Getting the Girl

“A Marigold when fully erect has a stem that can reach almost seven inches long.” Jonah twirled the yellow flower in his hand enchantingly and an avalanche of laughter erupted from behind him. Despite his best efforts he could not ignore it.

“FULLY ERECT!” screamed Patrick Lawton.

“Seven inches- double your size hey Jonah?” Nick Harper was so loud the rest of the class were watching. Mr Davies turned from the board out the front and settled everyone, but Jonah could feel their eyes and their jeers. He didn’t look at them. The full moon of a fiery blush had encompassed his face. Hope Gately, his lab partner said nothing but there was a whisper of amusement at the corner of her perfect mouth. She was doing her best not to laugh. And that was one of the things Jonah liked best about her. She had manners. Yes, she was undeniably beautiful, but she was also wicked-smart, had a killer sense of humour and she was kind. Unfortunately, she was also the most popular girl in school. Well, fortunate for her, unfortunate for Jonah.

“Dude could you be any more obvious?” Patrick threw a crumbled paper ball at the back of Jonah’s head. Again, he ignored it.

“Guys stop it,” Hope half-heartedly urged them with a mild glare. Those boys were her crowd, the popular kids. Luckily there were only two of them in this class, the rest were out there somewhere in the school and made Jonah’s life living hell during lunch period. Hope smiled at him and they continued to dissect their shared Marigold. Jonah placed the little flower under the microscope and allowed for Hope to take a look first. Her long blonde hair fell all around her as she bent forward. Not quite as bright as the Marigold, but just as lovely to look at. They’d been assigned lab partners for five weeks now, perhaps the best five weeks of Jonah’s life. He couldn’t believe it when Mr Davies read her name out next to his, eliciting envious glares from other boys in the class. He had been crushing on Hope since grade one and suspected she didn’t even remember him from so long ago. Girls like Hope don’t look at boys like him. But to his surprise she did remember him, and he took the opportunity to break the ice. Over the weeks he looked forward to science three times a week, where he could get to know her while flexing his knowledge in all things science. This term, the class were studying Botany, and were undertaking group assignments on how flowers make food through photosynthesis. Each couple was given a different flower. This was an area Jonah really shined in and for the first time in a long time, his confidence had soared with Hope as his partner.

The Summer Dance was less than a month away and he’d been building up the courage to ask her to go with him. He wasn’t much of a dancer, but he and his friends often went to school social events together. How he’d love to show up with Hope Gately. The rumours were that she didn’t have a partner yet, and that Hope had even turned a few offers down. Maybe she secretly had said yes to someone already. Jonah wasn’t exactly sure, but it had better not be Patrick Lawton or Nick Harper. Those guys were idiots. But Jonah had something up his sleeve; and not just a brain- but a plan. He was terrified of asking Hope to her face, and so he had conducted a rather clever way to ask her which involved their science project; without the humiliation of a public rejection. Here’s how he was going to do it. He needed to obtain a marigold flower- not the one they had been using for their Botany assignment, but another one. With this one, he would pull the petals apart; get into science class early before everyone else and form words with the loose petals under the microscope, but backwards so it wasn’t obvious when Hope sat down. He’d change the settings on the lens in the microscope so that when she read what the petals formed, she would be able to understand. Will you go to the Dance with me? It would be perfect, particularly because if Hope rejected him, and there was a high chance that she would- she wouldn’t be rude about it. She could politely say no right then and there without anyone needing to know. Jonah secretly hoped the gesture would be sweet enough for Hope to say YES, even if it was a sympathy acceptance. Jonah looked at the clock as Hope took notes, class was halfway through. He winced as something hit the back of his head.

“Hey loser.” Jonah ignored Patrick.

“Hey loser- I’m talking to you.”

“Yeah, turn around nerd.” Nick antagonised.

Jonah hated them. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? He winced as he endured another hit to the head. It was a pencil case, which was painful and made a slap as it hit the floor. He’d had enough.

“WHAT? What do you want?” He was face to face with the two boys, who exploded into laughter. Jonah sighed. Mr. Davies shooshed the boys again. He ignored them for the rest of the class; Patrick constantly asking him to give him his pencil case base, Nick flicking little pieces of rubber at him. When the bell rang, Hope left the classroom so fast that Jonah wondered if he’d done something wrong, because usually she would say goodbye. It made him self-conscious. The two bullies behind him pushed him against his lab chair as they exited, knocking Jonah’s books out of his bag. He was left to pick them up off the floor as the class dispersed. A note fell out from his spiral pad as he picked them up. Curious, he opened it.

Will you go to the dance with me?

I HOPE you’ll say yes.

Jonah’s jaw dropped. He laughed out aloud, looking over his shoulder at the empty science lab. NO WAY! Was this really happening? Hope was asking him out! And he knew just how to reply.

Two days later, he was back in science class, beaming as Hope sat down. Jonah was so talkative he felt his mouth would move off his face.

“You seem to be in a stupidly good mood today,” Hope commented.

“I am, and I think you can probably guess why,” Jonah dared to say. Hope looked at him and raised one of her perfect blonde eyebrows, making her look even more beautiful than ever. Jonah glanced toward the microscope. He had arranged marigold petals on the slide. Hope obliged him and looked through the lens.

“Yes. Yes what?”

“Yes…you know. Yes, I’ll go with you.” She frowned at him.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know…the note.” Jonah allowed a sheepish smile. Perhaps she was embarrassed.

“What note?”

Jonah opened his bag and pulled it out, showing her. She read it and a sad expression crossed her face. As Jonah understood the truth of things Patrick and Nick began laughing so hard that Nick fell off his chair.

“I cant…believe…he bought it!” He said between laughs on the floor. “You actually bought that?” He continued to laugh hysterically. Hope said nothing, shooting disapproving looks at the boys. Jonah was mortified.

“Oh my God…I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine Jonah, really-”

“-No, no its not. God I’m an idiot,” he slapped his forehead. The boys were still carrying on behind him. Hope stared at the note.

“You no what- screw it. Jonah let’s go to the dance together.” Jonah looked up at her.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah- dead serious. We’re going to the Summer Dance. You and me.” Jonah couldn’t help but smile, and for the remainder of the lesson, enjoyed the silence behind him.