Shards of a Star || Reggie Peters

07 | Bright

"What time is it?" Luke asks for the millionth time,

"I don't know Lucas, why don't you look at the clock on the wall" I reply from behind the drumset where Alex was attempting to teach me

"You do know my name isn't actually Lucas... It's legally just Luke Patterson" Luke says

"I know Lucas" I giggle,

"Guys, can we go nowww? I'm bored" Reggie whines

"God, let's just go, I can't stand another second of either of you two whining!" Alex huffs

"Let's go Alexis" Luke winks grabbing my hand and poofing us out before I start complaining.

•••

"What are you doing here?!" Julie says, startled as the four of us appear in the school gym, invisible to everyone but her

"We wanna see you stick it to the man! Isn't that right guys," Luke says turning to us

"What Lucas means by that, is he has been bugging us all morning" I laugh, earning a dig in the ribs from Luke

"Man I miss high school," Reggie says, drooling at the sight of five girls on stage, making my heart pang. I freeze, I couldn't have a crush on my bandmate... could I?

"Who names their group 'dirty candi'?" Reggie hisses into my ear, making my cheeks heat up, which unfortunately doesn't go unnoticed by Alex and Luke,

"Who?" I say ignoring them, turning my head to Reggie, who standing extremely close to me "Those colourful girls, they are called Dirty Candi, It sounds like something you'd hear at a strip club"

"You'd have lot's of knowledge there" I laugh, making Reggie's face go red and stutter

"We played a couple of gigs there, you were with us!"

"Yeah, playing with my eyes closed hiding behind you" I retort, then stop and watch as Julie sits down at the keyboard on the stage. She sets her fingers in position, then plays the opening chord, before stopping and looking down at us uncertainly

"You got this!" Luke hisses. Julie looks back down at the black and white keys and starts playing, this time though, she doesn't stop

"Sometimes I think I'm falling down

I wanna cry, I'm calling out

For one more try to feel alive

And when I feel lost and alone

I know that I can make it home

Fight through the dark and find the spark

Life is a risk, but I will take it

Close my eyes and jump

Together, I think that we can make it

C'mon let's run"

I watch Julie singing and have the urge to run up onto the stage and start rocking out with her. Suddenly, me and the boys are all pulled onto the stage, instruments in hand, and we all seamlessly join in. What harm will it do, it's not like anyone can see us...

"And rise through the night, you and I

We will fight to shine together, bright forever

And rise through the night, you and I"

Julie jumps up from the keyboard, pulling the mic out from the stand, to come over and sing with us. I stare out dumbfounded at the crowd, as I realise that everyone could see me. The whole gym full of judgy teenagers could hear me singing, and I immediately start singing softer.