imagination || julie and the phantoms

twenty-five

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JULIE SET THE DAHLIA ON HER KEYBOARD. A spotlight illuminated her presence on stage, nerves setting in as anticipatory whispers flitted throughout the crowd.

Ray furrowed his brows, noticing the difference in his daughter's stature even from where he stood with Carlos and Victoria by the upper railing. On the drive over, she had seemed quite nervous and even had him pull over at a gas station so she could get sick. However, at that time, the spark remained in her eyes as she told him about the band and what they had planned.

He hadn't seen her light up like that in a long time.

But now, with her red-rimmed eyes and a shaky breath escaping her lips, Ray grew concerned about Julie.

"Hi," she greeted into the microphone, the one she had doodled on before they performed outside of the garage. "I'm Julie. Um, and tonight, I'd like to dedicate this song to my mom, who's been there with my every time I've played. And thank her for..." Julie glanced up at the ceiling, her grip on the microphone tightening, "not giving up on me."

Ray smiled.

"I'd also like to dedicate tonight's performance to four special friends," Julie continued, trying not to cry. She couldn't see Carrie comfortably sitting in the VIP box with her father, Trevor, who leaned forward with widened eyes at Julie's words.

"They've changed my life completely and brought music back to me," Julie said. "It was their dream to play here, and...this is for them."

She knew she had to play Stand Tall. It was the last song she wrote with Charlotte and Luke, and granted, the other tunes would've worked as a solo, but she didn't care. She needed the world to hear the inspirational words of her friends.

"This song is for anyone who's lost their way," Julie stated. "Step into your greatness. Don't give up. Stand Tall. Thank you."

The crowd cheered as she dipped her head and placed her microphone in the appropriate stand. Then, she took a deep breath and started to play.

It was a single note at first, underneath a simple chord structure that acted soft and sweet. Flynn, now in the tech booth, grinned at the cascading gold and pink confetti background taking effect right as the first lyrics hit the air.

"Don't blink, no, I don't want to miss it. One thing and it's back to the beginning, 'cause everything is rushing in fast. Keep going on, never look back."

The crowd swayed, all entranced by the gentleness and wholeness of Julie's voice as the sides of her lips quirked up into a smile.

"And it's one, two, three, four times that I try for one more night. Light a fire in my eyes, I'm going out of my mind."

Julie closed her eyes as she jumped the octave for the melodic chorus, people raising their hands and cheering her on.

"Whatever happens, even if I'm the last standing, I'mma stand tall, I'mma stand tall. Whatever happens even everything's down, I'mma stand tall, I'mma stand tall."

Julie pressed the keys on her piano a little harder, setting the background tone to play on a loop while she sang, "I gotta keep on dreaming, 'cause I gotta catch that feeling -- whatever happens, even if I'm the last standing, I'mma stand tall, I'mma stand tall."

The girl jumped out of her skin when a drumbeat kicked in, the crowd cheering louder. Alex grinned at Julie, never missing a beat as her heart swelled with hope.