CHAPTER ten : Operation: Find This Boy
The plan was simple.
Okay — chaotic and deeply flawed, but still… it had heart.
"Step one," Raye whispered, sliding her notebook across the cafeteria table, "we eliminate every boy who isn't hot and mysterious."
Jane raised an eyebrow. "So, like… 85% of this school?"
"Exactly." Raye flipped the notebook open. Inside: a very unhinged list titled.
SUSPECTS: Boys Who Might Be Phone Ghost™.
Raye was about to cross a name when Jane suddenly stopped her as she said .
" What if it was a senior or maybe someone not in our department or something ...I don't know ".
Raye thought about it for a few minutes _ then shrugged it off ...but then it wasn't a bad clue .
"I would have agreed to it , but I don't remember talking to any senior boy ".
"Yeah you hardly talk to boys though, worst... the ones you know are total lowbrow , look at Evan for instance ,total jerk and then Joshua girls magnetic freak , two of them mix together jackass union ".
Raye stared at her friend who was giggling softly before admitting .
"I derseve that ".
"It really cool you accept e_".
Raye hush Jane with the raise of her hand.
"don't push it ".
She looked down at the book .
It had :
"Tall Hoodie Guy Who Carries Skateboard"
"That dude with eyeliner"
"The boy who sits alone at lunch and reads poetry like he's in a tragic indie film"
Jane blinked. "Girl, that last one's a teacher."
"WAIT, REALLY?!"
"Yeah. Mr. Holloway. Creative Writing."
Raye slammed the notebook shut.
"Okay. New plan. We go analog."
Jane sipped her juice like she wasn't about to commit social suicide with her best friend.
" I can't belived you picked Mr Holloway " she said eyes wide open in disbelief.
"The man looked like an adult , beside he is handsome ".
"True , true he is handsome , but old too , also ,he is a new teacher too ...so he is out of the list ". Jane said thoughtfully before asking snapping out of her thought
" what do you mean by we go analog ?".
"We… lurk."
Raye and Jane started creeping through the school like undercover agents.
They didn't have lecture that day , so instead of going home to do nothing , they decided to look for this guy .
Staring at every boy who walked by like:
"Could it be you?"
No boy was safe.
Hoodie boys.
Math boys.
Football boys.
Boys who were just too - cute- to -be -not called hot .
Raye stopped Jane before saying .
"I think we are going insane and turning into creepers ".
"I don't mind " Jane said shrugging still wearing the stupid sunglass acting like a detective .
Raye stared at her friend biting her lips like as if she was trying hard not to say something bad .
"I better rephrase that _ ..... I don't think AM thinking straight and now am going ".
She said turning around, about to stomp off when Jane held her hand .
One boy sneezed and Jane went: "That's definitely him. He sneezed cool."
They got nothing.
No matches.
No sparks.
No confirmation texts.
Just bad weather cold condition .
It was westerlake , Oregon , a city known for it moody weather and rainy days .
The boy probably caught cold .
Jane thought it was the other cold _ the kind of chill you get from a very flirty comment that feels just right .
And you read like ten times too.
School field .
Raye and Jane laid on the soft grass , while staring at the sky under a tree .
" Today was fun " Jane said grinning stupidly while, Raye turned to look at her placing her hand on Jane's forehead she clicked her tongue.
"Tsk , tsk now I know the problem that boy gave you cold ".
"He's name is nuckle , " Jane said not bothered about Raye earlier comment .
Raye sat upright looking at Jane with wide eyes .
"And you need five clear hard knuckles on your head ," Raye corrected seeing Jane was misunderstanding her " I mean clear hard folded fist , tight knuckles , pushing your brain to your head ".
Jane pointed at Raye smiling she took off the sunglass hooking it on the collar of her shirt .
"I am suppose to be angry at your awful comment ,but instead I would say I don't mind if it's nuckles who help me in that " Jane said winking as she added . " He could give me some brain . I won't mind ".
Raye face was scrunched in disgust as she shook her shoulder too .
"You need prayers and holy water too ". Raye commented watching Jane chuckled loudly as she continued " we were stalking boys today , like weird creeps and you say it was total fun ".
Raye stared at Jane for a few minutes before saying .
"Let's forget about me for a few minutes , do you have a love interest so we could work on it and so maybe you could stick to one ". .she paused before she continued . " Maybe if we work this out , you would change and stop thinking dirty ".
Jane thought for a few minutes before saying .
"I have like five or six love interest and I have one thing each has to perform so _ .."
"Shut up " Raye said barely a whisper watching Jane try to keep a frown on her face as a smile threaten to show .
"Why ,you asked _ ".
"I asked for your love interest ...not love interests ..there was no S".
Jane laughed out before saying " ahh , Raye you are so funny , everyone has their taste in certain things , some take a simple taste ...like you , others take full bite , while me I try the full course ..every bit of it one by one ".
"And remind me why we aren't rushing you to get therapy " Raye said no traces of smile , while Jane sent her a quiet glare .
"Haha , supper funny , Raye , I am laughing , hahahaha " Jane faked a laugh before rolling her eyes sky high .
"I am done , with all this boy mayhem thing , I have better things to think about ...one school, my business and that's all ".
"But you still wish you could meet him and be friends "Jane said softly .
Raye smacked her head while saying .
"Yes Jane , yes ,I do wish we could meet , so we could be friends _ but since he doesn't want to be seen I would let it be and probably wait till his ready ".
Jane glanced at Raye with a nonchalant expression standing up from the grass she dusted her clothes before saying .
"I would see how that ends ".
And then she started walking away .
Raye shoulder slumped further glaring at Jane _ who was stupidly accurate as usual..
Jane was never a great solution to things _never .