~I love you~

Part 4

Luke's POV

I get up quickly as I start to feel someone rubbing circles on my hands. The only person who knows that's how to help me is Alex, which is why I jump up. I tell him that I'm fine and he drops it. We show him the song and start to play. Julie is being very pushy today. She keeps coming close to me and singing closely. I go with it and most of the time we share a microphone, but when I look back at Alex, because it's his part, I see that he doesn't look like he's having fun. I realize I know that look. He's jealous. But why would he be jealous of anything right now. He has Willie, who isn't even here. As we're playing, I start to remember the day we first created Sunset Curve.

I've been playing guitar for a few months now, but if I want to actually start a band, I'm going to need other people. Alex knows how to play the drums and I heard this kid Reggie plays bass, so I decide to ask them at school today. As soon as I get off of my bike, I see Alex sitting on a bench waiting for me like he always does.

"Hey, Alex, wanna start a band," I ask.

"A band?" he says. I nod.

"That sounds a bit overwhelming. I'm not that good at drums," he says,

"Alex stop being like that, you're amazing," I reply.

"Okay, fine, I'm in," he says.

We spend the rest of the day convincing Reggie to join the band and then we also get a boy named Bobby to.

"Luke, what is up with you today, where's the energy," Reggie says.

"Sorry guys, I need a minute to breath," I say.

They look at me mad, but I poof out to the pier. It's the one place I can go that feels like home other than the studio. There are a few couples walking around, but I look away quickly. I walk around and see all the families laughing and joking around.

I'm biking as fast as I can back to the studio. My eyes are full of tears and I can't believe what I just did. That definitely didn't go as planned. I shouldn't have just taken of like that, but there's no way I'm going back. I'm just going to have to live with it. They'll see when we become famous. I get to the studio and throw my bike on the ground, running inside.

I sit next to the bean bag, on the floor, and put my head in my hands. I started crying on the way here, but now I'm sobbing. I can't believe I just did that. A few minutes later I grab my journal and start scribbling random things on it for a new song idea I have.

A few hours later I have "Unsaid Emily" all written down and I fall asleep holding my journal. I wake up to someone shaking me slowly. I open my eyes to see Alex.

"Hey," I say with a small smile.

"Hi," he says back.

I sit up and then I see the exact moment he realizes the façade I'm putting up.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"I ran away yesterday. I tried talking to my mum, but she wouldn't listen," I reply.

His mouth makes an "oh" shape and he just pulls me into a hug. I bury my face into his neck and inhale his scent. It makes me feel safe and secure. I think I love Alex, but I'm not sure yet. He holds me like that while tears slowly fall down my cheeks for a while and, when he lets go, he wipes the tears from my cheeks and holds my face in his hands.

"Luke, your parents still love you and it'll take them a while to realize this is what you were born to do. They won't give up on you and when you're successful they'll realize they should've believed in you," he says.

I nod, but more tears fall and Alex pulls me into another hug.