RIOT: Julie and the Phantoms

Track 3: This Band is Back

Daisy returned to the Molina house early the next morning only to find Julie's bedroom empty. Confused, she searched the house for the young teen before hearing the music coming from the studio. Poofing just outside the garage door, Daisy didn't want to startle the girl.

"You're playing again," Daisy whispers to herself. With a smile, she poofs away to Julie's bedroom to wait for her.

In the garage, three teenage boys stand behind Julie Molina as she plays the piano. Completely mesmerized by the teen's voice. As they poof outside in an effort not to be seen, another teenager can be briefly seen from behind before they're gone.

"Julie!" Daisy says as the mentioned girl walks into the room.
"Hey D," Julie says. She grabs her bag from her chair and turns towards her friend. "I just played again."
"I know, I heard. You sounded so good Julie, I'm so proud of you," Daisy says.

"Flynn's gonna help me try to convince Mrs. Harrison to let me back into the music program, so I've got to go, but you'll be here after school right? I have so much to tell you," Julie says, walking over to the door. Daisy agrees to meet back in her room like usual before Julie is walking out.

Daisy poofs in front of a strip of buildings on the beach. The beach is crowded but the group just keeps walking, sometimes straight through people. At one point she bumps shoulders with a young man in a leather jacket. Surprised she glances back to see him doing the same. He looks shocked but gives a small wave. In return, Daisy smiles and waves back before turning away again. Not noticing the two other teenagers walking with him.

When the school day comes to an end Daisy poofs back into Julie's room where she finds Julie yelling at a group of boys.

"Um, what's going on here?" Daisy asks. Daisy notices the brunette immediately. But how was that possible? Julie whips around to find a confused and teary-eyed Daisy.

There's a blond standing next to him and a boy with a bass guitar laying on Julie's large bean bag chair at the foot of her bed. That's the boy in the leather jacket from earlier in the day. Daisy had seen all three in pictures that hung in her brother's room and on the cover of their CD. Tears started streaming down her face.

"Well uh, this is kinda what I wanted to tell you about," Julie starts to say.

"Luke?" Daisy whispers, cutting Julie. "But how? That's not possible." Daisy whispers, bringing everyone's eyes to her. The boys' faces scrunch together.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The boy in question asks. Daisy starts shaking her head.
"No, but I know you. How did you get here?" Daisy asks, her voice thick. Julie's the one to answer.

"I found this CD in my mom's studio, and when I played it they just appeared. How how do you know Luke?" Julie says. Before Daisy can answer they're all interrupted.

"Hey," Ray says. The boy in the leather flips over the beanbag chair as Luke grabs the blond's hand. Daisy doesn't move as she continues to stare at Luke.

"Everything okay?" He asks.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Okay, thought I heard you talking to someone?"
"Nope. Must've been my laptop... that I just closed."
"Okay, If you need anything," Ray says, gesturing at the door.
"Yeah. Thanks," Julie says before Ray walks out. The whole room sighs.

"You're dad seems like the kind of guy who likes to barbeque. I bet he has a great ribs recipe." Leather Jacket dude says as his friends look over at him.

"I don't know. But if you guys wanna talk to me, we have to do it in the studio. He's worried about me enough as it is. At least with her, I can play it off as Flynn," Julie says, pointing over to Daisy.

"He seems chill. You should just tell him about us. Them too, which by the way, we really gotta talk about," Luke says. He gestures over to the ghost girl.

"You're kidding, right?" Julie says. Luke looks at her as if not understanding the problem. "This past year, everyone's been watching over me, being super nice, as if they're waiting for me to snap. If I tell my dad I met a ghost band and another ghost musician, I'll be back to talking to Dr. Turner three day's a week." Luke clicks his tongue.

"You probably shouldn't tell him," he says, turning towards a box on Julie's shelf. "Julie."
"Oh my gosh! I thought I told you to leave that alone," Julie says. She lifts her arm in a huff.
"I know. You just shouldn't have said nothing 'cause now I can't stop thinking about it, so..." Luke trails off. "What's in the box, Julie?"

"It's just my dream box, okay?" Julie says at the same time as Daisy cries out.
"Just leave it, Luke!" No one pays Daisy any attention. She stopped crying but is sniffling every few seconds.
"Whenever I get a thought, I write it down and get it out of my mind." Julie continues.

"Like lyrics?" Luke asks.
"They would be if I still wrote music like I used to with my mom. Now it's just full of stuff that doesn't make me sad." Everyone goes quiet and looks down at the mention of Julie's mom.

"But, I mean, you do play. We heard you this morning," the blond says. Luke and the one in leather look over at him in disbelief.

"What?" Daisy says.
"In the garage?" Julie says. Luke slaps the blond on the shoulder as he and the leather jacket guy move to stand next to him. "So you were there too?"

"Uh... I don't..."
"Uh... he was, like..."
"We were..."
"Somewhere." The two stumble over each other's words as Luke lays down on Julie's bed.

"So, where is the kitchen, by the way?" Luke asks. He has the same smile on his face as Daisy gets when trying to avoid a situation. Julie leans down towards him.

"Okay, we need to set some boundaries," Julie says. "For starters, stay out of my room!" Julie stands straight as she yells pointing towards the door.

"Mm-hmm. Crystal clear. Let's go."
"We're leaving." The boys stumble as they walk to the door. Daisy moves out of the way over to the closet.

"Yes, ma'am! We are out of here." The boy in the leather jacket strums his guitar as they walk through the closed door. Julie turns to Daisy

"So, how do you know Luke?" She asks Daisy.
"He's-" A voice interrupts Daisy.

"Hey!" They both turn to see the blond from before sticking half his body through the closed door. "Um, sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. Did you get back into your music program?" He asks. Julie looks down.

"No. No, I didn't." She says.
"I'm sorry. That really sucks."
"Thanks." They both stand there awkwardly and sigh.

"Is that it?" Julie asks, making the blond boy lookup.
"Yeah. Yeah," he pauses. "This is getting weird." Julie waves at him, her lips forming a thin line. "Okay." He disappears through the door again as Julie smiles. She turns back towards Daisy. Daisy has a small smile as she watches the spot the blond used to be. Her mom had told her stories about Luke's whole band, and Daisy couldn't help but think of how right her mother had been.

"What were you gonna say before Alex interrupted, Daisy? How do you know Luke?" Julie turns towards her.
"Uh, he's my brother."