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

CHAPTER 24: The Beginning of Everything

I go straight to my room to "study" after I get home. I know Daniel can tell that there is something wrong, but hopefully he'll dismiss it as girl stuff.

*Flashback*

"Will you please just listen to me!" Lila my sister tries to reason. "We can't just sneak out of the house."

"Mom and Dad don't understand, okay?" I sputter, shoving stuff into my bag. "They don't get our love for music. So what they grounded us? This could be our big chance. We're going tonight."

We're going to the performance that killed her.

"I don't want to," she says. "There will be other chances."

"But what if they're aren't?" I practically yell. "What if this is it and we spend the rest of our lives regretting it? What then?"

"We'll be safe! Our parents won't hate us!" she shouts back.

"Oh, they'll never hate you!" I snap. "You're the good kid, the favorite."

She's silent. Lila stares at me and guilt creeps up on me then bites, gnawing away at my insides. Finally, she speaks.

"It doesn't feel right."

"Lila, you're twenty years old! You have to learn to make your own decisions for once. We can't always listen to Mommy and Daddy," I say to her, pulling her hands away from her face. "I'm almost an adult too. This is just a part of growing up."

"Maybe," she replies, chewing on her bottom lip. "But what if-"

"No 'buts!' It's only one tour and people have been looking forward to seeing us," I tell her. As the memories flood back I recall that my older sister was a total people pleaser. She couldn't say no although she usually listened to authoritative figures. That's why Lila was having so much trouble disobeying. "You don't want to disappoint them, do you?"

"No, I don't," she mumbles. "But Addie-"

"Haven't we already been over this? We're going to be fine. What's the worst that could happen? You actually have fun?" I scoff. "At least come to this one performance, okay? Then if you hate it, I'll go solo."

"I don't want you to leave," she responds. "It's not good to be by yourself."

When she says that I am overloaded with other memories of Lila Cooper protecting me, her little sister. There were many more times where I did something dangerous and my sister got me out of trouble. Spray-painting concrete buildings, skipping school for a gig. Lila was always there for me.

"I'm glad we finally agree."

The scene transitions to the stage. I'm singing a song that doesn't feel as distant as before. It's "Take on the World." My beam is so bright if it could illuminate the room, it would and we wouldn't need those stupid stage lights.

I look at Lila and she grins back.

When we get to the second chorus, I grimace. I know what's about to happen.

I'm walking over to my sister again.

I hear the snap.

I want to screw my eyes shut more than anything. I don't want to see this. I'm trying to scream, to escape my mind, do anything that could stop this.

Next thing I know, I'm back in the graveyard with tears streaming down my face. I set a bouquet of roses down on the tombstone as I sob.

Lila Grace Cooper
September 30, 1979 - May 23, 2000

Beloved Daughter and Sister

"Hello, dear," an unfamiliar voice says. By now I'm smart enough to know that it's Covington. "I can see you're upset. Let me make an offer you can't refuse."