Painted to Life || Julie and the Phantoms

CHAPTER 20: Trevor Wilson

BOBBY LOMAN IS a soft-hearted boy from the past, whose crushing grief pushed him to create a new persona. He laughed, fought, and played music with Luke, Reggie, and Alex for the entirety of his childhood and teenage years. When all of that came crashing down in a fatal food poisoning accident, the three boys who died weren't the only ones to suffer.

Eighteen marked a new age and era. This new person did not start off as an innocent child, no.

Someone was born and blossomed from the chaos, who was the only solution to turning Bobby's life around. Already aged beyond his years, Trevor's music and personality is defined by his avoidance of his pain. Every day, it comes to haunt him as my existence reminds him of everything - or everyone - that he lost.

This Trevor Wilson grew to be a famous celebrity, well-renowned for his first album and short-lived reality TV show. I advised him against the latter idea, but he rejected me. Thus, Bobby Loman was shoved so far beneath the surface, no living person has seen him since.

It's all Trevor, musician, songwriter, TV host, and internet personality.

The problem is that Trevor Wilson is not just Bobby's stage name. That's who he is behind the scenes. He created that side of himself to cope with the trauma. Even Dr. Crystal hasn't been able to argue her way through the deep bottled-up grief like his fermenting beer.

I'm the only person left in his left that still remembers Bobby, and he hates when I use his birth name.

I zap back to the Wilson's house where Trevor is still on the phone with his manager.

I want to awaken his teenage self, the boy that he keeps so protected underneath the layers of designer brand clothing. The other boys' return may be problematic for my mental health by rekindling old emotions and trauma, but I'm thankful for one reason.

They may be exactly what I need to bring my Bobby back.

"Tell Harry that if he wants to create a new rendition of my song, I get 60% of the profit and that's my final offer!" Trevor says with annoyance, slamming the phone into the receiver when he sees me. "I thought we agreed that you wouldn't interrupt me when I'm working. We can't give anybody a reason to think I'm crazy."

"Oh, you do that all by yourself," I reply sarcastically.

Trevor rolls his eyes. "What's so important that you had to tell me at 1 o'clock in the morning?"

"I think the more important question is why are you making business calls this late?" I ask him. "You should be sleeping."

"It's 6 a.m. in England," Trevor answers with a shrug, "and a true artist never sleeps. You know that."

"My situation is different."

He cuts his brown eyes over at me. "I know you didn't come to babysit. What is it?"

"They're back." I throw myself into the plush chair across from him and drum my fingers on his desk.

"Who are?" Trevor asks in confusion. "NSYNC? Chris promised me that I would be the first person he called if that ever happened."

I suppress an eye roll. Of course Trevor automatically thinks of a business deal. It's like his childhood best friends aren't even on his radar.

I shouldn't be surprised.

"Not those boys," I respond, cocking an eyebrow. "Alex, Reggie, and Luke."

Trevor's eyes widen in shock. "It can't be. You searched for them for months and..."

"...it's been twenty-five years, I know."

"How? Where are they? When did you see them?" Trevor questions.