͏͏͏͏b͏͏r͏͏i͏͏g͏͏h͏͏t ͏͏t͏͏o͏͏g͏͏e͏͏t͏͏h͏͏e͏͏r

007. silent days

"I still can't believe you actually agreed to go out with Nick," Flynn told Julie as they got ready the next morning for school. Flynn had slept over after the band played Rewrite Destiny.

Julie shrugged with an eye roll. "It's not that serious. Nick is persistent, and at least if I go out with him, then he'll see that we aren't going to work out."

"Luke looked so disappointed last night," Flynn commented with a sad sigh. "I know you're just doing this to get Nick out of the way, but I think you should tell Luke that. He obviously likes you, Jules, and the last thing you need in the band right now is a hurting Luke."

Julie shrugged. "I'm not really sure that Luke likes me in that way, Flynn. I mean, I know we've had moments before, but he's still kinda getting over a girl from when he was still alive. The last thing we should be doing right now is starting a new relationship."

Flynn shrugged. "Guess we'll see how he is on the bus."

***

"Luke, I'm sure Julie doesn't like Nick like that," said Alex.

"Yeah," said Reggie. "I'm sure she's just like-- sad about you still being in love with Elle or something."

Luke rolled his eyes as he lay on the couch, throwing a ball up in the air. "For the hundredth time, I don't care if Julie likes him. It's not like I get a say in who she dates. And I am not still in love with Elle! That girl dumped me and for good reason. Now she's older than all of us, and I don't gotta worry about her."

"Look, we can subtly ask her about it," Alex said softly. "We won't tell her how you feel or anything."

"From the things Flynn's said," said Reggie, "I'm surprised Julie didn't say no a second time. Flynn says that Julie can't stand him right now. He's been acting super weird since after we played the Orpheum."

Alex hadn't known that, and he became paranoid. "What?! Why didn't Julie say anything?! Caleb could be behind this somehow!"

"Yeah," Luke snorted. "'Cause Caleb's definitely going around to scrimpy little basketball player lifers and messing with their lives. You're crazy, Alex."

"I'm serious," said Alex. "What if he-- like-- somehow possessed Nick or something? To get back at us for escaping the club? What if Julie's in trouble?"

Reggie shook his head. "From what Flynn said, Nick's been interested in Julie for a while. He's just been going to the extreme lately. He probably fell in love with her after seeing her play at the Orpheum."

Luke couldn't just sit with the jealousy. After Reggie said that, he poofed out of the studio into the driveway and began walking up the stairs to get breakfast from the house.

"Oh, hey, Luke," Julie said, walking by the stairs. "I was actually looking for you. Wait-- where are Alex and Reggie?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

Julie squinted at him with a frown. "Are you mad at me or something?"

"No," said Luke. "I'm just-- I'm just tired from last night. The guys are in the studio if you wanna go talk to them. I'm gonna go get something to eat. See you at school."

He walked right past her, and Julie watched him leave and said, "Uh, yeah, see you at school."

"Hey guys," Julie said walking into the studio a few moments later.