Blue Melodies // Julie and the Phantoms (Reggie Peters)

09

Reggie, Luke and Eloise sat on the couch, watching Alex pace back and forth, deep in thought.

"I think he's practicing his model strut," Reggie guessed.

"He's so nervous, it's almost making me nervous," Luke said.

Eloise followed the blond boy with her head. "Okay, take a moment."

Alex looked between them. "Okay, you guys know I don't handle change well. All right? Death? That was a change. Okay? Then we became ghosts -- Another change. And now we can be seen whenever we play with Julie and Elijah. Big freaking change!"

"Yeah, but, bro, it was a cool change."

"Yeah, but still."

"With Julie and Elijah, we can play on stage again and be the band we never got to be," Reggie said.

"I mean, who wouldn't be? I just - you know, I wanna figure out."

"Forget why," Luke told him. "Man, I say we invite Julie and Elijah to join Sunset Curve. Ellie, do you want to join Sunset Curve?"

Reggie smiled. "You have a nice voice."

Eloise shook her head. "No, thanks. The offer is nice, but I-I-"

"It's okay, Ellie. Can I, uh, we call you that?"

"It's much preferred. I just need to apologize to Julie, but I have no idea how."

"You'll figure it out. I know you will. We, uh, can help if you'd like."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"Thanks, Reggie."

The two shared a smile and Luke and Alex watched the conversation between the two, seemingly sensing something.

Reggie grinned. "Yeah, they could be the new lead singers."

"I'm the lead singer!" Luke argued.

"Dude, that girl has the voice of an angel, Elijah can sing as well, and can make us visible. Without them, we're just like elevator music."

"You don't have to be so mean about it. And we're on the runway again." Luke pointed to Alex.

"I'm sorry, okay?! I gotta clear my head," Alex said as he walked to the garage and tried to open it in frustration.

"Dude, you're a ghost," Reggie told him. "Just poof out!"

"Don't tell me how to ghost!" Alex inhaled and poofed out.

---

Alex walked the streets of LA, trying to clear his head.

He saw two men walking towards him who looked like Ghostbusters.

"Oh God, I'm busted," Alex muttered. "Oh God! No!" He cowered into himself, but the men went through him.

Alex stood straighter. "Okay."

"Beep beep!" a boy called with a chuckle as he skated. "Comin' through! Hey! Oh! Nice hat! Cheese!" He chuckled and hit Alex, knocking them both to the ground.

Alex groaned and coughed. "Aah!"

"Ah," the boy said with a cough and cleared his throat. "Oh man! Oh, you dinged my board."

"I dinged your board? Dude, you ran me over. You're lucky I didn't... Y-Y-You... you... you ran me over. You're a ghost?"

"Mm. Yeah. Ever since I learned the hard way that..." he removed his helmet and threw his head back, causing his hair to fall down his back, "...skating in traffic was bad. Hey, sorry I, uh, smashed into you. I thought you were a lifer and I'd just pass right through."