"Emmie!"
I'm jolted awake by a overly excited Alex. "Reggie is here with his friend and they want to meet you!"
I groan and try to pull the blanket over my head, yelping when I try and move my bad arm.
"Wrong arm Em." Another voice cuts through the silence. Whoever that is clearly just woke up.
"Yeah, figured that out smart one." I groan, grabbing it with the other hand and yanking it over my head.
"Hey, no." It gets pulled off of me, and a hand extends holding Tylenol.
I roll my eyes and try to sit up to take it, but literally can't. I roll my eyes and groan.
"Here." Alex helps me a little bit, and my eyes connect with Luke's, he's still got the Tylenol in his hand, and once I'm sitting he hands it to me. I take it and mumble a thank you, still grumpy.
"I'M HOMMME!" A dark haired dude with a leather jacket and a flannel sings, bursting through the door, followed by a blonde haired girl facepalming at his actions.
"Emmie, this is Reggie, and his friend Sarah."
I smile at them. I'm seeing the crackhead golden retriever energy Alex was telling me about. As the boys do their handshake hello thingies, Sarah sits down next to me.
"Are you a..."
"I'm not a ghost, I'm normal."
"Ah, a lifer."
"Well I'm not a death eater." I revisit the joke from yesterday, and she busts out laughing.
All the boys turn and look at us.
"What's so funny?" Luke asks.
"Harry Potter!" Sarah laughs. Reggie starts jumping up and down.
"I LOVE DOBBY!"
"Do you know what he's yapping about?" Luke asks Alex. Alex shakes his head.
"No clue."
"YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HARRY POTTER?!" Sarah yells. Without hesitation, Harry Potter is put in and we are watching the first movie.
"Oh this blonde little noodle!"
Luke threatens Draco while gripping onto a pillow so hard his knuckles are white.
"Luke dude chill. It's a movie." I look over at him to see him already staring at me with big hazel eyes. He seems to be warming up to me a little bit.
"I know but he reminds me of my old neighbor kid. What a little slime all."
"Luke you're a slime ball." Reggie chimes in.
"I second that motion." Alex lifts a hand like he's in school.
"I like the red head. He's Reggie but British." Alex says after a moment of silence.
After the movie finishes, I turn and notice Julie is yet to be found. Everyone else has left or is back asleep, Alex and Luke both conking out, Luke across the floor and Alex on the couch.
"She's with her boyfriend." Someone says. I turn to see Alex. "She's with him quite a bit."
"Oh." I nod, standing.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, it's just been a lot. Is the piano still in the garage?" I ask. Alex nods. Luke stirs a little but doesn't open his eyes.
"You play?" Alex asks. I shrug with my one arm.
"Not really anymore but I used too." He nods, and turns towards Luke. "I'll meet you out there in a little bit. I'm gonna wake him up." I nod and leave. Walking into the garage, I sit down at the piano and start playing the upper melody.
Don't you worry don't you worry child
See heavens got a plan for you
Don't you worry don't you worry now
Yeahhhhh
I sit there staring at the keys, wishing things were how they used to be when I would do covers with my brother.
"Emmie? You out here?" I look up to see Alex walking in.
"Yeah."
"You sing at all?" He asks me.
"Not unless my brother is singing with me."
He sits down at the piano.
"I don't know a whole lot of piano but I know a little bit."
He starts playing Don't You Worry Child and starts singing it. I quietly start singing with him, feeling like I'm backstabbing Jack.
"Let me try a different song." He starts Brave by Sara Bareilles. I nod along to his splotchy playing, not that I could do any better.

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is

I quietly sing with Alex. Neither of us are trying to be loud but it reminds me so much of singing with Jack that I let myself out of my box a little bit and let it start coming from my chest. As I sing louder, Alex matches me.
After the chorus, he stops.
"You have so much talent." He smiles at me. I look away.
"Not without Jack, I'm not good." I look down.
"Hey, look at me. You just showed me how big your brave is. Own up to it." Alex says, lifting my head to look at him.