Infinite

Hope You're Happy

∾ 𝄞 ∾
I know you're gone
But every time I look at a piano
I think of all the time you spent trying to teach me
And every time I'm down
I remember you pointing to all the boys and girls who teased me
You said I'll be better than all of them one day
But you're the only person I wanted to make happy
I hope you're happy up in heaven
∾ 𝄞 ∾

Julie opened up YouTube to see a video of Carrie on the front page. She forgot Carrie could play the guitar but, now that she thought about it, memories of music classes and goofing around in her music studio started to come to mind. She was surprised to see it, but the name on the video wasn't Carrie. It was Carolyn. The last time Julie saw or heard that name was years ago. She couldn't actually remember when she heard it last. And, when she watched the video, she knew exactly what the song was about.

"What's that?" Jessica asked, looking over Julie's shoulder. "It doesn't sound half-bad."

"A friend, actually. She hasn't played an instrument in a while. I'm surprised she posted this at all." The fact that it was with her real name and didn't sound like anything Dirty Candy released confused her. Then, she saw that the channel wasn't Carrie's. It probably was posted by a friend so she wouldn't get the huge publicity that she always got for being the daughter of Trevor Wilson.

"Well, it's good. Where does she go?" Jessica sat down on Julie's bed, looking closer at the video. Julie wasn't exactly comfortable with Jessica sitting on her bed, but it had never happened and she wasn't sure how often it'd happen.

"Art school. She likes drawing and designing things more." She didn't know about Carrie's performance anxiety or the fact that she hated standing in her father's shadow. But, she didn't want to tell Jessica who it was or where she was because she didn't want to make Carrie's life crazy.

"She's got the voice of an angel. Why would she give that up for art school?" Julie couldn't answer that. But, she did agree with Jessica. Carrie was so talented and she just gave it up. Then again, Carrie witnessed firsthand what fame did to people. "Anyway, I have to go to find some friends to do homework with, but I'll see you around." Julie didn't even say anything as she wrote a comment for Carrie's video. She didn't sign it or anything, but she did say that the song was fantastic.

"Hey, how's the thing with your mom going?" Kim asked, and Julie panicked. What if someone heard? "Nobody's listening, if that's what you're worried about."

"I talked with my mom a few days ago, but I don't think my friends were any help." Kim understood. Her grandfather finally moved on to heaven, and she actually saw it happen. His soul drifted up to heaven and she knew he was happy. He finally let go and knew the world would be just as happy without him as with him. But, she didn't know how it all happened or how he felt when the weight of the world disappeared.

"Hey, she'll figure it out. Your mom seems amazing from what you've told me and I have no doubt she'll move on." Julie knew she would, too. Her mom was amazing. The best person she knew and the one she looked up to for everything.

"Yeah. I'm sure she'll be okay." Julie nodded. Kim knew that, too.

An idea popped into her head to write a song hoping her mom was okay up in heaven. She had a homework assignment to compose a song and, maybe, she could write the words and just keep them out of her submission for class.

She started her homework, repressing the lyrics that were coming quicker than her ideas for the song. Julie had a vision—that it should start soft and build to this huge climax, then end the same way it started. But, that starting moment wouldn't just be the start or the end, it was in the middle and would seep into each moment. Her vision transformed into the building of the composition and, half an hour later, the way the entire piece was laid out in front of her.

"Hard at work?" Kim asked as soon as Julie came up to breathe.

"I have a composition due at the end of the week and I finally got it all planned out. Now, I just have to get the notes on paper." Julie took her song book with her and headed to a practice room in the basement. She wished there was a way for her to get her mom back to heaven. As much as she loved her mom, keeping her on Earth was not fair to her. But how could she get her back to heaven?

While she thought through ideas on how to do that, she started to build her composition. It started simply—her fingers bouncing between a high F and an even higher C. Before she forgot, she started to record what she was playing. It would do her no good if she forgot what she played. Then, once she got that situated, Julie let her fingers do whatever they wanted. She could piece it all back together later. Plus, she wanted to add in multiple parts—a piano, guitar, violin, and drums. As she continued to play, the notes started to blend together so beautifully she thought there must have been magic in the air.

But, the only thing that was magical was her.

No, she had not summoned another ghost, but she had gathered a crowd of people who were interested in what she was playing. It was rough and she rarely played the right notes the first time, but for whatever reason, she managed to summon people anyway. Her talent pulled even the most wary of on-lookers and showed the best of the best that she was so much more than just an eager freshman.

Julie Esperanza Molina was a force to be reckoned with. She'd already played at the Orpheum and at Coachella and was offered a spot at Lollapalooza. If that didn't terrify her classmates enough, she was signed to a record label. And, despite the fact that she made it clear the band had split up, they still wanted her as a solo artist. Most people in her shoes would've chosen not to go to college at all, but she knew it would further her career and boasting that she went to Berklee was something Julie wanted to be able to do.

When she finished composing her new song—at least the piano part—she got up and noticed the quickly dissipating crowd. Julie wouldn't stop anyone from listening to her. She recorded everything, so it wasn't like anyone could or would steal her work.

Three hours later, she had most of her composition done outside of figuring out where the drums would add in. Julie didn't have too much experience with drums, so she would probably analyze a few songs and watch a few videos before trying anything.

That was when she got a text from Carrie. She could hardly determine what the context of it was or the reason Carrie would've sent it to her.

I like you. As more than a friend.

She couldn't believe Carrie liked her like that. They'd been best friends (aside from a few years in the middle) since they were in diapers. Was Julie really that dense that she didn't see it or was Carrie really good at hiding her feelings?

Sorry, that was meant for somebody else.

She was confused. Why would she pick Julie to text anyway? She was positive she was not the last person Carrie texted, since the last time they texted was two weeks ago. It could've been a dare, too, but still, Julie's mind started to spin. She almost felt empty when Carrie sent her second text. She hadn't ever dated anyone and her only crush was on a guy who, as it turned out, had been possessed for (literal) months. She felt awful once Nick was finally free of Caleb because she couldn't imagine how it felt. He didn't talk about it at all with her or anyone else, but she did offer to him that he could reach out if he wanted to.

Now, just thinking about Carrie liking her—not that it was real in any way—she had this weird feeling in her. But, she just dismissed it because it wasn't real. Carrie liked someone else.

Author's Note: Well, that was certainly an interesting text... Do you think Carrie really meant for it to go to someone else? Vote and let me know what you think in the comments. All the best, MistyRider921.