Julie and Alex are next to rejoin Reggie and me in the studio, and the four of us gravitate toward our instruments. Since Luke isn't back yet, I pick up his blue electric guitar and wrap it around my neck, figuring Julie can do just fine on piano but we're lacking a guitarist.
By the time we start rehearsing, we had already unanimously picked a song, and I'm even more excited to perform tonight because it's one I co-wrote, which means I know the song by heart already and helping Julie learn it will be a lot easier.
I sit beside her on the piano, the guitar hanging on my back, as I show Julie the correct notes to play. This one's a little more difficult since she has to hold at least four down at a time, but I'm more than positive she'll get through it easily and quickly.
I guide her fingers over the keys, "Yeah, D major, E, A, B. Release B and hit D major over here, then E. Awesome! Yeah, you got it."
Julie catches on quickly, and I go back to strumming on Luke's guitar, the four of us really just making sure Julie is OK with the song. We have to perfect this song in three hours, but I have no doubt Julie can get it down in less than two.
Halfway through a take, Luke poofs into the studio and lands in a chair, immediately shooting up when he sees Julie singing. He glances around at us, surprised, and Julie meets his gaze with a smile.
"Grab your guitar. We got work to do."
I lift his guitar over my head and hand it to him without hesitation, taking a seat and getting comfortable beside Reggie.
Luke chuckles nervously and grabs his instrument, slowly approaching Julie with a shy grin. "What made you come back?"
"I realized how important music is to all of us," she answers honestly. "And we've lost so much already. We can't lose this, too."
"Thanks. Alright boss, where we at?" A bright smile spreads across Luke's face, and it gets impossibly bigger, and slightly surprised, to what Julie says next.
"Oh, and by the way, happy birthday."
Darkness has fallen on Los Angeles by the time we stop rehearsing. We're all exhausted, but our excitement comes out victorious. Julie has retreated back into her house to get ready, and the boys and I are currently huddled in the studio.
Brimming with excitement, I help the boys coordinate their outfits for tonight, give myself a nice ghostly makeover, and rush up to Julie's room. I'm pumped!
Also, it's probably worth it to point out that if there's a line of red lipstick across my face, it's Reggie's fault. He was supposed to help guide me since we can't see ourselves in mirrors. Not that I would look any better if I had a mirror, but still.
"Julie!" I sing, hopping up the stairs and running right through her door, but my smile instantly falls when I see her in the same clothes as earlier sitting on her bed. "What's wrong?"
She's drawing on her microphone. "My dad, he..." But before she can respond, Reggie sticks his arm through the door and knocks.
Reggie, that's not how knocking works...
Julie's head jets up and I turn around. "What are you guys doing?"
Reggie sticks his head through and has the most smug expression I've ever seen. He makes an OK sign with his hand, "We're being classy." He grunts when Alex and Luke pull him back in, and Luke emerges carefully through the door.
I think that's the funniest thing I've ever seen.
Luke heads straight for Julie, and Reggie and Alex come to stand on either side of me. "Why are you still here? We're going in, like, twenty minutes."
"I lied to my dad, so now I'm stuck in my room all night," Julie says sadly.
"Yeah, but we were just at the venue. I mean, it's packed. Like VIPs, managers," Alex tells her as if he didn't hear what she just said.
"What are we gonna do about my aunt?" Julie asks. "She's right downstairs."
"Your aunt," Luke scoffs, walking over to Julie's window and opening it a bit. "You're not taking the stairs."
She glances at us with anticipation written in bold across her face and smiles, assuring us she'll be there. I give her a quick wink before the boys and I leave her to it, reappearing ready at the café.
Unfortunately, the dancing Skittles beat us to it, and we have to watch them perform. Fortunately, Alex's dancing skills easily show them up, and he blesses us with his performance.
The pink Skittle (must be one of those tropical bags) stands in the center of the stage, and as the music starts, the other colors meet her at the front, all tossing their shades into the crowd. Spoiler alert: no one cares to catch them.
"Whenever I walk in the room
All the focus on me.
The way I talk, the way I move
They all want on my team.
Not tryin' to brag, brag, but I'm flawless!
I'm taking over your playlist!
Ain't perfect but I can't miss, yeah
The party don't start till I walk in!
I'm stealing all the attention.
Don't get me started on mentions, yeah"
Suddenly, Alex poofs in the middle of their rainbow circle, standing as they lay on the floor rolling around him. I choke back a laugh and accidentally snort so hard, Reggie has to slap my back to get me breathing again.
Do ghosts breathe? Probably not.
Alex starts mimicking the pink Skittle, and I lean down to whisper to Julie, "Who is that? She looks familiar."
"That's Carrie," she says back, pretending to talk to Flynn who gives her a strange look. "She's Trevor's daughter."
If I was drinking water, I'd spit it out.
Wait a second... If she's Bobby's daughter, then I have a niece? Oh, that's just weird. I'm going to pretend I never thought that.
I make an 'o' shape with my mouth and melt back into the hedge of ghost boy band behind me, continuing to watch Alex spill himself all over the dance floor.
Honestly, go, Alex!
"Some might say I sound conceited
They don't get the shine that I get
Some get jealous, they can't help it
They wish they were me, oh"
"You having fun out there?" Julie asks him with laugh, and I mock his hair flip, making Reggie and Luke chuckle with us.
"It's not my fault. It's my, um... It's my feet." Alex grins excitedly and swallows, his gaze drifting back to the dance floor. He breathes, "Put me back in, Coach," and poofs back, reappearing in his element among the sea of Skittles.
"I keep the party going all night, all night
I set the trends that you all like, all like
I make an entrance when I don't try, don't try
'Cause all I see is all eyes on me
I only lead I never follow, follow
I never open 'cause it's my show, my show
Don't know if people think I'm shallow, shallow
But all I see is all eyes on me"
"They know my face, they know my name
Reputation on lock
It's not my fault I got the fame
Ain't my fault it won't stop, yeah
Not tryin' to brag, brag, but I'm flawless
I'm taking over your playlist
Ain't perfect but I can't miss, yeah
The party don't start till I walk in
I'm stealing all the attention
Don't get me started on mentions, yeah"
"Some may say I sound conceited
They don't get the shine that I get
Some get jealous, they can't help it
They wish they were me, oh"
"I keep the party going all night, all night
I set the trends that you all like, all like
I make an entrance when I don't try, don't try
'Cause all I see is all eyes on me
I only lead I never follow, follow
I never open 'cause it's my show, my show
Don't know if people think I'm shallow, shallow
But all I see is all eyes on me."
"When I grow up I wanna be me, be me
I'm my own goals just talking honestly
Must have won the lottery
Ain't no one as hot as me
Stealing looks, it's robbery
Everywhere I go all eyes on me!"
I crack up laughing, watching as Alex lines up behind the girls and jumps up, and as soon as his hands hit the air, the music dings. It instantly reminds me of my old Gameboy and Mario Bros. The image of pixelated Alex running around brown mushrooms and green turtles and smacking his head on wood boxes with coins hidden in them may have entered my mind...
"I keep the party going all night, all night
I set the trends that you all like, all like
I make an entrance when I don't try, don't try
'Cause all I see is all eyes on me
I only lead I never follow follow
I never open 'cause it's my show, my show
Don't know if people think I'm shallow, shallow
But all I see is all eyes on me!"
Alex bows and twirls as the audience claps, soaking in the applause, and returns to us.
"Hey, um... I was just doing that for you guys," Alex insists and we play along, muttering mhm's and sure's in response.
Reggie has his arms crossed and Luke is laughing. "Yeah, you can stop smiling now," Reggie scrunches his face and I think I forget how to breathe. I stare straight ahead with wide eyes, trying to focus on anything other than Reggie.
"I'm not gonna lie," Julie says, surprised. "That was kind of good."
"Yeah," Flynn agrees. "I forgot why I hate her so much."
"Hi, girls," Carrie greets with her colorful entourage, and I'm pretty sure my eardrums shatter from how annoyingly high-pitched her voice is. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"
"Now I remember," Flynn deadpans, and I cross my arms and really scrutinize her.
"I can't believe I'm an aunt to a spoiled brat. I'm haunting Bobby extra hard for this. She's not getting any birthday money from me, that's for sure."
"OK, it looks like we're closing the night out with one more group," one of the employees of the café speaks into the mic, clearing the stage and setting up Julie's equipment. "Julie and the Fat Ones."
All of us, except Flynn, of course, slowly turn and glare at Luke. Alex pipes up through gritted teeth, "Really?"
As people around us laugh, Luke stares straight ahead and nods. "Yeah, man. My handwriting sucks."
Julie slowly approaches the keyboard on the side of the short stage and sticks her microphone into the stand, adjusting it and getting comfortable. She corrects our name and I can see how nervous she feels. I take a seat beside her and share a big smile.
"You're gonna be great," I whisper, and she swallows hard. "You were amazing during rehearsals and you'll be amazing now. You're gonna kill it. Don't be nervous."
Flynn clicks on the useless hologram machine and gives a thumbs-up, and Julie takes a deep breath. Soon, a beautiful melody fills the room, and it goes dead silent.
Haha... dead...
"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."
"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!"
Julie grabs the mic and instantly stands, pulling her tambourine up with her as she rushes to the center of the stage. The four of us poof in with our instruments, me taking over for Julie at the piano with Reggie plucking his bass behind 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're all bright now.
What a sight now.
Coming out like we're fireworks."
"Marching on proud.
Turn it up loud.
Cause now we know what we're worth."
Luke hops down from Alex's drum platform and joins Julie on vocals and the two share a glance. My heart flutters and I scream internally.
I ship it.
I think that's what it's called... Julie's been giving me lessons. Also, deep dish is not pizza. Note to self: tell Reggie about that later.
"We know we can make it
We're not falling down under.
Close my eyes and feel my chest
Beating like thunder."
"I wanna fly.
Come alive.
Watch me shine!"
Julie takes it away with her amazing voice and Reggie jumps down, sharing my mic as he plays his bass, leaning against my back and jamming out. He grins at me, the two of us singing along, and he gives a quick wink before drifting to his own mic and leaving my heart pounding so hard I'm almost convinced I'm going to die again from a heart attack.
"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 three of us stop what we're doing and watch the chemistry spill before us, giving each other a knowing smile. Julie shares her mic with Luke, Luke echoing the lines after her, and I can't help but squeal, making Reggie laugh.
"I got a spark in me
And you're a part of me.
Now 'til eternity
Been so long and now we're finally free!"
"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!"
---
Yes, those are the first actual notes to Finally Free (I'm trying to learn that and Wake Up). I'm so mad at myself because I don't think I'll be incorporating the entire Unsaid Emily song into this book and that's my favorite and the only one I know on piano (and learning it on guitar) -_-
Also, Wattpad's been really weird with me all day and I've had to refresh several times because it kept logging me out for some reason. Hopefully, it's fixed tomorrow and I can update because I really hate skipping days and leaving you guys in the dark.
Thanks so much for reading! Tell me what you think, and vote and comment!
-Kait 🧡