"Do you still not want to date?" she asked. "Is this a matter-of-degrees thing? Like, you'll kiss me, and save me, but not date me? Or ..."

She scuffed her toes on the ground, awkwardly. "I sat down over here because if I sat down over there, we'd kiss," she admitted. "Instead of talking."

Talking was essential. Look how helpful it was, all this talking they were doing!