The Lead Singer's Little Brother

A Little Truth Never Killed Anyone

Liam's POV
"I hadn't played that game since elementary school." I said.
"Can we play?" Reggie asked.
"Reggie is wondering if the guys can play too." Julie said.
Flynn nodded before getting us all to sit in a circle. Going clockwise from me it went Alex, Julie, Luke, Flynn, Reggie.
"So how is this going to work since Julie and I are the only ones who can see the guys?" I asked.
"We will just have to explain." Julie pointed out. "So, who's going to start?"
                        **********
After an hour of playing we took a break to eat dinner, after Mr.Molina brought us some pizza. Once he left we resumed playing.
"Liam, truth or dare?" Luke asked turning to face me.
"Truth."
"What do you think of Alex?" He asked with a grin.
"He's nice. Don't know him that well but he's nice. Good looking." I said nervously before hitting Luke with this, "Probably was a hit in the 90s looking like that. Him and Reggie must have been the eye candy of the band." I smirked.
"Whatever." He sighed. I could she Julie giving a play by play to Flynn who just giggled. She whispered something to Julie.
"What are you whispering about over there?" I asked.
"I was saying it's weird how much you two act like brothers given the circumstances." She pointed out.
I understood where she was coming from but it didn't make it hurt any less. "I'll be right back. Just going to go get some fresh air." I stood up and walked out of the studio and sat on the rock steps that lead up to Julie's house. I could feel the tears I didnt know I was holding back start to sting my eyes. Suddenly Luke appeared next to me.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He sounded genuinely concerned. "You can talk to me. I'm your big brother."
I don't know why but he saying that stirred up something I didn't know I felt.
"What do you know about me?" I said quietly.
"What?"
"What do you know about me?" I asked again looking him dead in the eyes as I felt the tears start to form and fall. "Because I know how old you were when you took your first steps and said your first word. Which I know was Mama. I know you wanted a guitar for your 5th birthday but that mom and dad didnt get you one until ten years later for your 15th. And you ran away from home around Christmastime when you were 16 and you died about a year later. I know that I've been compared to you my whole life and that my life is shaped in the hope that I don't follow in your footsteps." I said with anger, but the anger I felt wasn't towards him or my parents but myself, or was it? All I knew was that I was angry at the world for everything.
"I didn't know you felt that way. I'm sorry."
"To be honest I didn't know I felt that way. It's just hearing Flynn say that and then you saying that your my big brother. I dont know what came over me. All my life I wished for a big brother. Wished I knew you and that you would just show up one day. But that was a stupid childhood dream that i never thought could happen. And then you show up and my whole world started to fall together. I finally got my wish. It doesn't hurt that you also seemed to come with two cute friends." I chuckled.
"So you think my friends are cute?" He teased.
"Is that all you got out of all that?"
"No. Just felt like teasing you. Have you really been compared to me?"
"Yeah. They don't like the idea of me being interested in music or anything like it. They dont even know that I was the lead in the school play last year. I lied to them every day about why I was staying after school and when it came time for the play I told them my friend was in it and I was seeing it to support them."
"You really did all that?"
"Yeah. We probably should head back in. The others are probably wondering where we are." I said standing up and heading back inside. When I got there Luke was already back. No one was sitting in a circle anymore, so I assumed the game had ended. Alex was sitting at his drums and Luke and Reggie were on the couch. Julie and Flynn were at the piano, talking and laughing about something. I walked over to Alex since he was the only one sitting alone.
"Mind if I join you?" I asked before sitting down in a chair that was by his drums.
"Not at all." Alex smiled. His smile radiated like a full moon. Bright but still safe to look at. "It never hurts to have company. Especially when it's a cute guy."
Did my dead brother's dead bandmate just flirt with me? No, that would be crazy.
You're just reading into it too much like always. Just because a guy is nice to you doesn't mean he's flirting. You've been down this road before. Never again.
"Thanks. Did you always want to be a drummer?" I asked.
"Yeah. My parents brought me a toy drum set when I was a kid and I fell in love. Did you always want to play Lacrosse,  is it?" Alex smiled.
"No, but I fell in love with the sport after watching Teen Wolf. The main characters play it. Then I found out that my school has a team and the rest is history. Plus it's a good distraction."
"Distraction from what?"
"Life. I love music but my parents don't want me to end up like Luke and it seems that they hadn't learned that not letting their kid do something is a great way to keep their kid from running away. So I hide it." I said.
"Movie time!" Julie and Flynn said in unison.

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A/N 1018 words.
Sorry this chapter took so long. Working 45 plus hours and writer's block are not a good combination.