Page 7 of Anytime I Want

Chapter 5

Graham

“Here. Julia told me to give this to you.” Nathan drops a folded, yellow paper on my desk before sitting in the desk behind me. “I want nothing to do with this. Nothing. Capital N. Capital all the letters.”

“This is The List? Capital L?” I ask, excitedly unfolding the page. “A lollipop a day. A hug when she’s scared.” I skim the list, and will my hands to stop shaking. “Building a castle? Slaying a dragon? A promposal? Before Christmas? Yeah, Nate, this is tough. I’m gonna need your help.”

“What?” Nathan’s eyes go wide, and he slams his hands down on his desk before leaning forward. “Did you not hear what I just said? Nothing. All capital letters. I know you heard it because you mocked me. I am not helping.”

“Please, Nate.” I widen my eyes, turning my lips into a pout. “There’s no way I can do this alone. I would help you.”

Nathan shakes his head. “Yeah, but you don’t have a sister. This is my sister, bro. My twin. You want me to help you woo my sister. That’s weird.”

“No, dude, it’s perfect. No one knows her like you do. Plus, you are, like, crazy smart. You are 100 percent going to be able to help me through this. You get to use your imagination to help me figure out cookies and storms and castles and carpet rides. Service hours for college? Inspiration for an essay? Helping out your best friend? Pick any of the above that will make it feel better to you because we both know you are going to help.” I shrug.

“Service hours? Because you are an underprivileged child? And an essay, seriously?Dear Dean, I helped my best friend win over my sister with my imagination and crazy smart brain. Please give me money?” Nathan mocks.

“Okay. Obviously, we’ll have to beef it up a bit, but I think you’ve really got something there, man.”

“Bug off,” Nathan grumbles. “I am not helping.”

“Please. I’ll be your best friend.” I clasp my hands under my chin and bat my eyelashes.

Nathan nods his head to the front of the room where the teacher is getting ready to start the class. I turn forward and lean back in my chair, grabbing my pen from the side pocket of my backpack.I feel the legs of my chair get kicked out from under me. I fall backwards, throwing the pen to grab the desk and jerking forward to catch myself.

“Fine. I’ll help. But date her away from me,” Nathan says quietly.

Mr. Thompson picks up my pen and hands it to me. “Mr. Kealoha. Are you ready to begin?”

“Absolutely. Just waiting on my pen and you, sir.”

***

“Do we have to do them in order?” Nathan asks, scratching his neck as his eyes scan the paper.

“Uhm, I don’t know. Hold, please.” I dig my phone out of my pocket.

Graham

Hey, soon to be date! Does the list need to be completed in order? And am I allowed to recruit help?

Julia

Uhm. No?

And I don't care.

Graham

You don’t care because you have succumbed to my charms and this will be a cute story to tell everyone?

Julia

No, I don’t care because it’s not going to work. I will be dancing with (insert famous person here) before I dance with you at the charity gala.

Graham

Dang, girl. Way to pull punches.

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