Until we meet again - Julie and the Phantoms Luke Patterson

1

*2020*
"Willie. What are we doing here?" I walked up to the museum entrance where Willie wanted me to meet him. Willie is my best friend. I met him while I was wandering around Hollywood alone a few years after... you know... becoming a ghost. We've had each other since then.

"I need to tell you about my new friend! He's so cute and anxious and that makes him even cuter!" Willie never used to be like this. This ghost must be special. "Someone has a crush!" I laughed and walked into the museum with him. He started skating around and told me all about this new ghost.

"So his name is Alex, we met as I was skating down the Walk of Fame. I basically ran him over. He is a musician and in a band. He's so cute!" Willie smiled. I've never seen him this excited over someone before.

"I'm happy for you." I said as I looked down at the ground. I still wasn't over Luke. It was hard knowing that I would never see the boy I remember him as. Now he's probably old and have a different life with kids and a wife or something.

"You know Gen. You'll meet someone new too. Luke is not going to be the only love you experience." Willie put his arm around me and laid his head on mine. It felt nice.

Willie was like my brother. We always had each other's backs and we were basically inseparable. No one understands me like Willie.

"Wanna meet Alex?" He suddenly said. I looked up at him smiling wide. "Are you kidding? Of course! But first I gotta go to back to the club. Caleb wanted to see me"

———

Me and Willie stayed at this club called Hollywood Ghost Club. It was a guy named Caleb who was a magician when he was alive that owned it. He was powerful. He could make ghost visible to lifers, which was kinda a big deal. He used the club for performances and magic. Every night there was something new and exciting.

"You wanted to see me Caleb?" I said as I arrived at the club. I walked over to the stage where he was just done rehearsing for tonight's show.

"I just wanted to check in on you. I know you've been having a hard time lately. So how are you? Anything I can do for you?" Caleb really cared for me. He cared for everyone. He wants people to have a great afterlife and a great time.

"I've been thinking about my past and what happened the day I died. I miss my mom and dad and I wonder what happened to them. And I miss Luke." A tear fell from my cheek. I knew how Caleb felt about missing the past. He's all about living in the now.. or not living. "Sorry. It's dumb. I should be focusing on my life now and not what happened back then." I wiped the tear away.

"It's not dumb. Don't you think I miss the people I had around me before I died? Everybody does. But you can't change what happened. But it's okay to miss it sometimes." I was surprised that he said these words.

It kinda felt like a lie. But that's the way he is. He listen to you, level with you and then there's this slight control in it all. Like he cares, but only to manipulate you to get his will.

"I've gotta go. I'm meeting Willie. Thanks for the talk." I said and poofed out before he could say anything else.

———

I got to the beach where me and Willie planned on meeting. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Willie jumped up in-front of me And tried scaring me. "You know that would work if I didn't know all your tricks?" I said as I opened my eyes.

"Yeah I know." Willie smiled. "So when do I get to meet this boy you've clearly been seeing behind my back?" I said jokingly. Willie laughed and looked behind me.

"He's approaching right now. Turn around" Willie spun me around towards a boy with blue eyes, blonde hair tucked under a snap-back and denim jacket. My eyes grew wider. It can't be. "Alex?"

I ran in for a hug and he hugged me back. Tears began to stream down my face (yes. I'm a crybaby.). "How? When? What?" I couldn't find the right questions. We pulled away and he began explaining everything.

"The night we were supposed to play at The Orpheum, me, Reggie and Luke went to get some street dogs before the show. The dogs were tainted and it poisoned us. The next thing we knew, we were in this dark room for what felt like an hour, but actually was 25 years and then we suddenly appeared at our old studio, only that it now is this girl named Julie's studio. And you know I don't handle changes very well. I heard about your car crash by the way. Are you okay?" He talked so fast. I guess that's what you do when you have anxiety.

"Yes. I mean I'm as good as I can be. Wait. Luke died and became a ghost as well?" I asked. I don't know what I wanted to do with that information. He nodded. I looked down at the ground. Alex gave me another hug.

"How is he?" I asked. Alex pulled away with his hands on my shoulder. "Let's just say that since you died he was heartbroken. We considered to cancel the show at the Orpheum, but he insisted on doing it, because you would've wanted us to do it even if you were dead. He was convinced that you would be watching us from heaven or something." I smiled. Willie stood there kinda confused. "So he is one of Luke's band mates? She's been talking about you guys." He said and smiled. Alex gave me another hug and rocked me back and forth.

I was really happy to see him. And mostly that he and Willie had found each other. "This is the guy I knew you would love if you met him!" I said. Alex smiled at me. I missed that smile.

"Should I tell Luke that I met you?" Alex asked me. I looked up at him. "No. I want you to surprise me. Bring him and Reggie to this club" I said and told him where it was. "I'll show them. You have to get back to and rehearse. You're on stage tonight." Willie said.

———

Knowing that Luke was going to be there during my performance made me nervous. I haven't seen him since the night we broke up. Is he mad? Will he be happy to see me again? What will happen? What will he say?

I rehearsed a song that I wrote shortly after I joined the club. It was a song I wrote about Luke. I hadn't planned to sing it, but it kinda fitted now. He now get to know how I've been doing ever since I left him.

I can't believe I was going to see him again...