Camilla Wilson // JATP

the argument

"This was a mistake, Luke"

"Anyone know the Heimlich? The girls are chocking."

I shake my head. "Shut up, Carrie!" I yell. "There is only one way to save this party. Who wants to see dirty candy?" Flynn pulls something off her DJ board. "Oops! Knob's broken," Flynn says, making the crowd whisper a series of "oohs."

"Two can play that game," Carrie says, laughing. "Party at my house," she adds. Everyone cheers and walks out with Carrie. Me and Julie set with our legs hanging from the edge of the stage. "The night was a total bust," Flynn said, joining us. "The new guy found someone." The boy stands up with a girl and begins dancing with her. "Damn little guys got moves." I laugh. "I can never show my face at school again," Julie says. That's what we get for depending on boys," Flynn says. "I don't know whether to be mad or worried," Julie says. "Mad, be mad," I say. "The ghosts, I point out, know what kind of trouble they can get into." Flynn jumps up. "I'm going to get us some ice cream from the cafeteria. Fools gave me the keys." Julie laughs. "Get me two," she says, "of everything," I add.

"Julie, Cami, we are ready to rock this dance," Reggie says, bursting in, "which is clearly over." Me and Julie stand up, and I cross my arms and say, "Yeah, cause you're three hours late!" "Look, we are... so, so sorry that we bailed on you." Luke says, "Yeah, time got away from us," Alex adds. "Just please tell me it had nothing to do with you getting back at my dad." I said, stepping forward. "Whatttt...nooo," Reggie says. "Seriously? You're lying to me?" I said. "Okay, look, it was something we needed to do." I laugh and shake my head. "Yeah, you said that before." I started walking away. "But we'll do whatever it takes. We'll play at the next school." Julie interrupts, "What? Another dance where you can bail on us and make us look like fools?"

"Save it. You know what really stinks? Our songs were good." I add.

"and! All three of you knew what I've been through and how tough it's been for me to play, and then you did this? Bands don't do that to each other. Friends don't do that to each other." Julie starts to cry. "This was a mistake," I say, crying. "You mean the dance, right?" Luke said, looking at us. "No joining a bad with you," Julie says.

"Actually, I'm friends with you," I say, running away.

"Julie!" I hear Reggie yell.

"cami! Wait," Luke yells after me. It's too late; me and Julie have run away.

the next day.

I wake up with Flynn. "Shall we wake Julie?" Flynn shakes her head. "She needs her sleep." I smile, and I and Flynn leave for school. In the first part of the day, all I can think about is how things ended with Luke. "Cami," I hear a whisper from behind me, and I turn around to see Luke standing there. "No," I say, walking away. "Wait, please!" he says, following me. "Luke, I don't want to talk," I whisper. I suddenly realised I was still walking around school, getting some funny looks. I pull myself into an empty classroom. "What?" I say.

"Cami, listen, I'm really sorry about everything with you, dad! But you have to realise he stole my music." I stop him. "You died!" Luke looks up and says, "Yeah, and?" I laugh, "Were you aware you were going to come back and try to publish the music as a ghost?" He shakes his head. "So my dad publishing the music isn't that big of a deal, Luke! You were dead," he says, looking at me. "Is that really what you think?" he says. "Yeah!" I say. "This was a mistake, Luke." I finish wiping my tears. "Fine!" then Luke poofs away. I wipe my tears and walk to dance class.

Midway through class, Julie burst in, "Sorry, I overslept." She said, "Soo, why didn't you wake me?" she said to me and Flynn. "You said you were never going to show your face at school again. And I'm a very literal person." Flynn says, shaking her head. I laugh. "Flynn told me not to wake you up." Julie laughs. "It's okay. It's those stupid ghosts that I'm really upset at." I nod and say, "See to it, I would kill them if they weren't already dead." I respond, "Having a band is supposed to help your social life, not ruin it," Flynn says.

"Ex band," me and Julie say in unison.

"Right, ex-band, sorry."

"It's all so messed up. I thought they were in this with us. But obviously, I was wrong." Julie says, "We were wrong." I say, "Hey! Don't blame yourselves. You can only be so strong when three cute ghosts ask you to join a band," she laughs. "And speaking of cute, have you talked to Nick today?" I say to Julie, "No, and I'm kind of dreading it. At least I know I won't see him in this class.' I stand up and laugh. Wha-" Julie says this as the boys walk in. "What are they doing here?" Julie asks.

The lesson goes on, and I patent Levi. He's another football player with Nick; he's lovely, and when I was little, I had a crush on him. But now I like Luke, and as much as I don't want to admit it, he does have nice eyes.

"I'm an awful dancer," Levi says. I laugh as he tumbles to the floor. "Are you sure you want to attend?" he asks. I helped him up. "Yeah, let's get going," I say as we begin to dance.

after school

"Him and Carrie have broken up." I ask, "Yea!" Julie yells. As she does, we reach her studio and open the door.

"We're sorry. So sorry. We're super-duper, crazy, stupid, sorry."

The boys burst into song and dance. I try not to laugh because I want to be mad, especially at Luke, who isn't even looking at me, just starting at Julie. "In case you missed it, we were sorry," Reggie says, and I chuckle. "Yeah, we got that," Julie says.

"We've been here for, like, three hours; we nearly sang to your brother," Luke laughs at Julie. "He comes in here a lot," Alex says, "mainly to use the bathroom; it is not our favourite part of the day," Reggie says.

"It wasn't okay that we flaked on the dance last night. We know we let you both down. Yeah, and none of us wanted to disappoint you." reggie says. "So, in hopes that you'll rejoin the band, we booked a new gig. A mega-important, life-changing gig." Luke says. as he hands Julie a flyer, and I look over her shoulder. "Tonnes of managers come here to listen to new bands. All we have to do is blow them all away, and we're living the dream." Luke says he loves the boys. "So this means a lot to you?" I say "kind of like playing the school dance was important to us," Julie adds.

"Sounds like sarcasm." Reggie gasps, "I'm starting to think our plan isn't working."

"Look, we know we messed up. But we need you in the band." Luke says "Both of you," he adds. "Of course you do, because without me, no one can see you guys playing. You know, I thought that the music that we were writing was special, but you're too obsessed with your past to even care."Julie says. "And my dad's past!" I add.

"do care. Our band has a real chance at greatness. I'm not going to let that get away from us again," Luke adds, stepping closer to us.

"Oh yeah, so why'd you bail on us to get back at my dad?" I said, crossing my arms.