he was friends with Flynn and Carrie, he obviously had good taste in humans. Alex met Willie’s eyes a small blush filling his cheeks instantly. When his eyes darted back to Julie’s, she couldn’t keep the knowing look from them. Yeah, they were defs in love and gonna be together forever.
Carrie and the guy in the leather jacket walked up behind the group of three and set up the last of the chairs, joking with each other and drawing the trio’s attention. The pair noticed and the boy instantly bounded over, his pale face alight with excitement.
“Hey, I’m Reggie! It’s great to finally meet you, Flynn told us your super talented.” He bursts out, wrapping Julie in a quick but firm hug. Julie couldn’t help but love his energy instantly, he reminded her so much of Carlos with his happy aura.
“Well, Flynn told me the same thing about you guys, I haven’t had a chance to listen to your band yet though sorry,” Julie admits looking between the pair, hoping to distract them with their music so she can avoid having to talk about hers. She really wasn’t ready for that yet.
They both waved away her apology, with the same hand gesture at the exact same time but both seemed to be completely unaware that they’d done it. Willie glanced at Julie with a roll of his eyes like ‘can you believe these idiots?’
“Maybe we can play something for you tonight? We always need new fans.” Luke cuts in, standing between his two taller bandmates. He casually rests his toned arms against each’s shoulder with a smirk. She feels a little more prepared for the blinding grin he shoots her way this time. His eyes crinkling in the corners as he bounced lightly in the soft earth, his check patterned vans already covered in sand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ghost Girl.”
“It’s Julie,” She responded with a raised eyebrow. “And I would love to hear you guys play! How lucky? An oceanside performance by Sunset Swerve.” Julie sassed.
“Sunset Curve!” They all shouted at her, with matching pouty faces, causing her and Willie to burst out laughing. The bandmates all glanced at each other realising they were all pulling the same face and pushed away from each other, straightening their faces as they went. Luke quickly rearranged his face back into a charming smile and leaned forward offering Julie a hug as Alex and Reggie had. Just like with the other two, when Luke’s arms wound around her and squeezed her in a tight, warm embrace Julie felt comfortable. She felt their energies so strongly in each of their embraces.
Pulling back from the embrace, Luke kept his hands on her back for a few moments, still smiling that charmingly wide smile at her. “It’s great to meet you, Julie, I’m Luke. And Reg is right, Flynn did tell us you're like super talented when it came to music.”
“Uh, not as talented as you guys, I’m sure.” Julie joked as he released her. When in doubt distract with probably true compliments. He opened his mouth to reply, his green eyes sparkling when Julie hears her name squealed from behind her. Julie could feel the red starting to fill her cheeks from Luke’s undivided attention and had never felt so relieved to hear her name as when Rachel called it from next to Nick. Turning away, Willie caught her eye as she passed with a knowing wink that only had the blush on her face flaming deeper.
Rachel rushed forward with an excited squeal, her sleek black ponytail fluttering behind her as she launches herself at Julie. The pair both giggling as they squeeze the air from each other. “Oh my God, I’ve missed your beautiful face! Julie! OMG, I can’t believe you’re going to live here, and I can see you every day! Please tell me we’re hitting the town, ASAP.”
“Yes!” Flynn exclaims, throwing an arm around Rachel’s shoulder from behind. “I’m DJing next week on the strip, everyone should come.” Both girls instantly agreed and helped the boys and Carrie with the last of the set-up chatting about their weeks as they went.
With everything finally set up and the firepit ready for when the sun sets, the group finally settles, everyone in their bathers to enjoy the last of the sun or head off for a swim. Julie had successfully convinced Flynn to braid her hair and she now had neat, twin French braids that she had pulled nice and tight so when Julie went swimming again all her hard work wouldn’t fall apart. Willie had stood beside Flynn while she braided so he could learn. She had promised to do Willie’s hair later tonight much to the boy's excitement. For payment of her services, Flynn had demanded a Paramore song of her choosing which Julie had begrudgingly promised to play later that night.
While she sat cross-legged in the sand in front of her best friend getting her hair done, the members of Sunset Curve had gotten comfortable in front of her, and she took the chance to get to know them better.
Luke had enthusiastically spoken about the band while Alex and Reggie had told her about themselves and their interests. “Sorry about Luke,” Alex had whispered with a roll of his eyes. “His only personality trait is the band; he’s always been like this.” Luke flicks sand at Alex with a pout while they all chuckle at him.
It was completely true what Alex had said Julie realised, the more Luke spoke. He breathed music, it was his entire life and his passion for it was incredibly endearing. He genuinely believed in the band’s talent and in his own skills and Julie couldn’t help but find his self-assuredness admirable.
Alex, she learns, works at a local bookstore part-time while he studies music, he took a gap year to travel with the boys two years previous and had just finished his junior year. Julie was completely unsurprised to learn Luke didn’t go to college, he was too much of a free spirit she could tell, and she didn’t think he could sit still long enough to learn anything from a classroom format. He and Reggie worked at a music store a few blocks from the house the boys rented together, and they taught Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Piano to kids a few times a week after close.
“Do you all play so many instruments?” Julie asks, surprised, she was beyond impressed at their dedication to music. She could tell Music was a big part of their lives and they obviously took the band seriously. It was nice to be surrounded by musicians like this; she couldn’t help but always feel closer to her Mom when she met people who breathed music as she had.
Luke shrugged unabashedly, an easy smile crinkling his eyes attractively. Again, Julie couldn’t help but find his confidence charming. “Reggie plays the Bass, Guitar, Uke, Piano and Banjo.” Reggie nods a confirmation with his exuberant grin.
“I started playing the Guitar when I was seven and then my Parents just kept putting instruments in my hand to keep me out of the way at home and I became obsessed. I do shred on the Banjo though, one day I’ll convince these two uncultured losers to make a banging country album with me.” Luke and Alex groaned at Reggie earning a laugh from Julie.
“I’ll make a country album with you, Reggie, don’t worry about them.” Julie chuckles, fist-bumping a grinning Reggie. “I have to learn to fiddle, but how hard could it be?” She jokes.
“Ask Luke to teach you, he literally plays every instrument that exists,” Reggie exclaims nudging the brunet in the sand beside him. Luke scratches the back of his head and rolling his eyes at his best friend.
“I just pick things up quick, music always came really easy to me, y’know?” He shrugs at Julie, who nods in understanding. “I’ve never fiddled though, so sorry I can’t help you with that one.” Luke teases, his lip-biting grin returning. Flynn finishes with her hair, patting her shoulder to let Julie know she was done. The boys take this as their cue to get up, Reggie going to hunt around for food, while Luke heads off to meet the others in the water, and Alex sets up a towel to sunbake.
“He’s hot right?” Flynn whispered with a sly grin the second the boys were out of earshot. Julie nodded with an amused scoff. “And he’s insanely talented,” Flynn confirms from behind Julie once the three boys are out of hearing distance. “All three of them are, but I think we all agree Luke is on like a whole other level. I seriously hope he plays tonight because you need to hear him.” Flynn thinks for a second, before finally adding “And see him, honestly.” Flynn stands from her seat with a stretch.
Julie had never heard Flynn talk about another musician so positively before. She mentions this to her best friend, who just snorts. “I talk about you exactly the same way I talk about him. Just like you, he’s earned my respect, trust. All three of them have.”
Julie decides on sunbaking with Alex, while Flynn goes to shoo Reggie away from all the food. Laying out a towel beside Alex, the pair instantly kick up an easy conversation. Alex, Julie finds, was easy to talk to and provided such a gentle energy that she really vibed with, even though he was clearly an anxious person.
“So how did you and Willie meet?” Julie asks, resting her head on her hand, her back facing the sun. Alex’s smile grows and the heart eyes from before return instantly. Julie smiles at how cute he was.
“He kinda ran me over,” Alex said, a dopey grin still in place.
“What!?” Julie exclaimed, her face nearly slipping off her hand in shock. Of all the meet-cutes she had heard of that was definitely a new one.
“Yeah, on the strip with his skateboard,” Alex laughed, flipping on his side and leaning on his elbow so he could face Julie while he told the story. “It was the day after we’d thrown Bobby’s stuff on the front yard and I was desperate to get out the house. Reggie was moping and Luke…” Alex sighs, “Luke was angry and hurt and he’s not always great at sharing his feelings. So, I decided to go for a walk to calm down, clear my head you know?” Julie nods in understanding.
“He claims he shouted a warning, but I didn’t hear it and he totally pancaked me. Then he had the audacity to tell me I’d dinged his board and ruined his TikTok.” Julie laughed at the disbelief that coloured Alex’s tone like he still couldn’t believe the audacity of his boyfriend. “Anyway, I understandably lost my shit until I saw his face and turned into a stuttering idiot. He asked me on a date like two minutes later and we’ve been together ever since.” He finished dreamily.
“You guys are too cute, and you so obviously complement each other.” Alex blushes, nodding in agreement. He opens his mouth to reply when someone steps behind them blocking their sunlight.
“Aww, you think we're cute Julie. Reggie is gonna be wrapped.” Luke asks with a cheeky grin, shaking his head much like a dog and spraying water all over the pair sunbaking. Both squealing and launching themselves off the ground at the shock of the cold droplets. “I’ve been instructed by the future Mr and Mrs. Davenforth-Evans to collect Julie, whether she wants to swim or not.”
Julie’s glare at the cute brunet narrows even further in distrust at his very cheeky smirk. “Luke, don’t you dare,” She warns, taking a step back. Before she can even blink the shirtless boy lunges, smirk still in place. She didn’t stand a chance; she realises as he scoops her up by her thighs and tosses her over his shoulder. Laughing, Julie smacks him as hard as she can on his damp back earning a yelp from the boy so she took it as a win even with the awkward angle that wouldn’t allow her to use her full strength.
Clapping the back of her thigh with his hand once like he was checking his cargo and perhaps a little in retaliation to the whack she had doled out, he waved at his friend, much to Alex’s amusement and turned on his foot, leisurely strolling toward the ocean.
“Have fun!” Alex shouts, drawing Flynn and Willie’s attention who both burst out laughing at Julie who seemed to have accepted her fate and currently had her face resting in her hand, her elbow digging into the middle of Luke’s back. A mix of amusement and annoyance on her face.
“Those two together... it’s gonna be interesting,” Reggie waggles his eyebrows at his friend. Alex moves to the chair beside Flynn snorting in agreement watching Luke carry a laughing Julie toward the ocean and their waiting friends.
“He wants to hear her sing, bad. You can see it on his stupid face. A classic Luke Patterson, the disaster Pansexual move; only showing interest in people if they have musical talent.” Alex remarks, gaze cutting to Flynn whose smirk seems to keep growing the more she thinks about Luke and Julie.
“I know you guys don’t really know Julie yet, but she’s literally the best person I know, Luke couldn’t find a better person to befriend. And no offence to you guys, but she is the most talented person I’ve ever met. She has the voice of an angel, she writes, and she can play a few instruments.”
“When we were kids, watching her sing was like a spiritual experience. She just had this presence that you couldn’t take your eyes off and she had a point of view.” Flynn sighs, “She’s sung a few times since she got here, just messing around with us, but it’s not like it used to be. She never got that spark back after her Mom. Her Dad thinks that her being around me and Carrie and Nick will bring her back. I really hope it’s enough.”
Alex grabs her hand comfortingly while Reggie pats her shoulder gently. “You know we’ll do whatever we can to help? If Julie’s as talented as you say, it’ll come back eventually but support from her friends can only help her. Besides, if Luke gets all ‘Luke’ about her talent, you know he’ll pull it out of her before she’s even realised he’s done it.” Reggie jokes.
Luke holds Julie steadily as he walks across the uneven sand confidently. “Where playing water wars and I needed a partner that I could carry, Carrie is our ever-impartial referee.” Luke explaining why she was currently thrown over his shoulder. Julie marvelled out how fit he must be as he spoke without any sign of being puffed out.
She had obviously checked him out multiple times already today, if Flynn was telling Julie someone was hot, she was going to do due diligence. And it was hard not to when he walked around in that shirt with the cut off sleeves. Then he’d taken it off completely and Julie didn’t consider herself someone who usually really cared all that much about physical appearance but, she may or not have swallowed her tongue as she watched him strut toward the water in his stupid little light blue board shorts the first time.
“And you couldn’t take Flynn? She’s like half my weight!” Julie exclaims, hearing his feet finally hit the water. Luke chuckles, moving toward their friends who she can hear from the deeper water all laughing at his hostage.
“Flynn is the scariest person I’ve ever met; I wouldn’t risk her never-ending wrath if I got her braids wet.” Pretty and Smart, Julie thought to herself. She felt the cool water brush her toes and wiggled suddenly, surprising Luke and causing him to nearly drop her. “Don’t wiggle! Jeez, no, Julie! Stop!” He huffed as she continued to shift her torso around to annoy him.
He huffed again, holding on tight until they were just over waist deep and then he carefully lifted her off his shoulder, sliding her down his front quickly. Without warning, his arms banded tighter around her waist and he drove them both sideways straight into the cold water with a yell.
Julie’s hands clung to his back in surprise and her head fell against his neck just as the cool water hit her face. She felt him right them a few seconds later and they both emerged. Luke laughing and Julie gasping. Nick, Carrie, and Rachel cackling loudly. Luke barely had time to clear the saltwater from his eyes before he felt Julie’s arms leave his shoulders and then he was being tackled right back into the water.
With a surprised splutter he shook his head, trying to clear his eyes and spotting his friends a meter ahead in fits of laughter at the shocked look on his face. Julie had disappeared and he turned around just in time to catch her as she launched herself at him again with a war cry. “Were meant to be a team!” He cries, using her momentum and throwing her toward their friends.
“I never agreed to that!” Julie shoots back with fake indignation as she gets her balance again, squaring off against the brunet. Luke grinned at the girl before him, spreading his arms wide clearly preparing to tease her.
“C’mon Julie, you can’t beat me,” Luke sung innocently. “I’m stronger than you.” Luke flexes his biceps, kissing each of them slowly a teasing grin still lighting up his face. Julie scoffs, her nose crinkling in distaste. She couldn’t help but want to laugh, he was clearly joking, and she thought it was charming and so ridiculously lame.
“I think I can. In fact, I’m so confident I can, how about a wager? If I can get you underwater first, you have to… umm, oh! Ok, you have to carry me everywhere I want you to for the rest of the night. And if you win…” Julie looks at him expectantly, letting him fill in the blank.
“You have to sing a song with me, tonight, of my choosing.”
“Deal,” Julie grins, offering her hand to shake. His large, calloused hand meets her smaller hand, and they shake still teasing the other with funny faces. “Okay, so from now, then.” Julie steps back, feigning that she lost her footing and rights herself with a squeak. Her hands instantly falling to her chest. “Oh my god, my boob just fell out of my top!”
Luke’s gaze instantly flies toward the sky, so he doesn’t see anything he’s not supposed to a small blush colouring his cheeks. He’s standing just like that when Julie clotheslines him with everything she has, taking him down with a wet slap of skin. Julie can’t stop laughing at the look of absolute horror on Luke’s face as he flails and then lands with a splash, fully submerged. Rachel and Carrie start to whistle and cheer enthusiastically while Nick just shakes his head and laughs.
Grabbing Luke’s flailing hand, Julie helps him right himself in the water, grinning at his stunned face and wet lashes. “I win. And I confirmed you’re a good guy,” she proclaims with a giggle. Luke’s shock melts away as he bites his bottom lip and observes the girl inches from his face. With a roll of his eyes and a huff, he wipes the seawater from his face and splashes at Julie.
“Well played, Ghost Girl.”
“Why, thank-you, thank-you very much,” Julie smirks, dragging him over to the trio watching them with amusement. Luke and Julie teamed up for an epic round of water wars and quickly learned they were an unbeatable team, only losing once, when Nick cheated while Carrie had her back turned, sweeping Luke’s leg and letting him and Julie fall into the water with a loud splash.
“Team Juke are the champions! I call it, I’m hungry and it’s getting dark, and I don’t wanna get eaten by something.” Carrie declares a few rounds into a lazy game of water volleyball they had switched to when both boys started to complain of sore shoulders, over an hour later. Julie and Luke share a fist bump and Julie launches herself onto her new friends back for her victory piggyback.
Willie had the fire going and had organised the few chairs around it. Flynn and Reggie had found a long, sturdy log that someone had left on the beach and dragged it back to the set up for extra seating. The group from the water quickly dried and bundled up with their food as the cool change kicked in, everyone happily chatting and laughing. Julie found herself beside Rachel on the driftwood, sharing a cider while they discussed details for the upcoming engagement parties.
“It’s going to be so stressful but we just both keep reminding each other that we get to have the second engagement on the strip, with our friends and it’s all going to be worth it.” Rachel laughs, her dark almond eyes finding Nick across the fire. “You’re more than welcome to sing if you feel like it, at either or both. Flynn is going to DJ for a little at both and Dirty Candy and Sunset Curve are both playing at the one on the strip.”
“Hell, yeah we are!” Reggie exclaims from a few feet away, sitting in the sand and leaning back against Luke’s legs, Rachel and Julie both snorting a laugh at the exuberant boy.
“I’ll think about it for sure,” Julie replies with a small smile. She didn’t want to disappoint her friends but the thought of seriously performing made her feel ill. She’d been able to mess around with Flynn and Carrie the last few nights, and she’d actually had fun but, she still felt herself going through the motions most of the time.
Carrie approached a little while later, taking the seat beside her on the log that Rachel had abandoned a few moments before. Alex and Willie had drifted over as the chat between the two girls carried onto the plans for the wedding next summer. Both in the sand, Alex leaning back against Willie who had his arms around his boyfriend and rest his chin on his shoulder. Carrie pushes the acoustic she’d been holding into Julie’s hands with an innocent grin.
“I was thinking we try out that cute Kylie rework we were messing around with last night while we have a gay, captive audience.” She nods toward Alex and Willie who both perk up at the mention of the princess of pop.
With an exasperated grin, Julie throws a leg over the log she’s sitting on so she’s facing Carrie and starts strumming a fun, quick version of Miss a thing by Kylie Minogue. Carrie takes the lead with Julie backing her up on the chorus.
Get that body up on the catwalk
Can't sleep through your life like a lapdog
Let's show the world what we got
Don't wanna take it slow
I wanna be your girl
When she’s not focused on the guitar in her hands, Julie can’t help up but watch Carrie sing the chorus to her best friend with a soft smile, Flynn’s eyes never leaving her girlfriend, her gentle gaze filled with love.
Run away, run away, run away with me tonight
Come dance for me, I'll fall at your feet
'Cause I don't wanna fight what feels right
Baby, I, baby, I just don't wanna miss a thing
Don't wanna miss a thing
Julie and Carrie finish together with a flourish, giggling at each other. Playing around with Carrie and Flynn really did give her hope that she would find a way to be at peace with her music again. “I want my Paramore song!” Flynn exclaims, pulling Carrie up and wrapping her arms around her stomach once they sat beside Luke on the other side of the fire.
Julie rolls her eyes, asking her best friend what song she had in mind. “Something from Brand New Eyes,” She decides tapping on her chin, knowing every song on that album came to Julie as easy as breathing.
Julie pushed through a pitch-perfect cover of Misguided Ghosts averting her eyes from her best friend and focusing on the instrument in her hands even though she knew the movements by heart. She can feel Flynn’s disappointment as she sings.
I'm going away for a while
But I'll be back, don't try and follow me
'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
See, I'm trying to find my place
But it might not be here where I feel safe
We all learn to make mistakes
And run from them, from them
With no direction
We'll run from them, from them
With no conviction
It’s flawless, as always, but there’s just nothing behind it, Flynn thinks as she watches her best friend go through the motions. She knows Julie can feel the disappointment falling off her in waves and apparently Carrie can too because she grabs Flynn’s hand comfortingly their eyes meeting in understanding.
Luke’s can’t take his eyes off Julie as she sings. Reggie had whispered everything Flynn had shared with him and Alex earlier in the day about her struggling to perform and he could see it. She was hesitant, but even through that her talent was undeniable. She had a wrecking-ball of a voice.
'Cause I'm just one of those ghosts
Traveling endlessly
Don't need no roads
In fact, they follow me
And we just go in circles
It had been a spur of the moment decision to sing this song but as she went through the motions of the song, she couldn’t help but feel it was a little ironic of her subconscious mind. The lyrics felt like a literal representation of everything she had felt since her Mom had died six years ago.
Julie finishes on a long, soft note earning a whoop from Reggie at her vocal control. Leaning the guitar against the log beside her, Julie pushes a smile onto her face and shyly thanks the group who are cheering and clapping in support. She knows it was technically perfect, but she also knows as always it was missing the passion her music used to be filled with. The look on Flynn’s face when she thought Julie wasn’t looking was enough to tell her that her best friend was aware she was just going through the motions again.
She excuses herself not long after, trying not to be too suspicious. She opts to take a walk down the shoreline and clear her head so she could enjoy the rest of the night. She doesn’t get very far before she realises someone has followed her and is walking beside her quietly.
“So, you can like sing, sing, huh?”
Julie glances up at Luke, who kept her slow place easily, appearing deep in thought. “I went to school for music, I would hope so,” She tries to joke. His frown slips into one of his easy smiles as he observes her.
“Flynn was right, you are insanely talented. But I couldn’t help but feel that you were holding back for some reason.” He adds hesitantly. Julie can’t help the sigh that falls from her mouth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be a dick, you are amazing! I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, no, it’s fine. Your right, I don’t really like playing anymore.” Another sigh falls from Julie’s full lips, her dark eyes finding the dark sky as she wonders if she should tell this boy; who she only met today, all her musical baggage. She decides to share, his obvious passion for music reminded her so much of her Mom and his energy made her feel comfortable enough, to be honest. “My Mom was a musician and she’s the one who got me into music. It was always something we shared, and she was my writing partner and my biggest cheerleader.” Julie smiled softly, “She made me believe that I could do anything when I sang.”
Luke nods along, smiling as she went on to describe her Mom and all the amazing music they had written together. “Wow,” He replied gently, “Your Mom sounds like she was amazing.” Luke could only imagine what it must’ve been like to grow up in a house full of music with parents that genuinely supported your dreams.
“She was. She was the coolest person I ever met and even when I was feeling the pressure of being the daughter of the lead singer of Rose and the Petal Pushers, she always reminded me to breathe first and then remind me of my greatness.”
“Wait, your Mom is Rose Molina!? I love Rose and the Petal Pushers! They were the band that got me into rock. She’s literally the reason Sunset Curve has the sound we have! Wow, your Mom is a legend.” Luke gushed, halting their walk in his excitement.
“Yep,” Julie chuckled, shaking her head at her new friend. “So, you can imagine how crushing that pressure can get sometimes to be as great as she was; to be able to stand toe to toe with her legacy and not fumble or falter. It feels impossible sometimes, and I guess she’s not here anymore to remind me it doesn’t need to be.” wrapping her arms around her waist, Julie’s eyes fall to her toes digging into the compact sand.
“I know it sounds strange and I’ve been to more therapy than anyone could bear to try to overcome it, but, since she died two years ago, I just can’t sing like I used to, and I can’t sing in public. I can mess around with my friends, and I barely got myself through my last years of school but actually singing in front of people on a stage? I can’t do it. I can’t do it without her, and I’ve spent the last two years betraying her and her legacy because I don’t know how to do it all without her.”
They both stand silently, Luke watching the talented girl in front of him honoured that she trusted him with her pain and heartbroken that she had to experience it at all. “I’m so sorry, Julie.” Their eyes met and Julie shrugged lightly, a small smile on her face.
“Thanks, Luke.”
The pair continue down the beach silently, both deep in thought. The fresh salty air felt amazing on Julie’s face and she had moved closer to the shoreline so she could enjoy the pleasing shock of the cold waves lapping over her feet every few moments. She wondered if her Mom had ever done what she was doing now. Had Rose ever strolled this beach with a friend and just enjoyed the silence in this loud city.
Julie knew before her Mom and Dad had settled down in the Midwest, Rose had been a local of LA and she had told Julie on many occasions that she believed her best music was made in the city. “It’s not called the city of Angels for nothing, Mija. There is magic there and I can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself one day.”
“Have you ever thought,” Luke spoke suddenly, jolting Julie from her thoughts. “That you are your Mom’s legacy, so there’s no way you could ever ruin it?” Julie stops, turning to Luke with a lost frown. Resting his hand on her shoulder with a small, careful smile he continues. “I didn’t know your Mom, but she loved you and she loved music. You have a gift, and I think that gift and what you choose to do with it is your Mom’s legacy, not Rose and the Petal Pushers, or the music you wrote together. You.”
“A legacy is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” She whispers to herself, it was from Hamilton, it was the last album they had listened to together before she died, and she had whispered that line to Julie once they got to the end ‘what is a legacy indeed’ she’d murmured as she patted down her daughter's hair.
“I don’t know what to say about you not being able to sing without her, but I know you can. You did it tonight, and I know that passion will come back. Just know you have friends here who are gonna help you every step of the way.” Luke ducks down to meet Julie’s gaze a teasing smile on his face, “And that includes three super cute guys in an awesome band called Sunset Curve.”
A warm feeling surged through Julie and she couldn’t stop herself from launching at Luke. He stumbles in surprise when her arms wrap around his neck tightly. “You’ve given me a lot to think about, thank you.” She whispers, squeezing tight. “It means so much to me that you would take the time to come check on me and try to help me with this when we’ve only just met.” Luke hugs back with a huff of laughter.
“It’s purely selfish, I really wanna hear you sing again and performing in front of thousands of people with that wrecking ball voice.” He says honestly.
Laughing, Julie pulls back, “Maybe, you will one day.”
“Besides,” Luke adds with a small smile, his head dipping toward the sand. “Does it feel like we’ve only just met to you? Sometimes you just meet people and you know they are gonna be super important to you, you know what I mean?”
Julie couldn’t help the grin growing on her face as she watched him talk to the sand clearly hesitant to say anything. “I feel the same, all three of you gave me no choice but to like you.” Julie jokes shoving his shoulder lightly. Luke grins at her and Julie can’t help but return it.
A loud shout from farther down the beach jolts the pair of them. Julie clears her throat uncomfortably very aware she had been staring with embarrassing intensity at his smiling face for what was probably a really long time, she genuinely had no idea how long it had been. She really needed to work on not acting like a crazy person when he did something like smile at her with his twinkly eyes and teasing grin; like he was doing in that very moment. You really are better than this, Molina, c’mon girl, if you wanna be friends you can’t moon over him all the time.
Luke offers her a piggy-back which she accepts with a resigned chuckle, her arms draped around his neck again and the pair slowly make their way back to the group. “Also,” Julie kicks her legs on either side of Luke’s hips. “I never called you ‘cute’. so ‘super cute’ is a stretch, bud. I called Alex and Willie cute. Just so you don’t go around getting an even bigger head.”
Luke laughs, jokingly using his chin to poke Julie’s forearm. “It’s okay, you can tell me I’m cute, I can take it.” Julie lets out a very unladylike snort causing Luke to laugh again.
“You know what's not cute? Delusion.” Julie sassed yanking his orange beanie from his head and pulling it down over her braids. Luke bounced her on his back in retaliation, her squeal sending him further into fits of laughter and Julie can’t help but join in. They walk back the rest of the way with Julie clinging on for dear life while Luke does his best impression of a prancing horse and joking around about all the inappropriate songs Luke wants to sing at Rachel and Nick’s first engagement party.
As the night progressed, Julie found herself relaxing and just enjoying the music and the company. She and Flynn resurrected Double Trouble for one night only, dancing around in the sand as they sang Q.U.E.E.N by Janelle Monae. Alex and Carrie on the spot choreographed an entire dance number to Sour Candy by Lady Gaga and Blackpink that slayed harder than it had any right to.
Julie and Alex found out they had a mutual love of musicals and had too much fun annoying everyone as they sang songs from Six, Mean Girls, and Beetlejuice with no abandon. Luke, Reggie, and Alex finished the night with a fun song they called This Band is Back that really showcased Reggie and Alex’s amazing voices while Luke bounced around with the guitar and harmonised perfectly.
As they were packing up, chatting and laughing, Julie couldn’t help but be a little disappointed she hadn’t gotten the chance to actually hear Luke sing properly and promised to get herself to a Sunset Curve gig ASAP.
After collecting everyone’s phone numbers and promising to text everyone hers, Luke carried her back to the cars as her final prize for their bet earlier, much to the groups' amusement. They slowed them down considerably as he was also weighed down with the bags Julie held and a few of the beach chairs thrown over his shoulder but no one offered to help instead opting to laugh at the boy who was beginning to huff.
Julie couldn’t keep the smile off her face when they finally pulled away after rounds of hugs. She had actually had fun singing with her friends, after her moment with Luke, she hadn’t even had to think about it. She’d met some amazing people, and she felt like because of Luke, she’d had a genuine breakthrough with her performing problem.
The strange thing is what he had said to her wasn’t revolutionary, she had heard some version of what he said from dozens of different people over the years. Maybe she had just needed to hear it in that specific way, or under the stars on the beach, or in that context. Or maybe, she just needed to hear it from Luke. She didn’t know, but his words had knocked something loose in her brain and she had been glowing ever since.
I got a spark in me,
And you’re a part of me,
Been so long and now I’m finally free.
The second she got back to Flynn and Carrie’s apartment she wrote the words down with a small smile. Folding them up and tucking them into her pillow on the couch. It wasn’t much, but it was more than she’d written for herself in two years.
Two days after her introduction to Sunset Curve, Julie gets a notification on her phone.
@LukePattersonSC just tagged you in a post!
She had followed all the boys on socials the next day when she got the alert that all three of them had added her. Alex had posted a really cute video that Willie had taken of the two of them chasing Luke around in the sand screaming the lyrics to Never Ever Getting Rid of Me from Waitress until he turned around and simply threw each of them over his shoulder as if they weighed nothing.
The video ended with the three of them in fits of laughter after Alex tried to flip himself over Luke’s back, knocking all three of them down into the sand. Reggie had posted an unbelievable amount of photo’s Julie didn’t even realise he’d taken. Nearly all candids from all different points in the night.
Her favourites were the selfie Reggie had taken with her as they sat beside the fire, Julie wrapped up in his leather jacket with her head leaning against his shoulder. A blurry shot of her on Luke’s shoulders when they played water wars, her arms raised in victory. A candid of Nick and Rachel sharing a plate of food. Another candid, this time of her and Carrie singing on the log by the fire, Willie and Alex’s backs visible as they watched wrapped up in each other.
He’d also added an adorable photo of the three Sunset Curve boys that Carrie had taken that she’d shared on her own social media. Luke’s arms constricted around his bandmate’s necks, pulling them down so they were all at the same height. Reggie’s eyes shut mid-laugh. Alex was staring at the camera like he was Jim from The Office. And Luke; had his bright cheesy grin in place, his eyes crinkling in the corners, orange beanie pulled over his dried hair.
She had saved them all and posted a few to her own Instagram, to which she was getting literally hundreds of new followers a day from fans of the boys after Alex, Reggie, and also Willie had tagged her in posts. (Willie of course shared a photo Alex had taken of the pair back to back showing off their matching plaits.) Julie was also opening her messages to see more and more requests from strangers asking how she knew the boys, who she was and if she was using them for fame. It was very overwhelming, she couldn’t imagine how the boys felt. She opened the app to find a photo of Julie on Luke’s back from their walk back to the group after their talk.
Taken from their right side, they were both completely unaware they were being photographed. Julie was laughing in the photo, her right arm resting across Luke’s collar bones. Her left elbow resting on his shoulder so she could cover his eyes with her hand. Her face was pressed against the side of Luke’s, his orange beanie still pulled down on her head and one of her braids visible at the angle. Luke’s grin is visible underneath where her hand rested, his arm literally bulging as he supported her with his hands underneath her thighs.
It was very couple-y, and it brought an embarrassed flush to her cheeks. Julie frowned unsure who had taken it, scrolling to see what Luke had written in the caption.
LukePattersonSC: I don’t know who took this picture, but ur a creep and I love you. @wheresmyjuuls is the cutest and most talented person in the world. Tell ur friends! 😊😇
photo: @sunsetsscurve
Julie didn’t know if he liked the picture because of how admittedly great his arms looked in it or because he liked how they looked together. She knew Luke enough to know it was probably both, (vain little flirt) How was he even able to be charming over Instagram caption!? She hated him. Okay, obviously she didn’t hate him, but she did hate the hot flush crawling over her body as she scrolled through the comments. Oh God, people are shipping them!
She tried not to panic too much, she clicked on the photo credit and it was for a fan page that was insanely Luke obsessed. (She didn’t really blame them if she was being honest.) The account owners friend who wasn’t even a fan of Sunset Curve had seen them on the beach and snapped a picture because she’d thought they looked cute together. She had then sent the picture to their group chat to gush about the cute couple and everyone realised who it was behind Julie’s hands. At least it wasn’t liked they had actually been stalked or anything. And Julie could it admit, it really was a cute picture of the pair of them.
She thought for a minute before deciding to comment:
wheresmyjuuls: I’m the nicest too, a triple threat 😇😇😇 I still have that beanie btw, I know it’s summer in LA but when I wear it, I don’t have to wash my hair, and at the end of the day isn’t that always the goal?
LukePattersonSC: That’s my favourite beanie! imma need that back, I guess we’ll just have to hang out again soon… 🥺👉👈
wheresmyjuuls: I think that can be arranged 🥰 I miss u guys already! 🥺
LukePattersonSC: @reggiepizzas says hello and we miss u too
reggiepizzas: @LukePattersonSC I can speak for myself… we miss u! @wheresmyjuuls @SunsetAlex
SunsetAlex: can confirm, @wheresmyjuuls related pining currently taking place in the loungeroom
wheresmyjuuls: Bahahaha omg I luv u guys ❤️❤️❤️
SunsetAlex: 😍😍😍
LukePattersonSC: 😍😍😍😍😍😍
reggiepizzas: 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
A few moments later a text alert popped up on her phone:
Luke: So when r u free?