with crossed arms. Isabel crossed her arms, too. She wiggled her nose. The catâs tail twitched. That cat was so so so so mad!
âIn case youâre wondering, I still love you,â she said. âI just donât like you anymore.â
Jasperâs stomach flip-flopped, but not in a nice way. Isabel was going to make Jasper get married to her, and there was nothing he could do about it. Jasper started to go with Isabel. He had to.
But just then Paul C. sprang up and rushed at Isabel with the book about knights in his hands. Isabel looked surprised because usually Paul C. was so quiet and just sat by himself at the picnic table minding his own business.
Paul C. turned the book sideways and opened and closed it in front of his face. The book opening and closing looked just like the horrible snapping jaws of a dragon, jaws that came closer and closer to Isabel.
âIâm going to bite you,â the dragon said in a quiet voice that was twice as scary as a roar.
âAh!â Isabel yelled. âIâm telling on you, Paul C.! Iâm going to find the monitor! Youâre in big trouble! Biting isnât allowed!â
Chapter 12
Jasper invited Ori, Paul C. and Leon to his house after school. Leon couldnât come because he had a piano lesson. Paul C. was allowed even though he had spent part of lunch in the principalâs office where he had never been in his whole life. He had to go to the principalâs office because what heâd done to Isabel was Very Dangerous.
âYou had to go to the principalâs office?â Paul C.âs mother asked after school.
âItâs Very Dangerous to scare people with a book about knights,â Paul C. said.
âHe was protecting his friend,â Ori told her.
âMe!â Jasper said.
And Paul C.âs mom looked so so so so happy. She said to Jasperâs mom, âPaul is new to this school. Iâm so glad heâs found friends.â
Ori and Paul C. came to Jasperâs house to make a plan. Their plan was about how to make Isabel NOT in love with Jasper. Jasper had tried ignoring her. He had tried being nice. The only thing he hadnât tried was pretending to love her, too.
âGirls like quiet boys who mind their own business. Thatâs why she loves me. Girls donât like boys who dip their pigtails in ink,â Jasper explained.
âThe thing is,â Ori said, âI donât know what youâre talking about.â
âMy Nan told me,â Jasper said.
But at Jasperâs school, they didnât draw with nib pens in art class. They mostly used colored pencils.
âMom!â Jasper called.
Mom came and the boys asked her, âWould you like it if a boy dipped your hair in jam?â
âIn jam? No,â she said. âIâd be really mad.â
âWhat about if he did this?â Paul C. asked. He smiled so that his cheeks lifted up. Then he pushed the frames of his glasses into his cheeks so his eyes stretched down. He looked so so so ugly!
âStop it, Paul!â Mom said. âYouâre scaring me!â
The boys smiled evil smiles.
And Mom took the little blue notebook out of her pocket and wrote something down.
At breakfast on Monday, Jasper asked for toast.
âToast?â Dad said. âYou always have cereal. Is something wrong?â
Jasper said, âI feel toasty.â
While the toast was toasting, Jasper took the jam from the fridge. He did a test with his own hair. He had to hold the jar against the side of his head because his hair was too short to dip.
âJasper?â Dad asked. âWhat are you doing with the jam?â
Jasper took the jar away. âIs there jam on my hair?â
âJust a little. Are you okay, Jasper?â
âThe jamâs too thick,â Jasper said. âHow can I make it more like ink?â
âLike ink?â Dad said. âWell, you could add water.â
While Jasper was