Dandelions | Julie Molina [JATP]

XX. STAND TALL

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Skyler agrees before the three of them moved to a table full of snacks.

***

They didn't have long before they were supposed to go on and the boys still haven't shown up, leaving the two teens feeling anxious. Julie was starting to pace around the room. Flynn and Skyler sat, watching the girl anxiously.

A knock came at the door, causing all three of their heads to turn in that direction.

"Hey guys, it's time!" The stage director, Rob, reminds the two teens.

"Just a second!" Skyler calls back before turning to Julie and Flynn. "Something's wrong," he spoke as he rose up from the couch. "The guys were getting those jolts pretty bad as we were leaving. They wouldn't ditch us again."

Julie frowns. "They must've run out of time," she says. Skyler's heart drop to his stomach, realizing that Julie was right.

"I'm so sorry, guys," Flynn says, looking at her best friends with sadness.

"They didn't cross over," her voice cracks as she speaks. "They're gone, and we didn't even get to say goodbye."

Skyler inhales sharply, trying his best to fight back the tears as he wraps his arms around Julie's shoulder to comfort her. Julie sniffles and leans onto his side, wrapping her arms around his waist. Flynn rose from the couch, joining her friends into a group hug.

Rob knocks on the door again. "Hey guys, you're on," he tells them.

Julie pulls away from the hug, running towards the door. Skyler shares a worried look with Flynn. "Julie, wait!" Skyler reaches for her hand, but she was already out of reach.

Julie storms out of the dressing and runs up the stairs. Flynn quickly leaves the room, but she paused at the bottom of the stairs. "What are you doing, Jules?" Flynn calls for her.

"Where is she going?" Rob asked.

"Where do any of us know?" Flynn sighs.

Skyler stayed in the dressing room, frozen in his place with millions of thoughts running through his mind. The tears he was fighting back earlier start to roll down his cheek. He closed his eyes and more tears start to come out of the corner of his eyes. The boys are now gone at the worst time possible and he didn't know what to do.

Meanwhile, Julie ran out of the building and into the alleyway, her face rimmed with tears. She paused and stares into the sky, looking for her mom.

"I don't know if you can hear, Mom, but..." Julie starts. "I can't handle it." She sobs quietly. "You know, Flynn said that you were supposed to be behind everything, but I don't know."

"If I was supposed to help the guys, I didn't. They're gone, and I'm so sorry," she sobs again. "They were my friends, my band," Julie paused, choking on a sob. "Our band," she corrects herself. "Our family."

Julie sniffles and glances at the sky. "Why can't you just come pick me up? And... And hold me in your arms, and just tell me that everything is gonna be okay, and that I'm gonna get through it?" Her voice cracks at the end.

"And that... that even though they're not here with us, they're still up there with you." Julie glances at the ground sadly and sighs. "I just wish you were here."

A woman carrying a bag of flowers walks past the girl, but then stops and walks back to her. She handed a single flower to Julie and gave her a kind smile before walking away.

Julie stared at the flower in her hands. It was a dahlia; her mom's favorites. She turns her head to the woman before glancing back at the flower. She sniffles and hugged the flower to her chest.