Dear Dahlia // B1

[25]

Julie huffs and flops on the couch, "We still have so much to do."

"You can still relax, Julie," I sigh, tucking my legs closer to my chest and adding details to my drawing.

"The dance is tomorrow. I don't have time to lounge about and doddling," Julie spits.

"Woah," I whisper, sucking air in through my teeth. "I'm -uh- going to go inside."

I close my sketchbook and walk out of the garage.

"Little harsh, Julie," I hear Reggie say. A mumble of agreement comes before I am too far away to hear their low discussion anymore.

The house is quiet I walk through the door. I don't bother to try and find my brother or dad to see what kind of trouble their getting into. Instead, I walk up the stairs and to my bedroom.

I set my sketchbook down and walk over to the long mirror by the closet. I cross my legs and sit down.

"Sorry about Julie," I hear a familiar voice ring from behind me. I can't hold back the small jump that comes as an instinct.

"I will never get used to that," I sigh. "You always just showing up places."

"Yeah, it's a little weird for me too," Luke laughs. "I never know if I'm gonna pop in when your in the middle of-"

"Don't finish that sentence," I cut him off. I look back at the mirror and examine my face.

"Whatcha lookin for?" He asks, leaning his head over my shoulder.

I smile and look over at him, "You'll know when you find them."

"Find what?" He chuckles.

I roll my eyes. "Flaws."

"Flaws?" Luke's eyebrows pull together, putting a crease on his forehead. Under other circumstances, seeing that line would make me smile.

"Yeah," I nod and quickly revert my attention back to the mirror. "You know, the things that make you imperfect. Things your insecure about."

"I know what a flaw is," he sighs.

"Then why are you being weird?" I ask, a laugh getting caught halfway up my throat.

"It's just that-" Luke pauses, forcing me to turn and look at him. "You don't have any."

I can feel my face flush and my ears catch fire. I quickly smack my hand over my mouth and look away from him.

"What?" He laughs.

"Nothing," I snort. I smack my other hand over my mouth in an attempt to cut the sound off before Luke hears it.

"You're gonna leave a bruise, Piglet," he jokes.

"Hush up," I shake my head, pulling my hands away from my face.

Luke holds his hands up in surrender, a smirk plastered on his face.

"I wish I could hit you."

He clicks his tongue and shoves his hands in his pockets. "I was thinking the same thing, Piggy."

"Hey!" I shout before quickly closing my mouth and looking toward the door. The last thing I want is my dad or Carlos bursting in and thinking I'm talking to myself.

Luke looks over his shoulder then back at me. "I don't think anyone heard you."

I glare at him before looking back at the mirror.

"I was being serious, Dahl," Luke says. "You're not going to find anything."

"And how would you know?" I scoff.

"Because I've spent the last - how long? - month looking at you and I have yet to find something you shouldn't like," he answers.

I feel my mouth open, as if to argue and prove him wrong, but no words come out and my lips seal together again.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Luke mumbles, nearly whispering, before he poofs out of the room.

Alex was... right?

*****

Luke's P.O.V.

"Where have you been?" Julie shouts when I poof back into the studio.

"I was talking to Dahl," I hold my hands up in an attempt to make peace. "She's fine. Don't worry."

"Oh my god, why are you always taking her side?" Julie groans.

"What are you talking about? There's no s-" Julie cuts me off, obviously still stressed about the dance and visibly upset with me.

"You just always have to go to Dahlia's rescue," she says. "Even in the middle of practice. We'll be in the middle of a song and you'll miss queues because you're so caught up in your own little world. I see - We all see you staring at her. It's so obvious, Luke!"

"What? I - no," I shake my head. "No, no. It's not like that. Okay? I just think, you know, we've all gotten really close these last couple weeks. Okay? She's - she's my friend."

"And she's my sister," Julie glares. "And she's not my friend. And she's not in this band. So you're gonna have to chose how you're going to spend you time from now on. Are you gonna be part of this band or not?"

"I'm here," I say quietly.

Julie nods before walking to the bathroom. I put my head down and walk to my guitar. I can feel Reggie's and Alex's eyes on me but I refuse to look up at them. For the 100th time since I died, if I could blush, my face would yet again be bright red.

*****

Julie's P.O.V.

I shut the bathroom door behind me and lock it. I know that against ghosts, it wouldn't do much, but my thought process isn't exactly on track. Of course, the butterflies in my stomach that go haywire every time Luke and I sing together, are only in my stomach. Of course, he would end up liking my sister, the girl who's on track to get a boyfriend soon, instead of choosing me. And as much as it hurts, I can't say I'm surprised. A pang of guilt shoots through me. I shouldn't treat it like this. It's not as if it's Dahlia's fault. She's blind, remeber?

But she could have said something. Let me in and told me about the things that her and Luke would talk about, the way she felt when he would look at her. I know, in the end, they'll never be able to have each other. But I can't have him either so what's the point in trying.

Even so, why does Dahlia get everything that I want without ever trying or feeling hurt by anything? Why can't I just be more like her?

A.N.

Hi.

This chapter is a MESS but it's okay because things. Are. Finally. Happening.

Anywho... hope y'all had a good day (:

💀✌🦋😘❄😳🐍😎🏳️‍🌈🤠🥁

-Redd