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Julie set up her fake projector on the front porch of the house, knocked on the door, and smiled brightly. As soon as the woman living in the house answered the door, Julie and the boys started singing.
“We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year.”
The woman clapped with delight as her husband and two children arrived at the door. The younger child gasped and tugged on his mother’s shirt. “Mama! That’s Julie and the Phantoms!”
The woman giggled and picked the young boy up off the ground to hold him. “I know, sweetie. They’re singing for you!”
Julie had arranged a contest the previous month for people in the area. The names of whomever entered went into a drawing, and the winners would get a visit from Julie and the Phantoms when they went caroling on Christmas Eve. After two years as a band, they had a decent amount of popularity in the area, so getting people to enter the contest hadn’t been a problem at all.
The family in the doorway smiled happily as the band finished “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and moved on to an a cappella version of “Edge of Great” they had arranged for tonight.
Overall, it had been a pretty fun night. Now that she had her driver’s license, Julie was able to drive the band around without her dad, which made car rides a lot more fun. She could talk to them now without seeming crazy, and car ride singalongs were way more fun with the band than they were with her dad. Plus, hanging out with the boys was one of her favorite things ever, along with music, and tonight was those two things combined. They simply got to drive around the city together, hang out, have fun, and sing for some families on Christmas Eve. What could possibly make this night better?
But Julie knew the answer to that question. And unfortunately, it was the one thing she knew she couldn’t have.
Flynn.
After they finished their mini-setlist, Julie stuck around for a couple of minutes to talk to the kids and take pictures with the family.
“Thank you so much for coming,” the mother said as Julie started to leave.
“Of course,” Julie smiled at her. “Thank you so much for having us.”
“How do you do those little holograms?” the woman asked.
Julie had been wondering how long it would take for her to ask that question. She held up her fake projector for the woman to see. “Just a projector,” she explained shortly. She had given up on trying to be any more detailed than that a long time ago. “Merry Christmas!”
With that, she left the house and walked down the driveway and back to her car.
“You said that was the last house of the night, right?” Alex asked from his spot in the passenger seat.
“Yup,” Julie said as she started the car and pulled away from the curb.
“Why?” Luke asked him from the back, where he sat next to Reggie.
“I have a date with Willie,” Alex explained. “He’s taking me to a midnight showing of his favorite Christmas movie.”
“Aw,” Reggie said. “That’s cute. Luke, why don’t you ever do stuff like that for me?”
“You can’t stay up that late,” Luke reminded him. “You get sleepy as soon as the clock hits ten-thirty.”
“True,” Reggie agreed- then he yawned, proving the point.
Julie giggled. “What kind of rockstar gets sleepy at ten-thirty?” She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Reggie cross his arms.
“The kind that started maintaining a healthy and responsible bedtime routine at a young age,” Reggie pouted.
Luke reached out and grabbed his boyfriend’s hand for comfort. “Don’t listen to her, Bug. She’s just jealous because you get a full eight hours every night and she doesn’t.”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
Alex glanced at her. “Are you okay? You’ve seemed a little down tonight.”
“I’m fine,” she assured him. “I had fun tonight. Really.”
“Are you sure?” he furrowed his brow. “Because you seem kind of depressed.” His voice softened. “Julie. What’s going on?”
Julie sighed. “It’s Flynn, okay? I just… I guess I always had this fantasy of spending Christmas with her, and… I don’t know, kissing her under the mistletoe, or something. And it’s hard to come to terms with the fact that that’s never going to happen.”
“Literally the only reason it’s not happening as we speak is because you’re too chicken to tell her you like her,” Alex said.
“It’s not because I’m chicken,” Julie argued. “It’s because I already know she doesn’t like me back, and I don’t want to risk ruining our friendship just because I had to go and develop a stupid crush on her.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “You know, I thought watching Luke and Reggie dance around each other was agonizing. I mean, it was so obvious that they both liked each other, and watching them both deny any possibility that their feelings were reciprocated was excruciating. I thought it was the most frustrated I’d ever be by a real-life relationship. But you have proven me wrong. Julie takes the cake for most stubborn gay in the band!”
In the backseat, Luke and Reggie clapped and cheered as if she had won an award.
Julie rolled her eyes. “This isn’t like that,” she insisted. “Luke and Reggie were just being dumbasses. I’m being smart.”
“No, you’re literally not.”
“How?”
Alex laughed abruptly. “Please, Julie. It’s so obvious that Flynn likes you.”
Julie furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about?”
“She’s been in love with you the whole time we’ve known you, Jules,” Alex said. “She might not want to admit it, but I see the way she looks at you when you’re not paying attention. I can tell she likes you.”
“It’s true, Julie,” Luke added. “She definitely likes you.” Reggie nodded his agreement.
Julie paused. “Do you guys really think so?” she finally asked softly.
“Duh,” Reggie said.
“You have to ask her out soon,” Alex said.
“How?” Julie asked. “I’ve never asked anyone out before.”
Luke grinned and sat forward in his seat. “I have an idea. What if we hit one last house before we go home?”
***
Ten minutes later, Julie’s hands shook as she came to a stop in front of Flynn’s house.
“Are you guys sure about this?” she asked.
“We are,” Alex said. “But we don’t have to do this right now if you’re not ready, okay? You can wait, if you want.”
Julie shook her head. “No. I need to do this tonight.”
Determinedly, she got out of the car and marched up to Flynn’s house with the boys trailing directly behind her. Instead of going to the front door, she walked around the side of the house to Flynn’s bedroom window.
Flynn was in her bed reading when Julie tapped on her window, getting her attention. The girl climbed out of bed and rushed to open her window.
“Jules,” she giggled. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
“Christmas caroling,” Julie explained shortly. “Are you ready, guys?”
The boys nodded, and they started their a cappella version of Flying Solo.
Julie’s hands shook as she sang, but she reached through the window to hold Flynn’s hands in her own, singing into the other girl’s eyes and hoping she understood the real meaning this time around.
“Wow,” Flynn smiled as they finished the song and the boys disappeared from her sight. She squeezed Julie’s hands. “That was beautiful, Jules. Thank you.”
Julie smiled back, trying to work up the nerve to ask the question.
“Do it, dumbass,” Alex urged her.
Julie looked up at Flynn. “Look, Flynnie, there’s- um- another reason I wanted to come talk to you.”
Flynn raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s up?”
“I, um… I just…” she paused, took a deep breath, and looked Flynn in the eyes. “Do you wanna go out with me?”
Flynn’s eyes widened. “Like, on a date?”
Julie hesitated a moment, then nodded. “Yes. A date.”
Flynn nodded quickly. “Yes, Julie, of course I do.”
Julie’s face broke into a giddy smile. “Really?”
“Yes! I’ve liked you for so long, but I didn’t think you liked me back, and I-”
“Didn’t want to ruin our friendship?” Julie finished for her with a fond smile. Flynn nodded, and Julie giggled. “That’s exactly why it took me so long to ask you. The boys talked me into coming here tonight.”
Flynn looked at a random spot behind Julie. “Thanks, guys, wherever you are.” Then she turned back to Julie. “And thank you. ” She leaned out the window and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and Julie felt her face growing warm. “I’m looking forward to our date.”