(tessa's outfit is the same as the chapter before this one)

Tessa was hanging out at the studio, sitting on the couch, mindlessly playing her ukulele she brought with her. Luke and Reggie stood by the piano, looking at the flyer Flynn made, and Julie was watering the plants in the studio.

"We're playing a school dance?" Reggie grins as he looks at the flyer. "Sweet!"

Luke shrugs, clearly not as excited about this as Reggie is. "It's not exactly the Strip."

Julie chuckles at his comment. "And you're not exactly alive," Reggie reminds Luke, setting down the flyer. "So you should be happy we have our first gig."

"Yeah, Luke," Tessa speaks up and the boys look at her. She teasingly smiles at Luke. "Be more positive." Luke playfully mocked her and rolled his eyes. Tessa chuckled and shook her head.

"I wasn't in love with the idea at first either, but it could be a great way for us to build a following, right?" Julie questioned.

"Yeah." Tessa agrees, setting her ukelele on the couch and stands up. She walks over to the piano, standing beside Luke. "I mean, most bands start out small.

"That's true." Reggie agrees. He glances at Luke. "That's how we started." He looks at Julie and Tessa with a smile. "We need to play wherever we can, whenever we can."

Luke nods. "No, you guys are right. Let's rock those kids' faces off and then play the clubs."

"And then record a single that gets a billion streams?" Julie suggested, setting down the watering can before she walked over to the piano, looking at the four with a smile.

Tessa grins and points at her. "Yes!"

"I don't know what that is," Luke admits and Tessa had almost forgot the boys were from 1995 until he said that and how they were behind on all the pop culture that took place after 1995. "But hopefully it gets us a manager and a tour."

"After that we can release a lot of albums that become popular." Tessa chimed in.

Reggie points at her and grins. "Put out a country album that does surprisingly well."  Julie and Tessa look at him with raised eyebrows and he shrugs shyly. "I shred on the banjo, so..."

Julie smiles, raising her fist up to Reggie for a fist bump. "Then I'll learn how to fiddle." Reggie smiled and raised his fist to hers, but they didn't touch bring their fists close enough to touch since they both knew they couldn't touch.

"And I'll learn how to sing country." Tessa commented. Reggie looked at her with a bright smile that warmed Tessa's heart and she couldn't help but smile back at him.

"And before you know it, we're being introduced into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame." Luke grinned.

Reggie nods. "But one of us isn't there. Because we had a blow out in 2032."

Tessa chuckles. "That's oddly specific."

Reggie chuckles and shrugs. "I just have a feeling it could happen. But my money's on Alex. He's just so sensitive."

"So, what are we waiting for?" Luke asks, outstretching his arms. "Let's get rehearsing!"

"Wait, you guys," Tessa looks around the studio with furrowed eyebrows when she didn't spot Alex. "Where's my uncle?" She still couldn't believe that Alex is her uncle. It was so weird calling him her uncle, but it was kind of cool that they're related.

****

They had decided on practicing anyway since they all didn't know how long Alex would be gone and the dance is tonight. For the song they were playing at the dance they all decided for Tessa to try playing the electric guitar so she can be the rhythmist guitar player. The band doesn't exactly need one, but it would help layer out the sound more and just make it more perfect. 

Luke had taught her how to play over the weekend and she kept on having trouble with remembering which chords were where on the guitar. They spent at least an hour with Luke teaching her the electric guitar and they both had gotten on each other nerves throughout the practice, but it was still a success since she knows how to play now. Plus, during that time she and Luke got to know each other more and got to get closer as friends since so far they weren't the closest of friends, but now they are forming like a sibling type of friendship.

Tessa was still learning the electric guitar, but she was getting better the more she played it. Currently, Tessa stood between the two boys and in front of where Julie had her keyboard set up. She was playing the rhythm chords on her electric guitar to the song 'Finally Free' as Luke played the main chords on his electric guitar, sending her encouraging looks when she would glance at him to make sure she was playing a chord right.

Reggie watched Tessa play with a proud smile. Even though she was looking at her guitar the whole time she played to make sure she was playing the right chords, he knew she would to the point where she didn't have to look. He was just proud of her for being confident enough in her skills to want to play the electric guitar with them for the dance.

"One more time." Luke suggested after they had finished practicing the part of the song they were working on. Just when they were done practicing that part a second time Alex had poofed into the studio.

"Oh, hey, Alex." Reggie greeted.

"Where have you been?" Luke asks the blonde-haired boy. "We need to start practicing."

Tessa raises her eyebrows and glances at Luke, tilting her head to the side. "Isn't that what we were just doing?"

Luke rolls his eyes playfully, waving a dismissive hand at her. "Yeah, whatever." Tessa giggled and upon hearing her giggle Reggie smiled. He always loved it when Tessa giggled.

"Yeah? What do we need to practice for?" Alex inquired, glancing at Julie.

Julie was about to respond to him when one of the doors to the studio opens, revealing Flynn. Flynn raises her arms and grins. "Dance news!" She lowers her arms with a frown on her lips. "I don't have a date." Tessa chuckles at the dark-skinned girl's antics. Flynn walks further into the studio, pointing at Julie and Tessa. "But I don't care because I'm so psyched to see you guys preform."

"Oh man!" Alex sighs, glancing at Luke. "We're playing a dance?"

Luke nods, sitting down on a nearby chair. "Of course, dude. That's how we get a following nowadays."

"Yeah," Julie chuckles, teasingly smiling at the blonde-haired boy. "Get with the program, Alex."

"What?" Flynn's eyes widens. "The guy's are here?" She smiles, waving in the opposite direction the boys were at. "Hey, guys!"

Tessa laughs and Julie looks at Flynn with amusement. "Other way, sweetie."

Flynn nods and turns to face the boys. She waved again and Alex and Reggie waved back at her. "Alex and Reggie waved back." Tessa informed Flynn, figuring she would want to know if the boys were waving back at her.

Flynn grins. "Cool."

"Okay, now that Alex has graced us with his presence, can we start working?" Luke inquired.

"Yes!" Julie replies. She looks at Flynn with a smile. "We're gonna rehearse. You wanna stick around?"

"I'm supposed to blow five hundred balloons for the school dance," Flynn explains. She shrugs, her lips forming into a smile. "But this sounds way better."

"Hey, Julie." Tessa watched with raised eyebrows when Julie's little brother, Carlos, walks through Alex. Alex had furrowed his eyebrows as that happened and glanced down at himself with confusion. "Remember those orbs in dad's pictures? I...I think they're ghosts."

Carlos sets down the picture he held on Julie's keyboard. "But don't worry. This room is..." He looked around the studio while Julie looked at the picture. She then showed the picture to Tessa and Tessa's eyes widened upon seeing three orbs behind the piano in the studio. She had wondered what the boys would look like in photo without playing music. 

"This room is clean." Carlos glances at his sister and smiles. "I'm not getting the tinglies."

"Wrong again, little dude." Reggie chuckled.

"Have no fear. If they come back I will protect you," Carlos tells Julie. Tessa smiles, thinking it was sweet of him. "Because I am the man of the house."

Julie crosses her arms, looking at him with amusement. "Isn't dad supposed to be the man of the house?"

Carlos crosses his arms, speaking in a shy tone. "There can be two." Julie chuckles and Calros shrugs. "Dad needs all the help he can get, right?" He gets salt out of his pocket which confused Tessa. Why does he have salt? "According to the internet, salt burns their souls out." Oh. That's why. Tessa shares a wide-eyed look with Luke as Alex and Reggie shared a nervous look. "A little sprinkle will keep them from ever coming in here."

Julie did her best to not look worried so she wouldn't be acting suspicious as her brother opens the salt and sprinkles some in front of where Reggie sat. Reggie quickly brought his feet up, bringing his bass closer to himself. Carlos then threw some salt in front of where Luke sat and he was quick to bring his feet up. And finally he threw some salt in the direction Alex stood which made Tessa's eyes widen. 

"No!" Alex cries out. Tessa did her best not to look worried along with Julie since Carlos didn't know about the boys, but Reggie and Luke looks at Alex with worry. "I'm..." The blonde-haired boy looks down at himself for a few seconds before smiling as he stands up. "I'm fine. I'm fine. Totally fine."

Tessa lets out of sigh of relief, wishing she could punch him for being so dramatic. Julie looks over at Flynn, subtly gesturing to her brother with a nod of her head. She was signaling for Flynn to get Carlos out of there and getting the hint, Flynn nodded.

"Oh! Carlos, you know who's hungry?" Flynn asks, looking at Carlos with a smile. Carlos looks at her with raised eyebrows, closing the salt he had. Flynn points at herself. "Me. Um, salt me a path to the kitchen."

Carlos salutes to her, taking the picture off the keyboard and led Flynn out of the studio. "Okay," Tessa speaks after Carlos and Flynn left. She turns to her friends with a smile. "Let's practice."

"Yes, please." Luke nods, standing up as Alex walks over to his drum set. "But remind us later.  There are some Sunset Curve songs we want to show you and Tess."

Julie and Tessa share an excited grin before they both looked back at Luke. "Ooh! Show us now." Julie suggested.

"Yeah, okay." Luke moves to kneel down by his open guitar case where his journal is at. He sighs upon noticing a paper sticking out of it. "'Home Is Where My Horse Is'? Reggie, stop putting your country songs in my journal." He took the piece of paper out, laying it in his guitar case. 

Reggie points at him and smiles. "That was a gift."

Luke fakes a smile, patting him on the shoulder. "Thanks, buddy."

"I didn't know you write songs." Tessa said, looking at Reggie with a smile.

Reggie shrugs and smiles shyly at her. "Yeah, sometimes." 

The fact that he writes songs and play the bass plus the piano made her fall for him even more, And it seems like he likes horses which is also a bonus because horses were her favorite animal. "Can I hear 'Home Is Where My Horse Is' sometimes?" Tessa asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him with a hopeful glint in her eyes. 

Reggie's eyes widen, not expecting anyone to want to hear a country song he wrote. The boys never liked country for some reason so they never liked all the country songs he would come up with. "Um, y-yeah." He stutters out a response, feeling his face heat up. "Yes." Tessa grinned excitedly at hearing his response.

Tessa walks over to stand by Julie when Luke walks over to Julie, handing the curly-haired girl his journal. "I dog-eared the ones that I think you," He sends a smile to Tessa. "And Tess would slay." Tessa smiled at him, happy that he included her as well.

The blonde-haired girl looks at the songs Luke had written once Julie opened the journal. Tessa knew that Luke was talented, but she now thought he was even more talented after reading some of the songs he wrote. She wished she had songwriting skills like he does.

"Wait," Tessa stops Julie at a specific page when something catches her eye. "'Unsaid Emily'." She looks at Luke with a teasing smile. "Luke, who's this Emily girl in the song?

Luke looks slightly panicked and he reaches forward to get his journal from Julie. Julie had pulled away too fast for him to grab it though. "That one's not dog-eared."

Julie looks at the lyrics. "'If you could only know that I never let you go'." She chuckles and teasingly smiles at Luke. "Wow, Luke, I didn't know you were such a romantic."

"He's not." Alex cut in, walking over to stand by Luke. "That one's actually about-"

Luke hits his shoulder, stopping the blonde from continuing his sentence. "No one." Tessa raised her eyebrows, exchanging a glance with Julie. Luke's response only made her curiosity grow, but she decided not talk about it.

"Um, that's just something that I tried, and..." Luke tries reaching for his journal again only to have Julie pull it close to her so it's out of his reach. "But if you go to the next dog-eared page, I got a tune that's just... It's got a killer beat."

Luke plays a riff on his electric guitar and Tessa smiles at hearing the familiar chords. Julie nods and smiles, setting Luke's journal on the keyboard. "So, you wanna sample."

The boys look at her with confusion. "What do you mean by 'sample'?" Luke asked.

"Copying someone else's music." Tessa replied.

"Me and my mom used to sing that song at the top of our lungs all the time." Julie admitted.

Tessa nods. "Yeah, my dad and I jam out to that song when we're in the car." She smiles. "It's such a classic Trevor Wilson song."

"Nope." Luke responds, taking his journal off the keyboard and closes it. "It's a classic our song."

"Pure Sunset Curve." Reggie smiles. He shrugs, shaking his head. "Never even heard of Trevor Wilson."

"Yeah. Maybe you guys are mixing it up, you know, with another song." Alex spoke.

"I don't mix up songs," Julie sassily says. "Trust me. Me and his daughter used to be best friends. I used to hang out at their place all the time." She nods. "I know that song."

"Maybe you should just pull up a picture of him to show the boys." Tessa suggests. Julie nods and gets her laptop as Tessa continues to speak. "That way they can tell if they know him or not." 

"Good idea." Julie comments and begins to type on her laptop. She turns her laptop so its facing the boys once she got a picture of Trevor Wilson up. "His first album had a bunch of hits, but none of his latest stuff is as good."

Tessa furrows her eyebrows when the boys looked shocked at seeing Trevor. "That's Bobby." Luke spoke.

"Um, no." Tessa shakes her head. "That's Trevor. Jules literally just said his name is Trevor."

"Okay, great. Then...Then he changed it, alright?" Alex points at the picture of Trevor. "That's definitely Bobby. He was our rhythm guitarist."

Tessa looks at him in disbelief while Julie scoffs. "Trevor Wilson was in your band?"

Alex leans forward to get a closer look along with Reggie. Shaking his head, Reggie furrows his eyebrows. "I can't get over how old he looks."

"Oh..." Alex shakes his head, looking at the picture with a glare. Tessa furrowed her eyebrows upon noticing the angry expressions on the three boy's faces, wondering why they were so angry with Trevor, aka Bobby. "He looks like a substitute teacher."

"You guys," Luke said to Julie and Tessa as Alex stood back up. Luke looks at Julie and Tessa. "What were his other hits?"

"'Get Lost'." Julie responded.

Luke frowns. "Yeah, I wrote that." He took his guitar off and set it on its stand. He then walked over to the dart board on the wall.

Tessa looks at him with a frown, not liking how this was going. "What about 'Long Weekend'?"

"Yeah," Reggie nods. "Luke wrote that one too." Tessa looked at him with wide eyes. She looked back at Luke, noticing he was throwing darts angrily.

"'Crooked Teeth'?" Julie asked nervously.

Alex nods. "And that." He points at Reggie. "It was about Reggie."

Reggie looks at him with surprise. "What? I thought it was about you!" Tessa looks back at Reggie with a sympathetic expression when the dark-haired boy mumbles, "I don't like that song anymore." Reggie turned around with a sad expression on his face and went to go sit on the stool he was sitting on earlier. 

"Wait...This is kind of freaking me out." Julie furrows her eyebrows, shaking her head. "Trevor's songs are kind of big to me. He's the one who introduced me to rock."

Tessa's dad introduced her to rock so that's why she didn't chime in with saying Trevor introduced her to rock as well. "Yeah." Alex scoffs, pointing at Luke. "Luke introduced you to rock."

"So this whole time, I thought you were connected to my mom." As Julie speaks, Alex sits down on the floor in front of his drum set and Tessa walks over to sit down on the chair near his drum set. "But instead, you're connected to Carrie's dad?" Julie shakes her head and frowns. "Out of all people, it had to be the one who had it out for me."

"Alright, well, add it to our list of questions." Alex sighed.

"Back when Carrie and I were friends, the three of us used to talk about music all the time." Julie said, referring to her, Carrie, and Carrie's dad. She glances at Luke just as he angrily threw a dart at the dart board. "He never mentioned you guys."

"And that's unbelievable!" Luke exclaims, throwing another dart at the board out of anger. Tessa looks at him with a sympathetic expression. She felt bad for the boys and wished there was something she could do to help. "Okay, he can take all the credit, and he doesn't even mention us?"

"And he's rich." Julie adds. She sighs. "He has his own helicopter."

Luke sighs and groans, throwing the last dart he held at the dart board, but he missed and hit the wall near the dart board. Tessa looks at her uncle when he stands up. "He has...He has a helicopter?" Alex asked, looking at Julie and then at Tessa with wide eyes.

Tessa nods. "And it has his face on it. Kind of weird in my opinion."

Julie pulls up a picture of Trevor's mansion that had his helicopter sitting on top. Luke walks back over to them, and Reggie stands up, pointing at the mansion with wide eyes. "And he parks it in front of that hotel?"

"No." Julie shakes her head. "He gets to park it in front of his mansion."

Reggie's eyes widen. "Mansion?"

Alex looks at Luke with an annoyed expression. "Dude, we live in a garage."

"It's not about the money, it's about the music!" Luke pointed out.

Reggie outstretches his arms and nods. "It's a little about the money though!"

Alex nods in agreement. "A little bit about the money."

"He could have shared it with our families." Reggie continues. "Maybe then my parents wouldn't have had their house turned into a bike shack." Tessa frowned upon hearing that. She agreed with him. If Trevor wasn't going to give the boys credit for the songs the least he could've done was share the money with the boy's families.

"What he did was steal our legacy." Luke said to Alex and Reggie. He glances at Julie. "Where does he live?"

Julie sighs. "Above the beach in Malibu."

Luke grabs his jacket that was hanging on the side of the chair Tessa sat on. Tessa's eyes widen, figuring out what the boys were going to do. "Wait, you guys, don't-"

"Let's go teach him a lesson." Luke said to Alex and Reggie and they both nodded in agreement. 

"Wait. What?" Julie stands up, looking at the three ghosts with wide eyes. "Guys! We have to rehearse for the dance. This is our first gig!"

Tessa watched the boys leave with a worried and upset expression on her face. She was upset with the boys for doing whatever they were planning to do when they knew that they needed to practice for the dance. But she was still worried about the boys because she and Julie doesn't know what kind of trouble they can get themselves into.