AN: Hello again! This is the next chapter...

I still don't own Malcolm in the Middle. *bangs head against wall*

Thanks LTJM and puppylov1231 for your reviews, I hope you like this part!

Malcolm got up early the next morning, even though it was Saturday. He was psyched to be seeing Julie again. Okay, so they hadn't agreed on a time, but she'd definitely said she wanted to hang out with him. And he figured, why wait?

He showered, dressed, checked his hair in the mirror for slightly longer than usual, and made his way outside.

Hudson Street, like he'd told Julie, was right near his house. He hoped he could remember which house was hers.

All the way there, he was panicking inside his brain.

What if she doesn't like me? What if she thinks I'm a freak? What if she thinks I'm too short? What if I mess up again?

Cringing, he remembered the last time Julie had been over to his house. It was a long time ago, but he could still feel the blush rising in his cheeks as he pictured the look on her face as she'd burst into his bedroom to find him in his underpants, frantically trying to blowdry his shirt.

Relax, he told himself, if you don't mention it, neither will she. She's probably forgotten all about it by now anyway.

He rang the doorbell.

Just be cool, and don't say anything stupid. You can totally do this.

It seemed like an eternity before Julie finally answered the door. She was dressed in dark green overalls, splattered with white paint, and yet she still managed to look like a supermodel.

''Malcolm!'' she said excitedly. ''I wondered if you'd drop by, too! Come on in, we're painting my bedroom - it's so much fun!''

Malcolm followed her, wondering who the 'we' was. Probably just her mom, he guessed.

Julie led him into her room, and Malcolm nearly died of shock.

''REESE!'' he yelled. ''WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?''

Reese looked up from where he was kneeling on the floor, sweeping a paintbrush up and down the nearest wall. ''Painting.'' he said innocently.

Malcolm was too shocked to speak. Julie giggled, took his arm and pulled him in to the room. ''Come on, Malcolm, grab a paintbrush!''

Dumbly, Malcolm let her slip a paintbrush into his right hand. He started working on the patch of wall in front of him, still wondering if he was dreaming.

''It's so great to see you guys again,'' Julie gushed. ''I really missed everyone from school.''

''How was New York, Julie?'' Reese asked politely.

''Oh, man, it was awesome,'' she replied. ''You ever been there?''

''No,'' said Reese before Malcolm could answer. ''But I want to, someday.''

''Maybe you can come with me, both of you, when I go back to visit my dad,'' Julie said, her voice losing some of its cheerful tone.

''I guess you must miss him, huh,'' said Reese sympathetically.

''Yeah,'' she said softly. Reese stood up, put his paintbrush in the tray, and slowly wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. All Malcolm could do was watch, dumbfounded as Julie buried her head in his brother's shoulder.

Reese's expression was clear: you lose.