Ghosted

Chapter 5: Just in case

Julie opens the doors, and standing there with his hand raised like he was about to knock, was Nick.

"Nick!" She says, surprised to see him. "What...are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to let you know, my uncle actually owns a club and he heard about your performance at the Orpheum. I guess because I've never shut up about it, I mean you were amazing." Nick says, but something about him was different, of course because it wasn't really Nick, it was Caleb possessing Nick, but Julie had no idea. She just picked up on the fact Nick was acting less awkward around her, like he grew a head of confidence overnight.

"Thank you." Julie says.

"Anyways, after hearing me talk non stop about how amazing your band is, he said he'd love for you guys to play at his club sometime." He says. "Here's his card and stuff, if you're interested give him a call."

"Oh, thank you Nick. I appreciate it." Julie says.

"Of course. I better be getting home, I guess I'll see you around. Can't wait to hear you play again." He smiles. Julie smiles back, feeling a little awkward. Nick turns and leaves and Julie heads into the studio where she was trying to go originally to talk to the boys about Caleb. She can't get over the feeling he's gonna try and hurt them again.

"Hey." Luke smiles at her when she walks in. She smiles back, glad to see all three of them are here.

"Hey, guys we need to talk about Caleb." She says.

It was as if time had stopped. The name Caleb had become like Voldemort, no one mentioned him or said his name. The guys all looked at each other getting the same tense feeling in their chest. Hearing his name was almost like feeling one of those jolts again.

"What about him?" Luke asks, shrugging it off with a laugh. "We escaped his stamp. Everything is fine."

"Well yeah for now." Julie says. "I'm worried he's gonna come after you guys again. Alex, have you heard anything from Willie?"

"No, we don't really talk about it. I can ask next time I see him? Why, do you think Caleb is gonna come back?"

"I mean I hope not, but I think it's better if we talk about what we should do in case he does." Julie says.

"Okay, and what should we do?" Luke says.

"I don't know. That's why I came to talk to you guys. Look, I think the only thing we can do is just be careful and make sure to always tell each other where we're gonna be so if anyone disappears we know where you last were so we know where to start looking."

"We probably have nothing to worry about, it'll be okay." Luke says. "Caleb probably realized he can't mess with us and he won't try to again because he knows he'll fail miserably."

"Yeah but she kinda has a point." Alex says. "I mean, Reggie was gone all afternoon and we didn't know where he was. What if he didn't come back? We would have no idea where he was."

"I guess you guys are right." Luke says. "But Caleb is old news and he shouldn't effect our lives. Afterlives. Whatever. My point is, I'm not scared of him."

"Okay well that's you, I think we should go with Julie's idea though." Reggie says. "Not because I'm scared or anything. And not because you're not right either, you're both right. And I'm not scared of Caleb."

"O...kay." Says Alex. 

They all agreed to be a little extra careful and keep an eye out for anything strange, anything Caleb could be behind. They agreed to always let someone know where they were going, just in case anything happens.

Julie goes back to bed and the guys stay in the studio and put in a movie to watch, since ghost don't really sleep.

But if ghosts don't really sleep, how did Reggie have that dream on the beach earlier?

____the next morning

"So I finally got an idea about your boy troubles." Flynn says while the two girl pick up their mobile order from Starbucks.

It's the next day and Julie and Flynn planned to meet together to work on summer work together, but decided going to get lattes was more fun.

"What you need to do is go on a date with Nick."

"What?" Julie says in shock. That wasn't the advice she was expecting at all.

"Think about it. First of all, first dates always suck, and sometimes what it takes to get over a crush is actually try it out to see it doesn't work." Flynn explains.

"I don't know." Julie says. "What if I just fall further? I'm trying to get rid of my feelings for the both of them."

"And by going out with Nick you'll see that men suck and aren't dating worthy." Flynn says.

"Wow. What a master plan. Whatever will I do without you." Julie says with a sarcastic smile.

"Oh you'd be lost without me." Flynn says. "This is why I'm your best friend."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Text him!" Flynn says after a moment of silence.

"Right, are we sure this is a good idea?" Julie says. She felt a little uneasy about doing this. Wouldn't it be playing with his feelings for her to reject him the first time he asked just to ask him later and only because she wants to get rid of her feelings? "I feel like it's not right to go out with him just to try and get over him."

"Boys do it all the time." Flynn shrugs.

"I can't do it." Julie sighs.

"You're too sweet." Flynn says. "The world chews up sweet and spits it out."

"Okay but Nick's a sweet guy, and a good friend. I can't play with his feelings like that just to work through my own."

"Awe, see this is why you and I are the perfect duo. You are kind and sweet, and I'll break anyone's heart for fun." Flynn jokes.

The two laugh and head back to Flynn's house to actually get started on their summer work.

___

Alex was with Willie this morning, he was most mornings. They sat on their usual bench on the Walk of Fame. This morning was different though because he was more nervous than usual. He couldn't get the Caleb thing out of his head.

"You okay Hotdog?" Willie asks.

"Huh?" Alex is pulled out from his overwhelming waves of thoughts. "Oh, yeah I'm okay." He says. "Just...thinking about Caleb. Do you know if he...if he's planning anything? If he's still after us?"

Willie's silent for a moment. Then he says "I'm not sure. No one's seen him at the club since you guys tried to cross over. No one knows where he is, or what he's planning, but if I had to guess he's probably planning to go after you in some way. He doesn't give up until he gets what he wants."

"So he's still after us?"

"Probably." Willie says. "I'm sorry I wish there was something I could do to help."

"No, Willie you've helped enough. Seriously thank you."

"Like I said, I'd do anything for you."