imagination || julie and the phantoms

twenty-four

❉ ╧╧╧╧ ✿ ╧╧╧╧ ❉

"WELL, DON'T YOU LOOK NICE?"

Caleb grinned at the three teenage boys and their new attire as he walked down the steps from his office, a nail file in his hand.

Luke glanced around, recognizing them to be backstage at the Hollywood Ghost Club. A white electric guitar hung at his shoulder, with a new skull and flowered strap that stuck out from the navy and black suit clothing him from head to toe. As he pulled at the material itching his neck, sparks of silver woven into a swirled pattern flashed back at him.

"Sweet threads," Reggie commented before he could think twice, admiring the black butterflies stitched into his red ensemble that perfectly matched the bass in his hands.

Caleb looked at him through his dark eyebrows, continuing to file his nails without saying a word.

Alex gripped onto a pair of drumsticks, his brain running a mile a minute from how a lace shirt, complete with a pink jacket, a boutonnière, and corresponding black slacks, randomly appeared on his person. "How...how'd you know our sizes?" he stuttered out.

Luke huffed, still trying to fix his collar. "That's your question?"

Caleb sighed. "I know you boys aren't my biggest fans," he started, "and an eternity at my club might seem overwhelming, but...I just put you in sweet threads, so humor me this one last pitch."

"Not until you bring Charlotte back," Luke snapped.

Reggie agreed as Alex glared at the magician. "Where is she?"

"Oh, that's right," Caleb chuckled and waved his hand. "I almost forgot about her."

Suddenly, Charlotte appeared, still dressed in her silver gown. She would've stumbled to the floor had Reggie not caught her.

"Oh my god," he muttered, instantly pulling her into his embrace with his hand cradling the back of her head. "Char, you had me worried sick."

"Reg?" her voice cracked. He surely felt real, holding her tightly. But she remained frozen in disbelief, blinking back tears. "Is that really you?"

"Of course it's me," he assured, though he shot concerned glances to Alex and Luke once her body continued to tremble in his arms. "What're you...Charlotte?" He leaned back so he could look into her fearful eyes. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you? What happened?"

Charlotte only stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. She just couldn't believe her brother, or any of the boys, were still alive. After what she saw, she thought she'd never see them again. Not after Caleb...

"What did you do to her?" Luke growled at Caleb from seeing Charlotte so distraught, his hands tightening into fists at his sides.

"We merely had a conversation," Caleb shrugged and handed his nail file to one of his assistants. "But not let's not focus on the details, shall we? Let's instead think of this moment. Isn't it nice that you're all here together?"

Charlotte shifted so she now stood in between Reggie, who kept her as close as possible, and Luke, who took a slight step forward so he could stand in front of her.

"And believe me, everything you want," he pointed to Alex, who stiffened, "including Willie, is here." He stepped to Luke. "Because on this stage," Caleb emphasized, "you don't vanish when the music stops. You soak in the applause for as long as you want."

Luke glared at Caleb as he adjusted the bow tie he had been trying to take off and rested his hands on Luke's shoulders, "The connection that you will feel with that audience will be like no other."