I Lost It All - a Lost & Found Music Studios Story [ONGOING]

Luke

We're back! We had a day off yesterday, and now we're back and ready to go.

Yesterday all I did was hang out with John. Both our school and Lost and Found had a day off (and judging by social media, my school wasn't the only one). The rest of the band was free, and yet unavailable. I mean, James took Riley out for the day, Theo had "some thing, uh, at some place" apparently, so it was just John and me.

So now we're all back and everyone seems to be doing well after the day off. I walk in and look around. Same old. Apart from one person. 

This morning I saw Rachel walk in, head down, half-running through the door and straight past us. I haven't stopped thinking about it. She's never like that. I hope she's okay.

"Hey John," I whisper, "don't you think Rachel's acting a little odd? I mean, I'm kinda worried."

"Aren't you supposed to be head over heels in love with her best friend?" John replies nonchalantly as he tunes his guitar. 

"John. I didn't mean it like that!" I hiss, embarrassed. 

"What?" He finally looks up, eyebrows raised. "You are, aren't you?"

"I didn't mean it like that," I repeat. "And n-no, I'm not. Hehe," I awkwardly laugh, mostly because I know he's right. I do miss Leia. There's not a day that goes by where I don't think about her. But she's gone, and I have to live with that, however hard it will be.

"I'm gonna go see if she's okay," I finally say to John, who looks wholly uninterested in what I have to say. I shrug, roll my eyes and walk off.

Slowly, I make my way out of the Rose Room and have a look around the studios. I peer under every door, and think about how odd I must look, pausing to crouch and look under every door I come across.

Finally I find them in the rehearsal room. Maggie, Annabelle and Rachel are singing, but the latter looks uncomfortable and out of place, as though her mind is elsewhere completely. 

I pop my head around the corner and smile. Maggie stops singing immediately.

"Hey Luke," she beams warmly. I didn't expect that. And I didn't come here for a chat. Well, with anyone but Rachel. "How come you're here?" 

I see Annabelle glancing over at Maggie and rolling her eyes, smiling, but I shrug it off. Could be anything.

"Um..." I throw them a smile to distract them. It doesn't work. "Mr T wanted to see Rachel?" I tell them, though it comes out more like a question.

"W-What?" Rachel stutters, sounding scared. "Why?" 

"Not sure, but you gotta come with me now," I reply confidently. Wow, I'm good at this whole lying thing.

She gives me a very reluctant okay and follows me out of the rehearsal room, quietly shuffling as though there's a predator around, ready to pounce on her any second.

We keep walking, the air full of curiosity and misery alike. I need to find a good place to have a private conversation...and then it comes to me.

"Follow me," I tell Rachel over my shoulder, and she shuffles, still quiet, right at my heels over to the recording studio.

I pull her in through the door and slam it behind me.

"Uh, Luke, what is this? I thought we were going to see Mr T. Look, if it's some sort of joke, I've gotta get back, because I don't have time for any distractions-"

"Distractions?" I interrupt. "That's actually what I came to talk to you about." I see her puzzled face and continue. "For some reason, since yesterday, you've been acting a little...different. And distracted. So I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh," she replies, eyebrows knitted together. "That's unlike you." I pretend not to hear that highly hurtful comment! Excuse me! But I guess it's kind of true. Damn, how does literally everyone know me better than I know myself?

"YesterdayIwenttovisitLeia," she blurts out, and it takes me a second to decipher what she said. Hang on. Leia?

"Go on," I prompt. "So what happened?" I've kind of worked out the answer at this point, especially judging from the terms they left off at.

Rachel inhales deeply. "So I went to visit her school, because they didn't have a day off. I went there to apologise. And I caught her before her next lesson. Where I met one of her friends. Her best friend..." She trails off, reliving the clearly painful memories. I raise my eyebrows for her to continue, and she obliges. "It didn't go down well. She basically said I really, really hurt her and it would take a lot for her to forgive me and it's my fault she got kicked out of her second home. And it kind of broke my heart." She starts to cry, and I feel really bad for bringing this up. I don't really know what to do, so I give her a reluctant and honestly, pretty awkward hug.

"I'm, uh, sorry to hear that. I didn't know. But your relationship with Leia is something special, and, uh, she'll realise it soon enough. I-I'm sure you'll be okay?" I sound very uncertain and the last sentence came out more like a question. Great job. Oh, and I feel like Rachel wants to either laugh or smack me because of my feeble attempt at cheering her up. I really hope it's not the latter. Then I get a bright idea.

"Hey, how about I go there and try to convince her to come back? Or maybe even just forgive you?" I ask, excitement evident in my voice.

"Are you sure those are the only reasons you wanna go?" Rachel smirks. Dammit, again with the knowing me better than I know me! Seriously, stop!

"Y-Yeah, of course," I reply, like it's the most obvious thing ever.

"Okay..." she replies, smiling, clearly not convinced, but she lets it go. Then, to my surprise and delight, she tells me everything I need to know to get to Leia. It's easy!

"Thank you," I say, a little dumbfounded. I wasn't expecting that, but I sure am grateful.

"No, thank you," she smiles at me. "You tried to make me feel better. It wasn't a very good attempt, but you tried, and I really appreciate that you cared. I should get back to rehearsal, but, thanks again." She walks away with a newfound spring in her step, still smiling, and I can't help but think that I should help people more! It feels great! I can see why John's so obsessed with being helpful all the time.

I quickly scrawl everything Rachel told me on a scrap of paper I found lying under the desk, and a pen left on the mixing desk.

Great! I'll visit her tomorrow. All I have to do is ask if I can come late. 

I wander the studio in a fashion reminiscent of the way I searched for the girls' band. Where. Is. Mr. T? What is this, a game of hide and seek?

As I walk, I look over the piece of paper and try to memorise what's on it, because knowing me I'll lose it and forget everything. 

"Ooof!" 

I bump into something big and it makes a loud noise. Looking up, it's Mr T!

"Hey Mr T," I start, "I forgot to tell you, but my uncle has a-a thing at his house, so I'll have to come in late tomorrow. Is-is that okay?"

Mr T half-grunts in response, and I hold back a laugh. "Ok, fine, but make sure you turn up. Your bands going pretty well, and I see some real potential. Don't mess it up for them."

And with that, he's gone. He just marches straight past me. I shrug and smile - I'm just happy I get to visit Leia tomorrow.

Fumbling with the sheet in my hand, I walk off back to rehearsal with the boys.

Tomorrow is gonna be a good day.