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found in Rodrick's junk drawer, because Great Uncle Bruce's cologne was attracting people outside my age group. It was almost 10:00, and Uncle Gary announced that the next song would be the last one of the night. When the music started playing, a few kids paired up and walked out on the dance floor as couples, which was the first time that had happened all night. I couldn't wait for the song to end, because this dance was a total disaster, and I just wanted to go home and play some video games so I could erase the whole experience from my brain.

But just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I saw Ruby Bird and she was coming right for me. I didn't know if she was gonna ask me to dance or if I'd somehow done something to make her mad, but I did not want to end up getting bitten at a middle school dance. I looked for some way to escape, but I was trapped. Luckily, Abigail walked right out of the bathroom at that exact moment, and I grabbed her hand just before Ruby got to me.

Abigail's make up was a mess from all the crying, but I didn't really care. I was just happy to have an excuse to get away from Ruby. And to be honest with you, I think Abigail was happy to see me, too, so I led her to an empty spot on the dance floor. I'd never slow-danced with the girl before, so I didn't know where I was supposed to put my hands. She put hers on my shoulders, and I put mine in my pockets, but that felt kind of dumb. So we met in the middle, and that seemed about right. Then I noticed something on Abigail's chin. It was a little red bump that looked EXACTLY like one of Rowley's chicken pox. Now, before I say what happened next, let me just explain in my defense that I was already on edge about the whole chicken pox thing.

But I admit, I MAY have overreacted a little. It turns out it WASN'T chicken pox, though. It was just a pimple. When Abigail was crying, her makeup must have washed off her chin. Anyway, I know that NOW, but anyone in my shoes probably would have reacted the same exact way I did. But I don't think Abigail saw it that way, because on the ride home she wasn't real chatty with me. When we pulled up to Abigail's house, Rowley walked

her to the front door. That was fine with me, because it gave me a chance to finish off the rest of the chocolates. And after the night I'd just had, I was totally STARVING. Wednesday A lot has happened since the Valentine's day dance. A few days ago Uncle Gary bought a bunch of scratch tickets with the money he made selling T- shirts, and one of his tickets was a forty-thousanddollar winner. So he paid Dad the money he owed him, wished me luck with the ladies, and moved out of the house.

The other big news is that I got a full-blown case of the chicken box. I can't say for sure how I got them, but I really hope it wasn't from Rowley, because I am not that crazy about the idea of a bunch of Rowley's virus cells attacking my immune system. I am pretty sure I DIDN'T get the chicken pox from