Back in her room, a hundred questions were running through Cait's head.
"What happened?"
"Was he...?"
She shook her head in disbelief. Howie wasn't going to kiss her...was he?
Finally she fell into an exausted sleep.
In his room similar questions were going through Howie's mind.
"I wasn't...but what if I was...?"
"I couldn't have been...Cait's my best friend."
"I think I need to talk to Kev." Howie thought out loud.
Eventually, he too fell asleep.
The next morning, Howie knocked on Kevin's door.
"Hey Kev. Can I talk to you?" He asked when Kevin opened the door.
"Sure, man. Come in. What's up?"
"Well, it's kind of weird. Uh...last night after the show, Cait and I were going to watch a video in my room. We were goofing around, and then I don't know....our eyes just kind of locked. I...think I was going to kiss her. I wanted to." The story tumbled out.
"It just happened?" Kevin asked, looking at Howie's confused face.
"Yeah. I don't know what happened really. It just...did."
"What'd Cait do?"
"I think she was confused, too. She left right away."
"It's not a really big deal, man. It's not unusual."
"But she's my best friend."
"That just makes it all the more likely. You know each other so well. And don't take this the wrong way, but Cait is a really pretty girl."
"She's more than pretty. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever known."
"See? You obviously have feelings for her."
"But what am I supposed to say to her?"
"Don't say anything right now. Wait and see if she does, too."
"Okay. Thanks man. This is really confusing."
"Yeah, you could put it that way. Kevin grinned at Howie's uncertain expression.
Later Cait was talking to Anna about the night before, as Howie had done with Kevin.
"I don't know whether he was going to...kiss me. I don't know."
"What if he had?" Anna asked.
"I don't know. I'm so confused. I'm totally mixed up."
"Cait! You have to know what you would have done if he had kissed you."
"Honestly Anna, I don't know. I haven't even been kissed before so I don't know how I would react."
"But would you mind if Howie kissed you? That's the big question."
"I really don't know. If I did want him to...I never noticed when my feelings could have changed so much."
"Maybe they haven't. Maybe you always had that kind of feeling for him."
"But why would I shut those feelings out like that?" Cait wondered aloud.
"Cait, like you said, you've never even been kissed. If you did anything with Howie it would be your first kiss, your first everything. Maybe you're nervous about what could happen, that you could lose the friendship you guys have now."
"Maybe you're right." Cait sighed. "Maybe I am."
"I don't think you should worry about it. Let it happen, if it's going to."
"That's probably the best thing to do. Okay. I won't think about it too much. Thanks Anna."
"What are friends for? Now let's go. You have rehearsal with the guys."
