Why was it all foreplay?

Question:

I am going into 7th grade (12 years old) and I live in Illinois. I started reading the Alice book series when I was in 5th grade which was recommended by one of my friends which she read at an even younger age. I have a couple of questions. First I have a guy friend named Truman. I’ve known him since kindergarten and he is one of my best friends. A couple weeks a go I introduced hom to my friend Elena who I met in an over night camp I go to over the summer. He came over for a couple of hours while 3 other friends of mine and Elena were over, staying to sleep over. Elena and Truman seemed to really like each other. I noticed, you know how they would look at each other and giggle at their jokes. He even rode her over to his house on the pegs on his bike! I even caught Truman day dreaming and talking to himself about how to tell her he liked her!!!! I asked them about it and they admitted it. But they wanted to kiss only they were too shy to do it. The next morning  we all woke up at 8:00 and ate breakfast than spent an hour doing her make up, her hair, and we made her beautiful! Truman came over at 10:00 and all he could say is ” OH MY GOD…………..” She was truly stunning. We let them have some time together by them selves and they finally kissed!!! We all wanted to see them do it again so we made them kiss on the lips in front of us, then again because one of my friends didn’t see since she was packing to go home. Do you think we pushed them to much? They didn’t look too embarrassed but they looked a little uncomfortable. Another thing is watching so many movies and tv shows with kissing in it and all the alice books, and watching Truman and Elena kiss made me feel left out and jealous. I am happy that Truman and Elena are together, but I feel as though I should be the one kissing him. I don’t even like him like that! What should I do?!!?
 In the Alice books why do you involve so much sex in it? Sure everyone thinks of sex so often its not even funny and so do I, but I sounds so personal to be reading about it. Plus in the about the author part of the book you wrote some of it based on what happened to you in reality so it makes me think the sex related stuff was actually performed by you.
In Intensely Alice when Patrick and Alice were getting busy on that bench I was actually scared. What if someone passed and saw them half undressed touching each other? What if they actually have sex? It was all foreplay, not sex but it sounded so real, I was really interested in that. So why did you make it just foreplay and not real sex?
Thanks so much for answering my questions, you are my favorite author! 

Phyllis replied:

Why do I put in so much sex?  Because I know what it’s like to be a teenager and I read the emails readers send to me.  Of course you think about sex.  Your bodies are changing, you are aware of sensations and emotions you hadn’t been feeling before, and if Alice and her friends didn’t experience the same thing, it wouldn’t seem like real life, would it?

Regarding the scene where Alice and Patrick are giving each other pleasure on a bench in the dark, I purposely wanted to show a couple who have loved each other for a long time and are responsible people.  Intercourse was not a possibility for them at this particular time, and they chose a safe way of making love to each other.  As for your friends Elena and Truman, please don’t do that again.  It’s all new and exciting to people your age, I know, but you are all growing up and entitled to privacy.  And yes, you are probably jealous that Elena is experincing something you want to happen to you, but it will.   And it will be much nicer if it is in private, with someone you really like.