Every big kiss in Never Have I Ever, ranked

Fabiola finds Aneesa (Megan Suri) crying in the bathroom after her soccer game—the one where she scored the winning goal, which her boyfriend Ben didn’t see because he was distracted texting Devi. Fabiola, in all of her science-nerd glory, showers Aneesa with compliments about the impressive, “thrilling” physics of soccer. Swept up in her whirlwind of enthusiasm, Fabiola is completely oblivious to Aneesa’s eyes lit up with the look. Becoming one of the most unexpected kisses of the series, Aneesa pulls Fabiola in by her jacket lapels and goes for it.

You heard it here first: Smashing the patriarchy is an aphrodisiac. Making history as the first-ever Cricket Queen and Queen, Fabiola (Lee Rodriguez) and Eve (Christina Kartchner) take to the floor for their solo dance at the winter formal. Wearing her Robotics Club uniform’s yellow polo and khaki pants, Fabiola expresses to Eve as they dance that she is tired of pretending to be cool and understand hip phrases like “What’s the tea?” The declaration comes after Fabiola felt pressured to change herself in order to gain popularity during her and Eve’s stressful Cricket Queens campaign. The two then proclaim their love for each other and share an affectionate kiss in their rhinestone-encrusted tiaras shaped into cricket antennas.

To up the ante on a beloved romantic trope, Paxton not only climbs through Devi’s window, but he does so soaking wet because of the pouring rain outside. The scene is so idyllic, it feels like a fantasy sequence Devi has dreamt up. But it’s very real, and surely I can’t be the only one imagining what it would be like to be one of the curly tendrils draped perfectly across Paxton’s forehead? After thanking Devi for tutoring him (and using correct grammar during said thank-you speech, no less!), Paxton does his signature lead up to a kiss—slowly and intentionally while a bass-heavy song plays in the background. We love a brand.

Eleanor (Ramona Young) and Trent (Ben Norris) are the funniest couple on Never Have I Ever because they both live life so theatrically, so it only makes sense one of the series’ steamiest make-outs come from the pair. After Trent’s brilliantly executed slow-motion walk down the school’s hallway—complete with a Fabio-inspired outfit and hair blowing in the wind—to Eleanor’s costume fitting with Jonah, they have a fairly heartfelt makeup after a previous argument. Eleanor prompts Jonah to exit stage left and start working on another bodice because the one she is currently wearing is “about to get shredded.” The two post up against a hand-painted set piece for a romance novel-level make-out, all while Theatrical Fairy Godfather Lin-Manuel Miranda looks on from a poster that says, “Dreams do come true!” And the Tony Award for Best Kiss goes to…

The writers love to give Devi and Paxton dramatic lighting and soul-stirring music for their kisses, which makes me happy as a viewer but embarrassed as I reflect on how my high school kisses had the soundtrack of Rage Against The Machine and the taste of Pepsi and Funyuns mixed together. After a few secret, passionate make-out seshes, Paxton publicly rejected Devi’s proposal to go to the winter formal together, because she cheated on him and ended his swim career. Devi tried to make the best of going to the dance with her friends, but with Fabiola off celebrating her Cricket Queen victory with Eve and Eleanor dancing with Trent, Devi decides to leave and is hit by Paxton’s Jeep. (Look both ways before stepping into the street, Devi!) Unconcerned about a potential concussion, she urgently asks Paxton to confirm that he is there as her boyfriend, not just a friend who is a boy. He does and pulls her into their triumphant first kiss as a couple, because—like the Sam Smith song playing in the background says—“that’s how love goes.”

You never forget your first—especially if it’s your first kiss with your crush. Especially if your crush is dreamboat Paxton Hall-Yoshida (Darren Barnet). And especially if you have just hit your lowest of lows at a high school party: pissing off your best friends, dodging a kiss from your academic rival, and falling into a pool. True, it’s only one medium-length lip-lock, but it still earns the top spot because by Paxton initiating the kiss, Devi’s wildest dreams came true. Plus, we as the audience benefit by getting a close-up look at his jawline that is so damn sharp you could cut diamonds with it. This smooch also receives extra points for the kiss happening in a car with seatbelts on. That is no easy feat, but Paxton is skilled enough to make it happen.