Inseparable

chapter 20

*2 Days Later*

Julie's POV

Luke is still missing. It's been almost 3 full days since Luke disappeared. We can't put out missing posters or call the police so that we can keep the Phantoms secret, secret. Willie is still missing too.  

We have checked everywhere, The peir, his parent's house, my school, the museum, the Orpheum, even Carrie's place! That visit was kinda awkward.

Something strange about the guy's powers that we've learnt is that they can choose when to be visible. Alex was in the Orpheum, he got caught but thought about going invisible to lifers, and he did. They have tried it on me but it doesn't work. This ghost stuff gets weirder and weirder. 

My dad has asked about Luke's whereabouts, I lied and said he had just gone to see his parents and lost track of time so he slept there. He bought the story but when he tries to reschedule I just tell him that Luke actually got sick. The lying sucks but my Dad falls for them.

"Anything?" I ask Alex and Reggie as they poof back into the studio, they shake their heads no. Every day for hours they search for him. They have looked everywhere imaginable, even music stores. It's almost like he vanished. 

Lately, our "band rehearsals" have really just been brainstorming new places Luke could be. "I guess this means we have to cancel our gig this weekend" Reggie mopes. 

We were looking forward to this one, our first gig since the boys have become visible to our fans. We weren't gonna let them know but it was just a fun idea. 

Hi Fantoms! Im so sorry to announce our but gig at the cafe has been cancelled. Luke has fallen sick and won't be able to broadcast from Sweden, We will surely reschedule when our Guitarist is feeling better!  🎸🎸🎸🤒🤒🤒
-Julie🎤

I post on our band Instagram page. I just hope he 'feels better' fast enough. I just want my Luke home. It's weird, I hate this. 

I go to sleep, alone in my bed. I've been crying myself to sleep over the past few days. I guess I'm used to Luke being right next to me. 

*Next Day*

I head down to the studio after school to see if the guys are back, clearly they are as I hear a crashing noise. I run into the studio and see a chair kicked across the room. Reggie.

"I can deal with this" He shouts, this is a new side of Reg I've never seen. Alex is sitting on the couch, face in his hands. I guess with the stress of missing my boyfriend I forgot Alex is missing his. 

"Reggie is everything ok?" I say picking the chair up. He snaps "NO JULIE, EVERYTHING IS NOT OK. MY BESTFRIEND HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 4 DAYS AND WE CAN'T FIND HIM ANYWHERE. NOT TO MENTION THAT WILLIE IS ALSO MISSING WHICH PROBABLY MEANS THAT THEY ARE CONNECTED" He says pacing around. Ok now, this is a side of Reggie I have never seen. 

He stops in his track. "Im really sorry Julie," he says tightly hugging me. I hug him back "I forgive you, We are all stressed and we are all bound to snap if we don't find him," I say rubbing his back lightly. 

I turn to where Alex was sitting and he's gone, must have left through all of the yelling. I don't blame him, this isn't easy for any of us. Both of them have deep bags under their eyes, they don't sleep anymore. I've seen them. They stay up just in case Luke comes back in the night. 

Me and Reggie and sitting on the couch just making small talk for a few hours when Alex comes back. "Guy's I just had a thought," He says walking through the doors. Me and Reggie lookup. "What if Luke crossed over," He says with a quiver in his voice. 

My heart drops to my stomach. Crossed over?  Luke wouldn't have done that, could he? I mean they don't know what their unfinished business is so maybe it was an accident. "No, He couldn't have." I shake my head violently. "He would never do that to us," I say starting to cry. 

We decide to go down to the beach, Reggie told me that's the first place they played for others once they became ghosts. We walk around and don't see anything, It's starting to get really dark, "It's official, day 5 of Luke gone missing is here" Alex mutters. 

We all head back home. I go to bed early. Sleeping is the only thing that passes time fast enough. One downside is I often dream of Luke, I just want him back desperately. 

Luke's POV

I've started treating this place like a prison. Using the rock I found in my pocket I scratch a line in for every 24 hours I've been here. Well I mean this is an actual prison.

4 scratches, tomorrow it will be 5, then 6 and I will probably keep scratching lines in till this rock dulls down. It's hopeless. 

Willie and I try to talk but our spirits are low. The only things that keep me going are Julie and the Band. I miss them. I realize that WHEN I get out of here I'm telling Julie that I love her. 

I've just been thinking about when I died, I wasn't on a good page with my family. Life is too short to wait. I seriously love that girl, If it weren't for her I probably would have caved and joined Caleb's house band. 

*FEW HOURS LATER*

I stare at the clock, 5-4-3-2-and-1. I scratch the rock against the wall finishing off the first tally mark. 5 days. This has felt like an eternity. 

Willie lays on the ground staring at the ceiling "Hey man what did you have in your pockets when you got here?" He asks me. Caleb is out in Nicks's body so it's just the two of us. 

"Uh, A coin, this pen and my rock. They are my survival items" I laugh "Can I borrow the coin?" Willie asks me "I want to send it to Alex, let him know that I'm Ok," He says. I think for a second then my eyes widen with an idea. 

"You can send things to Alex? How? We cant poof out" I ask Willie. "We are to big but items make it out" He smiles, "I've already sent him the tag I had in my pocket, that's really all I had" He chuckles. 

I look at Willie with a smirk "I think I just got our escape plan" I say biting my lip