CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ANDY HAD REFUSED TO TALK TO ALEX THAT NIGHT SO THE NEXT MORNING HE PULLED HER OUTSIDE ONCE REGGIE WENT TO HANG OUT WITH RAY AND LUKE WANTED TO QUIETLY WRITE MUSIC. alex smiled at andy in anticipation and when she just stared blankly back at him, he frowned.

"well?" questioned alex, moving his arms around a bunch and andy just laughed a bit, "well what?" alex glared, "you know exactly what i'm talking about. what happened with reggie after i took luke out of the room?"

andy shook her head, "nothing alex. nothing happened. we talked for a bit and then you and luke came back that's it."

"what did you talk about?"

andy shook her head, "none of your business." alex scoffed, "i tell you everything about willie!" andy gave him a look, "yeah willingly. you always come to me not the other way around, i'm not as open with feelings as you."

alex laughed, "ah-ha! so you do like reggie! i knew it." he smiled proudly to himself and andy rolled her eyes, "nice work there bud, what are you going to guess next? that luke is my brother?"

alex shook his head, "i'm going to ignore that sass and tell you he also likes you." andy nodded, "yup, figured that out last night too."

alex's mouth went wide, "then why aren't you freaking out? this is big! you guys can grow old- well no actually you can't, but you guys can be a cute ghost couple instead of being lonely for eternity!"

andy scoffed, "i wouldn't be lonely!" alex gave her a look and she pouted as he continued, "all i'm saying is that you guys would be adorable so when's the wedding?"

"never."

alex gasped in shock and andy continued, "we agreed to take things slow since neither of us are exactly pros when it comes to this stuff. i told him i need it to go slow so i can process feelings as we go and he agreed on that plan."

alex gushed, "that's adorable i'm already thinking of a ship name." andy gave him a confused look so alex explained, "oh, i was around julie and flynn on accident a few days ago and flynn used those words and i guess it means when you combine two peoples names together to form their "ship" or relationship as normal people call it."

andy nodded slowly, grasping the strange idea before groaning and hitting her head against alex's chest, "why do feelings have to be a thing they are so annoying and dumb."

the blonde boy pat his friends back and sighed, "trust me, i know." andy frowned at the boy, "i'm sorry alex i shouldn't be complaining to you when you're already going through your own drama."

alex shook his head, "no, no, no. i wanted to know don't worry and nothing is happening with willie anyways so it doesn't matter."

andy gave alex a look but before she could say anything else reggie popped his head out, "uh, hey. i just told luke this before he poofed out to talk to julie but ray got us a gig tonight in the backyard for youtube."

andy looked at him confused, "wait... really?" reggie nodded his head yes so alex and andy walked into the studio once again.

andy went off to the side to grab the keyboard so she could mess with it while reggie looked at alex, "so, uh, did she say anything about me?"

alex smirked a bit, "why do you want to know? aren't you guys taking it slow?" reggie gasped a bit, "so she did talk about me!"

"yeah dude you're pretty much all we talked about. don't worry, luke doesn't have to know yet i'll allow you a longer life." spoke alex and reggie nodded, relieved that he wouldn't be murdered anytime soon.

andy walked back over, keyboard in her arms, and smiled at the two before setting it down on the stand and plugging it in.

after a bit, luke poofed in and everyone looked at him with smiles before going back to what they were doing. "we are gonna preform great tonight." stated luke and the rest of the group nodded before he took a seat in the chair by the couch reggie and alex where on and began messing with his guitar.

alex drummed on his leg, while reggie picked at his bass, andy plucked the keys on the keyboard, and luke stared at his open journal with his guitar on his lap.

"look, we add the echoes during the chorus, then when julie comes in with the melody, it's gonna sound perfect." instructed luke with a smile and the rest of the group smiled with nods before hearing something outside.

they all looked to see the top of willies head disappearing and reggie frowned, "again? what's that all about?"

"i don't know." replied alex before quickly poofing out.

luke gave andy a curious look and the girl shrugged before standing up and going outside. when she got out, alex was standing alone with a frown on his face.

"hey, what's wrong?" questioned andy, going up to her best friend. alex, with obvious tears in his eyes he was trying to hold back, spoke, "uh, willie just said we never should have met."

andy frowned and pulled the taller boy into a hug, letting him rest his head on her shoulder. "i'm sure there's a reason alex.... what you guys had, it was really special."

alex picked his head up and nodded as he wiped his eyes and andy smiled, "wanna do some music and get your mind off it?"

alex nodded again and andy quickly pulled him back into the studio, "okay, boys. no more playing around it's working time and work is what we are going to do!"

luke looked at alex confused, "man, you al-" andy quickly cut him off as she pointed her finger at him, "no questions! all music. up, up, up."

reggie quickly stood and plugged in his bass with a subliminal wink towards the girl as luke stood and sent her a weird look, "you're a dork."

andy shrugged and pushed alex towards his drums with a smile and moved the keyboard stand so she could play and stay standing.

reggie gave andy a small confused look so she mouthed, "willie" and reggie nodded in understanding.

alex took his seat behind the drums and reggie laughed once his bass was on right, "watch out, luke. she could be coming for your role as leader."

alex, now looking a bit better added, "yeah, that's the fastest we've ever gotten set up."

luke scoffed, "that's because she's bossy and uses fear as a motivation. i'm cool and laid back." andy smiled at luke sarcastically, "in the context you're using them, cool and laid back mean the same thing smart guy. also, why is it only bossy when a girl tells you what to do but it's taking action from a man? something to think about brother."

luke, now a bit speechless, just plugged his guitar into the amp and waited for alex's signal to start.

alex slammed his sticks together to signal and the group all began playing their parts trying to match them up. it was going good until suddenly alex began to go off and just slam his sticks on the drum anywhere he wanted until he came out of the small trance.

luke took a deep breath, "alex, you sure you all right?" alex nodded, "yeah. yeah, why?" luke turned to reggie, unable to answer and reggie sighed, "i know it's tough, man. people say you never forget your first ghost. maybe that's true. but... i'm sure there will be others."

alex, not helped out at all, spoke, "yeah. thanks, reg." he sent a small look to andy, who put her hands up in surrender.

luke, now understanding the conversation, spoke, "and, alex, you're a great drummer and a great guy, okay? i wouldn't let all that stuff get in between you and what you love."

alex nodded and reggie smiled, sending andy a small glance, "i don't know, man. sometimes a little fire can make things better on stage."

luke gave reggie a grossed out look so he quickly added, "i mean, uh, like you and julie." luke scoffed, "uh, wha... what is that supposed to mean?"

reggie chuckled, "come on. everyone can see the way you look at her when you sing. you guys ooze chemistry."

"you should never say "ooze" again, but, yeah, i agree." stated alex as he stood up. andy nodded, "yeah i wanna barf every-time i look at the two of you so i'd say the chemistry is there.

luke took his guitar off, "okay, no. i have chemistry with everybody that i sing with."

andy shook her head, "no, you do not. not one bit with everyone." luke gave her a look, picking up on what she was saying and his face contorted, "yeah, uh, gross you're right no. i guess, almost everyone."

reggie gave him a skeptical look so luke stuttered, "s-s-seriously, watch. uh...." he looked at reggie and began singing, "i believe i believe that we're just one dream away from who we're meant to be that we're standing on the edge of, great."

by the end, luke was super close to reggies face and had his hand on the boys neck. alex smiled, "wow. i see chemistry."

reggie, gulped out, "that was pretty hot." luke kissed his fingers before putting them on reggies lips and walking away.

reggie cleared his throat and with a small laugh spoke, "girls. am i right?"

"yeah."

"no."

"sometimes."

the group quickly got back to rehearsing after that and spent the rest of their time practicing till the showcase.