Dancing Queen (Julie and The Phantoms)

2. Coming Back

"What the hell is going on?"

I took it as an opportunity to speak. "Boys? Is that really you?" Luke's, Reggie's, and Alex's heads rotated. They looked exactly like the last time we saw each other.

Reggie beamed. "Liz?"

I whooshed to them, throwing myself in the biggest hug possible I could give. Alex's arms stayed wrapped around me. "Liz, what's happening? Why- why are we back?"

A knot formed on my throat. The words left my mouth faster than my brain process them. I didn't want to cry again. "I wish I knew. I don't know. It's a... it's a very long story. You have a lot, and I mean a lot, to catch up on. I can't believe she saw you! And- and you're back!" Remembering a specific moment, my emotions unstabilized. I began punching them. "You idiots! I told you not to eat those stupid hotdogs! You left me alone!"

"Ow! How were we supposed to know they were bad?" Alex questioned.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because the hotdogs were prepared in the motor of a car?" I stated matter-of-factly.

Luke's arm snaked its way around my back. "We're sorry, okay? And we'll talk more about this later. I promise. For now, let's worry more about the stranger who ran out screaming."

Speaking of her, she did come back. In her hands, she carried a dark, wooden cross. "Are you still here... whatever you are?" She lowered the item in slight disappointment. "I know I saw something. I'm not crazy."

"Well, we're all a little crazy." We poofed behind her and she screamed louder than before.

We flinched as our nonexistent eardrums panged. "Oh my god, please stop screaming!"

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my mom's studio?" Wait, she can see me? Her eyes stayed mostly on me, so that means she can see me! My jaw dropped. This is new. Well, everything's new.

"Your mom's studio? This is our studio, okay?" Julie pushed the cross closer to Luke, and he jumped, moving across the space. "The piano is brand new, andandand... My couch!" He rested on his favorite piece of furniture (because of course Luke Patterson has one). "...That is definitely not my six-string."

His sight shifted all over the place. "Can you give me just one second? Just... give me a second! Thank you." Our backs faced the very confused girl. "Guys, what is going on? How did she get her stuff in here so fast?"

"Maybe, maybe she's a witch. There's chairs floating on the ceiling," Reggie's eyes widened as he pointed upwards. It felt wonderful to have this goofball back.

Nonetheless, I raised my hand, begging for their discussion to end so I could explain. It's too much information to dump in one sitting, and I need them to focus to get through their thick skulls.

The trio ignored me and continued theorizing. "Okay, there is no such thing as witches."

"You sure? I used to think there was no such things as ghosts."

Like a domino, we turned towards Alex. My hand was still up in the air. "That's fair."

"Okay, so we're going with witch?" Luke concluded.

I moved my arms around while talking, a custom my brother forced upon me. "No, we are not going with witch! She's not a witch!"

"Okay, look, she's just scared, okay? Let someone with a softer touch handle this." Alex licked his lips and approached the girl. "WHY ARE YOU IN OUR STUDIO?"

"This is not... it's not our studio anymore," I whispered. Why does nobody listen to me? As I said that, Julie thrusted the cross over Alex's chest, confirming we were not solid.