Wake Up| JATP

Chapter 13

TW: underage drinking, mention of rape/ taking advantage, swear word.

That had grabbed everyone's attention. The studio was dead silent, the only sound was Nicole's shaky breathing. She slid down the wall, sitting on the floor, she thought it would be better for the conversation they were about to have. She motioned for everyone else to do the same which they reluctantly did. The way Luke was staring at her, it scared her. He was looking at her so intensely. She rubbed her sweaty hands down her dress, she was nervous, she had no idea what their reactions would be, she could guess though. "On the 23rd December 1994, I had an argument with my parents, I got upset, ran away. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't wanna burden you guys because it wasn't your problem. I- uh stole some alcohol from a store, drunk every last drop and uh stumbled into Bobby." She took a second to look at everyone. Luke was still staring at her intensely but it was softer than before. Alex almost looked as nervous as she did but he had a comforting smile on his face. Reggie just sat with a look of pure concentration on his face but had his usual giddy smile on his lips. Julie just stared at her in confusion. Nicole cleared her throat before speaking again. "I told him what happened and we went back to his house, he said that I could stay the night because I didn't wanna go back home." Nicole took a shaky breath and tried to keep her tears at bay. She was about to tell the boys something she had kept them for almost 30 years now. "I slept with Bobby that night. I wanted to but I also didn't, I was drunk so I didn't really know what was happening but after my top had been taken off, I started coming to my senses a bit and I told him I didn't want to that night because I was drunk but-" She sniffled and rubbed her eyes trying to act stronger than she felt. She wanted Luke to hold her and comfort her but he didn't budge, instead Alex did and sat next to her, holding her hand tightly. "- He got angry because he wanted to and he told me I was too fussy and I wasn't any fun. He uh- forced himself onto me and I-- tried to stop him the first time but I eventually gave up and as soon as he ha finished with me he told me I couldn't stay there so I went and slept in Marley's garage and left before her or her parents noticed I was there." She wiped her eyes with the corner of her sleeves though more just ran down her chin. Alex rubbed her back soothingly trying to calm her down a bit, Reggie bit down on his bottom lip. Julie looked completely shocked at what Nicole had just shared though Nicole couldn't blame her. Luke sat with his head in his hands but Nicole could see the way his veins popped out of his head and neck, he was angry. "Luke? Please, say something." Nicole begged, she hated when he didn't speak to her. "What do you want me to say Nicole?" It felt weird hearing her name come from his mouth, she was so used to hearing the nickname Princess. It must of shocked Alex and Reggie too as they stared at Luke with wide eyes. "Something! Anything!" Her hands shook by her sides as she slowly stood up from the ground. "Why didn't you tell us as soon as it happened? We would of kicked him out of the band! These are the things you need to tell us Nicole." His voice got softer towards of his sentence noticing how her face fell. He grabbed her hands in his holding them tightly. "I-I didn't want to ruin what you guys had, you where a band, family I couldn't ruin that." Luke huffed loudly and stood up, not letting go of her hands. "You are our family too Nicole, you've been a part of this family longer than Bobby had, we were literally in diapers together." Nicole laughed a little knowing he was right. The four ghosts met in a group hug and Nicole knew that she couldn't keep her other secret from long much longer. But a little longer wouldn't hurt, would it?

Nicole had excused herself from the studio wanting to take a walk to clear her mind after that intense conversation. Her feet led her to her parents house. She had been there before, nothing had changed, they still had the same grandfather clock in the living room by the window, they still had her great grandmothers 50's style dining table and her parents were still alcoholics. Though they seemed like happy alcoholics. It was probably because they didn't have their 'reckless and disruptive' teenage daughter anymore. Nicole wondered if they had always been that way or it was as soon as she was born that they had turned to alcohol. Rain started to pour from the sky and being a ghost and all, Nicole thought she would be protected from the weather, she was wrong. Her hair and clothes were drained. She quickly teleported to the studio seeing Julie and Flynn about to leave. "Hey where are the guys?" Julie sighed sadly. "Come with us, we're taking a little trip to Carrie Wilson's house."

The three girls arrived at the Wilson residence, the two human girls panting and out of breath. "When did she get barbed wire?" Flynn shrugged and Nicole quietly followed the girls too the front door, clueless as to why they were actually here. "Why are we here again?" Nicole asked, brushing her blonde hair to the side. "Because... Trevor stole your guys' songs and now the boys want revenge." Nicole stared wide eyed, her mouth open wide. "That son of a bitch."