͏͏͏͏b͏͏r͏͏i͏͏g͏͏h͏͏t ͏͏t͏͏o͏͏g͏͏e͏͏t͏͏h͏͏e͏͏r

009. ain't it something

Nick smiled at Julie as they rode in his car. "So, how exactly did you meet the band?"

"What?" Julie asked, turning to look at him. She'd been zoning out as she looked out the window and watched random people go about their everyday lives.

"How did you meet the band?" asked Nick.

"Oh," said Julie. "I-- uh-- met them through one of my cousins!" She lied.

"Your cousin lives in Sweeden?" asked Nick.

"Yeah!" Julie exclaimed. "She writes songs too, and one night she saw them play and texted me and gave me their info."

Nick frowned. "But how do they know English so well? It's not their first language there, is it?"

"Oh, they're not from there," said Julie. "I mean-- that's where my cousin saw them play, but they were just there on a trip. They're actually from Canada," she said with a nervous chuckle.

"Uh, wow, cool," Nick said with a disbelieving look. "Do you-- do you like that guy?"

"What guy?" asked Julie.

"You know, the guy that you sing the duet parts with," said Nick. "I think his name is Linus or something. He has brown hair and green eyes--"

"Oh, Luke," Julie corrected. "I mean, kinda. I only have a crush on him. It's nothing serious," she lied.

Nick flashed a priceless smile. "So, I still have a chance, then?"

"A chance for what?" asked Julie.

"With you," Nick said with a suspicious smile. "If you don't like him on a serious note, I can take you out on more dates."

"I don't know about that," Julie said, trying to keep her calm. "I'll be pretty busy with the band, and I told you before--"

"I know, I know," said Nick. "You just view me as a friend. But maybe I can change that."

Julie looked back out the window and said, "Nick, we haven't even gone on our first date. We're still driving there. Also, where are we going? I have to text my dad so he knows where I am. He gets worried really easily."

"Because of your mom?" asked Nick.

Julie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Can we not talk about my mom? I don't really wanna talk about her on a first date with someone I only see as a friend."

"Yes. Sorry, Julie Molina. I didn't mean to frighten you away," said Nick.

The way Nick said that sentence really weirded Julie out. "Can you just tell me where we're going? Please? I need to text my dad."

"It is a surprise," Nick said angrily. "You can text your father when we get there."

"Can you pull over?" asked Julie. "I think-- I think I'm going to throw up."

"You will not throw up in this car," said Nick. "Otherwise, I will--"

He stopped in the middle of the sentence. "I will pull over. You can go into that restaurant," Nick said, pointing to the Burger King he started to pull into.

As soon as he put the car in park, Julie booked it and ran into the girl's bathroom. She whipped out her phone and immediately texted Flynn.

[Julie] 911!!!!!

[Flynn] what happened?? r u ok??

[Julie] NO! nick is acting SUPER weird. can u pls pick me up?

[Flynn] ofc, jules, i'll be there asap. where r u?

[Julie] burger king on 27th street. how soon can u b here?

[Flynn] just got in the car, omw now.

[Julie] THANK U DOUBLE TROUBLE!!! 🙌🙌 ura life saver!!!

[Julie] also pls try 2 park on the side that has the drive thru. nick is parked on the other side

[Flynn] ily jules i'd do anything 4 u ❤️‍🔥

[Flynn] just parked on the side w the drive thru

[Julie] heading out now. ty ty double trouble ily

"Flynn! Oh my god, I'm so glad you're here!" Julie exclaimed as she hopped into the passenger seat.

"Of course I'm here, Jules! Has Nick left yet?" Flynn asked.

Julie shrugged. "I don't know! I'll duck down when we pull out just to be cautious, but right now I really just want to go home!"

After just a few seconds, Flynn shifted into drive and pulled out of the restaurant parking lot. "Okay, now that we're out, what did he do?! Did he try to make a move on you or something?!"

"No!" Julie shouted, covering her ears. "No, no, no, no! He was just acting super weird! I don't know if the guys were right about Caleb doing something to him, but it was so weird, Flynn! He was totally normal one second, and then he was talking like some creepy middle-aged man!"

"Oh..." Flynn said with a look of disgust. "No offense, Jules, but I don't wanna hear anything else about this twenty-minute date. I didn't know Nick was like that, and if he was like that twenty minutes in, I'm definitely glad you texted me when you did. But... we are gonna have to tell the guys, and that means you're gonna have to face Luke again."

"That's okay," said Julie. "As long as I'm away from Nick, I really don't care what I have to do right now."

***

"Julie, what are you doing home so early? Aren't you supposed to be out with Nick?" Reggie asked as Julie and Flynn walked into the living room.

Julie looked at Flynn and they both started laughing. "Yeah, definitely not. Nick is more of a weirdo than I thought."

"Oh," Reggie commented. "I'm making dumpling soup if you want any! I was gonna eat with Luke and Alex in the studio, but you guys should join!"

Julie gave a small smile. "That sounds really nice, Reggie. Thanks. There's something I need to talk with all of you guys about anyways."

Reggie smirked and asked, "Oooo, does it have to do with Luke? He's been dying to talk to you all day!

Julie smiled and rolled her eyes. "No! And don't use that as a joke, Reggie! I don't even know if you guys are still dead anymore!"

"I think we're alive," Reggie said proudly. "Otherwise, how else would I have been able to ask Carrie out?"

"I still can't believe you did that," said Flynn. "She's like-- the princess of being an attention seeker and a pick-me girl."

"What's a pick me girl?" asked Reggie.

Flynn shook her head. "You still have so much to learn about how things work."