“I smiled. I was starting to like being called Briar Rose.”

“Love is like the wild rose-briar;Friendship like the holly-tree.The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms,But which will bloom most constantly?The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,Its summer blossoms scent the air;Yet wait till winter comes again,And who will call the wild-briar fair?Then, scorn the silly rose-wreath now,And deck thee with holly's sheen,That, when December blights thy brow,He still may leave thy garland green.”

“Love is like the wild rose-briar; Friendship like the holly-tree. The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms, but which will bloom most constantly?”

“A rose by any other nameWould get the blameFor being what it is--The colour of a kiss,The shadow of a flame.A rose may earn another name,So call it love;So call it love I will,And love is like the sea,Which changes constantly,And yet is stillThe same.”

“Did you know I blush purple? Jamal’s teasing me about it.""Is he reading this?" I asked, horrified. "No.""Sorry I made you blush.""I’m not. Good night, Briar Rose.""Good night, blue-skinned alien.”

“Smiling is infectious,you catch it like the flu,When someone smiled at me today,I started smiling too.”