Real Life Josie Geller

A kiss. Arguably the most intimate act between two humans, besides sex. People do it every day, all the time. But I never have.

If you've seen the movie Never Been Kissed, I suppose I'm Josie. However, I'm not a "nerd" like the movie paints Drew Barrymore's character Josie to be. I'm a normal person. I'm one of you. I put my pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else. Except for the one small difference, of course.

I've never kissed anyone.

Now, I know what you must be thinking, "She's probably ugly and that's why no one wants to kiss her." Don't feel bad if you thought it: it's human nature to be judgmental. And while I wouldn't say I'm God's gift to women or the winner of the genetic lottery, I wouldn't say I'm society's definition of "ugly." I'm pretty enough.

But that isn't even the issue; plenty of people love, hug, cherish, marry, and, yes, even kiss what you would consider an "ugly person."

The issue isn't exactly lack of trying, either (or is it?). I've never had a boyfriend but I have told a few guys that I had feelings for them. Given, one had a girlfriend and the other was moving across the state the next day, but an effort was put in nonetheless. It's not like I hid from boys, I talked to them, they talked to me. But no kissing.

Sure, I'm a little awkward, not super talkative, and my next-to-impossible standard for guys is Harry Styles... but still. No one will freaking kiss me?

I used to want to save my first kiss. I practically convinced myself that that was the reason I hadn't been kissed. But then I realized that a kiss wasn't so important to me and that I didn't really care who my first kiss was with. That still didn't conjure a kiss. For a brief period, I felt really ugly. All my friends had been kissed, been in relationships even. But not me. I felt like Freddie on that one episode of iCarly where everyone found out he had never kissed a girl and they bullied him about it. Except no one bullied me because in real life, usually, no one really cares (wish I had known that at the time). I felt like an outcast, like everyone knew something I didn't.

Then the day came. No, not the day I got kissed—sorry if you got your hopes up. The day of my reckoning. My realization. It didn't really matter that I had never been kissed. It didn't negatively affect me. A potential employer, friend, or boyfriend wouldn't deny me because of this. In fact, they wouldn't even know unless they asked. It was such an inconsequential factor that I almost let define how I felt about myself. How ridiculous. Who cares? My friends who had been kissed weren't any different from me now: the only thing that changed was that if someone asked, they could say they had been kissed and I couldn't. And what happens after that? I wouldn't be shunned. I wouldn't burst into flames. Worst case scenario was that people try to set me up with someone to kiss, which is fine by me. And I have my whole life ahead of me, I have plenty of time to mack on as many people as I want (not that I will, just pointing out that it is an option). Point is, it's so not a big deal. There are too many issues, struggles, stresses, and even things to celebrate in the world to be hung up on something so small.

And if you're like me, don't sweat it. Here's a fact: it will happen one day. "But one day could be so long from now." I know, I've thought the same thing. But who cares? You'll be able to think, "Dang, that was so worth the wait" or maybe "I waited all this time for that?" Maybe your first kiss will be with your soulmate or maybe it'll be with someone you will never speak to again—much less kiss again. But it'll happen when it should and how it should. Whether it be tomorrow or 50 years from now, it doesn't even matter when, because it will. Someone will kiss you. Someone will kiss me.

So life goes on. I'm 19 and in college now. Still no kiss. My daily life hasn't changed drastically or been significantly more disastrous due to my lack of kissing. Still one of you, still normal. Still consistent with the way I put on my pants. Except for onesmall difference.

I've never kissed someone... but that doesn't mean I never will.