______________________________________

As Julie went in the house to let her dad know that she got back into the music program, Layla listened as Janet rambled on about the boys.

"I mean, there has to be some explanation for why you two are able to see them, right?" Janet says as they walk down the pathway toward the garage.

"Obviously, but it's too much to try and figure out." Layla says as she opens the gate.

"What if it's like you guys have some sort of connection?"

"Why would we be connected to the dead?" Layla frowns as she goes to open the garage door.

"I mean, if they're musicians, then maybe they're connected to your mom." Janet says. Layla's face begins to soften, "You said your mom used to play all around when she was younger, right?"

"Yeah." Layla mutters as the gate opens again and Julie walks over.

"Hey."

"Hey." Janet says as Layla finally opens the door. Unbeknownst to Janet, Reggie and Luke were playing their guitars. Julie's eyes widen as they rush in and close the door behind them.

"Guys, you aren't supposed to be out here playing alone." Julie says

"But we're not alone, 'cause we always have each other." Reggie smiles as Luke gives him a side hug

"Cute." Layla says as she sets her backpack on the couch  

"They're in here?" Janet whispers

"Yes." Layla chuckles as she plops down by her bag

"Ugh!" Julie scoffs. She then goes to unplug the guitars.

"But... but we had the volume level on one." Luke says

"But we rocked it on volume ten. You want us to play it again?" Reggie says. As an answer, Julie unplugs the other guitar.

"I really don't think she does." Luke whispers to him

"No."

"We've been waiting for you two to get home." Luke says as he looks between Layla and Julie. "Okay, so we have some pretty major news to tell you. We had a band meeting earlier, and..." Reggie drums his hands on his legs, "we wanna invite you to join Sunset Curve. And no, you're not dreaming."

"Oh." Julie says simply

"Oh, uh..." Luke scratches the back of his neck, "Oh, she said, "Oh." Um... That's what you say
when you get socks on your birthday, not when invited to join the most epic band ever."

"Usually, when someone says that, it meets the band sucks." Layla says with raised brows. Luke gives her a disappointed look in return.

"Sorry. I'm honored, but I can't think about anything but Flynn right now. She's still mad at me for lying. She hasn't even texted me back." Julie says

"Yeah, you're in a tough spot." Luke says

"Yeah." Reggie nods

"So, you wanna join the band?" Luke says again

Julie scoffs as she walks toward the door. Layla shakes her head, "Read the room, dude."

"What's happening?" Janet asks from beside Layla

"They want us to join their band." Layla says

"Oh come on! We need you, and you need us because you need music." Luke says, "We found this poem that Layla wrote, and Reggie and I, we added this really cool melody to it. It sounds awesome."

Layla's eyes widen, "Where'd you find that?"

Luke looks toward her with wide eyes before hiding behind Reggie, "Uh... definitely not your dream box."

"You went through my stuff?" Layla exclaims as she stands up. Luke rushes toward the piano as Layla chases after him.

"I know, but..."

"Yeah, we can do that now." Reggie says

"No! No, you can't!" Layla says as she finally stops. Luke on one side of the piano and Layla on the other, "Boundaries! Give it back!"

"No!" He says before he jumps onto the bench, "Hey, you need to realize how insanely talented you are. Okay? Listen to this."

"If somebody hurts you..." He starts. Layla tries snatching the paper, but he's faster and hides it behind his back, "If somebody hurts you, I'm gonna get hurt too."

"And my life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo."

"Oh-oh!" Reggie adds with a smile. Layla sighs through her nose.

"It's a killer melody." Luke tries

"I wrote that about Janet when she was helping me with all my mom stuff." Layla says. Upon hearing her name, Janet looks over toward the girl. "You know what? I'm gonna go."

"Hey, what about the band?" Luke says as Layla grabs her bag and makes it over to Julie.

"Oh..." She says as she opens the door, "I almost forgot. Stay out of my room!"

Luke runs over as she closes the door. Julie watching with a small smile and Janet grabbing her own bag before standing beside Julie.

"Yeah?" Luke says poking his head through the door. "We will if you join our band."

Layla waves him off as she slams the gate behind her. Luke sighs before going back inside the garage.

______________________________________

It had been about an hour since Layla stormed out of the garage. Janet ended up following her to her room. The two sat in there doing homework and talking about whatever came to mind. It was mostly Janet rambling on about the boys and how there could be different connections. Layla listened in intently even though she didn't want to think about how her mom could have some reasoning for the boys coming into her life.

"What if your mom was in their band?" Janet says sitting up

"I'm pretty sure we would've known by now if there was anyone else in their band." Layla says

"Well, yeah, but if they died and your mom just moved on with her life, then it's possible." Janet shrugs, "Or maybe they knew each other in high school. Battle of the bands or something."

Layla frowns, "Battle of the bands?"

"Yeah." Janet nods, "It's in all of the 90s movies. It has to be a real thing."

Layla chuckles just as her door opens. Julie walks in with a hopeful look on her face.

"What's up, Jules?" Layla says as she looks down at her homework.

"I wanted to ask you for a favor." She says as she sits on Layla's desk chair.

"Yeah?" Layla says looking up from her bed

"I was wondering if I could sing "Flying Solo" for Flynn. She's expecting a performance from me and the boys and I really want to show her how sorry I am and how much I appreciate her."

"Jules, I wrote that for Janet."

"I know. I just... Flynn helped me a lot when my mom died too and I can't lose her. I'll even tell her that you wrote it."

Layla sighs as she runs she pushes her hair back.

"If my opinion matters any..." Janet interjects, "Flynn was there for Julie like I was for you. The song would sort of still have the same meaning if Julie sings it for her. And I'll actually be able to hear what you wrote for me."

Layla smiles as she looks toward her friend. The girl smiles back as she gives her a small nod. Layla looks to her cousin who smiles hopefully.

"Okay. You can play it." Layla nods. Julie cheers as she stands up.

"Yes, okay. I'm actually gonna need your guys' help." Julie smiles

______________________________________

Layla, Julie, and the boys had thirty minutes to rehearse the song. The boys and Julie let Layla make any corrections she wanted seeing as it was her song. Julie actually managed to convince Layla to play the piano for her so that Janet could also see the song performed for her in a way. Janet sat on the couch as Julie went to open the door for Flynn.

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

"No, if I'm gonna hear a song from your imaginary ghost band, I want it to be perfect. So, get back in there." Flynn says before looking past Julie toward where she thought the boys would be. "All of you. You too."

Julie chuckles, "They're not out here."

"Oh, I know." Flynn scoffs not believing her. Flynn smiles at Janet getting one in return as Julie closes the door and turns back toward everyone.

"All right, guys. You ready?" Julie says. The boys nod, but Janet and Flynn couldn't see them.

"Could you tell her to scoot over? I need more space to rock out." Reggie smiles, "It's weird walking through."

"Uh, actually, can you go over there? Reggie needs some space to rock out, and he feels kinda weird walking through you." Layla says

"You're playing in on this, too?" Flynn says before she laughs, "Boy, when you create a world, you really live in it."

"Just sit!" Julie exclaims pushing Flynn down into a chair, "If you'll notice, there's no equipment
that will produce a hologram. Feel free to look around."

Julie goes to pick up the microphone sitting at the piano by Layla. Before Julie could explain anything, Layla speaks up, "The guys took a poem that Julie wrote about you and put it to music."

Julie frowns toward Layla. Her cousin widens her eyes as a way to tell her to shut up.

"Awe. I wish I didn't have to talk to your dad after this." Flynn pouts

Layla chuckles, "It's called "Flying Solo." "

"Hope you like it." Julie smiles as Layla starts to play the beat. She then makes the beat repeat before she plays the piano.

"If I leave you on a bad note

Leave you on a sad note

Guess that means

I'm buying lunch that day

I know all your secrets

You know all my deep dish

Guess that means

Some things they never

They never change

We both know what I, what I

What I mean

When I look at you

It's like I'm looking at me."

Flynn yelps as the boys finally pop in playing their guitars and Alex on the drums. Layla continues on with the piano as Julie takes her mic walking closer to Flynn. Janet smiles in awe as she watches them.

"My life, my life would be real low

Zero, flying solo."

"Oh-oh-oh."

"My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo without you."

"Oh-oh-oh."

"Hey!

Yeah, yeah, hey!"

"Yeah, yeah

My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo without you."

"Oh-oh-oh."

Julie chuckles at the awe struck look on Flynn's face. She bends down beside her.

"Yeah, you know who I'm liking

Way before I like them

Duh, 'cause you like them first

And if somebody hurts you

I'm gonna get hurt too

That's just how we work

Yeah, that's just how we work

It will never change."

"Change."

"We both know what I, what I

What I mean."

"Mean."

"When I look at you

It's like I'm looking at me."

Julie pulls Flynn up from her chair as Luke passes behind them. Flynn eyes him wearily as he sits on a stand beside Janet. Janet eyes him too, but with a smile on her face.

"My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo."

"Oh-oh."

"My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo without you."

Julie pulls Flynn toward Luke despite Flynn trying to fight it. They stand in front of him as he continues to sing. Flynn jumps back as Luke comes closer to her before sitting back down with a playful smile on his face. Layla rolls her eyes with a smile as she watches them.

"Hey! Yeah, yeah

Hey! Yeah, yeah."

"My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo without you."

Julie and Flynn stop beside Reggie. Flynn tries touching him, but her hand goes right through his arm. Her eyes go wide as she looks to Julie.

"Weird, right?" Reggie says

"They're ghosts!" She exclaims

"Oh, we prefer, uh, musician spirits." Alex says as Reggie points to him in agreement.

"Layla..." Luke starts causing the girl to look up toward him, "so does this mean you guys are joining our band?"

"Um..." Flynn says, "Actually, I think you're joining their band."

"Mhm." Janet hums as she nods

"I'm gonna go with what she said." Julie says pointing to Flynn. Luke looks toward Layla who nods with a big smile and his smile widens in return. Julie starts again as Alex picks up on the drums.

"My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo."

"Oh-oh."

"My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo without you."

"Hey! Yeah, yeah."

"Hey."

"Hey!"

"Yeah, yeah

My life

My life would be real low, zero

Flying solo without you."

Reggie chuckles as he watches Julie stop in front of Flynn. Layla's eyes finally land on Janet. The girl holding a content smile on her face.

"You."

"Still wanna talk to my dad?" Julie says

"No, I'm good." Flynn nods.

Everyone chuckles as the friends finally hug each other.

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