BRIGHT; JULIE MOLINA

CHAPTER 10

A guy runs up to Mei and Julie. "Hey, where did the rest of the band go?" 

Julie stutters out an answer. 

"Wait. Were those holograms?" asks a member of 'Dirty Candy' 

"Yes! Yes, they were holograms," answers Julie. Mei raises an eyebrow at her but smiles none the less. "I plugged it into the ceiling projector before the show. I'd explain it but it involves algorithms and science stuff." with that explanation, the crowd cheers. 

'Teens are easily convinced' thinks Mei. 

"Ok people, show's over" says the short lady from before. "Let's get back to class please" 

Julie sits down on the stage while Mei stands there quietly. 

"Mrs.Harrison I am so sorry for not asking for permission. I just wanted to show you I belong here" Julie apologizes. 

"As amazing as that was, your spot's already been filled by another student" explains Mrs.Harrison. Just then a kid carries an instrument that is three times his size. 

"Come on that thing is way too big for him!" Mei decides to speak up. Julie, Mrs.Harrison and the lady all turn and look at her. 

"I'm sorry but my hands are tied" 

"Mine aren't, and as much as I didn't approve of this little stunt that you and your friend pulled, I will not go down in history as the principle who kicked Julie Molina out of the music program." says the lady. 

"Thank you!" laughs Julie.

"But..when you win your first Grammy. I want to be thanked"

"Definitely" 

"Alright now who's your friend?" 

"My name is Mei Reeves" 

"How would you like to be a student here at Los Feliz High School?" 

Mei looks at Julie who smiles at her and nods her head yes. Mei turns towards her three best-friends who also nod their heads yes. Mei looks at the adults with a smile on her face. 

"I would love to" 

"Great we'll get it all set up and with a few signatures you can start tomorrow" The principal and the music teacher both leave the gym.

Mei never got to finish her high school experience so she was excited. But maybe her lack of high school isn't the only reason she is excited to be a Bobcat. 

Julie walks over to Flynn as Mei has a conversation with the guys. 

"Wow. You did it," Flynn says rocking her heals. 

"Thanks to you" Julie says gesturing to her best friend with a smile. Flynn wasn't smiling back. "Hey, are you ok?" 

"Uh...I'm great. When did you start playing with a hologram band and your neighbor?" asks Flynn. 

"Oh, it was just one song. We're not a band." Julie states.  "The boys are a band, a hologram band. Definitely holograms." 

"Yeah I saw. Why have you been keeping those cute boys a secret?" Flynn asks. 

"There's a reason for that. It's just...really crazy." 

"Oh, I'm all about crazy. Let's hear it."

Mei, who was eavesdropping on the conversation, shakes her head at something Luke said and begins to walk over towards Julie and Flynn. 

"Ok, um so they're, from Sweden. Yeah. Turns out they..they're not only great at making meatballs but also good at making music. Yeah so they play there, I stream them here, we play together, they leave, then that's it" Julie stutters in a panic. "Anyway, who's excited that I'm in the music program?" she finishes with jazz hands. 

Mei walks over and see the disbelief on Flynn's face and grabs Julie's hand. 

"Hey, Flynn right? I really hoped you enjoyed the performance but Julie needs to show me where the front office is" Mei says quickly tugging at Julie's hand. 

Julie doesn't move.  Either from the shock of Mei holding her hand or from the look on Flynn face. 

"Jules, are you lying to me?" Flynn asks. 

"Yeah, yeah I'm lying"

"Since when do we lie to each other?" asks Flynn. Mei sighs silently as she knows that this isn't going to go well. 

"Flynn...I'm sorry" 

" 'I'm sorry'? That's all you've got? Talk to me when you want to tell me the truth." with that said Flynn runs out of the gymnasium. Julie let's go off Mei's hand and runs after her. 

'If Julie didn't get back into the music program she could've joined the track team'  

Her and the band head out into the hallway and pose for Julie's return. 

"Julie!" they all yell at the same time, Mei a little quieter to not alert the janitor behind them. 

"You! Stop doing that! I'm serious" Julie says. Mei laughs loudly. 

"Woah! This one's all on you. We were already here." Reggie says holding his hands up. "Well, actually, we were over there, and then we came over here." 

"Are we not gonna talk about what happened?" Luke asks taking the attention off of Reggie. 

"Yeah, the whole school saw you. It's kinda freaking me out," answers Mei. 

"Ok, good, cause it's kind of freaking me out too" Alex explains. "You know, you could see us, everyone can see Mei, and people could see us whenever we play music. Plus, my clothes are made of air, but for some reason, I'm still getting a wedgie." Alex rants. Mei rubs his back to calm him down. 

"The important thing is that we rocked that place. They were loving you" Luke says to Julie. 

"Are you kidding? They loved us." Julie replies. "That was a great song, Mei. Thanks." 

Mei smiles. "Anything for you Julie" 

"And did you guys see the cheerleaders looking at me? I think they were looking at me." 

"C'mon Reg we both know they were looking at me" Luke replies. 

"No way, they were totally looking at me" Mei jokes. An unfamiliar feeling passes through Julie. 

"I'm so...I'm so confused, you know?" Alex starts again. "The afterlife should come with instructions or a quick start guide or something" 

"Well, the good thing is that everyone thought you guys were holograms, and I got back into the program." 

"Why do you look so bummed?" Reggie asks concerned. 

"Yeah, dude, you're making this face." Mei says making a face mimicking Julie. Julie tries to hold in her laugh. 

"That...is not my face," 

"Eh.." Reggie says. 

"It's your face," Luke says. 

"Things just got weird between me and Flynn. She asked about you guys, and I couldn't say." 

"Sweet. Girls are already talking about us." Reggie whispers too Mei. In  response, Mei pinches him slightly in his side. Luke low fives him. 

"Stop. I'm serious. I can't tell her about you guys for the same reason I can't tell my dad. She'll think I've gone off the deep end." Mei explains. 

The former band nod their heads. 

"Don't worry Princess. We can figure this out," Mei says with determination.