Camilla Wilson // JATP

finally free

"It looks like we are closing out the night with one more group."

Julie smiles, and we walk forward.

"Troubles and the fat ones?" the announcer says. Everyone looks at Luke. "Yeah, guys, my handwriting stinks," he says. Carrie and her group laugh as we walk past and head to the stage.

"Hi," Julie says.

"It's actually troubles and the phantoms," I say.

The crowd stays silent.

"Okay," Julie says. We both take a deep breath before we start performing.

Hearts on fire
We're no liars.
So we say what we want to say.

Julie starts singing while playing the piano. I take my microphone off the stand and start the next section.

I'm awakened
No more faking
So we push all our fears away.

We start out duet singing together in the next section, just as the boys appear on stage, joining in.

I don't know if I'll make it because I'm falling under my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder. I want to fly.
Come alive
Watch me shine. I have a spark in me.
Hands up if you can see
And you're a part of me.
Hands up if you're with me.
Now 'til eternity
Hands up if you believe
It's been so long, and now we're finally free.

The boys sang with us bouncing around the stage. Luke watched closely as I joined in dancing with Reggie, and when I turned around, he signalled for me to be ready for the next section.

We're all bright now.
What a sight now!
Coming out like we're fireworks

Luke smiles at me when Julie starts her section. We are dancing together.

Marching on proud
Turn it up loud' Because now we know what we're worth.

me Julie and Luke join together, singing the pre-chorus.

We know we can make it; we're not falling under
Close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder. I want to fly.
Come alive. Watch me shine.

Then we all join together, singing as a band. The audience awakens, cheering and clapping along. With the music, we feel connected, like a real band.

I have a spark in me.
Hands up if you can see
And you're a part of me.
Hands up if you're with me.
Now 'til eternity
Hands up if you believe
It's been so long, and now we're finally free.I have a spark in me.
Hands up if you can see
And you're a part of me.
Hands up if you're with me.
Now 'til eternity
Hands up if you believe
It's been so long, and now we're finally free.

It was time for my solo chorus. I took a deep breath, and as I started singing, Luke started echoing my words, making me smile and bounce with the music again.

I got a spark in me
(I got a spark in me)
And you're a part of me
(And you're a part of me)
Now 'til eternity (Now 'til eternity)
It's been so long, and now we're finally free.

The boys all smile, and I look and flynn, who winks. I break eye contact with Luke dancing with Julie as we sing the ending.

I have a spark in me.
Hands up if you can see And you're a part of me.
Hands up if you're with me.
Now 'til eternity. Hands up if you believe
It's been so long, and now we're finally free (yeah, yeah, yeah).

I have a spark in me.
Hands up if you can see
And you're a part of me.
Hands up if you're with me.
Now 'til eternity. Hands up if you believe
It's been so long, and now we're finally free. Finally free
Yeah

The crowd erupts into cheers, and as we take a boy, the boys and their instruments disappear. We laugh. "Thank you for the troubles and the phantoms," Julie says. "Tell your friends," I add as we exit the stage and rush to Flynn. We give her a huge hug and celebrate together. "You were incredible," Flynn says, and the boys appear behind him. "Yeah, yeah, we were," Luke says, high-diving the boys!

"Hey. Hey! Whoever Carrie was trying to impress is coming this way." I look up and say, "Omg! That's Andi Parker from Destiny Management; she's friends with my dad." Julie pushes me forward. "Andi!" I say. "Hey, Cami, your band is incredible." I smile. "Thank you, we." As I go to continue the interaction, I hear Julie's dad yell.

"julie!"

I looked up and saw him standing in the corner.

"It's time to go."

I turn to Andi and say, "I have to go with her; can I contact you?" She nods, and I run after Julie.

"Cami, are you staying at ours tonight?" her dad asks.

"If that's ok, my Molina," I say, and he nods and lets me in the car.

The car ride home is tense; no one says anything. When we get home, me and Julie go to her room and sit on the bed, and her dad follows us. "Cami, are you sure you want to be here?" he asks. "Is it okay, Mr Molina?" I say, and he shuts the door.

"So, after skipping school and missing a test, you decided to sneak out even though I told you to go to your room and study?"

"I'm sorry," Julie says quickly.

"Yeah, you keep saying that. If you'd just let me in, I could've been excited about tonight instead of having this conversation we both hate. Why didn't you tell me you were in a band?"

"It happened so fast, my Molina, I mean."

"These last couple of weeks have changed my life. When I play music, I feel so much closer to mom." Julie interrupts, and I sit down, letting Julie handle it.

"And I love that. You know I do. But your tía is right. School needs to come first."

"I know, but without the band, I would've never made it back into the music program. They played with me when I was trying to earn my spot." Julie is sitting on the edge of her bed.

"They did?" her dad asked.

"So did I," I say, and her dad smiles.

"I think this is our thing, Dad."

"Well, I'd be a jerk of a dad if I took that away from you... Look, if you're going to stay in this band, you need to keep up with school, and you need to keep me in the loop."

"Really?" Julie responds

"Thanks, Papa." Julie hugs her dad.

"Thanks, Mr. Molina." I jump up, joining their hug, and they laugh.

"Do I ever get to meet these guys?" her dad asks.

I laugh "Probably not," I say, as Julie joins in.

"Being seen really isn't their thing."