Unwritten // Julie and the Phantoms (Reggie Peters)

15

After a moment, the aunt said, "You know I'm only here to help, right?

"I know," Ray replied. "And sometimes I look a little annoyed... but I do appreciate you."

"You need me to look after Carlos, don't you?"

"Just a couple of hours."

She gently tapped his shoulder and stood before jogging off. "Mijo!"

---

Julie drew a birthday cupcake on her microphone. Her phone chimed with a message, she set her microphone down, and looked at it before laughing and saying, "Nick."

Reggie stuck his arm through the door and knocked.

"What are you guys doing?" Julie asked.

Reggie stuck his body through the door and Odette stuck her head through the door as they said, "We're being classy."

Reggie walked in, holding Odette's hand, and went on to say, "Why are you still here? We're going in, like, 20 minutes."

The ghosts all walked through.

Julie let out a sigh. "I lied to my dad, so now I'm stuck in my room all night."

"The venue is packed!" Odette exclaimed.

"Yeah," Alex confirmed. "Yeah, but we were just at the venue. I mean, it's packed wIth VIPs, managers. It's kind of crazy."

"What are we gonna do about my aunt?" Julie asked. "She's downstairs!"

"Your aunt," Luke said as he went to her window and opened it. "You're not taking the stairs."

Julie smiled as she understood. "Okay, let me get dressed. I'll meet you there."

Reggie, Alex and Odette blipped away.

Luke grinned, snapped his fingers, and disappeared.

Julie opened her mom's box and smiled as she pulled a black, decorated vest out.

---

"Next up, Dirty Candy," the announcer said.

Julie arrived and asked, "Am I too late?"

"Too early," Flynn replied.

The audience cheered and Carrie said, "Hope you all came to have a great time." She giggled and the audience cheered and whooped.

Julie frowned. "Dirty Candy? How'd she get on the list?"

"Her daddy probably made a call," Flynn replied, causing Julie to sigh. She noticed Julie's pin. "I like this! Pretty flower."

"Thanks. It's a dahlia. My mom's favorite."

The boys, Odette, Julie and Flynn watched as Dirty Candy performed.

Alex and Odette suddenly blipped onto stage.

"What?" Julie questioned and the others shrugged.

Alex did a little head flick and Odette did a sassy arm move.

Everyone looked at Alex and Odette as they rejoined the others.

"You two having fun out there?" Julie asked.

Alex and Odette exchanged a look before the former said, "Um, it's not our fault, it's our feet. Put us back in, Coach." He and Odette blipped away again.

Flynn glanced at Julie who said, "Oh, it's the guys and Odette."

The song ended and Alex and Odette struck a pose.

Alex smiled. "Making me blush."

Odette laughed softly at her friend's words.

"Thank you!" Carrie exclaimed.

"Alex, Odette," Luke said quietly as the two mentioned appeared with the group once again.

Alex chuckled before saying, "Hey, um... We were... We were just... doing that for you guys."

Odette nodded. "Yeah, just for you guys."

"Mmhmm," Reggie hummed. "You two can stop smiling now. Actually, you can, Alex. Odette can keep smiling because it's so pretty."

"I'm not gonna lie, that was kind of good," Julie said.

"I forget why I hate her so much," Flynn replied, leaning closer to Julie and Reyna who nodded.

Carrie walked up to the group and said, "Hi, girls. Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Oh, now I remember."

"If you're looking for Nick, he didn't come."

"Not why I'm here," Julie shot back.

The emcee spoke. "Okay, it looks like we're closing the night out with one more group. Julie and the Fat Ones."

Dirty Candy chuckled and everyone, who could see the ghosts, looked at Luke.

"Really?" Reggie and Odette said.

"Yeah, man, my handwriting sucks," Luke replied.

Odette rolled her eyes. "I did offer to write our name... Legibly, but you wouldn't let me have the pen."

Julie chuckled and walked onstage. She put her mic on the stand and said, "Hi. It's actually Julie and the Phantoms." She waited a moment. "Okay."

Julie began playing piano and soon started singing.

The ghosts appeared on stage and the audience gasped.

As Odette sang with Julie, she looked around at her bandmates and the audience, glad to feel alive once again. Sort of.

Julie and Luke stepped closer together as they sang and shared an intense look.

Reggie caught Odette's eye and the two shared a smile.

Luke sang with Reggie and Odette's smile widened. She had always liked hearing Reggie sing. Odette and Alex sang in their mics.

Julie walked to Luke as she sang, and Luke sang while repeating her words.

Odette and the boys sang.

With the final words, Luke stared at Julie as though he came to a realization, like he had come to terms with how he felt about her.

When the song finished, they bowed and the ghosts disappeared. The audience cheered and clapped.

Julie spoke into her mic. "Thank you. We're Julie and the Phantoms. Tell your friends." She ran off stage.

"You were incredible!" Flynn exclaimed.

"Yeah, we were!" Reggie agreed as he smiled at Odette.

"Hey! Hey, whoever Carrie was trying to impress is coming this way," Luke said.

"Oh, it's-" Julie began.

"She looks all business!" Reggie noted. "Wait; who should do the talking?" His bandmates stared at him. "Oh, right. Julie. Julie!"

"You got this," Luke and Odette encouraged.

The manager walked up to them and said, "Hi. I'm Andi Parker, and-"

"Julie," Ray called. "It's time to go."