Regret || Reggie Peters

//*Chapter Ten*\\

•Reggie POV•

"Is this old friend of yours a lifer?" Willie asks us.

"Yeah." I scoff, crossing my arms. "He's too much of a fancy pants for street dogs.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Willie shrugs apologetically. "Speaking to lifers is even out of my league."

We all look down, disappointed. "Sorry guys, really wish I could help." He says before skating away.

"Well, what do we do now?" Alex asks.

As if reading our minds, a tall man with a top hat appears right in front of us. "I think I can help with that."

Me, Luke and Alex all jump back from shock. "Who the hell are you?!" Alex screeches.

"My name is Caden, nice to meet you." He says sticking his hand out for us to shake.

We each shake his hand and for some reason when Luke and Alex shake his hand they hiss in pain. Weird. Must be static electricity. I go to shake his hand and feel the same sting.

Huh, what are the odds that we'd all get shocked?

"How would you boys like to see my club?" Caden asks and we all nod our heads excitedly.

"Lead the way." Luke tells him, and so we follow.

•••••

•Asher POV•

Julie won't stop pacing, backstage. "Where are they?!" She shouts in frustration.

"I don't know...but I'm sure they'll be here soon." I lie through my teeth. Part of me wanted to believe that I could trust Reggie and the guys, but they're not here which means they obviously decided to go make more trouble.

I just hope that what Willie said, doesn't happen, but I know it won't. Alex knows about Caleb. He'd never let anything happen.

"I can only stall for so long." Flynn's voice cuts in, interrupting my thoughts. "It's eleven O'clock. I think you should just play with Asher. You two make a great team."

"I know, okay?" Julie says. "I just wanna give it a few more minutes. They'll be here. They have to be."

Flynn sighs before retreating back to the DJ stand.

"I don't think there coming." I state bluntly.

"Issues?" a third voice asks, and Julie jumps slightly.

"Always." Julie sighs. "The machine won't work." She says, gesturing to the fake hologram machine she brought for show.

Nick grabs it in an attempt to fix it. "You don't have to" Julie says, trying to stop him, but he just gives her a funny look.

He grabs the cord to plug it in and follows it right up to where it sits in Julie's hand. He takes it from her. "Here's your problem." He plugs it in and turns it on to make sure it's working. "That is, unless you didn't want it plugged in?"

Nick extends his hand for Julie to take and lifts her to her feet. "Hey, don't let this crowd freak you out." Nick tries to comfort her, clearly not understanding why she doesn't want to go on. "What I saw last time you played was amazing. You got this." He says and Julie smiles at him gratefully.

"I knew you had it in you." He says before heading towards the DJ booth.

"Wait, what??" Julie asks.

"Hey everybody! We fixed the hologram thing!" He shouts, getting the crowd pumped up. "Who wants to see a show?!"

Everyone cheers.

"Now, give it up for Julie and the Phantoms! Woo!"

"That boy really likes you." I tell Julie.

She just shakes her head at me in denial. "I guess it's just you and me, Ash. Let's sing that song you wrote. I don't wanna sing the other song without the boys."

I nod my head in understanding. "Let's rock this."

"Play the track, Flynn." Julie tells her. Flynn nods.

"If I call you, then I'm crazy, if I call you
If I call you, you ain't gonna answer
If I was ever to just call you"

Julie sings the first verse beautifully and I poof on stage just in time to sing the second verse.

"See, my problem is I want you
To know who I am
When all that matters is that I know
Who the hell I am."

We both harmonize for the next part.

"I picture young Robert Frost,
Pen in hand, yelling at the postman
No letter has he received
Even a 'no' would be alright
Even a 'sorry but not today'
A sign of life would bring relief
Even a 'thank you, but no thank you'
'Good bye'
'Take care'
'I already got one'"

Julie sings the next line by herself for effect.

"I thought I heard you laugh once, no?"

I rejoin her for the next line, laughing at the irony of my lyrics.

"I guess it must have been a ghost
I don't see no one
Every time I get close
Can't keep you around"

I solo the next part, nailing the high notes.

"Thought I knew you,
But it must have been a ghost
'Cause I don't see no one
Shame on my eyes,
Thinking you were real."

Julie takes the lead on the next verse and I can't help but admire how she brings my song to life.

"Now today, all them horses
Run a bit faster,
So I know if you wanted
You could give me an answer
See, my problem is I want you
To know who I am
When all that matters is that I know
Who the hell I am."

During the next part, we switch between lines.

"I picture young Honest Abe,
Twiddling his thumbs for two weeks
No Letter has he received
Are you one of those people
That would rather disappear
Than show up and disagree?
Give us a 'thank you, but no thank you'
'Good bye'
'Take care'
'I already got one'"

Just like the last chorus, Julie sings the first line on her own and I sing the next.

"We cried together once, no?
I guess it must have been a ghost."

We sing the rest together in a perfect harmony.

"I don't see no one
Every time I get close
Can't keep you around
Thought I knew you,
But it must have been a ghost
'Cause I don't see no one
Shame on my eyes,
Thinking you were real
Shame on my eyes,
Thinking you were real"

The crowd goes silent, before applause erupts. I bow dramatically before I disappear off stage.

Then Carrie ruins it. "Where's the rest of your hologram band?" She snarks.

"They couldn't connect." Julie explains simply. Luckily everyone seems to believe it.

"Okay, that was great!" Carrie says in fake excitement. "Party at my place!!" Carrie shouts and everyone cheers louder.

It only takes about an hour later for the other three boys to show up. Julie and I glare at them angrily.

"Look, we are so, so sorry that we bailed on you." Luke pleads to Julie and I scoff. As if sorry could ever cut it.

"Save it." I stop their apology before it even began. "Come on Julie, let's go to Flynn's."

We both leave the boys standing alone, filled with regret.