28 Things Guys Don't Know

Quit waiting for you perfect guy to come along. Just go for it.

"Kelsey,"Siri whispers to herself,"Kelsey, Kelsey where are you?"

And then she spotted the girl she was looking for. Kelsey, her iPod headphones stuck in her ears, was sitting on the ground under a tree with her sketch book open on her lap. Her hands were swishing against the white paper, her pale skin black from the charcoal she was using. Her long, straightened blonde hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail to keep it from falling onto her drawing, a white-and-black poka dotted bow sitting crookedly in her long tresses.

"Kelsey!" Siri called, running to her friend and sitting on the ground next to her.

Kelsey took one look at the expression on Siri's face and immediately put her things away, bringing her knees up to her chest. She rested her head on her knees and looked at Siri, signaling through her posture that she was ready to listen.

"Okay, Kels, you're not going to believe this, but Jett Daniels asked me out today," Siri said, her voice hushed.

Kelsey's eyes widened,"Are you serious? What'd he say?"

“He was like ‘Hey, Siri, I’ve liked you for a long time, and I know I haven’t always been exactly nice to you, but since it’s our senior year, I thought maybe we could put our differences aside’ or something like that. And then he asked me to go out with him on Friday night,” Siri’s words came out in a rush.

“No way,” Kelsey breathed,“And what’d you say?”

Siri looked down,“Well, I kind of told him to back off, but I have a feeling that he’s not going to give up.”

Siri looked up at Kelsey again,“But I don’t know what to do. I mean, when he was talking to me, he seemed so sincere, but he’s been such a jerk to you and me for the past three years. I’m so confused.”

Kelsey stretched her legs out in front of her and smiled sympathetically at Siri, “I say give him a chance.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, it is senior year. Don’t you want to make amends before we leave here for good?”

Kelsey explained her thinking. “And besides, he’s kind of cute.”

Siri sighed and said sarcastically, “Thanks, Kels, I know I can always count on you for good advice.”

Kelsey giggled, “Seriously though, think about it. You never know. He seriously might’ve changed.”

Siri rolled her eyes at the thought. She opened her mouth to speak again when Kelsey abruptly stood and grabbed her backpack. Siri furrowed her eyebrows and stood as well.
She was surprised when Kelsey began to walk away.

“Where are you going?” Siri asked, grabbing Kelsey’s arm to stop her.

“Trust me,” Kelsey said, “You won’t regret letting me go.”

Kelsey shook her arm out of Siri’s grasp and walked swiftly away, leaving Siri standing confused and alone below the tree. Siri’s perplexed expression finally melted away when she saw who was walking towards her. He walked casually up to her and smiled shyly.

“Hey, Siri,” he greeted.

“Hi, Jett,” she replied with false enthusiasm. She picked up her backpack and tried to walk away, but she felt his hand grab her arm.

“Siri wait,” Jett pleaded.

Siri sighed and turned around, putting her hands on her hips. “What do you want?” she nearly hissed.

“Just hear me out, Siri,” he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Look, I know I haven’t been exactly nice to you for the past three years, but the truth is, I’ve always liked you. So I was kind of hoping that maybe you’d give me a chance and go out with me Friday night?”

Siri rolled her eyes, “Like I’d ever go out with you.”

Jett furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, “Why not?”

“Well, in case you forgot, you’ve been a complete jerk to both me and Kelsey. Your actions speak louder than your words, Jett, and nothing you’ve done so far has led me to believe that you’ve changed in the slightest bit,” Siri explained. “And besides, you know nothing about being a good boyfriend. All you know how to do is how to get into girls’ pants. So, no thanks. I don’t think we’ll be going out any time soon.”

Jett’s expression fell and he begged, “Please just give me a chance. Just give me a chance to prove I’ve changed. One chance; that’s all I’m asking for.”

Siri narrowed her eyes as she thought this over. As much as she wanted to turn him down again, there was a peculiar sense of sincerity that he was giving off that just wouldn’t let her tell him no. She sighed.

“Alright,” she agreed, “One chance.”

A smile popped up on Jett’s face, but before he had much time to celebrate, Siri held up her hand, “Wait. There’s more.”

He crinkled his eyebrows again and she explained, “If the date this Friday goes well, and I agree to be your girlfriend, it will be conditional. You will have twenty eight days to prove to me that you can be a good boyfriend, starting on Friday. Four weeks. If at the end of that time period, I decide you still haven’t quite proved yourself, the whole thing will be off, and you won’t get another chance. Got it?”

Jett smiled, “Sure. You just watch, by the end of the four weeks, you’ll be begging to stay my girlfriend.”

Siri rolled her eyes at that comment, “Not if you keep acting like that. Girls hate it when guys act like self-confident asses.”

Jett raised his eyebrows and teased, “Looks like I have a lot to learn.”

“You do,” Siri confirmed, completely serious. “Because you haven’t the slightest clue into what a girl thinks and feels. Not many guys do. And if you don’t know that, there’s no way you
can be a good boyfriend.”

“Tell me then, Siri, what do girls think?” Jett questioned.

Siri grinned, “I can think of twenty eight things guys like you either don’t know or don’t care enough about.”

“Tell me.”

“Nope,” Siri shook her head. “You’re going to have to wait and find out. I’ll tell you a secret a day for the twenty eight days we’re together. That is, if we make it that far.”

Without another word, Siri turned and strode confidently away. But inside, she was a bundle of nervous energy. What had she just gotten herself into?