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𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ ＴＨＲＥＥ:
setting some boundaries

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THE NEXT MORNING, Emilia padded down the stone steps to Julie's studio. Emilia had driven there so they, along with Flynn, could go to school together. It was an everyday occasion. However, her footsteps slowed down once she noticed Luke, Reggie, and Alex talking outside of the studio. Her eyebrows knit in confusion as she stopped in her tracks.

They didn't seem to notice her, so Emilia cleared her throat. The three boys then jumped, all staring at the girl with wide eyes. Emilia raised an eyebrow and stepped up next to Reggie.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Emilia apologized. She paused for a moment. "You think it would be the other way around."

Alex chuckled softly. "It's okay. Good morning, Emilia."

"Morning." Emilia's eyes then narrowed at the expressions on their faces. "Why do you look so . . . stunned?"

"Stunned?" Luke scoffed, obviously trying to play it off. "We're not—"

"Julie was playing the piano and singing her mom's song," Reggie blurted out.

Emilia's eyes widened in shock. "She was what?" A smile slowly spread across her face and she hit Reggie's shoulder in excitement. "Do you know how exciting this is? She hasn't sang in over a year. Flynn and I have been trying to get her voice back . . . guys, this is amazing news!"

"But why'd she lie about not being able to play?" Luke asked.

Emilia shrugged. "That's really for Julie to tell you, not me— hi, Flynn!"

She quickly diverted her attention to the girl walking down the steps. Flynn was quietly sobbing with a tear or two streaming down her cheeks. Emilia immediately frowned and put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

Flynn sniffled. "Hi, Em. I've come to talk to Julie about the music program. I can't believe she's gonna get kicked out."

"Uh," Emilia stated, glancing back at the boys for a second. "Yeah, let's go talk to her! She's right in there. Maybe we can convince her to try and win her spot back."

The two girls began to walk away. Emilia turned and gave the boys one last smile before walking into the studio, which was illuminated by the golden light of the sunrise. They saw Julie sitting at the piano with some sheet music spread out in front of her.

"Carlos told me you'd be out here," Flynn announced, making Julie look up. "We need to talk."

Julie began piling the multiple sheets of music on top of each other. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay! You just got kicked out of music! I've been up all night thinking about what I was gonna say. Might've drank seven sodas, but . . . I need to get this out."

"Wait, I have something to tell you and Em—" Julie began.

"No, it's my turn to talk," Flynn cut her off. "You can't give up music. Your music's like a gift, so that'd be a tragedy. So, you're basically, like, cancelling Christmas, and I love Christmas!"

"Flynn, I—"

"Uh-uh. When we were six, we all promised to be in a band together. Triple Threat."

Emilia raised an eyebrow. "I'm almost positive we didn't agree on that name."

Flynn sighed. "That's not the point. Jules, if you leave the music program, you, me, and Em will be apart forever. That's just what happens. Sure, we'll see each other in the hall sometime, but . . . we'll have different lives, make new friends."

Julie shook her head. "That's not true."

"You're right. I won't be making any new friends. And the only time all three of us will contact each other at once is when we'll be liking each other's posts on Instagram. Every time I'll be hitting that little heart, my heart will be breaking because one of my best friends left me, and . . . ugh, do you have any soda? My head hurts."

Emilia chuckled. "I think you're cut off from soda today, Flynn."

"Can I talk now?" Julie questioned.

Flynn exhaled. "Fine."

"I just played the piano and sang again."

Emilia's face broke out in an even wider smile than before. Hearing it from the boys was one thing, but hearing it from Julie just made it all more real. After a year of giving up music, she was finally back. Emilia couldn't be more happy.

"What?" Flynn exclaimed. "Why didn't you just say so?"

"I was trying, and then your seven sodas kicked in," Julie countered.

"I'm so happy for you! And me!"

Julie laughed. Emilia felt her heart glow.

"You look happy again," Emilia commented. "I don't know, you just seem more . . . alive. Like you also drank seven sodas last night."

Flynn hit her shoulder before turning back to Julie. "What made you play again?"

Julie pushed the sheet music to the two of them. "I found this song my mom wrote me."

Emilia glanced over Flynn's shoulder and they both read the lyrics. The song was beautifully written and had an amazing melody to it. Not to mention the piano part was intricately detailed. Emilia could definitely see someone as amazing as Julie singing it.

"Woah," Flynn voiced.

Julie nodded slowly. "I know. I was so afraid to play it. Anything involving music reminds me of her. And then I woke up this morning . . . realizing that's why I should play it. To keep her memory alive."

Emilia gave her a soft smile. "I'm so proud of you, Jules."

Julie stood up. The three best friends wrapped each other in a tight hug before Flynn suddenly gasped and recoiled.

"We need to tell Mrs. Harrison you can play so you can stay in school and my life won't be that sad picture I just painted for you and Em," Flynn realized before taking Julie's and Emilia's hands and pulling them close to her. "My girl's back. Triple Threat lives again!"

"Not our band name," Julie argued while grabbing her sheet music as they all walked towards the doors of the studio.

"I gave you both a t-shirt in the seventh grade that says otherwise."

All three of them left the studio. Emilia turned to see Reggie sitting on the ground with his back on the door, Luke with his hand placed on the back of his head as his elbow rested on the door, and Alex looking at his fingernails with a hand on his hip. Emilia raised an eyebrow and shook her head. They had apparently been caught listening in on their conversation and tried to act nonchalant. It wasn't working.

"Oh, hey!" Julie greeted them with a smile.

Emilia's eyes widened. Flynn couldn't see the boys like they could. She sent an urgent look to Julie.

Julie seemed to notice her mistake. "Let's hustle!"

Emilia shook her head and walked after Julie. Julie turned and waved at the boys, which was also another mistake because Flynn would think she was waving to thin air. Emilia placed her hand on her forehead in second-hand embarrassment as her, Julie, and Flynn stopped walking.

"Don't worry, we weren't listening," Reggie told them.

Luke kicked him. Reggie immediately made a noise of protest. Julie pretended to get hit with a plant and scrambled around herself, making Flynn look at her weirdly. Emilia laughed and dropped her hand. She smiled at the boys again before following Flynn and Julie up the steps to the driveway.

After Emilia quickly drove to school, the three of them immediately went to the music room to try and convince Mrs. Harrison to let Julie stay in the music program.

"Believe me, Julie, I think it's wonderful that you sang again," Mrs. Harrison admitted after the girls explained what had happened. "I prayed for this moment for almost a year. But it's too late."

"What if you just hear her play?" Flynn protested. "You know she's amazing."

"It wouldn't matter. A new student starts tomorrow." Mrs. Harrison sighed at the crestfallen looks on all of their faces. "There's only—"

"So many spots," Julie finished. "And if I don't participate, I'm out. I know."

Mrs. Harrison stepped towards them. "I did everything I could to keep you here this year, but Principal Lessa was very clear that yesterday was your last chance. You'll have to reapply next semester." The belle then rang, signaling class was about to begin. "I'm truly sorry."

Emilia sighed. She threw her arms around her two best friends and led them out of the music room, sadness flowing through all of their veins.

𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙 ♔ 𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁

EMILIA WALKED UP the steps of Julie's house to her room, laughing slightly at something the girl had said. The two shared the same calculus class as often did homework with each other in order to actually understand what was going on. Most of the the time neither of them had any clue what their homework was asking, but it made for a nice hangout session filled with laughs.

But she definitely did not expect to see Luke, Reggie, and Alex looking around Julie's room. Emilia stopped in her tracks and stared at them. Julie's eyes widened once she noticed them.

"What are you guys doing in my room?" Julie asked loudly.

All of them immediately turned and tried to form an answer.

"We were looking for the kitchen?" Luke tried.

Emilia's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Why would the kitchen be upstairs? That makes no sense."

"This . . . this can't happen. It's creepy." Julie pointed at Reggie. "Get off my bed, please."

Reggie obeyed and hopped off her bed.

Luke raised his hand from standing on stool to look at her shelves. "Hey, Julie? What's in the box?"

"That's off-limits," Julie answered.

"Oh. Oh, okay." Luke chuckled. "Girl stuff."

"Oh, like butterflies and glitter?" Reggie guessed.

"Oh, come on," Alex said. "I'm sorry about them."

Julie crossed her arms. "It's none of your business. The only one who knows what's inside is Emilia, and she's sworn to secrecy."

"I took an oath and everything," Emilia added.

"And yes, there might be some glitter."

Alex then picked up a picture frame of Julie and her mom and turned around. "Hey, I actually picked something up!" It then fell through his hands and landed on Julie's bed. "I dropped it."

"Is that your mom?" Luke questioned while looking down at the frame.

"Yes, and it's my favorite picture of us, so if you break it, I'll break you," Julie warned, snatching the frame back and placing it on the table next to her bed.

"Okay, well, sorry, because we're kind of unbreakable at this point," Alex argued.

Julie turned back to him with raised eyebrows. "You sure? Because last time I checked, Emilia can still touch you."

"Emilia?" Luke scoffed. "What's she gonna do? She's, like, five feet tall."

Her mouth fell open in offense. "I'm five five, thank you very much. And I can so hit you if I wanted to. Wanna see?" Just as Emilia went to walk towards them, the boys all stumbled backwards away from her. "Yeah, didn't think so."

"I don't get it," Julie admitted. "You guys can mess up my bed, pick up your instruments, but you can't pick up other stuff?"

"I know, right?" Luke agreed. "It's hard. But for some reason, our instruments, easy."

"Yeah, like super easy." Reggie suddenly stood up from sitting on the beanbag at the edge of Julie's bed. "Oh, and check out what I learned today."

His bass suddenly appeared out of the air. However, it landed against his chest, making him fall backwards back onto the beanbag. Emilia chuckled at him.

"Yeah, that looked super easy," Julie commented.

"But it's like I always thought, our instruments are connected to our souls," Luke continued.

"Hey," a voice suddenly greeted.

Reggie rolled backwards and landed on his feet next to Alex. Julie and Emilia turned to see Ray standing in the doorway.

"Everything okay?" Ray inquired.

"Yeah, we're fine," Julie replied.

"Okay. I thought I heard you two talking to other people."

"Nope." Julie gestured to her laptop that was sitting on top of a trunk. "Must've been my laptop . . . that I just closed."

Ray lightly chuckled. "Okay. If you two need anything . . ."

He pointed to her door.

"Yeah, thanks," Julie said.

Ray shut the door behind him. Emilia let out a breath and turned back around to the boys, as did Julie.

"Your dad seems like the kind of guy who likes to barbecue," Reggie revealed. "I bet he has a great ribs recipe."

"I don't know, but if you guys wanna talk to me, we have to do it in the studio," Julia announced. "He's worried about me enough as it is."

"What if we want to talk to Emilia, too?" Luke asked.

All of them looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, um," Emilia let out. "You can probably just come to my house. I mean, I'm here at Julie's most of the time, but when I'm not, I'm home alone with Apollo since my parents are always away."

"Anyways, Ray seems chill. You should just tell him about us," Luke suggested.

Julie gave him a look, making the smile slip off his face. "You're kidding, right? This past year, everyone's been watching over me, being super nice, as if they're waiting for me to snap. If I tell my dad I met a ghost band, I'll be back to talking to Doctor Turner three days a week."

"Yeah, you probably shouldn't tell him." Luke then looked back up at the box and stepped on the stool again. "Julie . . ."

"Oh my gosh, I thought I told you to leave that alone!"

"I know. You just should've said nothing, 'cause now I can't stop thinking about it. And I don't want to pry it out of Emilia because she promised, so . . . what's in the box, Julie?"

Julie sighed, finally caving in. "It's just my dream box, okay? Whenever I get a thought or something, I write it down and get it out of my mind."

"Like lyrics?" Luke asked.

"They would be if I still wrote music like I used to with my mom. Now it's just full of stuff that doesn't make me sad."

Alex stood up from sitting by Julie's window. "But, I mean, you do play. We heard you this morning."

Emilia winced.

Julie's eyes widened. "In the garage?"

Luke got down from his stool and slapped Alex on the arm.

"So you were there, too?"

Once again, all of them tried to stammer out a response. Luke then laid on his stomach on Julie's bed, placing his cheek in the palm of his hand. He stared up at the two girls with big green eyes. Emilia felt her heart infuriatingly flutter. Julie, however, looked unimpressed.

"So, where is your kitchen, by the way?" Luke questioned.

"Definitely not upstairs," Emilia answered, placing her hands on her hips.

Julie got down to his eye level. "Okay, we need to set some boundaries. For starters, stay out of my room!"

All of them immediately left Julie's room. Reggie slung his bass strap over his shoulder and strummed a quick tune as he went through the door.

Alex then poked his head back through the door. "Hey. Um, sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. Did you get back into your music program?"

"No," Julie responded. "No, I didn't."

"I'm sorry. That really sucks."

"Thanks."

The three of them were left in slightly uncomfortable silence as Alex wouldn't leave the room. Emilia rocked on her heels and interlocked her hands in front of her.

"Do you need anything else?" Emilia urged.

Alex pointed at her. "Oh, we're waiting to hear you sing, play the piano and the guitar, and showcase us some of your songs, Emilia. The anticipation will kill us all over again if we wait any longer."

"Soon," she promised.

Alex nodded with a smile. His head left the room and Emilia and Julie were left alone. The two of them immediately laid on their backs on Julie's bed and stared at the ceiling. And, once again, the only thought running through Emilia's mind was a boy who made fun of her for her height and thought the kitchen was upstairs.

God, she was so screwed.

-ˋˏ ༻ ☁︎ ༺ ˎˊ-

it's owen and charlie being together and deleting all the evidence for me

this chapter also sucked but the next one will be better I promise <3