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If she were being realistic, Julie should’ve known that performing with the boys would bring on certain attentions she hadn’t really considered for them in the past. Reggie was her brother, for Christ’s sake. The last thing she really wanted to picture was him macking on some girl he’d been making eyes at during their performance.
Well, maybe the second to last thing she wanted to picture.
The last thing she wanted to picture was probably Luke macking on some girl he’d been making eyes at during their performance.
Unfortunately, that was exactly what she was picturing now.
In her defense, it hadn’t even crossed her mind until the boys found her in the halls after they’d all been bombarded after their guerilla-style attack performance in the gym to get Julie back into her music program. She’d been so swept up in the adrenaline and sheer joy at finally performing again–with her boys, no less–that she hadn’t really even noticed just how moony-eyed all the girls in the audience had gone.
Apparently, the boys had definitely taken notice.
“Julie, they were loving you!” was the first thing out of Luke’s mouth when they’d finally reconvened in a less-busy hallway between class changes.
Julie rolled her eyes in a false air of nonchalance. She’d never have gotten through Bright without their help. “No, they were totally loving us!”
All three boys grinned.
Then Reggie’s eyes were widening as he rounded sharply on his best friends instead. “Oh my God, the cheerleaders were looking at me! They were definitely looking at me, right?” Reggie took Luke’s shoulders between his hands, shaking him excitedly.
Even Alex laughed, high on excitement at how well they’d been received with Julie as their frontwoman.
“Bro, they were definitely looking at you!” Luke gushed in return, eyes so crinkled with his smile he looked exactly like an emoji.
And that made Julie pause. Had they been looking at Reggie? If Luke noticed, she supposed they had.
As soon as the thought entered her head, she felt her heart drop sharply to her stomach.
Luke had to have been watching the girls, too.
Luke. Her Luke. The boy she’d known since they were young enough to split juice boxes and animal crackers as an afternoon snack. Luke, whom she suspected she’d always been halfway in love with, but had finally taken the plunge and fallen fully for after he’d been so brazenly and unapologetically sure of her and her talent, assuring her that she was a star and that music would come back when she was ready for it. He’d been right. It had come back to her, right there in the school gym with her brother and his two best friends supporting her and loving her just as they always had.
Her Luke had been watching the girls in the audience and had taken notice that they’d obviously liked what they saw on stage.
She’d thought…well, she’d kind of thought that he might be on his way to returning some of the feelings that had been stirring as he’d shared his song, a little piece of his soul, in her kitchen. It was just the latest in a series of too-close encounters they’d had recently, something they hadn’t discussed but she’d nevertheless figured they were at least close to the same page on. His smile had been a little too soft, his fingers a little too gentle against the small of her back as he’d tucked himself in close and sung the song with her line by line. It had taken everything in her not to grab at his stupidly-sharp jaw and tug him down for a kiss right there in front of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Obviously, she’d been wrong.
Julie’s smile turned strained, but she kept it firmly in place long enough to have reason to walk away before she heard something that completely shattered and annihilated her heart. “Right, well, thanks for helping me get back in my program. Hope you guys can get some good dates out of it. You’re good friends. I gotta get to class.”
She turned on her heel to head back to her locker and grab her chemistry books, but she had time to see the elated grin slip off Luke’s face right as Alex smacked sharply into his shoulder. She didn’t have time to think into it, her feet carrying her swiftly down the hall and away from the trio of boys as she felt the betraying sting of tears pricking in the depths of her sinuses.
She’d just rounded the corner and slipped out of their sight when she heard a frantic “Julie!” cry out behind her, and the signature sharp squeak of Vans against waxed linoleum let her know exactly who was rushing off after her.
So Julie paused and leaned against the lockers behind her, sniffing aggressively to ward off any hint of traitor tears that had tried to force their way out of her ducts.
Luke Patterson would not see her cry over him.
But then he was tumbling haphazardly around the corner, fully prepared to burst into a sprint because he obviously hadn’t anticipated her stopping to wait for him in the now-abandoned hallways of Los Feliz High.
“Julie,” the sound of her name was colored with relief that he’d caught up with her. His fingers reached out to cup softly against her elbow, moving in front of her and slouching to keep his frame from towering too imposingly over her. Julie had never thought much about how small she was until she started having interactions like this with Luke where he seemed to purposely make himself smaller, never threatening or looming but always maintaining a comfortable protective presence.
Instinctively, her own hand clutched at the forearm attached to the fingers which were tracing soothingly against the back of her elbow. Still, Julie’s brows scrunched together in confusion. “I need to get to class, Luke. Didn’t you and Reggie need to–”
She didn’t even finish the sentence, Luke’s head already shaking emphatically in denial at the implication they’d be having any kind of conversation about whichever girls had caught their eye while they’d been on stage.
“We’re not just friends. You know that.” His tone is soft, likely to keep the nosy boys around the corner from overhearing even though they’re definitely eavesdropping as close as they’ve deemed safe should Julie decide to come after them for it. But he’s sincere. Whatever they are, whatever they’ve been skirting around these last few weeks, the title “friends” doesn’t exactly cover it.
Julie’s lips started to curve around a retort–after all, how can she know that? It’s not as if they’ve actually talked about it or that Luke has given any indication that this is anything serious. She barely even got out a syllable of protest before Luke’s other hand cupped at her cheek, cutting off any thought process she’d had moments ago.
“No, Jules, I mean it. You’re our girl. Always.” His grey-green eyes stayed locked on hers, wide and earnest in a way that should have been illegal. How could anyone ever argue with him when he could just pull out eyes like that?
Julie huffed an exasperated sigh. The sentiment, while heartwarming, was so close yet so far from what she wanted to hear him say. “I’m Reggie’s little sister; you’re contractually obligated to say that to me.”
Luke laughed, a rosy blush coming up to tinge his cheeks as he leaned in ever-so-slightly closer, knees bending to keep his eyes more level with hers as he spoke again. “My girl, then. You’re my girl. I’m sorry we haven’t talked about it but I promise this is important to me. You’re important to me.” His thumb grazed back and forth against the apple of her cheek, eyes flicking back and forth between hers to gauge her reaction.
Julie’s heart nearly exploded in her chest. This was the Luke she knew and loved. Passionate and loyal and breathtakingly honest, but young and goofy and maybe a little bit awkward at times, even through his carefully-crafted rockstar persona. His cheeks flamed a brighter pink now, the flush extending down toward his neck as he bit at his overly-plump bottom lip, waiting for her response.
That’s right, she should probably say something, shouldn’t she?
“You’re important to me, too.” The statement was barely a whisper, but Luke’s answering smile blinded her as he bumped his forehead affectionately against hers. “Reggie’s going to kill you, you know.”
Julie could see it now. He’d obviously mentioned something of this to the boys if Alex’s pointed shoulder smack earlier was anything to go by. And Reggie was nothing if not an annoyingly-protective, sweet older brother. He’d surely have lots to say on the matter as soon as they were permitted back around the corner.
Luke, to his credit, only shrugged casually at their impending doom before bouncing up onto his toes. “Doesn’t matter. Does this mean I can finally kiss you now?”
And Julie, with a smile bright and happy and definitely more than a little bit in love, tangled her fingers into the curls at his neck and tugged his mouth down to meet hers.
Finally indeed, Luke.