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#luke patterson masterlist
onetoomanyfilms · 2 years
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Masterlist 🌙
just a few moments when i feel like writing something fun for a change:
Steve Harrington
Stay Alive (imagine x gn!mayfield!reader) - angst and fluff all rolled into one
part one  part two
Fighting For Our Lives (imagine x gn!reader) 
part one  part two
Season 2 Fight with Billy. A few hours ago, you thought a demogorgon only existed in D&D, how wrong you were. And now you’re here, fighting side-by-side with the people you would happily die protecting, and the one person you truly cared for.
Luke Patterson
My Heart’s Always Yours (series x fem!reader masterlist)
 i didn’t finish, but who knows, maybe in the future
Reggie Peters
Champagne Problems (imagine x fem!reader)
| collab with @vanillann 🍂 ‘jatp evermore’ collection 🍂 | angst and sadness but T Swift makes it worthwhile
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ashleycatchemm · 2 years
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Paring: Reggie Peters x Reader
Summary: (Y/n) (L/n) has been able to see and feel ghosts ever since she was little, which made it hard to tell the ghosts from the humans. Everyone has always thought she was a bit crazy, even her best friends, Julie and Flynn. But when three ghosts with a love for music appear in Julie's garage, suddenly (Y/n) doesn't seem so crazy anymore.
“If our love makes you crazy, then I must be insane.”
*Warnings= mentions of drugs, alcohol, sex and violence throughout the series*
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
A/N: I do give credit to the people who created the song in the beginning of each chapter, but i want to specify that a lot of the songs after season one are “originals” from the band and/or one person, bc I can’t make up 50 different songs for this fic😀
<< Main Masterlist
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borntobewondering · 6 months
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'til your ghost is gone (8k)
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rc-writes · 10 months
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𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬:
◆ 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯
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𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬:
◆ 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯
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𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬:
◆ 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯
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pattersonsleeves · 2 years
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❥ 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 !!
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my content:
julie and the phantoms au’s!
pre-canon sunset curve fics
sunset curve au’s!
julie and the phantoms post-canon fics
!! psa !!
i write solely for fun and entertainment, i do NOT own jatp or any of its characters. all credits are given where it’s due !!
MASTERLIST
requests are: open
i’m new to writing on tumblr so im sorry if this is a mess!! bare with me as i navigate this app, i just wanted somewhere to post my writing!! ily thanks for sticking around and hopefully y’all enjoy my content <3
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holly-louisexox · 1 year
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Masterlist
*Julie and The Phantoms*
*Black Veil Brides*
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that90sghostband · 1 year
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JATP Fic Masterlist
The Great Babysitting Disaster (Luke/Bobby): Luke's first time babysitting Carrie ends with a trip to
Alibi (Juke): Julie is struggling with her mother's death and Luke is doing his best to be there for her.
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criesinliess · 6 months
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━SEPTEMBER 2023; susan's recs
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JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS
━━LUKE PATTERSON
you’re joking, right? @vanillann
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MARVEL
━━PETER PARKER
sticky notes @vanillann
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HARRY POTTER
━━THEODORE NOTT
shut up kiss me @azrielscrown
stop the world i wanna get off with you @↑
you’ve bewitched me @patrophthia
make it make sense @↑
i thought you knew @agirlsguidetolove
━━THE SLYTHERIN BOYS
seven minutes in heaven @azrielscrown
secret admirer @cloudybarnes
━━DRACO MALFOY
obsessed @agirlsguidetolove
━━GEORGE WEASLEY
girls on film @dreamcubed
━━OLIVER WOOD
more than a woman @dreamcubed
━━MATTHEO RIDDLE
this love @wordsarelife
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OUTER BANKS
━━RAFE CAMERON
are we still friends? @strwberrygirls
if you love her @abrunettefangirlnerd
m.i.a. @rafeandonlyrafe
teenage jealousy @viawritesstuff
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STRANGER THINGS
━━STEVE HARRINGTON
tell me you love me; part2 @upsidedownmvnson
please never fall in love again @french-goodbye
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LOCKWOOD & CO
━━ANTHONY LOCKWOOD
between colleagues @atlabeth
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ONE PIECE LIVE ACTION
━━BUGGY
you started it @plutoswritingplanet
little pieces here and there @erideights
━━SANJI
go fish! @honnelander
back of house @paperultra
let him @xlpoww
coos @↑
━━ZORO
nobody but you @halfvalid
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THE BEAR
━━CARMY BERZATTO
always have but never hold — masterlist @bubbles-for-all-of-us
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heliads · 11 months
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sorry to send in two requests but if you've got the time Luke Patterson x reader where she is his tutor for English or something and he develops a crush, so even when he understands the stuff she's teaching him he pretends to be confused so that the tutoring sessions last longer. And then one day he gets a good grade and she's proud of him but that means the sessions are over so he builds up the courage to ask her out? You can put this at the bottom of the list or not even write it because I know how swamped your requests get, but ily.
do not apologize for two requests!! my blog exists for you!! and jatp s2 may be dead but my feelings for that show are not. xoxo
masterlist
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Luke Patterson is currently fighting a one-man war against his English class, and he is losing. Badly. This was not supposed to be his problem class, he was thinking the biggest struggle would be math or science, but surprise surprise, there’s no such thing as a class you can just skate through. He tried to skate through English. He tried really, really hard, but instead of Spark Notes-ing his way through whatever classic book they threw his way, Luke’s staring at a bright red D on his latest essay.
This would happen to be the most recent essay they were assigned, the one Luke pushed off until the last minute because he was too invested in getting some good songs down on paper. He hadn’t meant to procrastinate, he never does, it’s just that whenever Luke had a spare hour or two, it’s always far more tempting to head out to the studio and mess around with some chord progressions than to do homework.
This essay had gone just like all the other ones so far this year. The book had been assigned, the essay followed not soon after, and Luke told himself that he was going to start it on time for a change. The only problem was that he came home late that day after a shift at his job, so he couldn’t start it that day, and then he was studying for a test the next day, and after that he was working on songs. Before he knew it, it was the night before and he was speed writing to get everything down in time. Luke doesn’t even think he had time to proofread before turning in that mess.
So yeah, he shouldn’t really be surprised about this grade in particular. Still, he isn’t pleased about it. He doesn’t want to see the look on his parents’ face when he dodges another question about his grades, nor listen to all the other kids in his class talk about how easy that essay prompt was. Everything just makes him feel worse.
And, if Luke’s day couldn’t get any better, his English teacher pulls him aside after class to talk about it.
“I noticed your last few assignments haven’t been going as expected,” she says sympathetically, “is there anything you want to tell me about that?”
There’s a lot Luke wants to tell her, such as the fact that this class is dry as a saltine and twice as bland. They’ve spent the last few classes just going over social hierarchies around the time when the book was written, talk about boring. If Luke wanted to study history, he’d read a textbook.
He can’t say all that without damaging his final grade even more, though, so Luke plasters on a grin and does his best impression of an earnest student who’s just had a bad string of luck. “Not really, I’ve just been so busy recently that I didn’t have enough time to really ponder the prompt, you know?”
Usually, this is Luke’s best strategy for getting out of these kinds of nonsense conferences. He’ll whip out a few key words like ‘time commitments’ and whatnot and his teachers will fall for it every time.
He might have done this too often, though, because his teacher just nods and refuses to let him go. “That makes sense to me. Do you think it would help to spend a little more time exploring the prompt or connecting the book to the essay topics?”
“Sure,” Luke says vaguely. He’s only half paying attention; he just saw Reggie outside the door mouthing the words what did you do?? as dramatically as he could.
The teacher looks pleased by this. “That’s what I thought. I’ve gone ahead and signed you up for some tutoring sessions, you’ll start this afternoon after school.”
Luke blinks. “Wait, what?” Clearly, he hasn’t been paying attention nearly enough. Since when was tutoring on the table?
The teacher spreads her hands. “You need a little more help and organization to stay on track. Tutoring is the perfect answer to this.”
“Is it?” Luke asks feebly.
“Absolutely,” the teacher decides, and that’s that. Luke tries to wheedle his way out of it through repetition of how busy he is, like, all the time, but it doesn’t matter. She’s caught him in a half-lie and there’s nothing he can do to avoid it.
Reggie’s waiting for Luke outside the door when he finally leaves. “What happened in there?”
“Pure misery,” Luke groans, and contemplates giving himself a concussion by ‘accidentally’ falling down the stairs so he can go home without having to go to tutoring.
Unfortunately, Reggie enlists Alex in keeping Luke free of head trauma, and so he finds himself in an empty classroom later that afternoon, mournfully watching all of the other students leave the school with no doubt wonderful plans awaiting them.
Luke’s just starting to wonder if his tutor isn’t going to show up after all (after fifteen minutes, he’s legally allowed to leave, right) when someone slides into the seat in front of him.
“Sorry about being late,” they gasp, “I just found out I was doing this like ten minutes ago.”
Luke breaks his desolate stare out the window to glance at his tutor and instantly, he feels the crushing weight of shame bear down on him tenfold. It would have been one thing to have a total stranger be his tutor, someone Luke could avoid looking at in the hallways and never speak to again, but he knows this girl. More importantly, he’s thought she was cute for at least the last four years.
This is the worst case scenario, then. Y/N L/N is smart, she’s pretty, and judging by the fact that Luke always sees her in a group of friends laughing at her jokes, she’s funny, too. Definitely someone Luke would want to impress through gigs or shows instead of, say, his crumbling English grades.
“I’m Y/N,” she says, and Luke realizes that she’s probably been waiting for him to say something. Great, he can’t even introduce himself properly.
“Luke,” he answers, “but you probably knew that already.”
Y/N laughs, and judging by the slightly manic tone behind it, she’s just about as composed about the whole thing as he is. That makes him settle slightly in his chair, lowering his guard. “I was told that I would be tutoring you when I was trying to leave class. Ms. Brown pulled me aside when the bell rang and told me about it.”
“That makes two of us,” Luke grumbles.
The corners of Y/N’s lips quirk up before she manages to tamp them down again, and if Luke weren’t totally out of his mind, he might even say that Y/N has the same attitude towards their English teacher as he does. That would certainly make this whole tutoring experience a lot more interesting.
“So,” she says, clearing her throat in an attempt to sound official, “you wanted to talk about essay pointers, right?”
Luke starts to say something about how he didn’t want any of this, actually, but Y/N arches a brow and he relents. “Yeah, essay stuff. The last one didn’t go over too hot.”
Y/N tilts her head to the side, contemplating this. “Did you agree with her grading?”
“Yeah,” Luke admits, “she wasn’t wrong to mark me down, I kind of did it the night before in one sitting.”
Y/N frowns. “Really? Why’d you put it off so long? I thought you liked writing. Whenever I see you, you’re always jotting something down in that notebook of yours.”
Luke grins. “You’ve been watching me? That’s creepy, you know.” He’s obviously holding back a laugh, though, so the comment has no trace of a barb.
Y/N rolls her eyes, although her face looks a little hot at the moment. “Just answer the question.”
“Alright,” he says, hands raised in mock surrender, “you’re right, I do like writing.”
“Then why wait until the last minute to do the essay? I mean, I get not having a ton of time to work on assignments, but if you really do enjoy writing, it shouldn’t be all that bad, right?”
Luke groans. “ This is different. It’s not fun writing,” he tries to excuse himself.
It sounds bad even to him. Already, Luke can see how this is going to play out– she’ll laugh at him, maybe, say that someone who just got a grade like him can’t possibly be thinking about writing and fun in any way at all. She doesn’t, though. Instead, she nods and smiles at him. A real smile. Not mocking in any way.
“What is fun writing, then?” She asks.
Luke blinks in surprise. “Well, writing songs is fun, I guess,” he stammers, “stuff that actually matters, you know? All these essays are the exact same, but songs are all different. That’s why I care about them and not some pointless paper.”
Y/N nods. “That makes sense to me. So you release music, right?”
Luke isn’t sure where she’s going with this, but he’s perfectly happy to talk about music instead of that offensive red scribble all over his paper, so he plays along. “Yeah, me and my band. We try to, at least.”
“Have you ever gotten a review that bothered you? Not because they didn’t like it, but because they disliked your songs for the wrong reason? Like you had a whole story in mind for your album but the critics just ignored it?” She prompts him.
“Yeah,” Luke says, eyes widening with irritation, “Man, it’s so annoying. You go to all the trouble of writing out these ideas, and you make them have a really good meaning, too, and then it’s like they never read it at all. It makes me so mad sometimes, I want to write a column or something in response about how they totally missed my point.”
“Like, say, an argumentative essay about the real strengths of your chosen piece of writing?” Y/N says as casually as she can.
Luke’s about to argue and say that’s not like this at all, but on second thought, it is. It totally is. “Wait, you’re right. I never thought about it like that, but you’re right. Y/N L/N,” he decides on the spot, “I really like you.”
She grins back at him. “Luke Patterson, I like you too.”
That settles it for him. Luke had been annoyed at the thought of having to suffer through tutoring beforehand, but maybe he’ll be alright with it now. Y/N isn’t a part of the oppressive legion of teachers all conniving to make his life a living hell because he wants to be a musician instead of a doctor or a banker, she’s on his side. That makes it all better somehow.
And, unsurprisingly, it is better. Luke actually ends up having a really good time in his tutoring sessions with Y/N. They don’t feel like tutoring at all, more like a chance to hang out with a friend. They talk about Jane Austen and tell awesome jokes, read Shakespeare and spend more and more time together. Luke knows this is only a temporary thing until his grades get back up, but it’s too easy to forget that.
Until, one day, it isn’t. His English teacher hands back an essay with a bright red ‘A’ marked on the front, and tells him that she’s proud of all the progress he’s made so quickly. Instead of a sigh of relief, the only thing escaping Luke’s lips is a desolate sigh. After all, if Luke’s improved to this point, that kind of means his tutoring sessions will be over, right?
Y/N doesn’t know that, though. Y/N doesn’t have access to his grades. All she knows is what Luke tells her, and if informing her of his latest essay win means she’ll stop seeing him after school, why should Luke let slip a single syllable?
So, later that day, when Y/N asks him how the latest essay went, Luke shrugs and pretends to be disappointed. “I’d hoped for more,” he says, “she, uh, didn’t like my commentary.”
“Really?” Y/N questions, frowning slightly, “I thought you were really good at that.”
Luke’s eyes widen, caught in a lie. “Who knows with teachers, right?” He laughs weakly.
Y/N pretends to shudder. “I know, right? I feel like half of your grade is literally just how much she likes you. English classes are always so subjective.”
“Subjective?” Luke asks, grinning and propping his chin up on his hand, “Tell me about that.”
Y/N laughs. “Only if you promise we’ll talk Jane Eyre immediately afterwards. Immediately.”
“I so swear,” Luke intones, holding up his right hand with all the solemnity of a president being sworn into office.
Y/N swats him on the shoulder with her notebook, but she obliges, and maybe they don’t talk about Jane immediately. Maybe they laugh a little longer than usual. And maybe, just maybe, Luke thinks that he’s perfectly fine with obscuring the truth if it means he can have more of this when he needs it the most.
The truth, unfortunately, has a habit of making itself heard regardless of who is inclined to hide it. Luke comes into their usual study spot in the library one day to see Y/N waiting for him, not already in her seat like normal but standing tentatively at the side.
He frowns, slinging his backpack down on the ground and pulling up a chair. “Everything alright? You look like you’re about to run. If you’ve got something planned, we can do this another day.”
Y/N shakes her head slightly. “No, I’m free all day.”
Luke gestures towards the table. “Then sit down, my legs are getting tired just looking at you. We’ve got stuff to study, don’t we?”
“Well, that’s what I was going to ask about,” Y/N says, “Ms. Brown stopped me after class today, said she had someone else she wanted me to tutor. I said I was already booked with you and she was confused. Apparently you’ve been doing just fine for quite some time.”
Luke feels his breath catch in his throat. This is not how he’d wanted Y/N to find out. For what must be the hundredth time this year, Luke sends out a silent curse to all meddlesome English teachers.
“Yeah,” he says as carefully as he can, “I have, but only because of your expert tutoring. It’s like antibiotics, you know? You don’t stop taking ‘em when you start feeling better, only when the prescription is over.”
Y/N blinks at him in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
He runs a hand through his hair, trying not to feel like everything is slipping out of control in an instant. “It was a simile, sorry. A bad one. All I mean is that we don’t have to stop this just because I got a good grade or two.”
Y/N almost looks like she’s smiling, but that could just be Luke being delusional. “I thought you didn’t want to do tutoring.”
“I didn’t at the start, but you’re different. We’re cool. We are cool, right?” Luke starts rambling more and more with each passing second, but he can’t help it. He’s overthinking everything. What if he’s literally just been a tutee this whole time, and she doesn’t think they’re friends at all?
Y/N stares at him a second longer, then takes a seat at last. “Luke Patterson, are you telling me that you like my company so much that you’re willing to keep going to extra English practice just to see me?”
Luke can feel his face heating up, but he does his best to ignore it. “Well, when you put it that way, it sounds–” He still has a little bit of self control left, so he cuts himself off before he can make a truly terrible mistake.
Y/N catches him, though. “It sounds like what?”
“It sounds like I like you,” he admits, and Y/N’s smiling at him, so he decides to take the leap of faith and just do what he’s been wanting to do for quite some time. Since the start of this, actually. “And I do like you. I like you a lot. I might not need the tutoring anymore, but that doesn’t mean I want to stop seeing you. So what if we met up sometime soon? Not for English, for us.”
Luke decides that he likes Y/N’s smile more than anything. “Are you asking me out?” She says.
“I am,” he affirms. “Are you saying yes?”
“I am,” she repeats.
Suddenly, Luke feels like the luckiest kid of all. Maybe he does have to throw in a good word or two for meddlesome English teachers after all. Sometimes they have a way of connecting you with the best people in the world.
requested by @thatfangirl42, i hope you enjoy!
jatp tag list: @rogueanschel, @retvenkos, @callsign-scully, @lovesanimals0000, @amortensie
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laviefantasie · 2 months
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It Kinda Makes Sense
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Pairings: Alive!Luke Patterson x Alive!Reader
Summary: Los Feliz High School, the best school for future actors, singers, or any kind of artists. Home to the top couple formed by Luke Patterson, the perfect boy soon-to-be rockstar, and Y/N Y/L/N, troubled goth girl with the voice of an angel. A match make in heaven... or hell.
{ BASED ON VICTORIOUS’ JADE AND BECK }
| MASTERLIST |
If you asked Julie Molina what had been her first thought once she had stepped foot on Los Feliz she would say it had been... confusing.
The school was beautiful, with bright blue lockers decorated in unbelievable ways to adolescents dressed as bright blue bobcats. It was truly a sight.
The other thing that was a sight was the group of students that captured most of the other teenagers’ attention. Especially two teens who happened to be having what appeared to be a screaming battle. Screaming battle that ended once ice e/c eyes found Julie’s across the hallway.
“Lost something, shorty?” The unknown girl snaps, “MIND YOUR BUSINESS!”
Her words had caused the boy she had previously been fighting with to sigh in shame before looking her way.
Julie’s breath got stuck in her throat.
The boy was beautiful. Scratch that, he was handsome. Untaimed brown hair with wild hazel —maybe green— eyes, the boy could be anyone’s dream boy.
“Y/N, could you not?”
Julie’s brown eyes move to the girl glaring daggers at her only to have her heart skip a beat. The girl —Y/N apparently— was breathtakingly beautiful. She had wavy h/c hair with some dark blue streaks that matched her skin color perfectly and powerful e/c eyes.
Said girl rolls her eyes before glaring at Julie once more before focusing once again on the pretty boy besides her.
“Fine. I won’t. But this conversation is over”
“We haven’t even had the conversation!” The boy argues back.
“And it’s over!”
The dark-dressed girl stomps off leaving the boy groaning in frustration. Julie taking that opportunity to check out the rest of the group.
With her back pressed to a locker decorated with different colorful fabrics stood a light brown haired girl —could be dark blonde— with brown eyes dressed in a beautiful pink dress and black heels to match. She seemed to be debating whether to follow her friend or staying still.
Besides her was a dark-haired boy with sky blue eyes standing out thanks to his pale skin. He was wearing a leather jacket on top of a white shirt, with a red flannel tied on his waist, and black jeans. His eyes glued to the floor.
Lastly, there was the blond boy with a pink hoodie and blue —sometimes green— eyes. He seemed to be pretty used to what had just happened.
The blond one is the one who noticed her still staring at them, offering a sweet smile before walking towards her and stretching his hand.
“Hi, I’m Alex. I’ve never seen you before”
She grabs his hand with a small smile, “Julie. I’m new”
Her name seems to snap the leather jacket boy from his trance, his bright blue eyes soon finding hers with a big smile adorning his features.
“You’re the girl that sang for Flynn on the school’s talent show! I’m Reggie”
Julie blushes as soon as he speaks, everyone’s eyes staring at her with realization and a little of awe.
“Flynn is my best friend, I just wanted to help her out”
“Well, it worked for you. You got a scholarship” pretty boy adds, “I’m Luke”
Julie cannot help the way her smile grows as soon as he smirks at her. He seriously had to be the most gorgeous boy she had ever seen.
The pretty light brown haired girl with the pink dress joins her friends in greeting her, Julie blushing under the vibrant smile she gives her.
“Hi! I’m Carrie”
Julie goes to grab her hand but the girl —Carrie— pulls her in for a hug. The gesture has Julie’s shoulders tensing, she hadn’t willingly hug anyone after her mother’s death a few months ago, but she soon forced herself to relax.
This was a new start. No pity stares or whispers directed at her.
“It’s nice to meet you guys”
After that meeting the curly-haired girl became a part of their weird group of friends. Soon learning that the beauty ice queen dressed in all black was Y/N Y/L/N, Los Feliz High School’s prodigy and Luke’s girlfriend.
It was no secret that the girl was talented, but she was as talented as scary. Julie hadn’t listened too much of everyone’s warnings, she was sure it was all because of how she dressed and acted and not at all for the kind of person she truly was.
Boy, was she wrong.
She learned that the hard way after getting a role on a play Y/N wanted. A role that played Luke’s romantic interest.
She had ended up one rehearsal with hot coffee thrown at her and icy e/c eyes glaring daggers at her with a sweet —fake— smile. Luke’s apologies were not enough to calm the humiliation Julie felt.
And even if the brown-haired latina wasn’t fond of vengeance, she couldn’t stop herself. And if she kissed Luke longer than necessary after sending a wink the goth girl’s way, it was a mere coincidence.
A coincidence that resulted in her having to watch her back every time she stepped on school’s property.
But things did get better with time and Julie and Y/N became kinda friends. At least enough for Y/N to tolerate Julie and for Julie to not be afraid to sit close to the scissors fanatic.
They were okay. As okay as someone could be with the girl who kissed the other’s boyfriend. But okay nevertheless.
But the more time she spent at the school and the closer she got to all of them, the more she doubted the health of Luke’s and Y/N’s relationship. Today being one of those days.
“What are you saying?!”
“I’m just saying, what kind of friend sends you eight messages in a lapse of five minutes?!”
As soon as the words leave the screaming girl’s mouth, Luke’s phone rings signaling the arrival of another text message making Y/N’s glare darken.
“Nine” she growls.
“You don’t even know if it’s from her!”
Y/N glares at him in disbelief, “Okay! Then prove me wrong!”
With a scoff, Luke gets his phone out before checking the recipient of the message only to let out a sigh that proves his girlfriend right.
“Nine?”
He nods in defeat, “Nine. B-but this is ridiculous! She is my FRIEND”
“How naive are you?!”
The couple fights for a couple more minutes before Luke’s gaze finds Julie in front of her butterfly and music doodles decorated locker. The rockstar grabbing his girl’s hand before tugging her towards the latina.
“Julie!”
Her brown eyes find the couple, widening when they see the coldness in Y/N’s eyes before trying to make a run for it.
She doesn’t make it far as Luke’s hand grabs a hold of her wrist keeping her in place.
“We need your help”
“No, we don’t” Y/N argues back.
“YES, we do”
Julie looks at her surroundings looking for a way to get out of there but finding nothing. Where was Alex when she needed him?
“Guys, I really don’t want to be in the middle of whatever this is”
She tries to leave but once again Luke pulls her back, “Too late. If you were my girlfriend—”
“HA! What a perfect way to start”
Luke glares at his girlfriend for the interruption before turning towards Julie once again, failing to notice how uncomfortable the situation was making the latina.
Somehow she was once again in between them, although this time it wasn’t her fault.
“If you were my girlfriend” he starts again, “Would it bother you if I was friends with Kayla?”
“Who cares what she thinks?” / “Honestly, it would”
Both girls speak simultaneously. Y/N’ eyes widening as soon as the Latina’s words register, grabbing a hold of the girl’s shoulders to keep her in place.
“I care what she says” Y/N smiles.
“I want to leave” Julie adds before trying to move only for Y/N’s hold to tighten.
“You stay” she barks.
The argument wasn’t unlike many others, Y/N’s temper wasn’t the best and that meant she sometimes got too jealous. It didn’t help that Luke Patterson didn’t know when to say no nor know the difference between friendly and flirty.
It was just another Luke and Y/N argument, nothing to worry about. Except it was different. Julie realized that as soon as Y/N let go of her and started walking away.
“We’re DONE”
The words had everyone in the hallway quiet down and stare at the ‘it’ couple. Eyes settled on Luke’s surprised reaction and Y/N’s tensed body.
“Come on” Luke voices “You’re being ridiculous”
“What do you care?!” She screams back before starting to leave, “You’re not my boyfriend anymore”
Word around the school traveled fast and soon girls were following Luke around begging for his attention, much to his annoyance.
On the other hand, every time a guy tried to get near Y/N she would turn her icy glare at them and have them running away in seconds.
It was a weird and new situation. Especially at lunch. It was weird seeing the former couple sitting on opposite sides of the table instead of at the side of the other with Luke’s arm resting on Y/N’s shoulders.
It was new territory to have Luke inevitably —as a habit— reach for Y/N only to have her snap at him to not touch her, just as she did to everyone else.
But that was what they had to deal with for two weeks.
Two weeks is how long it took for Y/N to ask Luke to take her back only to have him reject her. Two weeks that made Y/N go crying to Julie’s house, the only one of her friends —not really her friend— whose opinion mattered much less than the others.
“What are you doing in my house?” Is the first thing that Julie says as she sees the other girl.
Y/N gets into the house without waiting for an invitation before starting to sob, Julie standing there in panic as she sees the cold hearted teenager break down.
The latina tries to go for a hug only to be pushed back.
“I need your help”
A long talk later, Y/N convinced the Molina girl to help her get Luke back. Somehow, Julie had the fantastic idea that she had to change.
Y/N Y/L/N was a time bomb. Always ready to explode without a care on who she takes down. That had to change.
Julie realized then that the girl was truly in love with Luke. Y/N was letting her —Julie Molina— see her cry her eyes out just to ask for help to get him back. She was letting Julie give her a makeover just to get him back.
She was truly in love.
The next day at school everyone stared wide-eyed at the beauty that was Y/N Y/L/N in a colorful outfit and a wide smile —though it was a fake one—.
Everyone except Luke. The brunette boy stared at his former girlfriend with furrowed eyebrows not liking the change, his expression not changing even when Alex and Reggie complimented her.
He also couldn’t help the glares he sent any boy who came to flirt with her, his glares darkening every time she flirted back. This was not his girl and he knew whose fault it was.
His now dark green eyes find Julie’s proud smile across the hall and soon he stomps towards her, grabbing her by the arm before taking her to the janitor’s closet.
“What did you do to Y/N?”
Julie furrows her eyebrows in confusion as she sees the angry look the guitarist is giving her, but soon smirks as she confuses it with jealousy.
“What? Jealous of the attention she is receiving?”
“Actually, I’m mad that she is receiving the attention for dressing like a Barbie” he argues back, “That is not her, that is not the girl I love”
Julie’s eyes widen after the boy’s words before he storms off, leaving her with an unexpected knowledge.
The latina goes to look for Y/N as soon as she snaps out of her trance only to find said girl in the bathroom back in her black clothes while doing her dark eyeshadow.
“Wha—ho—I’m confused”
“Being nice sucks” she answers as she finishes her makeup, “Thanks for the help but, if I can be honest, I was better without it”
“Bu— and Luke?”
“If he ever wants to get back together it has to be with me, the real me. Not a version of me dressed in awfully ridiculous clothes”
“Those were my clothes”
“Exactly my point”
With that Y/N walks out of the bathroom ignoring the looks that followed her figure, leaving Julie once again at loss of words.
A week after, Luke and Y/N were back together and closer than ever. But the honeymoon phase faded and the fights started once again. But Julie learned to see the beauty in their arguments.
Every argument got Luke out of his perfectly peaceful demeanor and got him to voice his thoughts out more, it helped him stand up more for himself. And every argument showed the depth of Y/N’s feelings for the guitarist, it showed how much she cared.
It’s just that sometimes they didn’t know when to stop arguing.
Of course now Julie wasn’t blind to their little moments. The way Y/N always stopped when Luke asked her to or how Luke always kissed the girl’s temple sweetly.
Or how when Bobby —Sunset Curve’s (which was the boys’ band) rhythm guitarist (who she hadn’t met)— left the boys, it was Y/N who approached the curly-haired girl thinking she was the perfect fit for the remake of the band.
It was Y/N, who barely tolerated her, who adviced them to change the band’s name as they changed their sound slightly. Julie and the Phantoms, had been her idea after the boys ghosted the girls on the group chat.
Julie knew the only reason why Y/N had done that was because she knew how much the band meant to Luke.
She wasn’t blind to how Luke would only ever snap when it was to protect Y/N, even if he knew she was perfectly capable of doing it herself. Or how he always bought a hot chocolate with his coffee for her.
With time, Julie realized it kinda made sense why they were together even when she couldn’t quite completely understand it.
But soon the fights started again, this time worst than ever. It was different because instead of bickering until one gave in, neither seemed interested enough in fighting.
It worried all of them because their fights —as annoying as they sometimes were— showed how much each cared. Now it seemed they didn’t.
To be completely fair, Julie understood if anyone outside their group saw the relationship as toxic. She had seen it as toxic once. But it just made sense in a weird way. It just made sense for the kind of people they were, they complemented one another.
But this time the fights were just too much. That’s why when the traditional friend group game night happen, Y/N and Luke weren’t invited.
Carrie —Y/N’s undoubted best friend— was sick of fainting every time she got stuck in the middle, the innocent and kind girl couldn’t take the stress.
Reggie, the boyish teenager with the purest heart ever, didn’t want to cry anymore. He couldn’t handle the screaming and that’s all the couple did.
Alex, on the other hand, was tired of having to grab his asthma medicine every time they appeared. The fights making him get too anxious which always caused him a panic attack which led to his inability to breathe which led to an asthma attack.
No one could take it anymore.
So they decided to have an evening free of them, one well deserved. But it didn’t work as planned as the couple stormed into Julie’s home half an hour after everyone started playing Monopoly.
“See! Told you they’d be here”
Y/N rolls her eyes, “So? What does it matter if they’re at dumbass’ house?”
Julie rolls her eyes at the insult but nevertheless listens closely to the couple, all her friends groaning in annoyance at the interruption.
“It matters because our friends, our best friends, don’t want to be near us anymore!” He argues “Doesn’t this bother you?”
“Not really” she shrugs, “Should it? Wait... does it bother you?”
“It does! They’re our best friends and they can’t stand us”
Y/N crosses her arms across her chest before turning to glare at their friends, Carrie hiding under the table with a shriek as soon as she sees her best friend gaze at her.
Seeing the icy glare that the girl throws at them, Reggie shakily takes a deep breath before standing up and looking at them with annoyance.
“Yes! We can’t stand either of you!” He shouts, “We wanted a day free of you both because all you ever do is fight! And, somehow, you always seem to drag us to the middle of it. We’re tired!”
As soon as Reggie finishes, the dark-haired boy sits down with a huff. His shoulders feeling less tense as he let out his emotions.
The couple watched their best friends with mixed feelings, neither expecting the outburst and much less from Reggie. Reggie who had always been one to avoid conflict.
“I cannot believe this” Luke sighs “Reggie snapped at us. REGGIE”
“This is you fault!” She accuses “How hard is it to just agree with me?!”
“BUT I DON’T AGREE WITH YOU”
“BECAUSE YOU ARE WRONG”
The four friends sighed in defeat as they listened to the couple bicker once more with one another, how had a fun night turned to a nightmare all of a sudden?
They silently decided to just stay in their seats waiting for the couple to stop the nonsense as they always did.
“WHAT BOTHERS YOU SO MUCH?!”
“THAT I AM NOT HAPPY WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP!”
The words cut through Y/N’s strong façade in a second, the glare faltering as Luke’s eyes widen after realizing what he had said.
No one dared move nor say anything. Everyone had their eyes on the couple that seemed to be coming to terms with how bad the situation had become.
“Fine” she sighs in defeat “You have a choice. I’m walking out that door and counting to ten, if you’re not out before I finish we are DONE”
Luke sighs frustrated as he watches her leave, the door closing with a thud behind her.
“One”
He stays still on his place with his fists clenching as he fights the urge to run to her and scream at her what was the reason for this ultimatum.
“Two”
Luke knows he needs to calm down. He has to. He had to if he wanted to be able to go after her without fighting as soon as he saw her.
“Three”
Y/N counted behind the door, staring at it with nerves as she asks herself how he could take so long to come after her. What was taking him so long to decide that she was worth going after?
“Four”
The four friends behind Luke stare with wide eyes as they try to figure out what is it that the brunette is going to do.
They want him to go after her. Carrie, Reggie, and Alex more than Julie. The three best friends had been there throughout all the relationship. They had seen Luke be the only one brave enough to pursue the cruel beauty. They had seen Y/N being the only one that cared more about Luke’s heart than his looks.
They knew how much this relationship was worth. Even with all the fights, they knew the love the two had for one another was deeper than any outsider could understand at first sight.
He had to go after her.
“Five”
Luke sighs looking towards his friends once before deciding what he wants to do. He can’t lose her, no matter how much they fight.
No one understood him like she did. No one cared enough to tell him when he was wrong or to fight with him until he fought for what he wanted.
“Six”
Y/N feels her eyes widen as she realizes how much time he is taking. It should’ve been easy, he shouldn’t have even let her count to three.
He should’ve opened the door the second she closed it.
“Seven”
Sighing, Luke starts slowly making his way towards the door. His best friends sighing in relief as they see him do it.
Julie, though, watches closely as the boy’s shoulders tense the closer he gets.
“Eight”
Carrie furrows her eyebrows once she sees Luke starting to halt in his steps. She knew Y/N better than anyone, Y/N had been the only one willing to take the ‘obnoxious naive superstar’s daughter’ under her wing and be completely honest with her.
She knows better than anyone that if Luke lets her walk away just like her father let her mother walk away with her, that’ll break her.
“Nine”
Luke grabs a hold of the handle but for some reason he can’t bring himself to turn it and open the door.
Something feels wrong about opening it, almost as wrong as it feels to not open it.
He is scared of what it means if he opens it, or how easily he gives in. Something had to change. Maybe he needed to let her walk away, Y/N always came back. She would go to his house in the middle of the night and they would fix everything.
It would be okay, they would be okay. They always were. This was no difference, they just needed some time to think, to breathe.
So he doesn’t turn the knob.
“Ten”
Y/N feels her heart stop the moment she screams the last number. She feels her heart sink to her stomach as a feeling of abandonment settles in her.
She feels her skin pale and soon reaches for the knob, but she doesn’t allow herself to touch it. He made his choice.
So with every ounce of strength she could find within her, Y/N turns around and makes her way to her car knowing that he could catch a ride with Alex. The tears started accumulating in her e/c eyes but she didn’t let them fall.
Y/N Y/L/N didn’t cry. She wasn’t about to start... at least not in a place where someone could see her.
Inside the Molina’s household, the best friends stare at Luke in disbelief, neither knowing what to say or do now. The Patterson boy makes the decision for them.
“Let’s play some Monopoly”
The statement has everyone else following his movements in silence, knowing better than to act against him.
Carrie, though, is the one that finally breaks the silence as she lets out a quiet sob. She was angry, mainly at herself for not being able to go after her best friend. But she knew better. Y/N was a person who protected her feelings more than anything else, she was in pain and she wouldn’t let it out if someone was watching her. So Carrie had to stay on her seat even if she wanted to run after her.
“You hurt her” whispered the sweet teenager, “I trusted you, she trusted you, with her heart and you hurt it”
It was at that moment, with Carrie’s pretty brown eyes filled with tears as she glared at him with all her willpower, that Luke realized how wrong he had been. He thought it would be okay but Carrie’s reaction proved him wrong.
Carrie showed him that this time was different from the others. If the sweet girl willingly glared at him with so much betrayal than it meant that Y/N wasn’t gonna go to his house at midnight.
It meant he had lost her.
Still, as Luke realized that, he stayed on his seat staring intently at the fake money in his hands. He couldn’t change what he had done.
“Let’s start”
The following weeks were a pain for the group of friends. The group had to divide their time between the former couple and it was exhausting.
But things got better and after a couple of months Y/N and Luke started sitting at the same table with their friends once again. It brought some relief to the group.
The hurt from the breakup still pained them though. Y/N was not used to watching so many girls flirt with Luke and watching him flirt back, and Luke was not used to Y/N moving away from his touch while also enjoying the way some guys’ eyes linger on her figure.
Things had changed and it pained them both, but they were finally okay. As okay as they could be at least.
They still loved each other, but they became good at pretending. Soon three months became five and five became seven. And things were okay, they were friends again without any awkwardness surrounding the group.
Still, Julie was sure she wasn’t the only one who noticed the love they still had for the other. It was the little things. The way their eyes lingered on the other when they thought no one was looking, the smiles they faked to play the part; all signs of how much they still loved the other. Even after everything.
So it did come as a surprised when Y/N announced she had a date.
Apparently some senior that participated on the play with her had the balls to ask her out. And she said yes.
While everyone congratulated the mean girl, Luke made some excuse to leave the table while everyone tried to stop themselves from asking the questions that they new neither of the former couple wanted to answer.
‘Are you okay?’ ‘Do you still love her/him?’
Neither wanted to be asked that because the answers broke them. They weren’t okay. They still were in love with one another.
They were afraid they would never stop being in love with the other.
But neither had to say it. All their friends knew it, because they knew them. That’s why no one was surprised when Julie and the Phantoms was saved by Y/N on their concert at a cafe the night of her date.
The girl had screamed at them for keeping the presentation a secret, the band excusing themselves with the thought of not wanting her to miss her date —although they didn’t want to give her the opportunity to bring her date with her to their concert since that would break Luke.
Either way, they boys’ amps had stopped working and in a panic Julie had texted Carrie. Carrie had been helping Y/N get ready and said girl had grabbed her amps and drove them both to the small cafe.
Date completely forgotten without a care.
“You didn’t have to miss your date for this” Luke tells her softly.
She looks at him as if he had lost his mind, “This is your band, Patterson”
Luke’s heart feels heavy in his chest as he realizes the depth behind her words. This was his band and that meant it meant something to her. It meant as much to her as it did to him because it was his.
The brunette boy feels a smile overtake his features along with a small blush, wanting nothing more than to kiss her right there.
But he didn’t. Instead he kissed her cheek.
Y/N’s eyes widened in surprise and soon her perfect skin started acquiring a deep scarlet, which she hid by hurrying Carrie to go find some seats.
If that night Luke sang looking at her too often, then damn him. Who could blame him? Y/N had just giving him more reasons to love her.
After that neither tried to date again. They were silently pining after one another, too afraid to make a move considering the way things ended between them.
But Julie grew tired of it and soon started bugging them to date other people if they weren’t going to date one another.
That’s why when Luke was rejecting Kayla’s date, Julie intervened.
“Sorry, Kayla” he apologizes, “I have rehearsal with the band”
“No, we don’t” Julie smiles “Actually, why don’t you guys come to the concert the school is holding together?”
Luke glared at the talented singer before fake smiling towards the Hawaiian beauty who agreed instantly.
Though once Kayla is out sight, Luke grabs Julie’s arm and pulls her towards the janitor’s closet where he glares at her with dark green eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“You need to date! Get out there, mingle a little”
He shakes his head, “When Y/N finds out about this she’ll despise me”
Julie frowns with confusion, “No, she won’t. She has moved on, you should too”
Luke shakes his head in disbelief making Julie scoff before getting her phone out.
“What are you doing?”
She shushes him before putting her phone on speaker, making Luke’s eyes widen once he sees the called ID being the one of his ex.
He would never voice out loud the way his heart skipped a beat.
“I’m blocking you”, came her cold voice as soon as the call is picked up.
“Wait—Y/N! Don’t hang up!”
A groan is heard making Luke involuntarily smile.
“You have five seconds to tell me what the heck you want before I block you”
“Okay, look, I’m here with Beck—“
“Julie, don’t”
“He’s going with Kayla to the school’s concert, as a date” Julie continues “Just wanted to make sure that’s okay with you”
There’s a ten seconds silence through the line. Ten seconds in which Julie realizes that maybe she was wrong, that maybe she should’ve minded her own business. For so long she had found annoyance in the ways she always ended up in the middle of their problems and here she was, butting in herself.
Ten seconds in which Luke panics. Realizing that he is also awaiting the answer anxiously. There are two ways this could go: Y/N could snap, voicing loudly how she didn’t give a damn, or she could scream asking for answers to questions she shouldn’t have and bad-mouthing Kayla. Both were common in their past. It was a way to showed she cared, that she was jealous and that she wasn’t ready to let him go yet. Both answers would give him the last drop of hope he needed to do something about what he felt towards her.
But when the ten seconds came to an end, neither got an answer they expected from the impulsive ice queen.
“We’re not dating” she reminded them in a voice too soft to be recognized as hers, “We haven’t been for a long time. You don’t have to make sure if it’s okay with me”
“What?”, Luke asks softly, “Y/N, I…”
“I’m being serious right now, Luke”, she continues, “I do appreciate your concern but it’s none of my business who you date”
Silence. Neither Julie nor Luke know what to say or do next. Neither expected the mature response from the H/C haired beauty. Neither knew if they liked it.
“Well, if that was all, don’t call me again”
And she hung up.
Julie stared at her phone in disbelief, but what did she expect? Was she secretly hoping that Y/N would finally snap and this agonizing secret mutual pining they were all forced to endure would finally end? What exactly had she expected to achieve from this?
Definitely not the way Luke was looking right now.
The guitarist looked completely heartbroken and hopeless. The fire that normally resided in his eyes had ceased to exist. And as he looked at one of his best friends while holding tightly onto his backpack’s strap, all that could shine through his eyes was a deep feeling of betrayal.
“I…”
“You should’ve stayed out of it”, he voiced numbly “She doesn’t despise me. It’s worst, she doesn’t care at all”
“Luke…”
“I’ll go on that stupid date, just bug out, will you?”
The days before the concert were painful for every single one of them on their friend group. It was definitely a weird sight to see Luke look so out of it and Y/N so unbothered by it. It was the first time since their break up that their friends doubted the possibility of them ever finding their way back to each other.
When they finally had the courage to ask Luke what was going on, the guitarist told them he had a date with his eyes glued to Y/N body. He was waiting for a reaction, no matter how small it was. Anything really.
But she gave nothing away.
All she did to answer their friends’ curious and astonished gazes was shrug her shoulders and voice she was just trying to finish her song for the school’s concert.
The unbothered air that surrounded her was heartbreaking for everyone around her. It was as if she was truly okay either letting go of Luke and their history. As if she had already given up on them. They couldn’t blame her, it had been a long time since they last were together, but that didn’t change the fact that they all truly believed they were meant to be together and that it was unsettling to see it come to a real end.
Especially by the look on Luke’s eyes. His face may have remained neutral and unfaltering but his eyes could never deceive from his true feelings. He was hurt.
And being hurt but not wanting to show it meant he tried to keep himself as busy as he could until the school’s concert, avoiding all his friends and Y/N especially. And when the time to meet up with Kayla came, Luke had to pretend to be invested in everything she told him; even if most things were just compliments to suck up to him, agreeing to every little thing he said. He didn’t even know if anything that she actually told him was her actual real opinion or if she was just trying that hard to agree with everything he said to be reciprocated.
He didn’t even know anything about who she was and they had been talking for the hour that concert had already been going on.
Favorite song? She would ask his first before saying how much she also loved it. Methods of acting that they found more suitable? She would giggle and twirl her hair waiting for him to answer before giving what she would fake is her own opinion.
It was tiring.
Where was her own fire? Why didn’t she fight back when he disagreed with something she said? Why didn’t she try to show him why she was passionate about it instead of just nodding and giving in?
Why was she making it so easy?
He didn’t like it. He was hating it actually. So he took the first chance he could, excusing himself by saying he needed to refill his drink, to run for it.
That’s how Julie found him after helping the boys set up the instruments for Y/N’s set, which was up next.
“Ooohh, hello, loverboy” she teased him, “Where is your lovely lady of the night?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care”
Julie blinks, surprised by his answer, before grabbing a cup and filling it with the first soda she saw.
“Date not going well?”
“It’s a disaster” he scoffs, “She’s just agreeing with everything I say”
Julie nods, “Isn’t that a good thing, though? Means you have things in common”
“Not really. Not if I don’t know if that is truly what she thinks” he shakes his head “Feels like she’s just trying to agree to everything I say”
“Well, it’s the first date, you know” she sighs, “She probably doesn’t want to fight you on it. Next one will be better”
He shakes his head, “There won’t be a next one”
“WHAT?!”
Luke drinks from his cup while Julie starts stumbling upon her words after what he said. She couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t even gonna give it a chance? The date wasn’t even over yet.
“I think I learned something about myself”
Julie scoffs, “That you’re ungrateful to your friend who tried to help you by fixing you up with a cute girl?!”
“No, I just…” he sighs “I think I kind of like to date a girl who, you know… fights back”
Julie looks at him dumbfounded, not understanding his point.
“I mean a girl who has strong opinions” he continues, “you know? A big mouth”
“Why?”
He shrugs his shoulders, “Cause it’s not easy. Easy is boring”
Julie stares for a good minute before sighing. It kinda made sense. At the end of the day, love was all about growth. Growth didn’t exist without different opinions and dialogues that fought each ideal. It was all about pushing each other to become your very best. How could you do that without bumps along the way?
“Okay…” she sighs, taking a sip of her drink, “Then, who’s not boring?”
Their conversation is cut short by Reggie’s voice on the stage, he had been assigned as the concert’s host and had been doing a magnificent job all night.
“Okay, people! Let’s hear things up with F/N L/N! Let’s go!”
Reggie soon goes to grab the bass as Alex appears behind the drums. Other two students grabbing the guitar and keyboard left.
Luke and Julie take a step closer, that way they have a better view of the stage.
The guitar starts playing the intro as Y/N walks into stage in a cute short black goth dress with fisher nets and combat boots, her hair’s normal blue streaks a dark purple this night. Shortly after she makes her way to the microphone stand the drums join the melody.
And soon her melodious and angelic raspy voice sounds through the place.
“You think you know me
But you don't know me
You think you own me
But you can't control me”
As if it was destined to be, the lyrics bring light to the situation at hand.
There was a reason why Luke and Y/N always ended up gravitating towards one another despite all the horrible fights they endured with each other.
“You look at me and there's just one thing that you see
So listen to me
Listen to me”
Julie feels like smacking herself across the face. The truth was so obvious that she feels dumb to have been so oblivious to it.
“You push me back
I push you back
Harder, harder
You scream at me
I scream at you
Louder, L-L-L-L-Louder”
Luke Patterson was probably one of the most carefree and easy going people she had ever met. He was always carrying this certain peaceful atmosphere around him. He needed someone or something to push him to thrive, to become better than he already was. To fight for his ideals and his dreams. It wasn’t enough to just want them to happen, he had to make them happen and his calm self usually hid from conflict.
F/N L/N was probably the most loud and impulsive person Julie had ever met. Never once had she silenced her opinions, always speaking the truth no matter how cruel it could be. She wasn’t someone who hid from a fight and whenever she wanted something she never stopped until she got it. She needed someone who could stop her when she was going to far, someone to calm the fire that never cease to light up inside of her.
“I'm dangerous so I'm warning you
But you're not afraid of me
And I can't convince you
You don't know me”
There was not one person in the whole world that was meant to be with the other but themselves. They pushed each other, for better and worst. They had the possibility of being the best and the worst thing that could happen to the other.
And as the song keeps going, the truth becomes blinding.
“And the longer that you stay, the ice is melting
And the pain feels okay, it feels okay (hey)”
Luke’s eyes never once stray away from the powerful force that is Y/N as she sings. Her voice loud and powerful as raspy and angelic. His heart beats to the song’s rhythm, unveiling a silent truth that he had been trying so hard to push to the bottom of his being, to afraid of what it truly meant. To afraid of it being to late to mean it.
“You push me back
I push you back
You scream at me
I scream at you
Louder”
Her e/c cold gaze meets his green eyes and suddenly it seems all the iciness in it melts away. As if only his gaze could have that power over her. As if only he was allowed to see the true kind soul hidden behind the cold walls she had taken so long to build around herself.
“You push me back
I push you back
Harder harder
You scream at me
I scream at you
Louder, L-L-L-L-Louder”
And he knows right there and then, as does Julie and his friends, that it is her. It has always been her. It will always be her.
It is Y/N who pushes him until he finally snaps. It is Y/N who fights for him whenever he doesn’t find the will to do so. It is Y/N who loves him so much that she fights to control her impulses whenever he asks her to.
It had always been her and he had been a fool to ever let her walk away without giving a fight. Especially when she had never stopped fighting.
“I'm dangerous so I'm warning you
But you're not afraid of me
And I can't convince you
And I don't have to I think you know me”
Their relationship was flawed. Maybe even toxic. But it was magical. It was powerful and passionate. And it was real.
Never had they ever been afraid to voice their opinions to the other, even fighting back when they disagreed; yet never settling. Never had they ever been afraid to be vulnerable by showing each other how much they truly cared for one another. Never had they ever stopped loving each other.
The applause make Luke blink out of his daze and realize all this time he had been staring right at Y/N. And she had been staring back.
She offers him a soft smile that to anyone else would look like her usual smirk, but he knew better. He had always known better. And that’s how he knows she is fighting, one last time, for him. She has ignited the flame and it is leaving it to him to turn it off once and for all or help it grow as fierce and wild as it can.
Julie smiles softly, “So, Luke… who’s not boring?”
And he smiles.
Step by step he gets closer to the stage where Y/N is still on, nodding at the standing ovation that is applauding her. Only taking her eyes her eyes off the public once he makes it right at her side.
Everyone’s eyes are on them. Silence.
They stand there for a minute just staring at each other. Y/N with her hand folded in front of her and Luke with both his hands buried in his jean’s pockets.
“I’ve missed you” he finally voices.
She shrugs, acting indifferent, “So what are you gonna do about it?”
Two seconds of silence follow in which Luke pauses to admire her challenging e/c gaze, before taking enough steps to be face-to-face with her. His hand leave the safety of his pockets and find their way to the warm of her cheeks before pulling her towards him, lips meeting anxiously.
And it was like a weight was lifted of their chests, letting them finally breathe without struggle.
No matter the fights, the misunderstandings, disagreements or the toxicity. They would always find their way back to each other because of the truth and purity of their love, which was real. Love was never meant to be perfect but it is meant to keep the other grounded, to push the other to grow.
And that’s what always brought Luke and Y/N back. It’s what always would bring them back.
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cantstoptheimagines · 2 years
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Eat Your Heart Out (Luke Patterson | Julie and the Phantoms)
Summary — You want Luke to ask you out, so a plan is set into motion.
Warnings & Other Tags ➳ Mostly fluff with potential for angst; mentions of jealousy and possessiveness; Alex and Reggie being wingmen; Reader can see the Phantoms.
Notes ➳ Word Count is 649. ➳ Reader is gender neutral (they/them).
FAQ | Masterlist | Fandoms | Requests | Coming Soon | Schedule 
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It was obvious that Luke liked you. He made his feelings very well known. From flirtatious comments to gentle touches, he’d do anything to get your attention. He was all about you.
And you reveled in it.
How could you not have feelings for Luke? He was one of the nicest guys you had ever met. Not to mention, he was beautiful with his soft brown hair and hazel eyes that sparkled in the sunlight.
But, for whatever reason, he still hadn’t asked you out, despite being rather open about his crush on you. Alex had told you that his friend was still working up the courage, but you refuted that. You had never known Luke Patterson, of all people, to be nervous in any sense of the word.
“Ya know... if you really want him to ask you out...” 
Your focus was now solely on a smirking Alex. He was sitting next to you, watching a movie with his arms crossed over his chest. His voice had trailed off, but you had recognized the mischievous tone, along with the playful glint in his eyes. 
Your eyebrows furrowed as you asked, “What are you planning in that pretty blond head of yours, Mercer?”
Alex’s grin only widened. Slowly, he turned to look at you and raised his eyebrows. With a tilt of his head, he asked, “Besides Luke, who’s the hottest guy you know? One who could really get Luke in his feelings?”
You thought for a moment before the answer hit you. Revealing your choice to Alex, he bit his lower lip in a failed effort to conceal an excited smile.
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Reggie was laying it on thick.
Despite his initial fears that Luke might tear him apart for flirting with you, he agreed after you and Alex had offered some reassurance. In fact, he seemed to be having fun with your sly plan.
As you smiled at Reggie’s endless stream of compliments, you could practically feel Luke’s gaze burning into you. Alex sat only a few feet away, next to Luke on a couch in Julie’s living room, trying his best not to laugh as he observed the scene.
But then, Reggie reached out to trail his fingertips along your arm. His eyes flickered over your shoulder before widening in excitement. Apparently, that touch had been the last straw for Luke.
You heard the rustle of movement from your spot with Reggie in the kitchen. A presence loomed over you. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Luke’s hand resting next to yours on the counter.
“I think Julie needed to talk to you about something, Reg,” his voice muttered, tense and filled with annoyance, “now.”
Reggie nodded and then returned his attention to you. With a wink, he grinned, “See ya later, sweetheart.”
Oh…
Oh, yes…
Reggie had done it now. As he and Alex left for the garage, Luke moved to stand before you. He watched Reggie’s every move until he finally disappeared through the front door.
“‘See ya later, sweetheart,’” mocked Luke, rolling his eyes. “Well, he’s just too cute, isn’t he?”
You tried to conceal your smile, staring down at your shoes. Luke continued to complain and you soon found yourself caged between his arms. His hands rested against the counter on either side of you.
“Can’t believe he had the guts to do that,” muttered Luke, “especially when he knows you’re mine.”
You could’ve sworn that your heart stopped. Slowly, you met his eyes. Luke stared back at you, seemingly unaware of his own words.
“Yours?”
“Obviously.”
He stepped closer. His chest was almost flush against yours. His hands shifted, linking together behind your back. There was no escape, not that you wanted to. In fact, you were quite content with your situation as Luke slowly began to lean in.
You had finally gotten him to eat his heart out.
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fandomgirlz01 · 1 year
Text
Just Like You 
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Luke Patterson X Reader
Imagine on my fandom instagram?: No
Prompt?: No
Request?: No
Requested prompt?: No
Edited: Yes
Word count: 6,348
Ko-fi
Masterlist
Warnings here
You can listen to the story be read out loud here.
Post Date: November 30th 2022
Post Time: 11:36 pm
Summary: Reader is Alex’s sister, but she also happens to be Luke’s best friend. She’s the person he always runs to for anything. so it doesn’t really come as a shock to anyone that she died alongside them. Reader also really hates shoes so it’s a huge shock to the boys when they find her hanging out around home in the one thing she really hates: shoes. 
Please refrain from stealing our work, thank you and please enjoy!!
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Y/n’s Pov: {December 12th, 1995} 
I stand off to the side of the stage by a table with my brother's and best friend’s towels in my hand. I wiggle my toes against the cold floor and smile at the soothing feeling. I hold my shoes with my socks stuffed in them and on my shoulder is my brother's fanny pack. 
I lightly drop my shoes down to the ground before pulling the fanny pack around to my front to get out a piece of gum. The boys start playing Now or Never, making me smile as I watch them dance around. I watch as they play and I see Luke look down at my feet before chuckling and shaking his head, then starting to sing. 
♪ Take off, last stop
Countdown 'til we blast open the top
Face first, full charge
Electric hammer to the heart ♪
I smile at the passion my brother and best friend have up on the stage. All the boys are sweating as they jump around and jam to the music. I continue to dance around and Luke keeps smiling when he looks at me, making my stomach flip every time. 
♪ Clocks move forward
But we don't get older, no
Kept on climbing
'Til our stars collided
And all the times we fell behind
Were just the keys to paradise ♪
Luke sings and as they come up onto the next part the others join in on the verse. I stop dancing for a moment to watch as Luke finishes his line so passionately. I smile at him as I wiggle my toes a bit. 
♪ Don't look down
'Cause we're still rising
Up right now
And even if we hit the ground ♪
They all end the last verse together and Luke sings the next part. He continues to smile at me like a lovesick puppy and I can’t help but do the same. I watch in awe as he sings like he’s singing to me and I find myself wishing he would be. 
Being best friends with the guy you're in love with and one of your brother's best friends is hard. Alex of course knows how I feel, heck, he pegged me liking Luke even before I realized it. But he’d never in a million years spill my secrets. 
♪ We'll still fly
Keep dreaming like we'll live forever
But live it like it's now or never ♪
I blush lightly when Luke winks at me as he sings his heart out. He smirks when he sees my reaction, then goes back to singing and I wiggle my feet some more as they continue with the song. 
♪ Hear the noise in my head
It's calling out like a voice I can't forget
One life, no regrets
Catch up, got no time to catch my breath ♪
Luke continues to look at me and I can’t help but to have an overwhelming feeling of love for him even though we are very much not a couple. I move over and take Alex’s fanny pack off my shoulder and grab my water off the stool I had set it on. As I move the floor is colder on my feet and I can’t help but smile as I wiggle my toes again. 
♪ And clocks move faster
'Cause it's all we're after now, oh ♪
Luke finishes the last line and nods at Reggie for him to come sing with him. Reggie goes over to him and they sing together into the mic, facing each other and I smile even more. 
♪ Won't stop climbing
'Cause this is our time, yeah ♪
Reggie and Luke sing the line together, then Luke smiles as he pushes Reggie back to his spot on the stage as he continues to sing into his mic alone. Luke turns and looks back at me with a huge grin. He shakes his head again, but never wavers in his singing. 
♪ When all the days felt black and white
Those were the best shades of my life ♪
When Luke is done with the last line, they all come in to sing the next part and I sway with the song. If we were in the garage, I’d be full on rocking out, but we aren’t, so I dial my dancing down a bit. 
♪ Don't look down
'Cause we're still rising
Up right now
And even if we hit the ground ♪
When they all finish, it goes back to Luke, who continues to have the most energy on the stage. I continue to lightly dance as my best friend and brother seem to push their passion on me. 
♪ We'll still fly
Keep dreaming like we'll live forever ♪
After Luke sings his line, the guys come back in to sing with him again. Now I quietly sing along, still enjoying the coolness of the floor on my feet.
♪ But live it like it's now or never ♪
When they all finish singing, Alex takes his part and Reggie does the background parts. I smile as my brother seems to have found something that makes him happy, which makes me happy. 
♪ We ain't searching for tomorrow (tomorrow)
'Cause we got all we need today (today) ♪ 
Once Alex and Reggie finish, Luke takes over singing again. I see Alex look at me briefly and I give him a thumbs up in encouragement with a huge grin. He smiles as he quickly gets back into it and I can’t help but smile proudly. 
♪ Living on a feeling that's been running through our veins ♪
After Luke’s line, Reggie then takes over this time to sing his part. I smile as Reggie, who's normally more shy than the others, gladly sings his part without even an ounce of shyness.
♪ We're the revolution that's been singing in the rain ♪
After Reggie sings they all come in again, but this time they bring claps into the mix. I smile as I clap along to their beat while they sing.
♪ Don’t look down 'Cause we're still rising up right now and even if we hit the ground ♪
“They're good, yeah?” A girl comes up and starts to clean the table that I’m next to. I turn to her with a smile. 
“Yeah, they really are. I'm proud to call the lead singer my best friend and the drummer my brother,” I say as we bop our heads to the very end of Now or Never. 
“You're one lucky girl to have their music in your life everyday,” she says and I smile. 
“Yeah, I am,” I say, turning back to watch the boys as I continue to dance lightly to the song. 
“Let me guess… don’t like shoes?” she asks as she points down to my feet while moving to a new table. 
“Yeah. I just don’t really like the construction of them…” I admit as I look down at my own shoeless feet. 
“My sister used to be the same. Then she started having to wear them more for pilates… that new workout thing…?” she explains before trailing off and I nod. 
“Yeah I’ve heard of it,” I tell her and she nods. 
“Well when she started that, she started wearing more workout shoes and now she loves them,” she continues to explain and I smile at her. 
“I don’t think I’ll ever be one to wear shoes. My mom tells me she’d put me in some when I was little and then not even two seconds later, Alex or Luke would be telling her I took them off,” I explain with a giggle and she giggles too. 
“Well that sounds like you definitely love being shoeless,” she comments and I nod in agreement. 
“Oh I definitely do,” I tell her and she grins before going back to whatever she was doing beforehand. 
♪ We'll still fly
Keep dreaming like we'll live forever
But live it like it's now or never
It's now or never (now or never) ♪
Just as we finish our conversation, the boys are finishing up and I smile as they all pat each other’s back. They stay on the stage, basking in the feeling, then they talk for a minute before coming down to where I’m standing.
“Hey, sweetheart. What'd you think? Wasn’t that awesome?!” Luke uses the nickname he’s always had for me, but I can’t help but wish it was in a different way. 
In all his sweaty glory, he comes over to hug me from behind. I squeal before giggling, nodding as he lets go of the hug and grabs his towel from my shoulder.
“Yeah, hon, it was electric,” I agree with him as I use my pet name for him and smile when Alex puts his arm over my shoulder. 
“I was on fire, sis!” he exclaims and I smile. 
“Yes you were, Lex!” I concur with a nod before giving my brother a kiss on the cheek. 
“Anyway sweetheart, we’re going to get street dogs to celebrate. You gonna come?” Luke asks as he now replaces Alex's arm with his. 
“Yeah, I think I will,” I reply and Luke smiles before giving my cheek a kiss. I push back the thought that I wish that could be a kiss on the lips. 
“Well if you’re coming, you should put your shoes back on,” Alex tells me as he bends down to pick up my shoes. 
“Do I have too?!” I whine out like a five year old, making both Luke and Alex laugh. 
“Yes, sweetheart. You have to. I promise you can take them off as soon as we get to the alley,” Luke tells me and I grin at him. 
“Ok. I guess I can,” I reluctantly agree as Alex hands me my shoes, rolling his eyes before giving me the ‘we are so talking about this later’ look. 
“I’ll put them back on here in a minute,” I assure them and they both nod before Alex grabs his fanny pack along with my water. 
“Hey! Bobby, where are you going?!” Luke asks as we watch Bobby go up to the girl I talked to earlier.
“I’m good,” he replies, turning back to Luke for a moment with a shrug before he goes back to the girl with all of us now following. 
“Vegetarian. I could never hurt an animal,” Bobby boasts as he tries to flirt with the poor girl. 
We all come up next to him and Luke puts his other arm up onto Bobby’s shoulder. He holds my hand with his other hand, something we’ve just always done platonically. Reggie stands next to me with an arm on Alex’s shoulder as Alex is on the other side of him. 
“You guys are really good,” the girl praises them and smiles at the boys. 
“Thank you,” Luke sheepishly says with a big smile on his face. 
“I see lots of bands. Been in a couple myself. I was really feeling it,” she emphasizes as she looks at us. 
“That’s what we do this for. I’m Luke, by the way,” Luke continues to flirt with her and my stomach twists with jealousy. 
But then Luke squeezes my hand and I smile at the fact that it’s for no reason but to let me know he loves me. We’ve always done that when one of us seems to be upset, just as a sign of ‘I’m here, you’re ok,’ to calm the other. It’s our way of saying we love one another without having to say it, always has been and always will be. Again, Alex gives me a look and I shrug, making him roll his eyes. 
“Hi, I’m Reggie,” Reggie introduces himself in a flustered tone. 
“Alex,” Alex chimes in, putting a hand up in a wave. 
“Y/n.. nice to meet you,” I interject with a sweet smile as I lift my hand and give a small wave like my brother did.
“Bobby,” Bobby chirps as he pushes Luke behind him a bit. 
“I’m Rose. Nice meeting you guys,” the girl says amusedly, and smiles a beautiful smile.
Luke then gives Bobby a wet willie and I giggle lightly when he does. I then hold a shoe out to Alex and he nods as he takes my left shoe to hold it for me. With my right shoe I take my sock out and Alex takes the right one as well. 
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I bend down and Luke keeps a hold on my arm to balance me. I smile up at him in thanks, then finish putting my socks and shoes on.
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“Oh, uh, here’s our demo. And a tee shirt, size beautiful,” Reggie croons, now flirting as well and I roll my eyes as I stand up right again. 
“Thanks. I’ll be sure not to wipe down the tables with this one,” she jokes as she holds it up to herself before she throws it over her shoulder.
“Oh, good call! Whenever they get wet, they kinda just fall apart in your hands,” Alex informs her and I smirk at him as he bashfully looks away. 
“Don’t you guys have to go get hot dogs?” Bobby asks as he tries to get us all to leave so he can be with Rose. 
“Yeah. He had a hamburger for lunch,” Luke informs Rose as he pushes Bobby back so he can talk to Rose. He then pushes off the table with his hands and grabs my hand again before leaving. 
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Luke exclaims and Reggie giggles as we all walk out the back door of the Orpheum. 
“The smell of sunset boulevard?” Alex asks and I snort as I start to giggle before groaning. 
“The shoes?” Alex asks me and I nod.
“No. It’s what that girl said in there tonight,” Luke explains as he swings our hands back and forth and kicks the puddle that’s in front of us. 
“About our music, right? It’s like an energy. It connects us with people,” he elaborates and I smile even though in my mind I’m only wanting to take my shoes off. 
“I mean, he’s got a point Lex, that’s what connected me and Luke,” I agree and Luke smiles, pulling me in so I’m against his side with his arm around my shoulders. 
“She’s not wrong, man, but they can feel us when we play. I want that connection with everybody,” Luke bursts happily and pulls the boys into our little huddle as well. 
“Then we’re gonna need more t-shirts,” Reggie jokes as he holds up one of the sunset curve shirts I helped them make a couple weeks ago and the rest of us laugh. 
“Let’s go,” Luke playfully orders and I giggle as Luke pulls me closer to leave a kiss to the side of my forehead. 
“I love you,” I muse, making him smile. 
“I love you too, precious,” he parrotes me, making me grin and nuzzle into his side. 
Out of my peripheral I see Alex shake his head lightly and I only cuddle Luke closer. Alex lets out a huff and I shrug as Luke lets go of me. 
“Let’s go boys,” Luke commands as pops his hood up over his head as we all head to the front of the Orpheum. “And best friend,” Luke adds, making me giggle. 
We continue walking forward until we pass a group of girls who are all talking and not noticing anything at all. 
“Ladies,” Reggie croons as he walks up to them and hands them the leftover shirts he has. 
We stop and wait for him as he hands them the shirts before coming back to us. Then we all continue walking and the girls open the shirts only to let out a scream. 
“Reggie, wait!” One of the girls yells out, making me giggle as Reggie smirks. 
We walk for a while before coming up to the alley to get our hot dogs. We get our hot dogs from the cook before we each pile condiments onto them from the back of an Oldsmobile. 
“Man…. I can’t wait until we eat someplace where the condiments aren’t served out of the back of an Oldsmobile,” Alex states as he turns to Luke and then walks off to the owner. 
“I mean, I can’t say I don’t agree,” I tell Luke and he chuckles as he grabs my hand. 
“Hey… sorry I got some pickle juice on your battery cables,” Alex informs the much older man and I hold back a giggle. 
“No problem. It’ll help with the rust,” the older man jokes with a laugh. 
“That can’t…. okay. What?” Alex asks in confusion, then just deciding to let it go as he walks away from the man. He shakes his head and I giggle when he comes back up next to me. 
“Confused?” I ask him and he nods. 
“Duh!” he tells me and I snort out a giggle. 
We walk over to a couch with our food and sit down. Reggie sits farthest to the left and Luke sits next to him before pulling me down onto his lap and Alex shakes his head as he sits down next to Luke. I push my hot dog into Alex’s hand and he rolls his eyes. 
“Uhh, ok sure. I’ll hold it for you, sis,” he sarcastically jokes and I giggle. 
I reach down and quickly pull off one shoe along with its sock before ripping the other off. I lean back into Luke with a sigh and he chuckles as I take my hot dog back from Alex. 
“This is awesome, you guys. We’re playing the Orpheum! I can’t even count how many bands have played here and ended up being huge,” Luke says excitedly as he keeps his arm around me while holding his hot dog with the other.
“We’re gonna be legends!” Luke exclaims with a smile. 
“Yes, you guys will be. And I’ll be right beside you the whole time,” I agree and promise them with a big smile. 
“Eat up, sweetheart. You too, boys. Cause after tonight, everything changes,” Luke informs us as he squeezes my hip while holding his hot dog in the air. 
We all put our hotdogs together as if toasting to something, then each take a big bite.
“That’s a new flavor,” Alex mentions with a mouth full of hotdog while looking at us. 
“Chill man, street dogs haven’t killed us yet,” Reggie jokes, making me giggle. 
“I mean he’s got a point. We’ve been eating here for how long?” I ask with a shrug before we all continue to eat.
Little did we know, the hotdogs had bad chemicals in them, chemicals that aren't good to ingest at all.
Y/n’s Pov:{2020 after the Orpheum performance} 
“Knock knock,” I speak as I stick my head through Julie's bedroom door. 
“Ahh, if it isn’t my favorite ghost that actually has manners. You can come all the way in,” Julie jokes as she turns to look at me and I grin as I step all the way in. 
“Hi, Julie. Yeah, the guys are not well mannered, that's something we can agree on,” I say with a laugh and she smiles, also laughing. 
“Come to get away again?” she asks and I quickly turn away from her before starting to look around her room again. 
“Yeah… he’s just…” I sigh and shake my head as I make my way to her closet. 
“Infuriating?” she fills in for me and I bite my lip as I nod. 
I start to look around her closet and find a shirt I really like. Smiling, I pull it off the hanger and turn to her as I hold it up. 
“Can I try this on?” I ask her and she nods as she gets up and grabs a notebook off her chair. 
“Sure. Just don’t do what your boyfriend apparently likes to do,” she tells me with a giggle as she sits back down and I pull it off the hanger. 
“One, he’s not my boyfriend. Two, Alex tells that story too much. It was one time!” I quickly defend Luke as I walk over to the mirror to slip it on over my shirt and Julie shakes her head. 
“Whatever, just make sure it stays the way it is and comes back to me,” she jokes and I roll my eyes in the mirror at her. 
“Yeah, yeah. One time. One time Luke steals a shirt and cuts it up, then we both become shirt villains,” I joke as I turn to look at her. 
“Well? Does it look good on me?” I ask her as I hold my arms out and spin a little. 
“Yeah. It does. Go ahead and borrow it whenever you want to,” she tells me when she looks up at me from writing and I grin at her.
“Thank you, Jules,” I tell her and she smiles sweetly back at me. 
“Of course. That’s what girlfriends are for,” Julie says as she continues to write in her book. 
“I’ve never really had girl friends. I’ve only ever had the boys…” I tell her, my voice thick with emotion and she gets up from the bed. 
“Well, you have me and Flynn now,” she tells me as she comes up beside me. 
“Wanna try on anything else?” she asks and I shrug, making her smile. 
“Really y/n, it’s ok. Try whatever you like,” she reiterates to me and I grin, making her smile as she goes and sits back on her bed. 
I excitedly walk over to her closet and look through it. I look at her shirts for a few minutes, but nothing jumps out at me. I sigh and let my head fall with my eyes falling closed, making Julie chuckle. 
“Nothing speaks to ya, huh?” she asks and I huff, opening my eyes. 
My eyes light up as I see something and Julie seems to notice as she once again gets up to come over to me. I bend down and pick them up with a smile on my face. Julie watches me carefully as I straighten up and look at her. 
“Do you have socks by chance? I don’t know if mine would even be in the bags in the garage or not. I never really kept any around,” I say excitedly and she smiles, walking over to her dresser. 
“Sure, what kind do you normally like?” she asks as she opens the drawer.
“Umm, you got any knee high?” I ask and she gives me a devilish smile. 
“Oh, I’ve got many…” she tells me as she begins to pull a bunch out:
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Julie lays out pair after pair and I marvel at all her choices of knee high socks. I find it hard to pick my favorite pair and Julie chuckles. 
“Pick two or three favorites and you can keep them along with the shoes,” Julie tells me and my head snaps up to look at her. 
“Really? I can keep the shoes and two pairs of socks?” I ask and she nods, smiling. 
“The shoes aren’t really my favorite anymore, so yeah. Keep ‘em. I also don’t really wear the knee highs anymore,” she says with a laugh as she motions to all the socks she has. 
“Thank you, Jules,” I tell her and she smiles, nodding at me. 
“There’s so many new patterns from when I was younger. How will I ever pick?” I ask and she chuckles as she lifts a pair off the bed. 
“I think you’d like these maroon ones or maybe the navy blue, but if you're ever looking to impress a certain someone, then I’d take one of the music notes,” she tells me as she lifts each one to show me. 
“I’ll take the maroon and the yellow and black ones, those ones kinda remind me of when Luke used to call me bee…” I fondly tell her as I pick up the socks before looking up at her to see she has an amused look on her face. 
“What?” I ask and she giggles. 
“He used to call you, bee? Really?” she asks and I blush lightly. 
“It was because bumblebee was my favorite transformer. He used it when we were like 8!” I exclaim when she raises an eyebrow at me. 
“Ok. No, that's actually a very cute reason…” she admits as she crosses her arms and I smile. 
“Isn’t it, though? If Lex were here he’d totally be gagging and rolling his eyes,” I tell her and she chuckles. 
“I could totally see that. Alex seems very protective over you,” she agrees with me and I roll my eyes. 
“You have no idea,” I joke and she laughs again. 
“You can come take my socks whenever. Like I said, I don’t wear them very often. But keep those ones, they’re yours now,” she tells me with a grin and I grin back. 
“Really, thank you,” I tell her again and she shrugs. 
“Hey. It’s nothing. I know you hate shoes, so if you like those and I mean really like them, go right ahead and keep ‘em,” she tells me with a smile and I jump up, grabbing the shoes and socks. 
“I’ll see you later. Thank you for my new shoes and socks. You think Luke will like ‘em? They match his…” I say in a bashful tone and Julie smirks. 
“I’m sure he’ll love them. Heck, he’ll probably just like seeing you excited about shoes for once,” Julie jokes with another shrug and I giggle. 
“You're right. I’ll see you later?” I ask her and she nods, grinning. 
“Got a gig with the boys tonight so I’m sure I’ll see you there. You never pass our gigs up,” she tells me as she starts picking up the other socks. 
“That’s ‘cause I’m the cheerleader. I cheer everyone on, especially now that I’m more of a background manager now that Flynn’s the real manager,” I admit and she shakes her head. 
“You’re part of the team too, even if you do more background stuff. Plus, I think of you more as our stylist than a cheerleader. Those shirts you used to make were awesome. Not to mention how you dressed the guys and me for the last gig,” she raves and I blush at all the praise. 
“Oh… that was nothing, really,” I wave her compliment off and she shakes her head. 
“Y/n, take the compliment. You're awesome at style,” she demands and I slowly smile while nodding. 
“Ok… ok. Thank you,” I tell her shyly and she laughs. 
“Now go try your new shoes out,” she jokes with me, rolling her eyes with a smile and I grin. 
“Ok. See you later!” I wave at her and she waves back. 
I quickly walk out of her room—when she opened the door I have no clue, probably when my head was buried in the closet—and I decide to just apparate to the garage. My feet lightly land on the garage floor and I quickly rush over to the couch. 
I put the bumblebee striped socks on, then the shoes and smile when I finish tying them. I stand up and grin as I dance around a little bit. Soon I get bored waiting for the guys so I decide to figure out the guy’s clothes for the gig tonight. 
I go up into the loft where all of our clothes are and look through Alex’s first. I find him a real nice light pink shirt, knowing he’d want his pink. I then look through his pants and find him one of his many pairs of black sweats. 
I then go over to his new collection of fanny packs and find him a nice jean jacket style one. I lay that all out and look over it. I then grab one of his many snapback hats and add it in. 
The blue of the snapback pairs perfectly with the fanny pack and I decide to let him pick shoes, making me smile as I’m satisfied with the outfit. I then move on to Luke’s outfit, starting with his favorite skull shirt and lay it out. I start to riffle through his pants when I hear the boys land downstairs from apparating. 
“Sweetheart, where are you?” I hear Luke shout out and I smile. 
“In the loft, Lukey!” I shout back and smile when I find the right pants. 
“There you are. Come down and cuddle?” he asks me and I shake my head, smiling more. 
“Sorry, Lukey boy. Can’t. I’ve still got yours, Reggie’s, and Julie's outfits to do before tonight,” I sadly tell him and he frowns. 
“But… if you help me, maybe I can get them done faster,” I appeal to him and he takes a moment to think it over before his frown slowly turns to a smile. 
“Deal,” he tells me and I smile softly at him as he comes closer. 
“Ok. Do you want to finish your outfit then while I start on Regsters?” I ask and he laughs.
“What?” I ask him and he chuckles. 
“You haven’t called Reggie Regsters since we were like ten,” he tells me with a smirk and I shrug. 
“I guess I’m just feeling very nostalgic today,” I comment as I continue to put Reggie’s outfit together. 
“Ok. I’m done with Reginald’s. Are you done with yours?” I ask as I turn around to look at him and again he has a smirk on. 
“What is with you today? Old nicknames and full names?” he asks and I giggle as I look over what he’s added to his outfit. 
“I really don’t know. I was hanging out with Jules today and for some reason it’s put me in a very weird happy and nostalgic mood,” I explain as I give his outfit a few minor changes. 
When I finish his outfit I fully stand up and when I do, I hear him let out a gasp. I look at him and realize he’s looking down at my feet. 
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I grin as I stand on my heels, letting my toes angle out before bringing them back in. 
“Oh! Jules gave me ‘em. Aren’t they rockin’?” I ask and he gives me a sideways look. 
“Sweetheart, don’t get me wrong, they are rockin’, but why are you wearing them? You hate shoes…” he asks me and I feel a blush creep up my neck. 
“I really liked them and Julie told me I could have them, so I took them. Do you not like them? They match yours…” I tell him as I bite my lip as I look down at them. 
“No. I love them. It’s just… I’m not used to seeing you wear shoes, sweetie,” he explains as he comes over to me. 
“Oh…ok. I liked em ‘cause they matched yours. Not to mention they’re  too,” I meekly point out and I hear him chuckle. 
“Is that all we had to do all these years to get you to wear shoes? Just find you a pair that matched mine?” he asks, making me look up at him and my breath gets caught in my throat with how close he is. 
If I moved just a little bit more, my lips could touch his. Oh how badly I want to just surge forward and close the small distance, but I don’t. I look down at his lips before quickly looking back up at his eyes in hopes he didn’t catch it. To my relief, it seems like he didn’t. 
“If that’s the case, we shoulda done that years ago,” he jokes and I just watch him as he keeps a smile on his face. 
“Hey. What’s wrong?” he asks me, snapping me out of my thoughts. 
“Oh… nothing, I promise. Just… stuck in thought I guess,” I tell him with a shrug before going around him to try and go down the ladder. 
“Hey. No. I know something is up, y/n. Come on, you can tell me,” he prompts me as he grabs my hand and pulls me back to him. 
“Really. It’s nothing. I’m fine…” I try to lie the best I can, knowing he’ll read me like an open book. 
“No. You’re not leaving till you tell me what’s wrong…” he informs as he again pulls me back, but this time he pulls me into a hug and holds me there. 
“Lukey… come on. Let me go. I can’t talk to you about it, ok…?” I plead with him and he gives me a confused look. 
“What can’t you tell me? You tell me everything, sweetheart. It’s ok. You can tell me,” he promises and I sigh, realizing he won’t be letting this go. 
“I can’t tell you because it’s about you. You’ll stop talking to me and I don’t want that,” I admit in a fast jumble of words. 
“What do you mean it’s about me? Did I do something to make you upset with me? I’m sorry if I did,” he quickly apologizes and I shake my head. 
“Goodness no, Luke… I… uh… like someone…” I tell him as I bite my lip and his face falls. 
“Oh. So you’re…” he trails off and I nod. 
“Yeah. I’m in love with you…” I admit sheepishly and his eyes widen. 
“Wait, what?!” he asks and I give a nervous giggle. 
“What did you think I meant?” I ask him and he chuckles. 
“I thought you were trying to tell me you were going to go out with another guy. Ya know, dial everything back…” he explains with a slow smile making way to his face. 
“Oh… well, no…” I again nervously trail off and he chuckles again. 
“Sweetheart, look at me please…” he asks me and I do, only to see him smiling. 
“Wha-” I start off, but he cuts me off as he slams his lips to mine and I freeze. 
The kiss lasts for a few minutes and it's exactly how I always dreamed of it. At first, Luke kisses me and I can’t move out of shock, but once I’ve snapped out of it I kiss him back. Our lips move in sync and it’s so full of love. 
It’s nice and slow as Luke keeps his hands on my cheeks. My arms slowly wrap around his neck and I play with the hair at the nip of his neck. All too soon though, we are both pulling away for air. 
He lays his forehead against mine as he now wraps his arms around my waist and mine stay around his neck. He gives me one last peck before he’s smiling, making me smile too. 
“I’ve wanted to do that since fourth grade…” he whispers out as he nudges my nose with his. 
“Well… why didn’t you?” I ask him with a giggle when his face scrunches up. 
“Why didn’t you kiss me?” he sassily asks and I giggle again. 
“Because I didn’t know how you felt. I didn’t want to risk losing you,” I admit and he chuckles, shaking his head. 
“I had the same reasoning,” he admits and I grin before we both start laughing. 
“Wait, so we’ve both been oblivious idiots this whole time?” I ask and he nods while still laughing. 
“I could have told you that! As a matter of fact, I did!” Alex shouts from downstairs, making me and Luke laugh harder. 
“Well, that’s definitely one way to do it,” I giggle out and Luke shrugs. 
“I guess so, bee…” he says with a grin on his face and I immediately look down at my socks. 
“You figured it out!” I excitedly exclaim and he nods, smiling. 
“That I did. How could I forget about bee? Now if we had known that all we had to was get bumblebee striped socks and shoes that matched mine, maybe we would’ve had you in shows years ago,” Luke jokes with an eye roll and I scoff. 
“Oh, shut up. At least now I’m just like you,” I tell him with a grin and he smiles more, if that’s even possible. 
“Yes, you are and I love it,” he tells me with a smile before pulling me back to him by the waist. 
“Can I kiss you again?” he asks and I giggle. 
“Well you didn’t even ask the first time around, but you're lucky I love you or else it’d be a no,” I joke before realizing what I had actually said and I pause, waiting for his response. 
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he replies with a big cheeky smile and I can’t help but smile with him. 
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he jokingly tells me and I smile, nodding. 
He leans forward and kisses me again. This time feels just like the first, so full of love and care. I smile into the kiss as does he before again we’re pulling away. 
“You gonna come give me those cuddles now?” he asks and I laugh before playfully sighing. 
“I guess we can go cuddle now…” I reply playfully and he grins. 
“Ok. Come on,” he tells me and before I know it, I’m being pulled towards the ladder. 
We make it down to the bottom and he pulls me over to his couch before he’s plopping down onto it. He looks up at me before holding his arms out and doing grabby hands like a five year old would. I laugh as I sit down on the couch.
He wraps his arms around me and I cuddle into his chest. I sigh when all he brings is a protective warmth over me. Soon before I know it, my eyes slowly drop and I’m off into dreamland, sleeping peacefully in my best friend's arms (well, boyfriend now, I guess). Only the peaceful sleep doesn’t last very long because soon I’m jumping awake. 
“Are you wearing shoes?!” Alex shouts as I sleepily look up at him. 
“Yes, I am. Now go away, I’m going back to sleep,” I grumble as I cuddle back into Luke, who lets out a small breathy laugh and that’s the last thing I hear before falling back into a deep, peaceful sleep. 
The End…
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lady-ashfade · 6 months
Text
Julie And The Phantom Masterlist
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Request for this fandom: Open
Rules.
Angst: Red
Fluff: Pink
Both: Orange
Comfort: purple
A little bit of everything or nothing: green
But female and gender neutral readers only.
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Luke Patterson
Regret and Guilt, Forgiven and Forget. (+Steven Harrington)
Julie Molina
< Nothing yet >
Alex Mercer
< Nothing yet >
Reggie Peters
< Nothing yet >
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borntobewondering · 6 months
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'til your ghost is gone
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Luke Patterson x Female!Reader (8k) It all starts because of a fucking TikTok.
Warnings: A curse word or two (what can i say? I'm foul mouthed). Ghosty supernatural shit. Grief. Mentions of death. Depictions of death. Mourning. Heartbreak. angst
Author's Note: I watched the entirety of Julie and the Phantoms in less than a week, even though I knew it was a bad idea to watch this show knowing it only got one season. (which is bullshit by the way, but I'm digressing.) And I immediately smelled a potential for angst. So, of course, I had to write something. This was a lot of fun for me (if you consider sobbing fun), hopefully it's at least somewhat fun for you
Also, I feel obligated to tell you from the jump that this fic does not have a happy ending. There is bittersweet closure, but no happy ending. Figured I should give you a heads up. Enjoy!!
The title comes from "Ghost is Gone" by Harper Grae (this time around I beg that you actually listen to the song while you read. it encapsulates them perfectly.)
(divider by @silkholland)
Note: My work is not to be posted anywhere else on any other platforms (aside from my ao3 account).
Masterlist
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It all starts because of a fucking TikTok. 
It comes in the form of a link that is sent to you by an old friend you haven’t spoken to in ages, really. Some band performing at some sort of school event at a high school in California. They’re good, you can admit it. The girl has quite the voice. It isn’t until you watch a little more closely that you see the reason this video has made its way into your life. 
You notice Alex first. Your attention is drawn to the drum kit near immediately. And can anyone really blame you for the way your phone falls out of your hand and meets the kitchen counter? 
And then you listen a little closer. You listen to the guitar, you let yourself focus on it. You get lost in the specifics, in the familiarity of it. You squeeze your eyes shut, partially to hold back the tears that are fighting for their time to shine, and just listen. You listen as it keeps going. As the lead girl absolutely fucking kills it.
A song that you’d read the lyrics to ages ago. One that never got its turn to be loved, at least not until right now. And then, as if the universe knows exactly what you need right now, the song builds through to the second verse. And a new voice shines through. A familiar voice. Your favorite voice. 
You force yourself to open your eyes. Because there’s no way this is real. Logically, you know it can’t be real. It’s some kind of twisted trick. Or maybe you’re dreaming. It’s not like you haven’t had a dream like this before. Well, you know, the details are obviously a little different. But the dream that Luke didn’t die, oh you’ve had that dream a million times.
You watch the video more times than you can count. And you’re suddenly thankful for the fact that smartphones are an inescapable part of life, and that kids are never far from their phones. You’re grateful that someone captured this.
Even if it’s going to drive you crazy.
Because, yes, all of this is set in motion by one TikTok. But it started, and ended, a very long time ago. 
It started in the 90s. When you were both high school kids. And Luke Patterson was crazy. He was the most passionate boy you’ve ever met, with more self confidence than you knew someone could have.
Sunset Curve was his everything, anyone within ear shot would know that. He wasn’t exactly shy. If something mattered to him, he gave it his all. Music was first and foremost at the top of his list. But you were a very close second. 
High school love doesn’t typically last, in most cases. There are a few rare exceptions. And you really thought the two of you would be one of those exceptions. 
The universe had other plans. 
The universe had rancid hot dogs and unhappy endings. It had everything you hoped it’d never find. Everything you never imagined it could offer.
And it chose to enact its twisted humor on what was supposed to be the greatest night of all of your young lives. It was the fucking Orpheum for God’s sake. The start of everything. The ticket to every single one of Luke’s dreams.
You were all on the cusp of cloud nine. It figures the universe would feel the need to knock you down a peg.
And, of course, you ended up being too late.
They’d just finished sound check. And they were amazing, by the way. The best thing you’d ever seen. And then they came down from the stage. And they were all bright grins and infectious energy. They were filled to the brim with an indomitable kind of hope that can only be described as a byproduct of youth. 
You’d told them they were amazing. That they were gonna kill it tonight. You’d playfully dodged Luke’s first attempt to kiss you. But then he fixed you with that pleading, soft-hearted look of his and you were giving in in a second. He claimed he needed your kiss for luck. And, well, who were you to deny the boy luck on the biggest night of his life?
You didn’t stick around much longer.
You’d brought your Polaroid camera for the show. Wanting to document everything, you figured they’d want the memories. But you’d just used your last bit of film. You had to run to the store a few blocks over to get some more before the show.
When you were leaving the boys, and by the boys you mean Alex, Luke, and Reggie, were picking on Bobby as he flirted with the cool waitress. When you got back the boys were gone.
Only Bobby was still around and he told you where the boys had gone. You rolled your eyes because you’d told them time and time again that street dogs are a very bad idea. But they’re seventeen. And when you’re seventeen you think you’re going to live forever. You’re indestructible when you’re seventeenth.
And there was no one more indestructible than Luke Patterson. Or so you thought.
You heard the sirens the minute you set foot on the sidewalk outside the venue. Your heart dropped, you just knew that something was wrong. Which, yes, obviously an ambulance means an emergency. But somehow, you just knew that this was your emergency.
You ran as fast as your legs could carry you in the direction of the sirens. They cut the sirens after a few minutes, but you kept running. You were out of breath when you made it to the spot, you almost wish you hadn’t.
You wish you’d been two minutes later. You wish you didn’t have to see what you saw. You wish they had been utterly and completely gone.
You wish you didn’t have to watch as they zipped them up in those black bags and loaded them into the ambulance.
You wish you didn’t have to step forward as the paramedic had the zipper halfway up Luke’s and ask that he just waited a second. You wish you didn’t have to reach out and close Luke’s eyes the rest of the way because you couldn’t bear looking at them and not seeking the energy, the life, the love, that they held not even an hour prior.
The last thing you want to be able to remember is the feel of his clammy skin beneath your fingertips as you pressed them to his pulse point. Hoping and praying with everything you had that you’d feel something. The slightest hint of a heartbeat. The smallest shred of a reason for the paramedics to fight for him.
But the heartbeat never came.
So you brushed some of his hair back and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. His hand clasped in yours. You gave it a small squeeze, him  not squeezing back was the moment your heart well and truly broke.
You put his hand down gently before you took a few steps back. Distance felt necessary for this part even though you knew he was already so far away. You nodded, a signal for the medic to finish his job. You kept your gaze focused on where the zipper rested above the middle of Luke’s torso.
There was no movement for a few seconds. Each one felt like an hour. So you lifted your head to meet the medic’s eyes, and he watched you with a greater hesitation than you’d ever seen before. A kind of hesitation you haven’t seen since.
You nodded once more, because what else could you really do? There was no saving the boys now. You were too late.
The medic nodded back, a slow and solemn thing. You’re sure they thought the three of them were these idiot kids because they willingly ate hot dogs out of a car. They should’ve known better. What did they think would happen?
You think maybe this changed their minds a little bit. Not that you wanted to do that. You didn’t give a shit about anybody’s opinion. You just wanted them back. But you couldn’t do that. No one could. 
You watched with singular focus as the zipper completed its journey. And you kept your gaze fixed on the bag on the gurney as they loaded it into the ambulance. The doors closing sealed your fate. The show was supposed to start in a little over an hour, but the band wasn’t going to be able to make it.
You had to go tell Bobby. You had to go talk to the promoter. God, you had to get to Luke’s parents. Even though you knew the cops would probably beat you to it, even though they really didn’t know Luke anymore, you still felt that they shouldn’t be alone in all of this.
For the rest of that night, and for several nights after, you spent your time trying to focus on getting through the next simple thing. Simple is actually really fucking hard, as it turns out.
But no one ever told you that. You’re not sure anybody realizes how difficult simple can be until it’s their turn to walk a mile in those shoes.
It’s been twenty-five years and you wish you couldn’t remember everything about that night in such painstaking detail.
But it’s ever present. You haven’t been able to catch a break from the reality of that situation. You haven’t been able to escape Sunset Curve. Despite their absence, they’ve always been with you.
And now they’re back, in a somewhat real way. And you don’t understand it yet, but you will soon.
— — —
Okay, so you obsessed over the TikTok a little ( read as a lot ).
You’ve lost track of how many times you’ve watched it. Whatever teeny bopper hit post on that clip has probably made bank off your latest habit. You’ve tried to figure out the truth behind it. You’ve tried to figure out how it’s possible to pull off something like that.
You saw the poster in the comments saying it’s some kind of hologram band. But you know better. You know Sunset Curve when you see them, and there is nothing scientific or technical about any of this. It’s strictly supernatural.
You’ve always believed in ghosts, that part isn’t strange. It’s just everything else. Why are they back now? Is there some kind of strange ticking clock to ghosthood? You’re not really sure. You don’t know the logistics of haunting. You just know that they were on that stage. They’re perpetually on your screen.
They’re back. They’re real.
And you have the good sense to not tell anybody about it. Mostly because they’d think you’re crazy. But also because they’d give you that sad look. The one that screams, “Come on, it’s been 25 years, shouldn’t you be over this by now? Shouldn’t you have moved on by now?”
And, for what it’s worth, not that you need to prove anything to anyone, you have moved on to the best of your ability. Time and time again, actually. You just so happen to have a few serious partnerships and a divorce under your belt. Thank you very much!
Now those relationships all went up in flames, of course. Because they all felt like they were playing second fiddle to a dead guy. And you really couldn’t blame them. But you also couldn’t snap yourself out of it. You couldn’t shift your brain, or your heart, into a different gear and force it to keep driving down the road when it was on its last legs.
You’ve tried every trick in the book. Visited so many therapists that you’ve lost count of them. But it never worked. Not in the way it’s supposed to. And people think that you’re just stubborn. Unwilling to get on with your life. They believe you shouldn’t let yourself be so stuck in the past. You have to kick your heart out of high school at some point. 
And, yes, there is truth to that. But you also think that those people most know what it’s like to love someone so much that you wish they’d haunt you. That you wish you could feel them in places that they aren’t. In places that you know they’ll never be. 
You find Luke everywhere, in everything. It isn’t hard. It doesn’t take any real effort. He’s in every song you hear. Every band you’ve ever seen play live. He’s at the beach. He’s in the passenger seat of your car. The car that you refuse to give up because apparently CD players aren’t useful anymore. And you can’t drive a car that doesn’t have a CD player, because you refuse to be the one that makes the call on when you have your last listen to the Sunset Curve demo CD.
You find Reggie in every Star Wars poster. You’ve never really cared for those movies, but you saw every single one of them when they hit theaters just to feel closer to your old friend. Reggie’s in every bad joke you overhear.
You find Alex in every bout of joy you witness in a random person when you’re people watching. You even find Alex in your anxieties. He was always the most neurotic of the bunch.
Luke is every star filled sky you ever bear witness to. And it brings you back to nights when Luke was crashing in Bobby’s garage. And the two of you would stay up for hours. Your head on his chest, and he’d dream about the future. He’d paint the most vivid picture of it. Sold out shows, number one albums, Grammys. A million screaming girls, but he promised, crossed his heart and hoped to die, that you would always be his favorite groupie. 
You always rolled your eyes at that part. You weren’t jealous, you had no reason to be. You knew exactly where Luke’s heart found a home. There wasn’t another pair of arms that he was yearning to run off into. He liked being exactly where he was. With you.
You know that everything feels larger than your life when you’re a teenager. Every high is so high, and every low, every bump in the road, feels like the end of the world. The sky is constantly falling. 
You know that’s the typicality of being a teenager. You know everyone writes off teenager’s and their feelings because teenagers are so dramatic and they make a big deal out of everything.
But this was different. You and Luke were a big deal. It was a monumental love. The kind of love that, if you’re coming by it honestly, only happens once in a lifetime. He was it. He was everything. He was the one.
He was the future. He was supposed to be the rest of your life. And then he was just gone. In the blink of an eye your entire world view shifted. Your life flipped upside down, nothing was ever going to be the same. That beautiful life he’d painted, the kind of art that could rival DaVinci’s work, would never see the light of day.
He left, and you had to pick up the pieces. You’ve just never been able to put them back in the way they were before. There’s always going to be a few pieces missing. Three to be exact, but who’s counting?
You have a feeling people aren’t supposed to get their world rocked like that at such a young age. It’s not easy to move on from something like that. It’s hard to let go of the loss of one’s dearest friends, and the love of one’s life all in one fell swoop. 
But no one ever seemed to really understand that. They gave you a couple month grace period, because that's customary, right? And who really bothers to care beyond the accepted customs?
Twenty-five years is a long grieving period, even you can admit that. But you also have the feeling that grief never truly goes away. It just gets quieter, until it decides to get loud again. It ebbs and flows. It’s a marathon, never a sprint. No, it could never be that easy.
That TikTok makes it a little easier. Well, it hadn’t at first. At first it sent you into taking a few days off work. Trying to grasp onto your last few shreds of sanity. But you eventually got your shit together. Which is honestly easier said than done, okay?
You went back to work, to both of your jobs, and you decided that you weren’t going to fuck around with this ghost shit. Despite your endless stream of thoughts about the Orpheum, sold out shows that never got to be played, and the strange nature of second chances. Despite the fact that you think this is finally your chance to see everything he ever wanted come to fruition, even if it’s different from what you two always talked about.
You’ve decided that you’re not going to seek the band out. If they’re meant to find you, then they’ll find you. This is all being controlled by something far greater than you, if it decides you’re part of the journey then so be it. That’s as trusting as you know how to be in this situation.
You just kinda figured that the paths would never actually cross. But, well, the universe had its plan. And who were you to argue when you’ve already decided to put your fate in its hands?
You also figured it wouldn’t happen so soon.
You work nights at Eats&Beats because, let’s face it, your day job really is not enough to pay the bills. Which is unfortunate, but not entirely unwelcome. This cafe, despite its slightly pretentious nature and hipster clientele, is kind of like your perfect place. 
You’ve practically begged the manager to schedule you for their equivalent of open mic nights. Because music is, once again, another way that you feel like the boys are still there. When you overhear a particularly good act, you can’t help but think of how much they’d love whatever group or artist is performing.
Tonight really isn’t one of those nights. Not with Dirty Candy currently taking the stage. God, you kinda hate that kid. Not because of anything she ever actually did to you. It’s just, well, you have a bit of long standing beef with her dad. 
Because Bobby’s an asshole who decided that his old friends don’t mean shit and don’t deserve to be properly remembered. You’d pitched a fit when Bobby started dropping music under the name Trevor Wilson.
Well, you didn’t pitch the fit right out the gate. Your fit came when you heard his first single. And you recognized those lyrics. That melody. You were the first person Luke played it for. Before he even started to workshop it with the boys.
Luke wrote that song, and you were willing to let one song go. Until you saw the tracklist for his debut album and you recognized every title. And yet, there was one name missing from the song writing credits for the project.
Bobby had been stupid enough to invite you to his release party. But it made it incredibly convenient for you to give him a piece of your mind. Even if that piece ended with you in a holding cell for a few hours with some bruised knuckles.
Heh, good times.
So, yeah, you have no problem with this Carrie girl herself. She just reminds you of all of your failed attempts to try and get Luke’s name in the credits of that album. You asked Bobby yourself, you tried to appeal to the fact that he was Luke’s friend. And that Luke never got the chance to have this dream himself, so the least Bobby could do is just give up the credit for the songs.
Writing your own songs wasn’t even that much of a big deal back then, everybody cut songs they didn’t write. It was commonplace. There wasn’t as much pressure and stress put on who wrote a song back in the 90s. But Bobby refused. And then he made a pass at you. Which, uh, explains the bruised knuckles.
And then the officer had the nerve to tell you that should be grateful that Mr. Wilson wasn’t pressing charges. He can take that gratitude and shove it up his ass as far as you’re concerned.
You’d even tried getting a lawyer to fight the case. But they claimed you didn’t have a case. Sure, you had Luke’s notebook. But there’s no proof that it was actually Luke’s or that it was Luke’s handwriting. You could’ve fabricated that to try and get a payout.
But it wasn’t about the money, which made the lawyers even less interested. It was about the principle of the thing. Luke wrote those songs, it’s the one thing he wanted in this life. He deserves the credit for his incredible work. For his unimaginable, hit making talent. 
But he never got it. And you’re still mad about that to this day. You think you’ll always be mad about it. 
So you’re white knuckling your way through Carrie’s vapid, pop princess performance. Trying to just make it through to the point where an artist who actually gives a flying fuck about music has the opportunity to take the stage, when something catches your eye. 
A blonde boy, appearing in the middle of the stage. Making a bit of a mockery out of her already unimpressive dance routine. And it takes you about thirty seconds to realize you know that blonde. The blonde who just poofed into existence seemingly out of nowhere. The blonde that no one else seems to notice despite him being in the middle of the whole thing.
Alex Mercer. 
You lean up a little further against the counter, trying to get the best peek you can. You fight back a laugh as you watch him. God, you missed that kid. More than you will ever be able to actually articulate. 
And then he’s gone. Poofing off the stage, and out of your periphery you notice him poofing up down and to the left of the stage. And it doesn’t take long for you to figure out who’s standing with him.
“Luke.” The name falls from your lips so quietly. It’s barely even a whisper, it’s so quiet that it can’t even qualify as one. But it’s there. It hangs in the air, just like the rest of your life feels like in the balance.
You scramble for the sign up sheet for tonight’s show, and you find one band scribbled down at the bottom of the sheet in the most god awful chicken scratch handwriting. Luke’s god awful chicken scratch handwriting. Julie and the Phantoms. Good name.
You look back up just in time to catch Alex poofing in for the tail end of Carrie’s performance. And, well, it’s definitely made the show infinitely better. You feel bad that not everyone gets to bear witness to this added bonus of a dance solo. 
And then stage clears, the announcer steps in to be the center of attention, and he butchers the hell out of their band name. God, Luke’s horrible handwriting strikes again.
You stifle a laugh as the girl, who you’re assuming is Julie, takes the stage. The boys poof onto the stage too, standing there at the ready as Julia leads them through the first verse and the pre chorus. And then, when the chorus kicks in, so does the full band. And the crowd comes alive.
And you swear that you’re seventeen again in this moment. You’re right back at the Orpheum. At sound check. Seeing all three of them so clearly in their element, getting to share their talents with an audience again, is the greatest blast from the past that you could ever receive.
And, well, it does your heart good to see Luke performing again. Because he’s still Luke. Still the same boy you fell in love with all those years ago. And getting to hear his voice again, on new lyrics and new melodies, is a gift beyond comprehension. 
You can’t keep your eyes off him. He’s sleeveless, which is probably the least surprising thing about this entire show. He’s still him. Still talented, still amazing. Still great at soaking up the attention and adoration from a crowd.
He looks alive. They all do. And it’s trippy, if you’re being honest. Because there’s this strange dissonance. The same boys from 1995, the same talent. The same everything. Except for you. You’re not the same, there’s no way you could be. Not after twenty-five years.
This is everything you wanted. Everything you’ve been dreaming of for decades. And now it’s here, and it’s too late. It’s too impossible. 
It was better when you could stick to figuring out the simple things. Measly distractions that could occupy your mind for long enough that you didn’t have to dwell on the loss of Sunset Curve for every second of every day. 
But those simple things are powerless now, how could that be anything but in the face of this? So, yeah, the universe had a plan. It just chose to build unkindness into the very fabric of the blueprint. And it shouldn’t be a surprise because the universe has never been kind to you. 
The boys may finally be free, but you’re starting to think you never will be.
— — —
The cafe crowd trickles out after Julie and her phantoms bring the house down. You saw more phones, you think it’s safe to say they’re bound to be a viral sensation. You come out from behind the counter, a bottle of disinfectant spray in one hand and a rag in the other as the agent approaches Julie and the boys.
You hang back a little, especially as Julie’s dad comes up and interrupts everything. Because you just have to talk to the boys. You really can’t help yourself. The universe put them in your path, in your place of work. You can’t just let it pass you by.
You watch as Julie leaves with her dead, and the woman watches as she goes with a slightly unfortunate expression. But she doesn’t stick around long, she’s grabbing her things and leaving not soon after.
The boys are still off in the corner, talking slightly about the trouble Julie is definitely going to be in. And the opportunity that just walked right out the door. You shake your head with a slight smirk, same old Sunset Curve. 
You chance a glance up to see that the cafe is damn near empty at this point, and you figure now is as good a time as any.
“You boys did pretty good up there.” You say, spritzing down the table and wiping it off with a rag. People really do not care when they spill coffee all over these tables. You catch the boys freeze, their heads slowly turn in your direction.
“Do you think she’s talking about us?” It’s Reggie who asks, and you have to bite back a laugh. 
“That’s impossible.” Alex cuts in, shaking his head, “That would mean she-”
“Can see you?” You finish for him, a smirk on your lips as a quiet falls over the group. You wipe down another table, the only sound among you is the spray leaving the nozzle on the bottle.
They just watch you. Wondering where this is going. Assuming you’re not a ghost, probably. Otherwise they probably wouldn’t be that surprised. They’re waiting for you to lead them through to whatever the answer is.
“Yeah.” You say, standing up and turning away from the table you were cleaning. “I can see you.”
They just stare at you. Clearly trying to put some sort of puzzle together. And you know you look different. Twenty-five years does that to a person. They may be the same by virtue of their ghostly nature, but you can’t say the same. 
You’re neither offended nor surprised by the fact that can’t place you on the spot. You shake your head with a humored smirk, they’re still at a loss. 
“You know, I think I’d know you guys anywhere.” You say, watching them as you lean against the table. “Nice dance moves, by the way.”
You direct that last comment at Alex directly, and he seems to blush at the compliment. But also the strangeness of what’s going on. Because you know that this feels familiar to you, and for good reason. But you wonder if it has any feel of familiarity to the boys. Or if it’s just eerie. If you’re nothing but some strange threat in the form of a human who can see them. 
“You know, Sunset Curve was like my favorite band when I was in high school.” You say, chuckling slightly under your breath. You pick at what’s left of the nail polish on your nails. You’d only painted them a few days ago, but you have a tendency to pick away at the polish until it only remains in little flashes. 
That seems to have them interested. It has them gravitating in closer towards you. Because you can place them as the people that they were. And they’ve yet to have that experience. Which makes you interesting. Small miracles, you suppose.
“I was your number one fan, scout’s honor.” You say, chuckling slightly and nearly hating yourself for this last part. Because you absolutely refuse to take on this title, but maybe it’ll be enough to have it finally sink in. 
Besides, you think you’re already halfway there. Because Alex and Reggie let themselves gravitate towards you. But Luke didn’t. Luke hung back. Watching you with this look in his eyes. One that you don’t remember ever having seen before. You think it’s almost close to hope, but not a happy kind. You’re not sure if that even exists, but it’s the only way you can think to describe. Like he thinks he knows who you are, but he’s kind of hoping he’s wrong. 
And that right there is probably the most painful thing to come of everything you’ve been through with these boys.
“I was like your most dedicated groupie.” His favorite groupie. You let yourself actually look at him. You commit every last detail of him to memory, as if you hadn’t already been doing that for the last several years. As if you hadn’t done it that night in the alley in front of the open doors of an ambulance.
He’s still looking at you like that. Like he hopes he’s wrong. But it’s shifted slightly. He knows, he’s sure. You’re sure of it. And you don’t know why that hurts so bad. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that in every iteration of this dream that you’ve had over the years, he’s always happy to see. Despite the complications and everything else. He’s happy to see you.
But that’s not reality. Dreams never quite come to fruition in the same way you thought they would. You’re learning that lesson. You seem to keep learning that lesson. Over and over again.
And you’re not an idiot. Obviously you know that this story is going to be Shakespearean at best, no matter how you slice it. Because he’s not human, he’s not physical. You can’t have him, it can’t just be the way you were when you were seventeen. And, besides, you watched him on that stage with Julie. You caught the way he looked at her. The way he used to look at you. 
This is not some magical happily ever after at the end of a fairytale. It doesn’t work like that. But you thought he might at least be kind of happy to get to talk to you again. To give you the chance to say any of the shit that you’ve been wanting to say to him for years. Because you really never got the chance to say goodbye to him properly. 
His eyes drop, his gaze being torn from yours almost immediately after you meet his. And you let out a sorry sigh, one that’s just bordering on a scoff. Because you should’ve known better. You know Luke, better than you’ve ever known anyone. You should’ve known he wasn’t going to react well. But you had hope, because you’re human. Because you just can’t help it. 
But you’re not going to sit here and endure Luke not even being able to look at you. You shake your head, pushing off the table and fixing the boys, and by the boys you mean Alex and Reggie, with a kind smile.
“Well, it’s nice to see you boys playing again.” You say, trying to pretend that it doesn’t feel like you’re dying right now. “Tell that lead singer of yours that she is out of this world talented.”
You look up, and there are tears shining in your eyes. You’re sure of it. You manage to meet Reggie’s eye, and you kind of want to sink into a hole in the floor. Because Reggie’s a little on the dim witted side, but he’s not that dumb. He’d know his friend anywhere. He’d know you anywhere.
You try to send him a small smile, one that doesn’t look like your heart just disintegrated in your chest. You’re not sure you manage it, if the look on his face is any indication.
You sigh, walking away and back towards the counter. Because that feels like the safest option. If the boys have any decency they’ll poof out before you even make it back to the bar. Because having to see Luke again when you turn around might actually put you in an early grave.
“Wait!” You stop in your tracks at the sound of his voice. You turn over your shoulder slightly and you find Luke standing in front of the boys now. His expression is more open than it had been before. "Can we talk?"
The boys are watching the two of you intently. Their eyes bouncing between the two of you like the crowd at a tennis match. And then, as if he can sense the inability his friends have for playing it cool, he adds:
“In private?”
You take a look around at the cafe. Noting how most of the chairs are now up and the sign in the door has been flipped to tell the general public that this establishment is closed for the night.
It’s not like they really need you here anymore. So you nod your head, putting the bottle under the counter and tossing the rag into one of the baskets on the bottom shelf. 
“Yeah, we can talk.” You say, grabbing your jacket from where you stored it on the shelf beneath the register. “I just have to clock out. I’ll meet you outside.”
He nods, looking the least bit hopeful as you’re heading into the back room to swipe your time card. You hear the boys poof out before you’ve even turned the corner.
— — —
The talk happens on your drive home. Because you figure you’ll look less crazy talking to thin air if you’re in your car. Maybe you’re taking a Bluetooth call. Or, maybe, no one gives a single fuck about what you’re doing in the confines of your own car so long as it doesn’t end up endangering somebody else.
You’re, thankfully, at a stop light when he poofs into the passenger seat. Neither one of you says anything for a few seconds. You’re not sure either of you really knows where to start. It’s not like anyone really has a guide for this.
There’s no real set of rules for what you’re supposed to do when your boyfriend is suddenly a ghost. When there’s unfinished business between the two of you that will never actually be finished no matter the circumstances. No matter what gets said.
This will always be unfinished because it never will be the way you both dreamed it would be. That’s something that is always going to be hanging over your head. You and Luke Patterson will always be unfinished, that’s something you know for sure.
“Are you married?” He asks, like he’s loathing the answer. Because, clearly, the answer is going to be yes right? He loved you so wholeheartedly, knew you were the one, the absolute perfect girl, so the odds are someone else realized that after he didn’t get the chance to lock it down. And a few people have tried, hell, one succeeded in getting you down the aisle, but it never lasted. It was never right.
And you know you’re to blame for a good part of that. For most of it, really. 
“I was.” You admit, your expression twisting into something a little unpleasant. “A few years back.”
Honestly, romance is a lost cause for you at this point. Your parents have grown to accept it. Your friends know attempting blind dates is a waste of time. You’ve tried over and over again, and you’ve always managed to strike out in one way or another in the end.
You see him nod beside you, and you press your foot on the gas as the light changes to green. You briefly think about how your life could be so different if the boys had just listened to your advice and sworn off street dogs. It sounds so incredibly ridiculous, you do realize that.
You wonder it’d be like to just be driving Luke around. To be driving Luke home. You didn’t even have your license back in ‘95. You’d been too scared to even take the lessons. Everyone drives in LA, you know that. It’s just that it’s terrifying, at least it was when you were seventeen. 
“Any kids?” He asks, and you’re briefly brought back to one of those late nights where you’d plan out your perfect future.
Family is a touchy subject for Luke, you know that. Sunset Curve is his family, and he never got the chance to fix things with his parents. He had fears that he would make a bad dad. He worried his issues with his parents would bleed into his relationship with his own children, and he didn’t want that. He’d have to put in the work to make sure that didn’t happen in case kids ever did end up coming into the picture.
But he wanted kids with you, he’d told you as much. He wanted more of you in the world. And he wanted to be a part of that. The two of you could do anything together. If you were there it wasn’t as scary. 
You’d never been able to get that thought of your head. Every relationship you’d been in you couldn’t shake the idea of that. Did you really want to put more of those people in the world? But, really, did you want to put more of yourself into the world? Luke might’ve thought it was a great idea, but times have changed. You have changed.
And you didn’t have the heart to put new life into the world. It just seemed ill advised given the state of the world and the state of yourself. 
“Oh yeah.” You say, smiling despite yourself as you turn onto a new street. “Tons of them.”
“Tons?” He asks, but he doesn't seem impressed or amused. He actually seems a little concerned. Maybe even a smidge jealous. 
“Yeah, like twenty.” You say, and you spare a glance in his direction because you just can’t afford to miss the slack jawed expression on his face. It’s only a few seconds before you’re letting your laughter get the better of you. 
His brows pull together as he watches you. Clearly this isn’t all that funny to him.
“It’s not funny.” He says, pouting slightly as he sinks back into his chair.
“I’m sorry.” You say, stifling your laughter so you can clarify what you meant by that. “I’m a music teacher, Luke.”
You’d always been musically inclined, your ability to relate to that love was part of had Luke interested in you in the first place. You’d been taking piano lessons since you were four, your parents insisted on it. And then, through Luke, you learned to play the guitar.
Once he walked in on you in Bobby’s garage with his guitar in your lap as you sat criss-cross applesauce on the couch. He freaked, but only slightly. Something about how he loves you, but his guitar is his baby and people need to be very careful with it.
And then he promised that if you wanted to learn to play, that he’d teach you. But you can’t be touching his guitar unsupervised. And you agreed. And, by the time of the Orpheum show, you were about half as good as Luke was.
Your guitar skills are still fairly basic, you never went to find a formal teacher after Luke’s passing. You didn’t want to learn guitar from anybody else, so you never did. 
“And to answer your question for real,” You start, shaking your head with the briefest flash of a smile on your face, “No, I don’t have kids.” 
The silence settles over the both of you, but it’s not as heavy this time. It’s comfortable. Feels like twenty-five years ago. 
“I’m sorry.” He says, “For the way I acted back there.”
You’re not going to interrupt him. Because you know if you do he won’t actually get to his specific point. 
“I just.” He sighs, shaking his head as he focuses on the road in front of you. “I looked for you. When I got back, I looked for you and I couldn’t find you. I hoped you left. That you went somewhere else and that you’re happy.”
Because the last thing he’d ever want for you is misery. The idea of happy without him still kind of twists a knife in his stomach, but happy with him really wasn’t an option. So happy in general is good. That’s all he wants to hear. He wants you to be happy, that’s it. Then he’ll be okay.
“Sorry to disappoint.” You mutter, tapping your finger against the steering wheel in time with the click of the turn signal as you wait for the light to turn green.
Happy is relative, you think. And it can be hard to come by. You’ve been happy at points of your life, with and without Luke. Luke isn’t the key to happiness. You’re sure it sounds like your life has just been one blanket of misery without Luke. But it’s not the case. You’ve been happy. You’ve been really happy.
It just doesn’t always last. And even though things end, it doesn’t mean that they didn’t have good parts. You hold onto those good parts, no matter how it all actually ended. 
Happiness is not unattainable without Luke. You know that. Are you happy right now? In this particular phase of your life? Well, that bit is a little unclear. You’re not sure, you haven’t really stopped to think about it.
You haven’t really given yourself the time to stop and think about it. You’ve kept yourself so focused on everything else so that you don’t really have to focus on yourself. It’s worked pretty well so far, but you know it isn’t the right answer. It’s not the right way to be doing this whole life thing.
“Are you?” He asks after a few minutes of silence that felt like the scratch of a wool sweater, “Happy?”
The air conditioning fills the silence as you stare down the traffic light. Because you can’t bear to even chance the slightest of glances in his direction. 
Then the light turns green, you press on the gas, and you say:
“I don’t know.”
— — —
A few weeks go by before your next Sunset Curve encounter. And you don’t even see this one happen. It’s during a rush at Eats & Beats, where the orders seem to be nonstop. And you honestly kinda wanna tear your hair out because of how crazy it is. 
The customers are ungrateful and impatient. Honestly, you’d quit here and now if you didn’t love this place so much on a typical day. You’re handing off a cappuccino, one that’s had to be remade twice to be this person’s exact liking, when a small breeze causes a napkin to float into your eye line.
There’s a message scrawled on the napkin, in god awful chicken scratch. And a smile pulls at your lips despite the craziness of the caffeine addiction induced rush. The note reads:
Playing the Orpheum tonight. Got you on the list. See you there! - Luke
And, suddenly, you find yourself excited for the rest of the day that lies ahead. Even the rush, and the shithead customers that come with it, can’t bring you down. Here you are again, right on the cusp of cloud nine.
Everything’s different and everything’s the same.
You don’t really know how to feel. You just know that you arrive at the venue early, and they give you one of those VIP badge things. Which, admittedly, makes you feel very cool. And you just sit and wait. You wait for Julie to take the stage. You wait for what is certain to be an amazing night. And an even better show. 
And you certainly aren’t disappointed. Julie is amazing on her own, but then the boys start coming through. Alex and then Reggie. And then, then it’s Luke.
And he glitches, that’s the only word you can think of to describe what happens to him. You didn’t know ghosts could glitch. You note the slight concern on Julie’s face, and you think that this wasn’t planned. That this is not some part of the show, a way to enrich the schtick. There’s something wrong with Luke.
But then he comes through, just in time. Right on time to sing and grace the place with his beautiful voice and his immense talent. Just like he should’ve all those years ago. And they’re fantastic. The best thing you’ve ever seen. 
You’re whistling as they bow because you just can’t help it. You catch Luke’s eye briefly before they go to bow, and smile at him. You don’t dare acknowledge the tears on your cheeks in that moment. It’s all just a little overwhelming. The Orpheum, after all this time. Him on that stage. Him and Alex and Reggie, doing what they always should’ve had the chance to do.
They’ve lucked into a second life. One where they get a real chance at the things they lost out on the first time around. Luke gets to be happy like this. He gets to have a good life and a fully realized dream. And that’s all you could ever really want. Even if you don’t get to be a part of it. 
And then the boys poof out and Julie leaves the stage. And you leave the venue. Because, honestly, you don’t give a shit about anybody but Julie and the Phantoms. 
The walk to your car goes a little slower tonight. This place, one that you haven’t been back to since that night, is different now. Rectified. And it feels good. It feels so amazing to have this place restored to its former glory in your mind. 
And you think about Luke and Alex and Reggie. You think about their second chance. At their talent and their happiness and the absolutely epic joy that had been radiating off them when they were playing.
Are you happy? That’s what he’d wanted to know. Are you?
You haven’t been. Not in the way you should be. Happy can pass you by if you let it. If you don’t try to find the happy in all of the shit that life throws your way. And you're tired of being passed by. Of letting the good things slip through your fingers just because the future can’t be what you once wanted it to be. 
So you aren’t going to let it pass you by anymore. 
Are you happy? 
No. You’re not. 
But you will be.
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wolfprincesszola · 7 months
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Lightbulb (Julie and the Phantoms)
Am I posting for an almost dead community? Yes, but when am I not? Enjoy.
Masterlist ——————– Summary: Luke finds a cute girl in his college class and finds himself obsessed with wanting to learn more about her. However, she isn't making it easy with her quietness. Then, he watches as she lights up like a lightbulb.
Trigger Warnings: None
Content Warnings: None ——————–
When Luke Patterson had walked into his Calculus I class, he had noticed that there were only a few people in the class. He was not a stranger to the college experience and of the unsaid courtesies students gave to one another but there was a really pretty girl that hadn't reserved the spot next to her like most had with their backpacks. Luke immediately headed towards her table, sitting down next to her. She looked up at him, a little spooked.
"Is this Calc I with Professor Nash?" He asked to try and make conversation with her.
She looked at him to process what he said before nodding and going back to her work. She was writing in a notebook.
Great...he really just ruined his chance to be her friend and get to know her by spooking her, didn't he?
He got ready for class and pulled his things out. The two focused up as the professor entered the classroom.
"Good morning, everyone. Before we get started for class, I'd like to pass out the attendance form. Just initial where your name is and pass it to the next person."
Luke went to grab a worksheet at the front while he waited for the attendance sheet. Once he was back, he was given the form and searched through his backpack for a pencil. Although calm at first, he became frantic soon after when he couldn't find anything. He could see the girl next to him eyeing him and he got even more embarrassed. Why couldn't he just do one thing around a pretty girl without messing it up?
Then, there was a blue No. 2 pencil, decorated with music notes, in front of his face. He looked over to the girl who seemed unbothered and instead smiled at him.
Searching for his name, he initialed where it said "Patterson, Luke" with a "LP". Then, he thanked her and gave her both the pencil and the form. She herself also scanned the paper, but he noticed she glanced at Luke's initials too. Maybe it was just a coincidence. He tried glancing where she initialed subtly, but was unable to upon seeing her pass it too quickly to the back.
The rest of class was with the two minding their own business and doing their own work. The only time they discussed was during class discussions where they had to look over each other's work. He noticed how quiet and shy she was.
When the class was over, she had left before Luke could even have a chance to talk to her.
The next 16 weeks he spent next to her consisted of the same nervousness. Luke always sat next to her as she always arrived early and sat down early. He always passed the attendance form to her, although he started bringing his pencils to class. She was always ready to offer him a hand when he needed something. He always helped to check her work. They always had small quiet conversations that never seemed to give Luke any insight into who she was. She was very quiet and like always, Luke never got her name as she was always out the door before he could even blink.
Then, the class was over and Luke was back to square one. Maybe he would see her around campus, though he doubted it. She would probably be the Mystery Girl for all his life and he was forever doomed to wonder who the Mystery Girl was and who she could've been to him.
Spring term came and Luke begrudgingly attended his Calculus II class in mourning, knowing what happened at his last Calculus class. As he walked in, his heart sank as it was an empty classroom. A little part of him was hoping that Mystery Girl would've been there waiting as if she knew he would come. He sank his head into his seat and pulled out his things for class as he waited for students to file in and for the class to start.
Then, someone placed a book down next to his seat and sat in it without saying anything. Luke looked up and his heart fluttered upon seeing Mystery Girl.
Oh, right, he was an idiot. The Calculus classes were 3-term classes from Calculus I ranging all the way to Calculus III.
She gave an awkward smile to him and he returned it.
Maybe things were finally going his way.
When class finally started, the professor flipped open the syllabus, asking everyone to introduce themselves to their neighbor for ten minutes.
Luke took that time to turn to the Mystery Girl and finally smiled at her to ask the question he had been wanting to ask her for the past 16+ weeks. "Hi, what's your name?"
"Julie. You're Luke, right?"
"Yeah, good memory." Luke gave a small smile. He knew that she must've seen him sign his name on the form. "You have a really pretty name."
"Thanks." Julie smiled. "We were in the same Calc class last term, right?"
"Yeah." Luke nodded.
Julie nodded before looking at the board, "We should probably go down the list of icebreakers. What's your favorite hobby?"
"Singing and writing songs, probably." Luke shrugged, "I have a band. What about you?"
"You have a band?" Julie gasped in excitement, "I write music too."
Luke watched as Julie lit up, almost like a lightbulb, and suddenly, the conversation went from forced awkwardness to a flowing natural conversation. She burst into a rant about her mother introducing her to the world of music and the school she attended. Luke didn't feel any anxiety to talk to her anymore and suddenly, 10 minutes had gone by and the two still had more to talk about.
At the end of class, Luke knew he couldn't let the moment slip by, so he stopped Julie before she could leave.
"Can I have your number?" He asked, "There's just so much more I want to talk to you about."
"Sure." Julie smiled at him and Luke noticed that once he turned on her lightbulb of enthusiasm, there seemed to be no way to turn it back off.
He was completely fine with that.
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felicitysmoaksx · 5 months
Text
JJ’s Fic and Moodboard Masterlist Updated 2/28/24
Moodboards
Best Friends Brother AU || One Chicago || Sarah Reese x Connpr Rhodes
Sarah Reese: Police Officer || One Chicago || Sarah Reese Centric
Single Dad!Severide || One Chicago || Kelly Severide Centric
Halstead Brothers Adopt Reese || One Chicago || Gen
Merlyn Twins au || One Chicago & Arrow || Tommy Merlyn & Connor Rhodes
One Chicago x Jatp Fusion || One | Two | Three || One Chicago & Julie and The Phantoms || Mult-ship
The Andi AU || One | Two || One Chicago || Sarah Reese Centric & Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
The Resident x One Chicago Crossover || One | Two || The Resident & One Chicago || Gen: Conrad Hawkins & Sarah Reese
Ballet au || One Chicago || Sarah Reese Centric
Voight Family Values || One Chicago || Gen: Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Sarah Reese as a Former Black Widow || One Chicago & Marvel Studios || Gen: Sarah Reese & Bucky Barnes
The Sisters Halstead || One Chicago || Gen: Makayla Ward & OC
MCU Spiderman Meets The Amazing Spiderman || Marvel Studios || Gen
Mockingbird || One Chicago & DC TV || Gen: Sarah Reese & Dick Grayson & Mult-Ship
Severide & Reese Step-Siblings au || One Chicago || Gen: Sarah Reese & Kelly Severide
Burgstead Pregnancy AU || One Chicago || Jay Halstead x Kim Burgess
Superstar Juke AU || Julie and The Phantoms || Julie Molina x Luke Patterson
NHL Star! Connor Rhodes || One Chicago || Connor Rhodes Centric
WHAT IF NESTA COULDN’T PHYSICALLY SPEAK IN ACOTAR? || ACOTAR || Nesta Archeron x Cassian
What if Paulo took Daisy with him when he left Clump? || Irreverent || Gen: Paulo Keegan & Daisy
FICS
Marvel Comics
The One Where Tony Survives (Alt Endgame Universe) || WIP (Series)
A Handful of Moments I Wished I Could Change (And a Tongue like a Nightmare that Cut like a Blade) || Complete || One Shot
Two Worlds (One Family) || Complete || One Shot
The Darcy Lewis Chonicles (Series)
Just Tony || Darcy Lewis and Tony Stark || One Shot
Julie and The Phantoms
Found a Time and Space || WIP || Multi-Chapter || Juke & Williex
In These Small Hours (Series) || Complete
Hollywood Tragedy Aftermath || Complete || Bobby | Trevor Wilson Centric
Do You Hear That Love? || Complete ||  One Shot  || Willie x Alex
Melancholy Kaleidoscope || Complete || One Shot  || Julie x Luke
Little Wonders (These Twists and Turns of Fate) || Complete || One Shot || Julie x Luke and Willie x Alex
One Chicago 
You Held Me Up on Your Shoulders Way Up High || Chicago Med and Chicago Fire || WIP || Multi-Chapter || Sarah Reese and Kelly Severide 
It Was a One Night Stand Until I Woke Up Next to You || Chicago PD || WIP (Series)
It Was a One Night Stand Until I Woke Up Next to You || WIP ||  Multi-Chapter || Jay Halstead x Kim Burgess 
Blood Thicker Than Water || One Shot || Complete || Jay Halstead x Kim Burgess
Married But As Friends (Series) Chicago Med || Complete
Delicate || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
You Could Still See the Best in Me || Chicago Med ||  Complete || One Shot || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Cause I Clutched Your Arms like Stairway Railings || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Freeze Time, Baby Rewind  || Chicago Med ||  Complete || One Shot || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Friends Don't Look at Friends That Way || Chicago Med || Complete || Multi-Chapter || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Come Back Be Here (Series) || Complete
Never Stop || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Guilty by Association || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
If I Drift in the Wrong Direction (You Turn the Tide) || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
You & Me || Chicago Med || Complete || Multi-Chapter || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Reader Imagines (Series)
Apartment Fire || One Chicago || Complete || One Shot || Jay Halstead &  Disabled fem!reader Halstead sibling
Doctor Visit  || One Chicago || Complete || One Shot || Halstead brothers Will & Jay Halstead &  Disabled fem!reader Halstead sibling, and Manstead if you squint
One Chicago Soulmate AU || WIP (Series)
Your Words (Burned into My Skin) || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
In Your Eyes (and it all makes sense) || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Sweet Nothing (All You Wanted From Me Was) || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Long Story Short  || WIP (Series)
Rare as a Glimmer of a Comet  || Chicago Med || Complete || One Shot ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Voight Family Values || WIP (Series)
Yeah, I Just Wanna Take You Home || Chicago Med || Complete || Multi-Chapter ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Hold On, I Still Want You  || Chicago Med || Complete || Multi-Chapter ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Interlude: What If || Chicago Med || Complete || Drabble || Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
Bottled Up Feelings are Silently Screaming (You Were Breaking Down) || Chicago Med || WIP || Multi-Chapter ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
DC TV
What Happened in Russia, Didn’t Stay in Russia || Arrow || Oliver x Felicity (An AU season 2 rewrite) || WIP (Series)
You’ll Always Be My Girl (or Felicity’s first scar and Oliver’s lecture) || Complete || One Shot
Slade’s Promise (Or Oliver’s Overprotective But with Good Reason) || Compete || One Shot
DC TV/Chicago Med Crossover
Mockingbird & Co.
The Same Little Breaks In Your Soul || Chicago Med || Arrow || Titans ||  WIP || Multi-Chapter ||  Sarah Reese x Connor Rhodes
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