The Music of the Night

10

Julie opened the studio door and said, "Thanks for coming. We just wanted to rehearse the song so it was perfect, which it's not, but whatever."

"No, if I'm gonna hear a song from your imaginary ghost band," Flynn did air quotes, "I want it to be perfect. So get back in there... All of you." She gestured to where Julie was. "You too."

Julie laughed. "They're not out here."

"Oh, I know." She entered and Julie closed the door.

"All right, guys, you ready?" Julie asked the ghosts.

"Yeah, of course we are," Luke replied.

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "We are going to rock this."

Reggie glanced at Julie. "Can you tell her to move? I need space to rock out."

Christine snickered. "You always did have a sense of your own importance. Julie, I'm still not performing in front of people."

Reggie bowed mockingly and shot her a look, which she returned.

Julie smiled. "Actually, can you go over there, please? Reggie needs space to rock out and he feels weirded out walking through you. Reggie, Christine, behave yourselves. It's okay, you don't have to perform, Christine."

Flynn laughed. "Boy, when you create a world, you really live in it."

Julie sat Flynn down in a chair. "If you'll notice, there's no equipment here that will produce a hologram. Feel free to look around."

Christine smiled. "Well, this will certainly be interesting. I hope you're ready, Flynn."

Julie went up to the piano, sighed, and said to Flynn, "The guys and Christine took a poem that I wrote about you and turned it into music."

Flynn crossed her arms. "Awe, I wish I didn't have to talk to your dad after this."

"It's called Flying Solo." She started playing on the beat pad.

The boys jumped in, causing Flynn to scream.

Julie and Luke sang into the same microphone and smiled at each other. Luke momentarily caught Christine's eye and serenaded her briefly.

The four sang and danced along. Visible to all but one, Christine danced along silently.

Luke flipped his guitar over his shoulder with a grin.

Flynn gasped as she stuck her hand through Reggie who said, "Weird, right?"

"They're ghosts!" Flynn cried.

"Oh, we prefer, uh, musician spirits," Alex told her.

Christine nodded nodded. "It sounds cooler and a lot less terrifying."

"Julie, does this mean you'll join our band?" Luke asked.

"Um, actually I think you're joining her band," Flynn corrected, causing Luke to shrug.

Julie grinned. "I'm gonna go with what she said." She turned to her friend. "Still wanna talk to my dad?"

"No, I'm good." The girls hugged.