(A/N): This chapter has very strong and homophobic language. It also touches on child homelessness and abusive parents. Please, if any of these trigger you, do not read this chapter. It's pretty dark. But it has a happy ending I promise. Also, I LOVE Julie and The Phantoms. It's so good. As always, hope you enjoy, PEACE!

 Reggie wasn't always like this. So closed off and cold. He used to be the nicest person you'd ever meet. And he still was. Now he's just... different. He never really had any friends growing up. He suffered alone for years with no one to turn to and no one to support him. His life used to be good. His parents were there and they loved him. They would take him to the beach behind his house and play with him until the sun went down. That was until was 11, that's when the fighting started. At first, it was every once in a while over something big. Then it slowly turned into it happening every day. His parents slowly stopped caring. They barely cared if he ate or not. He would try to avoid being at home as much as possible, but he had nowhere else to go.

He would spend so much time trying to drown out the yelling and screaming coming from downstairs. It got even worse when the beatings started. He quickly learned how to nurse himself back to health. His dad would always hit him in places he could cover up, careful to avoid his face and arms. His mom would stand by and watch it happen. Most likely too drunk to care. He would always physically recover, but mentally, he never did.

After a while, Reggie made a point to avoid people. He didn't trust them anymore. If his own parents, the people who gave him life, didn't love him, how could he expect anyone else to? Being at school didn't help either. The stares he would get in the hallways. The names like 'Freak' and 'weirdo' were things he typically heard from his classmates. So Reggie pushed down all of his feelings. His kindness, his love, his heart. No one really knew him, not even himself. The one thing he always loved was music. On his 10th birthday, his parents bought him a bass. It was the last thing they got him before everything bad started to happen. He cherished that instrument. It became a sort of a stress reliever. Whenever he was sad, upset, or scared, he would slide the bass from under his bed and strum it quietly to himself. It was the one thing he loved more than anything he owned. That's why his heart broke as it was smashed to pieces in front of him.

Since his family started breaking apart, Reggie would write down all of his thoughts and feelings in a journal. He hid away from his family so they wouldn't find out. Every day, without fail, he would write inside of it, his hopes and wishes that his broken home would repair itself, but It never did. But his family wasn't the only thing he wrote about. For a short time, before he started avoiding his emotions, he would write about his crushes in school. One of the most prominent being his crush on a boy named Jack during his freshman year of high school. It lasted a few months before he realized nothing would ever happen between them. After all, he was a freak. So Reggie eventually let it go.

Today when Reggie got home from school he expected to see his mom sitting on the couch, halfway through a bottle of wine, and his dad at work. What he wasn't expecting to see was both of his parents waiting for him on the couch with his journal in front of him and his bass resting against the side of the couch by his father.

"Reggie, what is this?" His father's tone was angry. His eyes were cold like there was nothing left in them. Like he was just a husk, a shell of the parent and husband he used to be. Reggie stayed quiet, he knew they already went through it, they wouldn't be questioning him otherwise. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION REGINALD!" His father snapped and jumped off the couch. Reggie jumped back, he started shaking with fear.

"I-i-it's m-my j-journal," Reggie said softly, almost inaudible. The tension in the room was almost crushing. He knew he had no other option than to cooperate.

"What is this about you having a crush on a-a boy in here." His mother said disgustedly. She kept trying to meet his eyes, but he avoided it.

"You some sort of Faggot boy?" His father stuck a pointed finger at him. He didn't say anything. He knew he couldn't lie his way out and his brain was moving too fast to think of anything else. His dad picked up his bass from where it was resting. He examined it for a few seconds before he held it over his head and smashed it against the floor repeatedly. Reggie watched as the one thing he held near and dear to his heart get destroyed right in front of him. He didn't know what to do. That bass was like a part of him and looking at all the pieces all over the floor broke something inside of him. His heart, the thing he forced down for years to protect himself, broke into as many parts as the instrument. And he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to put it back together. "I want you out of my house." This brought Reggie back to the matter at hand. His head snapped up to his dad. "I didn't raise no faggot."

"Dad please!" Reggie pleaded. His voice was broken and hoarse. The tears he'd been unknowingly holding back finally sliding down his face in streams. His dad dropped the little bit of his instrument he held in his hand and walked away. He turned to his mom who had been mostly silent throughout the entire debacle. "Mom!" He tried. But she just stood up and gave him another disgusted face.

"You have 10 minutes to leave, anything that happens to you after that is no longer my problem." She walked in the same direction as his father. He quickly made his way up to his room and packed a duffle bag. He shoved all of his essentials inside and ran back down the stairs. He stops by the front door and takes one last look at what used to be his bass, then he turns and leaves.

About two months go by with Reggie living on the streets. He tried to find a job so he could earn some money, but no one would take him. He tried going to a shelter, but he didn't like it there. So, his time was spent on the streets, in alleys, and in other dark places. He trained himself to sleep lightly as to not have any of his things get stolen. He learned that the hard way after his bag was almost snatched. After the first 2 weeks or so, Reggie did something he never thought he'd do, he resorted to stealing. The first few times he had tried to pickpocket someone, they always caught him. Eventually, he got better at it and he learns to take cash, watches, etc, without anyone noticing. He only stole when he needed to, not wanting to be constantly taking from people.

The next time he ran low on money, he went back at it again. He had his flannel shirt hood over his head to cover his face. The black ripped jeans (which weren't originally like that) were covered in dirt and dust. His favorite leather jacket had scratches and holes all over. Reggie made his way through the bustling streets of Hollywood boulevard. He picks his target carefully. A brown-haired boy with beautiful hazel eyes. His looks stunned Reggie for a minute. He felt bad for robbing him, but he needs the money. He forces his feelings and attraction back down and continues on with his plan. The guy had another boy walking beside him. This one had long blonde hair and a pink sweatshirt on. He had to make sure he didn't see what Reggie was doing to his friend. He goes in closer to the boy with his head down. When he gets close enough, he reaches into the guy's pocket and starts to take out his wallet. He makes a mistake though, he trips up. His hand makes contact with the boy next to him. He pulls the rest of the wallet out and takes off. He can hear shouting from the boy and his friend from behind him. He's sure that they're following him. He turns down what he assumed was an alley, but it was actually a dead end. He comes to a sudden halt in front of the large wall before him. It wasn't like a fence where he could just climb over it.

"Hey! You!" He hears from the entrance of the alley. He slowly turns around and removes his hood. He looks up at the guy from before who had a bewildered look across his face. The blonde guy looked more disappointed than mad, most likely because he saw that Reggie was a similar age to both of them.

"Wait, you're like the same age as us, why are you pickpocketing?" Reggie didn't want to give an answer, but he knew the guy deserved one. After all, a random teen did just try to steal his wallet and run.

"Because I'm homeless okay?" Reggie said quietly. His voice was starting to betray him. He looks down at the ground so he didn't have to see the looks of pity he thought they had on his faces, he couldn't stomach it.

"Wait, why? What happened to you? How long have you been staying on the streets." The blonde berated him with questions. Reggie knew he meant well, but it still made him want to shrink or wither into nothing at that very moment. He wasn't that lucky though. The boy suddenly stops speaking and Reggie looked up to see that the brunette puts a hand on his chest to stop him.

"What's your name?" That wasn't what he was expecting at all. He expected them to get his wallet back and leave, not ask for his name.

"Reggie." He hadn't spoken his own name in so long that it felt foreign to his lips. He was feeling nervous, normally people would get whatever he took back, scold him for his wrongdoings, and continue on with their lives.

"Why are you stealing Reggie, where's your home?" That one hit Reggie in the heart hard. All of his repressed emotions came flooding back at once. Pretty soon he was breaking down in front of the two strangers. The boy he tried to steal from slowly approached and rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm not mad Reggie, I'm not gonna call the police or anything on you. I just wanna make sure you're okay." Reggie felt something in him brighten up. He had forgotten what it was like to have someone genuinely care for him. It felt amazing. It was like he had brought back the light that had long dimmed in him. Once Reggie was able to, he spoke.

"My parents kicked me out of the house a while ago. Because they found out I wasn't... straight." It was almost painful for him to say. The fanny pack guy gave him a sympathetic look. Like he understood exactly what he was going through.

"We can't just leave him here Alex." The brunette said. Alex seems to take a second to think.

"Alright, yeah. Maybe we can ask Julie and Ray if they can take him in." Reggie couldn't believe what he was hearing. Someone was willing to pick up this boy from off the streets and try to give him a home. For the first time in years, he feels hopeful.

"You would do that, for me? Why?" He was happy but confused. Why would they choose him?

"Because Reg, everyone deserves a home." Reggie blushes at the nickname.

"Do you have any belongings?" Alex asked. Reggie nods and guides them to where he stashed his bag. When he got his items they took him to start walking to Julie's house. Reggie wanted to ask the handsome guy what his name was, but he was afraid. He hasn't really talked to anyone for a long time. He used to be so good at it, so open to start talking to anyone who would listen.

"Uh, sorry, but, what's your name?" To his surprise, he spoke rather boldly. The 2 boys also seemed surprised considering he was borderline whispering earlier.

"Oh, I'm Luke." Luke. It seemed so fitting to Reggie. Like there was no other name that could fit. I just made him all the more perfect. "Also, do you think I could get my wallet back?" Reggie felt like an idiot. He forgot to return the item he stole from Luke. The wallet now feels like it's burning a hole in his pocket.

"Oh shit, I am so so sorry." He hastily pulls the wallet out and gives it back to Luke, fumbling the whole time.

"Reg, it's okay, seriously. I know you wouldn't have done it unless you had to." Reggie nods and begrudgingly accepts it. They finally get to Julie's house. It looked beautiful from the outside. Luke and Alex knock on the front door while Reggie hangs behind. An older man opened the door. He seemed like he was probably a dad or so he guessed.

"Hey, Ray!" Luke and Alex take turns greeting him and head inside. Reggie didn't feel comfortable enough to call him by his 1st name. He steps up on the porch and sticks his hand out to the man.

"Hello, Mr..." His voice trailed off as he realized he didn't know his last name. Ray gladly took Reggie's hand and shook it.

"Mr. Molina, but you can call me Ray. And your name is?"

"Reggie." He responded rather quickly.

"Well come in Reggie." He stepped inside and took it all in. It looked so nice in there. He wanders to the living room where Alex and Luke are sitting with a girl. They all look up at him and he shifts from foot to foot uncomfortably. The girl, who he's assuming Is Julie, smacks him in the arm then wraps him in a hug.

"What was that for?" He asked as he rubbed his arm, trying to get rid of the slight stinging. She gives him a pointed look.

"The slap was for stealing Luke's wallet." Reggie figured he deserved that. He did after all try to rob him. "And the hug was because the boys told me what happened. That was really shitty of them. And from what the guys told me, you seem nice, so if my dad is okay with it." She points her hand to somewhere behind him. Reggie turns around to see Ray leaning on the wall not too far behind him. He turns back to Julie so she could finish speaking. "We would be happy to take you in." Ray comes and stands beside Julie.

"Of course, that's if you want to." Reggie was ecstatic. He had a second chance at life. He could get friends, someone to rely on. But he would get more than that. He would get a family. One that would help him pick up all the broken pieces his parents left him with. He wrapped the Molina's in a tight bear hug.

"Thank you." He whispered. They hugged him back. Luke and Alex get off the couch and join the group hug. When they finally separate, Reggie was shown the bedroom he would be staying in and he took a nice, long shower. Washing away the weeks worth of dirt and grime he'd accumulated. When he gets out there's an outfit waiting for him on the bed. He changes into it and goes back downstairs to see Luke sitting alone on the living room couch. He's not quite sure where everyone else was, but he would figure it out soon enough. He wanted to talk to Luke anyway. Reggie cautiously went to the couch and sat down next to Luke.

"Hey." He said softly. His voice was clear now, no raspiness or hoarseness like before.

"Hi," Luke responded back.

"Uh, I just wanna thank you, for taking pity on me. Otherwise, I would have never gotten here. And I would still be on the streets. Now I have a chance of getting a real family again. And that is something I can never repay you for." Reggie spoke straight from the heart. His words were genuine and so were his feelings.

"Of course Reggie. I know that you're not an awful person. I can see it in your eyes. But, maybe there is one thing you could do to repay me." Reggie raises an eyebrow, confused as to what exactly Luke meant by that. He didn't think Luke would do anything bad, but that still didn't stop the little worry he felt I the back of his mind. "If you wanted to, maybe you would like to go with me to dinner sometime, just the two of us?" It took Reggie a minute to get what Luke was insinuating. As soon as it clicked in his brain he made a silent 'oh'. First Reggie got a home, and now he's gonna go on a date with a super cute guy. Reggie also realized that he hadn't responded yet.

"I would love to." Reggie had no idea how much stealing a wallet would change his life for the better. Luke smiled at him and Reggie felt warm and tingly inside. And for the first time in a long time, Reggie can say that he's really, truly happy. He didn't only steal a wallet, he stole a boy's heart. Luke and Reggie conversed on the couch for a little while. Trading stories and such. Luke tells Reggie about his band, and Reggie tells Luke about how he shreds on the bass. Luke offered Reggie a spot in their band, Sunset Curve. They were considering changing the band name soon. Luke also mentions that they should have a bass in the Garage he could use. This made Reggie's heart soar. The thought of picking up a bass again was almost enough to bring him to tears. Reggie isn't the smartest person in the world, but even he could tell that he was on the edge of something great.