Angelina is writing down some lyrics to the tune that has been stuck in her head while the two boys are occupied with the song that they made out of Julie's poem. When either Luke or Reggie would try to catch a glimpse of what she was writing, Angelina would shut the journal before they could read a single word. Luke is standing across from Reggie with his guitar hanging on his back with the guitar pick sticking out of his mouth. He is leaning over the piano and is singing the words to the song, reading them off of the paper that is now in his song journal. Reggie is tapping his hands on the piano to the beat of the song.
Luke
Guess that means I'm buying lunch that day
I know all your secrets
You know all my deep dish
Reggie stops tapping the beat on the piano and a confused look forms onto his face.
Guess that means that some things they never-
Luke's singing is cut off when Reggie asks, "Wait, so..." Luke looks up at the raven haired boy, who sighs before asks, "When she says, 'deep dish,' is she talking about, like, pizza, or..." He trails off as he tries to think of what else Julie could mean while Luke just stares at Reggie. Alex then poofs on top of the piano and Reggie turns his attention to the blonde drummer. He forgets about what he was thinking about when he starts to talk to Alex, "Oh! Oh, hey, man. Where you been?"
"Um, kind of everywhere. Yeah. No, I met a new ghost friend," Alex tells Reggie. At the sound of her twin's voice, Angelina looks up at him.
Reggie's eyes widen and asks, "For real?"
Alex crosses his hands over his chest before throwing them out as he responds, "Yeah, he answered a ton of questions." Alex stares off into space, thinking about his new ghost friend.
The two ghost boys turn to Luke, who stands up and rhetorically asks with the guitar pick still in his mouth, "Yeah? Like whether," he pauses and rips the journal that has the song in it out from under Alex, continuing, "Julie and Angel are gonna join the band or not?" He slams the journal back onto the piano and looks down at it.
Angelina throws the pencil she was using at Luke, who looks at her incredulously. She pulls out another pencil from her pocket and continues to write down words in her journal. This is something that has happened before. Whenever Luke would start to be rude to his bandmates, Angelina would always throw something at him, usually a pencil. Once she had even gone as far as ripping off his beanie and repeatedly whacking him with it. After the first few times it happened, the girl learned to have a couple pencils in her pocket so she wouldn't have to keep getting up to get another one.
Alex glances down at Luke's journal while answering the extremely stressed and annoyed brown haired boy, "Um... Well, we didn't... We didn't really get to that," Luke starts to write down some adjustments to the song in his journal before leaning back down onto the piano. Alex turns to Reggie, who nods his head and has his full attention on the Mercer boy, and enthusiastically tells him, "But I think I know why we're here. Okay? All ghosts have, like, unfinished business." This catches the attention of Luke and Angelina. They look up from their song journals and listen to what Alex has to say, "So, we need to do our unfinished business so that we can cross over."
Luke stands back up as he asks, "Why would we do that?" Alex turns to look at Luke, who glances at his journal before back up at Alex, stuttering, "Well, I-I'm just saying, this is our second chance. All we need to do is get Julie and Angel to play with us." Angelina rolls her eyes before turning her attention back to her journal. Luke quickly glances at the girl before looking back to his two bandmates.
Alex turns back to Reggie, who speaks up, "Yeah. Not only can those girls sing, they can write too." Luke points at the Peters boy, who continues, "Luke and I made a killer melody to one of their lyrics." He then gestures to Luke's song journal.
Luke picks up the journal and shows Alex, who grabs it and reads the song over nodding his head, "Oh... Without your drummer. Cool." At this Angelina whips her head up and looks at Luke.
Luke hits Alex's shoulder, causing the blonde to look over at the Patterson boy, who informs the drummer, "Drumming is so '90s. Okay? We're just gonna..." he pauses to stomp his feet before continuing, "stomp our feet now." Angelina glares at the boy and throws the pencil that is in her hand at him. The pencil hits Luke in the head and he turns to the girl. She pulls out her third pencil and glares at him one last time before turning her attention back to her journal.
Luke looks back to Alex when he starts to talk, "Okay. Well you know what else is so '90s? Being rude. Alright? Get woke. These are sensitive times." Angelina lets out a laugh, not taking her attention away from the song she is working on.
Alex slams the journal into Luke's chest before turning back to Reggie. Luke grabs the journal and holds it against his chest while muttering, "Ah! Alex... Ow." Luke removes his journal from his chest and opens it back up.
Alex leans in closer to Reggie and whispers, "I learned that from my ghost friend."
Reggie nods and chuckles before saying, "Woke."
"Yeah," Alex lets out before looking down in his lap.
Smiling, Reggie says, "That's... That's a cool word."
"Yeah," Alex agrees with the raven haired boy.
"What does it mean?" Reggie asks the blonde drummer.
Alex looks back over at Reggie and whispers, "No clue."
Angelina closes her journal and looks up at the boys. Noticing that they are finished talking to each other she says, "Alex? Can I talk to you?" The three boys turn their attention to her. She looks around at them and adds, "Outside? Alone?" Alex nods his head. Angelina poofs out of the studio and Alex follows her. Reggie and Luke look at each other in confusion. Luke just shrugs his shoulders and turns his attention back to his song journal. Reggie then starts to tap his hands on the piano to the tune of the song once again.
When Alex poofs to the outside of the studio, he sees his twin pacing back and forth. "What did you want to talk about, Lina?" He asks her.
Angelina turns to Alex and a few tears are streaming down her face. She sniffles before saying, "I have been a horrible sister."
Alex looks at her confused before asking, "What do you mean?"
The blonde girl takes a deep breath before elaborating, "I have been focusing so much on Julie that I forgot what you are like when things change." She pauses and Alex takes a step closer to her, holding out his hand to comfort her. His hand falls when she takes a deep breath and starts to ramble, "You had so many questions about being a ghost and I should have been there to answer them. Instead, I was off with Julie, making sure she was okay and giving her ideas on how to get Flynn to talk to her again. You had to find the answers to those questions from someone else. I'm not saying that you can't have any other ghost friends, but I should have been there for you. And-" She stops talking because she has just run out of air. She takes a deep breath and sobs fall past her lips.
Alex rushes forward and embraces his sister in a hug. Angelina buries her head into Alex's chest, who starts to rub her back in comfort, trying to soothe her, "You are not a horrible sister. You had to get used to the fact that I was no longer around. I suddenly come back and I can't expect you to drop everything and fall over me, ignoring Julie in the process. You are the best sister I could ever ask for. Just being here with you is all the comfort that I need."
Angelina leans back out of the hug and Alex wipes away her tears. Angelina sniffles and smiles at her twin through her tears, "You always know what to say to make me feel better. You have no idea how much I missed you. It felt like a piece of me had been missing. Julie and her mom filled a little bit of that piece but being with you, Reggie, and Luke again has completely filled that part of me." Alex smiles at Angelina before he pulls her back into his embrace. "I'm glad that you have found a ghost friend to confide in," Angelina tells her brother.
"I may have a new ghost friend, but it won't stop me from confiding in you as well," Alex tells his twin as they let go of each other and take a few steps back.
Angelina puts her hands into the pockets of her jeans before asking, "Can you tell me about your new ghost friend?"
A bright smile spreads across Alex's face and says, "His name is Willie and he is amazing." Alex goes into detail about the skater boy he met on his walk. Angelina knows her brother better than she knows herself. She can already tell that Alex has a massive crush on his new ghost friend.
Angelina smiles at her brother and teasingly says, "You definitely have a thing for Willie."
Alex blushes and shoves Angelina's shoulder. He then mischievously looks at her and says, "Like you don't have a major thing for Luke."
Angelina's cheeks flame a dark red. She shoves Alex's shoulder while she mutters, "Shut up." She turns around and heads back to the studio. Alex chuckles and follows after her.
â¢â¢â¢
Not long after that, Julie comes back into the studio explaining that they only have thirty minutes before Flynn comes to see them play. Julie told Flynn that the four people who played with her aren't holograms but in fact ghosts. Julie also mentioned how she thought Angelina was her imaginary friend but also turned out to be a ghost. Flynn didn't believe Julie, so now the girl has to prove it. What better way than to perform the song that was created out of Julie's poem.
After thirty minutes of practicing the song, Flynn knocks on the door to the studio. Julie opens the doors and chuckles while Flynn has her hands crossed over her chest. "Thanks for coming. We just wanted to rehearse the song so it was perfect, which it's not, but whatever," Julie tells her best friend while waving her hands around before putting them on her hips.
Flynn points her finger at Julie before waving her hands around while saying, "No, if I'm gonna hear a song from your imaginary ghost band that includes your imaginary friend, I want it to be perfect. So, get back in there. All of you. You too." She shoos Julie back into the studio and gestures to the area around Julie, thinking the ghosts are standing there. Alex is at his drum set, Luke is by the keyboard that is set up for Julie, Reggie is by the speakers, and Angelina is next to the raven haired Peters boy.
Julie chuckles before telling her best friend, "They're not out here." She moves out of the way and points to the inside of the studio with her thumb.
Flynn moves forward, placing her hand on Julie's shoulder, and saying, "Oh, I know." She removes her hand and continues into the studio. Julie shakes her head and sighs before closing the doors to the studio.
Julie turns around and looks between the four ghosts, asking, "Alright, guys? You ready?"
Angelina smiles and nods at the Molina girl before responding, "Ready as I'll ever be." The boys smile at Julie and give her nods, indicating that they are ready.
Reggie pipes up, gesturing to Flynn, "Can you tell her to move? She is in the space that I need to rock out. I don't feel comfortable walking through her." Angelina lets out a loud laugh. Luke smiles at the sound of Angelina's laugh and Alex rolls his eyes at the raven haired boy.
Julie turns to her best friend and rephrases what Reggie said, "Uh, actually, can you go over there? Reggie needs some space to rock out, and he feels kinda weird walking through you."
Flynn lets out a laugh before shaking her finger at Julie, saying, "Boy, when you create a world, you really live in it." Julie walks around Flynn and pulls over the rolling chair closest to the piano.
"Just sit!" Julie tells her best friend before forcing her to sit in the chair.
Flynn lets out an "Oh!" as she plops into the seat.
Julie squeezes Flynn's shoulders and looks around the studio, causing Flynn to look around as well. "If you notice, there's no equipment that will produce a hologram. Feel free to look around," Julie tells Flynn. Julie pats Flynn's shoulder before walking over to the keyboard. Flynn moves her hair off of her shoulder before crossing her arms over her chest and crossing one leg over the other.
When Julie reaches the keyboard, she exhales and says, "The guys took a poem that Angie helped me write about you and put it to music."
"Aww! I wish I didn't have to talk to your dad after this," Flynn says to her best friend, still not believing that she can see four ghosts.
Julie lightly chuckles, "It's called Flying Solo. Hope you like it." She places her hands onto the beat maker that is on a keyboard next to the one she will play the song on. She starts to hit the buttons, making the beat to the song. She glances and smiles at Flynn, who nods her head to the beat of the music. Julie pushes a button that puts the beat on a loop. She moves over to the keyboard and sits down, playing it before she starts to sing.
Julie
If I leave you on a bad note
Leave you on a sad note
Guess that means I'm buying lunch that day
Flynn nods her head in agreement toward the lyrics.
I know all your secrets
You know all my deep dish
Julie smiles and Flynn lets out a small laugh.
Guess that means some things they never
They never change
We both know what I, what I
What I mean
When I look at you
It's like I'm looking at me
Flynn jumps and lets out a small scream as the four ghosts suddenly appear, playing their instruments and singing with Julie.
Julie (Reggie, Luke, Alex, & Angelina)
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flying solo (Oh-oh-oh)
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flynn looks back to Julie with a look of shock written across her face.
Flying solo without you (Oh-oh-oh)
Reggie, Luke, and Angelina face each other and get closer as they play.
All
Hey!
Yeah, yeah
Luke spins around in a circle and makes his way over to Flynn, playing next to her. She looks over at him with a look of uneasiness. Julie stops playing on the keyboard and grabs the microphone off the stand before she stands up and dances over to Alex.
Hey!
Yeah, yeah
Reggie moves over to the microphone by the speakers and Angelina moves over to the microphone that is next to Alex's drum set. Julie makes her way over to Flynn, singing to her best friend.
Julie (Reggie, Luke, Alex, & Angelina)
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Luke makes his way over to the mic that Reggie is at, they both face each other and sing into it.
Flying solo without you (Oh-oh-oh)
They pause for a second and the four ghosts look over at each other. Angelina smiles at the three ghost boys. Julie kneels in front of Flynn and chuckles, shaking her head. Julie grabs her best friend's hand and continues to sing while Angelina looks over at her twin and sings with Julie.
Julie & Angelina
Yeah, you know who I'm liking
Way before I like them
Duh, 'cause you like them first
Flynn chuckles at the lyrics and Alex smiles at his twin, causing her to smile back at him.
And if somebody hurts you
I'm gonna get hurt too
That's just how we work
Yeah, that's just how we work
It will never
Luke and Reggie are still facing each other as they sing into the same microphone.
All
Change
Julie & Angelina
We both know what I, what I
What I
All
Mean
Julie & Angelina
When I look at you
It's like I'm looking at me
Julie pulls Flynn up out of the chair and Luke makes his way over to the mic that is by his couch, singing into it.
All (Reggie, Luke, & Alex)
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flying solo (Oh-oh)
Julie walks over to Luke and yanks over a reluctant Flynn. Luke smiles at Julie's best friend while continuing to sing and play his electric guitar.
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flying solo without you
Reggie, Luke, Alex, & Angelina
Hey!
Luke leans forward toward Flynn when he shouts out 'hey!' before moving back to his mic. This causes Flynn to jump back.
All
Yeah, yeah
Julie gives her best friend a strange look before dragging her over to Alex and Angelina. Alex and Angelina smile at the two girls. Julie dances with the twins which causes Flynn to dance as well.
Reggie, Luke, Alex, & Angelina
Hey!
All
Yeah, yeah
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flying solo without you
Julie motions her hand to Flynn, who follows her over to where Reggie is playing. They pause singing and playing once again, except for Alex, who lightly plays his drums. Flynn passes her hand through Reggie. She pulls her hand back and looks at the raven haired boy in shock. The boy nods his head toward her hand and asks before chuckling, "Weird, right?"
Flynn looks over at Julie and exclaims, "They're ghosts!"
She turns over her shoulder to Alex, who is still playing as he says, "Oh, we prefer, uh, musician spirits."
Reggie points over at Alex while Angelina nods her head, pointing to her twin while saying, "Yeah, what he said."
Luke then speaks up while he and Angelina start to play their instruments again, "Julie, Angel... so does this mean you're joining our band?"
Julie faces him and Flynn walks forward, her finger pointed out toward him as she corrects the Patterson boy, "Um... Actually, I think you're joining her band." Flynn gestures to Julie with her thumb before moving her hair off her shoulders.
Angelina moves to the other side of Flynn, playing her guitar while saying, "Yeah Luke, we are joining Julsie's band." Luke smiles over at the blonde girl, happy that he finally gets to play music with her.
Julie moves forward and rests her arm on Flynn's shoulder before saying, "I'm gonna go with what they said." Smiling, Luke shakes his head at the three laughing girls. Alex starts to pick up playing the drums and Angelina moves back to her mic. Julie and Flynn start to dance together as the band starts to sing again.
All (Reggie, Luke, & Alex)
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flying solo (Oh-oh)
Luke can't help but watch the Mercer girl, who looks so happy singing and playing her guitar. His heart starts to beat faster at the sight of her doing something that they both love, making music.
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
Flying solo without you
Reggie, Luke, Alex, & Angelina
Hey!
All
Yeah, yeah
Angelina catches Luke watching her and she gives him a bright smile. He can't help but give her one in return.
Reggie, Luke, Alex, & Angelina (Julie)
(Hey) Hey!
All
Yeah, yeah
My life, my life
Would be real low, zero
The four ghosts stop singing and Luke, Angelina, and Reggie stop playing their instruments.
Julie
Flying solo without you
Alex stops playing his drums as Julie points her finger at Flynn and Reggie chuckles.
You
The two girls put their heads together and the music ends. They lean back and Julie asks, "Still wanna talk to my dad?"
"No, I'm good," Flynn replies and Luke chuckles. The twins smile over at the two best friends, who giggle and hug each other. Angelina glances over at Luke and smiles, biting her lip.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey guys!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think of the book.