we're more than chemistry

c h a p t e r 1 9 ~ happy birthday

"First I lose Jess and now I have no chance of getting her back."

"We're sorry." Reggie sang. "So sorry." Alex sang. "We're super-duper, crazy, stupid." Luke sang. "Sorry." They all sang.

"In case you missed it, we're really sorry." Reggie said looking at Julie, then he turned to look at me, "I'm really sorry." I shook my head and looked at the ground. I couldn't forgive him, not now.

"Yeah. I... I got that part." Julie said. "We've been here, for like, three hours." Alex told us. Reggie high-fived him, "Yep."

He sure looks fine to me. Does he even care? I thought.

"We almost sang to your little brother." Luke said. "He comes in here a lot. Mainly to use the bathroom." Reggie said and oh god how I missed the sound of his voice.

"Yeah. It's not our favorite part of the day." Alex told us. "But, Julie, Jess, it wasn't okay that we flaked on the dance last night. We know we let you two down." Luke told us. "Yeah, and none of us wanted to disappoint you. You're the best things that happened to us since we became ghosts." Alex said.

Reggie walked towards me and reached out for my hands but I quickly pulled them away, he sighed, "Jess your the best thing that's happened to me ever." He said. I rolled my eyes, "Reggie, we need to get along because I'm still staying in the band but don't play that card you're the one who ditched me." I said. Reggie frowned and walked away.

Luke looked between us and took a step towards Julie, "So, in hopes that you'll rejoin the band, we booked a new gig." "A mega important, life-changing gig." Reggie added. "Oh, okay. Check it out. Tons of managers go here to listen to new bands. All we gotta do is blow them all away, and we're living the dream." Luke told her.

Julie looked up at him, "So this means a lot to you, huh? Kinda how playing in front of our whole school meant a lot to me and Jess." Julie told him.

"Sounds like sarcasm." Reggie said and then gasped, "I'm starting to think our plan isn't working." I smiled but then quickly put it down. I don't know how long I'll last but I can't be with him right now.

"Look, we know we messed up." Alex said. "But we need you in the band." Luke finished. "Of course you do, because without me, no one can see you guys playing. You know, I thought the music we were writing was special, but you're too obsessed with your past to even care." Julie told him. "I do care. our band has a real chance of greatness. I'm not gonna let that get away from us again." Luke told her.

"Uh-huh. Right. So then why did you bail on me to get back at Trevor? I'll tell you why. Cause there's only one thing you care about and that's yourself." Julie said and stormed off. "She didn't mean it I swear." I said and then chased after her.

Julie wouldn't talk to me so we sat doing homework in silence. Then Alex and Reggie poofed in, "Hey, you, uh... you got a second?" Alex asked. I ignored him only because I didn't want to acknowledge Reggie.

"Oh my gosh! They can't see us anymore! First, I lose Jess and now I have no chance of getting her back." Reggie said and that made tears start to fill up my eyes.

Alex came over and sat by Julie and I looked at him, "oh. Yeah, right. Yep." He said. "Julie, please." Alex said. "I already told you I'm done with the band." She told him. "Yeah, we know, alright? But before you decide that forever, we just... we wanted you to know. Luke isn't as selfish as you think he is." Alex told her.

Reggie took a seat next to me and I turned to face looking into his eyes as he spoke and he grabbed my hand and I let him. "Yeah, you've got him all wrong." Reggie said.

Julie scoffed. "You remember that song, Emily? Can we at least show you who that's actually about?" Alex asked. Julie and I nodded and I quickly took my hand away from Reggie. We got in the car and Alex gave me directions and then we got to a house. We walked to the backyard.

"We better not go to jail." I whispered. "We won't just look." Alex said. We looked in and saw Luke on the counter crying with his parents walking around. "So Emily's his mom?" Julie asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, Luke comes here a lot." Alex told us. "He thinks we don't know, but... we've been following him. All he does is just hang out like this and watch them. They never really do anything though." Reggie told us.

His parents walked over to the table and set down a chocolate cake. "They're having cake. That's something." Julie said. "It's ... it's a birthday cake." Reggie said. "For Emily?" I asked. "No, for Luke." Reggie told me. I grabbed onto his hand. I don't care how mad I am at him he will always be able to calm me down.

We saw Luke and he was still on the counter crying. "I never knew Luke was hurting this much." Julie said. "Yeah. It's even worse because when he died, he.... left on bad terms. You know, his parents didn't want their 17-year-old in a rock band, so.... he just left. He never got the chance to make up with them." Alex told us.

Luke walked over to the table as his dad lit the candle. He blew it out and his parents looked around confused. "That's why luke was so angry. If Trevor had given Luke credit for writing all the songs, then.... his parents would've known his dream was worth chasing." Reggie told us. Julie sighed, "They would've been so proud." "So proud," I repeated with tears in my eyes.

They relit the candle and all grabbed hands. Then the three of them all blew out the candle together. Julie and I sniffled and Reggie squeezed my hand which made me feel better. But I still knew I couldn't forgive him. It's gonna take time.

"We know how bad it hurts whenever someone that should've had your back.... completely lets you down. We never meant to make you feel that way." Alex told us. "Julie, Jess, we love our band, and Luke does too. Please give us another chance." Reggie said.

Julie and I looked in the window and saw dahlias our mom's favorite flower. Julie nodded "Okay, the band's back." We all smiled and drove home. When I got home I decided to run upstairs and grab one of my bracelets and I put it in a gift bag for Luke.

Then I ran down to the studio and we started rehearsing.