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Alex paced around in the studio, fully dressed in the eighties inspired outfit that was forced upon him, as he waited for the rest of his band. Julie said she would meet up with them at the party so it was just Luke and Reggie taking what felt like five hundred years to get ready.
The party was eighties themed and Julie had told them to dress appropriately for it. Luke had taken that as ‘go big or go home’ and decided that they would go all out on looks. It was a gig so Alex let Julie compile an outfit for him. He looked in Luke’s mirror, feeling slightly self conscious about the fact that he literally looked like a gay Ken doll. What with the pink suit jacket, high waisted jeans and styled hair.
He felt slightly better when he saw Luke, who looked a bit like if Rick Astley didn’t wear sleeves, and Reggie, who was wearing a red Hawaiian shirt with his typical leather jacket.
Alex turned away from the mirror towards a smiling Luke, “Oh my god, we look so good, boys.”
Reggie snorted at this and Alex fidgeted, adjusting his sleeve for the forty fifth time. Luke sensing the anxiety on Alex, frowned, “Hey, dude, what’s up?”
“Nothing, man. The outfits just...a bit much, that’s all.”
“First off, you look hot in that. Right, Reg?”
“Uber hot,” Reggie responded with a bright grin.
“A total babe. All the men will be at your feet when we get there, that’s how hot you look. Second, if you’re nervous about the performance, remember that you’re an awesome drummer. One of the best.”
Alex, once again adjusted his sleeves, before giving the guys a small smile and sheepishly replying, “Thanks...you guys look good too.”
“Correction, we look smokin’,” Luke grinned wide before turning to Reggie to unbutton the first button on his shirt, “Especially you, Reg.”
Reggie let out a startled noise at this before quickly trying to cover it by asking, “We should head to the gig, right. Right?”
Luke patted Reggie's cheeks, “Right. Let’s go, boys, so that Julie doesn’t kill us!”
With that they all poof out of the studio to see Julie and Flynn talking to the women who hired them. It was apparently her birthday party and she wanted to go all out with the nostalgia theme. This was evident with all the eighties memorabilia out around as decoration and the ABBA that was already blasting. The place was crowded with dancing people which surprised them, seeing as this woman seemed like a posh business woman from how she dressed. Either way, a gig was a gig. Plus, Julie said her and Flynn get free food after they’re done as a part of their payment.
Alex smiled at the matching power suits that the girls were wearing to match the theme. They looked like a matched set and there was no mistaking that they were a powerful duo. Julie wore a vibrant purple, cinched in suit and Flynn wore the same but in a hot pink.
Julie stopped talking to the lady to check her piano and microphone that were set up on the small stage given to them. Flynn continued talking to the lady with as much manager gusto as she could, obviously working on gaining them connections.
Julie smiled when she saw them at the edge of the stage but didn't say anything as she was in earshot of non-ghost seeing people. Alex could tell that Reggie was getting antsy to get on stage from the way he was bouncing and fiddling with the strap of his guitar. In an attempt to distract him, Luke started to dance and grabbed Reggie’s hands so they could sway to the Queen over the speakers. He motioned for Alex to join them with a flick on his head. Alex rolled his eyes but shuffled over anyways, letting the two pull him in so they were dancing in a circle.
After trying to match up their YMCA letters with a little too much effort, the music faded out and the birthday lady went on stage to announce that the live performance is starting soon.
“We got this, boys!” Luke exclaimed as his guitar was transported to him.
Julie started singing the beginning of Heaven is a Place on Earth, a song that Ray insisted that they cover to match the theme. Alex could feel the adrenaline running through his veins. He looked at his friends around him. Luke smiled like he was looking at the stars for the first time. Reggie bounced but there was a joy radiating there. Julie who was bright and shiny when she sang. He was meant to do this. Performing with these people is what gave him purpose.
When he got on stage for their cue, there was fire under his skin. There were sparks at his fingertips that electrified his drumming. The anxieties from before were forgotten in the beats as they went through the set list. He was home here.
When they poof off stage, Luke almost yelled in excitement, “That was amazing guys! Alex, you were on fire, man!”
They could hear the applause from the party as they stood in the little dressing room that Julie got.
“So were you guys!” Alex said, smiling bright.
Reggie punched him playfully, “What did we say about taking compliments, Alex?”
"Yea, yea. I was pretty great."
"Hell yea you were!" Luke punched him much harder than Reggie did and made him wince. Luke didn't seem to notice as he was too busy being high with adrenaline.
Julie walked into the room and went to give them all excited first bumps, “Guys! We did so good!”
After some chatter and compliments between all of them eventually Julie said, “As much as I love you guys, there is an entire buffet outside and I am starving. Plus Flynn is waiting outside for me and I don’t want her to eat all the crab cakes.”
Reggie let out a pained noise, “A buffet! God, I wish I could still eat, man.”
“Well, we can still go out and enjoy the party!” Luke said, grabbing Reggie’s shoulders, “Come on, dudes.”
Luke pulled Reggie out of the room and Alex followed them, not even sure what the plan was. Luke’s idea of ‘enjoying a party’ was much different from his. Looking at the party of people moving to the music made Alex yearn to get out there. Dancing used to be one of his favorite things to do, besides playing the drums, back in the day. His feet were pulling him to the dance floor.
“I’m gonna go dance.” Alex blurted out to the others.
“We’re gonna go look at the buffet for a little bit,” Alex rolled his eyes at Reggie, “We’ll join you in a few though!”
However, he couldn’t start dancing when he got into the crowd because he was too busy being knocked straight over by a guy walking full speed. The sensation of passing through multiple dancing people is something that Alex will never forget.
The guy who he collided with panicked and went, “Sorry, man! Are you alright?
“Hey! Don’t you watch where y-” Alex cut off his own sentences as the guy helped him up. Upon seeing the guys full face, Alex felt his heart skip a beat as he took the sight of him in. Not only had he met another ghost but the ghost in question was indescribably handsome. Long hair, bright eyes and arms that just looked like they could hold him.
“Yea, I should be more careful, sorry again,” the man said sheepishly, “Should have guessed you weren’t a lifer when you poofed on stage.”
“Lifer?”
“Uh, alive person. Guess you haven’t been around long?”
“Haven’t really met any other ghosts. Other than my bandmates,” he responded, now looking for them. They weren’t in his line of sight despite his best wishes.
“Well,” the man extended his hand out, “I’m Willie. Still sorry that I ran into you…”
“Alex,” he supplied, smiling a little, “I forgive you.”
“Alex! A name for the drummer,” the long haired man let out a beautiful laugh, “Well, Alex, I have to say that out of all the performances I have crashed tonight your band was the best one I saw.”
“Thanks? That’s, uh, cool. Have you been going to concerts all night?.”
“Yeah, the only time people mind if you crash as a ghost is if you mess with their speakers to play the same song. It was funny last time but not really worth it. Angry exorcist, ya know.”
“Wait, what?” Alex said, feeling himself reel. He didn’t even know ghosts could even mess with objects like that.
The guy broke out into another blinding smile before laughing, “I’m kidding, dude! Well, sort of.”
“What does th-”
“Oh,” the other exclaimed as the song changed, “I love this song! Do you dance, pretty boy?”
Willie started to sway to the music, flustering Alex even more. Pretty boy? He was losing his mind. He had to get out of here before he did something beyond embarrassing.
“I, um, okay, wow. I would, really, but I think my friends are gonna miss me though so I’m gonna…” He tried to turn around when hands dug into his shoulders from behind, keeping him in place.
“Hey!” Luke’s all too shitting eating voice announced over the music, “I see you’ve met another ghost. Hello, fellow ghost!”
The gorgeous ghost, while still dancing, yelled over the music, “Name’s Willie! You?”
“My name is Luke and you’ve already met my very single, very handsome friend, Alex,” he said, the smile evident in his voice.
“Luke, oh my god.”
“Alex happens to love this song, is a great dancer and is also super dead. You guys have so much in common already. So, I’ll leave you two to it,” he squeezed his shoulders before letting Alex out of his grip. Luke then poofed out of the scene to be with the rest of the band, leaving Alex with this handsome stranger.
Alex knew how to dance, he was one of better dancers in the band. This though? Willie, a modern day Adonis with long hair, swaying his hips to Super Freak? No, his feet had no way of functioning at this point. He cursed Luke in his head.
Willie stopped dancing for a second when he saw Alex basically frozen in place, “What’s wrong, pretty boy? Don’t like dancing?”
“No, I really like dancing, um, I just. Uh, I don’t,” he didn’t think that he could verbally say ‘you’re a little too attractive for my brain to handle’ to explain why he couldn’t even think straight.
Willie just smirked and started snapping to the music, “Just snap your fingers with me.”
Willie was moving his arms up and down with his snaps and Alex, like he was put under a spell, did the same. It was hypnotizing to watch him dance even if the moves were simple.
“Then just sway your hips a little.” Again, Alex followed Willie’s movements, even though he wasn’t really sure why.
“See! You’re dancing, Alex.”
Alex almost laughed at how ridiculous this felt but relaxed a little, letting himself give into the rhythm of the song more. Luke wasn’t lying when he said that he liked this song. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath and felt the music sink in his body.
When he opened his eyes and saw Willie, the look in his eyes was electric. A jolt ran through his soul. A connection. There was a buzzing between them as they danced together to the continuing track of eighties music. This felt unreal like he was having his own movie moment with a guy who very literally crashed into his life. He never thought he could have anything like this back when he was alive. Yet, here he was getting intoxicated on Willie’s smile and the way his hair flips as he dances. He wasn’t one for taking chances but this. This could be a risk worth taking.
When Baby I’m Burnin’ was playing, Willie laughed with delight and started to motion a lasso. He threw the imaginary lasso at Alex who rolled his eyes with a smile. Despite it feeling like the cheesiest thing in the world, Alex pretended to be pulled over by Willie. Both of them were giggling and holding onto each other as they moved to Dolly Parton.
That’s when Alex felt himself being pulled down as Willie dipped him. He let out a startled laugh as he looked up into the other man's eyes.
“Hey,” There was a twinkle in Willie’s eyes that made it feel like he was the only boy in the world. HIs smile was reserved for him.
“H-hey.” Alex breathed out, unable to believe that this was even happening.
There was a tug. A pull. A beam of electricity between the two of them and he wasn't sure if he should act on it. The music faded into the background. It was just Willie and the beating of his heart.
Then he heard a little poof noise and a loud Luke, "Hey, Alex, Julie said that we should head ou-oh. Uh, oops."
Alex was being pulled up and out of the most romantic moment of his life. Quite literally too as Willie lifted him up from the dip.
"I can, uh, come back later, dudes."
"Nah, it's okay," Willie said nonchalantly before looking at Alex again, "I have to go anyways but I'll see you again, right?"
"Wait I-I don't have any way to contact you…how are we going to find each other?" Alex asked, still trying to gain back brain function.
"Crash another concert," he grinned mischievously, "Julie and the Phantoms, right? I'll find you again, Alex, promise."
The way he said it with such confidence, the way his eyes twinkled made Alex feel at ease. They would see each other again, he just knew it. Willie held out his pinky which Alex took to say, "Okay, promise."
Once Willie had waved bye and transported out of the room, Alex turned to see Luke with the widest grin thus breaking him out of the romance trance he was in.
“Now that was the most romantic thing I think I have ever seen.” Luke commented, still grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“Shut up.”
“What’d I say, Alex?” Luke looked far too proud of himself.
“What?” Alex asked, confused.
“The outfit,” he motioned to up and down Alex’s body, “Total babe magnet.”
“I cannot believe I’m friends with you.” Alex scoffed, though he wasn’t too serious.
When they transported back to the studio, Reggie had a million questions about the mysterious, hot guy from the party. This only led to Julie also asking about Willie. Either way, the whole band came to the same conclusion. They had to get another gig as fast as possible for the sake of Alex’s romantic life. Alex felt embarrassed at his friend's growing enthusiasm about his love life but this was abated by the thought of twinkling eyes and soft hair. Maybe...maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.