Favorite Record | Luke

𝟏𝟕. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐬

        Luke Patterson didn't realize the near death-like grip he'd maintained on Tessa Molina's hand. In fact, he didn't even realize that his entire vision was a blurred out haze or the fact he no longer stood in his parent's den.

What he did know was that he'd finally acknowledged and confronted his only regret in life. His parents knew he loved them, that he hadn't ever meant to hurt them, that he knew he was meant to be on stage and share his music with the world; he just sucked at convincing them that. Despite the fear and guilt that clawed inside his chest, Luke felt better.

"She's laughing," Tessa spoke softly, her dark amber eyes trained on her best friend and the girl who never gave up on her. Piper and Teggie chased one another around, laughing and cheering and acting like kids. Tessa had watched them start arguing over a slice of pizza, she'd stayed quiet but spoke up when Luke's tight grip relaxed but his fingers never fell from her own.

"Huh?" Luke blinked, reaching up with his free hand and hastily brushing away his tears. "Wow, where are we?"

He watched as women of different ages and ethnicities all seemed to hang out around a few concrete picnic tables just behind a large and fancy looking building. He knew wherever they were, it was still the city, only this particular city seemed to be colder seeing as the leaves on the nearby trees were hues of browns, golds, and yellows, and most if not all of the women wore jackets and coats.

Tessa smiled softly. "Welcome to New York City, Luke." She kept her warm gaze trained on Piper who was caught by Mari, a girl with bright orange hair and eyes darker than Tessa's. She'd dropped by a few times in the past and was part of Piper's group, her being there for alcohol abuse at only twenty years old. Piper refused to give up and this just made her new friends laugh and carry on.

Luke's breathing hitched, his hazel gaze dragging from Tess and settling on the girl he knew to be Piper Wilson, her former best friend in life and the oldest daughter to his ex-bandmate, Bobby now Trevor Wilson. She looked just like Bobby, there wasn't any denying it, even down to how her hair was styled had been a fleeting look the ex-rhymthist had tried out but couldn't pull off.

She was dressed in a rainbow hoodie that had Tess's name in black paint on the back along with faded jeans. She was laughing the loudest and trying to avoid the other women after escaping the arms of one who had bright orange hair. She was exactly like Tess had explained prior to the accident.

"Yeah," Luke cleared his throat, his gaze falling and settling on Tess who looked curiously up at him, prompting him to grin boyishly at her. "We'd definitely bicker, but why are we here?" He wondered.

Tessa nodded slightly. "I know singing that song to your parents, to your mom, even though they couldn't see you was incredibly painful." She turned to watch as Piper and the other girls all began to head inside, the cool air getting to all of them, as well as the few splashes of raindrops that splashed onto the ground.

"I used to come here and wonder what life would've been like, if I hadn't died, if my mom hadn't or if Piper had never been sent here. But for all of my wandering, I never got an answer and actually just felt worse and more lonely the more I ever thought about it."

Tessa began to explain, knowing that she owed it to Luke. He had allowed not just her, but Julie as well to see such an emotional side to him, to watch as he overcame his fear and biggest regret; so it was only fair, in Tessa's mind, that she did the same.

"Mickey, Willie's brother, was, well," Tessa tilted her head, having teleported them once more, but this time they stood on the beach, offering a sweet smile as Luke only grew more confused, the sound of crashing waves taking the place of busy cities.