Jasper John Dooley, NOT in Love by Caroline Adderson, Ben Clanton Read Free Book Online

with crossed arms. Isabel crossed her arms, too. She wiggled her nose. The cat’s tail twitched. That cat was so so so so mad!
    â€œIn case you’re wondering, I still love you,” she said. “I just don’t like you anymore.”
    Jasper’s 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.
    â€œI’m going to bite you,” the dragon said in a quiet voice that was twice as scary as a roar.
    â€œAh!” Isabel yelled. “I’m telling on you, Paul C.! I’m going to find the monitor! You’re in big trouble! Biting isn’t allowed!”

Chapter 12

    Jasper invited Ori, Paul C. and Leon to his house after school. Leon couldn’t come because he had a piano lesson. Paul C. was allowed even though he had spent part of lunch in the principal’s office where he had never been in his whole life. He had to go to the principal’s office because what he’d done to Isabel was Very Dangerous.
    â€œYou had to go to the principal’s office?” Paul C.’s mother asked after school.
    â€œIt’s Very Dangerous to scare people with a book about knights,” Paul C. said.
    â€œHe was protecting his friend,” Ori told her.
    â€œMe!” Jasper said.
    And Paul C.’s mom looked so so so so happy. She said to Jasper’s mom, “Paul is new to this school. I’m so glad he’s found friends.”
    Ori and Paul C. came to Jasper’s 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 hadn’t tried was pretending to love her, too.
    â€œGirls like quiet boys who mind their own business. That’s why she loves me. Girls don’t like boys who dip their pigtails in ink,” Jasper explained.
    â€œThe thing is,” Ori said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    â€œMy Nan told me,” Jasper said.
    But at Jasper’s school, they didn’t draw with nib pens in art class. They mostly used colored pencils.
    â€œMom!” Jasper called.
    Mom came and the boys asked her, “Would you like it if a boy dipped your hair in jam?”

    â€œIn jam? No,” she said. “I’d be really mad.”
    â€œWhat about if he did this?” 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!
    â€œStop it, Paul!” Mom said. “You’re scaring me!”
    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.
    â€œToast?” Dad said. “You always have cereal. Is something wrong?”
    Jasper said, “I feel toasty.”
    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.
    â€œJasper?” Dad asked. “What are you doing with the jam?”
    Jasper took the jar away. “Is there jam on my hair?”
    â€œJust a little. Are you okay, Jasper?”
    â€œThe jam’s too thick,” Jasper said. “How can I make it more like ink?”
    â€œLike ink?” Dad said. “Well, you could add water.”
    While Jasper was