"What's up everybody?" Flynn asked when everybody had arrived at the party. "Time to put your hands up, do a little dance, yup. Here's the anthem from Julie and the Phantoms." The garage doors then opened and Julie took a seat at the piano.
"Thanks for coming, everyone." She said before she started to sing.
Julie started of singing slowly but when the speed of the song picked up, the boys poofed in for the chorus. Luke then sang his solo whisky Julie dance with Reggie and Luke soon nodded his head for Julie to approach him but she didn't and for the rest of the song, I noticed that she was avoiding him. At least until, the song slowed down and Julie sang quietly as Luke did an improvised guitar solo, getting Julie to notice him. The song then ended with Julie and Luke sharing a mic at the piano before he poofed out after Reggie and Alex.
The crowd cheered and I soon noticed Laura approaching Julie so I followed her. "That was incredible, Julie." Laura told my sister.
"Thanks. I didn't know you were coming." Julie said. Laura then pulled the invite out of her bag.
"You didn't leave this in my locker?" She asked. Julie shook her head.
"But I'm glad you came."
"So am I." Laura admitted.
"Hey, do you wanna meet up sometime?" Julie then asked my best friend. "We could hang out like we used to with Flynn and Sophie."
"Yeah, I'd like that." Laura smiled before pausing briefly. "I have to go but I will, uh, text you." The girl finished before she started to walk out of the party. That's when I watched Luke sneak up behind her and put the letter I had written in her bag.
***
"Feels like we should be celebrating or something. What do you guys wanna do?" Reggie asked us as he picked up the basketball before towing it to Luke. The four of us then fell to the floor in pain.
"Not that." Alex frowned.
"That wasn't like the other ones." Luke said as he helped me up. "It's getting worse."
"Why is this happening to us?" Reggie asked.
"It's because you guys are in serious trouble." Willie said as he walked around the corner. "We need to talk. Come with me."
***
We followed Willie around town as he explained to us why we're getting the jolts of pain. "This is because Caleb put his stamp on us?" Luke asked.
"He's threatened by you. He wants you under his control." Willie said. "You're the only ghosts that can be visible to lifers without his help."
"Um, I can't do that." I stated. "What does he want with me?"
"I don't think Caleb knows that. I guess since you all showed up together he assumed you could be visible too."
"So you let him do this to us, knowing what would happen?" Alex questioned.
"I can't stop him." Willie frowned as he stopped walking and turned around. "He owns my soul. Alright? He owns everybody's soul at that club. If he even knew that I was talking to you, he... he would destroy me."
"So, if we don't join his club the weird power outage thing continues until there's no power left at all?" Reggie asked.
"Yes."
"What exactly happens when the power goes out?" I asked Willie.
"That's... that's it. You're done."
"Uh-huh. Yeah. And what exactly do you mean by were done?" Reggie questioned.
"You just- you don't exist anymore. Not anywhere."
"So we have no choice?" Luke asked. "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 I'm here." Willie told us.
"Another option?" Alex scoffed.
"Just please hear me out. Alright, if you guys could figure out what your unfinished business is, you do it in time, you could cross over and be free from all of this."
"Okay, so what's our unfinished business?" Luke asked.
"I don't know, but since you all died at the same time, it might be something you need to do together."
"Why should we listen to a word you say?" Alex asked Willie.
"Because I care about you, Alex. And I hate that I brought you and your friends into this mess. I, uh, I can't be away much longer. I'm so sorry. For everything." Willkie finished before poofing out. C
"This is all my my fault." Alex frowned. "I met Willie, Willie introduced us to Caleb, and now... now we're screwed."
"It's not your fault, Alex." I told him. "If anything I blame Luke."
"What? Why me?" Luke questioned.
"You were so hung up on getting revenge on Trevor! You wouldn't let the idea go. If you cared about Julie you would've listened to her."
"Hey, we all wanted to go and see Caleb." Luke told me.
"Yeah, and now I might never get to see my sister again. I can't even say goodbye." I then began to walk away from the boys.
"Now look what you did." I heard Alex say. "You couldn't have taken the blame?"
"Sophie!" I heard Luke shout. "Sophie!" But he got quieter as I continued to walk away, wiping a tear away from my cheek.