Saucy!

I sought out Jenny next day and showed her I wanted to talk, not with the absolute best grace because I still couldn't forget our game yesterday.

She didn't say anything, just stood and looked at me rather impatiently.

"Um," I began, feverish. "Um, Jenny, you know how I'm the only boy who's, well, above your age?"

Still she said nothing. I fidgeted more.

"Well," I cried, "I thought maybe - "

"I don't think you're quite ready for that kind of commitment," Jenny declared primly. Then she swished off without another glance at me, and I felt about as hollow and hopeless inside as I'd ever done. My cheeks burned as I glared at the back of her gym skirt disappearing down the corridor. Whoever said all boys had to get used to this couldn't have known how badly it hurt when it happened!

Somehow I got through the rest of the day. Good thing we didn't have gym again, I'd have gone to pieces! Then the afternoon brought another surprise, when my friend unexpectedly pinged me from across the room:

OMG party tonight, wanna go?

I was blushing already! Quickly, clumsily I banged back:

Why do you want to go, surely Phoebe's not?

I knew my friend had a crush on Phoebe. Sure enough he pinged back:

Not Phoebe not Jenny either, but it'll cheer you up after what happened with her!

For an awful moment my heart lurched. Did everyone know already? Had she told? Then relief replaced my fright - of course, he only meant losing to her in our game yesterday!

I tapped back, I can do without blushes like that, thanks!

And he replied: Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!

I'd have sighed if I hadn't had to keep quiet! Even so, when I next clacked the keys they sounded way too loud, for I was jumpy with embarrassment. He’d talked me into it, but I sure didn't want anyone to know! Why wasn't it possible to whisper when you were talking by software?

OK I'll go, but I hope you know what we’re letting ourselves in for!

But my friend, maddeningly, just sent me back a smirky face!

The minute we arrived I knew it had been a mistake. The place smelled overwhelmingly of spicy risotto, and I could have done without such a stuffy scent tickling my nostrils when I already had so much else to get agitated about. The girl who greeted me and my friend at the door was almost enough to send me into a swoon!

Almost frantic with shyness I fixed my eyes on the black hairband at the very top of her head, frightened to so much as shift them from there. She looked back extremely dubiously, and I cringed like I always did. Hers was the expression every girl seemed to give me. Even so I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, even after my friend and I were sitting down.

"I guess Jenny's got some competition!" he teased me.

"You just wish Phoebe was here!" I retorted pettishly, blushing.

Just then there was a sudden clatter. Another girl had come over and put a hot dish on the table before us. Her blonde curls prettily framing her chubby face made me weak.

"These are a bit spicy for some boys," she explained with a little look at me. "So mind how you go with them!"

Though her T-shirt and legs made me almost too shy to even look at her directly, there was no way I could ignore the sting from a dare like that. "I think I might just be able to manage, I'm not that bad at party-food, I mean for a boy of course!" I told her indignantly.

The girl lowered her long black eyelashes. "Just thought you wouldn't want to get any more hot and bothered," she breathed.

That was the last straw! "Don't embarrass me about blushing, I can't help that!" I flung at her in transports, my face blazing red. "And it’s got nothing to do with what food I can eat - I bet I can manage just as many of these as you!"

I didn't know why my hormones were always getting me in trouble like this! Jenny yesterday, and this girl tonight! At once she giggled and dragged the plate back so it sat between us. Even the smell that rose up from it seared my nostrils all the way through to the insides with sweet vinegar, making me want to sneeze or choke, and fright immediately supplanted my competitive urge. Fixing me with a cold stare, the girl popped one in her mouth and swallowed it without any apparent ill-effects.

She saw how I was looking. "Aw, scared?" she sang lightly.

I gulped, and picked up one of the sticky things between forefinger and thumb. The girl I liked was watching from over by the door - so there was no backing out now! Some others had come over to watch the game too.

"Are you going to eat it it or do I win?" demanded the girl in the tee. Helpless, I gulped one last time then in front of the expectant audience put the food in my mouth.

It was way too spicy for me. Tears squirted from my eyes and I gave a great gasp. How had that girl managed to swallow one without any reaction at all? Next second I'd jerked forward in my chair to clutch for some water and come back down again with a bump. All I could do for a long time was glug from the glass, huge-eyed and awed from the sizzling sting.

Finally I could speak again. "You teased me into doing that!" I flung at her smug expression.

"Told ya," she returned daintily, popping another one like it was nothing at all. A second girl, younger than her, had one too and her big blue eyes widened.

"Oh, yum!" she exclaimed. "Hey, I've got an idea!"

Giggling she plucked another one, and as my friend and I watched wondering she proceeded to apply the orange-red sticky glaze to her lips. Once she'd smeared it on thick and even she pouted prettily, then tucked in her tiny middle as her whole slim body folded neatly over the table. There were many whistles from watching boys and girls alike, whereas I caught my breath, because suddenly I could see all the way down her top and her sweet perfect features were suddenly right in front of my face!

"Wanna taste of my new lip-gloss, boy?" she breathed.

I couldn't believe this girl! She knew I couldn't handle that spicy sauce and now she was trying to tempt me into looking silly all over again by offering the one thing I wasn't going to be able to resist! Well, I'd show her I could resist it. However much I was yearning to have my first kiss, my memory of what had just happened was painful enough to keep me from moving any closer to even such an enticing little pair of lips!

But she'd been right all along - there were some promises a boy just couldn't resist. Next instant my lips were pressed to her sweet sticky pout, steamy vinegar-fumes and hot baked rice smell stuffing my nostrils solid.

Oh! It was worse than last time! The sauce seemed to be hissing on my lips!

I fumbled for the glass of water, but the girl had already straightened up and snatched it clear of my clumsy grab. Mewling, tears spurting, I stretched in vain but the water by now was beside her head where I couldn't reach. Then she posed with her other hand on her hip and gave the glass a little shake, which clinkle-tinkled the ice in it and almost drove me frantic with the tantalizing sound.

I had to have that water! I just had to, this was agony!

Finally she gave me the glass and I glugged it in one go, then sank back into my seat with all the strength gone from me. I risked another glimpse of my favourite girl, and then wished I hadn't. She was giggling.

Next morning I had to appear before Jenny in the way she liked when we played our rematch, which meant sparkling snowy clean socks and underpants, my freckles standing out dark on a pink scrubbed face, and clean hair tucked back behind my ears in the way that annoyed me. I'd even managed to get rid of most of the smell from the night before, but from the minute I arrived at centre-court and stood facing Jenny, I could tell from her cold glare that even despite this she wasn't any too pleased with me!

"So you’ve been kissing girls at parties now, have you?” she demanded at once. “Not actually saving yourself for me after all, then?”

My heart gave a lurch of guilt - not to mention panic! It was the way she looked at me, as if I smelled, despite all the hard work I’d put in. That was what did it. She’d stripped away the last of my confidence and we’d not even started playing yet. What with everything, I decided on the spur of the moment that now was the best time for the explanation she wanted.

“You’re just too much of a tease, Jenny,” I told her, my voice woefully timid and thin.