𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 | 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬

𝟒𝟒 | 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Julie left the garage to catch a ride with her dad.

"Have a good show boyband," Carlos clapped as he swept in.

"Who are you calling boyband?" Luke asked.

At that moment, Ray called for Carlos, who gave us a threatening stare before he left - or at least he tried to.

"How did he find out about us?" Reggie asked.

"Speak for yourself," I said as I sat back into the sofa. "I'm not in a boyband. I am yet to be perceived."

"I don't know Reg," Alex shrugged. "Maybe it was the blinds. Or you know what? The blankets! It could've been any number of things you did in that house. You too, Ruth."

"It doesn't matter, you guys," Luke said as he sat down beside me. "We're not coming back here, anyways."

"And where is it that you think you're going?"

We all looked over to see Caleb sitting elegantly on the piano.

"What are you doing here?" Luke shot up from the sofa.

"Such hostility!" Caleb gasped. "I'm just here to congratulate you on your big night. Not everyone gets to play the Orpheum."

"No, okay. We know that it's your stamp that's hurting us," Luke said. "We already told you, we have a band. We don't wanna join your little club."

"Yeah," Alex pointed a threatening finger. "And you can't make us either ... Sir."

We all paused.

"Wait, can he?" I whispered.

"Right," Caleb said. "You're crossing over tonight. How exciting! Funny thing about the cross over, no one really knows what's waiting on the other side. But I know what's happening on this side."

Caleb blew a kiss, causing some kind of magic dust to sweep us away. It was as if we had poofed away, except we had no control over where we were going.

———

We reappeared in the Hollywood Ghost Club, wearing clothes that weren't ours.

"Well, don't you look nice?" Caleb said as he walked down the stairs.

I was wearing a glamorous black dress that was drenched in sequins and had some light layers of tulle around the waist. The guys were decked out in tuxedos.

"Sweet threads," Reggie said, to which I snorted.

"How'd you know our sizes?" Alex asked, shocked.

"That's your question?" Luke asked as he tugged at his shirt's collar.

"I know you aren't my biggest fans," Caleb sighed. "And an eternity at my club might seem overwhelming, but I just put you in sweet threads, so humour me this one last pitch."

Caleb handed his nail file over to one of his minions before continuing. We had no choice but to hear him out.

"Now, for starters," Caleb began. "Isn't it nice that you're all here together? And believe me, everything you want, including Willie, is here. And on my stage, you don't vanish when the music stops. You soak in the applause for as long as you want. The connection that you will feel with that audience ... "

There was something about Caleb's wording that reminded me of something - like a weird hit of deja vu. It took me back to the night I met the guys.

———

"That's what I'm talking about!" Luke beamed as he opened the side door.

"The smell of Sunset Boulevard?" Alex asked.

"No," Luke playfully shoved Alex. "It's what that girl said in there tonight."

"You mean Rose?" I asked, to which Luke nodded.

"About our music, right?" Luke continued. "It's like an energy - it connects us to people. They can feel us when we play. I want that connection with everybody."

———

Caleb knew something we didn't, and I was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Do you hear that?" Caleb asked, referring to the cheering crowds. "They're waiting for you!"

We were hit by yet another evil jolt.

"That one looked like it hurt," Caleb continued. "Now, let me remind you, you don't know if playing the Orpheum is your unfinished business. Do you really have time to make that mistake? I suggest you accept my offer, because the clock is ticking."

Another jolt struck as soon as he finished.

"Ouch!" Caleb mocked, before making his way to the stage. "You know where to find me."

It was as we stood there, in pain and distraught, that I knew what would happen tonight. I knew what would happen to the guys, and I knew what would happen to me, if we didn't accept Caleb's offer.

We all watched in both shock and awe as Caleb performed. It was like the first night we came to the club. Caleb's showmanship was unmatched. Even though we didn't want to, we started tapping our feet to the beat - although I don't think it was just his showmanship that did that. Luke looked down before looking back up to meet my eyes - something was wrong.

As Caleb reached the chorus of his twisted tune, Alex held up his drumstick and started twirling it. We looked at him in disbelief - he looked at himself in disbelief. Caleb had full control over us.

Next thing we knew, Alex was gone.

"Alex!" Caleb exclaimed. "Show me what you got!"

Alex reappeared behind the drum kit and starting playing a drum solo I had never heard him play before. It was different to his usual style.

Reggie was the next to go.

"Reggie!" Caleb snarled. "Swing it, baby!"

Reggie started shredding on the bass, but again, it wasn't something he would usually play. The look of pure shock on his face showed that he didn't even know what he was playing.

"Luke," I hissed, not taking my eyes off the stage. "Fight it. Whatever it is, just fight it."

"I'm trying," Luke replied. "But I'm more worried about what he's gonna do with you."

"Now, Luke!" Caleb called. "You and me!"

Luke riffed his way onto the stage. There was nothing he could do.

"How do you like my new band?" Caleb asked the audience, to which they cheered. "And now, for the big finale ... Ruth!"

I found myself front and centre of the stage, between Luke and Reggie. I was moving in ways I had never moved before, dancing along to the music and matching Caleb's scatting.

As Caleb moved toward the back of the stage, Luke and Reggie closed in on me.

"Guys, what is happening?"

"You're telling me you haven't been practising that all day?" Reggie joked.

As the song came to an end, Caleb moved to the centre of the stage and at the drop of the beat, I was in spilts on the floor. I know for a fact I was not able to do that before we arrived at the club.

Soaking in the applause was not a priority of ours by then, we had to get out of that place as soon as possible.