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013. now or never

Julie, Luke, and Alex moped around her bedroom, dreading what was going to happen next. No one knew what to do. No one knew where to start. How were they going to find Reggie if no one even knew where Caleb was going?

"Alright, boys, it's been half an hour! It's time go back to the garage now," Aunt Victoria said as she walked into Julie's room. She frowned at site of them all together. "What's wrong? Are you all missing Ray too much? I can call him if you want me to."

Alex let out a scoffing laugh. "No, we don't miss Ray. We miss Reggie. We don't even know where he is or how to get him back." Victoria smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry. I'm sure he's just busy at school. He'll be back this afternoon once it's over."

"No, he won't," Luke snapped back. "He's gone, and there's no way of telling where he is. Alex was right. We're hopeless."

Julie rolled her eyes at the boys remarks and looked at her aunt before saying, "I'm sorry about them, Tia. They're just in a bad mood. You're right. I'm sure Reggie's fine. Is it okay if I call Flynn so she can come over and hang out? She went home after everything happened too."

Victoria shook her head. "I'm sorry, Julie, but that doesn't seem like a very good idea right now. Your band seems to be in shambles without your father-obsessed boy. You all need time to be alone and away from each other. I'll call your Papa and see what he has to say about all of this."

"Wait, no! Sorry. Please don't," Julie replied. "He just doesn't know what happened. I think it's better if I'm the one to explain everything to him. Along with the boys as well."

Victoria sighed. "Alright, if that's what you want. I still want you three separated until he gets home with Carlos tonight. You can stay up here, and the drummer can go back to the garage." She then looked directly at Luke. "I think you and I should have a little talk, don't you?"

Luke squinted and shook his head. "Uhhh-- I don't think so. Alex can get really emotional when he's alone, and I don't really want to intrude on your time with Julie, so maybe it would be better if--"

"Oh, don't worry about them! They'll be fine. I can tell how very independent you all are. We will go head down there now," Victoria replied.

Once Alex went back to the garage and Victoria made sure Julie was still resting up in her room, she took a set across from Luke on the couch. "I believe my brother has insisted your name is Luke. Is that correct?" She asked.

Luke nodded hesitantly. "Uh, yeah. Why?" Victoria laughed a little. "You have no reason to worry, Luke. I just want to get to know you, of course! Julie seems to have taken a like to you. It is easy to tell when you perform together."

Luke nodded uncomfortably. So this was what she wanted to talk about. His not-so official but way too obvious to deny I like you, you like me back thing with Julie. "Look, Julie and I aren't dating or anything. We're cool. There's nothing else I really gotta say about it."

"What do you mean? There is plenty to talk about! If you are going to date her, then I have to know more about you to make sure you fit up to the familial standards," Victoria replied.

Julie could hear that from upstairs. She knew she wasn't supposed to get out of bed or whatever, but she didn't care. The last thing she needed was someone else to make things awkward between her and Luke.

"Tia Victoria! What are you doing? Leave Luke alone, please!" Julie called out as she walked down the stairs.

Luke held in a smirk. It was hard to not laugh at Victoria's cheeks turning from a somewhat pale color to deep red from embarrassment. "Julie, Luke and I were just speaking. There's no reason to come interrupt a completely normal conversation. Go back upstairs and rest, mija."

Julie gave her a look. "Come on. I could hear your conversation all the way upstairs in my room. We aren't dating. It's just what he said. Please stop pestering him. It's really weird, Tia."

Luke couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing out loud. "She's not wrong, you know. It's really weird."

Tia Victoria shook her head. "You two are two peas in a pod. We will resume this conversation again, Luke. The next time I am here. You can go back to the garage now since you still need your alone time with the drummer boy."

"Or... I could go hang out with Julie," Luke suggested.

Victoria shook her head again. "That won't be happening on my watch, Mr. Lover Boy. You all need to go spend some time alone."

"I get that you wanna help, Tia, and that's amazing, but when we're processing things, it's better to do it together as a band," Julie insisted.

Victoria let out a weary sigh. "Alright, mija. If that's what you would prefer. Make sure to include the drummer boy in your discussions as well."

Julie smiled and nodded. "Yeah, of course we'll tell Alex. Just let me talk to Luke alone first, please?" Luke's eyes pleaded with the woman as well, and she had no choice but to give in. "Very well. I'll go fetch your drummer."

Luke headed back upstairs to Julie's room and plopped down on her bed. "Your aunt is a very upfront woman, Jules." Julie rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I dunno where she gets it from. She shouldn't have been interrogating you like that."

"It's not that big of a deal," Luke said with a shrug. "Besides, I don't mind questions about you. I just... don't think I really wanna talk about our little... relationship with your aunt."

Julie nodded with wide eyes. "Yeah. I can imagine why. Anyways, um, I guess we should go get Alex now, right? I'm sure he'll need to get through his emotions first."

As she walked towards the door, Luke stood up and said, "W-wait, there actually was kinda something I was hoping to talk to you about."

"Oh," Julie said, turning back around. "About what?"

When they met eyes, Luke smiled and glanced away before looking back at her. "Well, I-I was just thinking we could talk about... well, us."

Julie's lips melted into a smile. "Yeah. Of course. I guess it's kind of been a long time coming. Gosh, where do we even start? The night of the Orpheum?"

Luke shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's no secret how I feel about you. Sometimes I wish I was better at hiding my feelings so Alex and Reggie couldn't give me such a hard time."

"I completely understand that," Julie said with a laugh. "You obviously get what I mean." Luke smiled and laughed, thinking about Victoria. "Yeah."

"Um, Luke, are we ever actually gonna do anything about this though?" Julie asked. "Because I just feel like we haven't. Obviously we have have feeling for each other, but... I don't even know where to start with the way my aunt was acting. Plus my dad would get totally freaked out about me dating someone in the band, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, Jules, you don't gotta worry about any of that. How about we make it simple?" Luke commented with a smile. His eyes sparkled with excitement like a newly born puppy. "How about we go out together, just us two, and see how it goes? Will you... Will you go on a date with me Julie?"

Julie was about to say something in return when Alex barged in through her door. "Guys, I know where Reggie is!"