Finally Free -- JATP Luke x MaleOC

Chapter 36

Hey all. Bit of a more serious thing right now. I live in southern Texas, where we're being hit with a huge winter storm that has left many of us without any power or heat. My own house was left with no power for about 32 hours and we currently have no clean water available for us to drink or clean with. For these reasons, I'll be taking a bit of a break from updating this story after this chapter. I have no idea how long I'll have power, so here's me using it right now to update you all and apologize. I hope you all can understand and thank you for all your support on this story.

Moments after Luke had left his room, Jay had broken down.

Not that he would ever admit that.

Part of what Jay had told Luke was the truth. It was choosing music that had gotten him into this mess in the first place. Some of his self-doubt had slipped through during their conversation once he told Luke he was quitting the band. But he didn't regret a thing about the band.

Even after he and his uncle had arrived home the previous night and Jay had taken a rough beating, physically and mentally, Jay didn't regret music. The few weeks he had spent with the band were some of the best in his life, through the highs and the lows. But Jay had gotten his taste of freedom; now it was back to what he was supposed to do.

Even though Jay longed to be with the band again, back at the studio, he knew he couldn't anymore. He had taken all the risks when they had first presented themselves and now he suffered for opening Pandora's Box. And he wasn't about to do it again, knowing now a taste of what would happen if he stepped out of line again.

"You crave the applause yet hate the attention
Then miss it, your act is a ruse"

Jay shook his head as his old lyrics played themselves in his head. It was a song he hadn't given much thought about since Reggie had first confronted him about it, a song he had forgotten existed when he gave Luke his journal. 

Well, more like threw it to him.

Jay regretted every bit of how he acted towards the boys when they had come to check on him. He could blame the fact that he had just been punished by his aunt and uncle, but that wasn't any excuse to treat them the way he did. The way he repeatedly dismissed them in an attempt to get them to leave, snapping at them and bringing up the fact that they had no physical form just to get under their skin.

And then Luke had come to visit.

Jay was sure that the way he had acted broke Luke, or at least hurt him severely. He couldn't bring himself to look at the brunette while he spoke because he knew that his words were hurting him and he knew that Luke probably looked like a puppy that had just gotten kicked. Jay's main goal was to distance himself from the band, but he knew he ended up hurting them all in the process. All in a feeble attempt to keep himself safe.

Jay knew that Julie would be heartbroken when she heard that Jay had quit the band. She could confront him at school, her worry pushing her to ask questions about what happened between him and his uncle. She would apologize repeatedly for no reason, all because her father had notified his uncle. None of this was her fault, though how he could tell her that so she would actually accept it, he wasn't sure. She was his little sister, his pride and joy. He was only two years older than her, but he felt so proud when she had first started singing again. He still feels proud when he thinks of how far she's come with music ever since the band began.

Alex would be overthinking things. He wouldn't be sure what to do next because he would be focusing on everything that went wrong. He and Jay had become close during their band rehearsals, even if it didn't seem like it. Jay was someone who Alex confided in and Alex was someone who Jay always could go to for advice. It was a back and forth the two of them had, but it worked well for them. They were each other's rock, at least when Jay was part of the band.