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Layla and Janet walk up as Julie dances at her locker.
"Julie Molina." Layla says causing the girl to jump in her spot, "Still the same weirdo I've known my entire life."
"I'm not a weirdo and you're weirder than I am."
"Right." Layla scoffs. Julie turns as Flynn chuckles beside her.
"Hey, what's up ?"
"Nothing. It's just nice seeing you back to your weirdo self." Flynn says
"You saw the dancing ?" Layla asks. When Flynn nods Layla smiles, "Told you."
"Thanks ?"Julie says
"So how's the band ? Still hot ? Still talented ?" Flynn asks before she leans in and lowers her voice, "Still dead ?"
"Amazing." Layla chuckles, "Luke and I spent the whole weekend writing songs with Jules singing of course."
Her cousin smiles from beside her, "Come on. You guys wanna hear some of them ?"
"Duh !" Flynn and Janet exclaim together. Julie closes her locker before the four walk off to the music room.
"Like it was flowing through me like when I used to write with my mom." Layla says before she sits at the piano with Julie beside her, "So, this is the first song Luke and I wrote here's a bit of the chorus."
Julie says. As soon as Layla started playing the keys, Julie catches onto which song she's playing
" 'Cause we're standing
On the edge of great
Great
Great."
"Wow ! I like it ! Definite Gaga vibes." Flynn nods as Janet taps her arm in agreement.
"Thanks. I think we have an anthem with this one. It's something Julie and her mom were working on. Luke and I finished it. Check it out." Layla says before looking toward Julie.
"And it's one, two, three, four times
That I've tried for one more night
Light a fire in my eyes
I'm going out of my mind." Julie sings
"That's... That's beautiful." Janet says softly
"And my girl's got a crush," Flynn says pointing to Layla, "and his name is Luke."
Layla frowns, "What ? No. Luke's a ghost."
"A cute ghost." Janet adds with a teasing smile
"With a perfect smile." Julie says bumping her shoulder as Layla smiles.
"Ha ! I knew it !" Flynn exclaims, "Just remember he's made of air."
"Cute air." Julie adds
"Just don't get hurt, okay ?" Janet says, "Obviously, you guys have a connection."
"Everybody's wondering when you'll play again." Flynn says
"Play again ? We don't even have anything planned." Julie says
"Luke and I have just been focused on writing songs." Layla nods
"Lucky for you, your marketing team has been way ahead of you." Flynn says
"We don't have a marketing team."
"Yes, you do !" Flynn says pointing between herself and Janet as she pulls a flyer out of her bag, "And surprise ! You're playing the school dance tonight, and I'm DJ-ing too. I posted it all over social media."
"You have an excellent marketing team." Janet adds as Julie's eyes widen at the paper that was handed to her
"No. No. This is in front of the whole school." Julie says as Flynn's phone buzzes
"Sorry, you already have 68 likes." Flynn shrugs before she and Janet walk out with smiles on their faces.
Julie groans as she hurries to grab her bag. Layla stands up doing the same.
"Wait !" Julie says as the cousins follow them out.
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Julie, Layla, Luke, and Reggie stand in the garage around the piano. Layla sat atop the piano beside Luke.
"We're playing a school dance ? Sweet !" Reggie says
"It's not exactly the Strip." Luke says. Julie chuckles from her place by the plants
"And you're not exactly alive, so you should be happy we have our first gig."
"I wasn't in love with the idea at first either, but it could be a great way for us to build a following, right ?" Julie says
"Yeah. Yeah. We need to play wherever we can, whenever we can."
"No, you're right." Luke nods, "Let's rock those kids' faces off and then play the clubs."
"And then record a single that gets a billion streams ?" Julie says
"I don't know what that is, but hopefully it gets us a manager and a tour."
"Then we release a bunch of hit albums." Layla says
"Put out a country album that does surprisingly well." Reggie adds. Layla raises her brows slightly, "I shred on the banjo, so..."
"Then I'll learn how to fiddle." Julie says
"And before you know it, we're being inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. But one of us isn't there." Reggie points, "Because we had a blowout in 2032. My money's on Alex. He's just so sensitive."
Layla and Julie laugh as he shakes his head.
"What are we waiting for ?" Luke says holding out his hands, "Let's get rehearsing !"
"Uh... Where is Alex ?" Layla says looking around
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The four decided to start rehearsal without Alex seeing as the dance was only in a couple of hours. Just as they finish, Alex walks in.
"Oh. Hey, Alex." Reggie says
"Where have you been, man ? We need to start practicing." Luke says
"Yeah ? For what ?" Alex asks looking around. Just as he says this, Flynn opens the garage door with Janet right behind her.
"Dance news ! I don't have a date." Flynn says, "But I don't care because I'm so psyched to see you guys perform."
"Oh man ! We're playing a dance ?" Alex complains
"Of course, dude." Luke says sitting down and looking toward Layla, "That's how we get a following nowadays."
Layla rests her head on her hand as she sits at the piano, "Yeah, get with the program, Alex."
"What ?" Flynn says, "The guys are here ?"
"Hey, guys !" Janet says as they both wave to the other side of the room.
"Other way, sweetie." Julie says
"Oh." Flynn says as the girls turn and wave again. The boys happily waving back
"Okay, well, now that Alex has graced us with his presence, can we start working ?" Luke asks
"Yes !" Julie says before turning to Flynn and Janet, "We're gonna rehearse. You wanna stick around ?"
"We're supposed to blow up 500 balloons for the school dance, but this sounds way better." Janet says
"Hey, Julie." Carlos says running in, "Remember those orbs in Dad's pictures ? I... I think they're ghosts. But don't worry. This room is... is... This room is clean. I'm not getting the ghost tinglies."
"Wrong again, little dude." Reggie says as Luke smiles
"Have no fear. If they come back, I will protect you, because I am the man of the house."
"Isn't your dad supposed to be the man of the house ?" Layla asks
"There can be two." He nods causing the girls to chuckle, "Dad needs all the help he can get, right ?" He then pulls a container out of his pocket, "According to the internet, salt burns their souls out." The boys' faces drop as Layla frowns, "A little sprinkle will keep them from ever coming in here."
Reggie jumps as Carlos tosses salt at his feet. Luke lifts his legs as he tosses salt by the chair. Alex yelps as Carlos throws salt at him.
"No ! Oh ! Oh God, I'm..." He trails off, "I'm fine. I'm fine. Totally fine."
Layla sighs as he stands up straight. Julie looks toward Janet and Flynn before she clears her throat. As the two look to her, she nods toward Carlos.
"Oh !" Flynn exclaims, "Carlos, you know who's hungry ?"
"Us." Janet says, "Um, salt us a path to the kitchen."
Carlos points to her before he grabs his picture and leads them out.
"Phew." Alex says as he walks toward his drums
"Shall we try this again ?" Layla says sitting up straight
"Yes, please." Luke says standing up, "But remind us later. There's some Sunset Curve songs to show you."
"Ooh ! Show me now." She says
"Yeah, okay." He says before going to his guitar case,"'Home Is Where My Horse Is' ?" Reggie, stop putting your country songs in my journal."
"That was a gift."
"Thanks, buddy." He says patting his arm before walking over to Layla.
"You should maybe circle back-"
"I dog-eared the ones that I think you would slay." He says handing her the book. Julie stands behind her.
As she flips through, Julie stops her. "Who's Emily ?" She teases
Luke's face drops as he reaches forward, "That one's not dog-eared."
Layla stands up quickly holding the book to her chest, "If you could only know that I never let you go." She reads, "Wow, Luke, I didn't know you were such a romantic."
"He's not. That one's actually about-" Alex starts, but is cut off by Luke.
"No one. Uh, that's just something that I tried, and..." He says reaching for again, but Layla backs up, "But if you go to the next dog-eared page, I got a tune that's just- It's got a killer beat."
Layla flips the page as Luke starts playing. She and Julie immediately recognize the beat.
"So you wanna sample." Julie says as Layla sits on the bench again
"What do you mean "sample" ?" Luke chuckles
"Sample someone else's music." Layla says, "Me and my mom used to sing that song at the top of our lungs all the time."
"It's a classic Trevor Wilson song." Julie shrugs
"Nope. It's a classic our song." He says grabbing his journal
"Pure Sunset Curve. Never even heard of Trevor Wilson." Reggie says
"Yeah, maybe you're mixing it up, you know, with another song." Alex says
"I don't mix up songs." Julie says shaking her head, "Trust me. Me and his daughter used to be best friends. I used to hang out at their place all the time. I know that song."
"Okay."
"Here." She says before reaching in her bag, "I'll prove it."
She pulls her computer out setting it on the electric piano. She types for a few seconds before turning it toward the boys, "His first album had a bunch of hits, but none of his latest stuff is as good."
As soon as the boys get a good look at the page, their faces drop, "That's Bobby."
"Seriously, she just told you his name is Trevor." Layla says
"Okay, great. Then- Then he changed it, all right ?" Alex says, "That's definitely Bobby. He was our rhythm guitarist."
Layla scoffs, "Trevor Wilson was in your band ?"
"I can't get over how old he looks." Reggie says
"Oh..." Alex groans, "He looks like a substitute teacher."
"Julie..." Luke says as they stand up straight, "what were his other hits ?"
"'Get Lost.'"
Luke looks down, "Yeah. I wrote that."
"'Long Weekend' ?" Layla says
"Yeah, Luke wrote that one too." Reggie says as Luke takes his guitar placing it down
"'Crooked Teeth' ?" Julie says
"And that. It was about Reggie." Alex says
"What ? I thought it was about you ! I don't like that song anymore." Reggie pouts as Luke pulls the darts out of the dart board.
"Wait. This is... freaking me out. Trevor's songs are kind of big to me. He's the one who introduced me to rock." Julie says
"Yeah. Luke introduced you to rock." Alex says
"So this whole time, I thought you were connected to Julie's mom. But instead, you're connected to Carrie's dad ?" Layla says
"Out of all people, it had to be the one girl who had it out for me." Julie sighs
"All right, well, add it to our list of questions." Alex says
"Back when Carrie and I were friends, the three of us used to talk about music all the time. He never mentioned you guys."
"And that's unbelievable !" Luke exclaims as he throws a dart, "Okay, he can take all the credit,
and he doesn't even mention us ?"
"And he's rich. He has his own helicopter." Julie says. Luke grunts as he throws another dart.
"Way to rub it in, Jules." Layla mutters
"He has... He has a... a helicopter ?" Alex says as Julie pulls a picture up.
"With his face on it."
"And he parks it in front of that hotel ?" Reggie says
"No. He gets to park it in front of his mansion." Layla says
"Mansion ?" Reggie says
"Dude, we live in a garage." Alex says as he turns toward Luke.
"It's not about the money. It's about the music !" Luke says
"It's a little bit about the money though !" Reggie exclaims
"A little bit about the money." Alex says in a high pitched voice
"He could have shared it with our families. Maybe then my parents wouldn't have had their house turned into a bike shack." Reggie says as Alex taps his shoulder
"What he did is steal our legacy." Luke says before turning toward the girls, "Where does he live ?"
Layla looks toward Julie who looks unsure, but tells him anyway, "Above the beach in Malibu."
"Let's go teach him a lesson." Reggie says as Luke grabs his jacket
"Wait. What ? Guys !" Layla says standing up, "We have to rehearse for the dance. This is our first gig !"
Julie sighs as the boys disappear.
"Okay, boys." Flynn yells as she and Janet walk back in, "Break time's over, okay ? Get to playing. Mama needs her eye candy."
"They're gone." Julie says. Flynn stops as Janet frowns.
"Where did they go ?" Janet says
"I think we just unleashed three angry ghosts on the world." Layla says
"But I think I know where they're going. Come on." Julie says as she leads them out.
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