Two Boys Kissing

Peter leans his shoulder against Neil as he plays video games. Neil knows that this is an invitation to be open with him, but he still doesn’t tell Peter what happened.

Cooper waits until nighttime to make his next move.

As the end of the kiss approaches, Craig looks for his family, but they aren’t there. Harry reads messages on his phone from the viewers around the world, to distract himself from pain. Harry’s father watches, immeasurably proud of his son. Mr. Bellamy wishes that his friends who passed away could witness Craig and Harry make history. The chorus assure him that they are witnessing.

Craig’s brother texts him that the family went for a drive. Tariq sees the message first, and solemnly brings it to Craig. Craig realizes that his family isn’t coming and feels gutted. He cries, sharing the message with Harry. Tariq, angry and hurt for Craig, runs all the way to Craig’s house and pounds on the front door, begging his family to be there for Craig. When no one answers, Tariq realizes no one is home. Upset, he heads back to the school. Harry wants to comfort Craig and tries to say it through their kiss. Craig draws a heart on his back, and Harry draws an exclamation point on his. “‘You are not alone,’ he says, his mouth still on Craig’s. ‘What?’ Craig asks. ‘You are not alone,’ Harry says again. And this time Craig hears it” (176).

Neil and Peter decide to watch the kiss in person and head to the school. Ryan asks Avery to drive him by the miniature golf course to see if Skylar’s truck is still there. When it isn’t, he tells Avery that he knows where they might be. Ryan tells Avery to make a left, but Avery makes a right. He tells Ryan that he’s ruining the night, and he gives him a chance to make the choice to let Skylar go. Cooper drives onto the highway, leaving his town without a second thought, and without telling anyone goodbye. 

With two hours left in the kiss, the circus surrounding Harry and Craig ramps up. Craig is tired and questions his decision to do this in the first place. He wonders if he’s done it for the wrong reasons, and if it was even worth it. Harry is overheated and has to pee so badly that it hurts. Neil and Peter arrive at the high school and watch from the edge of the crowd. Neil questions why his relationship with Peter feels incomplete, even though he loves him. He sees the excitement on Peter’s face, and realizes that maybe they won’t be together forever, but that he likes being with him, now. He decides to tell him about what happened with his parents.

Ryan doesn’t understand what Avery means by “ruining it,” and Avery explains that he wants the day back. Ryan understands, but he feels that he wasn’t the one who ruined the day, still angry at Skylar. Avery gives him one last chance to let it go, and then Ryan apologizes and asks Avery what he can do to make it up to him. Avery asks to go back to the river and take the boat out again.

Unable to hold it in, Harry’s bladder lets go and he urinates, embarrassed as his jeans become wet. He writes “S O R R Y” on Craig’s back, and a “P” to explain, and Craig laughs into their kiss. Smita notices what happened and angles the fan so that it blows to dry Harry’s pants. There is one hour left.

Cooper drives towards the George Washington Bridge that leads into a big city. The chorus are excited, thinking he’s heading to the city to start a new life. Instead of going through the tolls, he pulls off and parks his car near the base of the bridge, where it connects to the land. He leaves everything in the car and takes his phone as he walks up the bridge. He throws his phone into the river and walks to the center of the bridge. The chorus beg him to stop, realizing what he’s about to do. Cooper believes himself already dead and that life is pointless, but the chorus plead with him: “We can see that future self. Even if you can’t. We can see him. He is made up not just of your present soul, but of all our souls, all our possibilities. He is the opposite of our negation” (187). The chorus remember the deaths of other gay men and boys who, like Cooper, didn’t want to exist anymore. They agonize over his decision to end his life, but just before Cooper jumps, a traffic cop tackles him to the ground. The cop had found Cooper’s car and wallet, and he saw Cooper about to jump. “‘It might not feel like it,’ the cop says, ‘but, Cooper, today is your lucky day.’” (190)

There are 45 minutes left to the kiss, and Harry feels he can’t make it. He holds tightly to Craig, who holds tightly to him, holding him up. Craig feels strangely energized. He wants to remember this, because it’s something he will never experience again, and he also thinks it’s something he won’t have again with Harry. Craig realizes that he hasn’t done the kiss for recognition, or to win back Harry, or to win his family’s acceptance—but for the sense of accomplishment he’s earned from it.

As the final countdown starts, Craig holds onto Harry tightly. Cooper’s parents come to the bridge to bring him home, alive. Avery and Ryan happily row together on the river, where they will return many times. The chorus celebrate: “We were going to be your role models. We were going to give you art and music and confidence and shelter and a much better world. Those who survived lived to do this. But we haven’t been there for you. We’ve been here. Watching as you become the role models” (193). Neil and Peter count down with the rest of the crowd. Tariq sees that half a million people are watching the livestream, and he looks up to watch it in person. Harry and Craig can’t believe it as the countdown approaches one second. They’ve done it. They survived.