Allie and the Phantoms

Chapter 18: Luke's Pain

Allie's POV:

When I get home I know I shouldn't go to the garage, but I do anyways. When I reach the entrance I see the boys all lined up behind Luke who has a nervous smile on his face. 

Reggie

We're sorry

Alex

So sorry

Luke

We're super duper, crazy, stupid

Together

Sorry!

"In case you missed it, we're really sorry." Reggie adds. I just cross my arms. "Yeah, I got it." "We've been here, for like three hours." Alex tells me. "We almost sang to your little brother." Luke explains. "Yeah, he comes in here a lot. Mainly to use the bathroom." Reggie says. 

"Not your favorite part of the day." Alex mumbles. "But, Allie, it wasn't ok that we flaked on the dance last night. We know we let you down." Luke tells me. "And none of us wanted to let you down. You're the best thing that's happened to us since we became ghosts." Alex explains. 

"So, in hopes that you'll rejoin the band, we booked a new gig." Luke says, stepping close to me and handing me a flyer. "A mega important, life changing gig." Reggie adds with a smile and an 'ok' hand sign. 

"Oh, ok, check it out, tons of managers go here to listen to new bands. All we have to do is blow them all away and we're living the dream." Luke explains, giving me a hopeful grin. I don't smile back. 

"So, this is important to you guys? You know, how playing in front of my entire school was important to me?" I ask, lowering the flyer. "That sounds like sarcasm. I'm starting to think our plan isn't working." Reggie whispers to Alex. "Look we know we messed up." Alex says. 

"But we need you in the band." Luke insists. "Like, you need me in the band because it wouldn't sound right without me, or you need me in the band because no one can see you without my help? I think it's the latter." I tell them. "Allie-" 

"You know, I thought that the music we were writing was special. I thought it meant something to you, but clearly it didn't. You're too obsessed with your past to even care." I say. Luke shakes his head, his eyes pleading with me to understand. I understand perfectly. 

"I do care. Our band has a real chance at greatness. I'm not gonna let that get away from us again." Luke says, stepping even closer to me. I don't break eye contact. I just step even closer so that I'm right in front of him. 

"Yeah? Then why did you bail on me to get back at Trevor? I'll tell you. It's because there's only one thing you care about, and that's yourself." I say. With that I turn and storm towards the house, not looking back at them. 

When I get there I go straight to the living room and sit on the couch, taking out my homework. Suddenly Alex and Reggie poof in front of me. I don't look up. "Hey, uh, you got a second?" Alex asks. I don't reply of make any notion that I can hear him. 

"Oh my gosh! She can't see us anymore." Reggie says, panicked. I still don't look up as Alex walks over to me. "Oh, right." Reggie realizes. "Allie, please." Alex begs. Finally I look up at him. "I told you guys, I'm done with the band." I tell him. 

"Yeah, we know, alright? But before you decide that forever, we just...we wanted you to know that Luke isn't as selfish as you think he is." He tells me. "Yeah, you've got him all wrong." Reggie adds. I just shake my head and look down at my homework again. 

"You remember that song, Emily? Can we at least show you who that's really about?" Alex asks. I look up and think for a second. Finally I nod and send up. "Come on." With that the three of us head out of my house. When we reach our destination I look to see that it's a house. 

Reggie and Alex lead me overt some plants that we hide behind. I look thought the window of the house to see a man and a woman walking around a kitchen. Then there's Luke, sitting on the counter top, watching them with tears in his eyes. It dawns on me. "Emily's his mom?" I ask. 

"Yeah. Yeah, Luke comes here a lot." Alex answers. "He thinks we don't know, but...we've been following him. All he does is just hang out like this and watch them. They never really do anything though." Reggie explains. I look at see what they're doing. 

"They're having cake, that's something." I point out. All the anger slowly starts to leave my body. "It's a...it's a birthday cake, for Luke." Reggie tells me. My mouth drops open a little to say something, but nothing comes out. I never even thought about their families. 

They're dead, not just invisible. They left people behind when they died twenty-five years ago. It must be so so hard. "I never knew Luke was hurting this much." I mumble. I'm a horrible friend. How did I miss it? 

Luke just always seems so lighthearted and happy about everything, it's horrible seeing him so vulnerable and sad right now. He's suffering and I was too blinded to see. I worked with him several hours a day and I never noticed. 

"It's even worse...when he died he left on bad terms. You know, his parents didn't want their 17 year old in a rock band, so...he just left. He never got the change to make up with them." Alex explains. I watch as his parents sit down and we goes to take the empty seat between them. 

A tear falls from my eyes when his dad lights a candle and he blows it out. "That's why Luke was so angry. If Trevor had given Luke the credit for writing all the songs, then...his parents would have known that his dreams were worth chasing." Another tear falls. 

"They would have been so, so proud." I breath out. We continue to watch as his dad relights the candle and together the three of the blow it out. I start to wipe the teats away, but they're flowing freely now. 

"We know how bad it hurts when someone who should have had your back completely lets you down. We never meant to make you feel that way." Alex tells me. "Allie, we love our band, and Luke does too. Please give us another chance." Reggie begs. 

I look back at house. In the background I see a dahlia. That was my mom's favorite flower. Suddenly I know exactly why Luke and I work so well together when writing songs. We're both drawing from the pain of losing our moms. 

I turn to the others and wipe the rest of the tears away. "Ok. Come on, we have work to do."