“We’re friends and I’m happy with that. Grateful for it. And maybe one day, life will toss me a man who loves me back as much as I love him. Either way, I’m good right now.”

At the start of the novel, Bree harbors no hope for a romantic relationship between her and Nathan. She truly thinks that such happiness is impossible for her, introducing the theme The Power of Vulnerability, as Bree protects herself from the risk of heartbreak by refusing to dream.

“And I, in case you are wondering, am an overeager puppy, begging for Bree to play with me—to always play with me.”

Nathan’s compares himself to a puppy, a term that Jamal later repeats to him at practice when he’s hyper-fixated on Bree. This reference demonstrates the playful energy that Nathan carries in his relationship with Bree as well as his emotional dependence on her.

“Almost every day she says a terrible phrase like: ‘Just friends.’ ‘Practically my brother.’ ‘Incompatible.’ ‘Two amigos.’”

Nathan notices Bree’s attempts at keeping them platonic in conversation with him and others. The description of the words and phrases as “terrible” indicates how Nathan despises the friendzone and yearns to become romantic with Bree.