Steve never quite found the courage to do as his mother had suggested during the rest of Year 9. Instead he kept his secret to himself and fulfilled his fantasies in his dreams.
Even when a few others in his class started dating girls, he didn't follow their lead although some thought he may have already taken the plunge.
"Has Kate let you kiss her yet?" Dot asked Steve one lunch time as they were sat in their form room. Kate was at her dance club so Steve was free to chat.
"What?" Steve asked.
"Has Kate let you kiss her yet?" Dot repeated. "And I mean like proper kissing. With tongues," he added for clarity.
"No," Steve replied defensively.
"You should try it mate," Dot encouraged. "Stace let me the other day," he continued proudly. He'd been dating Stacey, another girl in their class for about two weeks. It was the longest relationship he'd had to date and as far as Dot was concerned it was very serious. "Even got to touch a bit of her boob," he boasted.
"They're soft aren't they," Steve said, remembering his accidental grope of Kate's chest.
"You've touched Stacey's breasts?" Dot asked, alarmed someone might have been in his territory before him.
"No!" Retorted Steve quickly. "Kate's ," he admitted quietly so none of the rest of the class could hear, blushing furiously as he did so.
"Hang on," Dot said, confused about something, "Kate let you feel her breast but you haven't kissed yet?". Steve didn't answer as it wasn't quite true but Dot took it to mean he was right. "You should give it a go," he encouraged. "The Prom would be a good place to try it. Have you asked Kate yet?".
The end of year prom was a little different this year. With the boys suddenly taking a liking to the opposite sex there wasn't going to be any games of football being played. If you were anyone, you would be asking a girl to be your partner and spending the evening with her.
Steve wanted to take Kate to the Prom, but like with his other problem, he lacked the courage to ask her in case she rejected him.
"Not yet," Steve admitted.
"Don't hang around mate or someone else will ask her," Dot sagely advised. "All the good ones are being snapped up,".
"You going to the Prom with Steve?" one of Kate's friends called Maneet asked her as they got changed following dance club.
"I don't know," Kate replied sadly. "He hasn't asked me yet,". There had been plenty of times that Kate had thought Steve might ask her but so far nothing had materialised.
"I'm sure he will," Maneet replied, encouragingly. "Everyone in the whole year thinks you're an item already,". Since the beginning of school everyone was used to seeing Steve and Kate together.
"We're just friends," Kate replied. She was nearly resolved that that was all they were going to be. "Has anyone asked you?".
"Hari," Maneet replied shyly. "Would you go with someone else?" Maneet asked. "Hari's mate Rob is looking for someone to take,".
"I don't think so," Kate admitted. There was only one person she really wanted to go to the Prom with and if it had to be as friends then that is what she would go as.
Steve was quite quiet for afternoon lessons as he was pondering Dot's advice. He should really ask Kate to the Prom before someone else beat him to it.
"Are you ok?" Kate whispered to him as Osbourne was trying to tell them about some guy called Pythagoras. Ever since that time in the gym when Steve had run off home, he would have these quiet episodes. She knew something was troubling her friend but didn't know what it was . She would just have to wait for him to tell her what it was
"I'm fine," Steve whispered back. Osbourne had the hearing of a hawk.
"You're just really quiet this afternoon, that's all," Kate persisted. She was getting a bit tired of this 'I'm fine' nonsense.
"Miss Fleming," Osbourne bellowed from the front of the class room having noticed one of his pupils wasn't paying him quite the attention he expected, "are you already familiar with Mr Pythagoras? Is that why you feel able to chat with Mr Arnott?".
"No, Sir," Kate replied.
"Well maybe you'd do better to listen to me then instead,".
"Yes, Sir," Kate replied, putting pay to any further conversation with Steve.
"I think I'm just gonna head home," Kate said as they approached her estate on the walk home.
"You're not gonna come for a piece of cake?" Steve asked his friend shocked. It was the first time she had ever refused his mum's baking. "It's chocolate today," he informed Kate, trying a bit of bribery. He didn't want to say good bye just yet.
"I don't think so," Kate replied. Steve's silence had persisted all afternoon and extended to the walk home. She didn't think there was much point in going back to Steve's house for more of the same. "See you Monday morning," she said as she started to walk off. Hopefully he would be in a better mood by then.
"Willyoucometothepromwithme?" Steve rushed out in total panic, scared that he was losing his best friend.
"What?" Kate asked. She hadn't understood a single word he'd just said.
"I said would you like to come to the prom with me?" Steve repeated shyly.
Kate remained quiet. It was finally happening!
"Please?" he asked hopefully.
"OK," Kate eventually replied, putting Steve out of his misery.
"Great," replied Steve, very relieved.
"Is that what you've been worried about all afternoon?" Kate asked.
"Might be," Steve Admitted.
"You're an idiot," Kate informed him.
The night of the Prom arrived and Steve picked Kate up from her home this time before his dad drove them to the school with a promise to return at 11pm when the evening finished.
Together they headed to the school hall. Although the music was blaring out, the dance floor was empty and like everyone else, Steve and Kate headed to the food area to snack on a few pieces whilst talking to their friends. For most of the evening the boys and the girls talked separately until the DJ started playing slow songs.
The pupils that had arrived as couples slowly made their way to the dance floor and started swaying in time to the music together. Those that got a bit amorous were quickly separated by members of staff patrolling the dance floor and surrounding area.
Steve and Kate were behaving on the floor and seeing other couples were a bit closer, Kate was about to put her arms around Steve's neck when he dragged her off the dance floor and somewhere a bit more private.
"What's going on?" Kate asked once they were alone.
"Sorry," said Steve. "I just wanted to tell you something and I didn't want to shout and everyone else hear,".
"OK," said Kate. "What is it?".
"I really like you Kate," Steve admitted.
"I should think so," Kate replied. "We are best mates!".
"I mean I like you more than a best mate," Steve confessed. "Would you go on a date with me?" he asked, suddenly finding the courage to do what he had wanted to do all year.
"Yes," replied Kate. "I might like you more than a best mate as well,".
Steve smiled with happiness. There was only one thing left to do. Closing the gap between them, Steve and Kate had the never repeated experience of a first kiss.
It was a little awkward at first as their tongues kept bashing against each other but eventually they established a good technique.
Dot was right. Kissing with tongues really was very nice, Steve thought as his hands wandered to Kate's waist and pulled her closer to him.
The sound of someone clearing their throat loudly disturbed them. Pulling apart they saw that Mr Hastings the Head Teacher had caught them making out.
"Back in the hall please, you two so we can keep an eye on you," he instructed the pair before Steve and Kate did as they were told.
Ted looked at his watch. 10:30 pm. This would all be over in thirty minutes thank God and he could go home to a well deserved drink. He had certainly had his work cut out this evening making sure everyone behaved themselves. This last couple were a bit of a surprise, but maybe it was a natural progression from the best friends that Ted had clearly witnessed for a while.