"Hey, Julie and Lila! I've got your roadie!" Rob calls into our dressing room.
Julie gives me a panicked look. We hadn't seen the boys since right after Luke kissed me. The two of us had gone to the kitchen for a "drink," but really it was just time to gossip. When we came back, the boys were gone. Knowing everything that had been going on, I had a sinking feeling.
That feeling is still here.
"Come in," Julie says, a smile on her face. She's confident that the boys won't bail on us.
I however have experienced Caleb's tricks first hand. I wouldn't put it past him to ruin their one chance at crossing over. I fiddle with the bracelet I'm wearing.
Flynn enters the room. "Holograms are good to go, boss."
"Best roadie ever," Julie replies.
"I'll be back in a few minutes to walk you to the stage," the stage manager promises.
"Thanks, Rob," Julie tells him with a genuine smile.
Mine is a little more forced because of my worrying about the guys. Plus, we're opening for Panic! At The Disco, which is a big deal.
"Do you see this backstage pass?" Flynn hisses, showing it to us. "I had sushi with Brendon Urie."
"Good for you," Julie says, "I threw up in the car on the way here."
"I can confirm," I say, wrinkling my nose. "My shoes are proof."
Flynn's eyes dart to my feet.
"We got her a new pair," Julie explains.
"Well you still both look amazing," Flynn compliments. "I made friends with the tech crew. You're gonna love what we have planned. The guys are here, right?"
Her eyes dart around. Flynn has always been the flirtatious one. I made Julie promise not to tell her about my kiss with Luke because I need to focus on surviving tonight.
"We haven't seen them." Worry bubbles up higher in my stomach as I say those words. I hope I'll get to see them again.
"Wait, you don't think they changed their mind and took Caleb's offer, do you?" Flynn asks.
To be honest, the thought had occurred to me. That was something I mentioned to Luke. Maybe he had taken my advice. But I don't think that would happen without him saying goodbye.
Unless the kiss was goodbye...
Julie saves me, thankfully. "No, no. That's the last thing that they wanted."
Flynn sighs and wraps an arm around both of us. "Y'all are gonna kill it tonight."
"Thanks." I sigh.
"We should get some snacks," Flynn suggests. We head over to the sofa. I'm surprised to find gummies. I dig into those, eating my troubles away with sugar.
I'm wary of getting my costume sticky. It cost a lot of money.
Like Julie's, mine had a high-low skirt, but the back is lower than hers is. My cast caused a problem with the sleeves, so we ended up having to cut them off. I wanted lace rather than glitter because I've always felt it is more my style.
As for the black instead of colors...well, I'm mourning.
I think anyone who knows the truth can tell why. This night will be the last night I see Luke, Reggie and Alex again regardless of if they cross over or run out of power. Honestly, now that I'm thinking about it I think I'd rather them join Caleb's band than flash out of existence.
"Julie and Lila!" Rob calls. "It's time."
"Just a second!" Julie says back. "Something's wrong."
"I've been thinking that this whole time," I say.
"The boys were getting those jolts pretty bad as we were leaving. They wouldn't stand us up again," Julie continues. "I think they ran out of time."
"No, don't think like that!" I almost yell. I can't afford to think like that. "I know Caleb and he wouldn't let them run out of time without making another sales pitch. They're at the Hollywood Ghost Club."
"How can you be sure?" Julie asks. "They're gone and we didn't even get a real goodbye."
So much for Julie being the positive one.
"I'm so sorry," Flynn says, throwing her arms around us again.
"Hey, you're on," Rob announces, knocking again.
Julie runs past both of us and I sit there in shock. I know they say the show must go on, but I don't see how. With my arm I can't play an instrument. I'm not sure Julie is emotionally stable to play by herself.
I'm not emotionally stable.
"Hey, wait!" Flynn calls, racing after her best friend, leaving me alone in the room.
"What's going on?" Rob asks me. "You're supposed to be on stage right now."
"Julie and I are having some last minute gitters," I lie, "that's all. Our roadie is going to convince her to come back."
"I saw your YouTube video and that was pretty amazing," he compliments. "I'm sure you'll perform well."
"That's nice of you," I say. "I think I'm going to go find them."
I rush past him before he can try to shove me on stage by myself.
"We've got a problem," Rob says into his headset.
"Flynn, where's Julie?" I question when I see her.
"I think she went outside for some air," Flynn replies.
A few minutes later Julie rushes in holding her mother's favorite flower. "Signs."
I grin at Flynn. We're playing the Orpheum! If Julie feels like her mom has our backs, I suppose there's no reason to be afraid.
"Wait, where are you going?" Flynn screams. "They're going on stage!"
"Hold on, the girls just walked on stage," Rob says to the crew.
"That's my girls!" Flynn shouts.
I smile at Julie as I take a microphone. She grabs the microphone at the piano and stays standing.
"Welcome to live at the Orpheum," a voice announces, "now give it up for Julie, Lila, and the Phantoms!"
I see a jealous Carrie in the crowd with her father. If the guys do show up, this should be interesting.
"Hi, I'm Lila Mae," I say to the crowd.
"And I'm Julie," my friends says. "Umm, tonight I'd like to dedicate this song to my mom, who's been there for me every time I've played. And thank her for not giving up on me. I'd also like to dedicate tonight's performance to someone who was close to Lila and helped her pursue her dream. Without her, I wouldn't have met Lila."
She smiles at me. Julie means she is dedicating this to my sister.
"But I'd also like to dedicate this to three special friends who have changed my life completely," Julie continues. I notice Trevor Wilson shifting uncomfortably. Yeah, get nervous. You'd better be scared. "It was their dream to play here and this is for them."
"Now that's we've finished our dedications," I say as the crowd chuckles, "we'd like to say one last thing. This song is for anyone who's lost their way. Step into your greatness. Don't give up, stand tall. Thank you."
Julie begins singing and playing piano. "Don't blink no, I don't want to miss it. One thing, and it's back to the beginning. 'Cause everything is rushing in fast. Keep going on never look back and it's one, two, three, four times, that I'll try for one more night. Light a fire in my eyes. I'm going out of my mind."
I take the chorus with, "Whatever happens even if I'm the last standing I'ma stand tall! I'ma stand tall. Whatever happens even when everything's down. I'ma stand tall, I'ma stand tall. I gotta keep on dreaming 'cause I gotta catch that feeling. Whatever happens even if I'm the last standing I'ma stand tall, I'ma stand tall."
As I finish my part, Alex comes in with the drums. Julie and I beam. They're okay!
We aren't the only ones that are surprised. I have my eye on Trevor Wilson who is sitting up in his seat in shock. This is so much more fun than I anticipated.
Reggie teleports onto the stage as Julie sings, "Right now I'm loving every minute. Hands down can't let myself forget it, no. 'Cause everything is rushing in fast."
"Keep holding on, never look baaack!" I join in with a harmony.
"And it's one, two, three four times, that I'll try for one more night," I sing solo. My heart breaks as I see Luke struggling to stay on stage. Caleb's hold on him is stronger, possibly because he knows that Luke is the boy I'm most attached to. "Light a fire in my eyes."
"I'm going out of my mind," he sings, finally finding his footing on stage. "Whatever happens even if I'm the last standing I'ma stand tall, I'ma stand tall."
"Whatever happens even when everything's down, I'ma stand tall! I'ma stand tall!" Julie and I join in. Our three-part harmony with me on mezzosoprano lines sounds beautiful. Pride swells in me. "I gotta keep on dreaming 'cause I gotta catch that feeling. Whatever happens even if I'm the last standing I'ma stand tall! I'ma stand tall!"
"Like I'm glowing in the dark!" Julie lets her heart out, walking downstage with Reggie who is totally rocking the bass. I stay near Luke as if being close enough will keep him from disappearing. "I keep on going when it's all falling apart!"
"Yeah I know it with all my heart!" I sing with Luke. "Ooh, ooh!"
"Never look back!" Luke finishes.
"Whatever happens even if I'm the last standing, I'ma stand tall, I'ma stand tall," Alex sings in his strong baritone voice. He stands up, then grins down at Reggie. He and Julie have walked back to the main part of the stage.
"Whatever happens even if I'm the last standing I'ma stand tall," Reggie echoes. "I'ma stand tall!"
"Stand tall," Julie and I sing, harmonizing.
"Stand tall," Luke and Alex sing together.
We all sing through the chorus again as the crowd cheers. Luke and I walk down to the middle of the stage this time, singing closely. We share a microphone because he's still playing guitar as Reggie and Alex leave their instruments to stand next to us. This performance is definitely unforgettable.
The crowd goes wild and Luke and Alex hold hands as Julie and I hold hands for the bow. I feel bad that Reggie is solo.
As usual, the boys disappear at the end of the performance.
Julie and I stay holding hands. I know we need each other because the guys we've spent most of our time with recently just crossed over. We wave at our families in the front row. I grin as I see Teresa, Blake, and Mia leaping up and down.
Adorable.
Carrie is actually standing as she is clapping. It's isn't mocking either. She finally respects us.
Her father is a different case. He is definitely shaken up by seeing his dead best friends.
Later that night both of our families are partying at the Molina's house. Blake and Carlos quickly became friends even though Blake is a couple years older. I think Teresa may have started to develop a crush.
"You two and your Phantoms were unbelievable tonight!" Ray compliments us.
"I feel bad that we've missed most of your other performances," Taylor says to me.
"It's alright," I say. "I understand that you're busy being a nurse."
"I'm sure you're going to get signed soon by a record label," Daniel says. "You guys are going to be so famous."
After laughing around for a few more hours, Julie and I head back out to the studio. She opens the doors slowly. We're already missing them.
A jolt buzzes, startling us.
"What are you guys doing here?" I ask, startled. "We thought you crossed over."
"I guess our unfinished business wasn't playing the Orpheum," Alex replies through groans of pain.
They're dying.
"Point Caleb," Reggie says with disgust.
"We wanted you to think that we crossed over so we pretended to," Luke explains. "We just...we didn't have anywhere else to go."
"We thought you'd go straight to bed," Reggie says.
I feel a tremendous amount of guilt weigh on me. They've heard us partying this whole time as they slowly lost their souls. Plus they were going to tough it out alone.
"Yeah, well. I knew they were going to come out here, but nobody ever listens to me," Alex adds. Another jolt rocks their bodies.
"You have to save yourselves!" Julie says urgently. "Go join Caleb's club, please! Please just go! Poof out or do something!"
I'm silent as I notice something. My song notebook has been moved and there's a page bookmarked. I slowly walk over as they talk. The world feels like it fades away as I realize what the bookmark is.
I know what I have to do.
Sorry this wasn't posted yesterday! Also, I wonder how Reggie and Alex have the same outfit, but Luke is sleeveless. Did he tear the sleeves off in protest of Caleb Club? That would be interesting to see! Have any theories about what Lila/Adelaide is doing?
xoxo,
Lynn