Free The First Last Kiss by Ali Harris Page B

beautiful.
    In contrast, I’m about as dressed-up as I get in an ankle-length black satin slip that I bought from a charity shop, which I’m wearing over a faded black The Smiths T-shirt and my trusty Converse. I’ve pulled my red hair off my face into a bun and unleashed a can of Elnett on it, and I’m still wearing my new dark-rimmed glasses – just to prove that I’m not trying to look pretty for Ryan. The effect I’m going for is ‘grungy Kate Moss’ but obviously way less super-model-ly than her. I’m not completely deluded.
    ‘Do you think they’re already here?’ Casey says, trying to peer through the window.
    ‘I don’t know, but we have to remember to play it cool, OK?’ I’m bluffing – I’m horribly nervous about seeing Ryan. And a bit worried about how he’ll be in front of Casey and his friends. And how Casey will be. No boy has ever shown an interest in either of us, which is one of the things that we bonded over when she started at Westcliff two years ago.
    ‘’Course! I don’t know how to play it any other way!’ she says, crossing her eyes and panting like a puppy on heat. I smile and squeeze her hand. ‘Now,’ she says, pulling a serious face. ‘Remember the BFF song?’ She holds out her little finger and I link it with mine. I wrote ‘our song’ to the tune of ‘Electric Dreams’. I was trying to write our BFF list of rules the first time I went to her house and her mum was playing it and the melody just seemed to fit. I sing it now unselfconsciously because a) no one is around and b) I’ve had two shots of Southern Comfort from Casey’s mum’s extensive drinks cabinet. She gets through it so quickly she never notices when we have some too. Even if she did, she wouldn’t care. I grin at Casey as I begin to sing tunelessly:
‘We’ve only got each other right now
But we’ll always be around
forever and forever no matter
What they say (they say, they say)
We’ll never let love get in the way
Or spend another day
Without saying “I love ya”
And we always will (we will, we wi-ill)
Dum dum de DUUUUUH . . . ’
    Casey joins in for the unchanged ‘Electric Dreams’ chorus and we both crack up laughing. Then we clasp hands and squeeze through the doors. The pub is packed and we find ourselves immediately swallowed up by the heaving crowd and smoky air. The Grand is the most popular pub for Leigh’s teen residents. It’s an impressive, Victorian building on the Broadway. Dad told me those dead comedians Laurel and Hardy played here or something. Full of interesting facts like that, my dad is.
    The place is full of 16-year-olds so we fit right in. I look across the bar and immediately spot Nikki Pritchard and her gang, ‘the Heathers’ Casey and I call them, snarling over at us. They’re swinging their hips suggestively to some crappy Kylie song and doing their best to get the attention of every guy in there. It’s pathetic. I can’t believe I was ever friends with them. It was only for a fleeting period, before Casey joined Westcliff High and saved me, but it was long enough.
    ‘Perhaps we should go,’ Casey says, grasping my hand, and I know she’s seen them too. Ever since they ganged up on her in her first week at Westcliff I’ve felt the need to protect her. ‘We’ll never find them in here anyway,’ Casey shouts into my ear, pulling me back. Just then we hear a voice soaring over the music and I look over and spot Ryan waving us over. Then I look at the Heathers who have witnessed this and are giving us dirty looks across the room.
    ‘Oh my GOD!’ Casey hisses gleefully. ‘Is this really happening?’
    ‘Over here, Molly!’ Ryan calls for good measure. I turn and drag Casey towards the bar.
    ‘Where are we going?’ Casey asks in confusion, craning her neck back at Ryan Cooper and Co. ‘Aren’t we going over? Oh my GOD, I can’t believe Ryan Cooper wants us ! This is the best night of my life it’s . . . Hi! HI RYAN!’ She shouts and waves at