✓ | line without a hook, reggie p.

CHAPTER FOUR

Reggie and Annabelle had been in the top area when they had heard Julie's voice boom throughout the garage, scaring Reggie and making him hit the top of the ceiling with his head. Annabelle snorted and cupped her hand over her mouth so Julie wouldn't hear her and stop singing. They peeked over the edge and listened to her sing. Annabelle looked at Reggie with a small smile toying at her lips. "That's her mom's song." She told him. As she turned back around to watch Julie, Reggie couldn't help but let his gaze linger on Annabelle for a little bit longer.

He took in everything about her. How the corners of her lips tugged up into a smile as Julie reached some notes, her eyes glistening with a sparkle that illuminated her gorgeous green eyes. Her complexion was perfect and her scent of mint and caramel had stuck to her - - even in their own type of afterlife. This time they had been spending together only made his crush on her grow. Every time he looked at her, he could feel his heart swell. Gosh, he was head over combat boots for the Mercer gal.

Annabelle tapped his shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts. "Luke and Alex are back," she pointed to where they were behind Julie and together they poofed so they were standing beside them. Annabelle was standing between Luke and Alex, Luke giving her a small smile when he caught a whiff of her signature scent. Belle gave his shoulder a light squeeze. When Julie stopped singing, Alex tried to talk to her but Luke immediately pulled him back.

They all transported outside. "Dude, why'd you stop me? Julie needs a hug," Alex told Luke. Luke shook his head, "Bro, a ghost hug isn't the feel - good moment that you think it is, all right? Trust me. What Julie needs right now is just a bit of privacy."

Alex narrowed his eyes, "You know what? I think you poofed us out because you can't handle when people cry. I should know. I cried in a room for 25 years, and I didn't get a single hug from any of you." Reggie tried to give Alex a hug, but Alex put his hand up. "Don't touch me!"

"This is why no one hugs you."

"I think the first thing we should do, once we get the courage to go in there, is ask Julie. . . Why she lied about playing the piano." Luke told his friends.

"I'd like to add to that," Annabelle perked up, raising a hand. Luke face palmed before he pointed to Annabelle as if he was a teacher and she was the student. "We should probably tell her how good she really is. I mean, come on, that was amazing."

"She's legit," Reggie spoke up, "I got ghost bumps."

Then, another girl about Julie's age came down the concrete steps. "Oh my God, was she crying too?" Alex asked, the four of them watching her as she went into the garage.

"Oh my - - the only thing worse than one of us crying is two of us," Annabelle snorted.

"He's right."

"Guys, we definitely can't go in there. But, we can listen." Reggie hinted. They all followed Reggie to peak through the windows at the top of the garage door, the Mercer siblings sharing a window. After watching them talk for a bit, the two girls came out of the garage. "Oh, hey!" Julie told them, but quickly covered it up, "Let's hustle!" She waved goodbye to them as she walked up the steps.

They then went into the garage. "I wonder why Julie didn't tell us she could shred on piano," Reggie said, looking at Luke. "And sing," Luke added, "that girl can sing."

"It probably has something to do with her mom, you know? Must've been hard," Alex walked towards the upstairs loft, "Anyway, I really feel for her." Luke walked to the piano, "Yeah, but now she's got music back in her life. Just like us."

Alex peeked over from where he was, "Yeah, I'm not sure you can call what we have a life. Oh hey! Some of the clothes we left behind are still up here." Alex then proceeded to throw down a garbage bag and two backpacks - - one Reggie's and one Belle's.

"Sweet!" Luke exclaimed, "Oh, same clothes as '95, guys." He removed his shirt and Annabelle couldn't help but let her eyes stay on his bare chest for a tiny second, then getting hit in the side by Reggie.

Ray then walked in through the doors, walking right through Reggie. "Oh, that was weird. But somehow I can tell this man has a good heart."

"So how've you been?" Ray spoke. Annabelle tilted her head in curiosity as she watched him, walking towards the couch and taking a seat. She wondered if he did this often - - come to the garage and just randomly start speaking to himself. Annabelle managed to block out the three teenage ghosts' voices as she paid attention to Ray. "Julie sang for the first time this morning. She hadn't done that in almost a year. You would've loved it."

He was speaking to Julie's mom. Annabelle could feel her heart break a tad - - if she still had one. Who knows if being dead meant no longer having a heart. She hummed to herself and looked at Reggie, then feeling her heart skip a beat. Yup, still got it. Her attention then went back to Ray. "She's such an amazing young woman. Every day she reminds me more and more of you. Oh, I'm, uh, taking pictures for the real estate website. I don't really wanna move, but. . . I guess it's best for Julie." Ray sat down on the piano bench, his fingertips trailing against the edge of the piano. "There's so many memories. . of Julie playing next to you, and Carlos trying to sing with his missing two front teeth."

Annabelle frowned, trying to visualize how that memory looked like. She had always dreamt about having a family of her own one day. It pained her to know that now she was dead she would never have a family of her own. Ouch. Annabelle watched as Ray took some pictures of the garage from the piano's point of view. "It's like they grew up. . Out here. Hey, do you remember when the kids were at your sister's, and we came out here on our anniversary —"

Annabelle's attention went to the boys when she saw them poof out. She knew she overheard them talking about visiting Reggie's parents and so she transported to the specific area of town she could never forget. But then, she thought that maybe she didn't wanna interrupt on their special moment. The boys needed to have their time together - - they were way more closer than all of them. So when she had reached that area, she realized everything had been converted into a beach. She quickly transported away from the boys and towards the water. Annabelle let out a small sigh at the scenery of the blue water and the soft white sand at her feet.

Annabelle took off her boots and set them side. She looked around before her eyes landed on a bikini store and she smiled to herself before she transported to it, stole herself a bikini and changed in a dressing room even if people weren't able to see her anyways, then went back to where her boots had been left. Annabelle folded her clothes neatly beside her boots before she found herself taking steps into the water.

She let out a sigh of satisfaction. Then a thought made its way into her head. Maybe the afterlife wasn't so bad at all.