“Hey Steven!” I said as I got out of the car. He looked so hot just standing there leaning on Emma’s house.

“Hey.” He stayed where he was and glanced at my mom. I nodded my head to show I understood.

My mom seemed to notice the uncomfortablness. “Well you guys have a good time! See you at 12:00 Liz?” My mom asked.

“Ya mom. Thanks.”

Steven and I watched her drive away. When we could no longer see the back of the little red car, he came up and put his arms around me. “Hello Liz.” He said. I replied by smiling and kissing him.

“I’m good too.” He said, tightening his arms around me. I layed my head on his chest.

“Um, Steven?” He looked at me questionily. “Emma and Alicia don’t exactly know about us… being together…”

He looked at me. “You didn’t tell them?” When I shook my head he asked “What exactly did they think we were doing out there the night of the game?”

“Well…um, at first they thought we were doing what we really were doing, but I told them we were just talking, and we were still just friends.”

“Why?”

“It’s just Alicia is always making fun of you and Emma always gets in the middle of things. I just don’t want to deal with it.”

He was quiet for a minute. “Okay.” He said. “Understood. But we’re telling them tonight. One way or another.”

I nodded.

“You wanna go in?” He asked. We were going to the dance. Emma was going our dance alone, and so was Alicia, and Emma’s dad was our ride. “Alicia’s already here.”

“Ya, let’s go.”

We walked to the door and he opened it for me. Emma’s dad shouted “PICTURES!” and we took so many there were spots in front of my eyes from the flashes. Then we piled in the truck, with Steven and I in back, Alicia and Emma in the middle and Emma’s parents up front. Steven seemed to have taken to heart that I hadn’t told them about us, and didn’t touch me the whole way there.

We arrived safely and on time. The dance was on the third level. As we got on the esculator, Steven took my hand. I could see how we were going to tell the others about us. We were going to show them.

As we walked in to the dance, people were already dancing. Steven pulled me toward the dance floor. “No! Steven! I can’t dance!”

“So? Niether can I.”

“Come on.” I pulled his arm. “Lemme go put my stuff down on our table.”

“Fine. But you have to dance with me.”

“Okay!” I smiled. “I will. I promise.”

“You better.”

“Come on.” Grabbing his hand I made my way to the table where Emma and Alicia were sitting with our friends Lizzie, Patrick, and Samantha. After I had put my purse down, Steven pulled me back to the dance floor, and I still couldn’t dance, but I had a good time anyway. Then there was a slow dance, and I didn’t hesitate to dance then. Emma, Alicia, and our other friends stood on the side and watched. Samantha started singing. But then I ignored Samantha, and everyone else. I looked into Steven’s eyes.

A kiss.

We didn’t let go of eachother when the song was done, and Emma pulled me away. “Bathroom.” She said to Steven. He shrugged. As soon as we got in the restroom I started yelling, “What Emma? What’s wrong? Go to the bathroom! Did you need me to come and help you?”

“Friends.” She said. “You guys are definetly just friends.”

Alicia walked in. “Hey Liz. So how’s your FRIEND Steven doing?”

“Shut up you guys!”

“What, Liz? We just wanna know what’s going on. And according to what you were doing on the dancefloor with him..” Emma said.

“I kissed him! So freakin’ WHAT?”

I stormed out of the bathroom- and when I turned the corner, ran right into Steven.

“Hey,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

“I told you they would be total bitches.”

“Oh, so they know.”

“So they saw.”

“Hey, Liz, it’s okay. They’ll get over it. And hopefully you will too.”

“Steven…”

“Whatever Liz.”

“Steven…” My eyes were beginning to get watery.

“Oh, come on Liz, don’t cry. Oh, jeez, I’m sorry.”

“You shouldn’t be. I’m being an idiot.”

“No, they’re being idiots. Come on.” He led me to the dancee floor. “Let’s dance.”

I smiled through the tears. “Okay, but I can’t dance.”

“You aren’t that bad. Come on, I’ll teach you.” He led me to the dance floor. “Just move your body with the music.” I started swaying, giving him a hopeful glance. “No,” he said, “Your whole body, not just your legs. Your hips and arms and head, come on Liz, it isn’t that hard!” He laughed. “You’re not trying!”

“Am too! I just can’t dance.”

He put his hands on my hips and started to move me with him as he danced. “Steven…” I laughed and turned around, and when I was all the way around his arms encircled me once more. I felt safe.

Never before had I had such a compassionate kiss.