Ghostly Guitar | Julie and The Phantoms

Chapter Twenty-Seven : Oh, Dear Stephanie

Chapter Twenty-Seven : Oh, Dear Stephanie
October 2020

Alex sat on the stage of a closed Orpheum tossing his drumstick in the air before catching in his same hand. He thought back to the night they died Luke's voice filling his head. 'This is awesome you guys, girl. I mean We're playing the Orpheum! I can't even count how many bands have played here and ended up huge. We're gonna be legends.'

Legends was a stretch, but they were sure as hell known. Known as the group that died the night of the breaking moment. The group whose parents were out of the picture as they ran away to play that night. A group who set the stage for Trevor Wilson, and to be long forgotten.

Alex sighed before hearing a sound like a whistle next to him. A sound he had come to know as a ghost. "Is this seat taken?"

Alex looked to his left at Willie. He planned not to say anything. Anything at all, but he found himself sliding back towards the boy letting out a deep sigh. "This whole thing sucks."

Willie shook his head, ashamed, "Yeah. I messed up."

"No, it's like you said. You know, you didn't have a choice." He stopped tossing the stick, "I mean Caleb owns your soul. Plus, it's our fault Steph was there. She didn't want to be, even worse we kept her there. Hell she was ready to leave before the food was brought to the table."

"No. Still, I know what he's capable of. I brought you guys right to him. When you guys asked I should have just skated away. I should have listened to Stephanie."

Alex chuckled, "That becomes a recurring pattern. I can't count the amount of time I wish I had listened to her from the beginning. But even still, I would've followed you."

"Man..." You could hear the sorrow in Willie's voice, "I would do anything to take back what I did to you." Another jolt ran through Alex, the purple light almost normal at this point. The blond grunted in pain, bing just below his rib cage were it really hurt, but other than that he was used to it, "I'm so sorry. I mean, did you guys figure out what your unfinished business is?"

Alex scoffed, "Not like it's gonna happen. Stephanie wish and pray all she wants but," Alex shook his head, looking around the room. "We have to play here."

Willie looked around as well, "The.. the Orpheum?"

"Yeah, I mean, we were two hours away from getting on this stage the night we died."

Willie leaned back on his hands, "You guys were gonna be legends." Luke's voice came back. 'We're gonna be legends.'

Alex chuckled at that, "We were. And you know, it wouldn't just been our music. We could've proved we ere worth something. To our parents, to the kids. But mostly to Stephanie. I know she think we are worth something, but a lot of the time I feel like she forgets she's part of we."