and start to read by lamplight. I haven’t gotten more than a page into it when I hear a key turn in the lock.
Everyone is here — so who could be coming in? I stand, alarmed, my open book still in my hand.
Rosie slips in the door and shuts it quietly.
“Rosie! You scared me!” I sigh as relief floods me. “I thought you were in your room. It’s past curfew.”
Rosie jumps at my voice and then slumps against the wall, putting her hands on her chest as though to quiet her pounding heart. “I know,” she says with a breathless laugh. “I know. On my way back from the cafeteria I couldn’t resist taking a walk in the woods. I just had to have some quiet alone time or I thought I’d go nuts.”
“I know exactly how you feel,” I agree. “It’s hard always being with other people. That was starting to drive me nuts back in Chicago.”
Rosie crosses to the couch and throws herself down onto it, one leg propped on the couch’s arm, the other dragging onto the floor. “But then I was scared out of my mind trying to get back here without being seen. It was stupid. I’ll never do something like that again.” She propped herself on her elbow. “Hey, you got the lamp going. Cool.”
There’s an awkward pause as we both realize we never really talk, at least not outside of class.
“So, what do you think we’ll be doing this weekend?” I ask, just to fill the empty space.
“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I thought I’d cruise the mall and take in a movie. Enjoy the air-conditioning,” Rosie says, kicking off her sneakers.
This is totally
not
what I expected her to say! Imagine, Rosie Chavez making a joke!
“Maybe I’ll come with you,” I say, playing along. “I hear that a new fast-food place opened. You can get pizza, burgers, tacos, and ice cream all in one place.”
“I wouldn’t mind some of my mother’s enchiladas suizas,” Rosie says wistfully.
“That’s a Mexican dish, isn’t it?” I ask, recognizing the name from the local Mexican restaurant my parents, Maddie, and I used to like to go to.
“Yeah, it is.”
“So you’re Mexican?” I ask.
“My parents were born in Mexico. I was born inSo that makes me American — as American as you.”
“Yeah, of course,” I say. “I was just curious. So … anyway … I know a good Mexican place we can go. How many enchiladas do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know,” Rosie says doubtfully. “I’d better not have too many. The other night I ate, like, an entire cow.”
“Oh, me, too. I forgot,” I say, keeping up the gag. “But after we eat, we can pop over to the health club for a game of tennis.”
“Terrific idea,” Rosie says loftily “Let’s just do that very thing.”
We burst into laughter at the same moment. Even though it’s not really funny, it’s easier to joke about it.
Plus it feels really good to laugh.
“I see you’re wearing your locket,” Rosie observes. “Whose picture you got in there? A boyfriend?”
“No. My parents.”
I expect her to make fun of me, but instead she asks to see the photos. Opening the locket, I show her.
“They look like they’re nice,” she says. “The best,” I reply. “You’re lucky,” Rosie remarks.
There’s a knock at the door — it’s a Leaguer telling us to turn out the light and go to bed. “Sure thing,” I say as I turn the dial to lower the wick into the oil, putting out the flame.
We’re instantly plunged into near darkness. Only the strong moonlight that washes over everything allows us to find our way toward our rooms. “See ya tomorrow,” I say softly to Rosie.
“Bright and early,” she adds.
I tiptoe back into my and Maddie’s room. Maddie is still asleep, which is fine with me. I’m not feeling so lonely anymore, and I don’t want to get into a bunch of drama with her tonight. I don’t want her to bring me down with all her negativity.
I’ve had a good day and a surprisingly nice night. But I’m exhausted
Everyone is here — so who could be coming in? I stand, alarmed, my open book still in my hand.
Rosie slips in the door and shuts it quietly.
“Rosie! You scared me!” I sigh as relief floods me. “I thought you were in your room. It’s past curfew.”
Rosie jumps at my voice and then slumps against the wall, putting her hands on her chest as though to quiet her pounding heart. “I know,” she says with a breathless laugh. “I know. On my way back from the cafeteria I couldn’t resist taking a walk in the woods. I just had to have some quiet alone time or I thought I’d go nuts.”
“I know exactly how you feel,” I agree. “It’s hard always being with other people. That was starting to drive me nuts back in Chicago.”
Rosie crosses to the couch and throws herself down onto it, one leg propped on the couch’s arm, the other dragging onto the floor. “But then I was scared out of my mind trying to get back here without being seen. It was stupid. I’ll never do something like that again.” She propped herself on her elbow. “Hey, you got the lamp going. Cool.”
There’s an awkward pause as we both realize we never really talk, at least not outside of class.
“So, what do you think we’ll be doing this weekend?” I ask, just to fill the empty space.
“Well, I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I thought I’d cruise the mall and take in a movie. Enjoy the air-conditioning,” Rosie says, kicking off her sneakers.
This is totally
not
what I expected her to say! Imagine, Rosie Chavez making a joke!
“Maybe I’ll come with you,” I say, playing along. “I hear that a new fast-food place opened. You can get pizza, burgers, tacos, and ice cream all in one place.”
“I wouldn’t mind some of my mother’s enchiladas suizas,” Rosie says wistfully.
“That’s a Mexican dish, isn’t it?” I ask, recognizing the name from the local Mexican restaurant my parents, Maddie, and I used to like to go to.
“Yeah, it is.”
“So you’re Mexican?” I ask.
“My parents were born in Mexico. I was born inSo that makes me American — as American as you.”
“Yeah, of course,” I say. “I was just curious. So … anyway … I know a good Mexican place we can go. How many enchiladas do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know,” Rosie says doubtfully. “I’d better not have too many. The other night I ate, like, an entire cow.”
“Oh, me, too. I forgot,” I say, keeping up the gag. “But after we eat, we can pop over to the health club for a game of tennis.”
“Terrific idea,” Rosie says loftily “Let’s just do that very thing.”
We burst into laughter at the same moment. Even though it’s not really funny, it’s easier to joke about it.
Plus it feels really good to laugh.
“I see you’re wearing your locket,” Rosie observes. “Whose picture you got in there? A boyfriend?”
“No. My parents.”
I expect her to make fun of me, but instead she asks to see the photos. Opening the locket, I show her.
“They look like they’re nice,” she says. “The best,” I reply. “You’re lucky,” Rosie remarks.
There’s a knock at the door — it’s a Leaguer telling us to turn out the light and go to bed. “Sure thing,” I say as I turn the dial to lower the wick into the oil, putting out the flame.
We’re instantly plunged into near darkness. Only the strong moonlight that washes over everything allows us to find our way toward our rooms. “See ya tomorrow,” I say softly to Rosie.
“Bright and early,” she adds.
I tiptoe back into my and Maddie’s room. Maddie is still asleep, which is fine with me. I’m not feeling so lonely anymore, and I don’t want to get into a bunch of drama with her tonight. I don’t want her to bring me down with all her negativity.
I’ve had a good day and a surprisingly nice night. But I’m exhausted
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