P. of V.

The Return of Gross Josh

Maddie

I don't know if I am in love or not because I am only 12 years old. Everything is all mixed up when you are twelve and almost a teenager. You are stuck between baby dolls and boyfriends. Your emotions go up and down like a yo-yo. When you are twelve, you hate things so hard. I hate pizza with too much sauce. I hate the animal shelter where puppies and kittens go to die. I hate when babies are separated from their parents at the border. I hate, hate, hate things that are not fair. But I love, love, love too. I love the new purple rubber bands on my braces. I love my hair when it corporates and lays straight and flat when I spend an hour working on it. I love my baby brother who has fat cheeks and giggles when he is happy.

I think I love Josh because I feel about him the same way that I do about Joe Jonas. Joe used to be a Jonas Brother, but now he sings all alone with his own band. He is cute and kind, and one day I am going to marry him. He will wait for me because I am younger than him and too young to date him or marry him now. Joe has a girlfriend now, and he would want me to have a boyfriend too until we can get married. So, I guess for now while Joe waits for me, I will keep on loving Josh, just like I love Pizza with a little sauce and extra pepperoni.

There is only one problem with loving Josh. He is starting to smell bad. Really bad.

Brett

It's the second week of this Round Table thing, and I am still stuck here at the loser table. I am trying to make the best of it because I really have nowhere else to go, but I can only take so much. I sit down beside Josh because he is the only remotely cool kid. He is mean and a rebel and weirdly, girls think he is cute. Today he is not so cool. I have to get up and move my seat because Josh stinks so bad today.

I look at him when I get up, and I act like I am about to puke. I hope he gets the hint and takes a bath.

Josh

Subtle. Another word I learned in my English class this year. Brett is the opposite of subtle when he gags like he is going to puke when he gets up and moves away from me. There's no need for his actions. When you are the stinky kid, you do know it. Even when you are little you know it. There are worse things than stinking when you are busy just trying to make it through the day, and you don't worry about it because you have other problems. Most stinky kids got lots of problems, and smelling bad is only a symptom of the problems.

Ever heard the saying - you can run, but you can't hide? That's what happened in middle school. I couldn't hide anymore. I had to literally clean up my act. My problem now is that the person who helped me clean my act up is missing in action.

Kids in class are starting to ask the teacher things like - Can I open the window? Whew, what's that smell? Do you have some air freshener? It is only a matter of time before they straight up direct their questions to me or spray me down with that Febreze they keep asking about.

A little advice to kids in middle school - no need to tell me or "subtly" show me. I know. When you are the stinky kid, you know. Why not just straight up say it, if you feel you need to.

Still, I am embarrassed. I don't want my girls, especially my green-eyed beauty, to be disgusted by me. Even if they are a little mean, they're my girls now, so. I guess I am going to try to find a way to lay out of school tomorrow until I can figure out a way to solve my problem.

Where is Miss Bennett?

Timmy

I sit down to eat beside my best friend Josh. Something does not smell good. My eyes have tears now. They hurt from the bad smell in them. Something smells like an old wet dog who rolled around in his doggie pee pee and poo poo. I think it is my best friend Josh. I try to use my manners, but then I start to worry that if my best friend Josh stinks again, maybe he has lice again and AAAHHHHH - maybe bed bugs?