Love Bomb by Jenny McLachlan

says ‘wifey’ she begins to quiver with silent laughter.
    ‘Calm down, Kat Knightley,’ says Mr Simms.
    ‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Calm down, Kat .’
    A minute later, I feel my phone vibrate. Kat’s sent me a text: wifey omg that means GIRLFRIEND i heard it on eastenders :D
    Kat shakes for the rest of the meeting while I sit like a statue, trying to stop her vibrations from travelling through my body and into Toby’s hand. I don’t want Toby thinking he makes me shake.
    As everyone starts to leave, she leans round me and says, ‘You OK, Toby?’
    ‘More than OK,’ he says. ‘My mum and stepdad are going away this weekend so you know what that means …’
    ‘Party?’ asks Kat.
    ‘Partaaay!’ he corrects. ‘There is going to be one huge party at my place this Saturday.’ He looks at me. ‘You coming, B-Cakes?’
    ‘Yeah,’ I say, ‘I love parties.’ My heart is hammering. A party … surely this will mean a kiss? I am so glad I practised kissing all those Granny Smiths.
    ‘How about you, Kat?’ he asks.
    ‘Sorry, I’m busy.’
    ‘Well, you’re missing out,’ he says, getting up. ‘It’s gonna be hectic – an all-nighter. Don’t forget we’re rehearsing after school, Betty. It’s just us. I told Frank and Dexter we’re going to work on your vocals.’ Then he gets to his feet, slowly stretches – giving Kat a nice view of his flat stomach – and walks out of the hall. At the door, he glances back and smiles.
    ‘I wish you could come,’ I say to Kat. ‘I’m going to need moral support. I have a powerful premonition thatI will be kissed on Saturday.’ I try to smile when I say this, but the idea is actually a bit scary.
    ‘It might be a bit weird if I’m sitting next to you for your first kiss,’ says Kat. ‘C’mon. Let’s go to the canteen. I’m hungry.’
    I follow her out of the hall. My knee is still a bit wobbly. ‘What are you doing on Saturday?’
    She pauses at the door. ‘I’m going windsurfing with Bill.’
    ‘What?’ I say, amazed. ‘ You are going windsurfing with Bill? Kat, you hate getting wet – rain makes you scream – and you fear exercise. I’m fairly certain windsurfing involves a lot of getting wet and exercise.’
    ‘You don’t mind, do you, Betty?’ she says. ‘I know he’s your best friend, but he told me he was running this beginners’ course on Saturday and I asked if I could go, kind of as a joke, and then he said yes … and I thought, why not?’
    ‘Course I don’t mind,’ I say. We push our way down the corridor towards the canteen. Honestly? Part of medoes mind. I suppose I don’t like the idea of sharing Bill, a bit like how I don’t want to share Dad. But I’m trying hard at the moment not to be selfish, particularly with Kat. ‘You’ll have fun,’ I say. ‘He’s always trying to get me to learn. So, do you actually want to windsurf or do you just want to check out Bill in a wetsuit?’
    ‘Hmm,’ she says. ‘I’d have to say a little bit from column A, and a bigger bit from column B.’ She smiles to herself and then goes a pretty shade of pink. I’ve seen Kat talk about boys loads, but she’s never been shy before.
    ‘Why can’t you come to Toby’s party in the evening? You could bring Bill.’
    ‘There’s a barbecue afterwards and I’m getting a lift home with Bill. We’ll be back too late.’
    ‘Wow … windsurfing … barbecue … that all sounds kind of dateish ,’ I say, getting out my phone.
    ‘What’re you doing?’
    ‘I’m going to ring up Bill and destroy him.’
    ‘No you’re not!’ says Kat, and she gets her phone out.
    ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘Putting a totally public message on your timeline: Good luck for your massive snog with Toby, Betty … ’ she says as she taps away, ‘ … just think, in two days’ time, you’ll no longer be a kissing virg– ’ But that’s all she gets to write because at that moment I grab her phone and run down the corridor with it. By the time she’s