Written in the Stars

Family

Song: Family- Chainsmokers ft Kygo

When lunch rolls around the next day, I waste no time telling Julie and Flynn what Carrie told me. "I think she's right. Everything that she said and felt happened to me too." Julie looks over my shoulder to where Nick sits alone. Carrie has given up on trying to talk to him. Good, I don't want her near him alone.

"I want to see this for myself," says Julie.

"What did you have in mind?"

"I'm going to invite Nick over to a band rehearsal. We've got a gig to prepare for anyways." She pushes back from the table, walking straight for where Nick is sitting. Not even two seconds later, Carrie is walking over to Flynn and I.

"What's going on," she asks.

"Julie is inviting Nick to a band rehearsal. She wants to see for herself if she thinks something is up." Carrie looks at me then looks over at Flynn. "You're not going to just write this off again?"

"Not this time. Sam said she talked to you and experienced all the same things." Carrie studies my face and I nod in reassurance. She walks away to go back and sit with her friends. Soon after, Julie comes back over to our table.

"He's coming over tonight."

After lunch ends, I stumble my way through dance class. I can tell that I'm not the only one who's distracted. Julie and Flynn keep messing up the steps almost as much as me. In my last class, I can't stop myself from shaking my leg and tapping my pencil. I'm not sure what to expect from tonight. Are Carrie and I just imaging things? No, definitely not. Nick is 100% acting weird. Julie will see that too. The real question is what will we do next?

My phone buzzes and I see I have a text from Carrie. I really hope this works. Me too Carrie, me too. I'm not really sure what it "working" will look like. I'm just ready to get this over with. Finally school ends, and we can both walk over to Julie's house. Neither one of us really knows what to say, so we walk in silence.

When we get there, Julie fills the guys in on the plan tonight. "Hey Willie said he'd pop in after band practice. Maybe he can help with Nick," says Alex. Luke rolls his eyes and says "How's he supposed to help if he's never even met Nick?"

Alex seems slightly hurt. "I don't know, I was just saying." Whatever else they were going to say is cutoff by Nick walking into the garage. "Nick! Thanks for coming," says Julie.

"The pleasure is all mine," he answers.

I'm struck again by the though that I'm speaking to an older man. I throw a side glance at Julie and see she looks confused. "Take a seat, we're just about to get started." He goes over and sits on the sofa, leaning back into the soft leather. I start to watch him out of the corner of my eye.

For the first part of the song, when it's just Julie performing, he appears almost bored. When it comes to the part where the guys come in, his entire body language changes. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He places his hands on his face and his expression changes too.

He went from bored to looking like someone trying to figure out a magicians trick. It's like he's seeing them perform for the first time. The song ends and the guys are no longer visible to him...or they shouldn't be.

"Man we rocked that!" Exclaims Reggie. He goes over to Luke to fist bump him. Nick's eyes follow Reggie's movements. That had to be a mistake...right?

Nick's concentration is broken by Julie asking him what he thought of the performance. "You must tell me how those holograms work!"

Julie hesitates before going into the explanation on their cover story. Luke drops his notebook and Nick's eyes flicker over to catch the movement. After a couple seconds of staring, he looks back at Julie. No it's definitely not a mistake, he can see them.

I go to my book bag and get my notebook out. I stare at Reggie and clear my throat to get his attention. When he looks over, I tap the notebook letting him know I need to talk to him.

Don't answer out loud, just nod or shake your head. Has Nick always been able to see you?

Reggie reads my message and looks shocked. He shakes his head no.

Well he can now.

Reggie looks over at Nick like he's about to go over to him. I shake my head at him telling him not too. Not now, not yet.

"I need to be heading back home," says Nick. Julie and I tell him bye and he walks out. I go out behind him to make sure he doesn't linger to eavesdrop.

"He can see them!" I burst out as soon as I come back in.

"I think you're right. Something is definitely up with Nick," says Julie.

"So what do we do?" Asks Alex. He looks over to Luke who just shrugs his shoulders. Just then, another ghost poofs into the room. "Hey guys what's up?!" The newcomer goes to fist bump Reggie and Luke before turning to me and Julie.

All thoughts of Nick disappear from my mind as I look at the ghost in front of me. I open my mouth to speak, but no words form. I've never met him, but I know him. The picture in my back pocket suddenly feels like it's made of lead.

"Hey Sam, are you okay?" Asks Reggie. Him speaking snaps me out of my daze a little and I can talk now.

"So you're Willie?" I finally manage to get out. He looks over at me and stares a little. "Last time I checked," he says with a shrug. I jump as Julie places a hand on my shoulder. "Seriously Sam, are you okay?" I ignore her too. My mind keeps saying ask him, ask him over and over again.

"Hey um....Willie. Would your last name happen to be Ortega?" His expression goes from confused to startled.

"Whoa how did you know that?"

Tears start to form in my eyes. Without thinking, I take the picture out of my pocket. I hold it in front of me, gripping it tightly. I take a deep, shaky breath.

"Because...my mom was Elizabeth Ortega."

Everyone else looks confused, but Willie's mouth falls open in shock. "Lizzy?" I hold out the picture to him and he looks down at it. He looks back up to me and I see tears in his eyes too. "So that makes you..." he trails off.

"Will someone please explain what's going on," asks Alex.

I smile over at him and say "Dude, you're dating my uncle." Everyone else reacts in shock as it finally sinks in. "Wait, so your mom," Luke says, pointing at me. "And your sister," he points to Willie. "Are the same person?"

Willie nods and says "Which makes us family." For a long pause, no one says anything. Willie and I continue to stare at each other while the others look back and forth between us. Finally Alex clears his throat. "So are we going to tell Willie about Nick or what?" Him speaking snaps us all out of the weird atmosphere we've been in.

Luke and Julie full Willie in on everything that's been going on. I try my best to pay attention, but it's hard. Willie is my uncle. I have a new family member that before, I'd only heard stories about. My uncle is a ghost.

After filling in Willie, Alex asks "Hey are you sure it's okay that you're gone this long? Caleb won't notice you're missing?" I'd known that Willie was a captive of the ghost club, but it hits harder now knowing that he's family.

"Nah he won't notice. I actually haven't seen him around the club since you guys played the Orpheum." None of us really know what to make of this new information. It strikes me as kinda weird.

I look down at my phone and notice how late it's gotten. "I've gotta go guys! I'll see you tomorrow Julie." I'm not sure what to say to the boys, and it's even weirder trying to figure out what to say to Willie. What do you say to some stranger who just happens to be the one person who you can ask about your mom? I give up trying to figure it out and walk awkwardly out of the studio.