JATP: When Ghosts Sing

Chapter 2

Alex's POV(semi-diary entry style)

It'd been twenty minutes since Reggie started messing around with the shower and I was starting to get annoyed. Luke left a little bit ago and I had a feeling it had something to do with Julie. Out of us all, he was definitely the most excited about being able to touch.

I started thinking about how he and Julie liked each other but were too stubborn to come forward, when I realized something. Willie! We haven't heard from him since he helped us book the Orpheum. The more I thought about it, the more anxious I got. I stood up and started pacing.

I heard the shower turn off and figured Reggie was done messing around, but then I saw him pick up his bass. Still too anxious I kept pacing, but asked him what he was doing.

"Well, I thought about bringing my bass into the shower, but Luke said that wasn't the best idea."

"What made you decide to do that? Never mind, I don't wanna know." 

"Why are you pacing? Is it about last night?" Reggie asked, noticing my anxious state.

"I'm worried about Willie. I think he might be in some kind of trouble. We haven't heard anything since he helped us with the gig, and I don't wanna think about what Caleb could have done." Reggie put his bass down and came over to me.

"Listen, we'll find Willie. He's okay, I promise. We won't let Caleb harm him."

"You sure?"

"There are many things in this world that confuse me. This is not one of them." I laughed at Reggie's joke and thanked him. I decided I needed to do something to distract myself, so I picked up my sticks and started playing a random beat. Reggie grabbed his bass and joined in, beginning to create an awesome sound.

Reggie's POV

I knew how stressed Alex was and I was worried for him. He was always stressed about something and it made me sad for him. He was a great guy, and Willie was lucky to have him. I just hoped both of them would be alright.

We played for a couple of hours until we heard the studio doors open. We saw Luke and Julie come in, Luke sporting the biggest grin I'd ever seen.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Well, we were just trying to figure out what happened after the Orpheum and why we're now able to touch lifers." Luke ruffled Julie's hair before walking over to a stool and sitting down. This earned him a glare from Julie as she tried to fix her hair again.

Would they ever just get over themselves and tell each other their true feelings?

"Did you figure it out?" Alex asked, holding his symbols so they wouldn't keep vibrating, I think.

"Well, we thought about it being that you were almost out of time, but that didn't make sense." Julie said, sitting on the couch.

"Then Julie suggested it might be something to do with her confession, but I thought it was too cheesy, so-" Julie cut Luke off in the middle of a sentence, which I found very rude; but I mean, I guess that's just what girls are like.

"No, it was your idea and it makes the most sense. Think about it. I lost my mom nearly a year ago, and suddenly you guys come into my life when I need it most." Julie stopped and I didn't really know why.

"We don't have the best relationships with our families. We were kind of lost too when we met Julie." Ouch, that hurt. It was true though. I used hide from my parents whenever they were home because they were always yelling and it was always about me.

"So we've become like a family. Me saying 'I love you guys' helped you to be able to touch lifers." Julie finished. I had no idea what they were saying so, I just smiled and nodded.

"So, because we're a family, we can touch each other or something?" Alex asked.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"WAIT! So does that mean we're related to Ray now too?" I asked hopefully.

"No Reg, it doesn't." Luke said, sounding upset.

"But you're an honorary member of the Molina family." Julie added quickly, being sure to glare at Luke.

Suddenly, Alex started tearing up and vanished.

"What's up with him?" Luke asked, looking at where the drummer once sat.

"Willie's missing." I put my bass down on its stand before getting ready to go after Alex. If I know anything about a breaking heart, it's that nobody should have to go through it alone.

"Oh, well should we go look for Alex?" Julie said, getting more and more worried as time went by; it got so bad that she started to remind me of Alex.

"He needs to be alone right now, but eventually he will open up, and that's when we can help him," Luke said, going over to Julie and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Alex's too worked up right now to listen to a voice of reason."

"Ok, then what do we do in the meantime?"

"Try to focus on other things?" I suggested. They nodded sadly and I looked down. I really hoped that Alex and Willie were gonna be alright.

Caleb's POV (Nick's body)

When Julie closed the door on me, I was stunned. Such a lovely girl was capable of being so rude? I walked away, thinking about what to do and decided to go back to my club. I needed to clear my head and remember why I was doing all of this in the first place.

As I walked through the hallway leading to my infamous club, I started thinking about when I first opened. So many people--dead and alive--came to see what it was all about and I couldn't have been happier. Only five days after I opened, I noticed I had started to gain power and could perform in a magical way once again. I started by doing simple things and as I gained more power, I did more spectacular things.

I'd always had a passion for performing, but this was on a different level. Shortly after though I knew I needed to keep people there, so I turned some of my newfound power into a way to force people to give their souls to me, and I'd have other ghosts perform with me. They'd be visible to lifers and would get to do anything they could when they were alive. Further on throughout the years I watched as the interests of the people changed and knew it wouldn't be long before I needed to change my act.

Only a few months ago, I'd learned of a performance at a local high school called Los Feliz. I'd heard it was on the internet, so I arranged for a way to watch the video catching everyone's attention. I noticed the boys on stage were clearly dead and were incredibly talented. I knew they were what I was in search of, so I made sure they came to meet me.

I tried my best to get them to join me, but they wouldn't fall for my act. I didn't understand why they chose that girl over me, but I had to believe that I will get them. If I didn't get the immense power they possess, I'd never be able to return to my family, and my boy would never see me again.

With a sigh I made my way down the stairs and to a table, where I made myself a drink. Wondering how I'd be able to make him proud, I drank five cups of whiskey. I tried, for what had to be the millionth time, to get myself drunk.

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End of chapter
Word count: 1309