Page 9 of Forever Foolish

Won’t you be busy?

It’s a job – I still get time off, silly.

I’m enlisting in the Army.

WHAT?

Wait… what happened? I thought you were going to tell your parents you wanted to take over a local business.

I did – and we had a long talk. I’ve got time until you are out of the Academy, and then we’ll have to see where you get stationed. I want us to continue talking, but it makes it really hard to ask you out on a date.

His message said ‘Read,’ and not a moment later the phone rang in his hand. He hurriedly answered it, trying to hide the fact that he was talking to Chloe, wanting to keep this a secret between them.

“Hello?” he whispered quietly.

“You want to ask me out?”

“Well, talking leads to dating, and I would like us to go on a date someday – if you aren’t too busy.”

“So you are planning on just joining the Army until I get stationed somewhere… and then what?” her voice was so disjointed, so hesitant, that he knew she was struggling with this too.

“Then I want to fly to your location and take you to dinner.”

“This is crazy, J.J.”

“I know it is – but this is our life right now. We’re friends that are two thousand miles apart.”

“But we won’t be two thousand miles apart forever – will we?”

“No.”

“Then yes, I will go out with you,” Chloe announced like she was the Queen of England, bestowing her favor on him. “You’ll wait for me.”

“And you’ll wait for me?”

“We’re friends, remember? We’ll always be here for each other.”

“Always, my Chloe,” he whispered hoarsely, feeling his eyes sting as he realized that the girl he had a massive crush on was agreeing to a date with him in the undetermined future. “I know you’ll be busy with the Academy, and I’ll be off to boot camp or whatever else comes after that, but don’t forget about me.”

“You don’t forget me either,” she replied softly. “Be safe and text me every once in a while. We can write letters, mail packages, or…”

“Or meet up for that first date.”

“And that first kiss.”

“Chloe, you are killing me,” he admitted softly. “I’m going to miss our Christmases more than ever before.”

“Guess we’ll just have to make up for them whenever we see each other again, eh?”

“I promise.”

“Breathe, J.J.,” she encouraged gently. “I know you are nervous about enlisting, but if this is what you want to do – then you know I’ll support you in any way that I can. I’ll be cheering you on, and you’ll have to send me a photo of you with that buzz cut.”

“Can we exchange a photo now?”

“I’ll send one as soon as I hang up,” she promised, and he closed his eyes, swallowing.

“Chloe,” he began, his voice cracking. “Go get ‘em, little Queen… and show those suckers in the blue who the real boss is.”

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