The week went by too quickly and I found myself spending every moment I could with Ashley. We tried to catch in some sights while I was still in L.A., but we always seemed to catch ourselves just in some quiet place where we could lay together. Sometimes we talked about what would happen when I left, but most of the time we just enjoyed being near each other.

The final night of the show I could tell Ashley's nerves were frazzled. She usually came through the front doors smiling, more than ready to start the show, but this was harder and I understood why. Right after the show I was going to board a plane and travel hundreds of miles away.

My fingers that had previously been loosely twirled around hers grew into a stronger grip to tell her that it was okay. She seemed so hesitant to go change. I quickly held her to me in a kiss, not even caring at this point who saw. I broke off as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Go get ready" I mock scolded her.

"No, I want to be with you for the last few seconds that we have together." She said pulling me into another kiss.

"Ashley you have to stop" I said with absolutely no conviction. "I have to go change."

"Aww Spencer, never change" She said grinning goofily.

"You're lame!"

"I love you" She smiled before ducking into her dressing room. I went to the group changing room and got ready to go on. My part was pretty uneventful, but I could hear my family clapping loudly for me just the same. Their support was very welcome.

I was hanging out in the changing room when the stage manager ran in completely frantic. Her name was Erin and she was obviously in a bad mood.

"Does anybody have a script? Anybody?" The girls in the room shook their heads no to her dismay.

"This is a play and nobody brought their freaking scripts." Erin screamed at us. One of the girls in the room spoke up and explained how the director had warned against having scripts on hand during the show. It was some strange tradition he had, and apparently everyone had followed it.

"Erin what's going on?" A girl asked.

"Randall is sick he can't go on as Jack for the final scene." Erin squealed. "He was able to drag himself through the first part of the show, but he can't go 30 seconds without puking his brains out."

"Where's the understudy?"

"He didn't show up tonight. I was going to just send a guy up on stage with a script, but nobody brought one, and nobody knows the lines." Erin said practically reeling.

"I know them." I said before thinking.

"What?" She asked.

"I know the lines." I stammered. I had been helping Ashley so much during the show with her lines that I guess I had picked up that role. However, I regretted saying it as everyone looked at me like I was crazy. Erin herself looked almost completely bewildered.

"I hate to ask this Spencer, but could you go up there for the final scene. We'll put a hat on you, the audience won't care, but we need someone to fill in." My heart caught in my throat as I shook my head.

"Please Spencer I wouldn't ask except we are desperate, please."

"No you don't understand I can't say those lines in front of all those people. What if I forget one? What if I trip on my face?"

"Spencer just relax. Go up there, say the lines, and get off. You'll be fine." She left, but came back quickly carrying a dark jacket and a baseball hat. She stuck my hair up into a bun and put on the hat as the other girls stuck the jacket on me. I caught a quick glimpse in the mirror and still didn't think that I looked anything like a boy. Erin said I looked fine, and dragged me out to the stage against my will. When it was my cue she practically shoved me out on stage.

The lights shone down very brightly and I could see the confusion on Ashley's face and hear the murmurs of wonder from the audience. It took an extra beat before I started talking.

"You're still here." I finally said, not even bothering to lower my voice. Once I said my line Ashley jumped back into character.

"Yes, but I don't know why. After what your friends said I don't know why I should ever go back." She said

"I went back and told them they could go to hell for what they said to you."

"Really?" She asked tears starting to form on her eyes.

"Yes, I told them if they couldn't accept you. Then they couldn't have me, because as far as I'm concerned you're my heart. I love you" I said almost forgetting about the audience in front of me.

"I love you too." She said whole heartedly. Then, taking a beat she looked out into the audience. "And then they kiss." I don't know if it was truthfulness of the words I had just spoken or if I had it in me the whole time, but at that moment I threw my worries to the wind. Without another pause I reached up to her and pulled her into a deep kiss to the whole audience's surprise.

We pulled apart after a few seconds and a realization that I had come out to a whole room of people began to dawn on me. Quickly Ashley grabbed my hand and held it tight as the lights went black signaling the end of the show. The audience began to clap and the rest of the cast ran out on stage to take our final bows.

As we exited the stage Ashley still held my hand. We walked hurriedly down the hallway, past the whispers of our classmates, and held out in her dressing room while the audience left.

"So what was that?" Ashley asked smiling.

"I don't know." I replied honestly. "I guess I got caught up in the moment. I don't regret it though." I said unable to stop smiling myself. "Ashley?"

"Yeah Spence"

"Promise me that no matter what happens you won't forget this."

"I don't think anyone will, that kiss was a little unexpected" She laughed.

"No, not that. I mean promise me you won't forget the way we are right now, you and me against the world." I said not even understanding what I was saying.

"It will never change." She said holding my chin delicately as she softly kissed me.

We got up hesitantly and left her dressing room. Making our way outside we saw that my family were the only people still on the premises. My mother had a disapproving look on her face, but my father and brothers seemed supportive enough. Glen spoke first.

"So you and Ashley?" He stammered unable to finish.

"Yeah"

"Which means that you're…?"

"Yeah" I said confidently.

"Okay then." He replied unable to conjure up any better questions. At this point I rather expected my mother to start yelling at me about the final scene, but to her credit she didn't.

"Ashley, you were very good tonight." Ashley sheepishly thanked her as the awkward silence consumed the whole group.

"Would you like to go with us to the airport? I'll get you a cab for the drive back." My mother nicely offered. Ashley agreed and after grabbing our things we headed to the airport.

The only way to describe waiting in that airport was like waiting in a hospital lobby. Everything is loud and hectic, with static wallpaper and carpet. As the time came for my family to enter the terminal she grabbed my hand. I waved my family off promising to be up in a minute. They left and she hugged me deeply.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you here." She whispered in my ear.

"It's just a couple of months I smiled, just until I graduate. I'll apply to UCLA, and I'll be back in no time. I've always wanted to live out here anyways. That is if you still want me?" I pleaded hoping for the right answer. She didn't even miss a beat.

"Um, yeah that will be just fine." She said tearing up. We hugged again and as I pulled to walk away she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back into one more toe curling kiss.

"Just so you don't get tempted by someone else" She smiled.

"Trust me that could never happen." I said honestly. I walked up the stairs toward the elevator as she waved me off. I tried to ignore the tears in both our eyes as we walked away.

I took mental photographs of this scene. I had never understood the notion of bittersweet until this very moment, and while the tears threatened to fall I held them back. I didn't want to ruin this moment. It was neither the finale, nor the end. Our goodbye was merely an intermission.

End