How To Get a Boyfriend 101

20 : Friday

Step Twenty: Let your personality shine in your conversations! Think about how you act around your friends and how easily you can talk to them. Try to act the same way around the boy that you like by talking about things you both are interested in, like music, sports, or movies. Share your opinions and thoughts freely so he can get to know the real you. It may seem repetitive, but we need to drill the important bits in!!!

When I wake up, there's a post-it on the fridge. It lets me know... that he had to go to school early... for extra help... in the morning... but there are pancakes... that I can microwave... blah blah blah.

The pancakes taste bad after being microwaved, but I am not up to try cooking something for myself. I end up taking a granola bar from my backpack. I also take out a few dollar bills. I need to repay that Haven Walker girl for the tacos; plus, I want to give her a tip for helping me out. Those tacos were worth the haiku. There's someone else I need to pay back, too.

Ha, that rhymed ("haiku" ... "too")

Anyway, that's where my first stop is. Bar-Taco.

Haven is picking at her nails when I arrive. She glances up when I tap her shoulder, seeing as it's pretty early in the morning, and there's only one customer in here aside from me. The young man is facing away from me and has metallic silver hair. I'm gathering major detective vibes from him, but whatever.

"Haiku Boy!" she greets, standing up. She turns her phone over, hiding the lock screen from me, but there's something on the back.

I see a character drawn onto her phone case. "Did you draw that?" I ask politely.

She nods. "I'm afraid that have a bit of an obsession with art. This is a small character I've created, kind of based off of you. Except he has orange hair, here."

"Nice," I laugh. Because it's pretty early in the morning, my voice cracks. A lot. Haven giggles at my embarrassed apology before holding an expectant hand out. "Bye, money," I whisper to the wealth that is no longer mine. "I'll miss you."

"Can you come up with a haiku about money?"

I glance up. "Wow, I really am Haiku Boy. I'll do my best."

I clear my throat.

"Haven is kind, but
I paid for my taco,
And my cash is all gone."

She counts the syllables out on her fingers before giving an approving nod. Someone taps my shoulder, making me jump.

"Nice poem," Detective Vibes Boy in The Corner with Silver Hair says.

I flinch. "Russell?"

With silver hair. Holy guacamole. I vaguely remember all of my past thoughts on how hot Russell is with dark blue hair. Oh, dearie me. Him in silver? Blake's going to die. I'll join him. Russell looks positively ethereal.

Haven Walker smiles at me. "Russell here is a regular, huh," she reaches over the counter to playfully nudge him as he gives me a pained smile. "He has the same thing every time he comes. Says that his digestive system can get rid of it by the time his dance practice comes around, but once he vomited. Since then he hasn't ordered as many refried beans—"

"That's enough, Haven." Russell rubs his temples in an attempt to cover his face. Now he just looks like an overheated robot. I suppress a giggle and put a hand over my mouth.

"If you want," I offer, "I can just shut my ears while Haven continues."

Russell gives me an odd look. "Shut your ears?"

Haven sides with me—thank goodness—and gangs up with me against Russell. "You mean to say that you've never heard anyone say that?"

"No?" Russell's response is probably more like a question than he intended for it to be. "Whatever, this is dumb."