will they won't they

8, the friend from the past

- Tired of all the will they, won't they romance -

"CAUSE WERE STANDING ON THE EDGE OF GREAT" LUKE SANG TO HIMSELF AS HE SCRIBBLED DOWN LYRICS.

Luke, Reggie, and I stood at the piano as Luke was working on a song in case of the band getting its first gig. Alex was out with Willie, who I was informed is his ghost friend *wink wink* according to Reggie, who yes winked after the word friend. "That sounds good Luke." I encouraged him. "Thanks, Ave, It's just a little something Julie and I have been working on." He explained to me blushing a little at the mention of Julie's name. "Ooh, Julie." I teased poking his shoulder. "Ooh, Nothing okay? Julie and I are just friends." He said sternly. I nodded understandingly. Just then the girl herself, Julie, entered the studio. Luke stood up so fast as soon as he noticed her presence. "Guys I have very exciting news! Julie and the Phantoms booked their first gig!" She exclaimed. The three of us looked at each other confused about who she was talking about. "Julie and the Phantoms?" Luke questioned. "Oh, that's our band name now. Flynn came up with it." She explained. Luke nodded. "Cool, I love it." He said to her with a smile. "So what's the gig?" Reggie asked her. She handed him a pink and purple flyer. "We're playing a school dance? Sweet!" Reggie spoke excitedly as he showed me the flyer. "It's not exactly the Strip," Luke complained. "And you're not exactly alive so you should be happy we have our first gig." Reggie shot back. "Yeah Luke, cheer up! This is exciting." I said to him patting his shoulder. "I wasn't in love with the idea at first either, but it can be a great way for us to build a following right?" Julie said to Luke. Reggie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we need to play wherever we can, whenever we can." Luke leaned forward on the piano. "No, you're right. Let's rock those kids' faces off and then play the clubs." Luke said finally giving in. "And then record a single and get a billion streams." Julie continued. " I don't know what that is, but hopefully it gets us a manager and a tour," Luke told her causing her to smile. "And then we release a bunch of hit albums." "Put out a country album that does surprisingly well," Reggie suggested. We all raised an eyebrow at him. "I shred on the banjo..." He admitted. "I bet you do," I commented as I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Then I'll learn how to fiddle," Julie told him. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get rehearsing!" Luke exclaimed. "Uh... Where is Alex?" Julie asked us. "He's with his ghost friend, Willie," Reggie told her once again winking at the word friend. "We can start, he should be back in a bit," Luke told her. "Okay sounds good!" She said making her way to her keyboard as Luke picked up his guitar. "Hey peaches, let us know if we sound good, okay?" Reggie asked me as he picked up his bass. "Of course Reg," I told him as I sat on the couch watching them. They ran through the chords of one of the songs Julie and Luke have been working on. 

They practiced for maybe 15 minutes before Alex poofed in the room. "Oh Hey Alex!" Reggie greeted him. "Where have you been? We need to start practicing." Luke told him. "Yeah? For what?" Alex asked looking from the boys to Julie. But before Julie could answer, Flynn entered interrupting her. "Dance News! I don't have a date but I don't care because I'm psyched to see you guys perform." She said to Julie. "Aw man, we're playing a dance?" Alex complained. "Of course, dude. That's how we get a following nowadays." Luke told him basically copying what Julie had said to him earlier. "Yeah, get with the program, Alex." Julie said to Alex though she was staring at Luke. "Well now that Alex has graced us with his presence, can we start working?" Luke asked Julie. She nodded. "Yes, we're gonna rehearse. Wanna stick around?" Julie asked Flynn. "I'm supposed to blow up 500 balloons for the school dance but this sounds way better." She smiled. But before Flynn could see the band perform they were interrupted by Julie's younger brother who Flynn thankfully made up a lie so he'd leave which ended in her leaving the studio as well. "Should we try this again?" Julie said to the boys. "Yes please, but remind us later there are some sunset curve songs I wanna show you." Luke told her. "Ooh, show me now." She said excitedly. "Yeah okay." Luke walked over to where his journal laid and picked it up but noticed a piece of paper slipped inside it. "Home is where my horse is... Reggie stop putting your country songs in my journal." He said standing up to face Reggie. "That was a gift." "Thanks, Buddy" Luke replied handing him the paper. Reggie frowned looking down at it. "Reg, show me." I whispered to him as he walked over to me handing me the paper. I read through the lyrics sloppily written across the page before looking back at him. "Reggie this is really good, I like it a lot." I told him with a smile. "You really think so?" He questioned as he sat on the arm of the couch I nodded. "Yeah, I love it." I said as I stared into his eyes not even realizing. This happened often. I often would just get lost in his eyes until I was snapped back into reality. We brought back by the sound of Luke playing a tune on the guitar demonstrating a song to Julie. "So you wanna sample?" She spoke. "What do you mean sample?" "Sample someone else's music. That's a classic Trevor Wilson song." She replied. Alex, Reggie, and I looked at each other confused. "Nope, it's a classic our song." Luke retorted. "Pure Sunset Curve. Never even heard of Trevor Wilson." Reggie stated as he and I stood off the couch and walked over to where the other boys and Julie were. "Okay, I'll prove it." She said pulling out her laptop and searching it up. "His first album had a bunch of hits, but none of his latest stuff is as good." She said turning her laptop around so we can see. I looked at the computer screen and felt my face go pale. I knew who it was as soon as I saw him. "Oh my god..." I said quietly. "That's Bobby." Luke stated angrily. "I just told you his name is Trevor." Julie said to him. "Okay T- Then he changed it. That's definitely Bobby, he was our rhythm guitarist." Alex told her. "I can't get over how old he looks." Reggie spoke staring intently at the image on the screen. "Julie... what we're his other hits?" Luke asked. "Get Lost." "I wrote that." "Long Weekend..." "Yeah, Luke wrote that too." "Crooked Teeth...?" "And that one." Julie's eyes widened. "This is freaking me out. Trevors songs are kinda big to me. He's the one who introduced me to rock." She exclaimed. "Yeah, Luke introduced you to rock." Alex pointed out. "Oh my god..." I said again but a little louder than Reggie heard and stood up looking over at me. "Avery? Hey, are you okay?" He asked me as he placed his hands on his shoulders turning my attention from the laptop to him. "N- No... the night I died, he and I got in a fight because he took credit for your songs and I was upset at him for it. But- but if I didn't storm out I wouldn't have got in the car crash and maybe I could've stopped him from stealing Luke's songs and-" Reggie cut me off. "Hey, stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault at all okay?" He said as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I don't understand, He never mentioned you guys." Julie spoke. "And that's unbelievable! He can take all the credit and he doesn't even mention us?" Luke shouted. Reggie and I turned to Luke. I felt Reggie's arm snake around my waist as he pulled me close to his side. I felt goosebumps go up to my spine. "Julie, where does he live?" Luke asked her. "Above the beach in Malibu." She said not even realize what giving the information to him meant. Luke patted Alex and Reggie's shoulders. "Let's go teach this guy a lesson." Reggie spoke. "Wait  What? Guys!" Julie shouted. "I'm sorry Julie..." I apologized before the four of us poofed out of the studio and into Bobby's mansion. "Woah... It's huge." Reggie spoke looking around. The four of us explored the mansion looking around at everything hung on the walls. "Bobby's house is ridiculous, have you seen these platinum records?" Alex exclaimed. "He recorded 'My name is Luke'... MY name is Luke." Luke shouted. I followed Reggie over to where Luke was looking at the records. "I can't help thinking this is all my fault." I sighed. "Avery, Don't take on his guilt. He's the thief, not you." Luke told me. "I know, I just wish I could've stopped it before it happened." Before the conversation could continue Bobby entered the house. "It's him!" Reggie said pointing at him. A man about a few inches taller than Alex (the tallest of the boys) waltzed into the mansion. "He wears sunglasses indoors. I can't stand him!" Reggie stated. "Time for his past to haunt him." Luke spoke as the three boys began to march up the stairs. "Wait!" I called out to them. "Ave? Are you coming?" Reggie asked. "I- um... I think I'll wait down here." I told him. He nodded. "Okay, we're up here if you need us." He said before the three of them disappeared upstairs.

Not even a few minutes later Julie and Flynn arrived at the mansion most likely looking for the boys and me. After Carrie exited towards the kitchen Julie ran towards me with Flynn following behind. "Avery? Where are they?" Julie asked me. "In the one place, you probably wish they weren't," I replied pointing to the stairs. "Oh god..." The two of us headed upstairs as Flynn distracted Carrie and Nick. Once we got upstairs the boys were nowhere in sight. Suddenly Trevor, formally Bobby, passed us and quickly ran downstairs. Which meant the boys had already had their fun revenge. As he passed me I felt myself freeze and all the reminder of the guilt I was feeling came back. "Avery? Are you okay?" Julie spoke breaking my train of thought. "What? Yeah, I'm okay." I told her. "Okay, they're not up here anymore, let's check out back." I nodded as I followed her downstairs and outside where the three boys were standing laughing about whatever kind of revenge they just did to Bobby. "Did you guys have your fun in there?" Julie asked them. "You'd do the same thing if he stole all your songs," Luke remarked. "But you have new songs with me. The best way to get back at Trevor is for this band to be great." She reminded him. The three of them nodded knowing she was right. "I'll see you guys at school. We go on at 9:00. Don't be late, a lot of people will be there." She told them. "We got it alright? Don't worry." Alex told her before she walked back inside to rejoin with Flynn. "I don't care what Julie says, I'm glad we scared Bobby," Reggie said to the boys. "I'm glad you guys had your fun but don't forget what you have with Julie, okay?" I told them. They nodded. "We'll meet you at the studio," Reggie told me before looking over at the boys who nodded. "Wait, where are you going?" I asked very confusedly though deep down I knew. "Ave... you probably don't want to know," Luke told me. I sighed. "Okay... don't miss the dance, Julie is counting on you guys. And please don't do anything stupid, okay?" The three of them nodded. Before I went to follow Julie inside Reggie pulled me into a tight hug. "Reg, please be safe and be smart. You know you don't need to get revenge okay?" I whispered into his neck.  "Everything will be fine peaches." He said as he placed a quick kiss on my cheek before pulling away. Before I could say another word to convince them to stay, the three of them poofed out of my sight.

authors note: hi everyone!! sorry, it took me so long to publish another chapter, I've been super busy with school and I'm doing a show in my college theatre class but I only have one week of this semester left so I should be able to write more!! 

thank you all for reading/voting/commenting! love you all!

<3, lex