Painted to Life || Julie and the Phantoms

CHAPTER 24: Boundaries

REGGIE THROWS HIMSELF on Julie's bed and waves his arms around like he is making an angel. Luke is picking up things on her shelf and examining them. Alex is looking around the room, but not touching all her stuff.

"What did I say about snooping?" I ask him, crossing my arms.

"Not to do it," Luke replies, picking up a box. He opens it and small slips of paper fall out.

"So explain to me why you are doing it," I tell him, crossing my arms and giving him a long look. "Because you've already looked in there once before. Do you really need to take a second glance?"

"Yup," Luke responds. "I mean, the first song I started writing sounds so good! We can't let this lyrics go to waste."

I snatch it away from him.

"Stop," I command.

"Stop," he mimics, grabbing it back. I stick my tongue out at him stomp on his toes. Luke drops the box and I catch it, putting it back in its rightful place. He nurses his foot. "What was that for?"

I silently raise my eyebrows at him. Before I can give him a snappy comeback, the door swings open.

"This...this has to stop," Julie says, circling her hand in the air. "Boundaries."

"Exactly!" I huff, crossing my arms and glaring at the boy nearest to me.

"Get off my bed, please!"

Reggie leaps off her bed, suddenly fearful of Julie. She slumps onto the bed, clearly having had a rough day.

"Say something nice to her," I prompt, nudging Luke.

"Uhhh you look pretty today!" Luke says enthusiastically, stepping towards Julie.

She shoots him a look. Apparently now is not the moment for flattery. Her pretty brown eyes settle on me and a flash of recognition passes through her.

"Do I know you?" Julie asks me. "You seem familiar and I saw you yesterday outside the studio."

I suck in a breath. I had no idea that she had been able to see me all these years. I try to stay calm, not wanting to arouse suspicion.

She did see how Reggie and I were sitting this morning. A small blush creeps across my cheeks.

"I've been to some of the shows at your high school," I tell her, which is true. I don't know if I want her to know I'm best friends with her mortal enemy's father.

"Oh," she says, "but who are you and why are you here?"

"This is Astrid, band manager and artist extraordinaire." Reggie tosses an arm around me as he introduces me. "She's a ghost like us from 1995. We grew up together."

"Oh!" Julie exclaims. "Why didn't you show up with the guys?"

"I never disappeared into a dark room like them," I explain nervously. "I've been in L.A. for the past twenty-five years."

"What kind of art do you do?" she asks.

"I designed their T-shirts and logo, I paint, draw, program lighting for shows, do illegal street art, you name it," I reply with a sly smirk. "You may have heard of me in the papers."

Julie gasps.

"You're the one who made graffiti on the Orpheum?" I nod. "Oh my God!"

"Let's just say I got a little rebellious after getting hit by a bus and having my spirit leave my body," I respond. Her eyes widen at my words. Julie definitely feels sympathetic. "Don't worry, it didn't hurt much. I was knocked unconscious almost directly after the impact."