[1] Blank Slate || Julie and the Phantoms ✔

CHAPTER 17: Finally Free ✔️

"Why? Wondering how we were able to stay awake through your performance?" I snap in return. The boys laugh behind me at the burn. "I am too."

"Now I remember," Flynn mutters to Julie.

"If you're looking for Nick, he didn't come," Carrie says to Julie, knowing about our friend's crush. She definitely feels threatened.

Julie scoffs, stepping forward. "That's not why I'm here."

The announcer interrupts her. "Okay, it looks like we're closing out the night with one more group, 'Julie, Lila and the Fat Ones.'"

I grimace. The fat ones? How embarrassing.

Carrie and her girls laugh at us. Our eyes trail behind us to Luke.

"Really?" Alex asks.

Luke sucks in his lip. "Yeah, man. My handwriting sucks."

We chuckle awkwardly and walk past her. Carrie is clearly threatened by our presence even though she pretends we're amateurs. I can tell by the way she grits her teeth and slightly cocks her head to the side.

She knows she's about to be upstaged.

Again.

"Hi," Julie says into the microphone. "It's actually 'Julie, Lila and the Phantoms.' My friend Lila broke her arm today, so we're having to improvise a little."

Right, blame the handwriting on me. I glare at Luke. It does make sense though since my arm is broken, but I'm right-handed.

The crowd seems uninterested, tired and wanting to go home. I glance at Julie, offering a soft smile for encouragement. Flynn shoots her a thumbs up and a grin.

"Okay." She begins to play our song.

I find it ironic that we're singing 'Finally Free' and Julie is technically grounded.

"Hearts on fire, we're no liars, so we say what we wanna say, I'm awakened, no more fakin', so we push all our fears away," Julie sings.

Now it's my turn and she goes up to harmonize.

"Don't know if I'll make it 'cause I'm falling under, close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder," I sing. "I wanna fly. Come alive, watch me shine!"

A whoosh resounds in the building as the boys appear onstage.

"I've got a spark in me, hands up if you can see! And you're a part of me, hands up with you're with me." We're all singing now. "Now till eternity, hands up if you believe! Been so long and now we're finally free!"

Everyone is swaying to the music. The crowd came alive at our chorus.

Julie takes the lead again. "We're all bright now, what a sight now, coming out like we're fireworks."

"Marching on proud, turn it up now," I join in, "'cause now we know what we're worth."

Luke's voice is added at "we know we can make it, we're not falling down under. Close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder. And I wanna fly, come alive, watch me shine!"

At the next chorus Reggie joins in with the "Whoa-oh-oh" he sung before. I'm singing my heart out into the microphone, letting the music take me away.

Reggie hops across the stage like a bunny and sings into Luke's mic. I love the looks on everyone's faces. We're all having fun and this is how it should be.

Since Julie had most of the beginning, I get to sing with Luke. "I've got a spark in me."

"I've got a spark in me," he echoes.