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chapter three: bright
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"ugh, i miss food."
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fin warped in front of her house, smiling as she realized that the outside of the house hasn't changed.  she hadn't been outside the house in 25 years, and hasn't been inside in 26.

she used to sneak off from the studio and come see how her parents were doing. they didn't seem like they had missed her all that much then, even if she was their daughter. so many bad memories hit her all at once, overwhelming her, making her close her eyes.

one that stood out was when they had kicked her out. she had left with her duffel bag full of clothes, her songbook, her guitar, and a broken heart.

she remembered when she had called her brother from the studio, telling him what had happened. he told her he was gonna come home, but she told him to stay, not wanting him to leave college just for her.

"i'll be fine. i'm staying with the guys." she told him, tears running down her cheeks.

fin opened her eyes, releasing a sigh. she hasn't seen her brother in 25 years. the one person that kept her sane in that family.

she shook her head, stepping onto the porch of her old house. she walked through the closed door, instantly being met with the familiar smell of her home. she smiled slightly, going into the living room, seeing her dad reading a news paper.

"dad." she whispered, walking over to him.

he had glasses on the bridge of his nose, a gray beard to match with the head full of gray hair. he looked exactly the same, just a lot older.

"honey, do you want some tea?" the familiar voice of fin's mother asked from the kitchen.

"yes, dear!"

"mom." fin said before warping into the kitchen.

her mom was at the stove, putting a teapot on one of the eyes. she then turned the knob, making fire spout from the eye.

she looked exactly the same as well, just older. her hair longer than it was the last time fin had seen her. and gray as well.

"it should be ready in a few minutes." her mom called to her husband.

fin watched as her mother walked right through her and to the living room. fin turned around, slightly tearing up. she wiped her eyes before she left the kitchen, going upstairs.

she went to her parents' room first, seeing that the only thing that had changed was the color of the walls. it was now a navy blue instead of the wallpaper that they had.

fin chuckled, walking to her brother's room. everything is exactly how she remembered it. gray walls, the twin sized bed, all of the action figures that were on shelves, along with books.

she smiled as she remembered all those night she came in here when she needed her brother, the two of them just talking to each other until she felt better.

"miss you, tyler." she whispered before she walked through the wall and went to her room.

her smile dropped when she saw that her parents had changed her room completely. all of her furniture was no longer there, but was replaced with junk and boxes. the posters and pictures on her walls were gone as well, along with the wallpaper that was under it. it was just the plain white walls.

they're using her room as a storage room.

"wow." she whispered, walking through all of the boxes.

she didn't even realize she was crying until she felt the tears run down her cheeks.

she quickly wiped her face, not wanting to cry over her parents. she thought they would've realized that what they did was wrong and would've felt sorry, but it looks like she was wrong.

she poofed out of her room, appearing in the studio. reggie and luke looked up, seeing that it was just fin.

alex frowned once he had seen the tears and her puffy eyes. "what happened?"

"i went to see my parents." fin answered. "everything is the exact same. tyler's room, their room. everything except mines." she finished, laughing through the pain.

alex looked over at reggie, the both of them knowing that fin was hurting. she's been hurting for awhile now.

alex stepped forward, cautiously, knowing that sometimes fin doesn't want to be touched when she's sad. the carter girl let him touch her, wrapping his arms around the smaller girl as she put her face in his chest, breaking down.

reggie stood up and joined them, wrapping his arms around them as he put his chin on top of fin's head. they just stood their, letting fin cry until she had calmed down.

"th - thanks, guys." she hiccuped, small smile on her face.

"anytime." the boys said in unison, pulling back slightly.

"where's luke?" she questioned.

"uh, i think in julie's kitchen." alex answered.

"okay, well, i'll be right back. i need to speak to julie." fin said.

the boys nodded, watching her walking over to the piano to grab her songbook before she warped out.

she appeared next to luke, who was looking in the fridge. fin raised her eyebrows, wondering how he got the door open in the first place.

"uh, hey." she greeted.

"hey."

"what are you doing?" she asked.

"just. . . looking at what they got." he answered, staring into the fridge.

"man, i miss food." fin said, starting to look in the fridge too.

"i do too, fin." luke mumbled.

the two stayed there for a few minutes, just looking at all of the food. no one tried to grab it, they just stood there and looked at it.

"ah!" julie exclaimed, making the duo turn to look at her. "i'm never gonna get used to that." she then walked over to the two, looking into the fridge. "do your guys even eat?"

luke shook his head, fin doing the same. "i just wanna see what ya got."

julie rolled her eyes, closing the fridge before walking over to the island. she started to make herself a sandwich.

"hey!" fin whined, glaring at julie.

"do you know how long it took me to open that?" luke asked her.

"sorry, i don't believe in wasting power." julie told them.

"good. because that exactly what i wanted to talk to you about." fin said, smiling.

luke looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, the two making eye contact. fin gave him a look, silently telling him to leave. the patterson boy nodded before poofing out, slightly jealous.

"our power usage?" julie questioned, seeing that luke had disappeared. "where did luke go?"

"back to the studio. and no, not your power usage. the power that you have." fin answered, making julie look at her with a confused look. "your voice. your piano playing. dude, you're like a human wrecking ball."

julie chuckled. "is this a pep talk?"

"what i'm saying is that you have the power to move people. to knock them of their feet. and there is no way your teachers wouldn't let you back into that music program thingy if they heard you play like that." fin told the taller girl.

"i asked her, and she said i have to wait until next semester." julie told her.

"that was your first mistake." fin said, pulling herself on a counter. "asking. sunset curve booked gigs by doing. we went into ambush mode. we played in front of clubs, we played in back of clubs. we even played book clubs."

julie looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. "book clubs?"

"yeah. . . that was luke's idea." fin said, scratching the back of her head. "they had good snacks though."

julie shook her head, a small smile on her face as she finished making her sandwich.

"i'm just saying, don't ask for permission. swing that wrecking ball talent of yours and smash those stupid rules right outta their brains." fin said, a smile on her face.

"this isn't a club, it's a school, and your plan sounds violent." julie said.

"it's a closed door, and you gotta bust it open." fin told her.

julie rolled her eyes and walked over to the fridge, fin sliding off of the counter and following her.

"sorry, once i start with the metaphors i can't stop." fin said. "i learned that from book club."

julie closed the friend after she grabbed the orange juice, turning and walking through fin, stopping after she felt a weird feeling.

fin furrowed her eyebrows, feeling the same thing as well. she turned to look at julie who was already looking at you. she then walked back to the counter, fin following her.

"if getting back into music is what you want, then you gotta go for it." fin told her, watching julie pick up her sandwich. "learn from me. your tainted hot dog could be right around the corner."

julie put her sandwich, releasing a sigh. "i don't even have anything prepared."

"thought you'd say that." fin smiled, showing julie her songbook.

julie watched as fin opened her book, flipping through the pages until she found the song she was looking for. she placed the book on the counter, julie looking down at it.

"it's called bright." fin told the molina girl. "it's a sunset curve song i wrote that we never got to record. but it's perfect for your range. look at the chorus. if you add a little bit of piano, i'm telling you. . ."

she then be can to sing the chorus.

we will rise through the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together, bright forever

julie picked up the book, joining fin.

and rise through the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together

"and go up high." fin told her before going back to singing.

bright forever

"yes!" fin smiled, looking up at julie.

she then ripped the song out of her notebook, handing it over to julie, who took it.

"thanks." she said.

"anytime." fin said, the smile still on her face. "buttercup."

julie's cheeks flushed, going back to her sandwich. fin's smile grew, watching as julie tried to avoid eye contact.

"how does that taste?" fin asked her, making julie look at her.

"like any other pb and j sandwich." julie answered.

"ugh, i miss food." fin groaned, feeling her mouth water.

julie looked up at the girl, watching as she pulled herself onto the counter. she realized that fin's cheeks were red and that her eyes were puffy.

"were you crying?" julie asked.

"yeah."

"why?"

"uh, because i went to go see my folks." fin answered.

"are they okay?"

"yeah, yeah. they're okay." fin asked.

"so what's the problem?" julie asked, not understanding.

"uh. . . i went to go see them. i went through all of the rooms, everything was the same. except mine. they took all of my shit out and uses it as a storage room. i expected them not to care about the fact that i had died, but i didn't expect that." fin ranted.

"why did you expect that?" julie asked.

"oh, yeah. you don't know. . ." fin said, her voice trailing off. "i'm lesbian. . . i like girls. uh, someone who used to be close to me told the whole school, then my parents found out, then they kicked me out."

this made julie frown, putting her sandwich down. "i'm sorry, fin."

"eh, it's okay. it's their loss, right?" fin mumbled, looking down at her lap.

"yeah, it is." julie told her.

fin looked up, smiling at the curly haired girl. "thanks, buttercup."

the two smiled at each other, cheeks flushing.

"well, if it makes you feel any better. . . i'm bisexual." julie told her, making fin smile even wider.

"really?" fin asked, making julie nod. "sweet."

she hid the excitement that filled her body, but julie could see it in her eyes. they're both extremely happy that they now have a chance. or at least could've had a chance, considering fin being a ghost and all.

"how'd you know i was crying?" fin asked.

"your cheeks were red and your eyes were puffy." julie answered. "you're cheeks are still red."

"yeah, still from the crying." fin tried.

"no, no. i don't think so." julie said. "i think it's because you're blushing.

"oh, wow. look it's time for me to go." fin quickly said before she poofed out.

this made julie chuckle, a big smile on her face. she picked up her sandwich, taking another bite out of it, fin staying on her mind.

~~~

fin and the guys warped into the gym, appearing next to julie. this made julie look behind here, seeing the band.

fin was wearing her converse, a pair of black jeans, gray t - shirt that said sunset curve on it, and a black and white flannel over it. she also had a snapback on, it being backwards.

"what are you guys doing here?" she asked them.

"we wanna see you stick it to the man. isn't that right, guys?" luke answered.

"man, i miss high school." reggie mumbled, watching the group of girl perform in the middle of the gymnasium.

"same." fin muttered, looking at the girls as well.

julie felt a pang of jealousy in her chest as she looked at fin, seeing the carter girl staring at the girl who used to be her best friend.

cause we are the champions like freddie mercury

alex started to copy the dance moves, fin noticing this. she slapped his arm, making him stop and glare at her. she pointed at julie, who was looking at the two with a worried expression on her face.

the song answered, the girl group getting into one line as the students cheered and clapped.

"thank you!" the girl who was singing said to the crowd clapped.

"we love you, carrie!" one of the students yelled.

"oh, i love you too!" carrie yelled back, waving. "make sure to check out my new youtube video. oh, go bobcats."

with that, the group walked off, fin turning to julie with furrowed eyebrows.

"what's. . . what's youtube?" she asked.

julie was about to answer, but two women walked to the middle of the gym, starting to speak.

"thank you, dirty candy." one of them said.

"now's  your chance. go talk to her. see you in music class." flynn said with a smile before she walked off.

"that was sweet!" the other lady joked, but the students didn't even laugh.

"and that was awkward!" fin said, her voice raising slightly.

julie looked over at her, a small smile on her face.

"okay, then. before we let you go, we have a few more announcements." the lady in the pantsuit told the students.

"what are you waiting for? now's your time." reggie told julie.

"yeah. i mean, you look really nervous. like tack in a bowl nervous." alex pointed out.

fin slapped the back of his head, making him glare at her. "not helping." she told him.

"i just don't think i had enough time to work on the song." julie told them, looking at fin with furrowed eyebrows.

"i wouldn't have given you the song if i didn't think you were gonna kill it." fin told her. "now there's a piano on that stage with your name on it."

julie looked at the piano before looking back at fin, the carter girl giving her a reassuring nod. julie ran off, going towards the stage.

the band turned towards the stage, seeing julie sit down at the piano as the students started to walking down the bleachers. she played a few notes before she looked over at the group.

"you got this!" fin reassured, the guys giving her thumbs up.

julie went back to playing the song, fin smiling as she did so.

julie fin/any of the boys both     the band

sometimes i think i'm falling down
i wanna cry, i'm calling out
for one more try to feel alive
and when i feel lost and alone
i know that i can make it home
fight through the dark and find the spark

fin looked at the students, seeing that they had stopped leaving the gym and were all looking at julie, making her smile.

life is a risk, but i will take it
close my eyes and jump
together, i think that we can make it
come on let's run

suddenly, fin and the guys appeared on the stage, playing their instruments. julie looked up at them, a smile on her face. she grabbed her mic and got up from the piano, walking over to fin.

and rise through the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together, bright forever
and rise though the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together, bright forever

fin looked over at julie, realizing that the school can see them. julie walked smiled at her, taking the mic away from her mouth.

"is this really happening?" she asked.

"just go with it." fin told her, walking over to her own mic to sing.

in times that i doubted myself
i feel like i needed some help
stuck in my head with nothing left
i feel something around me now
so unclear, lifting me out
i found the ground
i'm marching on

fin looked over at julie, smiling as she danced with reggie. reggie then went over to luke, singing with him into the mic.

life is a risk, but i will take it
close my eyes and jump
together, i think that we can make it
come on, let's run

fin and julie looked at each other again, smiling. fin continued to strum her guitar as the two sang together.

and rise through the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together, bright forever
and rise through the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together, bright forever

julie pulled the mic away from her mouth just as the band stopped playing their instruments, looking over at fin as she was the only one singing.

in times that i doubted myself

julie walked over to her, raising her mic so that fin can sing into it. fin turned, following julie as she slowly back up, the two staring into each other's eyes.

i feel like i needed some help
stuck in my head with nothing left

fin nodded at julie to sing the next few lyrics, the two smiling at each other. this made alex and reggie look at each other with knowing looks while luke stared on in jealousy.

julie turned towards the crowd, singing into the mic as fin started to play her guitar again, still standing next to each other.

and when i feel lost and alone
i know that i can make it home
fight through the dark and find the spark

fin backed up, julie turning around and walking through her which made the crowd go crazy. the boys started playing again.

and rise through the night, you and i

fin smiled as she watched julie belt out a note, feeling her heart skip a beat.

we will fight to shine together, bright forever
and rise through the night, you and i
we will fight to shine together, bright forever

the song came to an end, the student cheering and clapping as julie and fin smiled at each other once again.

julie, fin and the guys bowed, fin and the guys disappearing off of the stage and poofing right next to the crowd full of students. this made the students gasp, wondering how that happened.

"wow." fin mumbled, smiling at how alive she felt on the stage.

~~~

another chapterrrrrrr. yeah, i'm speeding through these episodes. but i hope u guys enjoyed this chapter :)