Now They’re Not Kissing, to Prove That They Kiss

On Monday evening, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello performed their collaborative single “Señorita” at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. The world (and tabloids) promised it would be steamy. And it was. Sort of. They didn’t kiss, despite how much joy it would’ve given me, Joe Jonas, and Sophie Turner.

This young coupling of celebrity dreamboats allegedly got together earlier this summer, sometime in late June or early July, not long after Cabello publicly split from boyfriend Matthew Hussey, an English YouTuber and self-described “relationship coach.” #Shamila was photographed a few times together, and in the weeks since, have been caught doing nothing but kissing. The timing with the release of “Señorita” was suspect enough for me to question this relationship’s legitimacy. The gossip rags wanted the kissing marathon to extend to the VMAs stage. But alas, they did not kiss. If you’re me, you think it is to continue to convince people that they kiss, this time by not kissing. I assure you my basement is not full of images and post-it notes connected by red string.

These two are clearly refusing to kiss on stage as a tease. But are they actually dating or am I just a lonely, cynical blogger who has lost the ability to genuinely enjoy things?