GRACIE WALKED INTO SCHOOL with her hands covering her stomach. she spent the whole morning throwing up, unable to stop herself from yelling at her dad for suggesting the idea of staying home. of course, she then broke down into tears from the guilt that brought her, and jj was left to awkwardly brush his teeth in the same bathroom as the distraught girl.
"gracie, hey! you wanna sit next to me during the spirit rally?" a girl known as sally jackson asked. she had auburn hair and a bright smile that always made gracie smile along. they were in french together, the class that the spirit rally would be cutting short. gracie knew sally was only asking because she didn't have any other friends in the class, otherwise she'd sit with anyone else.
still, a sweaty guilt clawed her neck. gracie frowned, "if i can find you, sure. maybe you can find olivia, though? i sort of told julie molina i'd sit with her... i'm sorry."
sally waved her off with a small grin, "that's totally okay. i'll see you later." gracie pulled a strained smile to her lips before she continued to walk to her locker.
she was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt that she'd cut the neckline of, and she admired herself for a second in her locker mirror. adjusting the green top that had cornelia street ny, new york printed on it, gracie smacked her lips together. to anyone else she looked tired, if anything. but she felt like a hurricane was sweeping through her stomach, twisting at her gut and swooping up her throat.
gracie shut her locker after she grabbed her books, making her way to first period.
the whole walk there and then the whole class, all gracie could focus on was the nagging voice in the back of her head whispering only this class. only forty minutes. next period. only twenty minutes left. you'll sing in front of your whole grade in fifteen minutes. in ten minutes you'll have to go perform. you won't be able to do it.
at five minutes to the bell, gracie stood up and packed her things up. a few of her friends gave the girl a questioning look, but she was too anxious to say anything. she simply ignored them and walked to her teacher's desk where she asked, "may i go to the nurse?" and beelined to the bathroom as soon as she could.
julie watched dirty candy with a soft frown. flynn stood beside her, but gracie was no where to be seen. the only reason she agreed to singing bright in the first place was because luke told her that she'd be right beside her the entire time. she was starting to dislike that sassy and nosy ghost.
speak of the devil...
a poof made julie turn to see the boys beside her, watching the performance casually like they hadn't just teleported using their ghost powers.
she glanced at flynn before leaning in to whisper, "what are you doing here?"
luke grinned, "we wanna see you stick it to the man. isn't that right, boys?" only alex nodded, and when they looked over, reggie was gawking at dirty candy as the danced.
"man, i miss high school." julie rolled her eyes, over the mean girl's song and dance that seemed to hypnotize everyone.
♪ made moves on the rise now ♪
♪ run stuff get a piece of that pie now ♪
♪ we're the best, no doubt ♪
♪ check it out
yeah, we make 'em say, "wow" ♪
julie glared at carrie - a girl she used to consider her best friend. she suddenly spun to face luke, momentarily forgetting that it looked like she was facing the wall.
"where's gracie?" he asked before she could get a word in. she furrowed her brows, peering around him to the double doors.
"i was going to ask you if you could go find her. i haven't seen her since she rode in with dylan this morning." luke glanced away at the boy's name, catching sight of alex dancing along with the girls singing front and center. he glanced at julie to see her face twist into nerves and quickly hit the blond to signal his stop.
"sure - 'course." he poofed away without warning making julie mumble jumbled curses to herself. flynn turned in confusion but she only smiled a robot-like smile causing her best friend to give her a concerned glance before turning back to the girls.
luke had walked around the entire gymnasium: by all the bleachers, backstage where kids were cleaning up from some orchestra concert, even by the teachers. but he hadn't seen a sign of gracie. he was starting to get nervous, especially when the girls dancing had finished their own performance. with a huff he poofed out of the room and into the closest hallway. his feet carried him without a thought, eyes moving from empty classroom to empty classroom. before he knew it, he ended up by the girl's bathroom.
he swayed his head as if it was an option before walking in, shouting, "gracie? please tell me you're in here?"
his eyes were squeezed shut, especially when he heard a click of a stall open. gracie sighed, "you can open your eyes." he did as told, a grin filling his face at the sight of the blonde.
despite her looking pale and sick, he was grinning as he said, "you look pretty." she scoffed, not believing him for a second. she was sweaty and her hair was messy from being pushed back so much.
"what's wrong?" he asked after a silent second. gracie was kneeling on the floor, her cold and shaky hands resting on her hot cheeks.
she scrunched her nose up, squeezing her eyes closed, "i can't do this. i-i- i'm, i'm not set out for performing. i thought i could for julie, but... god, i'm such a failure." she whispered the last part with her hands covering her eyes, but luke's face dropped when he heard it.
"what? are you kidding? you're a star. i believed it before i even heard you sing or play - but now? man, gracie. you should already be on the radio. your voice is -" he licked his lips, "it's enchanting. and so are you. you're gonna kill it."
she looked unconvinced so he bent down to her level, "you are a star." finally, she looked up and met his eyes. a soft breath escaped her and she bit her tongue before she nodded.
"okay." she nodded again. he grinned, reaching his hands out to help her stand. she almost fell when their hands didn't make contact making the two frown.
"you should hurry, i think the spirit rally's over soon." gracie nodded, attempting to fix her hair as they jogged down the hall.
"you'll be there the whole time, right?" he grinned at her, wishing he could pull her hands away from her hair.
"you know it. and i'll be cheering you on no matter what." they were panting slightly when they reached the gym doors. luke watched as she pushed them open for the two.
"even if i barf all over everyone?" she asked.
he grinned, "especially if you barf all over everyone. it'd be funny."
"ha ha." she said blankly, quickly walking to julie who was getting her own pep talk from the other boys.
"gracie! thank god." julie sighed, grabbing the girl's arms.
as the two rushed out frantic words to each other, luke leaned in and whispered to reggie, "go put a bucket side-stage." reggie snapped at him before poofing away.
"guys, you gotta get up there. i wouldn't have given you two the song if i didn't think you were gonna rock it. now, there's a piano on that stage," luke pointed up to where a keyboard sat, "with your name on it."
"what about my-"
"rhythm guitar?" reggie asked as he poofed in next to the boys, "by the bucket i just put off stage." gracie blushed but thanked him anyways.
julie nodded, grabbing gracie's wrist before pulling her away. the blonde looked over her shoulder, catching luke's eye. he grinned, pointing at her before drawing a star with his finger. under any other circumstances she would've called him cheesy and rolled her eyes, but she was too scared to move any part of her body too much.
before they knew it, the girls were on stage, julie sitting at the keyboard with a mic attached to a stand beside her and gracie standing uncomfortably by a microphone with her guitar strung on her. luke bit his lip in excitement, hitting the rest of the members of sunset curve.
julie played a few notes and gracie held her fingers over the strings, waiting for her cue. only - julie stopped before many people even noticed them playing. gracie looked over to the girl who had her eyes closed, trying to hype herself up.
"you got this." luke said, loudly enough for the girls to hear on stage.
julie made eye contact with gracie who pulled away from the mic to say softly, "i'm with you, no matter what."
with that, julie began to play again. first hesitantly, then as if playing was as easy as breathing.
gracie took a shaky breath, having to pull away for a second when it was heard in the mic, before she leaned in again and closed her eyes as she sang:
"♪ sometimes I think I'm falling down ♪"
this instantly caught the attention of the tenth grade as they turned their heads in interest. gracie began to strum, taking the risk to open her eyes. she almost faltered again when she realized a spotlight had been placed on her, but was able to gather herself to continue, "♪ i wanna cry ♪ i'm callin' out ♪"
julie was nodding along as her fingers danced along the keys. her eyes were stuck on the blonde as she pushed herself for her. for julie.
"♪ for one more try ♪ to feel alive ♪" gracie backed up, glancing at julie. the girl nodded before she sang.
"♪ and when I feel lost and alone ♪ i know that i can make it home ♪ fight through the dark ♪ and find the spark ♪" this time, a spotlight of her own descended upon julie.
gracie, who had been keeping her eyes mostly on the instrument in her hands, looked up for when it was her cue once again. she strummed slightly quicker, seeing her principle and music teacher turn their heads to the girls and glance at each other.
julie continued, "♪ life is a risk, but i will take it ♪ close my eyes and jump ♪"
gracie stepped up once again, trying to stop herself from swaying backwards, "♪ together i think that we can make it ♪ come on, let's run~ ♪"
just as julie joined the blonde in singing after the beat drop, a flash went off in her peripheral vision, "♪ and rise through the night ♪"
gracie turned, her face dropping slightly at the sight of the boys with their respective instruments beside her, "♪ you and i ♪ we will fight to shine together ♪"
julie jumped up with her mic, giggling lightly as she gave the boys incredulous looks. a small grin was pulling gracie's red cheeks up when she noticed the proud stare luke kept on her.
julie walked around with her microphone as the girl continued, "♪ bright forever ♪"
while she looked at each boy in awe, gracie was left nodding along beside luke, her eyes flickering from his gaze to the rest of the band.
julie giggled again when luke hopped onto alex's platform. gracie shook her head in disbelief, slowly walking over to julie so they could share mics, "♪ and rise through the night ♪ you and i ♪ we will fight to shine together ♪"
julie pulled the mic away from her mouth to hold to gracie's, just as the two noticed the growing crowd's eyes that were locked on the boys behind them. gracie sang, "♪ bright forever... ♪" she pulled back, her smile having slipped.
she and julie exchanged glances at the confusion that rang through the crowd. as her fingers danced along the strings, gracie slowly walked backwards to luke, who had jumped down, before whispering, "uh, is this really happening?"
he turned his head, licking his lips with a wide grin, "just go with it." her breath caught at their closeness which he quickly broke by walking to his mic stand.
he sang, "♪ in times that i doubted myself ♪" the students cheered making his grin grow and gracie's blush fill her entire face. she turned to alex, nodding her head to him while they played and luke sang, "♪ i felt like i needed some help ♪ stuck in my head ♪" he glanced back at the band, eyes lighting up at the smile gracie held, "♪ with nothing left ♪"
luke had a hard time pulling his eyes away from the girl, but when he did, he saw a sight that made him as giddy as she did. the crowd of teenagers danced along to his song, grinning ear to ear as he sang, "♪ i feel something around me now ♪"
gracie took in a shaky breath at his voice. she'd never heard him sing sing. sure he was last night, but that was different. he sounded softer, kinder. now he sounded like he was born to sing rock. he looked alive, and she almost believed he was.
"♪ so unclear, lifting me out ♪ i found the ground ♪ i'm marching on ♪" reggie began to bounce over, sharing luke's mic as they sang, "♪ life is a risk, but we will take it ♪" gracie giggled at the cheers that erupted, her eyes momentarily catching dylan's. he was with the lacrosse team, shoulder to shoulder with nick. she strummed a little more excitedly, her face scrunching up as she jumped around.
"♪ close my eyes and jump ♪," reggie and luke continued to harmonize, "♪ together i think that we can make it ♪ come on, let's run ♪"
julie cut them off, dancing around the stage while staring at the crowd, "♪ and rise through the night ♪ you and i ♪ we will fight to shine together ♪ bright forever ♪" they were all singing back up to her gorgeous voice, each harmonizing a little more than another.
gracie, who had been backed up to an awkward position with the new band's equipment, was nodded over by luke. a grin spread onto her face without warning, adding to her blush and his own grin. she hopped over, sharing his mic - the only thing separating them.
"♪ and rise through the night ♪ you and i ♪ we will fight to shine together ♪ bright forever ♪" gracie stopped playing and alex's drums decreased so it was mostly reggie's bass while luke prepared to sing.
julie, who had been watching the only other alive person on stage, dropped her voice out of the mix so it was only the blonde and the brunet singing, "♪ in times that i doubted myself ♪" gracie grinned at him, pulling the mic out of the stand to hold up to him as she lured him down the stage. his smile was heard in his voice as he kept his gaze on her crinkled eyes, "♪ i felt like i needed some help ♪" it almost felt surreal, singing the way she was on a stage in front of her entire grade. the two straightened up with luke still slightly bent for their height difference, "♪ stuck in my head ♪ with nothing left ♪"
luke slightly moved his head with a lip bite to signal for gracie to join in. she momentarily rolled her lips into her mouth to contain her smile before singing, "♪ and when i feel lost and alone ♪" her eyes were locked on the crowd as she bent over just slightly, luke copying her movements from beside her to strum his guitar, "♪ i know that i can make it home ♪ fight through the dark ♪" she turned and walked through luke who had positioned himself behind her when she moved closer to the end of the stage where she had waved at dylan.
luke tried his best not to show his bruised and quickly repaired ego when she "high-fived" him as julie sang, "♪ and find the spark ♪"
the crowd had gone wild - people cheered and screamed and jumped. gracie felt like she was on a high as she strummed her guitar next to reggie, listening to her new friends sing, "♪ and rise through the night you and i ♪ we will fight to shine together ♪ bright forever ♪" gracie watched julie in amazement as she echoed the boys perfectly, her stage presence entrancing her. the blonde walked along the stage, making eye contact with many of her teachers and classmates. how was this real? how could she do this and not feel sick?
she jumped up next to reggie, "♪ and rise through the night you and i ♪ we will fight to shine together ♪ bright forever ♪"
the last note rang out with julie's hand in the sky and gracie's hand on her stomach - this time not from being nauseous. the students cheered loudly making gracie laugh, soaking in the applause. luke was watching her, his eyes flickering across her entire being with awe. they were all panting, but she was extra red - be it from her throwing up moments before performing (what he assumed) or from the distance and contact she held with the seventeen year old. she was still gorgeous.
gracie was grinning, her eyes flickering to meet luke's. he quickly turned to the audience, his own chest glowing at the recognition. her eyes stayed on him for a second before she glanced back at the standing alex and reggie who seemed like they were home. gracie turned front just as she saw julie's arms level to her sides. the blonde giggled as they all bowed, holding the neck of her guitar at her side.
it wasn't until they came up and gracie jumped over to julie's side that a familiar whooshing sound made the entire gymnasium quiet and gasp.
gracie and julie, still relishing in the performance, almost didn't notice the boys missing from behind them. until they saw the crowd's reaction change.
julie turned quickly making gracie do the same. they made eye contact just as their grade loudly and obnoxiously wondered aloud what had happened. gracie turned to julie, her smile gone, "fuckkk." julie gave her a look that said not helpful but that's all gracie could think when the entire grade was staring at them.