Chapter 28 Flowers for a Very Special Person

Of course Miss Nogard knew all about Louis. The children's brains were buzzing about him.

Louis likes Miss Nogard, thought Stephen.

Louis is in love with Miss Nogard, thought Todd.

Louis wants to marry Miss Nogard, thought Sharie.

But even if she couldn't listen to their brains, she would have found out anyway. "Louis, the yard teacher, is madly in love with you," said Jenny.
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"Oh, really?" said Miss Nogard.

"He dreams about you every night," said Calvin.

"He thinks your eyes are like the moon," said Bebe.

Miss Nogard smiled.

"Do you like him?" asked Jenny.

"He's kind of cute," said Miss Nogard.

"Ooooh," Bebe and Calvin said together.

"What about his mustache?" asked Jenny. "Do you like his mustache?"

Miss Nogard thought a moment. "It would probably tickle if he kissed me."

The children gasped as their mouths fell open.

They returned to their desks and told everyone around them what Miss Nogard said.

Miss Nogard smiled. She wondered just how she'd break Louis's heart.

Ever since Xavier broke her heart, she'd become an expert at breaking other people's. She listened to men's brains and knew just what to say to make them fall in love with her.

And then she knew just the right thing to say, at just the right moment, to shatter their hearts into a million pieces. Even the biggest and strongest man would cry like a baby.

She was incapable of love. Her heart was clogged with bitterness and hate. And besides, she knew no one would ever love someone with three ears.

For just a second she felt a pang of sadness. Because she really did think Louis was kind of cute. Like a puppy dog.

She could almost feel the tickle of his mustache.

"Miss Nogard thinks you're cute," Jenny told Louis at recess.

"She's hot for you, Louis!" said Mac.

"She wants to kiss you!" said Bebe.

"C'mon, let's play kickball," said Louis.

They played kickball, but it was weird. Louis, who was probably the best kickball player ever, did terribly. He tripped over the ball when he tried to kick it. And when Terrence kicked a pop-up, Louis tried to catch it, but the ball bounced off his head.

"What's wrong with Louis?" asked Ron. "Is he sick or something?"

"Yes," said Jenny. "He's got a real bad disease. And it's spelled L-O-V-E."

The next morning Louis came to school with a bunch of flowers in his hand.
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Jenny saw him. "Are those for Miss Nogard?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't know," said Louis. "I passed a field of wildflowers on the way to school. I thought I might give them to someone special." He winked at her.

He headed toward the school building. Jenny followed.

"Oooh flowers!" said Bebe.

"Are you going to give them to Miss Nogard?" asked Calvin.

"Oh, I don't know," said Louis. "I think she might have a pretty face, I mean vase."

Calvin and Bebe followed along with Jenny.

Louis entered the building.

Miss Nogard was in the office. She was getting her mail from her box. Her back was to him.

Louis froze.

"Go on, Louis," urged Jenny.

But Louis just stood there. The flowers rattled in his shaky hand, and several petals fell to the floor.

Mr. Kidswatter came out of his office. "Good morning, Louis," he said. "What have you got there?"

"Uh, these are for you," said Louis. He thrust the flowers into Mr. Kidswatter's hand.

"They're lovely!" said Mr. Kidswatter. Miss Nogard turned around. "Those are very pretty, Mr. Kidswatter," she said, then headed up

the stairs.

Louis watched her go.

"No one's ever brought me flowers before," said Mr. Kidswatter. "You may not believe this, Louis, but I don't have many friends." He put his hand on Louis's shoulder. "You're like a son to me," he said.

"And you're a maggot-infested string bean," muttered Louis.

"What?" asked Mr. K.

"I said, you're a magnificent human being."
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"Did anyone have any trouble with the homework?" asked Miss Nogard.

They all shook their heads.

Ron shook his head too. Homework? he thought. What homework?

"Good," said Miss Nogard. "Well, in that case, there won't be any homework tonight."

Everyone cheered.

"Let's just quickly go over the answers," she said. "Ron, what was your answer to question one?"

Ron's stomach flipped over. He fumbled with his notebook. "Uh, just a second," he said.

"That's okay, we'll wait," said Miss Nogard.

Ron flipped through the pages. "What question are we on?" he asked.

"Question one," said Miss Nogard.

"Um, I couldn't get that one," said Ron.

"Oh," said Miss Nogard. "Well, that's okay, Ron. As long as you tried. Who knows the answer to question one?"

A handful of hands went up in the air.

Seven lima beans, thought Jason.

Seven lima beans, thought Rondi.

Six cucumbers, thought Deedee.

Seven lima beans, thought Stephen.