Hi, this is a bit shorter, but there is more to come if anyone is interested. Please read and review. I hope you enjoy it.

Then he did something completely unexpected, he kissed me. This time for real, I could feel the difference, a guy kissing a girl. Because he wanted to and not because it was in a script.

All other sounds faded out and it was just us for a few amazing moments.

Ricky's whoop of delight crashed in. And then came his voice and I wished the floor would swallow me up.

I had my back to the kitchen screen, but I was vaguely aware that it had come up again and people were standing there, watching. As Matt held me there I heard a hesitant voice say, "I didn't realise this was going on in the hall."

I spun around. Father Mark, the parish priest. "I thought this was the acting society, not…" Then he gasped and I heard a shriek from next to him and then giggling. Father Mark was standing there with my friend, and also the manager of the shop where I worked on Saturdays, Tess (the one shaking with uncontrollable giggles), her fiancé Tom and other people from church. I realised that they had thought I was a guy and had been surprised and shocked at seeing us kissing so openly. As the society realised that there was more laughter echoing Tess', even as those in the kitchen intoned in surprise, "Katie!"

Tess gasped for breath, "Gosh, they're good. I told you it wasn't anything funny! But I didn't know you were a member Katie."

How to explain? No need to ask. Ricky was in control.

"You've met already? How nice! This is the acting society and as the young lady says, we are doing well, you were quite taken in, weren't you?"

"Taken in? Taken in!" Father Mark looked apoplectic but Tess was laughing so hard she had to hold onto Tom.

Ricky has a strange charm that gets him anywhere. I guess it comes from spending time with us - after all, someone has to act sensibly. He spoke directly to Father Mark.

"Really it's not how you think." He put his arm around my shaking shoulders. "Katie is our best actress you know. This is rehearsals for Alexander. Katie's playing Alexander you know."

Tess gained some control. "Actually we didn't know. Why didn't you tell us? Katie?"

I tried to control my own face, with difficulty. "Oh, I only just joined. I didn't say anything because…because, well, I didn't think it mattered." Suddenly I found that I could not have laughed if I had tried. The innocent question needed an answer that I couldn't give. Absurdly, it did matter. The whole thing mattered; why I hadn't told them. As if by telling them it would all have disappeared, all the fun we had, all my friends, all the possibilities, Matt.

I felt Ricky's hand drop from my shoulder and suddenly felt very much alone, as though I might cry. My legs felt unsteady and strangely I could feel the bruises from earlier. This was the side of me that no one really saw and I felt they had seen too much.

Then Matt's hand slipped into mine and squeezed tight. I stood straighter and felt stronger. Ricky and Andy burst out simultaneously, "I should think it matters!" "Of course this matters!"

In the sudden flurry of activity I think that no one had noticed our linked hands, but then I looked up and caught Tess' eye. She grinned and took Tom's hand. "Hey, I think it's great! No big deal. Anyway come on. We've got our own show to run through." Somehow she bustles them all out without anymore questions, winking at me.

There is silence after they have gone. Then people began to laugh and joke again. Ricky called out that he thought we'd done enough for today and that we'd meet tomorrow. I was glad we had finished, not only because it would have been awkward running through the scene again after that, but also because I had an essay to do for the next day. It's only after we left the hall that Matt and I found our tongues. We shifted awkwardly for a moment before settling on, "Goodbye." I turned to walk away, feeling him watching me. "Hey! I'll see you in English lit tomorrow, Katie?"

I turned back, he looks a little lost and I can't help the smile that lights up my face. "Best lesson of the week. Can't wait."