Finally Free -- JATP Luke x MaleOC

Chapter 62

I am so sorry that I haven't updated this story in so long. My mental health just hasn't been all that great in the past couple weeks so I found it hard to motivate myself to sit down and write, but I'm getting better and am finishing this story no matter what.

Jay felt cold.

Despite the warm blood smoothly pumping through his veins and the fact that every single movement he took made his muscles burn so much that he wanted to cry out. But the coldness he felt almost seemed to numb all of that so that he could focus getting himself changed, even if his arms randomly locked up as he did.

In Jay's head, Julie's words were playing over and over again on repeat.

The boys were gone.

They couldn't save them.

Instead of mulling in despair over the fact that the boys were trapped at the Hollywood Ghost Club, Jay's mind had decided to blame him for the way things had gone.

It was his fault that Caleb had gotten to the boys. He should have done more, done better, done something other than just stand in the garage and have a shouting contest with Caleb. Looking back on it, it was reckless. Impulsive. He had charged in without a thought in his mind of what to do once he had arrived.

Jay winced and inhaled sharply through his teeth as he put his arm through the sleeve of his vest, earning the attention of Flynn and CJ, who were both still in the room.

"Woah, easy, easy," CJ said, coming over and helping Jay put the vest on his shoulders. "You can't perform like this Jay."

"I have to," Jay argued through gritted teeth, starting to button up his vest. He was halfway through when he froze and realized that his hands were trembling, something that CJ was quick to notice as well.

"You can barely button up. How are you gonna play guitar on that stage?"

"I'll manage."

"Jay, please," Flynn interjected. "Don't be so stubborn."

"Listen if Doctor Strange can be Sorcerer Supreme with hand tremors then I can play guitar for a few minutes."

"Do you realize how crazy you sound, that's from a movie," CJ remarked.

"If I'm crazy then so be it."

It was at that moment that Jay looked at himself in the mirror, the LED panels surrounding the glass illuminating his features. He wore a black button-up shirt under his vest, leaving the top two buttons open so that his collarbone was visible. On top of that was a black vest with gold flowers detailed on it. He already had a prevalent collarbone as it was, but the events of the past hour or so seemed to have made him look almost pale or sickly. Even his face was pale and tired and even though it no longer dripping with sweat, there was still a sheen that made him look exhausted. Even his hair was somewhat damp with sweat, he felt it as he ran a hand through his jet black locks.

He really was in no condition to perform.

"Can you at least sit down?" Flynn asked, exasperated. "If you won't change your mind about performing then at least take a break for a second."

Jay looked over at Flynn out of the corner of his eye and saw her face soften.

"I can't change your mind?"

"No," Jay said firmly, turning to gesture to CJ. "If he couldn't-she-"

"Today's a she day," CJ offered when Jay stammered.

"Thanks. If she couldn't change my mind on the entire car ride here, no one's changing my mind about this."

"Even though your hands won't stop shaking?"

Jay's only response to Flynn's question was a brief look that told her all she needed to know. Flynn sighed and went to the door of the dressing room.

"Hey, Rob?" Flynn called out. "Do we have Jay's guitar set up?"

"Yeah, it's on the stage by the keyboard," Rob answered, poking his head into the room. "We ready to go on?"

"Give me a minute," Jay said in low voice as he nodded.

"I don't know how much longer I can wait, but I'll try," Rob's voice said from the doorway. Jay then heard rapid footsteps that quickly faded as he left.

"Are you seriously going to do this?" CJ asked, arms crossed. "Most of your band isn't even here."

"It's because they're not here that I have to go on dammit!" Jay exclaimed, his hands curling into fists as he slammed them down on the counter in front of him. "You think they'd forgive us if we didn't go on just because they're not here to perform with us? They wouldn't want their band to miss out on the Orpheum twice!"

"Fine. But when your hands stop working tonight, you're the only one to blame."

His hands wouldn't stop working, that was crazy. Despite the constant trembling, Jay was sure that he would be fine after tonight. He just knew that he had to go on tonight, he had to perform. The boys were gone and Julie had run out only a few minutes ago. He was the only one left that could go on, meaning he'd have to sing the entire song by himself.

As Jay charged out the door, his brain was whirling to find out how to play an instrument while also singing the entire song. He was essentially rewriting the song so that he could just play on the keyboard and sing, he was determined to make it work.

Alongside his determination was his anxiety. It seemed to be an instinct at this point for his body to react to any idea of him performing for an audience with fear. The indistinct chatter of the audience seemed to calm him, so much so that he froze at the stairs that led up to the stage and stared. The stage lights were on and illuminated the keyboard on stage right as well as the guitar that was leaning against it.

"They're ready for you," Rob told Jay as he, Flynn, and CJ walked up behind him. Rob then put a hand on his headset and spoke into his microphone. "Jay is going on solo."

Jay nodded and was about to step onto the stage until he heard a door open behind him. He whirled around and the three people behind him parted to let Julie through.

"Signs," Julie said simply yet firmly, holding out a dahlia in front of her. "I'm not letting you go up there alone."

Jay grinned at her, looking at the magenta dahlia in her hand, though due to the lighting it almost looked red. He held out a hand to her, palm up. Julie paused for a moment, looking at Jay's trembling hand with concern. She then looked to Jay's eyes and her face changed into one of determination as she placed her hand onto Jay's. The two of them smiled at each other, their thoughts identical about the performance tonight, and Jay led her onto the stage as they mentally prepared themselves for the most important performance of their lives.

"Julie and Jay just walked onto the stage."