Chapter Text
“I’ll be back soon to figure this all out, promise,” Julie took Luke’s hand in hers.
“Wait, girl,” Flynn shot up from her seat. “Maybe now’s not really the time for you to- And she’s gone,” she sighed as the two disappeared from the room. “God, those two,” she shook her head, crossing her arms.
“They’ve been extra attached at the hip these last few weeks,” Reggie commented, shrugging as he leaned against the counter.
“You’re not wrong,” Flynn pursed her lips, eyeing the empty space that the two had occupied. “It’d be cute if they learnt to pick their timing a bit better.”
She looked back at the ghost, “By the way, do we need to be fetching a whiteboard for you, just in case you,” she mimed an explosion, “poof?”
“Please, like those two will be apart for even a single second,” he rolled his eyes.
“I really need to get around having that talk with her, don’t I?” Ray spoke up, tapping his fingers against the counter.
Flynn swallowed a laugh before it could bubble out. She almost felt bad for her friend… Almost. She’d brought this on herself, after all, and it was karma for ditching them.
“Besides,” Reggie steamrolled on, ignoring the man, “we might not even need them, soon!” He was bouncing up and down.
Oh sweet, optimistic Reggie, with his endless brightness.
“Calm down, Mijo,” Ray laughed, shaking his head. “We don’t know anything about how or why I was able to see you, yet.”
“Or why I wasn’t,” Flynn huffed, crossing her arms.
Her and Julie had taken so many steps this past month to repair the parts of their friendship that had frayed since the boys’ arrival. Julie now made an active effort to make sure Flynn was included in everything ghosty, the second it happened.
To now find out that it was possible for the ghosts to be seen while completely free of Julie’s influence, she couldn’t help but feel bitter that it still wasn’t her turn.
The doorbell stopped her from spiralling further down that line of thought.
“I got it,” Flynn nodded at Ray before the man could move. “You two probably have a lot to talk about.”
She smiled when she saw Reggie brighten. That boy was as pure as the sun, wasn’t he?
Flynn left the pair to answer the door. After years of friendship, she had no qualms about greeting people as if the house was her own. She definitely spent more time here than at her own anyway.
“Hello?” She swung the front door open, only to pause when she saw a familiar blonde waiting on the other side. “Oh. Hey, Carrie,” she blinked, surprised.
“Hi,” the girl stood awkwardly in front of her.
Flynn appraised the girl in front of her.
She’d clearly just come from her dance rehearsal; if the leggings and pink tank were anything to go off of.
“I thought you wanted some space to appease your dad?” She leaned against the doorframe, watching her facial expressions.
Flynn still had no idea exactly where the two of them stood these days.
They obviously weren’t enemies, not anymore, but Flynn definitely wouldn’t call what they’d had friendship.
Julie and Carrie’s relationship had a clear issue, which once the pair had worked out, it had been fairly easy for them to move past.
Flynn and Carrie had no such issue, thus no blueprint to moving forward.
Of course, Flynn had always hated the girl, and vice versa, it had always just been a hate-by-association, because of how she’d treated Julie. Now that she and Julie were friends again, the hate had disappeared, but that left them with absolutely nothing.
The two had never been close or even really known each other as kids, despite having a mutual friend in Julie for six years, so they couldn’t even fall back to however they’d acted back then.
A week had passed now, since the blonde’s self-proclaimed redemption arc, and Flynn was still getting her footing on the idea of not hating the girl, let alone figuring out how to interact with her when Julie wasn’t around.
Talking over the phone was one thing, where Flynn didn’t have to keep seeing the girl’s face and didn’t have to keep being reminded that this was Carrie Wilson that she was getting all chummy with. In-person was something else entirely.
“I’ve decided that I don’t give a shit what he thinks anymore,” Carrie turned her nose up, and Flynn was reminded once again that she was still Carrie Wilson.
“Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow, trying to choose between being impressed at the girl’s obstinance and annoyed at the attitude that she’d always hated (while also being secretly amused, now that the attitude wasn’t directed at her best friend or herself).
“If he can have his creepy secrets with Nick, that jackass,” Flynn blinked at the amount of venom, “then I can do whatever I want.”
“I’m guessing something happened, then,” Flynn blinked, amused.
Belatedly, she realised that she was still blocking the door.
“Uh, come in, I guess,” she stepped aside and held the door wider. “Julie will be back soon, she’s just, uh,” shit. She couldn’t let Carrie go into the kitchen, not until after Julie was back.
If she went into the room, and Julie and Luke decided to poof back in at random, they would be screwed!
All the effort they’d gone to to not let Carrie know the truth would have been wasted.
“She’s dealing with some Luke drama, but she’ll be back soon,” she closed the door after the blonde entered, trying to come up with something as they walked.
“So, uh, what happened with Nick and your dad?” Flynn stopped in the hall leading to the kitchen door, blocking the path. She couldn’t hear anything inside. “You mentioned something last night, but didn’t sound this,” she paused, trying to find the words, “pissed off?”
“Oh, that,” Carrie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, the epitome of sass. “Yeah, I ran into Nick,” she spat the name, “after school. That little creep had the audacity to threaten me!”
Flynn’s jaw dropped. Nick had threatened Carrie? What? She knew he was wack, but that was just insane.
“I mean the absolute gall! I could destroy that little weasel,” the blonde ranted on. “Daring to tell me that I should stay away from Julie or else I’d get ‘hurt!’ I don’t care that my dad likes him for whatever reason, I will end him!”
Flynn blinked, trying to sort through all the new information.
Plus, she had to admit, raging Carrie was kind of hot… if she were anyone but Carrie, that is. Of course.
Flynn coughed. “What,” her voice cracked. “What’s your plan?”
Carrie bit her lip and leaned back against the wall. “I don’t have a plan,” she didn’t meet Flynn’s eyes.
“Bullshit,” she shook her head. “You were the original member of the Julie Protection Squad,” Flynn grinned, thinking back to the one and only thing they’d done together as kids.
They’d been twelve years old when Adam Robinson had used marker to scribble on Julie’s first pair of doodles shoes. Carrie had bribed one of the boys in his friend group to shave the word ass into the back of his head at one of their sleepovers, and then she and Flynn had drawn all over their teacher’s desk and paperwork in marker and left it in his locker for her to find.
Adam’s mother had been mysteriously transferred the following year, and they’d never seen the boy again.
Flynn knew from that moment that she would never be as powerful as this girl was.
Carrie sighed. “If I tell you, you can’t tell Julie. I don’t think… no, I know she probably wouldn’t be cool with it.”
Flynn was sat.
“Okay, now you have to spill,” she leant against the wall next to Carrie and slid down it. “I won’t tell her, but I want in. Deal?”
Carrie slid down the wall too, and Flynn took that as a yes.
Flynn waited. And waited. Watching ad Carrie fiddled with the end of her tank.
“I hired a PI and told them to look into his every move for the next few days,” she eventually spat.
Flynn blinked. A… Private Investigator. For a teenager?
Before she could voice her doubts about the plan, Carrie spoke again.
“I know that sounds bad,” she waved her hands around, shifting slightly to face Flynn, looking at her face but not meeting her eyes. “But I swear I have a good reason for this. I think… no, I don’t think, I know. Nick has been stalking Julie. Like full on, legit, following her around, stalking her.” She stopped only to breathe. “There have been so many times that I’ve seen him hiding behind walls, following behind you guys, listening in to your conversations, I think he’s even followed her home once or twice, but I don’t know for sure.”
Flynn’s mind ran a mile a minute. Nick was… stalking Julie?
“I called him out on it today and he told me that I should be careful ‘sticking my nose in’ in case I got ‘hurt,’” she looked down, clenching her fists. “I should have said something to you sooner, but I thought that you would tell Julie, and I don’t think it’ll be good for her to know. It’ll just wind up freaking her out. She might even try to confront him, and I think that she might get hurt if she does. I can’t explain it, but I just have this,” she paused, “this feeling that Nick is dangerous. Not high school dangerous, either. Like, real dangerous.”
Flynn nodded slowly, processing. She sighed and brushed her braids back. “Yeah, I think you’re right,” she agreed. “Julie shouldn’t know. If he’s really as bad as all that then we need to do something.”
She noticed Carrie slacken in relief. “I didn’t think you’d believe me so easily.”
Flynn eyed the girl. “Look, I can admit that I had some doubts about your sudden change of heart,” she pretended not to notice her wilt. “But I can tell that you really care about Julie. We have that in common I guess.”
“Yeah. I know I can’t make up for everything I’ve done to her,” Carrie pulled her knees up and hugged them. “But I feel like if I can jump in and stop her from getting hurt, even if that means putting the target on my own back instead, I can start.”
Flynn softened. “I know exactly how you feel.”
Flynn had always considered herself Julie’s biggest protector. Not even just since she lost her mum.
Julie was the nicest, kindest, purest person she’d ever met in her entire life. She loved so easily, and so fully. She was earnest, and trusting, and forgiving, and saw the best in everyone, always believing that at their core, people were good.
And that had gotten her in trouble more than a few times.
So, Flynn had assigned herself the role of the guard dog standing behind her. Vibe checking people and growling if the wrong ones got too close too quickly.
But the things that were coming for her now, with not only Nick but also that creep Caleb, who they still hadn’t heard a lick from in the past month, were different. They weren’t the same bullies and petty, jealous people that they’d been dealing with previously.
She would need help if she wanted to keep Julie sheltered and safe.
And she couldn’t go to the boys, not for this. They were in just as deep, only with the added layer of not actually being alive, not yet at least.
Carrie could make a really helpful ally, here. She was resourceful, quick-witted, and brave, and she had connections that they could use.
Her eyes darted over to the girl.
But there was still so much that she didn’t know… So much that she couldn’t know. Not until she knew about the boys at least…
But Flynn couldn’t possibly tell her the truth. Could she? No. No, that would be wrong.
Julie had been so adamant that her rekindled friendship with the blonde was still too fragile and new to risk putting such a big secret on.
She would tell her when she was ready.
It didn’t matter how serious things were starting to get. Or how much Flynn needed help protecting Julie. Or how difficult it was for them all to keep this secret from one person when everyone else knew… Right?
“Hey, Carrie,” her voice caught, and she wet her lips. She shouldn’t be doing this. “While we’re talking, there’s probably something that you should-”
The sound of something shattering in the next room cut her off, and both girls sprung up from the ground.
“Julie?” Flynn cried, throwing open the door and charging into the room.
A bowl lay in pieces on the ground.
Julie and Luke were back, and so was Alex.
“Who’s that?” Carrie whispered to her, standing on her toes to look over Flynn’s shoulder.
“Who’s who?” Flynn frowned at the girl. “You know Alex.”
“Not him,” Carrie shook her head, pointing. “The guy with long hair next to him.”
Flynn rubbed her eyes and looked back into the room.
Guy with long hair? There was no guy with long hair in there…
But then she noticed the odd space between Reggie and Alex. And Alex’s hand, which was held at an odd angle, as if he were holding something. Something like someone’s hand.
Her jaw dropped.
Oh, this was so not fair.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Alex had to admit, he was more than a little nervous for Julie to finally meet Willie.
He and Julie had spent so much time the past month talking about their ridiculously huge crushes on oblivious brunettes. And though Alex’s gushing was always tinged with a bit of melancholy, as he didn’t know where the other ghost was, they had become his favourite moments with the girl.
He wanted so badly for the two of them to get along.
No. He didn’t want it. He needed it to happen.
Julie meant the absolute world to him, easily cementing herself as one of the most important people in his life- not that she had much competition, he supposed.
He would just die… again… if she didn’t like the boy that he was obsessed with!
“Are we gonna go in, Hotdog?” Willie teased, nudging him with his elbow. “Or just stand here and stare at the door for another ten minutes?”
“Ten minutes sounds good,” Alex mumbled, clenching and unclenching his hands.
Willie softened immediately, reaching out to wrap his hand around one of Alex’s. “Hey, hey,” he pried open his fingers, entwining their hands and squeezing. “Everything will be fine. Whatever you’re worried about, try not to stress. I’ll be right here. You can do this.”
Alex smiled, looking at their joined hands.
Willie was right. He could do this.
How could Julie not like this boy? That wasn't possible. He was sure that she would see everything in Willie that Alex did.
He took a deep breath and opened the kitchen door.
Willie loosened his grip, but Alex tightened his, not letting him drop his hand.
They stepped into the kitchen.
Reggie, Julie and Ray were sitting at the bench, while Luke hovered behind the girl.
“It could be worth trying, Mijo,” Ray was saying, his hand resting as close to Reggie’s on the bench as he could, without passing through him.
“I get it if would be too much, though,” Julie leant against the bassist. “We’re not trying to pressure you into seeing them if you’re not ready. We could try it with your sister instead if that’s easier.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Reggie mumbled, his head ducked. “I don’t think I’m ready to see my parents,” he winced, and Alex saw him shift away from Ray. “But it would be nice to see Ash again. I just… don’t know how to find her.”
“Flynn was looking into finding her, and Alex’s sisters too,” Julie put in, and Alex stiffened.
He felt Willie’s eyes on him, and stared straight ahead, refusing to meet them.
He definitely wasn’t ready to unpack the can of worms that was his absolute mess of a family. As much as he wanted to talk about his sisters, that conversation would only lead to his parents.
They were the one thing he was happy to leave in the past.
“She’s probably been distracted by everything that’s been happening lately, but I’ll ask her to keep looking,” Julie continued.
“Thanks, Julie,” Reggie smiled weakly at the girl.
It was then that Luke glanced over his shoulder and noticed their presence.
“Willie!” He straightened immediately and spun on the pair. “You're here! Alex, you found him, man!” He jumped forward, throwing an arm around Alex’s shoulders, and holding a fist out for Willie to bump.
Julie and Reggie turned to face them.
“How have you been, dude?” Reggie jumped up next, joining the trio. “Caleb didn't kill you for helping us out?”
Willie barked out a laugh. “That would require him being in the club for more than a few songs at a time,” he shook his head.
Alex’s eyes darted over to Julie, who was still sitting at the bench, looking at them strangely.
That didn't mean anything. Did it?
He cleared his throat. He could do this. “Julie,” he stepped forward, lifting his and Willie’s joined hands. “Meet Willie.”
“Hey,” Willie waved with his other hand. “Nice to finally meet you,” he grinned at her brightly.
Alex waited with paused breath as Julie just blinked at him. Another blink. And then again.
“Julie?” He frowned, tilting his head. “Aren't you gonna say hi?”
Her eyes never left his. “You're… you're messing with me, right?” She eventually asked, slowly standing up.
It was then that Alex began to panic.
Oh god, oh god. She was judging him. Why was she judging him? How did she hate Willie already? They hadn't even really spoken yet! What was he going to do?
She looked over at Luke and Reggie, who shared a confused look.
“Come on, Jules,” Luke stepped towards her. “You're freaking us out here.”
“Does she not like me?” Willie whispered, leaning into Alex. “She heard about me leading you to Caleb, didn't she…”
Alex swallowed. This so wasn't fair.
“Julie, come on,” he half-glared at her. “You're being rude.”
She just blinked at him again.
Eventually, she tore her eyes away, looking right at Willie. She squinted, rubbed her eyes, and then squinted again.
A chill went down Alex’s spine.
No. No way.
“She can't see you,” Luke breathed. “Julie, you can’t see Willie. Can You?”
Julie shook her head no.