Beads, Boys and Bangles by Sophia Bennett Page A

scenario.
    EW EW EW EW.
    I let the kiss last as long as it needs to, but my jaw stays firmly shut.
    When Alexander pulls away at last, his eyes are closed. He seems not disappointed, as I’m expecting, but dreamy.
    Then he opens his eyes and smiles at me in a ‘How was it for you , baby?’ sort of way.
    I smile back and pretend I’ve got another fake eyelash in my eye. I use the opportunity to wipe my lip.
    EW EW EW EW.
    How am I ever going to admit this to Jenny? I’ll have to lie and say it was wonderful.
    And just as I’m thinking this to myself about Jenny I could swear I spot the Queen of Evil, Sigrid Santorini herself, disappearing through a door in the far corner ofthe room. Sigrid, the woman who stole Jenny’s first nearly-boyfriend. Sigrid, the woman who stole the star piece of Crow’s first couture collection. Sigrid, who lives in California and couldn’t possibly be in a club in Shoreditch where my brother is DJing.
    I’m confused. My brain is doing pirouettes now. This must be some sort of nightmare mirage, brought on by the stress of the First Proper Kiss.
    I put my arm around Alexander’s neck and secretly check my watch. Ten past eleven. Only twenty minutes to go until I can ask him to get me a taxi.
    ‘Fancy another dance?’ he asks.
    I nod with relief. Dancing I can handle.
    ‘By the way,’ I ask. ‘What’s through that door over there?’
    I point to the far corner of the room.
    ‘That’s the VIP section,’ he says. ‘Where the stars go. I know the guy on the door. Want a look?’
    I shake my head violently. ‘No. Definitely not.’
    ‘Rather dance, hey?’
    He gives me a confident wink, certain of my complete adoration of his every move.
    Nineteen minutes left. I follow him onto the dance floor.

‘ I t was incredible,’ I say. ‘He was such a good dancer.’
    ‘And?’
    ‘And?’
    ‘Did he kiss you, you idiot?’
    I nod.
    ‘ And? ’
    ‘It was lovely.’
    Jenny gives me a very suspicious look.
    ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘Totally sure. It’s just, you know, hard to describe.’
    She should know. She made a rubbish job of describing her first serious kiss to me. And that was with a MOVIE STAR on the set of Kid Code and he KISSED HER FACE ALL OVER.
    ‘Try.’ She still looks very suspicious.
    Instead, I tell her about the room and the velvet armchairs and Harry’s set. I almost tell her about the Queen of Evil, but manage to stop myself. It musthave been my imagination.
    Jenny can see I’m avoiding the important stuff, but she doesn’t push it. Instead, she smiles a quiet smile to herself and asks, ‘So when are you seeing him again?’
    ‘We haven’t fixed a day,’ I say. Which is code for ‘He hasn’t called or texted, so I have no idea.’
    I ought to be devastated, but I’m sort of not. I’m more relieved, so far, but I wouldn’t admit that to Jenny in A MILLION YEARS.
    We’re in the school cafeteria, having lunch. Edie’s supposed to be joining us after a debating club session she does on Mondays. Edie does extra stuff most days of the week, but Mondays are the worst. She needs one of those Hermione Granger things that make you go back in time, but sadly we’re not at Hogwarts.
    When she does come, she sits down with a smile, takes a sip of her water and says something that has Jenny and me spluttering our lunch all over the table.
    ‘Did you know, by the way, that Sigrid Santorini’s in town?’
    Oh. My. God. I was so sure I was wrong about seeing her.
    But more importantly, HOW ON EARTH COULD EDIE KNOW? It’s not exactly the kind of news they announce in the Financial Times . I’ve seen Edie less than a metre away from one of the most famous women on the planet and she didn’t seem to notice.
    ‘My mum told me this morning,’ she says casually. ‘Shethought I’d be interested. I wasn’t, I have to say, but I thought you would be. There’s some film festival Sigrid’s going to. Mum heard her on the radio, talking about it.’
    Straight after