Wedding Belles by Sarah Webb

knock his teeth with mine?
    Yep, this is based on my own experience with Seth at Sophie’s end-of-term party almost a year ago. But it might just help someone who is in the same awkward position. I ran off and hid in the bathroom after it happened to me, but that probably wasn’t the best way to deal with it. I have a much better solution for the
Goss
readers:
    Laugh it off and try again.
    And here’s the important bit: never do anything that makes you feel awkward or that you don’t like. Ever!
    Try to kiss with confidence. Pretend you know what you are doing even if you don’t. And with a bit of fun practice, it will all click into place. But the truth is: The best kisses of all are kisses with a boy you really, really like and who likes you back. With the right boy, kissing can make your heart sing!
    “I miss Seth,” I say simply.
    “I know, Ames,” Mill says, giving me a hug. “And I’m so sorry.” She doesn’t tell me that it’ll be OK or that I’ll forget about him soon, and I love her for it. Because it won’t be OK and I won’t forget him, ever.

Mills and I get the train to school as usual on Tuesday (Monday was a holiday), and neither of us mentions the elephant in the car — the fact that Seth and Bailey have obviously taken a different train to avoid us, or me, to be more exact. Instead we talk about the Saint Patrick’s Day parade, the Boston Twirlers (Mills says they were amazing), and me going wedding-dress shopping with Mum on Thursday evening. Clover and I are taking Mum to a swish wedding boutique called Butterfly Bridal. In fact, we talk about everything except what’s really on my mind — seeing Seth again.
    The first time I see him is in the corridor just outside classics. He’s sitting staring down at the screen of his mobile, with his back against the wall and his head dipped. From the way his index finger is moving, I’d say he’s playing a game.
    Feeling my gaze, he looks up. Our eyes lock. My stomach clenches anxiously and a lump forms in my throat. He gives me a gentle smile.
    “Hi, Seth,” I say, just about able to get the words out.
    “Hiya,” he says back.
    It all feels really awkward. But I miss him so much, and I desperately want to talk to him. Even just for a second. I’m about to ask him how Polly’s been feeling the last few days, when Annabelle says, “Are you going inside or what, Green? You’re blocking the door.”
    “Better go in,” I tell him, ignoring Annabelle.
    “See you later,” he says. He doesn’t get up, which implies that he has no intention of joining me, so I walk into the classroom on my own, trying to concentrate on where to sit instead of feeling sad. Normally I head for the back row beside Seth, but today is different. I don’t want to spend the whole class wondering how he’s feeling, desperately wanting to talk to him about Polly, about us, about anything, wanting to connect with him but knowing that I can’t, that being “friends” will hurt too much. If he even wants to be friends, that is.
    We’re not together anymore and I have to get my head around it. Starting right now. I need to find somewhere else to sit, somewhere away from Seth Stone.
    There’s a spare seat in the middle row to the left of Nora-May. I drop my bag under the table and plunk myself down at it. Nora-May only started at Saint John’s in November, and I don’t know her all that well, but she seems nice. It turns out she
is
nice — she gives me a friendly smile.
    “Hiya, Amy,” she says in her strong Boston accent. “How’s it going with the All Saints? Has Annabelle tried to kill you yet?”
    I smile. “Not exactly. But it’s only a matter of time. How’s the ankle?”
    “Pretty good.” She sticks her right leg out and wiggles her bandaged foot up and down. “Almost back to normal. I’m off the crutches and I should be back at practice tomorrow.”
    I give a happy sigh. “That’s a huge relief. I’m not cut out for