Stick Around ↠ Muke [ON HOLD]

Prologue

It had been a week.

"Come on, little brother. Cheer up."

Seven days.

Ben patted Luke's shoulder, giving him an encouraging look. "It's just a concert."

Luke remembered everything like a knife in his back.

"Yeah, you need to make it look like you suck on purpose," Jack chuckled, brushing past the two brothers. Ben glared at him, reaching out to slap his arm, and he turned back to Luke.

It was his fault.

"Ignore him."

They told him not to blame himself.

"You guys really don't have to come," Luke sighed, glancing at his feet. Ben shook his head, smiling proudly.

How could he not?

"Of course, we do. It's our little brother's first solo! You really think we'd miss it?"

It never would have happened if it weren't for him.

"You've never come to one of my concerts before..." Luke mumbled. "A-And there's going to be a lot of people, and everyone will be watching me, and-"

He would still be alive.

Ben put a hand on his little brother's shoulder, cutting him off. "Look, Luke, I know it's scary, going up in front of a lot of people, alone. But you're going to do great, I promise. You're too talented not to do great."

Luke looked up with a sheepish smile, trying to calm his silent nerves. "Really?"

Ben would still be alive.

Ben smiled back. "Really." He squeezed Luke's shoulder, letting go, and grabbed his coat off of the rack by the front door. "Now, we need to stop by the bank, so I can cash in my paycheck and take out a few dollars for tickets. Then to the high school we go."

Luke chuckled, grabbing his coat as well. Jack came up behind him, smacking the back of his head playfully, and Luke pushed on his arm, laughing.

"Are Mum and Dad coming?" Luke asked nervously.

Ben nodded, walking out the door. "They said they'd meet us there. The traffic down by the firm is really backed up."

Luke said nothing more, as he followed his brothers to the car. They drove in almost complete silence, the radio and Jack's obnoxious singing acting as the only ice-breaker. Luke's hands shook, and he fought an inner battle with himself in static silence. He was going to be performing an original song in front of an auditorium full of people in less than an hour. He was more nervous than he'd ever been before. He was always self-conscious of his voice and his musical skills, because in Australia it wasn't really common for people to want to pursue music. But Luke never knew anything else.

Ben pulled into the bank, parking in a spot to the side, because all of the front parking spaces were taken. He smiled at Luke through the rearview mirror, and Luke smiled back, getting out of the car. He always went with his oldest brother whenever they went somewhere, and Jack always stayed in the car, listening to music. The brothers walked in silence, Ben fondly ruffling Luke's quiffed hair once. They walked up to the counter, Ben gave the woman his check, and she handed him a few bills in return. He thanked her, grabbing a lollipop for Luke, and Luke smiled, because it was his favorite kind.

"You go ahead and go back to the car. I have to go to the bathroom," Ben said, pointing to the door. Luke nodded, watching him walk into the facilities, and then made his way outside.