Page 19 of Anytime I Want

Come on, Jules. Help a guy out.

Julia

Isn’t that what Nathan is for?

Graham

You can’t hear me, but I’m growling in frustration right now.

Julia

Fine

Call it a dance-posal?

Graham

Deal! See, look how good you are at helping. I knew you wanted me to make this list happen.

… Right?

Julia?

Chapter 12

Graham

Slay a dragon for me --- encourage me to slay my own dragons.I tap my pen against my desk mindlessly. Slay a dragon. How can I do that? Dragons aren’t real, and slaying is murder, which is illegal. So, what do I do?Maybe I should look on Pinterest. My mom is always doing stuff on there.I reach into my backpack to pull out my phone. I’m getting a little stressed out with my timeline. I spent the whole two weeks of fall break helping on Josh’s grandpa’s farm and try as I might, I couldn’t come up with any great ideas for Julia’s list. I didleave a lollipop on her front porch every morning, and I slipped another note under her windshield wiper. I keep hoping that she’ll mention the notes, but nothing yet. I guess I just have to hope she likes them. I keep coming back toslay a dragon for meand I know I need to tackle that one next. It felt like a waste, not using two weeks to try, or even really see her more than her running by me when I was getting home from the farm. At least I earned some money to help with the cause! It’s gotta be easier to woo with cash.

“Mr. Kealoha,” Mr. Dune calls out. “Any ideas on what I am going to say next?” Mr. Dune is cool as far as teachers go, but he is strict on cell phones. It’s too bad I was so zoned into the list that I forgot where I was.

“Uhm, nice shirt?” I guess, trying to hide my smirk. He shakes his head at me, the corner of his lips twitching. He’s wearing a blue t-shirt that says ‘I would tell you a chemistry joke, but I know I wouldn’t get a reaction.’ It’s not wrong. Chemistry isn’t exactly my thing.

“Nice try. Phone away please. Now, tell me what chemical compound could make paint red?”

“Paint? Red? Mr. Dune, you are a genius! Thank you!” The bell rings in the middle of my sentence, making all the students rush out of the room.

“What?” Mr. Dune looks at me, obviously lost.

“You helped me get one step closer to winning my dream girl!”

“I can’t claim to know what you are talking about, but my recommendation is that you don’t tell her you are trying to win her. I’ve seen movies and been around for a while. They don’t like that.”

“Noted, Mr. D. I’ll be sure to let her know how you helped out!” I say, running into the hallway.

“Ah, the real reason I became a teacher. To be a matchmaker.”

I laugh, barely having heard him over the yelling and squeaking shoes filling the hallway.

“Paintballing!” I pant, putting my hands down on the desk that Nathan has just sat in, catching my breath.

“NASCAR!” Nathan says back.

“What?” I say, totally confused.

“I thought we were just saying random things.”

“What? No. Why would we do that? Paintballing is a date idea. For the List. When are you available?”

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