Hey Angel ~ Julie and the Phantoms

xix. Space Between

When Angelina gets back to Julie's house, she hopes that Luke is already there. Angelina walks up the sidewalk to head to the studio but the sight of the brown haired boy makes her stop in her tracks. Luke is leaning on the post of the railing that stands by the stairs of the porch as he rubs the blue rabbit's foot that hangs from the chains on his pants. His right hand is stuffed in the pocket of his pants and he is looking down at the foot that is resting in his right hand. Angelina makes her way over to Luke, causing him to look up at her. She fiddles with her fingers as she stops in her tracks, greeting, "Hey."

Luke lets go of the rabbit's foot as he says, "Hey."

Angelina walks up the stairs of the porch, saying, "I'm sorry. I crossed a line that I shouldn't have. I should have asked you if it was okay to give your mom the song. I shouldn't have come up with that plan to distract you guys while Julie took the song from your journal so we could give it to your mom behind your back."

Luke stands up straight and takes a step toward Angelina as he says, smiling at the blonde and throwing out his right arm, "I knew you were acting weird in the studio earlier."

Angelina smiles back at Luke and shakes her head before she becomes serious as she apologizes again, "I am sorry though."

Luke shakes his head and replies as he stops in front of the blonde girl, "Don't be. In a way, I'm glad you and Julie went behind my back."

Angelina stuffs her hands in her pockets and shrugs her shoulders as she tells the Patterson boy, "Your parents seemed to really like the song, just like I knew they would."

Luke smiles and takes a step closer to the blonde, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as he fondly says, "You always know what's best for me."

Angelina shrugs again as she bashfully adds, "I try." Luke smiles at the girl and goes to lean in but stops as a jolt runs through Angelina. The blonde lets out a cry in pain as her legs buckle, causing Luke to grab onto her to keep her from falling onto the ground. The blonde puts her head in Luke's chest as tears fall out of her eyes due to the pain. When the pain turns to a dull ache in her chest, the blonde stands up straight as she rubs her chest to ease the ache and takes a step back from Luke.

Luke furrows his brows at the Mercer girl, asking her, "Angel, why didn't you tell me that you have been getting these jolts?"

Angelina looks down at the ground, "I didn't want to worry you... or Alex... or Reggie. I didn't understand what was happening until Willie showed up last night and told me that this is Caleb's fault." Luke closes his eyes, trying to stop tears from building up at the thought that the girl is getting the painful jolts as well. Angelina shakes her head and looks up, adding, "Besides, it's not like you guys are getting them too."

Luke gives Angelina a sympathetic look as he reluctantly tells her, "We are. Alex, Reggie, and I have been getting them too." Tears well up in Angelina's eyes as she puts her hands over her mouth as Luke continues, "Right as we were rushing out of the club to get to the dance, Caleb gave us his stamp. Willie told us last night too."