Page 18 of Anytime I Want

“I’m going to see if Josie wants to hang out with me and Chloe. Nothing special, I just want her to feel welcome,” I say.

“Josie?” Nathan perks up. “Can I come?”

I laugh at his eager expression. “Sure. But watch out, I’m pretty sure she’s a huge flirt and not that particular. Besides, I’m not sure she even knows you exist.”

“Please. We can take care of that. Who wouldn’t want this once they see it?” Nathan gestures to his body.

“Gross. And need I remind you, she's already seen you.”

Nathan laughs. “Whatever. Are you inviting your new boyfriend? I’m sure he’d drop whatever plans he has. Graham is so into you.”

“He’s not mine.”

“No, Jules. He is totally yours. You just won’t admit that you’re his. Let me know what Josie says.” Nathan taps his knuckle on my door before leaving me to my thoughts.

***

An hour later, our doorbell rings and the door swings open. “Hello? Pritchetts? I’m he-re! And I brought Josie!” Chloe sings, as she walks into our house. She always rings the doorbell first as a warning because of how her parents are, before she walks in.

“Hey!” I jump up from the couch to give them both hugs. “Welcome. I was so excited when Chloe texted me this morning that you were the family that moved in down the street. We can hang out all the time. If you want, we can carpool to school. We already ride with Graham and Chloe.”

“Graham, huh?” Josie’s eyes widen with interest.

“Down, girl.” Chloe says. “Julia will deny it all day long, but they’re a thing. You haven’t gotten to see them together too much because Graham had lunch detention a few days last week, but they are end game. One hundred percent.”

“I thought you were acting a little jealous, but you said you weren’t interested, and I don’t know you that well yet. So what’s the deal?”

“No deal. He’s Nate’s best friend,” I fiddle with the fake plant on the end table. “He flirts with me because he’s always around. He loves to flirt and tease.”

“Yeah, no, that’s not true,” Nathan says as he comes down the stairs. “You think he’s doing the entire list because of proximity? I don’t think so.”

“List? What list?” Josie asks. Chloe and Nathan turn to me, obviously waiting for me to answer.

“I made a list for my future boyfriend when I was, like, seven years old. Stupid stuff-—bring me a lollipop, take me to the lights, watch me sing—and Graham is trying to convince me that he likes me long-term by completing the list.”

“Okay, that’s adorable. I love this. But I don’t get it. Do you like him? Why not just date him? It’s only high school; you don’t need to be eternally committed to him.”

I take a deep breath, ready to end this conversation. “Why does everyone keep saying that? It’s not that simple. He’s Nathan’s best friend. Our parents are besties. What if we started dating, and then he got bored and broke my heart? That would suck. I don’t want to put my brother or my parents in that position. Now, Graham is great. We all love him. But we aren’t in love with him. Let’s move on.”

Nathan cocks his head, a little surprised by this and opens his mouth to disagree, I’m sure. Chloe cuts him off before he has the chance.

“Well, I am a little bit in love with him, but whatever. We can move on.” Chloe jokes.

“Me, too,” Josie agrees.

“Oh, yeah, absolutely. Total bromance,” Nathan adds. I shake my head at them before heading toward the kitchen.

“How about some cookies?” I ask.

Graham

Sooo… regarding number nine. Prom is after Christmas. How does one go about a promposal by a deadline when said prom is in April?

Julia

Hmm. Sounds like a tough one.

Graham

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