I woke up with a start, heart hammering against my ribs. I don't even remember falling asleep. The pen lay tangled in my sheets, and my writing journal lay open on the bed beside me. I ripped the pages with my lyrics out of the journal, slamming it shut and shoving it back onto the bedside table. Folding the pages, I walked over to my dream box, carefully placing them inside with the others.
Humming to myself as I headed for the bathroom, I pulled on a cute denim dress over a yellow t-shirt and laced up my black boots. The house felt… too quiet. I found my dad and Carlos at the kitchen table, already halfway through breakfast.
"Morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?" Dad asked, noticing me walk closer.
"It was… restless. Couldn't sleep much after last night," I managed, forcing a smile. The memory of the gig, the energy, the *boys*… it was still buzzing under my skin.
"You were incredible last night, Jules. Seriously incredible. So, do I get to meet these mysterious bandmates anytime soon?" Dad asked, eyes twinkling with curiosity.
"I don't think so, Dad. They don't live here, remember?" I reminded him, trying to deflect. The lie tasted like ash in my mouth.
"Oh yeah. Where *do* they live, Julie?" Carlos smirked, and I knew he was fishing. He always was.
Before I could think, before I could formulate a coherent answer, the words just tumbled out—the same half-truth I’d tried to tell Flynn. My mouth felt like it was working on autopilot.
"Uh… Sweden. Yeah, they’re really private. They only come around for the gigs. They prefer to be seen onstage, not… well, just not around." I laughed, a nervous, brittle sound. I grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge, needing to distract myself. "I’m going to head out to the garage and do some writing." I bolted for the front door, needing to escape before Carlos pressed me further.
The path to the garage felt longer than usual. I took a deep breath, bracing myself. As I threw open the doors, I held my breath, hoping… hoping to find them. Alex and Reggie were sprawled out on the worn couches, tossing a beat-up baseball back and forth. They bolted upright when I cleared my throat, their attention snapping to me.
"Hey, Julie," Reggie grinned, waving a lazy hand.
Alex smacked Reggie’s chest with the back of his hand.
"How are you guys feeling after last night? Any more jolts?" My voice was barely a whisper. I needed to know if they were okay, if they were still… here.
"Nothing since they disappeared last night," Alex answered, shoving his hands into his pockets, rocking back and forth. He looked… restless.
I glanced around the room, confusion tightening in my chest. Where was Luke? Why hadn't he emerged since I'd arrived?
"Uh guys… where’s Luke?"
Reggie shrugged, a flicker of something – happiness? – crossing his face. "Oh, he left sometime last night. Just… poof."
My smile vanished. The blood drained from my face. Why would he leave? Was he hurt? Had he finally finished whatever unfinished business haunted him and crossed over? What if I never saw him again?
Alex noticed my shift, giving Reggie a disappointed look. He gestured towards me with a frustrated wave of his hand.
"I’m sure he’s fine, Julie," Reggie said, trying to sound reassuring. "He’ll be back."
"Yeah, I guess. Well, I’ve got to head off to school. We can do some planning for our next gigs and stuff when I get home," I answered quickly, desperate to escape the suffocating dread that was rising inside me. I turned and fled the garage, needing to put distance between myself and the terrifying emptiness where Luke should be.