electric touch // luke patterson

superstar - taylor swift

GRACIE ALWAYS HAD A THING FOR MUSICIANS. harry styles? the girl begged her parents buy her tickets to a one direction concert in 2013, making a whole presentation on why she deserved to go. ross lynch? austin and ally was never not on the tv when the girl was home. that one senior who played guitar when she was in eighth grade? dead. gracie absolutely died dead when he made eye contact with her once.

so, realistically, it made sense that gracie felt her cheeks redden and her breath quicken when a certain lead guitarist walked into the studio with a muscle tee on.

his face lit up at the sight of the girl already at the piano, writing in her notebook, "princess!"

her smile dropped and suddenly gracie remembered why nobody ever dated a musician for long. after all, taylor swift herself stopped with the other singers after joe jonas and harry styles - that's how you know they're bad, if they look like that and don't last in a relationship with the taylor swift.

"don't call me that." she huffed, playing a few chords she'd jot down.

he grinned, "you're here early." he remarked.

she simply hummed, moving over on the bench so he could share it with her. he read the title, "edge of great. nice."

"i'm not even close to finishing. i have half the chorus and a starting melody." she played it for him and luke nodded slowly, thinking it over.

"okay - how about instead of doing the quick paced thing, like..." he played what she just did, "maybe you slow it down and keep it slow til we come in?"

"so..." she thought before ignoring her notebook and playing a softer and slower melody up until the end where luke suddenly placed his fingers on the keys and played an upbeat tune.

"yeah! yes, i like that." he nodded, stealing her pen and flipping to a blank page to write it down as he hummed it to himself. she smiled at him, quickly dropping it when he turned.

"and you and the guys come in with the -"

"wait, hold on. what about you?" gracie looked up, taking her hands away from the keys.

she'd been dreading this conversation since the day the boys joined julie in a new band - one which didn't even have a name yet. she fiddled with her earring, avoiding his eyes.

"i'm not... gonna be in your band."

"why? you sang perfectly fine on stage last night - better than fine. you had the entire place in love with you by the end of your two minute song. you're a star."

"you keep saying that." she rolled her eyes, finally looking up at him.

he gave her a confused expression, "because you are one. gracie - i take music really serious. if i'm practically begging you to join the band, you should take that as a hint."

she hesitated, groaning softly. she suddenly dropped her head onto the piano, a frown on her face.

"what's really wrong?" he asked in a soft voice.

she bit her lip. could she tell him? could she trust this ghost boy she hardly knew? she never told anyone anything, so why should she tell him?

she shouldn't have looked into his hazel eyes. the eyes she'd never, ever seen before. the ones that kept her staring each time she got caught in them. because, yes. her answer to all her questions was immediately, yes.

slowly, she picked her head up and in a soft voice said, "my parents - my mom won't want me to. i have," she sighed, "i have to focus on my grades and getting into college. i mean, luke, my sister? she's set. she goes to UCLA for figure skating and will definitely be in the winter olympics next year. and jj, well he's already the best lax player in his age group... in the state. and that's not even an exaggeration, he got an award." she scrunched her nose up, "the only thing going for me are my grades and i barely have an A in most classes. music will just distract me and in my mom's words is "not worth it" and "wont take me anywhere in life"." she immediately regretted opening up as soon as the words were done leaving her mouth. she hated the pitying look she got from the one guy she thought wouldn't give her one.

after a long second, he said quietly, "i know what you mean. my mom was the same way," he swallowed, a small and sad smile coming to his face, "only thing is, i couldn't keep my grades up and she and i got in arguments, a lot. i wanted to drop out of school, i was so set on music that i refused to listen to her... i, um." his eyes travelled her face before he suddenly said, "you and i aren't so different, huh?"

a small smile pulled her lips up and she chuckled, inhaling shakily when his eyes switched between her's and her lips.

"besides," she said loudly, turning to the piano, "i feel like im your replacement for bobby."

"what?"

now, that, was not what she meant to say. she just couldn't bear the tension that couldn't be fulfilled the way she wanted it to be.

"uh- i-i mean-"

"what're you talking about? you're not our replacement for him. how could you be our replacement when you're you and he's him." she shrugged helplessly, "gracie, listen. bobby is a totally different person than you, he could never be replaced. he was one of my closest friends. it just so happens that you can both play the same instrument."

she shrugged again, a small smile on her lips as she played the same key over and over again.

"if we promise to never do or schedule anything that could bring your grades down, will you join our band?" he asked after a moment.

she swayed her head, weighing the options, "i'm getting sick of getting sick before everything."

he chuckled, "then i'll keep a bucket and some gum handy. and a pep talk written and memorized."

she laughed, turning to him, "one that calls me a star, says that i got this, and claims i have pretty privilege?"

he smirked, "exactly, pretty girl."

she scoffed, turning back to the piano. they began to play out the song again, helping each other turn the other's ideas and thoughts into music.

halfway through the bridge, gracie turned to luke and said, "i'll join the band if you stick to your word. don't let me down, patterson."

he laughed, "how do you know my last name?" she smirked, shrugging.

"reggie and i talk." he laughed again, this time with a warm feeling coating his chest. she was in his band. well, julie's. but he was in julie's band. so she was technically in his.