Until we meet again - Julie and the Phantoms Luke Patterson

4

Genevieves POV

Being a ghost is awesome. Go wherever I want, be up all night without getting tired and not having to worry about anything. It's great. Me and Luke spent all night in our favourite spots in town. We talked about everything, catching up the last 25 years.

"I never thought that a street dog would kill you. And right before the Orpheum gig. How unfortunate" I said. He let out a little laugh and gave me a little push. "Wow easy. We're pretty high up!" I said looking down to the water below us. We sat on top of The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, holding hands and enjoying the view. "This is awesome. I've never been to San Francisco... Actually... there's a lot of places I haven't been to." Luke soaked in the view.

I put my head on his shoulder and looked at the sun rising. I could stay like this forever. I felt safe. I always felt safe with Luke. If home is a person and not a place, then Luke was mine.

Me and my parents never had a great relationship. They never really liked that I was spending so much time with Luke and the band. They told me that I was wasting time in that garage when I could do more important stuff, like studying or whatever. I still miss them though. Luke's parents were a lot alike them. They never really wanted him in Sunset Curve. It was weird that they weren't friends.

I looked up at Luke and he looked down at me. He kissed my forehead and placed his head back on mine. "Don't ever leave me again." He suddenly said. I looked at him and shook my head. "That won't happen. I promise."

"So... what are you gonna do about Julie? She seemed pretty upset last night." I asked. "Yeah I know. Any tips on how to get her to forgive us?" He looked so lost. I knew his band meant a lot to him. The music meant a lot to him. "The truth always help. By the way. Who's Carrie and why is getting back at her dad important?" He squeezed my hand.

"You remember Bobby, right? Well he took the songs I've written for Sunset Curve, got really popular with them and didn't give us credit. He calls himself Trevor Wilson and Carrie is his daughter." He seemed really upset and angry by it, which I understood. If Luke's parents knew he had written those songs, they would have been so proud of him.

I shot a look at the watch on Luke's wrist. "I am so sorry, but I have a thing. And you have to get forgiveness from Julie. I'll see you later okay?" I said. I had a bone to pick with a certain magician back at the club. "Yeah. Come to our old studio when you can." He said and kissed my cheek. "Oh. I almost forgot. Happy birthday!" I said before I poofed out.

———

I got to the club feeling all the anger I've suppressed while being with Luke build up. The stamps he gave them was Calebs way of control. If they didn't do what he wanted, he would make them hurt. I was so mad. Sure it would be great to have them here, but not like this.

"Caleb Covington!" I shouted at him. I felt the anger blowing up. "I can't believe you put the stamp on them! You know perfectly well what that will do to them." He looked angry, but he doesn't scare me. "Oh don't you think I know? Imagine it: you get to sing with your little boyfriend for the rest of eternity. A party that never ends and you two will be the stars. You get to be with him forever. Don't you want that?" I had to admit that sounded wonderful. Caleb could be very persuasive, but I didn't want it like this.

"Listen to me. The picture you now painted sounds perfect, but I don't want it like this. And neither does Willie." He let out a little mischievous laugh. "Are you sure that William feels that way too?" I tightened my fist. "If you even think for a second the Willie want to be with Alex like this, you're wrong. You may scare Willie a little, but I'm not afraid of you. You can't manipulate me. You have no power over me." I poofed out before he could say or do anything else.

———

I got changed into an old, black Sunset Curve band tee, a beige shirt-looking jacket, black jeans and a pair of old school vans. I poofed outside of the studio where I heard music playing. Julie must have forgiven them.

I walked in and the music stopped. "Gen!" Luke ran over to me and gave me a big hug. "Hey guys! Where's Julie?" I asked. They looked down at the ground. "She still hasn't forgiven us. And she's also at school. What do we do?" Reggie said. I gave it a thought. "I know! There's this café that is a total hotspot for music producers and stuff. You should get on the list and she would have to forgive you!" Luke gave me a huge smile. "You're a genius! Lead the way to the café!"

We got to Eats&Beats café. Me, Alex and Reggie sat by one of the tables where a girl was sitting and taking photos of her food. "Watch this. Lifers are totally obsessed with taking photos of their food. But even more obsessed with their phone." I said as I moved her food around on the table. She reached after her food and got totally confused when I moved it around. She looked away from her phone and in the air confused. Me and Reggie laughed a little, but I don't think Alex got the point.

"Well this has been fun, but I have to leave. I'm meeting Willie for our daily shenanigans." I said. I could see that Alex got interested by the mention of Willie. "I'll tell him that you said hi" I smiled at him, kissed Luke on the cheek and left.

Willie was already outside of Eats&Beats. "What are you doing here? I thought I was going to meet You at the beach. We need to talk, but not here." I dragged him away from the entrance of the Café. I looked behind me to check if we were alone.

"I can't believe Caleb! I'm so mad, you have no idea. I can't believe he used the stamp!" Willie is used to me letting out some frustration to him when I didn't agree with Caleb, which was really often. Willie looked at the ground. "I know. I want Alex, but not like this. I want him to join the club if he wants to. Not because Caleb put the stamp on him." He looked more sad than I did. I pulled him in for a hug. "I know Willie. Alex says hi by the way. I was just with them." He let out a sigh. "Yeah I know."

We let it go for a while we went to the beach to hang out and mess with lifers. Our favourite thing was to see how confused the lifers get when we messed with them. Or haunting them if you want to call it that. We sat down in the sand for a while.

"So. You and Luke huh?" He said raising a brow. I laughed a little and gave him a little push. "You're a weirdo. But yes. I can't believe I got him back. We spent the whole night talking and catching each other up on the last 25 years. It's like we never broke up. All the pain and regret was just dusted away and I felt home again. I haven't been this happy in a long time! So. What about you and Alex? I understand that he likes you a lot." I was really happy and excited. "I really care about him, but after seeing Caleb giving him the stamp... I feel horrible for bringing them to the club. If I knew this was going to happen I would've never." He said.

I could really tell that he felt guilty, but this isn't our fault. "I know how you feel. Caleb is the worst. I can't believe we've stuck around for so long. This is not the afterlife I want anymore. All the parties and stuff was fun, but he just went over the line. And for the last time. I want out. Are you with me?" He smiled and nodded.