That day, Flynn, Julie, and her family spent hours revamping the backyard for the party that night. Just before they were supposed to go on, her father finished setting up the camera and Flynn introduced them as Julie walked out of the garage doors.
Just then, Jo ran out of the bathroom at the back in a short, checkered, green dress. She was still fluffing her purple curls. "Sorry I took so long. I'm ready, I swear."
"Holy shit, Jo. Thought we'd have to go on without you," Luke laughed.
Jo swatted his arm and continued fluffing her hair until Reggie stepped up beside her, eyes wide as he exhaled slowly, looking her up and down. "What's up?" she asked.
Reggie slapped his chest like something had shot him. "Got me right here, Jo... You look..." He softly set his hand on her waist.
"Thanks, Reg," she said quietly with a small smile. "You don't look so bad yourself. But I think we've got a show to do if I'm not mistaken."
He nodded, but his eyes stayed on her even as she tossed her guitar strap over her shoulder and Julie played the opening notes of the song. Reggie exhaled anxiously as Luke patted his shoulder.
"Running from the past. Tripping on the now. What is lost can be found, it's obvious," Julie sang, garnering a few appreciative whoops from the crowd. "And like a rubber ball, we come bouncing back. We all got a second act inside of us."
The drums kicked in and the four ghosts appeared behind her, surprising the crowd every time. "I believe! I believe that we're just one dream! Away from who we're meant to be. That we're standing on the edge of-
"Something big, something crazy, our best is yet unknown! That this moment is ours to own! 'Cause we're standing on the edge of great!"
Jo stepped up to her microphone and echoed the lyrics just like she and Luke had talked about. "Cause we're standing on the edge of... great!" Julie concluded.
Luke picked up with the second verse, trying to catch Julie's eye so they could sing together like they always did, but she seemed to be avoiding him. The chorus came around again and Jo and Reggie echoed along with her.
On the final pre-chorus, Julie was sitting up on the edge of the piano and Luke stepped up with an improvised guitar solo so Julie would finally look at him in the way he always secretly looked forward to.
"Great, on the edge of great," the rest of the band repeated as Julie sang through the last chorus. While Reggie, Jo, and Alex disappeared behind her, Luke took matters into his own hands and sat on the piano bench beside Julie, softly singing out the last lines with her.
Julie stood up and appreciated the applause from the crowd. Reggie threw his guitar to the side and came up beside Jo, looking particularly excited about the outcome of the night. Jo rolled her eyes and rotated her guitar to her back so he could wrap her up in a hug. She squealed as he spun her around.
When he finally dropped her back down, they still didn't separate. His arm was around her waist and his chin rested on her shoulder as they laughed and talked to their friends and made fun of Luke for his little stunt for attention. It was the happiest Jo had felt in a long time.
Jo strolled back into her room at the Hollywood Ghost Club that night, still humming 'Edge of Great' and spinning around dreamily with Reggie's leather jacket draped over her shoulders.
When she got through the door, though, she realized Willie was sitting on her couch, anxiously tapping his foot. "Hey... What's up? Are you okay?"
"N-No, Jo. I'm not... I have something to tell you," Willie said, looking up at her meaningfully. Jo took a hesitant seat beside him and he spilled what he'd been keeping from her the past month.
Jo dragged him back to Julie's house where the boys were playing around with a basketball in front of the garage. "Feels like we should be celebrating or something," Reggie said, a lovesick smile still plastered on his face. "What do you guys wanna do?"
They were cut off by a jolt sparking through them and Jo ran to Reggie's side quickly, throwing his jacket back on him. "Jo? What are you doing here?" Alex coughed.
"That wasn't like the other ones. It's getting worse," Luke muttered.
"Why is this happening to us?" Reggie said, holding onto Jo's supportive arm tightly.
"It's because you guys are in serious trouble," Willie said, revealing himself from the trees behind them.
"I wish I'd known sooner," Jo said so quietly that only Reggie could hear.
He ran a hand down her cheek and pulled her a little closer. "Know what?"
"Willie?" Alex murmured. "What are you guys doing here?"
Jo stood up and helped Reggie alongside her. "We need to talk," she said.
They ended up on Hollywood Blvd, traipsing down the street so they could speak freely. "So all these jolts that we're feeling is because Caleb put his stamp on us?" Luke concluded.
"He's threatened by you," Willie said. "He wants you under his control. I mean, you're the only ghosts that can be visible to lifers without his help."
"What about you, Jo?" Reggie asked.
"He doesn't know about any of this," Jo revealed. "That's why I was so nervous about joining in the first place."
Reggie's face softened. "I shouldn't have pushed you."
"I'm glad you did. This has made my afterlife... much more enjoyable." Jo reached down and squeezed his hand. He kept a tight hold on it for the rest of their walk.
"Wait, you just let him do this to us?" Alex questioned, focusing the question more on Willie.
"We can't stop him!" Willie exclaimed. "He owns our souls! He owns everybody's souls at that club!"
Reggie turned to Jo again. She ran a hand through her hair anxiously. "If he even knew that we were here, talking to you, he'd- he'd..."
"He'd destroy us," Willie completed.
"So if we don't join his club, then the weird power outage thing continues until there's no power left at all?" Reggie confirmed.
"Yes."
His eyes were glued to Jo. "What exactly happens when the power goes out?"
"That's... That's it. You're done," Jo whispered.
"What exactly do you mean by 'you're done'?"
"You just... You don't exist... anymore," Jo said. "Not anywhere."
"So we just have no choice?" Luke exclaimed. "We have to say goodbye to Julie, give up everything we've built together, and work for Caleb?... That's some club you guys got going on."
"But there is another option. That's why we're here. Just please, hear me out!" he said when Alex went to object. "If you guys could figure out what your unfinished business is and do it in time, you could cross over and be free from all of this."
"That's true," Jo muttered, having not put much thought to it.
"Okay. So, what's our unfinished business?" Luke questioned.
"It's different for everyone," Jo explained. "But since you all died at the same time, it might be something you need to do together."
Alex looked straight at Willie. "Why should we listen to a word you say?" After spending so much time together, he trusted Jo and it was clear she hadn't known for long as she was still clearly in shock for the realization. However, Willie was a different story. They'd spent time together before the club and he'd believed that Willie cared about him, but then he'd dropped him as soon as things became difficult.
"Because I care about you, Alex," Willie pleaded. "I... I can't be away much longer. I'm so sorry."
He poofed out and Jo turned to Reggie. "I should probably go, too. I haven't been back to the club since... six or seven. It's-"
Reggie turned to the other boys. "Can you give us a minute?" Luke and Alex disappeared, the former with a suggestive smile.
Reggie laughed lightly at his friends then pulled Jo over to the edge of the nearest building. He leaned up against the wall and held one of Jo's hands on each side of his waist. "Seriously. I wish I'd known sooner. I would've- I could've..." Jo trailed off.
"There was nothing you could've done, Jo," Reggie said quietly. "And hey... if this unfinished business thing doesn't work out..."
"If it doesn't work out, what? You can't give in to Caleb."
He shrugged lightly. "It wouldn't be all bad. We'd still get to play together, right? The guys, but also... you."
"Reg," she whispered.
He reached up and held the pendant of her choker between his fingers. "Plus, I think I could pull this off."
"Reggie, you have to promise me you'll never give into him."
"Why not? I wanna stay with you. Whatever's waiting on the other side of all of this... It's not you. And I just-"
"Reggie, please-"
"And I just want you." Reggie watched Jo fall silent, looking down at her shoes and biting her lip. "Say something, please."
"This can't... happen," she said quietly.
He scoffed. "Why not, Jo?!"
"Because you can't stay here! Caleb's place isn't a dream come true just because there are good people there-"
"Amazing people there," he said, pulling her hands closer.
Jo moved her hands up to cup his cheeks. "The club is not the place you want to be. Look at what he's doing to you, Reggie. Tortuous, manipulative shit just to get you under his control. And you're the absolute last person to deserve it."
Reggie moved one hand to her waist and Jo swore butterflies had taken flight in her stomach. His second hand moved up to her face, one finger tracing down her cheek as Jo's hands dropped to his shoulders.
"Promise me," she murmured.
Reggie nodded, lightly brushing his nose with hers. "I promise."
Jo's heartbeat picked up as she watched Reggie's eyes flick down to her lips. She bit her lip again. "I have to go."
"I know." His finger settled on her chin as he pulled her even closer, settling a slow kiss on her cheek. He pulled back, but their faces lingered just beside each other. "Will you help us figure out this unfinished business stuff?"
"Of course... Whatever you need."
"Then I guess this isn't goodbye."
"Not yet."
>author's note
oh alright! reg is getting bold!
sorry for the late update y'all. hope you had a good week. see you next time :)