Julie and the Phantoms: The (unofficial) second Chapter

Part 8

Reggies POV

I pull into the driveway. "Everyone out of my car."
"Our Car." Julie sass back at me. "Out." She rolls her eyes and gets out of the car. I see Luke climb out of the passenger seat. "Alex, get out."
"No, I'm not leaving you alone like this." I let out a sigh. "fine, at least get in the fount seat" Alex climbs through the center of my car. "Why didn't you walk around?"
"Because I know the second that I get out of this car, you will leave me behind. I'm letting you run off."
"I don't run off, Luke does."
"Yeah, but Reggie avoids conflict like the plague."
"Yeah, that's why I wanted you all out of my car."
"Yeah, but Reggie also avoids internal conflict, and that's what we need to figure out."
"I put my car in reverse and back out of the driveway." I jump on the interstate and feel free. I roll down my windows and feel the wind go through my car. "Reggie, what's going on something is bothering you?"
"Nothing, just lots of changes."
"There's something else. There's something big bothering you."
"No, there's not. It's just a lot."
"Reggie, I know you better than that."
"It's just, It's nothing okay."
"No, it's not nothing. Tell me what's wrong."
"It's just, I've never been the oldest before."
"Is that what you're worried about?"
"Well, It's just..."
"Confusing." He interjects. I nod my head. We both sit there in silence for a minute. "When I saw Addi last night it was like everything stopped for a second. I don't know what the feeling was, but all of a sudden all I wanted to do was protect her and make sure no guy ever hurt her." I nod my head understanding the feeling. "That's exactly how I feel around Julie. It's just the guy I want to protect her from is Luke."
"Yeah, have you told him?"
"No, not yet. I don't want to deal with a fight."
"Well, Luke is going to have to realize that some things are different now. This reality is different, and just because Luke's life didn't change much, doesn't mean that life isn't going to change." I nod my head and sigh. We drive for a little bit longer in silence. "She called me bubba last night," I say breaking the silence. Alex looks at me. I start to smile remembering the feeling that her nickname gave me. "Yeah?"
"Yeah, I think she's a little embarrassed about it though, so I don't want to bring it up. She did it twice, but we didn't address it the second time." I laugh a little bit thinking of her reaction the first time she did it. "Up until that point I was confused why I was at Julie's house and it was like there was a piece of me that was missing or a purpose I didn't know, then when she called me bubba and when Dad talked to me..."
"Dad?"
"Oh, yeah sorry. When Ray was talking to me."
"No, Reg, don't apologize. You found a family and I am so happy for you. This is what you wanted right? You talked about it nonstop when we were ghosts."
"Yeah," I pause and think for a minute. "Now that it's happening it doesn't seem real. I'm just afraid that Julies not happy."
"Why wouldn't she be?"
"Because, she didn't have a brother before, and now she's stuck with me."
"Yeah, just because you weren't there before doesn't mean she doesn't like having you there now. It's just a change, Change isn't always bad." I nod my head. "Yeah, I guess your right, But change is still change."