A step, an inch away. His eyes are wide and bright, and he is breathing the tiniest bit fast.

My heart is hammering. I sway just the slightest bit closer, close enough to smell the warmth of his skin, the comforting clean smell of his shirt. Our eyes lock.

“So,” I say, “I wonder who.”

And then I get to feel that catch in his breath when I slide my hands up his chest, slip my fingers around the back of his neck and let them rest there gently. Him in shoes, me in socks, so he is a little bit taller than me. I rise up on my toes and bring my mouth close to his, knowing exactly what I want. Knowing exactly how desirable I am. What a feeling that is.

“Because I like you,” I breathe, balancing there, my lips just barely brushing his. “Like that.”

He swallows. He trembles the tiniest bit.

“I like you too,” he says, his lips moving against mine. He closes his eyes. “So, so much.”

“Good,” I whisper. I kiss him.

And he kisses me back, lips and sighs and his hands roaming the length of my spine, pulling me tight against him, me pressing against him, climbing closer, into his arms, kissing for I don’t know how long.

When we break, foreheads pressed together, he whispers, “This was unexpected.” He’s catching his breath, and I feel his smile.

I laugh softly and kiss him again. “Wasn’t it?” My voice isn’t entirely steady, and my heart isn’t either. “We can’t stay here,” I say after a moment. I kiss him one more time, and he wraps his arms around my waist, nestling his nose against my neck.

“Really?” He sounds so wistful. I feel wistful too.

“Really,” I say. I step back with a sigh, smile at him. I am lit up and so is his face. His hair is all over, and I want to kiss him again.

“Tomorrow?” he says. I nod, and his smile is huge.

I follow him down to the EXIT door and peer around it.

Katherine and Nevaeh are zipping up backpacks and not kissing at all, so I clear my throat and push the door open, Jack following behind me.

“I am just going to head out,” he says cheerfully, kissing them each on the cheek and letting the heavy door close behind him quietly, and it’s just the three of us, and I don’t even know where to start, but I can’t stop grinning.

“So!” I say. “Hi! Guess who I just saw totally making out?”

They glance at each other and back at me, stage makeup still sparkling bright in the dim light. Nevaeh bursts into laughter, and Katherine hides her face against Nevaeh’s arm.

“We were totally making out,” Nevaeh says, her cheeks berry dark, a slowly blooming smile.