Edge of Great // Julie and the Phantoms (Reggie Peters)

16

Luke popped back into the garage. He looked around at Julie, Reyna and the boys practicing with a confused look.

Luke stood. "Whoa, Julie, Reyna."

Julie glanced up and said, "Grab your guitar. We got work to do."

Luke grabbed his guitar and put the strap over his shoulder.

"What made you two come back?" Luke wondered, stepping closer to Julie and Reyna.

"Rey and I realized how important music is to all of us, and we've lost so much already. We can't lose this, too."

"Thanks."

Julie and Luke shared an intense look of understanding, appreciation, and possibly more. Reyna smiled, seeing their look. Maybe she'd open herself up and reveal the truth of the song she'd written.

"All right, bosses, where we at?" Luke questioned.

Julie smiled. "Oh, and by the way, happy birthday." She chuckled. "Let's go from the pre-chorus."

Alex tapped his drumsticks together. "One, two, three, four."

---

After rehearsal, Reyna and Julie made their way back into the house, where they found Carlos taking pictures of the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Julie and Reyna asked.

"Looking for those orb things," Carlos replied. "I'm telling you two, this place is haunted. Every time I open my laptop, it's on some... rock music site. That ain't me, you both know I'm all about the rap."

"Reggie," Julie and Reyna whispered, the latter with a more tender tone.

"I'm just trying to protect you two."

Julie and Reyna went to walk away, but were stopped by Carlos. "Oh, I'd be careful in there. Dad has that look on his face like when Google Maps tells him to turn on the wrong street."

The girls kept walking, but were intercepted by Ray who had his arms crossed as he asked, "Care to tell me why you two missed your first three classes today?"

"We overslept at Flynn's house after the dance," Reyna replied.

"There was nothing going on in those classes anyways. It won't happen again. We promise." She and Reyna walked past Ray.

"Okay." Julie grabbed a pillow and sat on the couch and Reyna sat next to her. "But if I know you two missed class, it's only a matter of time before..." Ray was cut off.

The front door opened and Julie's aunt sighed and said, "I came as fast as I could."

"Exactly."

"Julie, Reyna, I will not let you two fall into the gutter of life."

"Tia, we're fine," Julie replied. "Rey and I just overslept. And me, Rey and Dad already talked about it."

Her aunt scoffed. "You are far from fine, sobrinas. I called your teacher. She said you two missed a calculus test."

Ray frowned. "Nothing going on, huh?"

"Dad, I'm so sorry," Julie apologized.

Reyna nodded. "Me too."

"This is where you punish them," the aunt said.

"I know," Ray answered. "Julie, Reyna... no more going out on school nights."

"But, Dad, tonight-" Julie protested.

"Mr. Molina-" Reyna began.

Julie's aunt cleared her throat. "And go to your rooms." Her aunt cleared her throat again. "What else? What? And... and read. Study. Calculus. Go! Now!"