Chapter Twenty- Four : Stephanie Wilson, A Girl Broken
October 2020

    Her eyes stung and her face was still wet with tears. This whole home made her cry, cry for who she lost to these walls. Her brother died within these walls. Stephanie snaked around the whole building know as Trevor Wilson's mansion. Each wall just slightly darker than the last, traveling from white to grey to dark grey, and in one room, just black.

    The only change from that small color palette was Carrie's bedroom. With it's pink wall, and posters covering almost every inch. Tickets of the different Dirty Candy shows would stand out every here and there.

    There wasn't a single instrument in the room, but it still remind Stephanie of hers when she was alive. Stephanie's was much darker of course, her house was almost reverse of this place. The pretty colors were in the walls around her, and her room was a dark grey, covered wall to wall in old band posters. Mostly Led-Zeppelin and Soul Asylum.

    Stephanie ran her hand over a picture of an orange background dancer in Carrie's band. She thought of her own life, looking at the lifeless photos. Stephanie wanted to fall back onto the bed, waiting for someone to come.

    But everyone who could see here wouldn't dare walk into this building. James and Julie had turned away from the ghost who lived in their home, unsure how to speak to them anymore. Even just looking at the four stung.

    As for the band they still hated Bobby for what he did. They wouldn't walk back here unless they could look him in the eyes. Make him admit what he told the world was a lie. What they put blood and sweat into, and took it as his own.

   But Stephanie no longer cared.

    She tore her afterlife apart in the same ways she thought she tore her life apart. And yet this time it was all in her head. And the first time, she had no control of it.

~

    He didn't know what he was doing. Sitting on the curb between his house and the house Carrie used to live in. The silver pole of a road sign was right next to him, sending small chills up and down his arm every time he bumped into it.

    The letter was resting in Jay's lap as he read his name over and over. The black pen was smeared at points and the last part of his name was curved upwards so it wasn't in a straight line.

    His left shoe was untied, the lace falling into the great next to his foot as he waited. Waited for a ghost. Part of him was hoping it would be Stephanie but if anyone came he knew it would be Cheryl. Her first name was so faron to her, but somewhere so was her last.

    Wilson no longer seemed to fit the ghosted blond he met in Carrie's hallway. For the past week he had been looking for her under the name of Cheryl Stone. A name long forgotten when she died. Jay didn't even know if Carrie remembered her mother. Just another tragedy of Carrie Wilson.

    Jay looked around, hoping Cheryl was somewhere in sight, but she wasn't. Slowly he turned the letter over to the seal on the back. With everything that happened on Saturday, words on a page no longer scared him.

    He tore the seal.

        August 30th, 2019

Dear James,

    How you hate that name. You remind me of someone. I didn't know them well, met in passing, but Cheryl knew him well. Just a small ball of laughter trying to stay smiling in a darkening word. How he was taken from us too soon.

    Jay's eyes welled with tears, reading over his mother's words. The sun made it hard to read the black pen but he didn't mind. What was hard was trying to remember the boy she was talking about. The little friendly child who lived around the block and people would walk up to just because they heard he was nice. He wasn't that boy anymore. Maybe this time the world won.

    I still have a shirt he gave me once. I added a few gems around the band logo.

But James, Don't allow yourself to be taken. I know how you and your sister word.

    She will fall away from everything she loves. Hardly remembering how to play middle c, but you will fall into it. Allow it to consume you instead of facing the word.

    And sure your grades may raise and your intellect, but why does that matter if you don't care about anything else.

    That's really what I'm asking you to do. Don't let yourself fall into those habits. You have to keep living your life baby.

    A tear rolled onto the paper, burning some of the pen marks that spelled his name.

    I need you to hold onto what makes you, you. That smile you wear walking down the stairs. The eyerolls you send your sister whenever she speaks with food in her mouth.

    Keep being you, James.

    Love,
Mom

    The whole letter only took up two thirds of the page. But the woods cut deep. Because he hadn't done what she asked. Not even a little.

~

    Jay rushed into his photography class, a pink tardy slip clear in his hand. "Mr Molina, always a pleasure to have you in class. Can I ask why you're late?"

    Jay gave an awkward laugh, "Sorry, Mrs. Kluck, my brother had a detest appointment, my dad needed me to drive him." It wasn't a lie, but he was late because he had to wake Julie up after she slept through her first three classes.

    "It's alright. Take your seat. Now, as I was saying, this Friday is the lacrosse team's performance, meaning your photos are due at the end of class today. Which by the way is in three minutes."

    Connor leaned over to his best friend, "How you' feeling? Do you hate me?"
    "Don't talk about it, and no."
    "So don't talk about friday, and you don't hate me."
    "Yes. That answer."

    "Yes." Connor gave himself a mental win for still having his best friend. The bell rang. "Fastest three minest of my life." Jay gave half a laugh pulling out the binder full of photos. Photos of mostly Luke, Reggie, Alex, and above all, Stephanie. "You sure you want to hand those in?"

    Jay sighed, "They're the best photos I've ever taken, band or no band, I'm handing them in." Slowly Jay walked forward, handing the open binder to his teacher.

    "Excellent as always, but can I ask who's in them?" His teacher's question caught him off guard.

    "Oh, umm, just a band. I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard, they said they would let me take a few pictures." His voice trailed out by the end.

    "And this lighting? How did you manage that?"
    'I took pictures of ghosts.' "Oh, a mix of sunlight, and artificial lighting." His teacher turned the pages of the biner. Image after image was of Sunset Curve. Luke holds a riff as Reggie stands next to him, his bass in hand. Alex crashing a symbolo, Stephanie leaning over him playing her most prised possession. All four glowing in a way no human does. A light no human has. Something long gone now that they chose themselves. "It wasn't too hard."

    "Do you know their names?"

    "I do." Connor came up next to his best friend, "I was holding all that lighting. Said they could use the photos as an album cover. The girl's name is Stephanie, the one without sleeves is named Luke, the one wrapped in leather, that's Reggie. And the last one, playing the drums, that's Alex. They seem pretty close."

    "Well, I hope their music is as good as these photos."

    "It is." Jay wouldn't lie. He loved hearing them play. But once more, he placed a wall between that enjoyment the other night. A night better left forgotten. "Have a nice day Mrs Kluck." Jay pushed through the door. A door full of students jealous of his talents in the way Carrie chews Julie out for being better then she ever could be.

~

    "Oh great angle." Reggie spoke to a girl who couldn't see him as she snapped a photo of her meal from the cafe. Alex leaned forward in his seat watching his friend mock the human next to them. Of course he was always interested in what Reggie was doing, the guy was borderline crazy, but his mind was focused on Stephanie. No one had seen her since friday. "Now that's a good pic."

    Alex sighed, rolling up the bottom of his jacket, "Is this what we're here for? To watch people take pictures of food? I mean shouldn't we be trying to find Steph?"

    "It's fun. Watch this." Reggie started to move the dish around, "People never stop looking at their phones" The girl finally looked up when the dish was out of reach. Alex did get a laugh at the girl looking around weirdly before standing up. "Besides Luke said something about this place being a hot spot for music industry people. He hopes it will draw Steph out of her hole."

    Across the room, Luke scribbled the name of Julie and the Phantoms onto the night's line up. Only thing left to do was get the guitars and singer on board. No one seemed to notice the floating pen as he placed it down and turned to reggie. "Boys, being a ghost definitely has its privileges." He fell down into the seat beside his bandmates. The empty chair in front of him made him worry about Stephanie. "I just wrote our name on the playlist for tonight."

    Alex leaned forward, talking mostly to Reggie, "I'm getting worried about him. He keeps forgetting," He raised his voice turning to Luke, "Julie quit the band! AND! We still don't know where Steph is!"

    Luke leaned forward to meet his friend, "And they're gonna come back as soon as we have a great gig."

    "But if they don't come back, let's not forget, we do have somewhere else we can play. And eat pizza." Reggie pointed out, tilting his head to the side.

    Luke shook his head, "No. We're not a band without Stephanie. And she hated Caleb's party." As soon as he finished all three jumped back in pain. A jolt of pulp showing over them as the chairs slid back.

    The purple seemed to hiss away as Alex rubbed over the spot he got hurt, "Oh! It's that same thing again!"
    "Just like yesterday!"
    Reggie pressed his hand to the pain, "Feels like that time I was fixing my amp in the rain."

    "You shouldn't.....Okay." Alex didn't try to corect him, "Look, do you think something's wrong with us?" A thought passed over him, "Or worse. Stephanie! What if this is why no one's seen her?"

    "I'm sure we're fine. And she is." Luke sounded like he was trying to reassure himself, not Alex, "I mean we ate ten pounds of pizza yesterday. Without a stomach. I'm sure it's just our bodies working through it."

    Reggie slowly dropped his hand, "So what, we just giving up on  getting back at Tervor? That jerk stole our music."

    "And he has to live with that guilt. It's just like what Julie said. We have a new band, a new sound. Okay? That's what we should be focusing on."

    However Alex was focused on the window, "Isn't that Willie?" The two other ghost followed his gaze, as soon as he was seen the boy skated away. Alex started to chase after him.

    "Well someone's not focusing on our music." Luke laughs slightly at what Reggie said, turning away from the glass.

~

    Stephanie jolted back with a purple light starting to flow through her body. It stung, just like the night before. But at least this time she wasn't crying.

    She had moved from Carrie's room to the hallway just outside of it, the walls lined with photos. The jolt made her fall back, hitting a photo on the wall. She turned as the side of the fram dug into her shoulder.

    The first thing she saw was white. The white of a wedding dress. She knew that face too. That beautiful blond hair, and vibrant blue eyes, even visible in a photo taken in 2001. "Cherry?" She didn't mean for the old nick name to come out as she looked at her best friend kissing her brother, the wedding dress flowing towards the photographer as the sunset behind them.

    "Ray Molina took that picture." Stephanie jumped at the voice. More mature than she knew it, less carefree at least. But she still could place it anywhere.

    Stephanie spun on her heels, her hair fitting the photo from the sudan moment, "Cheryl?" Her voice shook, looking over her friend. Her hair was longer than Stephanie remembered, and her eyes brighter, but that might have been the lighting in the hall. "Are you...?"

    Cheryl sighed, "Yes Steph. I'm dead. But save the tears. You've clearly been crying a lot today." Stephanie rubbed at the tear stains running her checks. Cheryl took a few steps to her friend, "I think we have a lot of time to catch up on."

~

    Julie sighed as she matched out back to the studio. Jay just followed on her heels, not sure what she was doing. When he got to the entrance he stepped out from behind his sister, met with open door and the ghost boys.

    Reggie came out from behind Luke, "Were sorry." He sang, Alex now coming out from behind his friend, "So sorry." Luke joined in the small song, "We're super-duper, crazy, stupid" Luke dropped to his knees, the othe rboys giving jazz hands over his head, "Sorry."

    Reggie huffed out a breath, "In case you missed it we're really sorry."

    Julie scoffed, Jay honestly tried to hide a laugh. His new goal was to become the boy he once was, that meant forgiving people for things they never meant to do.

That meant forgiving the ghost band that lived in his gargar. Julie however, wasn't on board with that plan, "Yeah. I- I got that part."

    Alex dropped his hands, "We've been here for like, three hours."

    Luke stood up, "We sang to your little brother."

    Reggie nodded along, "He comes in here a lot. Mainly to use the bathroom."

    "It's not our favorite part of the day."

    Luke shook his friend comnets off, a pain running through him that Stephanie was still nowhere to be found, "But, Julie, it wasn't okay that we flaked on the dance Friday. We know we let you down."

    "Yeah- and none of us wanted to disappoint you." Part of Alex was thinking if they had just followed Stephanie's social cues, they would have made it on time. "You're the best thing that's happened to us since we became ghosts." The blond turned to Jay, "Both of you are."

    "So..." Luke took a step forward, "In hopes that you'll rejoin the band," He handed Julie the paper, "We booked a new gig."

    "A mega important, life changing gig." Jay nearly scoffed at that one. How much 'life changing' can you do as ghosts.

    He read the page over his sister's shoulder, Luke starting to point different words out. "Oh, Okay. Check it out. Tons of managers go here to listen to new bands. All we gotta do is blow them all away, and we're living the dream."

    "So this means a lot to you, huh?" Jay gave his sister a look, not sure where she was going with this. Luke seemed to be on the same wavelength just staring at the girl, "Kind of how playing in front of my whole entire school meant a lot to me."

    "Sounds like sarcasm." Jay actually face-palmed at Reggie's words. The bass player let out a gasp, "I'm starting to think our plan isn't working."

    Alex shook his friend off, "Look we know we messed up. But we need you in the band."

    "Of course you do." Julie rocked forward on her toes, "Because without me no one can see you guys playing." She looked up to the ceiling, "You know, I thought that the music that we wrote was special, but you're too obsessed with your past to even care." She seemed to aim the words at Luke. Jay kept his mouth sewn shut. Not sure what to say. He could warn her of her tone, but she had every right to be pissed off.

    "I do care." Luke spit back, taking half a step to Julie, "Our band has a real chance at greatness. I'm not gonna let that get away from us again."

    "Uh-huh. Right." Julie clicked her tongue, Jay starting to rock back and forth, becoming very umcortorble, "So then why did you bail on me to get back at Trevor?" Luke didn't say anything, "I'll tell you why. 'Cause there's only one thing you care about, and that's yourself." Julie looked around the room, "And apparently Stephanie doesn't even care enough to show up to this fake apology."

    Luke's face went from hurt to bitter, "Okay, hold up! Say what the hell you want about me, but leave Steph out of this! She was on your side! She left because we did something stupid, and dragged her into it! And if we're so focused on the past, then Stephanie would be reliving endless rounds of pain. So yeah, say what the hell you want, Julie. But this has nothing! Nothing! To do with her." Julie just scoffed turning around and darting off. With a pained sigh Luke poofed away, a trail of yellow-ish light following.

    "Where is he going?" Reggie asked with a nod.

    "Where do you think?" Alex shot back. "Remember what today is?"

    "Actually I'd like to know." Jay subconsciously raised a hand, "And you know, maybe after you could explain the endless cycle of pain. Just- Just a thought. Or even just tell me what the date is?" Alex looked at the boy, thankful he didn't leave with his sister.

    "We will, but first we need your sister. Just to hear us out."
    "Deal."

~

    Jay walked back into the living room as Julie pushed her glasses up her nose. Most of the time she just wore contacts, but days like this crappy one, she didn't think it was worth it.

    Alex and Reggie poofed in seconds later. "You got a second?"

    She just shifted on the couch, Reggie turning to his bandmate, "Oh my gosh. She can't see us anymore!"
    Jay sighed, shaking his head, "Jules, thear them out. Just for me?"

    "Why does it matter so much to you?"

    He took a seat next to his sister on the couch, grabbing her hand, "Because, I finally opened that letter. And let's just say the words stuck. So even if half-heartedly, do it for me?"

    Julie sighed, squeezing her brother's hand before turning to the ghost, "Speak."

    "We just- We wanted you to know Luke isn't as selfish as you think."

    Reggie nodded to agree, "Yeah. You've got him all wrong."

    Julie scoffed, letting go of Jay's hand, Alex sighed, "You remember that song 'Unsaid Emily'? Can we at least show you who that's actually about?"

~

    "So you have a kid."

    Cheryl laughed a bit at Stephanie's remark, "Clearly. Yeah she's not quite the angle every mother likes to think their child is. You wanna know her middle name?" Stephanie just nodded her head, "Stephnaie. Her full name is Clarissa Stephanie Wilson."

    "Like your mother." Stephanie remembered the kind face of Mrs Stone from her many nights at Cheryl's house. And the time living in her backyard.

    Cheryl nodded, "Like you."

    Stephanie let out a breath, looking around the 'den' of the house from the kitchen behind it, "And all of this?" She guestered around the room.

    Cheryle sighed, leaning over the contour that Stephanie was sitting on, "After my time. When I was alive we lived around the block from the Molinas. Carrie and their kids were close at one point."

    "Yeah. That they told me."

    Cheryl laughed a bit at her friend, still the same pained 17 year old. "And yet 25 years and you still find the need to sit on the counter."

    Stephanie laughed as well, "I like to feel tall. Besides, I'm still 17." The both laughed at that, "Okay, I gotta ask. Why didn't you come look for us?"

    Cheryl sighed, "At first I did. But I never found you. So I gave up. Came back here. It's nice in a way. I get to watch my little girl grow up. Start a band, rule like a queen bee." Stephanie giggled, "Not all of it's bad."

    "Okay, that doesn't sound as bad as finding out your twin stole your life's work."

    Cherly turned to her friend, "Stephanie know I never agreed to that. I know how much that music means to you. He published it after I was dead. And I ever approved of it."

    Stephanie took her best friend's hand, "I believe you. Of course I believe you. Cherry, time and space can't break us."

    Cheryl smiled at the old nick name, "Well duh Strawberry. We're unbreakable." They both laughed at that, even when Cheryl grew older, having Stephanie brought out her inner child.

    "Okay. I gotta ask. How did you die?"

    Cheryl jumped up onto the count next to her best friend, "Car crash. 2008. The twin's mom's car broke down, she texted me asking if I could give her a jump start. Of course I said yes, she was my saving grace when you died. But on the way I got hit by a drunk driver. Died on impact."

    "Cherry..." Stephanie's happy laugh was gone, replaced with sorrow.

    "No. No. It's okay. Better than death by hot dog." She teased.

    Stephanie shoved her best friend, before grabbing her legs and rocker back, "I will have you know Mozart died by hot dog."

"And Sunset Curve is a rock band. Not classical composers." They both turned as the door opened. Carrie walking in. Her pink wig still on her head, and a plastic Dirty Candy jacket to match. "Also not a classical composer."

"Ahh, the pop star. You must be proud."

"Somehow, I still am. Even with how she tearst everyone around her, of course I'm not proud of that. Maybe if I was around longer.... But she's still my kid. And looked where she ended up."

"We never got that far."

"Please don't curse my daughter to die."

Stephanie giggled again, "Cross my heart. Try to remember she is still my niece."

Cheryl bumped her shoulder into Stephanie, "Carrie would have loved you."

Stephanei sighed, "Sometimes I'm not even sure if she knew I was ever alive."

~

    Julie and Jay poked their hands out from behind a potted tree. Watching Luke from inside his old house as Alex and Reggie hide behind two chairs. There was a woman inside, placing two cups of coffee onto the table, and a man walking to her with a book in his hand.

    But Jay's eyes keep coming back to a crying Luke sitting on the counter, just watching. Julie looked to Alex before looking back inside, "So, Emily's his mom?"

    "Yeah." Alex sighed, "That's why Stephanie shut me up. It's kinda a hard thing for him to talk about. But uhh, Luke comes here a lot. After the first time where Steph went with him."

    "He thinks we don't know.... But...." Reggie trailed off, watching his friend. Thinking of all the times he sat at that table just to get away from his parents screaming at each other. "We've been following him. All he does is just hang out like this and watch them. They never really do anything though."

    "They're having cake...." Jay pointed out, not sure what it could really mean. He thought of all the nights he couldn't sleep because the ghost of Stephanie would babble on and he had this feeling like he needed to listen, one of those nights involving the time she talked about Luke's birthday. "Oh."

    "Oh?" Julie questioned her brother, "Why oh?"

    "It's-" Reggie tripped over his words, "It's a birthday cake. For Luke."

    Julie shook her head ashamed of herself, "I never knew Luke was hurting this much."

    "Yeah. It's even worse because when he died, he.. left on bad terms. You know, his parents didn' want their 17-year-old in a rock band so... he just left." Jay watched with shaking hands as Luke climbed down from the counter and over to his parents. "He never got the chance to make it up with them."

    Luke's father lit a single candle on the cake. Slowly Luke bent over and blew it out.

    Reggie sighed, "That's why Luke was so angry. If Trevor had given Luke credit for writing the songs then...." Reggie sniffled, "His parents would've known his dream was worth chasing."

    Jay let a single tear fall out, remembering the words his mother left him. How he didn't do anything she asked, and how he was the lucky one left standing. "They would have been so proud."

    Julie let her own tear fall, "And that small rant about Stephanie? Why did that strike him so hard?"

    Alex sighed, not wanting to think of all the things he knew about Stephanie. Things she didn't want him to know. But he still did, "It struck all of us. Stephanie had to live through some deep shit. And just to die at 17." They all watched for a few moments longer, Julie whipping away at her tears. But Jay let his run. Tears for a friend. Yeah, a real friend. Alex eventually stood, "We know how bad it hurts whenever someone that should've had your back.... Completely lets you down. We never meant to make you feel that way. Either of you."

    Reggie let his own tears fall, "Julie, we love our band. And Jay, we would be lost without you. And Luke would too. And Steph. They've just gotten good at hiding their emotions behind perfects smiles."

    "Perfect posture."

    Reggie nodded at what Alex added, "Perfectly pained. So please. Just give us another chance."

    Jay sighed, "You didn't need to ask me for another chance. I've gotten too used to having you round. Hell, as much as of a dick I was at first, I love having you guys around."

~

    Alex didn't know where to start. Stephanie's life was awful. And until the other day it seemed like her after life was better. He sighed, running a hand down his face. "Reg- You got anywhere to start?"

    Reggie leaned against the piano in the studio, "Most of her life her father was verbally abusive to her mother, brother, and most of all her. Her dad never wanted a daughter. Especially one unplanned like a twin."

    Alex nodded, picking up as the twins listened from the couch, "Her dad died in a car crash. Of his own doing. Stephanie's mom went off the rails after that. Drinking the day away."

    "Yeah." Reggie huffed out a breath, remembering the strong smell of alcohol that followed Bobby and Stephanie until Stephanie left. "It got so bad Stephanie and Bobby didn't let anyone come to their house."

    Alex sighed, falling back into the chair, "It got worse from there. Steph kinda stopped caring about how she looked. Then all of a sudden she was the most done up kid in school.....

    Stephanie walked into the school, everyone stopping to look at the opened door, the light grabbing their attention. Stephanie keeping it. Her hair was tied back in a perfect bun, two pieces hanging in front of her face. A white sweater that was clearly Cheryl's based on the way it hung off her shoulder, and a pair of dark blue jeans for contrast.

    Luke started to tune out what the rest of the band was saying just watching her walk over. Reggie waved his hand in front of Luke's face, "Yo! Luke watch'cha lookin...." He turned when Luke pointed, eyes wide, "Hellooooo Stephnaie Wilson." Jokingly Reggie leaned his elbow in the locker next to him, leaning his head into his hand.

    Bobby groaned, hitting his friend so hard in the back of his head he fell forward. "What are you wearing?"

    "I'm trying something." Stephanie rolled her eyes at her brother, starting to unlock her locker which Reggie was just leaning on.

    Alex rolled his eyes, "Go back to flannels. Too many people are looking at you." Luke still hadn't said anything, Alex gave him a snake eye, "Including this one."

    Luke stumbled into Stephanie after Alex shoved him, "Uhhh. I-Okay maybe. But you look good."
    Stephanie tucked the piece of hair behind her ear, "Well thanks. But these keep getting in my eye."

    "So why did it matter?" Julie found herself asking from the small story.

    Reggie gulped, "She never looked like that. I mean I have to admit, me and Luke were straight up staring. Plus half of our graduating class. She wasn't Stephanie. I mean she eventually took Alex's advice, and hasn't taken a flannel off since, but that came at it's own price."

    "Alex!" Reggie threw open the doors of the studio yelling his best friend's name. "Is she here?" He panted out, Luke next to him.

    Alex put his finger to his lips, pointing to Cheryl and Bobby passed out on the floor, Stephanie passed out on the couch above them. "Quite dicks. They're sleeping."

    Luke let out a heavy sigh, "Why? Why wouldn't she tell us?"

    Reggie scoffed at his friend, "Is that even a question? Her mom. Drinking, do I need to explain that more. She probably had to lie to even get here." He looked over to his two friends at Stephanie's feet, "And they probably tracked her down for hours. And no one had the heart to tell us."

    "Reg, she didn't want anyone to know." Alex pointed out, keeping a soft drumming so everyone would stay asleep.

    Luke scoffed, "Yeah, she never does."

    Jay shook his head, not really understanding, "So she just ran away."

    Alex nodded, "Steph, didn't know what else to do. She's lived in this studio for the last year of her life. And her after life..." Alex shook the thought off. "Life gets worse."

    "Guys!" Stephanie screamed over the boys and Cheryl's yelling as Alex and Luke psychically held Bobby back from running out and beating Pual to a pulp. "I'm fine." She huffed. "Perfectly fine." It made the rest of them fall silent.

    Luke broke that silence, "FINE! You're kidding right. Stephanie, you'll aloud to feel something! You do know what just happened to you, right? I get you could be shocked, but... I don't even know!" Slowly Luke walked closer to his friend, taking her hands in his, "Steph, I want you to feel safe."

    Bobby pulled his sister into a hug, "We all do, Steph. I love you, I need you to talk to me.-"

    Julie sat frozen, "What?" That was all she could get out. She didn't even know what to say. Her voice was meek, and she could hardly hear it.

    Alex turned away from the twins, a few tears rolling down his face, "Yeah. Kinda what we said. Worst part is, the guy didn't serve hard time."

    Reggie wiped his tears away, "He only served any time because me and Luke walked in. Called 911 as soon as we saw sunlight." A few more tears fell down his face as he bit back a sob, "And she acted like she was fine."

    Alex choughed over a sob, "Just another Lie of Stephanie Wilson. A girl made of a web of lies, the only holding her together."

    "Steph?" Alex groaned as he started to wake up. Feeling around in the dark and finding the light switch behind him. Noticing the lack of weight on his feet from where Stephanie was sleeping. He looked down after the dark dots faded from eye sight. "Stephanie?" He jumped up when he saw no sign of the girl, "Stephanie!"

    A small sight of red gets caught in his vision as he walked over to the small sink in the bathroom. A strong scent of copper in the room. And a red coated razor on the side of the sink. Red with blood. "Stephanie?"

    He slowly walked back into the main room of the studio. Closely looking at the ground, noticing the small dots of blood. He slowly dragged his foot over the blood spot, smearing it as he did so. "Steph?" Sh studdred over the name.

    Alex's breath sped up, running over to his friend. "Reg- get up!" She shook his friend pretty hard, "Reggie, get up!"

    "What? What?" He groaned, rolling away from his friend's touch.

    "Stephanie is gone!"

    Alex looked over the still stained floor, peeling up the edge of the carpet. The blood, still clear on the floor. Julie and Jay leaning over his shoulders. "You see the decoration in the cement?" They both nodded, noticing the small lighter grey area, "That's from bleach!" Alex spit out, "It's like it still haunts me."

    Reggie leaned his head against his arm, "We looked for hours, everyone else was still asleep. But we couldn't find her anywhere. So we came back to try and clean the blood off. It didn't do anything. Sometimes that bathroom still smells like blood."

    Alex turned to the twins, no longer trying to hide the tears in his eyes, "You know that cut on her left wrist?" They just nodded again, Jay and Julie slowly starting to feel more and more guilty by the second. "She cut it into herself. That's why she always grabs it when she's scared or worried. It takes her back I guess."

    Reggie walked over to everyone else in the room, his eyes puffy, "I showed up to rehearsal the next day and a band-aid was placed over the scar, a small amount of blood on it. She acted like nothing happened. At all."

    Alex wiped at his eyes, "I know that I say Stephanie's life is built on lies. But the biggest lie she could ever tell you. Is that she was ever happy."

    "What?" They all turned at the sound of Stephanie's voice. She clearly just showed up that second, listening to the tail end of the conversation.

    "St-"

    "What?" She repeated.

    "Stephanie..." She didn't give Reggie a chance, "Stephanie!" Alex held him back as she poofed away from the room again. The first time anyone had seen her in two days and she just left again. "Stephanie?"

~