Page 60 of Anytime I Want

“Julia, honey. You are getting a little loud. This probably isn’t the time.” She pulls me away from Graham and takes the phone from my fingers, handing it back to Graham. She leads me to the chair next to Josie. I grip the armrests and stare at the floor.

I don’t know how much time has passed, but I do know that Nathan and Chloe have both tried to talk to me. My mind is flipping between Mabel and Graham.Is she dead? What if she died? Why does he text her back? I should’ve checked on her before the show. Does he flirt with her? Is that why she’s always pushing so hard?

He’s encouraging her.

I need Mabel to be okay.

I look up when I hear footsteps running into the hospital. It’s Ginger and her dad, and I would guess, her mom. They look stricken, and Ginger runs right into Graham’s arms. Graham wraps his arms around her and holds her while she cries. I feel my heart breaking while I try to convince myself that he’s just being a good guy.

I love that he’s a good guy. Remember that.

Nathan walks over and puts his arm around me, pulling me close. I rest my head on his shoulder and let the tears I didn’t know I still had fall again.

Chapter 32

Graham

After an hour of waiting, Nathan drives me home and sits with me. We don’t say anything.

After about twenty minutes, Nathan clears his throat. “I asked Josie to the Winter Formal and she said no. Said I wasn’t her type.”

It takes me a few seconds to comprehend what he was saying. “Wait, what? When? After the dance-posal? Is that why you’ve been so upset?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to be, but I felt dumb. Ifeeldumb. I’m glad I didn’t ask her big like I was thinking about. But like, not her type? She told me I was hot, all-American and Mr. High School. Are those bad? She made them sound bad.” He scrubs his hand through his hair. “The worst part is that I still like her. If she changed her mind, I would take her to the dance in a heartbeat. I would ditch everyone to go with her.”

I stare at him, still thinking about Julia, but trying to understand. “Okay, so wait. You like Josie. A lot. You asked her out, she complimented you, but said no, and now you want her to go out with you? Even though she said nice things with an insulting tone?”

Nathan blows a raspberry. “Pretty much.”

“Dude.”

“Yep.”

“I have no ideas for you. I thought I was doing pretty well with Julia until tonight.”

“Yeah, Ginger.”

I crinkle my nose. “Yep.” I pop the letter p. “Ginger.”

“I don’t know what to say. Apologize? Tell Ginger to beat it in front of Julia?”

We come to no real conclusions, and around midnight, I go to bed. I text Julia about fifty times but each one sits on read, with no response. I don’t even get the bouncing dots. She obviously is not talking to me, not even considering talking to me.

The next morning, I knock on the Pritchetts’ front door and instead of walking in, I wait. It’s been years since I’ve waited to go inside, but I don’t know how I’ll be received today.

The front door opens, and Julia steps out. Her face is a little puffy, her hair in a knot on top of her head, and she’s wearing an old t-shirt and shorts. She folds her arms and gives me an unimpressed look.

“Uhm, hey. How’s Mabel?” I ask.

“She’ll be okay. She fell and hurt her hip. She passed out from the pain. Ginger’s mom told us that she’ll have to get a hip replacement, but that she’s fine. Mabel’s staying at their house for the next couple months, maybe longer. So I guess I can’t see her for a while.”

“Why not? Did Mr. and Mrs. Cole say you aren’t welcome?”

Julia glares at me, tightening her arms across her chest. “Why would I willingly go toherhouse?” She practically spits the word her.

I hold up my arms in surrender. “I was just checking.”

“It’s whatever. Why don’t you keep Nathan updated and he can tell me how she’s doing.” Julia turns to go back in the house.

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