The Lead Guitarist //Reggie Peters

Chapter 5: Dinner

Ash's POV*

Julie, Carlos, and I were setting the table as I placed the five sets of silverware down at every plate Carlos put out. "There we go!" Ray exclaimed as he walked over, setting a bowl of leftover marinara spaghetti on the table next to the bowl of garlic bread.

"Ooh, garlic bread." I said, grinning since I love garlic bread.

"Yep. I know you love them." Ray said, smiling at me as I kept on my grin, still looking at the garlic bread. "Ok. Let's do this." he then said as we all sat down at the table; my place was in between Julie and the extra seat. The four of us then grabbed hands as Carlos started the prayer because it was his turn.

"Thank you for our leftovers and the power of the mighty microwave. Amen." Carlos prayed as I laughed a little.

"Amen." Julie and I said at the exact same time.

"And Dear God, please stop Julie and Ash from saying things at the exact same time. It's really annoying." Carlos added quickly as I smiled at him a little, rolling my eyes.

"That isn't going away anytime soon." I told Carlos as Ray served us all pasta while I passed out the garlic bread.

"So...Carlos tells me he found you two in the studio." Ray then said to Julie and me, trying to make conversation as he served Julie.

"They were out there talking to themselves." Carlos added in as Ray served me next.

"We were rehearsing for a play." Julie told Carlos and Ray as I nodded, going along with it.

"Hello, hello!" we all heard a voice exclaim that belonged to Julie and Carlos' Aunt Victoria, also called Tia.

"Oh, busted!" Carlos then exclaimed as Julie took the plate, hiding it on her lap.

"Yea, we're in here." Ray called out to Tia. "Quick!" he then told the three of us as Carlos grabbed the cup, hiding it while I grabbed the silverware, tossing them into a potted plant near me. Ray then tossed the placemat off the table and the four of us then continued eating as Tia walked up to us.

"Spaghetti. Again?" Tia asked us as I looked over, seeing her put a pot down on the island.

"Yea." Ray told her as I got a smell of the food Tia brought.

"Tia, is that your pasteles and arroz con pollo?" I asked Tia as she looked at me, smiling.

"It is, Ashley. And I know you like it." she said to me, smiling as she picked up the pot again. "You can have it tomorrow. I can't let you have leftovers every night." Tia continued as she put the pot in the fridge. "My sister and Maya would kill me; may they rest in peace." she added as she walked over to the four of us. "Oh...I see things here are going better?" Tia asked as she stood in between me and Julie, looking at the place where we just had the place setting set up.

"Actually...Julie and Ash have been cleaning out mom's studio." Ray told Tia, looking at the two of us. "Hopefully, we can get the house on the market and some offers soon." he continued as Tia rubbed her hand on Julie's back since she knows Julie never goes into the studio anymore.

"Well, I like the sound of that. Moving from here is only gonna help you move on. You've got to rip that Band-Aid off and get the pain over with." Tia then told us all as I looked up, seeing Alex, Luke, and Reggie literally walk right through the back door. The three boys started walking over to us as I let out a startled shout, stopping them; Luke exhaled sharply as I laughed nervously.

"Sorry, I, uh...bit my tongue." I lied as Reggie walked over to me and Luke walked over to Julie.

"Hey." Reggie said to me, smirking as I looked at him. "So...you bit your tongue?" he asked me as a joke, still smirking as I rolled my eyes before pulling out my phone. 

"Hey, Ash. You know the rules: no phones at the dinner table." Ray then lectured me as I looked at him.

"I know, but my friend...is having a midlife crisis...again." I lied as I opened up notes, typing my response to Reggie.

No one can see you, remember?

"Right. We're invisible. Keep on forgetting." he responded to me as he sat down in the chair next to me, still smirking at me.

"Ashley. Phone, down." Ray then told me sternly as I looked at him.

"Yea, sorry, Ray." I responded as I shut my phone off, putting it back in my pocket.

"Seriously?" I heard Alex ask as I looked up, seeing him just looking at me and Reggie; I only shrugged in response.

"Hey, Julie. I really like what you've done with the place." I then heard Luke say as Reggie, Alex, and I both looked at Luke and Julie.

"You shouldn't be here." Julie told Luke, but since no one could see the boys, Tia thought Julie was talking to her.

"Oh, I'm just here to help, mijas." Tia then said to the two of us as I looked at Reggie, giving him a look.

"I think that's our cue to leave." Reggie then said to Alex and Luke, standing up as the other two boys just nodded. 

"I mean...you should be at Pilates." Julie then said to her aunt as I looked at the boys, Reggie poofing back over to Luke and Alex. "Thanks for bringing us food." Julie continued, hugging her aunt as Tie let out a laugh; I shot the boys another look as they moved towards the door.

"We should've called first." Reggie then said as he and the others continued moving towards the door.

"It's nothing. And now that you're no longer in the music program, you can concentrate on classes that matter." Tia then said to Julie as Ray looked at his daughter, confused. "You got the email from the school, right?" Tia then asked Ray as he looked at her.

"Yea. We're still discussing it." Ray lied to Tia as she sighed, nodding.

"Bueno. I'm off to Pilates." Tia then said as she blew a kiss over to Carlos; Carlos jumped up, grabbing the kiss from the air.

"Wa-chow! It's gone!" Carlos then exclaimed as he pretended to bat the kiss away, but Tia just started laughing. She then kissed my head and Julie's head before walking away. When Tia was gone, Ray looked back at Julie, disappointed.

"So, Julie, wanna hear how I slid into home and was almost safe?" Carlos then asked her as we all looked at him.

"You're a good brother. That's not gonna work." Ray told Carlos as he sighed, standing up. Carlos took his plate and walking into the kitchen.

"Yea, I'm gonna...head down to the studio." I then said as I also stood up, grabbing my plate and walking into the kitchen. Carlos and I scraped the leftover food into the garbage can and we put our plates and silverware into the dishwasher.

"So...why is Julie no longer in the music program?" Carlos then asked me as I looked at him.

"She hasn't touched an instrument or sang a note ever since your mom...you know." I said to Carlos as he sighed, nodding. Suddenly, rock music started playing in the distance as Carlos and I walked back up to the kitchen table.

"What's that?" Carlos asked us as I walked towards Julie. 

"Julie and I must have left the stereo on in the studio. We'll go turn it off." I then said quickly as I grabbed Julie's wrist, making her stand up.

"Both of you?" Carlos questioned as I looked at him.

"Girls always go in pairs." I told him, shrugging as Julie and I ran outside. 

Ok, there's chapter 5! Chapter 6 will be out probably sometime tomorrow or the day after, so please comment and vote!

StarWarrior...signing off!