Free Wedding Belles by Sarah Webb Page B

give me valuable step-by-step smooching instructions. Only Clover could do that! God, I’m going to miss her.
    “Amy? Do you like the title?”
    “Sorry, yes, it’s great. Nice work, Mills.”
    Kissing with Confidence:
The Ultimate Teen Guide to Smooching
by Amy Green
    It’s quite normal to be nervous about your first kiss (or “meet”). Whatever anyone says, it is a big deal, and it’s something that you’ll remember for the rest of your life — yep, even when you’re old and wrinkly!
    So first things first — don’t kiss any old frog (or boy), just so you can say you’ve kissed someone. You don’t want to look back and think, “Why did I smooch that slimy swimming fan/deranged musichead/loopy skateboarder? Yuck!”
    Don’t rush into kissing someone just because all your friends have done it either.
    If the thought of kissing someone makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, or you think you aren’t ready yet, then you should wait. It’s as simple as that. It’s not an age thing. Some girls feel ready at twelve, for others, it’s fifteen — everyone’s different.
    OK, so there’s a guy you like. If he seems nice and the thought of getting closer to him makes you nervous but excited, you are probably ready for your first kiss.
    So you feel ready for your first kiss. What next? I’m a big fan of getting to know the boy first. That way your first kiss will be special, and not just a few minutes spent locking lips with some randomer.
    Some people have their first kiss at a party, others have a boyfriend for a little while before kissing him, or have a boyfriend who they never kiss. Every single person in the world is different and every first kiss is different.
    So you’ve found a boy you like? How do you know if that boy wants to kiss you? Unfortunately, there’s no secret signal! He might make it obvious by asking if he can kiss you, or he might not.
    Generally if you are sitting together, just the two of you, and he’s smiling, laughing, or holding your hand — flirting basically — chances are he might like to kiss you. You can encourage him by smiling and laughing back. Then he will probably lean toward you or stroke your hair and then your lips will touch for the first time.
    I have to stop typing because Mills is squealing. “Can you really write that, Ames? About lips touching?” Her cheeks are bright pink.
    “Mills, hasn’t the penny dropped yet? We’re writing a proper guide to kissing — with all the juicy details!”
    She giggles nervously. “OK, but it’s still a bit weird to talk about lips touching.”
    I smile. Mills has always been funny about things like boys and kissing. She takes it all way too seriously.
    I continue:
    OK, so your lips have touched, now what? Then you press your lips against his and kiss him back, keeping your lips firm and active, not floppy.
    “Floppy?” Mills giggles again, but I just roll my eyes at her.
    And here’s a tip — most boys don’t have a clue how to kiss the first time either. Here are some of the worst kind of offenders:
    * Washing-machine boys — their tongues go around and around, and their kisses are wet!
    * Lizard boys — their tongues flick in and out, in and out. Unpleasant!
    * Dead tongue — they flop it into your mouth and leave it there. Yuck!
    Mills is shrieking and holding her flaming cheeks in her hands now, and I’m chuckling away at her embarrassment.
    “Mills, how did you ever kiss Bailey if you find the whole smooching business so mortifying?”
    “It’s different with Bailey. It seems natural. You know like you — ” She had been about to say “you and Seth” before she stopped herself. “Sorry,” she says.
    “It’s OK.” I try to shrug off my sadness and finish the article.
    How long should a kiss last? A few seconds, a few minutes — there’s no set time as long as it’s fun. You’re not trying to set a Guinness World Record. And remember to breathe!
    What happens if I do something daft, like