The next day at school wasn't a whole bunch of fun. Tasha had pretty much forgotten about my hasty exit from the Beach House last night but every time I saw Kim I wanted to run and hide. It didn't help that he seemed to be on a I-Want-To-Talk-To-You mission.

Trying to dodge out of a conversation with my best friend without looking suspicious wasn't easy though. He finally cornered me in an empty stairwell in our free period after I had completely humliated myself in Miss Fletcher's lesson by responding to a question (which I hadn't heard because I had been deep in my own thoughts) by falling off my chair. I'm not sure how I managed that...

"Why the quick exit yesterday?" Kim was asking me.

"Uh, like I said-school night," I muttered, a bit pathetically. Kim gave me a skeptical look and didn't say anything. He was waiting for me to tell him the real reason but I had made up my not not to give in. We both stood there not speaking.

"Rob," Kim broke the silence. "If it's got anything to do with Duncan, ignore him. He's just a jerk, not worth it."

"It's not that," I said. "Well, I suppose he did get to me a bit, but that's not the real problem-Not that the problem is really a problem, it's just very confusing and..." Kim was staring at me, bewildered. "It's you," I finished.

Kim raised an eyebrow. He looked incredibly cute with his confused expression and dishevelled hair. So much so that I turned to walk away.

A hand caught hold of my arm and spun me around and I found myself looking directly into Kim's eyes which seemed much closer than they should have been. And coming closer. I could feel his breath on my lips. Oh my God, was he actually going to kiss me?! No way, this must be a dream...Yet, there he is...About to kiss me... I closed my eyes. I really wanted...

I leapt back, out of Kim's grip. "What's wrong Rob?" he asked, the cute confused expression returning to his features. "I thought..."

"You so thought right," I replied, my voice sounding shaky. My feelings of happiness had become mingled with those of guilt. "But what about Tasha? I can't do this to her."

Kim nodded understanding but I thought I detected a look of disappointment in his eyes.

The bell rang and we headed off to class in silence. The remainder of school passed in a daze, but I did manage to stay in my seat for the rest of the day.

After school ended, I headed to the Diner with Tasha. She ordered a shake but I didn't feel like eating and that, along with my silence as we slid into a booth, made Tasha suspicious that something was wrong.

"What's up Rob?" she asked, stirring her shake with the straw. I didn't speak as I wondered how exactly I could tell her what I felt when I wasn't even sure myself. My pause caused her to grow increasingly worried and I caught her look of concern.

"You know I love you, right Tash?" I started.

"Yeah," she replied, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Well, I think...It's more as you love a friend, you know? Rather than a girlfriend?" Tasha just looked confused.

"You mean you don't want to be my boyfriend?" she asked, now looking a bit upset.

"No, no, no...I mean, yes, I do. But I sorta feel like I maybe...can't." I realized I wasn't making much sense. "Y'know how some girls prefer to go out with other girls, and some guys like to go out with other guys-"

"You mean you're gay?" she asked suddenly looking innocently amused.

"No...I mean, yes. I mean I don't know." I stared down at my hands on the table top feeling totally guilty and like a complete jerk until Tasha placed one of her hands over mine. I looked up at her beautiful blue eyes. She seemed upset, but surprisingly understanding.

"I know you can't help it," she said. "As long as you'll still be my friend." She smiled encouragingly.

"Of course, Tash. You'll always have a friend in me." I smiled, feeling slightly better. "I'm sorry." Tasha just smiled.

I hadn't seen Kim since our earlier encounter so that evening I went to the place he was most likely to be-the Beach. I found him sitting in the sand, arms resting on knees, watching the setting sun which cast a red glow over him.

I sat down next to him causing him to look up. He smiled at me but at the same time his eyes were searching my face for a clue as to what I was going to say.

"I spoke to Tasha," I said, looking out onto the calm sea.

"Yeah?" He sounded interested.

"She was totally understanding. I mean, I expected her to be upset, or maybe even a little angry. She could have punched me I guess, right there in the middle of the Diner, but she didn't-"

"Rob?"

"Hmm?"

"Stop talking."

Kim raised a hand to my cheek which I found was a great way to stop me talking. Even more effective was him brushing his lips against mine. I leant into the kiss, savouring the taste of his lips and the feel of his hand at the back of my neck. I closed my eyes and honestly felt as if I were floating.

Suddenly an unwelcome thought pushed its way to the front of my mind and I pulled away from Kim, uncomfortably shuffling back in the sand.

"You have to stop doing that," Kim said with a grin but must have noticed my expression as his grin faded and his brow furrowed. "What?"

"I don't know if I can do this," I admitted.

"Why not? You were all for it five seconds ago." He looked worried. "What is it?"

I looked down and pushed sand around with my fingers. "It's my dad," I sighed.

"I thought your dad was dead." Kim frowned. "Sorry," he added after his blunt statement.

"He is," I said quietly. "But that doesn't stop him from popping into my mind to tell me how much he disapproves."

"How do you know what he would say?"

"It's obvious. He disapproved of my interest in science, hated that I didn't like working on the farm. He even made fun of the fact I need to wear glasses. And he seemed to loathe homosexuals, not that he ever knew any."

"Look, Rob. You're your own person. You don't need to get approval from anyone, and that's something difficult to imagine when you have Jekyll for a father." He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back. I guess he had just the same father-son problems. And it wasn't like my father was around to get out his belt...

"You're right," I decided as the sun dipped below the horizon. Kim laced his fingers through mine in the sand and we sat and watched the sky turn dark.

I thought I heard a noise behind me but dismissed it as a breeze rustling a bush. Nothing could spoil this perfect moment.