Regret || Reggie Peters

//*Chapter Two*\\

I take my time walking over to the house of the only lifer who can see me. Her name is Julie and it took her a while to comprehend that I was a ghost but after a while we grew pretty close. She even lets me sing for her. She won't sing though. She hasn't since her mom died.

I've told her all about my past life and she's helped me through a lot of it. Her and Willie were all I had after I died.

Willie. I can't believe he'd do something like this. I'm now forever bonded to that ghost bitch Caleb. Julie isn't gonna take the news well.

I finally make it to the studio and I hear familiar voices.

"I'm Luke."

"Reggie."

"Alex."

"Okay...umm you sound familiar for some reason but I gotta go eat so we'll talk about this later." I hear Julie say.

Oh my god, it's them! That can't be possible.

I peek through the studio window, expecting to see the three grown faces of the boys I grew up with but today seems to be full of the unexpected because the three boys I'm staring at look the exact same as they did in 1994, if not a little bit older.

That can only mean one thing: they died.

They start heading towards the door so I hide behind a shrub and watch them ghost walk out the studio door and straight in to Julie's house. This can't be good.

I stay planted in my spot behind the bush, not wanting to risk running into any of them. It only takes a few minutes before they're walking back outside the house and back to the studio. I take that as my cue to go see if Julie is okay.

I poof inside the house, accidentally startling Julie. I give her an apologetic smile.

"When we're you gonna tell me you got kicked out of the music program?" Her dad asks.

My smile falls. Part of me knew Julie wouldn't be able to play today but I still held out hope. I thought that maybe if I tried to encourage her enough or if I sang and showed her what she was missing out on then maybe she'd finally be able to overcome this obstacle.

Julie and her dad continue talking about this so I decide it would be best if I left. I walk through the door and poof up to the loft of the studio.

I look down and roll my eyes when I see the boys setting up their instruments. Reggie looks at peace, like he hasn't had peace until this very moment. They all do. I don't blame them; music means everything to them and finding out you haven't played in twenty five years is harsh.

It's only then that realization hits me; they're setting up to play music. Music that they don't know people can hear. Or is that just with me? I'm not too sure if anyone will hear them but I rather not take that chance.

Unfortunately I had sat and thought about it for too long and now it's too late. Their music blares loudly through the whole neighbourhood. Well shit.

As I expected, Julie soon comes stomping in angrily, glaring at the three boys.

"Cut! It! Out!" She shouts and Reggie immediately stops whereas Luke and Alex casually finish off the song. Typical.

"The whole neighbourhood can hear you guys!" She shouts and their eyes widen.

"People can hear us play??" Luke asks incredulously.

"Wait, wait wait." My brother speaks up. "So only you can see us, but everyone can hear us??" He directs his question at Julie. "I mean what kind of ghosts are we??"

"Who cares man?!" Luke interjects. "People can hear us play!"

I quietly giggle at their excitement. Julie's the only one who notices and looks up at me, to which I vigorously shake my head, silently telling her not to say anything.

She looks confused but complies anyway.

Reggie let's out a cute chuckle of his own. "We may be dead, but our music isn't." He says as he and Alex fist bump.

Julie's dad suddenly walks into the studio.

"Dad!" Julie acknowledges nervously.

"Hey, just making sure you're okay." He says. I smile at how much he cares for Julie.

"Yeah I'm fine, just had to turn off the stereo." She replies, pointing to the stereo to make a point.

Ray finally takes in the scene before him. "Wait, is this the junk from the loft?" He asks Julie.

"Junk?!" Luke questions, annoyed. I let out a chuckle.

Ray goes over to Alex's drums and starts drumming with his fingers making Alex stare at him in shock and frustration. "Hey, some of this stuff's in pretty good shape. Maybe we could make a couple of bucks."

Alex snaps. "Stop touching my drum set! Tell him to stop touching my drum set!" He yells, directing that last part at Julie.

I laugh a bit louder than last time, catching Reggie's attention, causing him to look around the studio in confusion.

"I like that song you had on." Julie's dad tell her.

"Sweeet!" Luke drags out. "We're Sunset Curve."

"Tell your friends!" Reggie chimes in.

"It's just an old CD I found." Julie brushes off, making the three boys turn to her offended.

"Still...it's nice that you're listening to music again. Out here you can play whatever you want, whenever you want."

"Aww that's nice." Reggie smiles at Ray.

"Stay out of this." Julie seethes at them and I mentally face palm.

"I'm sorry honey, I didn't-" he cuts himself off, not knowing what else to say.

"N-no! Not you!" Julie panics. "Could you just give me a minute?" She asks him as she starts dragging him over to the door but he stops her.

"Hey, we're gonna figure out this music program thing." He says with a loving smile.

"Thanks dad." She smiles back, before pointing to the door.

He leaves and Luke smiles proudly. "He likes our song." He gushes.

"He doesn't count, he's a dad." Alex adds.

"Can you guys please leave?! Asher, can you please come down from there and back me up on this?!"

"Asher?"