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chapter seven: selfish
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"sounds like sarcasm."
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fin poofed into the yard of a house, releasing a sigh as she looked up at the familiar house that she's been coming to for the past few weeks. she looked into the driveway, seeing two kids playing.

she smiled as she walked over to one of them.

"how's my only nephew doing?" she asked, knowing that he couldn't see her.

she was at her brother's house. it was a pretty big house, which made fin smile when she had first saw it. she doesn't know what his job was, but he was getting paid extremely well.

the little boy, who was around 8 years old, was kicking the ball around the driveway, making sure not to kick it into the street.

fin had learn that his name was henry, which was tyler's middle name. she walked over to the little girl that was in the yard, sitting at a small table, having a tea party with her stuffed animals. her name was max, short for maxine.

max was around 4. she was the only one that would see fin sometimes, stopping and waving at her before she went off to play again.

fin was confused at first, wondering why her youngest niece could see her. but then she remembered that younger children can usually see spirits.

"hi." max greeted, looking up at fin.

"hi." fin greeted back, bending down so that she could be eye level. "how's your tea party going?"

"it's going good." max answered, smiling to show that she was missing one of her front teeth.

"when did your tooth fall out, maxie?" fin asked, smiling at how adorable she was.

"uh, a few days ago." max said. "do you want some tea?"

"uh, no, thank you." fin said before she stood up.

"bye - bye." max said, waving at fin.

fin waved back, chuckling at how cute the little girl was. she then walked over to the house, seeing tyler's wife sitting on the porch.

"hey, reese." fin greeted before she walked through the closed door and into the house.

fin walked into the living room, seeing her oldest niece sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. the girl was 16, being named finley, after her aunt.

when fin had found that out, she said, "at least i know someone misses me."

she walked over to the kitchen, seeing tyler sitting at the kitchen island. he was on his laptop with, typing something on it.

fin leaned on the counter, looking over at the laptop. she looked at the screen, seeing that he was on instagram. yeah, she knows what instagram looks like. and it says instagram at the top of the screen.

fin watched as tyler made a post, it popping up on the timeline. she furrowed her eyebrows, seeing an old picture of herself. it was from the day that he had went to college. she then went down to the caption.

"i miss you everyday, bub❤️"

tyler then released a sigh before he got up. fin watched him, before looking back at the laptop. she sat down in his seat, seeing that there was a notepad.

"i miss you, too, bubba." she mumbled to herself.

she then felt that same jolt of pain from yesterday, the purple light flickering in her chest. she groaned in pain as her hand went to her chest, the chair rocking slightly.

"what the fuck is that?" she mumbled, rubbing her chest.

she released a sigh before she poofed into the studio, landing on the couch. the boys looked over to her, their worried expressions being replaced with ones of relief.

"oh, my god." alex said. "where have you been?"

"on a walk." fin mumbled. she then saw luke holding her songbook, making her raise her eyebrows. "why do you have my songbook?"

"oh, i was just going through some of your songs." luke answered. "i booked us a gig and we need to have the perfect song."

he continued to flip through the book, stopping at the song that was about julie. his eyebrows furrowed as he started to read the lyrics, knowing who it was about instantly.

"who - who's this song about?" luke asked as jealousy flowed through his veins

fin walked over to him, grabbing her book to see what song he was taking about. alex walked up behind her, the both of them reading the lyrics and smiling.

"that's about julie, isn't it?" alex asked.

"yeah, it is." fin smiled, closing her book.

"you like julie?" luke asked.

"yeah, that's the song you asked me about a few weeks ago. i said it was about julie." fin answered. "and like is an understatement. i have genuine feelings for her."

"is this like you know who?" reggie questioned, referring to fin's ex.

"no, no, it's not." fin answered, sitting back down on the couch. "it's different this time."

"luke, why the long face?" alex asked.

this made reggie and fin look over to the patterson boy, seeing that he looked angry.

"what's wrong?" fin asked.

"n - nothing." luke mumbled.

fin, alex, and reggie all gave each other a look, eyebrows furrowed. luke turned towards the opened doors, seeing julie starting to walk towards the studio.

reggie poofed behind luke so that he could sing,

we're sorry

alex did the same thing.

so sorry

it was luke's turn, going down in his knees and doing jazzy hands.

we're super - duper, crazy, stupid

and then they all sung together.

sorry

fin raised her eyebrows, not expecting them to do that. she smiled nonetheless though, giving them a little clap.

"in case you missed it, we're really sorry." reggie told julie, dropping his arms.

"yeah. i - i got that part." julie said.

"we've been here for, like, three hours." alex said.

"yup." reggie said, raising his hand so that the two of them could high five.

luke stood from the floor. "we almost sang to your little brother."

"he comes in here a lot. mainly to use the bathroom." reggie said.

"yeah. it's not our favorite part of the day." alex added, making fin nod.

"but, julie, it wasn't okay that we flaked on the dance last night. we know we let you down." luke said.

"yeah, and none of us wanted to disappoint you." alex added. "you're the best thing that's happened to us since we became ghosts."

fin got up from the couch and walked over to the group, earning a small smile from julie.

"so, in hopes that you'll rejoin the band, we booked a new gig." luke said, handing her a piece of paper.

fin walked over to julie, looking over her shoulder so that she could see what's on it. it was a flier promoting a bunch of performances happening in a cafe.

"a mega important, life changing gig." reggie added.

"oh, okay. check it out. tons of managers go here to listen to new bands. all we gotta do is blow them away, and we're living the dream." luke told julie.

"so this means a lot to you, huh?" she asked. "kind of how playing in front of my whole entire school meant a lot to me."

"sounds like sarcasm." reggie said. "i'm starting to think our plan isn't working."

"look, we know we messed up." alex said.

"but we need you in the band." luke added.

"of course you do, because without me no one can see you guys playing." julie said. "you know, i thought that the music we were writing was special, but you're too obsessed with your past to even care."

"i do care. our band has a real chance at greatness. i'm not gonna let that get away from us again." luke said.

"really? cause it seems like the only person that cares is fin. she was the only one that came to the dance." julie pointed out.

"that's because she has feelings for you!" luke yelled, making fin look at him with wide eyes. "she - she has feelings for you and wants to impress you!"

"dude!" alex said, slapping luke on his arm, hard.

luke's eyes widened, realizing what he had said. he quickly looked over at fin, who was glaring at him, her eyes starting to water.

"fin. . . i - i didn't mean -" he tried, stepping towards the carter girl.

fin backed away, the tears trailing down her cheeks. "don't!"

luke quickly backed away, alex glaring at him as he did so. the carter girl looked at julie before she poofed up into the loft. julie looked over at luke, her blood boiling because of what he had did.

"why would you do that?" alex asked him.

"it's the same reason why you bailed on me to get back at trevor. cause there's only one thing you care about, and that's yourself." julie said, glaring at luke.

~~~

after some time, the boys had convinced fin to come with them to talk to julie. she wiped her cheeks, and poofed into julie's living room, the boys following her.

"hey, you, uh, you got a second?" alex asked her.

julie let out a sigh, shifting around on the couch. fin smiled slightly, knowing that she was ignoring the boys.

"oh my gosh, she can't see us anymore!" reggie exclaimed.

"hey, fin." julie greeted, looking at the girl with sympathetic eyes.

fin waved awkwardly, not knowing what to do since julie knows how she feels about her.

alex went to go sit on the arm of the couch, "julie, please."

"i already told you that i'm done with the band." julie told the blonde.

"yeah, we know, alright? but before you decide that forever, we just. . . we wanted you to know that luke isn't as selfish as you think." alex told her.

"yeah, you've got him all wrong." reggie added.

"he may act like a dickhead sometimes, but that's only because he gets really passionate about stuff." fin then said.

julie looked over at her, who was avoiding eye contact by looking down at the floor. julie scoffed before she went back to her homework.

"you remember that song emily?" alex asked, making julie look back up. "can we at least show you who that's actually about?"

a few minutes later, alex, reggie, fin, and julie was at the patterson residence. the three ghosts and girl was hiding behind three trees, fin and alex hiding behind the same one. they peaked their heads out, seeing luke sitting on kitchen counter and watching his parents.

"so, emily's his mom?" julie asked the three ghosts.

"yeah. yeah, luke comes here a lot." alex answered.

"he thinks we don't know, but. . . we've been following him." reggie added.

"we know you go see your brother." alex told fin, looking up at her since he was crouched down.

"all he does is just hang out like this and watch them." reggie informed. "they never really do anything thought.

they watched as emily put a cake on the round kitchen table, having a knife in her hand.

"they're having cake." julie pointed out. "that's something."

"it's - it's a birthday cake. for luke." reggie told her.

"i never knew luke was hurting this much." julie said.

"yeah. it's even worse because when he died, he left on bad terms." alex said. "you know, his parents didn't want their 17 year old in a rock band, so. . . he just left."

"he never got the chance to make up with them." fin added, watching as luke started to walk over to the kitchen table with his parents.

they watched luke's dad light the candle that was on the cake, luke blowing it out. his father relit it as luke plopped down in a seat, looking at his mother with sad eyes.

"that's why luke was so angry. if trevor had given luke credit for writing some of the songs, then. . . his parents would've known his dream was worth chasing." reggie said.

"they would've been so proud." julie said.

fin watched as luke blew the candle out again, but this time with his parents.

alex stood up, turning to look at julie. "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."

"julie, we love our band, and luke does too. please give us another chance." reggie said.

julie nods slightly, making the ghosts smile.

they went back to the studio, instantly starting to rehearse for the gig that luke had booked.

marching on proud
turn it up loud
cause now we know what we're worth

luke poofed into the studio, landing in chair. he then saw julie sitting at her keyboards, making him shoot up.

"whoa, julie."

"grab your guitar. we got work to do." julie told him, a smile on her face.

luke smiled, looking at the boys. his eyes then landed on fin, his smile dropping. he walked up to her cautiously, not sure if she would let him hug her. he wrapped her arms around her, smiling when she did the same.

"i'm so sorry." he said to her, still hugging.

"it's okay." fin mumbled into his shoulder.

she quickly pulled back and punched him in his arm, hard. this made him grab his arm, wincing.

"i deserve that." he said through gritted teeth.

"damn straight." fin said, a small smile on her lips.

luke then grabbed his guitar, putting the strap around his shoulder. he then turned to julie.

"what made you come back?" he asked her.

"i realized how important music is to all of us. and we've lost so much already. we can't lose this too." julie answered. 

"thanks." he said. "alright, boss. where we at?"

"oh, and by the way, happy birthday." julie said.

fin smiled, watching as luke stepped over to his best friends.

"let's go from the pre - chorus." julie told the band, fin nodding.

~~~

fin poofed into the hallway outside of julie's room. she stuck her bed through the closed door, knocking gently on the doorframe. this made julie look up, her eyes lighting up instantly.

"hey, can i come in?" fin asked.

"yeah, of course." julie answered.

fin walked through the door, scratching the back of her neck. "about what luke said. . . i, uh. . . i had a whole speech prepared but i forgot it."

julie giggled, making fin smile. "it's okay, fin."

"are things gonna change between us now? cause i really don't want them to." fin asked.

"why would they change?" julie questioned.

"because i have feelings for you, and you don't have feelings for me. people usually don't stay friends when feelings are involved." fin said.

"who said i don't have feelings for you?" julie challenged.

this made fin raise her eyebrows. her cheeks heated up, not expecting those words to leave julie's mouth.

"i - i - i. . . what?" she stuttered, making julie giggle again.

"you're usually the one making me blush." she said.

"yeah, well my guard is down right now. makes it easier to talk about feelings and stuff." fin said, her cheeks still that crimson color.

julie smiled, looking back down at the mic in her hand. fin noticed that she was drawing on it with markers, making her eyebrows raise.

"what you drawing?" she asked, climbing onto the bed besides julie.

"just drawing things on. you know i like to doodle." julie answered as she finish coloring in a flower.

"is that your favorite flower?" fin asked.

"no, it was, uh, it was my mother's." julie answered. "pink dahlias."

a ding from julie's phone made them both look at it. the molina girl put the cap onto her marker before she picked up her phone. she clicked on the notification to see that nick had sent a picture of himself in disco clothes.

fin heard julie chuckle, making her feeling jealousy appear in her chest. fin then heard a knock from the door, seeing that it was reggie's hand knocking on the inside.

"what are you guys doing?" julie asked the boys, putting her phone down.

"we're being classy." reggie said, sticking his head through the closed door.

he was then yanked back by alex or luke, luke walking through the door, alex and reggie following him.

"why're you still here? we're going in, like, 20 minutes." luke asked.

"i lied to my dad, so. . . now i'm stuck in my room all night." julie said, making fin frown.

"yeah, but we was just at the venue. i mean, it's packed. like, vips, managers. it's kinda crazy." alex said.

"what are we gonna do about my aunt? she's right downstairs." julie questioned.

fin smiled, standing up from julie's bed. " you're aunt." she mumbled as she walked over to the window, pushing it open. "you're not taking the stairs."

julie quickly looked at the boys, seeing that they were smiling. she mirrored their smile before she turned back to fin.

"okay. let me get dressed. i'll meet you guys there."

the boys poofed out of the room, fin still standing there.

"be careful. don't need you getting hurt, buttercup." fin told her. "oh, and i meant to tell you this earlier. you look cute with glasses."

and with that she poofed out, leaving a blushing julie in her room.

~~~

fin and the guys poofed into the venue that they were performing at, poofing right behind julie and flynn. they had changed their clothes, fin changing into a gray muscle tee, the sides of her bra band showing with blacked ripped jeans. half of her hair was up into a ponytail, some stray strands framing her face.

fin looked at the stage, seeing that dirty candy was performing, making her frown slightly. and then suddenly, alex poofed into stage.

"what?" julie questioned, looking at fin and reggie, the both of them shrugging.

fin smiled when alex started to dance with the group, a smile on his face as well.

some might say i sound conceited
they don't get the shine that i get

fin let out a chuckled as alex started to vogue in the middle of the circle that dirty candy formed. he then poofed next to reggie, fin looking at him with a smile.

"you having fun out there?" julie asked him.

"it's not my fault. it's my, um. . . it's my feet." alex defended.

"yeah." julie said.

"put me back in, coach." alex whispered before he poofed back onto the stage.

flynn then looked at julie, asking what was happening with her eyes.

"oh, it's fin and the guys." julie told her.

"hey, flynn." fin greeted.

"fin said hey." julie told her best friend.

"hey, fin." flynn said, a smile on her face.

everyone looked back up at the stage, seeing alex dancing. all fin could do was chuckle, watching as alex dance behind carrie before the song ended, him doing a finishing pose.

alex smiled once the audience clapped, making him do a little dance. "making me blush."

he then poofed back to the band, all of them look at him. "hey, um. . . i was just - i was just doing that for you guys."

reggie hummed. "yeah, you can stop smiling now."

"i'm not gonna lie. that was. . . kinda good." julie said to flynn.

"yeah. i forgot why i hate her so much." flynn said, making fin chuckle.

carrie then walked up to them, her group following behind her. "hi, girls. um, isn't it past your bedtime?"

"now i remember." flynn stated.

"if you're looking for nick, he didn't come." carrie said to julie.

she scoffed, taking a step forward. "that's not why i'm here."

"okay, it looks like we're closing out the night with one more group." some dude said into the mic. "julie and the fat ones."

fin looked over at luke, knowing that he had written it. she heard everyone laugh, carrie and her crew included.

"really?" alex asked.

"yeah, man. my handwriting sucks." luke said.

julie then walked onto the stage, sitting at her keyboard. she put her mic into the stand, it being the one that she was drawing on earlier.

"hi." julie said into it, a chuckle escaping her lips. "it's actually julie and the phantoms."

flynn walked over to the project and turned it on, giving a thumbs up to julie. the molina girl then started to play her keyboard.

julie         fin/ luke      both        the band

hearts on fire
we're no liars
so we say what we wanna say
i'm awakened
no more faking
so we push all our fears away

fin smiled, feeling her heart flip as julie sang.

don't know if i'll make it cause i'm falling under
close my eyes, and feel my chest beating like thunder

i wanna fly
come alive
watch me shine

fin and the guys appeared on the stage, playing their instruments. julie stood up from her keyboards, walking over to fin as the duo plus luke sang.

i got a spark in me
hands up if you can see
and you're apart of me
hands up if you're with me
now til eternity
hands up if you believe
been so long, and now we're finally free

we're all bright now
what a sight now
coming out like we're fireworks
marching on proud
turn it up loud
cause now we know what we're worth

fin smiled at julie, who smiled back at her. luke came back to the mic, joining julie.

we know we can make it we're not falling under
close my eyes and feel my chest beating like thunder

i wanna fly
come alive
watch me shine

fin joined the two, walking back up to her mic.

i got a spark in me
hands up if you can see
and you're apart of me
hands up if you're with me
now til eternity
hands up if you believe
been so long and now i'm finally free

reggie went over to luke, the both of them singing into luke's mic.

i got a spark in me (whoa)
hands up if you can see (whoa)
and you're apart of me (whoa)
hands up if you're with me (whoa)
now til eternity (whoa)
hands up if you believe (whoa)
been so long and now i'm finally free (whoa)

julie dragged her mic stand and her mic over to fin as luke, alex, and fin stopped playing their instruments. it was fin's turn to sing with julie. they both sung into julie's mic, making intense eye contact.

i got a spark in me
i got a spark in me
and you're apart of me
and you're apart of me

reggie and alex looked at each other with smiled in their faces, a knowing look in their eyes. luke looked at the duo in jealousy.

now til eternity
now til eternity
been so long and now we're finally free

the boys started playing their instruments again, fin doing the same as she turned back to her own mic.

i got a spark in me (whoa)
hands up if you can see (whoa)
and you're apart of me (whoa)
hands up if you're with me (whoa)
now til eternity (whoa)
hands up if you believe (whoa)
been so long and now we're finally free
yeah, yeah, yeah

finally free, yeah
been so long and now we're finally free

finally free
yeah

the song ended, alex standing up from his drums, reggie, luke, and fin standing next to each other. they all took a bow before they disappeared off the stage.

the crowd started cheering and clapping, making julie chuckle.

"thank you. we're julie and the phantoms. tell your friends." she said into her mic.

she then ran off the stage and over to flynn, who was at the bar. fin and the guys poofed behind her, watching as flynn and julie hugged each other.

"you were incredible!" flynn exclaimed, a huge grin on her face.

"yeah, we were." reggie said, looking at his bandmates.

"hey. hey!" luke said, making everyone look at him. whoever carrie was trying to impress us coming this way."

this made the band turn toward the lady in the white pantsuit.

"she looks all business." reggie whispered. "wait. who should do the talking?"

"maybe the one who she can see?" fin suggested sarcastically.

"right. julie. julie." reggie said.

julie looked at fin with worried eyes.

"you got this." fin reassured, a smile on her lips.

"hi, i'm andi parker, and i would -" andi started, sticking her hand out.

she was interrupted by julie's father calling her name, making everyone turn towards him.

"dad." julie said.

"it's time to go." he told her.

"uh - oh." fin mumbled.

~~~

another chapter yayyyyyyyy. hope u enjoyed.