They say a watch pot never boils and Jasper knew that if Julie kept staring at the time on her phone anymore the time would only pass slower. It was nine fifteen. Jasper's brother and his friends weren't there yet which made him worried. They're ghosts now, meaning they could be anywhere now. 

Flynn and her DJ skills helped keep the crowd busy, but it made Jasper wonder and worry how much time she could buy. "Is everyone fired up for J.J and the Phantoms?" Flynn asked the crowd and she got a loud cheer in response. Jasper exchanges a glance with Julie at hearing the band name Flynn came up with before they both looked back at Flynn with smiles.

"Great! Keep that fire 'cause that's later! We're just a little behind schedule." Jasper could hear how she struggled to sound cool about this since she was nervous about the boys not being there yet either. "In the meantime, enjoy these mind-blowing beats!" 

She dropped another beat and the two best friends waiting backstage were relieved that the crowd immediately got into it, dancing and jumping around. Everyone else was way amped up than Jasper and Julie were feeling. "J.J. and the Phantoms?" Julie questioned Flynn as the girl walked over to them. 

"I had some time in French class." Flynn shrugs. She points at Jasper and Julie. "You two better like it 'cause I already registered it on Insta, Snapchat, Twitter..."

"We love it, Flynn." Jasper assures her, putting a hand on Julie's shoulder to comfort her when he saw she glanced at her phone with a worried expression. "We just wished the actual Phantoms were here."

"Hey."

The three of them look over to see it was Nick who said that. Jasper took his hand off of Julie's shoulder, standing beside the two girls. "Nick!" Julie's eyes widen. She looks at her two best friends with a slightly panicked expression. She wasn't expecting Nick to come backstage so of course she was surprised and kind of panicking. "Jas, Flynn, look. Nick's here. It's Nick!"

"Yeah, we know, Julie." Jasper chuckled.

Nick smiles at Julie. "Thanks for the introduction."

Flynn wiggled her eyebrows at Julie and slipped away, going back to her place behind the DJ station on stage as she sent a look to Jasper. That was her way of telling him to leave Julie alone with Nick. Jasper got the hint and went over to where his guitar case was set up. He bent down, opening his guitar case, busying himself with pretending to check everything was fine with his electric guitar, and did his best not to listen in on Julie's and Nick's conversation. It was hard trying not to listen in on them since they were only a few feet away from him. 

Speaking of Nick, he used to be friends with him and the same went for Julie. That is until Nick started dating Carrie and things got weird with them all hanging out. That's when not only did he and Nick stop being friends but when Nick and Julie stopped being friends as well. He does know about Julie's crush on Nick. She had a crush on him for a long time despite the fact that he has a girlfriend. Jasper had to admit he was little jealous. Why didn't Julie feel that way about him? All he wanted was for Julie to feel the same way about him like how he feels about her. But he knew that was never going to happen. They were best friends and that's all they'll ever be.

It wasn't until he heard Carrie's voice that he looks up, looking at the light brown-haired girl with a glare because of what she said.

"I can't tell if the crowd is getting restless or bored. Never a good sign." Carrie stood next to Nick with a obviously fake smile on her lips.

"Carrie, just do everyone a favor and shut up." Jasper told her, sending her a fake smile.

Unlike some others he wasn't afraid to tell Carrie to back off or shut up. He still couldn't believe he was actually friends with her when they were younger. He and Julie were friends with Carrie when they were younger until something changed and Carrie suddenly thought that she was too good to hang out with them.

Carrie looks to the left side to where Jasper was at and sent him a glare. She glances at Julie as if she just realized she was standing there. "Oh, hi, Julie." She points at the small projector box Julie held. "Got a new bag?"

"Actually, it's our hologram projector." Julie responds. "Just did a little upgrade."

"Oh," Carrie tilts her head to the side. "So simple. You know, I was expecting something a little more...Sophisticated."

"It's what on the inside that counts." Julie informed her.

Carrie snickers. "Yeah, that's what a lot of people have to tell themselves." She smiles at Nick, grabbing his arm in a possessive manner. "Come on, Nick." She said, leading Nick away from backstage.

****

"I can only stall for so long." Flynn said to her two best friends, peeking behind the curtain at them. Jasper and Julie sat on the floor with the small projector box next to Julie. They look at her as she continues. "It's eleven o'clock. I think you two should just play by yourselves. I mean, holograms or no holograms, you guys will be amazing."

Jasper's eyes widen. "What? No. It's a lot easier with them playing with us." 

Julie nods in agreement. "We can't play without them. They'll be here. They have to."

With a heavy sigh Flynn went back to her DJ station. "Issues?" Jasper glances over to his left, seeing Nick standing beside Julie. "Always." Julie replied.

Jasper backed away over to his guitar case that's in front of a cabinet, letting Nick and Julie have time together. He leaned against the cabinet, tuning Nick and Julie out as he got out his phone to check the time. He bit his lower lip. The dance was going to be over soon and the three ghost boys weren't there yet. He was kind of worried about them since he had no idea where they are.

When he noticed Nick was now standing and moving over onto the stage he put his phone back in his pocket. He furrowed his eyebrows, wondering why Nick was going over to Flynn and why Julie had a panicked look on her face. He stood up, moving to stand beside Julie.

"Hey, everybody!" Nick exclaims, taking the microphone from Flynn. "We fixed the hologram thing. Who wants to see a show?" The crowd cheered excitedly. Oh. Jasper now knows why Julie is panicking. And now he's panicking too.

Jasper and Julie peeked out from the curtain. He swallowed nervously at seeing all of the people. Sure, they played for the whole school before, but that was with Alex, Luke, and Reggie. If they actually did this it would just be the two of them. Jasper is for sure not ready for that and he had a feeling Julie wasn't ready for that either.

"Now, give it up for J.J. and the Phantoms!" Nick yelled and the crowd cheered louder. Flynn shot a panicked look to Jasper and Julie who both returned the same look back to her. 

Jasper walks onto the stage with Julie, numbly. This was one of his worst nightmares. Being on stage in front of lots of people and not being able to play which will most likely result in being embarrassed in from of everyone. 

Nick sends an encouraging smile to Jasper and Julie, handing Julie the microphone. "Here you go." He walked off the stage as the two teens exchanged a look. They look at the cheering crowd with nervous smiled.

"Uh, hi." Julie waves at the crowd, smiling nervously. "So, here's the thing." She chuckles. "Even though we got the machine fixed, thanks to Nick," She gestures to the blonde-haired boy standing in front of the stage and everyone cheered for him. He smiles at everyone and looks back at Jasper and Julie. "We can't seem to link up with the guys."

She chuckles nervously. "Wifi, am I right?" She glances at Jasper, having a silent conversation with him by just looking at him. She nods and looks back at everyone with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, but...We're gonna have to cancel."

Everyone didn't like to hear that. It seemed like everyone was upset that J.J. and the Phantoms weren't playing. Carrie then walks onto stage, facing the crowd. "Um, it seems that Jasper is too scared to sing let alone talk and does anyone know the Heimlich?" She smirks. "Julie's choking."

Some students laugh at what Carrie said which only made Jasper and Julie feel worse. Carrie walks over to Jasper and Julie, taking the microphone from Julie. "Only one way to save this dance." She faces the crowd with a smile. "Who wants to see Dirty Candy?" Cheers filled the gym. 

Carrie went to reach forward to press a button on Flynn's DJ's station to start the music for her group. Flynn was quick to move over to them, taking the knob off that turned the music on. She looks at the crowd with a fake sad expression. "Oops. Knob's broken."

The crowd groans. Carrie glares at Flynn. "Okay. Two can play at this game." She turns to face the crowd with a smile. "Party at my house!" The crowd cheered, all of them excited. Carrie looked back at Jasper and the two girls by him with a fake smile, dropping the microphone on top of the DJ station before she walked to the top of the steps of the stage. 

Jasper stood beside his two best friends, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He could already feel the tears starting to build up which he did his best to hide. The last thing he need was crying in front of people. Carrie offered her hand to Nick who looked at Jasper, Julie, and Flynn with an expression Jasper couldn't read. He was hesitant to take Carrie's hand though. Carrie walked down the steps, gesturing for everyone else to follow her and Nick.

The three best friends stood behind the DJ station, watching everyone leave with sad expressions. Well, Jasper and Julie were more sad than Flynn. She looked at them with a more sympathetic expression. She hated that this happened to them. The girl standing between Jasper and Julie wrapped her arms around them and they walked around her DJ station to the front of the stage. 

"Well, that kind of backfired." Flynn commented.

Jasper sighs. "Big time." 

He raises his eyebrows when he noticed two kids sitting on a bench near the far wall. He recognized the small boy being the one who pulling the cello bigger than him down the steps of the stage except he didn't recognize the girl with glasses. The girl and boy stood as he offered his hand to her. A smile tugged on his lips upon watching the two go out to the middle of the gym and start slow dancing with each other. 

Flynn must've saw the girl and boy too because she says, "Oh, I mean, the whole night wasn't a bust." She smiles. "The new guy found someone."

Julie chuckles softly, looking at the two slow dancing with a smile on her lips. "Little man has game!" Flynn laughed, covering the grin with her hand. Jasper laughed along with her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders while Julie leaned her head on Flynn's shoulder.

****

The three best friends were now sitting beside some of the balloon decorations, popping the balloons out of boredom. "Jules, we're gonna have to change schools." Jasper remarked, popping a red balloon with a pen he found backstage.

"Yeah. Or maybe get homeschooled." Julie agrees. "We can never show our faces at this school again."

Flynn sighs. "That's what we get for depending on boys."

Jasper looks at her with offense. "Hey! Not all boys are jerks."

"You're right." Flynn sends him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Jas."

"It's fine." Jasper smiles slightly and turns his attention back to the balloons beside him. He pops a red balloon as Julie sighs. "I don't know if I should be mad or worried."

"I feel both." Jasper admits. "I mean, they did literally ghost us. But we also don't know what kind of trouble they can get into."

Flynn is quiet for a few seconds before turning to look at her two best friends. "I'mma get us some ice cream from the cafeteria." She shows Jasper and Julie the key she has. She chuckles. "Fools gave me the key." She stands up and sent a smile to Julie. "We can crash at my place and forget about this whole nightmare." She glances at Jasper with a smile. "You're always welcomed to join us Jasper."

Jasper smiles at Flynn. "Thanks, but all I just home and wallow in self-pitting in the dark as I wrap myself in a blanket and binge watch 'Friends'."

Julie chuckles. "You already watch that show more times than I can count."

"It's a good show!" Jasper defended himself.

Flynn laughs a bit and pops a blue balloon before she starts to walk to the cafeteria. "Get me too...." Julie calls out to her. "Of everything."

"Same for me." Jasper called out to Flynn. Flynn waved back at them, her way of letting them know she will.

"Jasper, Julie," Jasper glances to his right upon hearing his brother's voice. A frown tugs on his lips, the scene of being humiliated in front of the whole school flashing in his mind as he looked at the three ghosts. If they were just there on time then he and Julie wouldn't have gotten humiliated. "We are ready to rock this dance...Which is clearly over."

Jasper sighs heavily, standing up along with Julie. They turn to the three ghost boys who walk over to them with guilty expressions. "Look..." Luke speaks, standing in front of the two best friends with his friends beside him. "We are so so sorry that we bailed on you guys."

"Yeah," Alex agrees. "I mean, the night really got away from us."

"And the twins." Reggie chimed in earning a hit in the arm from Luke.

Jasper rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. "Let me guess, you guys literally ghosting us had something to do you getting back at Carrie's dad?"

"Pftt!" Luke scoffs. "Of, of course not."

"No!" Reggie shakes his head. "We wouldn't do that."

"Us?" Alex chuckles. "No."

Jasper and Julie stare at the three ghosts with disbelief. First they bailed on them and now they're lying to them. "Seriously?" Julie asks, looking at the three ghosts with teary eyes. "You're lying to us?"

"Okay, look, it was something we needed to do." Alex said. Jasper noticed he looked stress, but then again when was he not stressed?

"B-But we'll do whatever it takes," Luke stutters, taking a step towards Jasper and Julie. "We'll play the next school-"

"What?" Julie cries out. "Another dance where you can bail on me and Jasper and make us look like a fool?" 

Jasper could feel eyes on him as he stares at the floor, fiddling with his hands. Reggie was the one looking at him with a frown. He felt awful for ditching his brother and Julie and now that he knows they were embarrassed in front of their school he felt even more awful. He never wanted to hurt him and Julie.

"Save it." Julie continues. She met Luke's gaze. "You know what really sucks? Our songs were good." She gestures to Alex, Luke, and Reggie. "And all three of you knew what I've been through and how tough it's been for me to play, and then you do this?"

"Bands don't do that to each other." Julie puts emphasis on the word 'friends'. "Friends don't do that to each other. This was a mistake."

Luke looks panicked. "You mean the school dance, right?"

"No." Julie responds. "I mean joining a band with you guys."

Hearing her say those words pricked at Jasper's heart and made his throat tighten. He took a glance at the three ghost boys, regretting that he did that because of seeing the looks on their faces. They looked like a sad puppy. He hated it. But he agreed with Julie. Friends don't hurt each other.

Before anyone could say anything else Julie took off running out of the gym. "Jasper," Reggie speaks up, stopping Jasper from going after Julie. "We're really sorry. You have to believe that."

Jasper sent the boys the best smile he could give at the moment. "I actually do. But what you guys did wasn't cool."

"We really did just loose time." Alex chimes in. "We didn't even realize how late it was until it was too late."

"If Julie's not in the band," Luke turns to face Jasper with a frown. "Does that mean you're not in it either?"

Jasper sighs heavily and nods in response. He hated to say he's not in the band anymore but he knew it was the right thing for him to do. "I can't be in a band with people who could possibly ditch me before a gig." He started walking to the doors of the gym to go find Julie after he said that. He stopped when he heard the boys groan in pain which made him worry despite the fact that he was still mad at them.

He turns around, his eyes widening to see them holding their hides in pain. "Guys!" He calls out, rushing over to them. He stands in front of them with a concerned expression. "What-What happened? Why are you hurt?" He furrows his eyebrows. "Wait, how can you get hurt? You're ghosts."

"We don't know happened either." Alex responds, holding onto his left side. "We just felt like a jolt of pain all of a sudden."

Reggie held onto his right shoulder where he felt the jolt of pain. "It felt like we were dying all over again."

"What?" Jasper's eyes widen. "But that doesn't make any sense. You can't die twice."

"Exactly." Luke nods in agreement, looking at each of them with worry and confusion. "How can we die if we're already dead?"

A/N i love the trio of jasper, julie & flynn ! they're the best