imagination || julie and the phantoms

ten

❉ ╧╧╧╧ ✿ ╧╧╧╧ ❉

CHARLOTTE WOKE UP FROM HER NAP MORE EXHAUSTED THAN BEFORE.

The sun still shone through the studio windows late that Sunday afternoon as she groggily sat up on the couch and rubbed her eyes. She noticed Reggie still passed out in the single chair beside her with his mouth dropped open and head leaned back. Alex occupied himself by doodling in his own sketchbook, shading something with a dark blue colored pencil. However, one certain shaggy-haired goofball was missing.

"Hey," Charlotte caught Alex's attention and he lifted his head. "Where's Luke?"

"He left a while ago after you and Reg fell asleep," Alex replied. "Didn't want to wake you."

"Why?"

"Something about clearing his head," Alex purposely stayed vague.

Earlier that day, when they went to the record store, it was obvious Luke was bothered by the conversation he had with Reggie before Charlotte returned from the roof. He put on a show for Charlotte, faking a smile every time she looked at him. Though, whenever she'd glance away, it faded. Alex could tell he wanted to ask her about what he didn't know, but Luke stayed silent.

After they got back and the twins decided to take a nap, Luke sprung up a soft conversation with Alex about Charlotte's letter. He admitted to the drummer he wouldn't know what to do if he received one from his parents, therefore apologizing for his previous pestering. Alex assured him it was fine, but it didn't look like Luke believed him. He became quiet, his eyes falling sullen in a way that could only make Alex think Luke's mind started to spin.

He held a tendency to do that a lot, especially when any of their pasts are brought up. The next thing Alex knew, Luke stood up carefully to avoid wakening Charlotte, grabbed his burnt orange denim jacket to shrug over his black T-shirt, and flashed out of the studio.

"Well that shouldn't take long," Charlotte teased, expecting Alex to quirk up a smile. When he didn't, and instead closed his sketchbook, Charlotte's face fell. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Lex," she warned, sitting up straighter as her eyes narrowed on him. "Where is Luke really?"

Alex raised his hands in self-defense, his sketchbook in his lap. "He said he needed to clear his head, that's it!"

Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest, not buying Alex's claim. "And you just let him leave?" she questioned.

Alex didn't directly answer, but the slight glance towards her twin brother offered some kind of explanation. Charlotte grabbed a pillow from behind her and flung it towards Reggie. "Hey, wake up!"

The second the pillow hit Reggie's chest, his eyes popped open. The impact surprised him so much that he tried to spring up, his foot getting caught on the chair leg. He fell forward, narrowly missing the coffee table by an inch as he crumbled to the ground. Reggie then groaned, Alex hiding a laugh behind his hand. But Charlotte didn't even crack a grin.

"You two know something," she announced, her brother rubbing the side of his head as he forced himself to sit up. "And that something has to do with why Luke left, so spill."