by Sarah Webb
“Get him off the stage?” Seth suggests.
“No, make him sing,” Mills says.
“But how?” I ask.
Mills shakes her head. “No idea. But we can’t just leave him up there alone. He’s dying.”
“I could accompany him,” Dave says. “What’s he singing?”
“It’s one of his own,” Mac pipes up. “So it’s a kind thought, but you won’t know it, mate. I know someone who might, though. Finn, the song he’s doing, it’s one of Lane’s old ones, ’Atlantic Blues.’ He’s set new words to it. Do you remember the melody?” Finn nods and Mac pats his hand. “He needs you, lad. Get up there. Just do your best.”
After a few long seconds, Finn finally stands up. As he climbs onto the stage, the whole hall erupts with shouts and whistles, and several of the D4s pretend to swoon. Finn and Bailey stare at each other, and then Finn sits down at the piano to the left of the stage, stretches his hands out, and starts to play strong, haunting music, his fingers tripping lightly over the keys.
“Finn’s pretty good,” Seth says. “Did you know he could play, Amy?”
“I had no idea.” Then: “Come on, Bailey,” I whisper under my breath. “Play!”
Agonizingly slowly, Bailey starts to strum his guitar.
“Thank God,” Mum says, her hand fluttering to her chest. “I don’t think my heart can take much more.”
Finn continues to play, and slowly Bailey opens his mouth. “You abandoned me once,” he sings, his distinctive, husky voice soaring, making the whole hall immediately hush. “You were young and scared. Then I called to you twice, there was no one there.” The song sounds familiar yet brand-new, like all good songs, and Bailey is rocking it, his face screwed up in concentration.
“I called in the dark, I begged for my mother. I cried and I cried, but no one delivered.” He takes a deep breath and continues: “So I hate you, hate you, hate you, and all you do. For leaving, leaving. My soul beaten black and blue. Abandoned, yeah, yeah, yeah, Abandoned.”
I look at Mum. She’s sniffing and tears are streaming down her face. (She’s such a softie.) Mills is crying too, and Mum passes her a tissue. I’m on the verge of it myself — the lyrics are pretty powerful.
Bailey strums heavily, picking up the tempo, while Finn plays on in the background, his face set rigid. He looks stern, but I think he’s trying not to break down.
Bailey gets to his feet then and swings his guitar around: lost in the music. The cheers and claps are so loud, they nearly take the roof off.
Bailey’s last chord is lost in the eruption of applause. And then a miraculous thing happens — Finn hugs Bailey, and Bailey hugs him back. It’s awkward — there’s a guitar in the way for a start — but it’s a hug, and that’s a very good beginning. When they pull away, Finn holds Bailey’s hand in the air and makes him take a bow.
Dave smiles at Mum and wipes her tears away with his fingers. Meanwhile, Mac is sobbing so hard he can barely breathe, and Mills is staring up at Bailey, beaming through her tears and clapping wildly. “Bailey!” she shouts. “You did it!”
He looks down at her, smiles, and blows her a kiss. Pure joy lights up her face, and I’m so happy for her and Bailey. But most especially for Bailey. I jump to my feet, cheering and whooping. I’m quickly followed by Seth, Mills, Mum, Dave, and Mac. Soon everyone is giving Bailey a standing ovation — the applause is deafening.
“Talk about star quality!” I yell at Seth.
“And look at his face. He’s ecstatic.”
Seth’s right. Bailey’s beaming from ear to ear, lapping up all the applause, his fist lifted in the air like a champion. Finn is right by his side, holding his other hand aloft too.
“I think they’re going to be OK,” I say. “Finn and Bailey.”
“Thanks to you,” Seth says. “You never gave up on Bailey, not once. You really are something, Amy Green.”
And with that he kisses me on the cheek, making my own heart soar.
This book would not have been possible without a lot of people’s help. First up my family: Mum, Dad, Kate, Emma, and Richard. OK, Richard didn’t really help at all (little brothers, you know how it is!), and Kate is working in New Zealand, so technically they weren’t of any practical use, but they’re still family and I still love them to bits! Ben, Sam, Amy, and Jago were, however, very much on hand. Ben never complains when I take off to festivals or on tours; Sam is always a mine of information on all things teen, whether he knows it or not; and Amy and Jago entertain me on a daily basis with their various shenanigans.
As always, I have to thank my dear friends Andrew, Tanya Delargy, and Nicky “Pleasantly Decorated” Cullen (see, I put your second names in this time, those that wanted me to — I do listen!). In every book I have to rotate the order of the names so no one gets jealous. Honestly, you’d think my friends were three years old sometimes.
And of course huge kudos to my writer friends, fellow travelers on the book path, especially the fab and lovely Martina Devlin, who makes me think — which is always a good thing. Judi Curtin is always cheerful and a rock of good sense, and David Maybury makes me laugh on a weekly basis, for which he deserves a Giggler’s Medal.
I thank my agents, Philippa Milnes-Smith and Peta Nightingale, for their good counsel and unerring enthusiasm, and the gang in Children’s Books Ireland (CBI) for flying the kiddie-lit flag in Ireland. Tom is off to pastures new, and I wish him all the best in his quest.
I salute the gals and girls of Walkerville for being such Amy cheerleaders. I continue to have a ball working with all of you. My editors, Gill Evans and Annalie Grainger, deserve huge thanks for pouring the book into its best party dress; the lovely Jo Hump-D, Jane Harris, Eve, Ruth, and Alice supplied the party invitations, streamers, and hooters; Sean, Hanna, Heidi, and the gang were certainly at the party; and Katie was in charge of hair and makeup, and a lovely job she did too. And Conor Hackett continues to be the Irish party coordinator and general ringmaster supreme. And a huge thanks to Sarah and Nicola for the beautiful new covers.
I must mention my special teen editor and fount of all knowledge, Kate Gordon. Kate has been part of the Amy team right from the start. And I look forward to recruiting several more clever and smart young editors very soon. And a big shout-out to fellow book fan Michelle in Navan, and hi to Ella Tubs, just ’cause you asked so nicely, Ella!
Can’t forget the children’s booksellers near and far, who have been so good to me over the years, especially Superhero of the Children’s Book World, David O’Callaghan, for all his support and the fab mixtapes; the fantastic Dubray gang, especially Susan, Ruth, Kim, and Mary Esther; and the lovely Mary Bridget in Hodges Figgis.
To Erin Carolan, winner of the Ask Amy Green Facebook competition, and last but certainly not least, you, the uber-cool reader. For all your e-mails, letters, cards, and photos, I thank you. It’s YOU that makes writing worthwhile. I thank you, Amy thanks you, Clover thanks you . . .
Please do drop me a line. I love hearing from Amy Greensters. My e-mail is [email protected]. Or check out the Ask Amy Green fan page on Facebook.
Best,
Sarah XXX
SARAH WEBB is a former children’s bookseller and the author of nine books for adults. The books in the Ask Amy Green series are her first for teens. She is currently working on more novels, including several new ones about Amy Green. Sarah Webb lives with her family in Dublin, Ireland.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2011 by Sarah Webb
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
First U.S. electronic edition 2012
The Library of Congress has cataloged t
he hardcover edition as follows:
Webb, Sarah.
Ask Amy Green : love and other drama-ramas! / Sarah Webb.
p. cm. — (Amy green)
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Amy Green finds herself surrounded by
the drama of romance as her mother prepares for her wedding while working
with a handsome celebrity on his biography, Aunt Clover dates a singer,
and Mills falls for new student Bailey.
ISBN 978-0-7636-5582-2 (hardcover)
[1. Advice columns — Fiction. 2. Dating (Social customs) — Fiction.
3. Friendship — Fiction. 4. Aunts — Fiction. 5. Ireland — Fiction.
I. Title. II. Title: Love and other drama-ramas!
PZ7.W3838Asl 2012
[Fic] — dc23 2011048115
ISBN 978-0-7636-6184-7 (electronic)
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