The Other Side of Hollywood | Luke Patterson

TWENTY-FOUR✨

I can count the number of times I've cried since dying on one hand; the night I died, the day I visited my parents with Luke, and right now. At the beginning of all this, the thought of losing the boys permanently didn't faze me in the slightest, and as we grew closer and I didn't think I'd have to worry about it, the thought didn't even cross my mind. I know the club has a few downfalls, but are they really bad enough that the boys would rather be gone forever than be with me, am I really not good enough for Luke to stay? I should be thinking of ways to explain all this to Caleb, but I can't stop thinking of the words Luke said to me and the looks of betrayal on all of their faces; because of my stupid lies, I'm going to lose them all over again, and this time it's all my fault.

"Harper," Maya poofed into my dressing room, instantly frowning when she noticed me curled up in the corner of the couch; she seemed worried, which wasn't a normal emotion for Maya.

"Let me guess," I mumble sadly, hugging my knees to my chest, "Willie told you everything?" Maya hummed in response, nodding her head; I feel almost relieved that Willie told her what went down tonight; I didn't feel like talking about it, not right now at least.

"Harper," Maya shook her head, moving to sit on the couch with me, "it's going to be okay; sure, they didn't take the news well, but once they're here-"

"They're not coming here," I cut her off; I don't mean for it to come out as harsh as it sounded, "Willie informed them they could cross over if they discovered their unfinished business," I informed her, this time in a softer tone.

"What?" Maya asked, clearly taken aback by what I just told her, "Willie told me he told them that was an option, but I didn't think they'd go through with it. I mean, Luke's your boyfriend; why would he choose that over you?"

"Ex-boyfriend," I correct her, Maya's expression falls slightly at my correction, "he said, and I quote, "Why would there ever be an us when all you do is lie to me."

"That's not fair," Maya exclaimed, upset for me, "it's not like you had a choice; Caleb was counting on you, and who knows what he would have done if you said no." Silence fell over the two of us after Maya's exclamation; out of the three of us, Maya and I never doubted Caleb's plans; we never thought twice about how devious some of them were or how morally wrong what he was asking us to do was. Caleb treated me like his own daughter, I followed him blindly because I didn't know any better, but now, I can't help but notice all the bad things about this club and the owner who tricked us into believing this place was paradise on earth.

"Can I tell you something," I finally break the silence after a minute or so; Maya nods, "do you think Caleb cares about us? I mean, he says he does, but I don't know; up until these last few days with the boys, I forgot what it was like to feel happy and cared about; I just can't help but wonder if we're missing out on something."

"I know what you mean," Maya mumbled, I don't think I've never seen her so serious looking, "when the boys were playing music tonight, they almost seemed alive; Harper, I've been here even longer than you, and I've never felt that." It felt almost relieving that Maya had the same doubts about the club that I did; there was so much more out there; we just figured it out too late.

"I get why the boys don't want to come here," I admit; Maya nods in agreement, "it kind of sucks not being in control of your own afterlife; I just don't wanna lose them again."

"I know," Maya frowns; I'm shocked by her next action; Maya wraps her arm around my shoulder, pulling into a tight hug. In the 25 years I've known Maya, she's never been emotional or affectionate, but tonight, it was almost like her walls were crumbling, like mine had done over the last few days, "you know what else sucks?" Maya asked; I hummed in response, "We're gonna have to admit to Willie that he's been right all along." I laugh at that; despite the change of heart she'd had, she was still the same snarky, sarcastic Maya.

"Speaking of Willie," I pull away from the hug, "we should probably go check on him," Even though I didn't purposely lie to Willie, I still feel like I owe him an apology. Maya nodded, poofing out of my room; I poofed out next, landing beside her in Willie's dressing room. Even though we never came here to hang out, I already knew what the room looked like; our dressing rooms were just hotel suits Caleb had taken over; they all looked the same; Willie's was just a little messier than Maya and I's. The ghost in question was pacing his room as we poofed in; his expression was a mix of sadness and anxiety; usually, I would question how he could be so emotional, but now I understood.

"Harper," Willie breathed, relieved to see me, "I am so sorry, I should have talked to you before poofing in unannounced, I was just worried about the boys and-"

"Willie," I cut him off, gesturing for him to quit pacing the room, "it's okay, you were right; I was too blinded by what Caleb's been telling me to realize it, but you've been right all along. The boys wouldn't be happy here; they don't deserve to be trapped like we are."

"So, you're not mad at me?" Willie asked; I shook my head, smiling at him reassuringly, "and you?" He asked Maya; he knew I finally understood him, but Maya's always been way more stubborn than me.

"I want to help them," Maya admitted confidently; I'm taken aback by her response; Maya is the least selfless person I know, "We all agree they don't deserve to be trapped here like we are, but they also don't deserve to be jolted out of existence. So, I want to help them cross over." The thought of Luke crossing over and never seeing him again was heartbreaking; but, Maya and Willie were right; they don't deserve this.

"I'm in," Willie nodded, agreeing with Maya's idea; both of them turn to me, waiting for me to respond. I picture Luke and the boys in my head, forced to play the same songs to the same crowd every night; they'd be miserable.

"So am I," I nod, putting my own personal feelings aside and focusing on the boys, "When do we start?"

🤍
Can we all just take a moment to appreciate this friendgroup🥺
Also... maya and Harper finally realized how little Caleb cares about them...