͏͏͏͏b͏͏r͏͏i͏͏g͏͏h͏͏t ͏͏t͏͏o͏͏g͏͏e͏͏t͏͏h͏͏e͏͏r

010. turned around

"Reggie, Christmas isn't for another three months. And my dad would go crazy if he knew you were using his favorite apron," Julie said with a humorous smile.

"True," Flynn added. "It was her mom's."

Reggie crossed his arms and stood firm in his position-- still wearing his favorite cooking fit. "No way am I taking this off, Julie! I look like a chef you see in famous cookbooks!"

"Whatever," Julie said, shaking her head with a small smile. "Is the food almost done?"

Reggie checked the timer he'd set using Flynn's phone and said, "Five more minutes!"

Seconds later, the doorbell rang. "Hey!" Someone called from outside. "It's Nick! Is Julie here?!"

"Crap," Julie whisper-hissed.

Luke smiled at her and said, "Don't worry. I got this."

Flynn shook her head. "No, no, no, no. I'll handle this wack crack. No one treats my best friend like he did."

Alex disagreed. "Flynn, I know you mean well, but maybe it's better if someone with a... lighter touch handles this."

"Someone just hurry up and get it!" Reggie exclaimed. "I don't want to have him stay for my dumpling soup!"

Flynn rolled her eyes. "Fine, but if he asks to come in, I'm going to send him back to the crack hole he came from."

Alex shooed her back into the kitchen with the others, and she quickly got Julie to go around to the other side, opposite from the front door, so Nick wouldn't be able to see her when Alex opened the door. Julie would still be able to hear the conversation, though.

"Nick, uh, hi," said Alex. "What brings you here? Looking for somewhere to crash for the night?"

Nick squinted at Alex strangely and said, "No. I'm looking for Julie. She ditched me on our date."

"Oh," said Alex. "Yeah... About that... she wasn't feeling too well and had her dad pick her up. She would've told you, but she was throwing up like crazy. Maybe you can go out another time."

"No!" Flynn exclaimed from the kitchen.

Seconds later, she came flying to the front door. "Sorry, Nick, but I can't let you go on another date with my best friend. She got sick after being in a car with you for less than twenty minutes, and I'm not going to let that happen to her again. Bye!"

"Wait!" Nick said. "Is-- Is she in the kitchen? Can I come in and talk to her?"

"No," Flynn said. "She's upstairs in the bathroom puking her guts out because of you. I'm telling you, on behalf of Julie, if you even get close to her again, I will end you. Okay, you should leave now! Bye!"

Nick frowned and nervously shook his head. "Uh, shouldn't Julie be the one to decide who goes on dates with her? And not you? I know you're her friend, but you don't get to control her life."

Flynn smiled at the weird boy. "You're right, I don't! But she personally told me she'd rather be anywhere in the world than with you! Sorry, Nick. It's time for you to leave now!"

"Wait, but--" Nick was interrupted by Flynn slamming the door in his face.

Flynn walked back into the kitchen to see Julie smiling at her. "You're the best," Julie said, pulling her best friend into a bear hug. "Seriously. I couldn't live without you."

As soon as the two friends separated, Luke slung an arm around Julie's shoulder. "Aw, come on, Jules. You couldn't live without any of us."

Julie rolled her eyes and smiled. "Okay, that's true, but I was talking about Flynn. She saved me from Nick."

Luke pulled away and shrugged flirty. "Only 'cause she wouldn't let the rest of us get rid of 'em."

Julie nodded. "Fair enough."

"Food's ready!" Reggie exclaimed with a bright smile as he poured the dumpling soup into five separate bowls. Each one of them was a different color-- except Reggie's. His was Christmas themed.

"So, uh, Julie," Alex said after clearing his throat, "what happened with Nick in the car?"

"He just kept asking me weird questions," said Julie. "And then he used my whole name and started talking like a really weird middle-aged man. Then when I said to pull over because I was going to 'throw up' he started saying something like he was trying to threaten me. After that, Flynn picked me up."

Luke shrugged. "Maybe he's just some weird psycho or something. I dunno about him being Caleb."

Alex frowned. "I'm not so sure, Luke. Caleb had been a middle-aged man for a long time, and it makes sense that he'd use her full name. I know you don't want it to be him. I don't either. But... it just sounds like something he'd do."

"You're not wrong," Reggie said with a shrug.

"Do you guys know anyone who could have info on Caleb?" asked Flynn.

"Yeah," Alex said softly. "Willie."

"Do you think... do you think you could talk to him?" asked Julie. "I know you haven't seen him since before the Orpheum, so it's totally cool if you don't want to--"

"No," Alex said, shaking his head. "I'll do it."

Luke frowned. "But... if it isn't Caleb, won't he still be at the club? That's not really a safe bet to make, Alex."

Alex shook his head. "It'll be fine. I'll make sure I talk to him outta the club. But I will talk to him."

"Thank you, Alex," Julie said with sincerity. "Really. It means a lot."

Alex smiled. "Of course, Julie. We'd do anything for you."