Read story 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓, luke patterson - fifteen

fifteen

F I F T E E N

I dedicate this song to you
the one who never sees the truth

LUKE WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT WHEN HE SHOWED UP AT THE GARAGE TWO HOURS AGO.

"You call me up, it's like a broken record. Saying that your heart hurts, that you'd never get over him getting over you. And you end up crying, and I end up lying. 'Cause I'm a sucker for anything you do."

He increased the rhythm of the guitar.

"And when the phone call finally ends, you say... you say "thanks for being a friend." He stuttered.

"Cut!" Exclaimed Flynn, stopping the recording. He stepped back from the microphone and took off the headphones. "Look... Phoebe can do a lot of magic, but if you mess up the lyrics—"

"I know, I know... let's just... can we... record it again? From the pre-chorus."

"Are you sure Luke?" Asked him Alex and he nodded. "This is your sixth try and you can even make it past the first verse."

"We can record another song if you want."

"No, guys," he said, exhaling. "You already recorded your part, I'm not gonna make you record again. Let's just... take it from the pre-chorus."

With not many intrusion, Peyton entered the garage and quickly stood next to Julie without making mayor sound. Only Julie noticed that she came in.

"How is it going?" She whispered to Julie and she exhaled.

"He can't make it past the first verse."

"Well that's odd... what song are you guys recording?"

Julie sighed. "Heartbreak Girl."

"Oh..." she whispered.

"And when the phone call finally ends. You say... thank— ugh! One more time, one more time, I promise."

"Take all the time you need," assured him, Reggie.

Luke glanced at his guitar before looking up, noticing Peyton was standing in the background of the garage. He quickly looked away, clearing his throat and starting to play.

"And when the phone call finally ends, you say "Thanks for being a friend." And we are going in circles again and again."

Alex raised his hands while the rest smiled, except Peyton, who felt her heart beating faster.

"I dedicate this song to you, the one who never sees the truth, that I can take away your hurt, Heartbreak girl." Reggie and Alex stood up, dancing. "Hold you tight straight through the daylight. I'm right here, when are you gonna realize that I'm your cure? Heartbreak girl."

Luke glanced over at her for a few seconds before looking in front of him.

"I bite my tongue, but I wanna scream out. You could be with me now. But I ended up telling you what you want to hear. But you're not ready, and it's so frustrating. He treats you so bad and I'm so good to you, it's not fair."

His voice was bouncing in her head all the time.

"I like you, Peyton."

"And when the phone call finally ends, you say "I'll call you tomorrow at 10." And I'm stuck in the friend zone again and again."

"Yes!" Whispered Julie and Peyton glanced at her before looking again at Luke.

"I dedicate this song to you, the one who never sees the truth. That I can take away your hurt, Heartbreak girl. Hold you tight straight through the daylight. I'm right here when are you gonna realize that I'm your cute? Heartbreak girl."

He focused now his energy in his guitar, playing hard as he could. Flynn increased the volume of the recordings from Julie, Alex and Reggie through his headphones so he could get back up to know when to play.

But he already knew.

"I know someday it's gonna happen, and you'll finally forget the day you met him. Sometimes I'm so close to confession. I gotta get it through your head." He looked over at Peyton. "That you belong with me instead."

"I like you, Peyton," his voice came to her head again. "I like you, Peyton."

He did the guitar riff perfectly before entering to sing again.

"I dedicate this song to you, the one who never sees the truth. That I can take your hurt, Heartbreak girl. Hold you tight straight through the daylight. I'm right here, when are you gonna realize that I'm your cure? Heartbreak girl."

He looked at her again, this time not taking his eyes away.

He looked over to his bandmates when the song ended. As soon as Flynn stopped recording, Reggie jumped into his arms and took Luke by surprise, who tried to maintain balance.

"Woah, Reggie, okay, you are gonna suffocate him," claim Julie as she walked towards the guys, leaving Peyton standing there.

"You did it man!" Exclaimed Alex, hitting him on the shoulder. The guitarist chuckled as Reggie let him go. "That was even better than when we did it live."

Flynn approached Peyton, extending her a flash drive. Peyton grabbed it with a smile, looking at it.

"Heartbreak Girl, Sunset Curve," she read out loud. "Thanks, I'll pass it to my computer and give it to the labels. Then I'll give it back to you."

"Yeah, and this one." Flynn passes her another flash drive, this one similar to the one Peyton carries with her on her purse. "It's for you." She grabbed the object and looked at it.

"Peyton, Sunset Curve," she read before looking at Flynn.

"That's the original name of the song. Thought you might like it." Flynn smiled at her before walking away. Peyton looked at the flash drive, smiling a little.

"I like you, Peyton."

The girl looked at him for a few seconds before looking away.

"Please say something..."

"What do you want me to say?" She asked him.

"Anything..." he replied, but she didn't talk. "Please, Peyton."

"Luke, I don't think—" but he interrupted.

"Don't finish that. I got it."

"Luke..." she called him but he was already outside of the window.

Peyton walked towards the ladder to the loft. "I'm gonna send it to the labels," she announced, feeling Luke's eyes placed on her as she climbed up.

Luke glanced towards his bandmates, who were discussing where they were going to eat to celebrate.

"I'm feeling in the mood for pizza," announced Alex.

"I think my tía brought food though," told Julie and everyone seemed interested in that.

"That sounds so good."

"I vote for tía's food," said Luke and everyone nodded, agreeing. Luke's phone rang, interrupting them. "Wait a sec. It's Carrie. She's asking what are we doing today. Apparently, she's throwing a party up in Malibu." Luke hit Alex's chest softly. "She wants us to perform."

"Say yes!"

"What are you waiting for!?"

"Type faster, Patterson!" Yelled him, Reggie.

"Ok, calm down! Calm down!" He started typing. "I told her we will be there. What are we gonna play?"

"We have life fifteen new songs, Luke, let's play one of those!" Exclaimed Reggie.

"We have to let some for the Fonda Theatre, remember," said Alex.

Luke glanced over to his phone when it rang again. "Scratch that. Sin & Tragedy asked Carrie to perform too." Everyone complained. "Let's make a setlist that will blow there heads off."

"I'll bring tía's food here. This is serious," announced Julie before running towards the house.

Peyton climbed down the ladder, looking at the guys.

"I'm gonna head out." The guys complained, except Luke, who seemed busy deciding the setlist. "Don't stay up till too late. It's less than a week for the Fonda and you guys need to rehearse."

"We got it, boss," said Luke without even looking at her, and that made Peyton's heart hurt. "Uh, what about if we perform this one?"

"Sure you can't stay, Peyton?" Asked her Alex.

"Yeah... Sorry guys. Oh, I'll tell Ella to come here later," she told Reggie and the guy smiled. "Bye guys."

"Bye, Pey," said Flynn and the guys also said Bye.

As soon as she was out of the garage, everyone stared at Luke, who seemed focus on looking at the band's song.

"What happened yesterday, Luke?" Dared to ask Alex.

"I told her I liked her and she doesn't like me. That's it, let's move on."

"Are you guys okay?"

"Of course we are okay! She's my best friend, and that's the way it's going to stay. Besides, I'm planning on meeting a girl tonight at Carrie's. She doesn't like me, too bad for her."

"But she does like you, Ella told us," let slip Reggie, making Alex and Flynn hit him. "Uh— I mean—" Luke was staring at the bassist. "Pie?"

"Pie?" Alex asked him.

"I panicked!" Whispered-yelled Reggie to the drummer.

"What do you mean that Ella told you Peyton liked me?" Alex sighed.

"She told us that Peyton liked you but she was afraid that you would be like all of her other boyfriends," explained the blond, making Luke put his pen down. "They normally picture an idea of her in their head and when she turns out to be different they dump her. She said that Peyton is a terrible girlfriend and prefers to be your friend that lose you for trying something she knew it wasn't going to work."

Like stared at his friends without saying a word.

She... liked him?

"Ok, so my tía prepared her famous arroz con pollo," announced Julie as she walked into the room, but Luke was already leaving the garage. "What's up with him?" She asked as she followed him with her eyes.

Luke got into his truck, starting it as soon as he sat down.

"Come on, Elaine, come on, come on, come on," he repeated in a soft tone until the engine started. "Great, okay." He hit the pedal, driving to Peyton's house.

The insecurity inside of him growing higher. Why would he reject him? Why would she reject him? What—

But his thoughts were interrupted when he saw her walking on the sidewalk. He stopped abruptly the truck, gaining her attention as she turned around.

"Luke?" She asked as he got out of the truck, walking towards her. "What are you doing here?"

"Why did you reject me?" He was quick to ask, making her tremble. She didn't say a word. "Come on, Charlie Chaplin, I won't judge."

"I-I... I don't know."

"You don't know? You don't know what? You don't know if you like me? You don't know what day of the week it is?"

"It's Saturday," she interrupted him.

"Thank God you aren't Nick Miller. Now... what don't you know?"

"I don't know if this would work!"

"If this would work or not? That's your worry? How could you know if you don't dare to try?"

"I can't lose you."

"And you won't! You won't, Peyton! I'm never going to leave you! We will be together for so long that we will have the same face!"

"What?" She asked him but he tossed it aside.

"What's the worst that could happen? I can show some examples. I could have a secret daughter and you'll end up sleeping with your ex." Peyton looked at him confused. "I could wish I was never born and you'll end up being a lonely librarian!"

"Huh?"

"We could have a secret romantic affair in Paris but you turned out to be married and you leave me while the Germans enter the city! We could get married, be happy, and then I'll die and you'll marry other four guys, and one of them you'll marry him twice and be called the "Marriage of the Century". Or I'll sleep with your mother—"

"You'll sleep with my—"

"You'll marry my supposed rival in college, then the owner of a newspaper that wants to destroy me, all that while having an affair with me. We would have such a messy life AJ Benza would talk about it in Mysteries and Scandals. I'll cheat on you with Angelina Jolie!"

"Are you saying pop culture references right now!?" She asked him.

"Yeah," he admitted, "that's what I do when I'm nervous."

"Luke—"

"The point is that if we sit down and think about it, there's a lot of things that could go horribly. I mean if I'm looking for someone to write my break up songs about, you're perfect. Sorry, I'm really... really nervous," he chuckled, staring at his feet before looking at her again. "The point is that I like you. Clark Gable craziness's like you! Jerry Maguire's You had me at hello like you..." he continued. "When Harry Met Sally's when it's 71 degrees out dialogue like you. Jennifer Grey's "Never feeling my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you" like you."

"You are mixing so many movies here—"

"Ben Affleck's "You are the epitome of everything I have ever looked for in another human being" like you! I like you, Peyton! And I've been holding it in my heart for so long. You have bewitched me body and soul." She chuckled. "I like you... very much. Just as you are."

Both looked at each other for a few seconds. She didn't know what to say to him. What were you supposed to say when someone confesses to you?

POP CULTURE REFERENCES GUIDE

chapter fifteen
This one is really long

"She didn't say a word. "Come on, Charlie Chaplin, I won't judge"."
Charlie Chaplin was an English comic actor, filmmaker and composer which was famous in the era of silent films.

"You don't know what the day of the week it is?" "It's Saturday" "Thank God, you aren't Nick Miller."
Nick Miller is a character on the American sitcom New Girl (2011-2018). The reference is from this scene

"We will be together for so long we will have the same face!"
This is a reference to singer John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, which people said they had very similar face.

"I could have a secret daughter and you'll end up sleeping with you ex."
This is a plot twist from the show Gilmore Girls during season 6 and beginnings of season 7, where it is revealed that Luke has a secret daughter and Lorelai ends up sleeping with the father of her daughter, Christopher.

"I could wish I was never born and you'll end up being a lonely librarian."
This is the finale of the movie It's A Wonderful Life (1946) when the angel shows George how life would be if he was never born, showing how his wife Mary would've ended up alone.

"We could have a secret romance affair in Paris but you turned out to be married and you leave me while the Germans enter the city!"
This is the plot of the movie Casablanca (1945), where Ilsa leaves Rick with no explanation when they were supposed to get married. It is later revealed that she left because she found out her husband was actually alive.

"We could get married, be happy, then I'll die and you'll marry other four guys, one of them you'll marry him twice and be called the "Marriage of the Century""
This is a reference to actress Elizabeth Taylor's third husband Mike Todd, who died a year after their marriage in a plane crash. Elizabeth got married 8 times in total, two times with Richard Burton. They were named the "Marriage of the Century"

"Or I'll sleep with your mother—" "You'll sleep with my—"
This is the plot of the movie The Graduate (1967) starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. Benjamin (Hoffman) has an affair with Mrs. Robinson (Bancroft). Then later he meets her daughter and falls in love with her.

"You'll marry my supposed rival in college, then the owner of a newspaper that wants to destroy me, all that while having an affair with me."
That's the romance of Howard Roark and Dominique Françon in the book The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, where Dominique marries Peter Keating (Roark's rival in college) and later Gail Wynand (the owner of a newspaper and boss of the man who wants to destroy Roark), all that while being in love with Howard.

"We would have such a messy life, AJ Benza would talk about it in Mysteries and Scandals."
AJ Benza is a famous gossip columnist that had her own tv show called Mysteries and Scandals where she talk about the lives of Hollywood's celebrities. It aired from 1998 to 2001.

"I'll cheat on you with Angelina Jolie!"
Here Luke refers to Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's relationship, which ended because Brad Pitt felt in love with Angelina Jolie during the filming of their movie Mr & Mrs Smith (2005).

"If I'm looking for someone to write my break up songs about, you're perfect."
This is the lyrics of the song Perfect by One Direction. It's supposed to be about Taylor Swift's relationship with band member Harry Styles.

"The point is that I like you. Clark Gable's craziness like you!"
Clark Gable was an american actor referred to as the "King of Hollywood". Here, Luke is referring to his memorable dialogue in the movie It Happened One Night (1943) where his character tells Ellie's (Claudette Colbert) father that anyone who loves his daughter would be crazy. And then adds that he is crazy too.