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chapter eight: those dead eyes
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"god, you're so cheesy."
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fin was patiently waiting in julie's room, hoping that she didn't get into any trouble with her dad. she wasn't aware that the boys were downstairs, watching carlos try to find ghosts on his tablet.

she then thought about how she probably shouldn't be in here without julie's knowledge. "yeah, maybe i should wait outside."

she began to walk towards the door but froze when it shot open, revealing julie. she then saw julie's face light up, which was a good thing.

"hey." julie greeted, walking into the room before closing the door.

"hey." fin repeated, turning around as she watched julie put her bag down and plop onto her bed. "i just wanted to know how everything with your dad went."

"surprisingly good." julie answered. "i explained it to him. kinda had to lie, but it's cool. i'm ungrounded."

"nice!" fin exclaimed, plopping down next to julie. "so does that mean you can keep playing with us?"

"yep." julie answered.

"that's awesome because i really enjoy having you in the band." fin said. she then realized what she said, making her cheeks heat up. "i - i mean. . . all of us! all of us enjoy having you in the band."

julie sat there smiling, enjoying the fact that fin was blushing since it was a rare occurrence. "you look cute when you're all flustered."

julie watched as fin's cheeks became even more flushed, making her release a giggle.

"stop making me blush." fin mumbled, scratching the back of her neck.

"you made yourself blush the first time." julie defended.

"imma go check on the boys. . . make sure they're staying out of trouble." fin told julie, standing up from the bed. "i'm not really worried about alex, since he's the only one who has some brain cells. but luke and reggie, i'm worried about."

"i doubt that they would do anything." julie said. "i mean, they know they can't play their instruments cause people will hear."

"yeah. . . but you've only known them for a few weeks. trust me, they can get into some trouble." fin said, letting out an airy chuckle.

julie smiled, ignoring the slight disappointment that crept its way into her chest. she didn't want fin to leave for some reason.

"how about. . . we watch a movie on my laptop?" she suggested, hoping that fin would give in.

"nah, i should. . ." fin started, actually thinking about it. "what movie?"

julie hummed, not exactly having a movie in mind just yet. "how about high school musical?"

"is that a movie that came out after we. . . you know. . ." finn asked, closing her eyes and sticking her tongue out.

"yeah." julie answered, giggling. "i think you'd like it. it's a musical."

"surprisingly, i don't like musicals." fin admitted, making julie raise her eyebrows in shock. "do i look like i'm the type of person to like musicals?"

"someone doesn't really look like the type to enjoy musicals. i just assumed you did." julie shrugged, getting up from her bed to grab her laptop.

"never assume, buttercup. a lot of trouble can come from assuming." fin told her.

julie rolled her eyes, plopping back down on her bed as she opened her laptop. "do you wanna watch the movie or not, finley."

fin raised her eyebrows at, not only,  julie saying her actual name, but also the way she said her name. it made her stomach fill with butterflies.

"who said you can call me finley?" she asked, sitting down beside julie.

"you don't like being called finley?" julie asked, going to disney plus and clicking on the movie.

"not really. i got bullied for having a guy's name when i was younger." fin answered. "or - or, my parents would say it when i was in trouble for something."

"well i like your name. it matches your. . . persona?" julie said as she scrunched up her face,not sure is that made sense. "did i use the right word?"

"i don't know." fin shrugged, smiling at how cute julie looked. "but thanks, buttercup."

julie smiled at the nickname, pressing play on the movie.

"if only i could eat. popcorn would be nice right now." fin mumbled, making julie look at her with slight sadness. "or some cuddles."

"shhh, it's starting." julie whispered.

fin rolled her eyes, a smile on her face. she turned her attention towards the laptop, hoping that she would actually enjoy the movie.

~~~

"we're all in this together!" fin sang, pulling a tank top over her head. "once we know. . . that we are. . . we're all stars and we see that!"

she poofed down to the bottom level of the studio, alex and luke looking at her with furrowed eyebrows. it was the next day, and fin couldn't stop singing the ending song of high school musical. is it obvious that she had liked the movie?

"what's got you in a good mood?" luke questioned.

"and what song are you singing? that doesn't sound like something you wrote." alex asked.

"julie made me watch some movie musical last night and i can't get this song out of my head." she answered.

alex smiled at the girls, while luke looked down at the floor in jealousy. reggie then poofed in, telling everyone that julie's dad was throwing a party tonight and wanted them to perform.

"it's cool how julie has a supportive father." fin smiled, making the boys nod in agreement.

"hey, so what was that movie musical about?" alex asked.

"a group of kids. . . in high school. . . pretty much singing most of the time. i don't really remember the whole  plot of the movie because i was right next to julie." fin answered, mumbling the last part.

"oh, so you had a date with julie last night." reggie said, smiling.

"no, it wasn't a date. we was just hanging out." fin said, making alex and luke roll their eyes. "plus, she doesn't even like me like that."

"how is it that gays aren't able to tell when another gay likes them?" reggie questioned, making alex and fin look at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"what? that's not true." alex told the bass player.

"yes, it is. i mean, you have a huge crush on willie, and he has one on you too." luke pointed out, making fin and reggie point at him.

"i don't. . . i don't have a crush on him." the blonde boy tried, his cheeks turning red.

"oh, you definitely have a crush on sir william." fin said, saying willie's name in a british accent.

"oh, really?" alex asked, sitting up from his spot on the couch. "what about your crush on buttercup?"

"hey! only i can call her that!" fin defended, making the boys look at her with raised eyebrows. "i mean, you guys try to call her that. she'd probably kill you if she could."

"yeah, yeah." luke mumbled. "we should pick out the song we're gonna be singing tonight."

"yeah, you're right." fin mumbled, holding her hand out.

her song book poofed into her hand, making the boys look at her with wide eyes.

"i've been practicing." she told them, a smirk on her face. "now, i have the perfect song for tonight."

~~~

a few hours later, fin decided that she needed a break from the boys. especially luke, since he was acting weird. she poofed into school, hoping that she came at the time when julie didn't have any classes. she might've poofed into the wrong part of the school, which made her have to walk around for a bit.

she smiled once she saw the familiar curly hair, making her walk up to the locker. she leaned on the locker next to julie's, waiting for the molina girl to notice her.

"hey." she greeted once julie closed her locker, making said girl jump and gasp.

"normal people don't do that. and ghosts definitely shouldn't." julie told the carter girl, who just rolled her eye. "what are you doing here?"

"we need to talk about what song we're gonna play tonight." fin answered. "luke and i can't choose between two songs. i was thinking great, but he wants to do a song that he wrote a few days ago."

fin noticed some girls snickering, making her turn to face them. she then turned back to julie to see that she was pulling out her phone, which made her furrow her eyebrows.

"you're just gonna take a phone call while we're talking?" fin asked, a little hurt. "you know how rude that is?"

"hey! thanks for calling. otherwise, people might think i'm talking to myself." julie said, looking back at fin with a smile.

"oh, right." fin said, smiling. "that's real smart, buttercup."

"no, but, yeah. i think great. . . is a great choice." julie said, smiling at her joke.

"god, you're so cheesy." fin told her, smiling at the joke. "but that's pretty much what i wanted to talk to you about. so. . ."

"oh. okay." julie said, slightly disappointed.

"uh, actually, no, there is one more thing i wanted to talk to you about." fin said, making julie look at her again. "uh, well. i've kinda been working on this song, and i haven't really shown it to anyone. i mean the boys seen it when i first started, but i'm done now. and i would like for you to see it, kinda add your input in it. even though, i know i can be stubborn and i'm probably not the easiest person to work with. but you should know that you make me a better writer."

julie smiled, not only at what fin had said, but at her rambling. "i think we make each other better."

fin smiled, "you know what? why don't you just ditch school today. let's go watch another high school musical movie or - or listen to my song."

"what? no. no. i promised my dad, school first." julie told her.

"right. you were at school first, and now you're leaving to go hang out with me." fin said, smirking. this made julie give her a look that made her heart skip a beat. "come on. i can't do this without you."

"i can't." julie said, releasing a sigh. "i - i told nick i'd be his dance partner."

fin was really good at convincing people, because julie wanted to drop everything and go hang out with the songwriter.

"that's the blonde boy who wore the fedora at the dance, right?" fin asked.

"yep." julie answered.

"hey, julie." the said boy greeted from down the hall.

"and he's heading this way." julie said, making fin turn to look at him. "gotta go. bye."

with that, julie put her phone away, which made fin frown slightly. she frowned even more when nick walked straight through her.

"i hate being a ghost." she mumbled, but didn't leave.

"hey!" nick greeted again once he was in front of julie.

"well, don't you look sharp." fin commented, looking at nick dressed in all black.

"you ready for our big performance?" nick asked.

"oh yeah. yeah. we're gonna do great." julie said, pushing some here out of her face.

"i'm glad you're confident." nick said. "even after three classes, i still think i got worse. it's a good thing i got my secret weapon."

this made fin click her tongue, looking back at julie with a shocked expression. "uh - oh. i think somebody has a crush on julie."

"shut up." julie said trough gritted teeth and a smile, which made nick look at her weirdly. "um. . . shut up!"

"nice save." fin said before turning back to nick.

"no, seriously, molina. i - i - i'm nothing without you." nick told her, fin shaking her head as she looked at julie.

"no, no. you're gonna do fine." julie said, slapping nick's shoulder while looking at fin, basically saying that it was for her. "see you in there?"

"yeah, i'll be the guy trying not to make us look stupid." nick answered, fin mocking him as he started to walk away.

she started to follow him but turned back towards the molina girl. "well, he is just too cute!"

"boundaries." julie told her. "i'll see you after school."

with that, julie began to walk off, smiling.

"guess we'll just have to carry you tonight." fin yelled after her. "just like we always do. right, buttercup?"

this made julie shake her head slightly, rolling her eyes as her smile grew wider.

"hey, i know you're smiling." fin called out to the girl, a smile of her own on her lips. "kill it on the dance floor!"

this made julie release a small giggle, ignoring fin as she turned the corner.

"yeah, i'm definitely falling, and falling hard." fin mumbled to herself before poofing out of the school.

~~~

julie was standing next to nick, wearing a black dress with black shorts underneath. she was wearing shoes with a small heel, and just know that if fin was there, she probably would've passed out from how pretty julie looked.

"boys, i want you to focus and leave it all out on the field." coach told his team, making everyone furrow their eyebrows.

"you're loosing them, frank." the dance teacher told him.

"no. i got em." coach said, smiling slightly.

"breath in. . ." the dance teacher said, taking a breath in. "shake out your nerves. surrender to the music and to your partner. here we go."

"uh, i - i don't remember anything about surrendering." nick said to julie.

"you'll be fine, fin." julie said, waving her hands.

"it - it's nick, actually." nick corrected, looking at julie with furrowed eyebrows.

"right! nick. sorry." she apologized, her eyes widened. "my brain was wandering. but it wandered back. . . now i'm ready to kill it."

on cue, the music started to play, everyone getting into their positions. the teacher counted down before everyone started to do the choreography with their partner. julie and nick continued to do the choreography, actually doing good. but then julie turned to the mirror, her smile dropping.

everyone else disappeared as she saw fin, in a black and white dress, walking towards her in the mirror. she watched as fin stepped out of the mirror, looking directly at julie.

fin     julie     both

step into my world
bittersweet love story about a girl

fin walked towards julie, her hands out as she kept singing.

shook me to the core

the both of them looked down, watching as julie attempted to hold her hands, but her own hands went through fin's.

voice like an angel, i've never heard before

after a few more attempts, julie felt fin's hands underneath her own. fin smiled while julie closed her eyes at the touch, the both of them starting to dance.

here in front of me
shining so much brighter than i have ever seen
life can be so mean
but when she goes i know she doesn't leave

they let go of each other, fin backing up as she started to do her own little dance, the both of them starting to sing.

the truth is finally breaking through
two worlds collide when i'm with you
our voices rise and soar so high
we come to life when we're

fin picked julie up, looking at the girl in awe as they started to sing the chorus. she let the molina girl down slowly, still watching her every movement.

in perfect harmony
whoa, whoa
in perfect harmony
whoa, whoa

fin put herself behind julie, the both of them looking at each other. her eyes then went up, watching as julie raised her arms.

we say we're friends

fin gently moved her fingers up julie's arms, grabbing her hands with her own.

we play pretend

they bring their hands down and out before julie wrapped fin's arms around her, leaning into fin's shoulder.

you're more to me

fin looked down at the younger girl, taking in every detail.

we create

a perfect harmony

julie spun back into reality, coming face to face with nick. this made julie's eyes widen in shock, completely forgetting where she was actually at.

"wow, we nailed that. thanks, partner." nick said, chuckling.

"yeah." julie said, looking back at the mirrors where fin had came from, only to see her reflection staring back her. "um. . . that was great."

this made her frown slightly, a little disappointed but also very confused as to what just happened. fortunately, the bell rang.

"i gotta get going." she told nick before she walked passed him and out into the hallway.

she had ran into the music room, sitting down at the piano. she couldn't get the song that her and fin had sung out of her head, playing the melody on the piano. she had smiled slightly, the scene running through her head again.

"there you are." flynn said from the doorway, snapping julie out of her thoughts. "i've been look all over for you. why'd you run out of dance class so fast?"

"sorry. i just needed some air. it was a little intense in there." julie told her best friend, watching as she sat in front of her.

"oh, i noticed." flynn smirked, nodding her head. "dancing with a guy you've had a crush on for forever will do that to a girl."

"yeah. but the whole time we were dancing, i was thinking about fin." julie said, scratching her head.

"seriously?" flynn asked. "first off, called it. second, i know you always want what you can't have, but fin is next level."

"i know. and now i think nick likes me. nick!" julie said.

"he totally does." flynn agreed with an excited smile.

"but me and fin just clicked." julie reasoned. "and she's so -"

"not real." flynn pointed out. "you can make all the music you want with fin, but. . . she'll always be a phantom."

julie looked down, know that flynn was right.

"so. . . here's what we're gonna do." flynn started, grabbing julie's phone. "send nick a nice little friendly text asking him to come to your party tonight." she showed julie the message.

"um, i usually don't use that many smiley faces." julie said.

"you do now. i'm not gonna let you get your heart broken." flynn told her. "and trust me. tonight, you're performing with fin, so the key is avoiding those big, beautiful, dead. . . eyes."

"you're very pushy today." julie pointed out.

"you're welcome." flynn smiled.

~~~
okay! i'm back! i know it's been like a month and a half since i updated this book... i think? but i'm back. imma update it one more time today, and then i'll work on another book. i hope u enjoyed the chapter.