Favorite Record | Luke

𝟐. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬

        Julie lay face first on her bed after slamming the front door open and closed before running directly upstairs and into her room. Tessa sat on the red bean bag with concern scrawled across her face but she remained quiet.

"I failed." Julie's voice cracked, moments away from crying as she rolled over onto her side and peered at the pictures of her mom and sister. 

"I got kicked out of the music program because every time I try to play or sing or even listen to music I'm reminded of everything we created and dreamed of doing and how none of it will ever come true." She sat up and hugged her pillow tightly to her chest.

Julie had been forced to see a therapist three times a week up until three months ago when she finally asked to stop seeing him, saying she was okay enough and that she could handle everything. 

Ray knew that wasn't the case but didn't want to force her to keep seeing someone if it wasn't helping so he canceled her appointments with the promise of if she needed them, she'd say something. She was also the reason that what was left of the Molina family was planning on selling their childhood home and moving.

Ray figured it was best for Julie and it crushed Tessa but knew that so long as Julie couldn't handle anything to do with music; their dad was right.

"You only fail when you quit trying, you know that," Tessa spoke comfortingly despite knowing her sister couldn't hear her. These were the times where Julie was open and honest and knew if anyone caught her talking to thin air they'd assume the worst but it was helping her.

"I thought for sure I could do it, I was even going to play a simple song, one we'd play whenever you were in a slump." Julie sounded so bitterly heartbroken. "But when I sat down and tried to touch the piano keys, I saw you sitting next to me and Mom across from us and I froze and I just, I ran out."

Tessa stood and joined her on the bed. "But you sat on the bench, that's something and hey, maybe Mrs. Harrison will fight the principal for you, give you one last shot. Nothing's ever set in stone, especially when it comes to music." She watched Julie sniffle and stand, moving to her vanity and removing her contacts and slipping on her new glasses.

"You'll come downstairs and help with my homework right?" Julie twisted her hands nervously over one another. "I know you're not really there but, I just, I really need to feel like I'm talking to you, Tessa."

She left her room before she started crying. She paused in the hallway, peering at the painted purple and pink door. She and Tessa and even Carlos had painted Tessa's bedroom door one night while she was babysitting them; Piper and Flynn had come over and even helped. All of their handprints were in pink paint and their names had been signed underneath them. 

The door had been closed by their mom and the only time it was ever opened was when Carlos had nightmares but didn't go to their dad; he went to Tessa's room. Ray would go inside just before waking Julie and Carlos; he used to always see her first because she was an early riser like him.

"You can go in," Tessa spoke quietly, appearing next to Julie in the hallway. "I sprayed my perfume because dad mentioned it was almost fading. You know he took pictures of it yesterday for the website. He still has to take more pictures but he clearly doesn't want to move but I agree, it's what's best for you."

Julie tore her eyes from her sister's room and headed back into her room, deciding on grabbing her lucky house shoes before actually doing her homework. 

Despite her plea to watch over her, Tessa vanished and appeared inside the studio. She spent a lot of time there, actually dusting and cleaning and making sure everything was neat and the grand piano remained covered to keep it pristine.