The Kissing Diary (16 page)

Maybe life had to do with finding a new constellation. Teresa, unique and so original, had turned into Rosie's dearest new friend. Billy, supporting her through thick and thin, was a planet that Rosie had just discovered.

Lauren came over and didn't seem surprised to see her friend sitting close to Billy. She leaned down and whispered in Rosie's ear, “You look cute together!”

Rosie rolled her eyes and said, “Don't use that word in front of me, please,” which made both of them laugh. A shared secret between two best friends.

Billy waited outside with Rosie for her mother to arrive. She pulled up to the curb at 11:05 and watched Billy give her daughter a peck on the cheek before she got into the car.

“Whatever happened,” her mother said, “you still look happy.”

“I am,” said Rosie, surprised by her calmness. “Did you recognize Billy?”

“Of course,” said her mother. “He's such a good boy.”

Rosie smiled. “He is,” she said. “I think he's smitten.”

“Why wouldn't he be?” said Mrs. Goldglitt. “Which reminds me that I have to vacuum tomorrow.”

“Or the dust bunnies will gather, and Sam will make fun of you.”

Her mother laughed, and shook her head. “Dad would have liked it if I'd kept a cleaner house,” she said.

“But then you would have been perfect!” said Rosie, happy to hear her mother's laughter.

The porch light was shining when they pulled into the driveway. Rosie caught a glimpse of her brother at the window. She walked into the living room, where he was sitting on the couch, legs on the coffee table as if he'd been lounging there for a while.

“Boys are weird,” she said amiably.

“So are girls,” said her brother.

“Wait till you're grown up,” said Mrs. Goldglitt. “It gets even stranger.”

“Good night,” said Rosie, floating upstairs in a haze of happiness.

She took out her diary and found the next clean page.

Rosie wrote:

Friday night

At last I can say, This is my Kissing Diary. The following is a poem, which is not about Robbie.

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

And Billy Jones is, too.

I had a great time at the dance, even if I got my boys and my rosebushes all mixed up.

I had my first kiss, and I'm glad it happened with Billy. It makes sense to get kissed by someone who really likes you. The funny thing is, I like him back. He's such a good boy, as my mother says. And I can honestly say that he's a good kisser, too. I wonder if I am? I think if you like someone it makes the kissing better, but that's only my opinion, with very little experience.

I still don't like Mary. I probably never will. She was kissing Robbie, and it hurt a lot. I wonder if she did it to get back at me? It doesn't really matter. Teresa arrived, and then Billy came along. We had the best time ever!

I've been thinking a lot about my name. It's not so bad. Mr. Woo handed me a sheet of quotations by Shakespeare. He highlighted this one:

What's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

I think it means that if I'm a nice person, my niceness will shine through no matter what my name is. So Rosie Goldglitt may sound dorky, but I'm not.

I'm really tired. I'll write more later. Meanwhile, I'll sign myself plain old

Rosie Goldglitt

P.S. I've thought of a new mantra.
Life is what you make it, Rosie Goldglitt.
It kind of rhymes, doesn't it?

P.P.S. I've taped my falling star above my dresser. I like being a star.

Also by Judith Caseley

Praying to A.L.

Losing Louisa

Dorothy's Darkest Days

Jorah's Journal

My Father, the Nutcase

Kisses

Copyright © 2007 by Judith Caseley

All rights reserved

First edition, 2007

www.fsgkidsbooks.com

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First eBook edition: March 2015