little ghost boy|| Reggie [JATP Agere/CGLRE Story] (DISCONTINUED)

Now or Never [Prologue]

A/N: Hey! I'm writing what I believe is the FIRST ever agere story for this fandom! so, please be nice! as the chapters go on, Reggie will discover his headspace more and more, because the main plot is self discovery and learning to trust his friends with a vulnerable part of himself. So the start is kinda slow, but bare with me!

-Apple

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One, two, three, four!

The quick noise of two drum sticks crashing together four times rung throughout the studio just before the sounds of instruments collided together as the song began, and the first lines that they knew to well were sung aloud

Take off! Last stop, countdown 'til we blast open the top...

Reggie could never get this song out of his head. It was the last song he preformed before he died. The last song he got to play his bass to while he still had a heartbeat. It hurt to play it again. 

But doing things that may hurt you is brave. And bravery can bring you great things. 

Face first, full charge. Electric hammer to the heart!

Reggie and Alex started singing in sync with Luke, screaming the lyrics into their microphones like this was going to be their last time ever singing. It almost felt like it was. 

Clocks move forward, but we don't get older. No....

The three of them were stuck as seventeen year olds forever, and it felt weird. Being forced to pause and stay in one state of maturity forever was weird. And it felt like things that happened in their past was starting to catch up to them. 

Kept on climbing, 'til our stars collided...

And Reggie's past was complicated. Even after death, trauma doesn't disappear. Their singing was full of emotion, because this was hard for them. No one was forcing them to sing this song, they were just in the studio. 

And yet, they were screaming a song they thought they'd never hear again, all three of them holding back tears. Tears of anger, tears of nostalgia. But the moment they were reminded of what they had now, everything that death eventually lead them too, those tears would dry.

And all the times we fell behind, were just the keys to paradise 

Don't look down, cause we're still rising up right now...

Reggie liked what he had now. He had new friends! Julie, Willie, Carlos, Ray... Though those last two we're definitely a bit one sided. He cared about them, though. He cared about everyone so much, he always had good intentions when it came to the people he loved. 

He was a little oblivious, but he had a heart of gold. 

And even if we hit the ground, we'll still fly

Keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never!

Sometimes, things felt like now or never. Reggie worried about what choices to make, whether or not he should take certain risks. He was constantly afraid of losing opportunities, or messing up what he had. Maybe that's why he constantly had the urge to apologize for every little thing. 

Because he couldn't handle the thought that someone he cares about might be mad at him. He couldn't stand the idea of losing somebody, because he already lost everything all at once twenty five years ago. 

Hear the noise, in my head. It's calling out like a voice I can't forget. 

One life, no regrets..

The only thing he didn't lose when he died was his band mates. His family. 

The people that were there for him when he needed it most, were still there for him. And he couldn't thank them more then he already has for that. 

Catch up, got no time to catch my breath. 

Everything felt like it was going so fast sometimes. Changes took place, back to back, and nothing ever stopped. Sometimes, it felt like they couldn't catch a breath. But Reggie had found a way to cope with change, with the things he felt, and the childhood he never got to experience. 

Even if that way was rather...childish. 

Alex and Reggie started singing again, and by now, Alex was tearing up as he sang aloud. Their voices rang throughout the studio. 

Clocks move faster 'cause it's all we're after now....

Won't stop climbing, 'cause this is our time, yeah

They kept singing, emotions ringing through their voice as they screamed out the lyrics. 

When all the days felt black and white, those were the best shades of my life!

Don't look down, 'cause we're still rising up right now. And even if we hit the ground...

We'll still fly. Keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never.

Maybe they decided to preform this because of what today was. Another birthday passing was just another reminder that they weren't aging. Another reminder that they were dead. 

Today was Reggie's birthday, and he didn't know how to feel about that. It wasn't like anything changed. He didn't feel older. If anything, he felt dumb for not maturing. 

He felt smaller. 

We ain't searching for tomorrow...

Tomorrow

'Cause we got all we need today

Today

Reggie replied to Alex's short solos by echoing him, glancing back at the drummer and locking eyes with him as their voices surrounded them. Filling the area with a nostalgic and bittersweet feeling. 

Living on a feeling that's been running through our veins

We're the revolution that's been singing in the rain...

Reggie proudly sang his solo line, listening as the other two joined in. Even if they were dead, this felt right. Playing together, with these boys who he's known since middle school, was exactly what he wanted to do. And now he had Julie too, who he didn't meet until more recently, but he cared about her just as much. 

Don't look down. 'Cause we're still rising up right now

And even if we hit the ground, we'll still fly

Keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never....

Their music seemed to sway around the room, the emotion of the environment shifting from bittersweet to hopeful. They were talented, and they all loved each other. 

What else could they want? 

It's now or never!

Now or never.....

Nothing. All they needed was love, and their music, and they'd figure out the rest. 

They could trust each other with anything. 

But sometimes, like when Reggie was hold back a huge...or rather, little secret, it suddenly became easy to forget that. 

He'd remember soon enough.