The applauding eventually quietted down, letting us chat between ourselves. Julie sighed. "I'm not gonna lie. That was... kind of good."
"Yeah. I forgot why I hate her so much," Flynn genuinely commented.
Like if they had invoked her, Carrie and the Glittery Girls— yup, that's my official nickname for her band/dance group, came strutting from the spotlight. "Hi girls! Um, isn't it past your bedtime?" she spat.
Flynn's head tilted with a sour smile. "Now I remember."
"If you're looking for Nick, he didn't come," she sassed.
Taking a step forward, Julie scoffed and looked at her directly in her eyes. "That's not why I'm here." Yes! That's my girl!
"Okay," the guy who had been introducing the performances interrupted the cat fight, thank god. I was very close to attempting human posession on the pink girl. "It looks like we're closing the night out with one more group: 'Julie and the Fat Ones'."
Everyone except us snickered. The band turned to Luke, who was the one who signed us up in the first place. "Really?" my brother and I said in sync.
"Yeah, man. My handwriting sucks," Luke frowned.
She gave her ex-friend one last plastic smile before she hit the stage. Knowing her indimidating charm had worn off, Carrie rushed off with her minions waddling behind.
Julie placed her doodled white microphone on the keyboard stand. "Hi. It's actually 'Julie and the Phantoms'," she corrected. Was it just me or had the silence become louder? These critics are so judgemental... they haven't even seen or heard us play. "Okay."
Flynn turned the fake projector on, giving a sign to her friend we were ready. The light shone on Julie as she played the starting notes of Finally Free.
<Hearts on fire>
<We're no liars>
<So we say what we wanna say>
<I'm awakened>
<No more faking>
<So we push all our fears away>
The drumbeats echoed along the room. People began bopping their heads, anticipating the magnificent drop on the chorus.
<Don't know if I'll make it 'cause I'm falling under>
<Close my eyes, and feel my chest beating like thunder>
<I wanna fly>
<Come alive>
<Watch me shine>
As Julie stood up with the microphone on her hand, we appeared on the platform. Rocking my black, plaid skirt, dark boots, and sage t-shirt, I was stoked to play. I whipped the end of my high ponytail behind my back.
<~I got a spark in me~>
<~Hands up if you can see~>
<~And you're a part of me~>
<~Hands up if you're with me~>
<~Now 'til eternity~>
<~Hands up if you believe~>
<~Been so long, and now we're finally free~>
One thing I love about Finally Free is that we fully appreciate my abilities on the tambourine. Grabbing tighter the microphone stand, I shook my instrument to the cheering crowd.
~We're all bright now~
~What a sight now~
~Coming out like we're fireworks~
A guy on the front waved his eyebrows at me, but I just shivered and continued playing by looking elsewhere. Julie gladly joined in for the next part.
<~Marching on proud~>
<~Turn it up loud~>
<~'Cause now we know what we're worth~>
Since Julie and Luke were in charge of the next prechorus, I remembered my promise. I spun on my heels and dragged the microphone stand to move towards the guy bouncing next to the drummer. His eyes and shoulders were tightened, but he relaxed into the usual grin once I squeezed his shoulder. I would've rather squeezed his hands, but it was too busy playing the magnificent melody.
<We know we can make it we're not falling under>
<Close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder>
<~I wanna fly~>
<~Come alive~>
<Watch me shine>
Reggie and I jumped on the beat drop. It was his regular move, but he always insisted I did it with him all the time. Today, I fulfilled his wish. Alex and him did the lower harmonies while the duo and me sung the lyrics.
<~I got a spark in me~>
<~Hands up if you can see~>
<~And you're a part of me~>
<~Hands up if you're with me~>
<~Now 'til eternity~>
<~Hands up if you believe~>
<~Been so long, and now we're finally free~>
I was so into the song (and staring into Reggie's beautiful face) that I forgot how many people were cheering and applauding in the small venue. All that matters is that I was having fun with the ghosts and human closest to me.
<~I got a spark in me~>
<~Hands up if you can see~>
<~And you're a part of me~>
<~Hands up if you're with me~>
<~Now 'til eternity~>
<~Hands up if you believe~>
<~Been so long, and now we're finally free~>
We were all jumping around the stage— well, Alex couldn't, but I'm sure he's doing it on his mind. And, as it turns out, Reg and I are not the only ones doing the 'will they won't they' tango. Oh, if you could've seen his eyes in person, you'd understand. Our single trio grinned at each other, noticing the love arrow struck perfectly on our guitarist's heart. And Julie's too.
<I got a spark in me>
I got a spark in me
<And you're a part of me>
And you're a part of me
<Now 'til eternity>
Now 'til eternity
<Been so long, and now we're finally free>
They were sharing each other's mic, the equivalent of trust and love in the music industry. In my books, it was the first step into first base. If he was not dead, I'm a thousand percent sure they would've kissed at this point. Julie separated to hit those wonderful high notes she does.
<~I got a spark in me~>
<~Hands up if you can see~>
<~And you're a part of me~>
<~Hands up if you're with me~>
<~Now 'til eternity~>
<~Hands up if you believe~>
<~Been so long, and now we're finally free~>
The last part were a bunch of woah-oh-ohs and the combination of different riffs. Luke kneeled rock-style into the crowd, and for that reason I considered crowd surfing for an instant. Instead, I chose to dance in front and center infront of the pouting Carrie and the Glittery Girls.
<~Been so long, and now we're finally free~>
<Finally free>
<Yeah>
The guys and I proudly pushed our instruments aside for the famous bow. When we disappeared, the crowd gasped and got more excited than before.
"Thank you. We're Julie and the Phantoms. Tell your friends," Julie said into the microphone. She got off stage, hugging her best friend next to the bar.
"You were incredible!" Flynn congratulated.
Reggie was with an elbow resting on the table, but his free hand was brushing against mine. "Yeah, we were."
"Hey, you overcame your nerves. That's great!" Although we were both sweaty, we hugged and he spun me around on his arms once.
"I owe it all to you," he said when he let me go. My brother began fake gagging, so I just kicked him on his ankle. While he grunted, I showed an innocent smile to Reg.
I didn't notice how Carrie and the Glittery Girls were talking to someone else because I was focused on our own little group. We had done our very first official show, and people loved us! We were congratulating each other like there was no tomorrow.
Luke's voice interrupted my sprinkler celebratory dance. "Hey! Hey! Whoever Carrie was trying to impress is coming this way."
The woman he was referring to wore a khaki-colored suit and a big, golden necklace dangling from her burgundy shirt. "She looks all business." Unconciously, the six of us straightened our backs, even though we, the ghosts, realized a bit too late she wouldn't be able to see us anyways.
"Wait. Who should do the talking?" Reggie inquired. When we all gave him a confused look, it dawned on him. "Right. Julie, Julie."
"You got this," Luke encouraged. I wanted to tease him, but it would unfocus Julie from the crucial conversation.
The woman fixed her hair before approaching us. Her heels clicked against the wooden floor. "Hi, I'm Andi Parker, and I would—"
"Julie!" Just when they were about to stretch hands, Julie's dad was next to the stage. Oh no. Everyone had stopped talking, or at least that's what it seemed to me.
Her face turned from the brightest smile into pure shock. "Dad."
He crossed his arms, a stern look following him. "It's time to go." Andi frowned, switching glances between the family.
"This is not good," I whispered. Well, so much for our self-proclaimed fame.
♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸♬·¯·♩
Author's note:
Hiii, sorry for the wait (and the somewhat short chapter), but I'm back for a long time... I think. I finished the semester, so hopefully I'll have more motivation and time to write.
~ Winter ❅
P.S. We're closing on the 9 month mark since the airing of the show and there's no signals for a second season... I'm getting very worried. What's going on, Netflix? *cries for 25 years*