Dear Dahlia // B1

[41]

Dad and I walk into the small café and find a place to sit. The place is packed.

"What are we doing here?" I ask.

"There's supposed to be a bunch of bands performing here tonight," Dad explains. "I thought it would be fun. I haven't got to spend a lot of time with you since your mom..." his voice drifts off, but I know what he wanted to say.

I nod and look up at the big stage. "Is that Carrie?"

Dad hums,turning his head to look up at the stage.

Sure enough, Dirty Candy is up on stage about to perform. They look good, still flaunting their colorful wigs and outfits. I whoop once and see a smirk on Carrie's face. They start performing and I bob my head to the beat of the song.

I nearly choke on my spit when I see a familiar phantom aplear onstage however.

"Are you okay, Mija?" Dad asks, reaching over the table and holding my forearm.

"Yeah," my voice breaks. "I just need to use the bathroom really quick."

I quickly stand up and push my way through the crowd. That's when I spot Julie standing with Flynn, Luke, and Reggie.

"Julie Molina!" I whisper shout at her as I grab her arm.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, "I thought you and Dad went out tonight!"

"We did!" I say, pointing behind me across the room. "He's here! What is Alex doing up there?"

"Being Alex," Luke laughs.

I glare at him before looking back at Julie. "You can't perform tonight if thats what you were thinking you'd do."

"Hi, manager here," Flynn smiles. "You guys are twins remember?"

"Yeah, so?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"So why can't we pull a switcharoo?" Flynn laughs.

"Like they do in movies? Flynn are you insane?" Julie questions.

"That might work," Luke leans over Flynn's shoulder, passing through her.

"No, no that won't work," I shake my head. "A) I can't sing. B) this is Julie's band. C) Dad would know if I was going to perform here tonight. And D) I can't sing."

"Ah, hey guys," Alex sighs, appearing back by us. "Hey bestie."

"Now's not the time, Alex," I snap. "Gk back onstage, you seem to be having gun up there."

"It's not my fault," he sticks his hands in his pockets. "It's my feet."

Luke and Reggie both laugh at him before he says, "Put me back in Coach."

"Seriously, why can't you guys just switch places?" Flynn asks.

"We just can't," Julie and I say at the same time. We both look at each other slowly before saying, "Stop. This is weird."

"Knock it off," we say at the same time again. We glare at each other and look away from each other. Our heads snap back to each other's directions and we shout, "Spaghetti!"

"Agh! You're the worst," Julie groans.

"What was that?" Reggie asks, leaning toward Luke.

He shrugs, "Twin thing?"

"Seriously, Julie," I say. "You can't go up there. Dad will catch you if-"

"Next up! Julie and The Fat Ones!" The announcer says into the mic.

"It's too late Lia," Julie shakes her head.

"Good luck," I squeeze her hand as she walks toward the stage.

"How about me?" Luke smirks.

I glance at Reggie, who is trying very hard to act nonchalant. I know he's listening hard. "Good luck guys," I say, turning my body toward Reggie.

He looks up and smiles before him and Luke both disappear.

I look up at the stage, where Julie is sitting at the piano.

"It's actually Julie and The Phantoms," she says into the mic. The crowd is quiet and she awkwardly nods before beginning the song. It's Finally Free. I was in the garage the day that Luke was writing it. I can't hold back the smile that forms over my lips as Julie sings. My sister is so talented.

The boys appear onstage and I hear the crowd gasp, forgetting that they've never seen this happen before.

I feel my hips start to rock to the beat, letting my feet feel the steady thumping of it. I don't dance, so it's an odd feeling. But I don't mind it.

I look back up on the stage and feel my stomach fill with butterflies.

Why is he looking at me like that?

A.N.

Anotha one.

That's all.

Another genuine question... I was thinking today and I came up with an idea for a Reggie fic. I won't actually start writing/publishing it until this story is completed, but is that something you guys would be interested in??? Lmk or if you wanna know like what the story would be about ig??

Anywho!

Ily😘

-Redd