Finally Free -- JATP Luke x MaleOC

Chapter 44

Friday came and Julie and The Phantoms could not hide their excitement for the night. Alex, though anxious, was ready for the night of their lives tonight. He wasn't sure exactly what it was about the day that made him anxious. Sure, he got the pre-show jitters like everyone else, but this feeling was different. It was like an impending feeling of dread, a warning that his subconscious was giving him that something was going to go wrong today.

Alex didn't focus too heavily on that feeling. He knew that if he did, he would end up embodying that feeling and the other would notice. He hoped it really was just the pre-show jitters and not a harbringer of what is to come.

While Julie went to school, the boys were rehearsing for tonight. Were, as in past tense. Right now, the three of them were just chilling on the couch. Luke, of course, was still looking over the song they were going to be playing tonight. Reggie was strumming a tune on his bass while Alex beat a rhythm on his thighs with his drumsticks.

"Look," Luke said, pointing at the lyrics sheet. "We add the echoes during the chorus, then when Julie comes in with the melody, it's gonna sound perfect."

Alex and Reggie shared a quick look when there was a faint thud in the distance. All three boys looked up to see Willie, who had quickly moved away from the garage window and started skating off.

"Again?" Reggie asked. "What's that all about?"

"I don't know," Alex said, standing up and finishing his sentence in his head as he poofed out, stopping Willie before he could skate away.

"What's your problem?" Alex asked him, not noticing the look that he gave him. "It's like you're tracking me down just so you can keep running away."

"I wish I could explain, man," Willie said genuinely, shaking his head slightly. "But I can't."

"Wait, that's not good enough," Alex said, trying to find any semblance of an answer in Willie's words. "I mean, you've been acting weird ever since Caleb's club. You know, I thought we were having fun together."

Willie looked away, unable to meet Alex's eyes with his next words.

"We never should have met."

Wow, that hurts.

Alex didn't realize that he said those words aloud until Willie began apologizing.

"Hey, I'm sorry Alex, I really am," he said. "You're a great guy."

Alex forced himself to look up at Willie, trying not to show the pain in his chest that kept punching him over and over.

"I gotta go," Willie sighed, looking over his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Willie poofed away and left Alex alone outside the garage with his thoughts. Of course, the one boy that he let himself fall for, the one that he let himself be happy with and let himself fantasize about had to tell him to his face that they never should have met in the first place.

How wonderful.

"Alex!" Luke called out, going through the garage door. "Hey man, let's run the show."

Luke was oblivious to Alex's pain. Or maybe he just hid it too well. But Alex forced a smile and nodded, following Luke inside to rehearse their song.

"Hey man," Reggie greeted. "You good?"

"Yeah," Alex said sarcastically. "Yeah, just great. I mean, the guy I like literally just told me that he and I never should have met and poofed off without explaining a single thing about why he's been tailing us. It's all just swell."

Luke and Reggie shared a look with each other before looking back to Alex.

"Hey, I'm sorry Alex," Luke said. "You don't deserve something like that."

"Yeah, I thought Willie was a good guy," Reggie shrugged. "I guess he's not above all that."

"The point is, is that you need to get your mind off of him," Luke said. "It's his loss anyway. You're an amazing dude, I can't imagine anyone legit thinking that they shouldn't have met you. There's something wrong with that guy."

"I'll say."

Alex gave a weak smile to his two friends, knowing that they were trying their best to cheer him up. The band made their way to their instruments and began running through "Edge of Great" a couple of times. Alex did his best to hide his spiking frustration and simply beat on the drums like he was supposed to, but he could never supress his feelings for long.

"Alex, you alright?" Luke asked once Alex had realized how hard he was hitting his drums.

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "Yeah, yeah, why?"

"I know it's tough man," Reggie said sympathetically. "People say you never forget your first ghost. Maybe that's true."

Alex was pretty sure that no one actually said that and that Reggie had just invented it on the spot.

"But...I'm sure there'll be others."

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "Thanks Reg."

Even with his made-up saying, Reggie's words really did make him feel a little better.

"Yeah, and Alex," Luke began adding, leaning on the nearby stack of guitar amps. "You're a great drummer and a great guy, okay? I wouldn't let all that stuff get in between you and what you love."

But what if I love both?

"I don't know man, sometimes a little fire can make things better on stage," Reggie cut in quickly as he realized that Luke wasn't helping too much. "Like you and Jay."

Alex internally thanked Reggie for changing the topic and smirked as Reggie chuckled and Luke stammered.

"Uh, wha..." Luke began, fumbling over his words. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on," Reggie began as if it were tbe most obvious thing in the world. "Everyone can see the way you two look at each other when you sing. You guys ooze chemistry."

"You should never say 'ooze' again, but yeah," Alex said, standing from his drum seat. "I agree."

"Okay, no," Luke said, pulling his guitar over his head and setting it beside him, leaning it against the amp stack. "I have chemistry with everyone I sing with. Like Julie."

"Maybe, but you and Jay have something special," Alex refuted. "Called chemistry."

"Okay, no seriously," Luke said, looking at the two boys who clearly did not believe him. "Watch."

"I believe
I believe that we're just one dream
Away from who we're meant to be
That we're standing on the edge of
Great"

As Luke sang the lines, he stepped forward, mainitaining eye contact with Reggie every step of the way. He put a hand on the back of Reggie's neck and pulled him a little closer as he finished the song.

"Wow," Alex nodded, smiling to himself. "I see chemistry."

"That was pretty hot," Reggie nodded, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke.

Luke pressed two of his fingers to his lips and then pressed those fingers to Reggie's lips, walking away quickly while Reggie looked around wildly and stammered.

Luke picked up his guitar as Reggie cleared his throat and gathered himself together.

"Guys, right?" Luke asked, looking at boys.

"Yeah," Alex breathed out.

Reggie made a noise as if he somewhat agreed or was unsure of himself. Alex smiled and Luke chuckled as the latter kicked the guitar chord towards the bassist.

"One, two, three, four!"