xix. Space Between

When Angelina gets back to Julie's house, she hopes that Luke is already there. Angelina walks up the sidewalk to head to the studio but the sight of the brown haired boy makes her stop in her tracks. Luke is leaning on the post of the railing that stands by the stairs of the porch as he rubs the blue rabbit's foot that hangs from the chains on his pants. His right hand is stuffed in the pocket of his pants and he is looking down at the foot that is resting in his right hand. Angelina makes her way over to Luke, causing him to look up at her. She fiddles with her fingers as she stops in her tracks, greeting, "Hey."

Luke lets go of the rabbit's foot as he says, "Hey."

Angelina walks up the stairs of the porch, saying, "I'm sorry. I crossed a line that I shouldn't have. I should have asked you if it was okay to give your mom the song. I shouldn't have come up with that plan to distract you guys while Julie took the song from your journal so we could give it to your mom behind your back."

Luke stands up straight and takes a step toward Angelina as he says, smiling at the blonde and throwing out his right arm, "I knew you were acting weird in the studio earlier."

Angelina smiles back at Luke and shakes her head before she becomes serious as she apologizes again, "I am sorry though."

Luke shakes his head and replies as he stops in front of the blonde girl, "Don't be. In a way, I'm glad you and Julie went behind my back."

Angelina stuffs her hands in her pockets and shrugs her shoulders as she tells the Patterson boy, "Your parents seemed to really like the song, just like I knew they would."

Luke smiles and takes a step closer to the blonde, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as he fondly says, "You always know what's best for me."

Angelina shrugs again as she bashfully adds, "I try." Luke smiles at the girl and goes to lean in but stops as a jolt runs through Angelina. The blonde lets out a cry in pain as her legs buckle, causing Luke to grab onto her to keep her from falling onto the ground. The blonde puts her head in Luke's chest as tears fall out of her eyes due to the pain. When the pain turns to a dull ache in her chest, the blonde stands up straight as she rubs her chest to ease the ache and takes a step back from Luke.

Luke furrows his brows at the Mercer girl, asking her, "Angel, why didn't you tell me that you have been getting these jolts?"

Angelina looks down at the ground, "I didn't want to worry you... or Alex... or Reggie. I didn't understand what was happening until Willie showed up last night and told me that this is Caleb's fault." Luke closes his eyes, trying to stop tears from building up at the thought that the girl is getting the painful jolts as well. Angelina shakes her head and looks up, adding, "Besides, it's not like you guys are getting them too."

Luke gives Angelina a sympathetic look as he reluctantly tells her, "We are. Alex, Reggie, and I have been getting them too." Tears well up in Angelina's eyes as she puts her hands over her mouth as Luke continues, "Right as we were rushing out of the club to get to the dance, Caleb gave us his stamp. Willie told us last night too."

A tear slips out of Angelina's eye, "I don't know what my unfinished business is which means I can't cross over."

Luke takes a step forward and grabs onto her hands, assuring her, "Don't worry. We found out what our unfinished business is. The only problem is that it is nearly impossible to do."

Angelina furrows her brows, "What is it? Whatever it is, it can't be that hard."

Luke gives her a sheepish look as he admits, "Our unfinished business is playing at the Orpheum."

Angelina opens her mouth in shock and lets out, "Oh..."

Luke nods his head and glances away, retorting, "Yeah, I know. Remember how long it took us to book our gig the first time?"

Angelina weakly laughs, "Yeah." The blonde might not know what her unfinished business is, but she does know for a fact that it definitely isn't playing at the Orpheum like Luke thinks it is. That might be their unfinished business, but it certainly isn't hers. She wasn't a part of Sunset Curve when she was alive so it is impossible for her unfinished business to be playing at the Orpheum. She knows that the boy wouldn't listen to her if she told him, so she doesn't. If she can't cross over, then she would rather disappear forever instead of joining Caleb's house band. She hopes by some miracle that they do get to play at the Orpheum, that way Luke, Alex, and Reggie could cross over even if it is without her.

Julie walks up the sidewalk to her house, stopping when she sees the two ghosts. She announces her presence, "Hey."

Angelina and Luke back away from each other as they look over at Julie, both of them saying, "Hey."

Julie walks up the stairs, apologizing as she throws her hands out, "I'm sorry that Angelina and I overstepped."

Luke shakes his head and says, throwing out his right arm as Julie stops next to Angelina, "No, I... I just had to leave. That was..."

Julie shakes her head and interrupts, putting her hands in her pockets, "You don't have to say anything."

Luke sternly tells the lifer, "Yeah, I do. Uh..." He pauses as he looks off into the distance, thinking about what he wants to say. He looks back to the two girls in front of him and continues, "I didn't have many regrets in my life except for running out on my parents. Especially my mom, so... thank you."

Angelina looks over at Julie, who shakes her head and looks between both ghosts, "You guys helped me feel more connected to my mom, so..." she looks at Luke and shrugs her shoulders, "I wanted to do the same thing for you."

Angelina nods her head and looks at Luke, adding, "I knew how much it would mean to you. So when Julie came to me, asking if I wanted to help, I knew I had to."

Julie smiles at Angelina before looking at Luke admitting, "I wouldn't have been able to do it without Angie."

Luke takes a step toward the two girls, eyes lingering on Angelina, "That was perfect."

Angelina smiles as she goes to wrap her arm around Julie, forgetting that they can't touch. When her arm goes through the girl, Julie sighs and turns away, facing the yard. Angelina frowns at the fact that she always forgets she can't touch the lifer. Luke gives the blonde a reassuring smile as he pulls her over to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he tries to comfort her. Luke playfully rolls his eyes as he turns, both he and Angelina facing the yard, telling Julie, "This is an interesting little relationship that we have with you." Luke looks over at Julie and smiles before looking back out at the yard.

Julie looks over at the two ghosts as Angelina looks over at the lifer, both girls smiling at each other. Luke looks down at Angelina with an admiring look on his face, memorizing every little detail about her face. It is quiet for a few seconds before Julie remembers something, causing her to shout, "Oh my gosh," she turns to face the two ghosts, Angelina turning her head and Luke looking up at the girl, "I almost forgot to tell you. Flynn said the video that my dad made is trending on YouTube." Angelina perks up in excitement as Luke gives Julie a confused shake of his head, not understanding what that means.

Julie nods her head as she explains to Luke, "That's a good thing. That means people love our music." Julie puts her hands into her pockets as she looks out at the yard, continuing, "We'll definitely be getting calls from managers now." Angelina deflates and tenses at Julie's words, knowing that there is a good chance that the blonde will disappear forever and never see Julie again.

Noticing how tense Angelina got, Luke decides that he should tell Julie about the jolts and Caleb's stamp. He drops his arm from around Angelina's shoulder as he turns to both girls, telling Julie, "There's something I have to tell you."

Julie looks over at the boy expectantly as Angelina turns to stand next to Julie with a look of confusion on her face. The Molina girl says, "Oh... okay."

Luke scrunches up his face as he gestures to Angelina, "We figured out that we have unfinished business.That's why we came back as ghosts."

Julie nods her head, looking between Angelina and Luke, letting out, "Oh. What is it?"

Luke glances at Angelina before looking back at Julie, telling her, "We have to play the show we never got to play."

Julie nods her head in understanding, "At the Orpheum? That makes sense." Luke is hit with one of the jolts and he stumbles back into the post of the railing, groaning in pain. Luke winces as his back connects with the post as Angelina rushes forward, wrapping her arms around the boy in order to comfort him and ease his pain. Luke rests his forehead on the blonde's shoulder as the blonde rubs his back. Julie takes a couple steps forward, concerned for the boy.

Luke looks up at Julie, informing her, "We don't have a lot of time."

Julie takes another step forward, asking the two ghosts, "What was that? Are you okay?"

Angelina unwraps her hands from around the boy as she turns to face Julie, looking at Luke as she continues to rub his back. Luke puts his hands on his knees, looking between Julie and Angelina as he says, "We did something that we shouldn't have. The night that Alex, Reggie, and I missed the dance, we met this ghost, and he put this curse on us. And if we don't do what he says, then those jolts will destroy us."

Julie throws out her hand and desperately tells the two, "Well then you gotta do what he says. What does he want?"

Angelina looks over at Julie, answering the lifer, "He wants us to be in his house band for eternity."

Luke stands up straight, adding, "But if we can play the Orpheum soon, then we can avoid all that and actually cross over."

Julie looks at the ghosts in confusion as she asks, "Cross over? As in, like what? Like go to heaven?"

"That's what we're banking on," Luke tells the young girl.

Julie furrows her brows as she clarifies, causing Angelina to look away and Luke to look down at the ground, "So it's either you cross over, be in his band for eternity, or be destroyed by those jolts?"

Luke slowly looks up at Julie and replies, "Yeah."

Julie shakes her head, "That's just great." Julie turns around and walks to the front door as tears fall from Angelina's face.

Luke takes a step forward, calling out the girl's name as she opens the door, "Julie..." The lifer ignores the boy as she slams the door.

•••

Angelina timidly knocks on Julie's door, the curly haired girl pacing around the room in frustration looks over at the door to see the blonde ghost. Angelina steps into the room and tells her, "I know you are probably upset with me right now, but I came here to give you this." The blonde holds out her song journal to the lifer. Julie walks over to Angelina and takes it from her hands as the blonde continues, "I was going to just leave it for you if I wasn't able to cross over in time. I think giving it to you now is a better idea though."

Julie shakes her head and holds the journal back out to the blonde, "I can't take this."

Angelina nods her head, "Yes, you can. I want you to have it. Besides, the recent song I wrote is dedicated to you. I tried to write it in both of our perspectives. It was going to be my way of saying goodbye."

Julie sadly shakes her head as she opens to the most recent song that was written. She looks down and skims some of the words, a few tears coming to her eyes. The lifer looks up at the blonde before she asks, "Can you sing it with me?"

Angelina smiles at the Molina girl, telling her, "Of course, Julsie." The blonde poofs away only to reappear a couple seconds later with a keyboard. The blonde sits down and starts to play the song. Angelina looks over at Julie, who sings as she reads the lyrics out of the song journal.

Julie

I didn't know what you were going through

I thought that you were fine

Why did you have to hide?

Julie looks over at Angelina as she sets the journal down. The blonde Mercer girl looks down at the piano as she starts to sing.

Angelina

I didn't want to let you down

Angelina looks over at Julie, who is still looking at the blonde ghost. The blonde glances away from the lifer, looking at the dresser where the photo of Julie and her mother sits.

But the truth is out

Angelina looks back over at Julie.

It's tearing me apart, not listening to my heart

Julie looks down at her feet as Angelina looks away from the girl.

I really had to go

Julie looks at Angelina, shaking her head as she sings.

Julie

And I would never stop you

Angelina looks over at Julie, shaking her own head.

Angelina

Even though it changed

Julie

Nothing has to change

The two girls smile at each other as they sing together.

Both

And you can find me in the space between

Where two worlds come to meet

I'll never be out of reach

'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between

You'll never be alone

No matter where you go

We can meet in the space between

Angelina stops playing the keyboard as she starts to sing the next verse.

Angelina

And nothing can stay the same

Angelina looks down as she starts to play the keyboard again.

It's growing pains

Julie takes a step closer to Angelina, singing to the ghost.

Julie

Be proud of all the scars

They make you who you are

Oh, woah

Julie smiles sadly at Angelina.

I know you have to stay

Angelina shakes her head.

Angelina

But I'll never really leave you

Julie

Nothing has to change

Angelina gives Julie a sad smile.

Angelina

Even though it changed

The two girls smile at each other as tears start to well in both of their eyes.

Both

And you can find me in the space between

Where two worlds come to meet

I'll never be out of reach

'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between

You'll never be alone

No matter where you go

We can meet in the space between

Julie takes a step toward Angelina.

Julie

There are no words left to say

Angelina

I know you gotta find your place

Julie shakes her head as she sings.

Julie

But this is not the end

Angelina shakes her head before she smiles at Julie.

Angelina

No

You're part of who I am

Both

Even if we're worlds apart

You're still in my heart

Angelina stops playing the keyboard as she rises and holds her hands out to Julie, causing the lifer to hold her hands out to the ghost.

It will always be you and me

Yeah

Angelina

You can find me in the space between

The blonde sits back down and resumes playing the instrument as the two girls sing together.

Both

Where two worlds come to meet

Angelina smiles at Julie as some tears escape from her eyes.

Angelina

I'll never be out of reach

Julie gives the blonde a watery smile, not able to hold back her tears.

Julie

I'll never be out of reach

Angelina

No

Both

'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between

Angelina

You'll never be alone

Julie

No matter where you go

Julie sits down next to Angelina, both girls smiling at each other.

Both

We can meet in the space between

Angelina

Yeah

No matter where you go

Julie

No matter where you go

Both

We can meet in the space between

The two girls let out a laugh but it's cut short when a jolt hits Angelina. The girl lets out a gasp and grasps onto her chest, trying to ease the pain. Julie jumps off of the bed and backs away from Angelina, afraid that she would hurt the ghost if she got any closer. It seems that people or ghosts disappear when they get too close to her. Angelina takes notice of this which causes the girl to sigh as she stands up, "I'll see you later, Julsie." The blonde girl poofs out of the room with the keyboard, giving the lifer some space.

•••

Julie is now sitting on her bed, using a yellow marker to draw out her feelings. Flynn knocks on Julie's door before she walks into her best friend's room, saying, "Hey. I got your text."

Julie looks up at Flynn, who stops in front of her before warning, "Don't come too close." Julie looks down as she puts the cap back on the marker. "Anyone I seem to care about disappears." The Molina girl throws the marker down onto the book in her lap before looking back up at her best friend.

Flynn sternly tells Julie, "You can't get rid of me." She throws up her hands before smiling at Julie as she continues, "I'm like the crazy glue of best friends."

Julie shrugs her shoulders and looks away, "I just don't get it. Right when my life starts to get good. Great friend, great band, great guy..." She picks up the book and holds it up to show Flynn her drawing of a mushroom cloud with her name at the bottom of the drawing. The girl shouts out, "Then bam!"

Flynn speaks up, "I seriously don't know why all of this is happening to you," she points at the drawing, "But that's gonna be a great album cover one day." Flynn turns around and grabs the sweater that Julie was wearing today as her best friend sets the book back into her lap, looking down at the drawing. Flynn folds up the sweater as she kneels down to the chest with Rose's clothes in it. Julie uncaps the yellow marker before looking up at Flynn, telling her, "You don't have to do that."

Flynn looks over at Julie, playfully rolling her eyes and throwing up her hand, telling the Molina, "I know, but I get to check out all your mom's cool stuff." Flynn turns around and puts the sweater into the chest as Julie closes the book and sets the book down onto her bed. Flynn picks up a shirt and lets out, "Whoa..." She turns around and holds up a Sunset Curve T-shirt for Julie to see, asking her best friend, "Did you know this was in here?"

Julie furrows her brows and scoffs, "What the heck?"

"How do you think she got it?" Flynn asks Julie.

Julie shakes her head as she replies, "I-I don't know, but the guys said they didn't know my mom. Why would they lie? And why wouldn't Angie tell me that they knew her?"

Flynn puts her left hand on the chest to help her stand up and points her right hand, which still holds the shirt, at Julie as she answers her best friend, "Maybe they didn't. Maybe Angelina thought they told you. Maybe your mom knew them. She could be a fan!"

Julie shakes her head and furrows her brows as she theorizes, "I mean, Sunset Curve was playing the Hollywood club scene around then."

"Oh my gosh," Flynn says, "What if you were right?" Julie looks at Flynn with a confused look on her face, causing Flynn to elaborate, "What if the guys are connected to your mom? You know, through music or something. I mean, we already know that Angie is connected to your mom. Your mom could see her too."

Julie skeptically asks her best friend, "Because she bought their T-shirt?"

Flynn smiles as she gestures to Julie as she tells her best friend, "Think about it. They were the ones who made you wanna play music again. Maybe she knew they could help you."

Julie throws out her arm, asking Flynn, "So, you mean to tell me that my mom is somewhere out there planning all this?" Flynn shakes her head as Julie continues, "If she wanted me to play music again, why wouldn't she just tell me herself?"

Flynn gets excited as she spits out more possibilities, "Maybe she can't. Maybe she has to do it another way." Julie looks at Flynn, confused about what her best friend means, causing Flynn to explain as she holds up the Sunset Curve T-shirt, "You know, through signs. You've been through these clothes how many times and haven't found this T-shirt? Why now?" Flynn points to the shirt, "This is another sign." Julie rolls her eyes at Flynn, who adds, "I'm just saying. It's not over, Julie!"

Julie curtly nods her head and retorts, "Really? Signs?"

Flynn looks at Julie incredulously before she responds, "You're in a ghost band. It's a crazy world." Julie purses her lips and looks down at her lap. "Look..." Julie looks back up at her best friend, who adds, "You're gonna lose them no matter what. And it sucks. But they helped bring you back to life." Julie looks away, not wanting Flynn to see the tears that are brimming her eyes, "Now it's your turn to help them. They have to cross over. Let them go." Julie looks back over at Flynn, nodding her head.

•••

Back in the studio, the four ghosts are bored as they try to pass the time and forget about their looming demise. Alex is laying on the couch, trying to balance one of his drumsticks on his face as his right hand is in the air, holding his other drumstick. Reggie is sitting in the rolling armchair, repeatedly plucking one of the strings of his bass with a bored expression on his face. Luke is laying on the ground, his back being propped up by the couch as he stares at Angelina, who is up in the loft. The blonde girl is hanging upside down on the railing, hovering over the ground down below. She is softly singing the words to Now or Never under her breath which causes Luke to smile at her.

Angelina

Livin' on a feelin' that's been runnin' through our veins

We're the revolution that's been singing in the rain

Julie silently walks into the studio only to stop in her tracks at the sight of the four ghosts. Reggie continues to pluck his bass, Luke clicks his tongue, Alex still tries to balance his drumstick on his face, and Angelina is still softly singing her favorite Sunset Curve song. Julie sighs before she shouts, "Snap out of it!" Reggie and Luke look over at Julie, but Alex and Angelina are both startled. The blonde drummer throws the drumstick that was in his right hand into the air and jumps off of the couch, landing on his butt. The drumstick clangs on the ground as Reggie, Julie and Luke glance over at Alex.

They all quickly look over to Angelina, who loses her balance on the railing. This causes the blonde to fall, letting out a yelp as she heads straight for the ground floor below. Before the ghost could hit the ground, she poofs away, leaving the others to stare at the space as they wait for her to reappear in front of them. Angelina appears kneeling on the couch by Luke and Alex. She looks to the same spot the others are looking at as she whispers loudly to them, "What are we looking at?"

They all whip their heads in her direction. Luke rolls his eyes and playfully shoves Angelina as the girl starts to laugh. Reggie looks around and sees the drumstick still rolling on the ground. He looks over to Julie, retorting, "Jeez, I think you broke Alex and Angelina."

Julie throws out her arms as she asks, "Do you guys want to cross over or what?" Luke pathetically helps Alex get back up on the couch. Alex fixes his hat as he sits down next to his twin. He looks over at Luke, who looks up at the boy from his position on the floor. The blonde drummer looks over at Julie as Angelina pats Luke's cheek in appreciation, which causes the brown haired boy to look up at her. Julie looks between all of them before she claps her hands and yells at them, "Get it together!"

Angelina starts to play with Luke's hair as the boy rolls his eyes and dejectedly tells Julie, "They're never gonna let us play the Orpheum." The boy closes his eyes, enjoying how the blonde girl is running her hands through his hair.

Alex throws up his hand, "We're nobody."

Reggie adjusts the bass in his lap as he speaks up, causing Julie, Alex, and Angelina to look at him, "We're less than nobody." Reggie looks over at the twins as he throws out his right hand and adds, "We have no bodies." Still with his eyes closed, Luke snaps his fingers before pointing at Reggie, agreeing with what the raven haired boy is saying.

Julie looks at Luke and tells them, "Someone once told me that you don't ask for permission." Luke opens his eyes to look at Julie as he lightly chuckles.

Angelina smiles down at the boy as she adds, "You book gigs by doing." Luke smiles as he looks down at his lap.

Reggie smirks as he replies, "That was me."

Julie looks over at Reggie and shakes her head, shooting the boy down, "No, it wasn't."

Luke also looks over at Reggie, shaking his head and tells the bassit, "No, it wasn't."

Reggie looks away from them, sadly retorting, "Yes, it was."

Angelina removes her hand from Luke's hair, causing the brown haired boy to pout as she puts her hand on Reggie's arm, reassuring him, "It's okay, sweetie." Reggie gives the blonde girl a grateful smile as the girl retracts her hand before putting it back into Luke's hair, continuing to play with it.

They all look back over at Julie, who continues to give her speech, "This isn't over. We were brought together for a reason: to help each other."

Alex gestures to Luke, quickly glancing at the boy before looking back over to Julie as he says, "Yeah, but like Luke said, alright," the blonde drummer throws out his arms, "People don't just play the Orpheum," Luke looks over at Alex, "Because they want to." Reggie holds out his arm, agreeing with Alex.

Julie shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders as she says, looking between each ghost, "People don't, but ghosts do." Alex and Reggie look over at each other before they look back over to Julie, who crosses her arms over her chest with a look of determination on her face.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey guys!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you guys think. The next chapter starts the last episode which sadly means that this book is almost at its end. Have a great rest of your week!!