electric touch // luke patterson

flying solo - julie and the phantoms

IF ASKED, GRACIE WOULD SAY SHE understood flynn. she wouldn't want the girl to feel alone in her feelings or thoughts, but honestly? the blonde had no clue how flynn was so quick to become upset. flynn had said it herself - her and julie had been friends since they were at least six. and to throw a whole friendship away over one lie and one nervous thought? gracie hardly had close friendships, but the ones she did have, she cherished till it's dying breath. even the most toxic ones. even the one that made her rethink her entire life.

it almost made her mad. how flynn was planning on egging julie's house because she was jealous and upset. she didn't even try to talk it out either.

now, don't get her wrong, gracie liked flynn. she thought she was cool and funny. but the blonde was hurt. for both julie and herself. flynn accused gracie of stealing her best friend over one performance. all gracie wanted in life were good friends - good relationships with others. why would she want to achieve that by ruining a perfectly good one on itself?

the blonde couldn't stop thinking that as she strummed her guitar beside alex two minutes before flynn was to show up.

"wrong chord." alex said softly. gracie grit her teeth.

how was it fair, anyways? she only got there five minutes before, and she had to toss jj to a dad who barely knew them and a boy who didn't invite the younger blond. she learned the lyrics, but she was hardly singing anyways. she learned the chords for the piano before she memorized her own.

she stopped playing to rub her face. she felt sick. she felt like she was going to throw up. it was only one other person joining them and she felt like she was going to throw up.

"gra-"

"i'm fine." she cut luke off, tucking her hair back to continue playing. luke tried his best to hide his hurt face and glanced at the others. julie looked equally confused as reggie, but alex just looked nervous, like he was getting ready to jump up and grab a bucket at any point. luke adjusted his beanie and tugged on his neckline.

she played it through, finishing just as julie left to grab flynn. she glanced at alex who sent her a nod, making her shoulders loosen slightly.

"you got this." luke smiled over at her. she hummed, rubbing her brow.

julie was pushing the doors open as she said, "we just wanted to rehearse the song so it was perfect, which it's not, but whatever." gracie rubbed her chest, swallowing repeatedly like she was preparing for vomit to rise up her throat.

"no, if i'm gonna hear a song from your imaginary ghost band, i want it to be perfect. so get back in there, all of you. you too." she was pointing at thin air outside the garage, trying to annoy julie.

the molina girl only chuckled, "they're not out here."

flynn sent her a sarcastic smile, "oh i know." she pat her friends shoulder as she walked in, her eyes instantly landing on gracie who was trying to pull her hair up with tears in her eyes.

"really, gracie? i thought you were better than this. clearly not." flynn raised her brows as she spoke, standing an inch from an uncomfortable reggie.

"clearly." luke muttered, clenching his jaw.

"all right, guys. you ready?" julie asked, looking around. alex nodded, fiddling with his sticks, and luke's silence answered for him. he was watching gracie as she struggled to pull her curtain bangs back with the rest of her layers. he so desperately wanted to help, but the best he could do was smile softly. reggie, on the other hand, was staring at julie with a twitching eye, looking from flynn to her.

"i need room, julie." he said quickly.

julie twisted her mouth to one side, "um... actually, can you go over there? reggie needs some space to rock out and he feels kinda weird walking through you."