•𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔• |LP|

•sixteen•

"Okay! Home alone!" Julie yelled through the house as we watched her dad and her brother pull out of the driveway. Carlos was going to a sleepover, so we were home alone. Alex and I set down a bunch of VHS tapes that we'd like to watch.

"Which ones do you guys want first?" Julie asks, standing next to us in the living room. "Ooh! Can we watch the Christmas one?" Luke asks. Everyone agreed so Julie popped the VHS into the player.

Sighing, I saw Luke holding his arm out for me. He was pouting, waiting for me. With a giddy smile on my face, I sat down beside him on the couch. "Movie night!" Reggie exclaimed, sitting down on another couch.

Luke's hand gently runs up and down my arm, his way of letting me know if I get upset he'd be there.

The screen turns on a few moments later. "Merry Christmas!" My mother's voice rings out, my fathers trailing behind. In the bed, was my 11 year old self. My hair was all over the place, I was a mess. "Is that Angel?" Julie softly asks. Luke nods, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"She's pretty." Julie smiles before turning back to the screen. "Wait until you see her when she's a teenager." Luke smiles, kissing the top of my head. "You guys are talking like she's not here." Alex laughs.

Julie moves away from the TV and sits down beside me.

"Morning." My younger self rubbed her eyes as she sat up in her pink bed. Wow, my room really filled with pink.

My mom turned around in the hallway and pushed open my brothers room. "Merry Christmas!" She exclaimed, scaring Alex enough to make him fall out of bed.

The five of us begin laughing as Alex stares at the camera. "You didn't see that." Alex laughs before standing up. "Merry Christmas!" Voices erupted downstairs. My smile widened as I saw myself go running down the stairs. "Lu!" I exclaimed, disappearing down the steps.

"I'm convinced they're going to get married." My mother turns the camera to herself. "That's not-. Okay." I hear Alex say before following me down the steps. My giggle erupts downstairs, a small 'Lucas!' following. Luke let out a soft laugh as he heard his younger self laugh at me.

The camera cut to us sitting around the Christmas tree. Luke, Alex, and I were sitting with presents in our laps. Well, Luke was holding mine for some reason. "Ooh! I got a guitar today." Luke turns to Alex as I opened a present. It was one of my favorite stuffed animals, a small koala.

Alex opened his own as he laughed at Luke's jokes. Luke turns away from Alex and gently grabs my koala from my hand and playfully pushed the koala into my face. A high pitched laugh escaped my mouth as I pushed it away.

A small sigh brings me out of the memories. Looking over, I saw Julie clutching a pillow to her chest. "You alright?" I gently asked, forgetting she couldn't hear me.

She quickly looks around, making me furrow my eyebrows. "Did Angel just speak or am I hearing things?" Julie asks, looking at the guys. "She did. Why?" Reggie asks, looking over at me. "I heard it." Julie smiles, glancing over at me. Could she see me?

"You can't see me?" I asked. "Oh no unfortunately. I just looked at where Luke's arm is." She laughs, turning back to the screen. Nodding, I saw the video had ended.

A soft whimper earns my attention. "You alright?" I asked Luke, noticing the tears in his eyes. "Yeah, I just miss my mom." His voice quivers as he watches Julie pop in another VHS.

"I know, Luke. I'm sorry you can't be with her." I sighed, gently running my fingertips over his arm in an attempt to calm him down. He sighs as the next video begins to start. Nodding, I gently laid my head on his shoulder and began watching the next tape.

The next tape started with a ring of a guitar chord. "Is this what I think it is?" Alex asks, looking my direction. "When I sang with you guys?" I laughed, nodding.

The video cut to the four of us on our old school's stage. Luke had somehow pulled me into performing with Sunset Curve before Bobby was in the band. It was either that or Bobby was sick, I can't remember.

"Take off, last stop!" I sang into the microphone, playing some chords on the guitar. The four of us jammed out for a while, I looked truly happy.

•••

"Luke?" I called after him as he began to stand up after we finished a couple VHS tapes. "Hm?" Luke replies as everyone began clearing out, cleaning up from our small party.

"Why don't we go visit your mom tomorrow?" I gently asked, lowering my voice. His eyes softened as he sat back down. "I've been visiting her. I visited her on my birthday and they're still struggling. I never should have ran away." He sighs. I could tell he was about to cry, and all I wanted to do was comfort him.

"Shh, we didn't know this would happen." I sighed, gently pulling his head into my chest. Luke wraps his arms around my waist as he begins crying. My fingers began running through his hair as he sobbed.

"I just want to apologize and hug my parents." He sobs, clutching onto my shirt. Instead of replying, I let him get his feelings out. Reggie came around the corner, concern written on his eyes.

Shooing him away, I mouthed "I'll tell you later." Before turning back to the vulnerable boy in my arms.