Ghosted

Chapter 2: Thats okay, I'm busy anways

Tw: as I was editing this it was a little darker than I remembered. It doesn't t like explain anything in detail and it's just like a brief passing by statement and that's kinda what makes it darker because he says it so casually and it's like...not causal at all. So yea just a little warning.

After band practice, Alex went to go hang out with Willie and Julie and Luke started working on a new song. Reggie didn't want to disturb them, so he went inside and found Ray.

Reggie's really bummed out he can't see him, can't talk to him, can hear him. He really thought, really hoped, the glowy thing after the Orpheum meant he'd be able to. He was severely disappointed to find out he can't, and he's stuck on other side of the imaginary wall that separates them.

Reggie's been spending most of his time with Ray. Not only is he great to talk to, he never tells Reggie he's too busy for him.

Of course that's because Ray never even knows he's there because he can't see him, but Reggie doesn't mind. As much as his friends remind him Ray can't even see him, he says that's what makes their friendship special.

He sit on the counter, legs crossed, while Ray makes lunch.

"Mac n cheese is the best! My dad never made mac n cheese. Or my mom. They were too busy fighting for the most part, fighting with each other or getting mad at me for something stupid I did, but I learned how to make a rad mac n cheese all by myself." Reggie says proudly.

"My brother loved it. I may have burnt it the first couple of times, but I mean making mistakes is how you learn right? And I only started a fire once. I don't think that's a bad thing. I got to use the fire extinguisher! It was awesome. I mean using fire extinguisher was fun, but it wasn't as fun when my dad got mad at me for starting a fire and whacked me with it. But it's okay it only knocked me out for like two minutes, and then by that time my dad left and I could finish putting the fire out before it spread and consumed the whole house." Reggie causally unloads a traumatic event from his childhood.

But it didn't really feel like he was telling someone about it because he knew Ray would never be able to hear him. It was like screaming into a void. No response. Not even an echo.

Carlos comes into the kitchen with his friend all sweaty from being outside in this hot weather.

"Sup little man!" Reggie smiles at him. Carlos reminded him so much of his little brother Steve. Young and curious. The opposite of how his friendship with Ray is. Carlos reminds him of his little brother, and Ray reminds him of everything his father wasn't.

"Hey Dad, can Jake stay for lunch?" Carlos asks.

"Of course, go tell your sister lunch is ready though." Ray says.

Carlos nods and Jake follows him out to the studio to get Julie.

"That smells so good, I wish I could have some." Reggie says. "Anyways, while you guys have lunch I'm gonna talk to Luke and see if he can hang out this afternoon. Alex will be gone all day again and it feels like it's been forever since I've gotten to hang out with either of them, so if I get to hang out with Luke that'll be really cool. I'll talk to you later Ray!"

He poofs into the studio just as Julie and Carlos and his friend are leaving. Luke smiles at him as he enters. "Hey Reggie, what's up?" He says.

"Nothing much, how did writing with Julie go?"

"Great!" He beams. "We're really on a role with lyrics. We wrote like three new songs for the band. We really bounce creativity off each other. We're thinking we play all new songs for our gig next Friday."

Next Friday, they're playing at a club. It's not their first time playing at a club since the Orpheum, but this one is a big one because they heard news that Andi Parker wants to give them a second chance and is going to meet with them after their performance if she's impressed. They're all super stoked.

"That's amazing!" Reggie smiles. "Need any help with working on the melody?" He offer, hoping to be of use.

"Maybe tomorrow. Me and Julie wanna spend the whole day writing." Luke says.

"Oh." He nods, trying not to sound disappointed. It makes sense, he and Julie should finish writing before they start on the melody. "Do you wanna hang out while they eat lunch?"he asks hoping to hang out.

"I would but I don't want to break my creative flow, ya know? Lyrics are just coming to me so easy and if I don't write them down I'll forget them." He says while writing down a lyric at that very moment.

Again, he tries not to feel disappointed and be very understanding, Luke is focused on writing songs right now. I just caught him at a bad time. He tells himself.

"That's cool, so do you guys want any help with lyrics?"

"I think we got it, but thanks anyways." Luke says, writing something in his notebook.

"Oh okay." He nods. He tried everything he could think of, and Luke's just too busy for any of it.
"That's okay, I'm busy anyways. I just remembered I promised Ray I'd hang with him."

Luke chuckles. "Ray can't see you."

"So? I'm not just gonna break my promise." Reggie says.

He won't accept that no matter what he does, he and Ray can't build a real friendship. It doesn't matter how much Reggie pretends it cheers him up, deep down it just helps the pit of loneliness grow. His best friends are always busy and his new friend had no idea he exists as more than a hologram.

The only good thing about Ray not being able to talk to him is Ray could never tell him he's too busy like everyone else has been saying.

Luke laughs. "Okay buddy. Have fun."

"Yeah, I will." Reggie says, but he was really hoping today he'd have fun with him. Or Alex or Julie. Preferably all of them but at least one of them. Just a little bit of time together, a little bit of time to remind him he's wasn't on his own.

He poofs back into the Molina house, they're all at the table eating a family lunch, which makes him feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. He never really had family meals with his family, he didn't even know families acted like this until he had his first sleep over at Alex's house. He's never experienced such peace. No one was shouting, everyone was happy.

He pulls out his phone to text Alex. Julie and Flynn got the boys phones as a little gift. Mostly for emergencies but also for funzies.

Reggie: hey! :)

Alex: What's up?

Reggie: I was just wondering when you're coming home

Alex: Probably not until super late. Willie is taking me to a firefly garden.

Reggie: awe that sounds like so much fun!! I love fireflies!

Alex: Is that all you wanted to know? I'm kinda busy right now.

Reggie: oh yeah, I guess that's all. have fun with Willie! :)

Alex: thanks reg

Reggie sighs and shoves his phone back into his back pocket before poofing to the beach near his old house. He stares at the bike shack, picturing his old house in its place. It wasn't really home, it never felt like home, but for some reason he has a feeling of homesickness for it, a longing for something familiar.

Even though life was far from good back then, at least he knew where life was going. He knew no matter were life went he'd have his friends at his side. Now he's not so sure.

He lays down in the warm sand, the midday sun shining on his face making it feel hot. He closed his eyes and let his thoughts trail off, thinking about life before they all died. It was so different than.

Standing off in the distance, remaining hidden view, was "Nick". He watched as Reggie slowly fell asleep in the sand. Nick's eyes flashed purple, and within a second he was gone again.