Abbott Elementary's Janine and Gregory kissed at last — and we are screaming

WARNING: This story contains spoilers for the Feb. 22 episode of Abbott Elementary, "Teacher Conference."

Love is in bloom on Abbott Elementary!

After a season and a half of shy looks, missed connections, and palpable tension, Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) finally kissed on Wednesday night's episode, "Teacher Conference."

Gregory was not originally supposed to attend the annual Pennsylvania teachers' conference. Instead, he had plans to take his girlfriend, Amber, to the Poconos. But when Gregory's type-A planning ways lead Amber to break up with him, he ends up surprising the Abbott staff at the conference. And, of course, much like Gregory, Janine has her schedule planned to the minute.

When the two slip out of a party to view an installation of a classroom made of flowers, they end up sharing a smooch, which Janine prolongs by grabbing Gregory's lanyard to pull him closer (teaching accessories have never been hotter).

But in the show's final moments, speaking to the documentary crew, both Gregory and Janine hedge their bets, claiming that they got caught up in the heat of the moment. And besides, Janine is technically still in a situation-ship type thing. So, we'll have to wait at least a little longer for any true romance to spark between them.

It feels like the whole world is shipping Janine and Gregory. Keke Palmer certainly is. "And you better believe I'm team Janine and Gregory," she told EW, celebrating the cast of Abbott as one of EW's 2022 Entertainers of the Year. "But I do love the gag of not seeing them together yet, so I want them to drag me along for a little longer."

Still, Brunson has previously vowed not to rush into anything with Janine and Gregory. "We are going to see single Janine," said producer Justin Halpern going into season 2. "The three of us have talked about [how] wherever we end up we want it to feel completely earned. Wherever we get to, we promise you will feel like that is satisfactory."

For Williams, he sees Gregory's feelings for Janine as inextricably linked with his decision to set aside his dream of becoming a principal and settle into teaching. "They go hand in hand for him," he told EW. "That's what I like about that relationship and that choice for him, is that it gives me a reason to push him through obstacles. But yeah, he's going to have to really grapple with the dream deferred at some point. This is not what he intended to see for his life. At some point, he's going to have to either settle into this or continue to drive toward that."

And for that reason, Sheryl Lee Ralph, who stars as Barbara Howard, isn't even sure that Janine and Gregory belong together long-term in a romantic sense. "I'm wondering if Gregory is Janine's... you know how when you find a good best friend, and you wouldn't want to mess it up by having a relationship with them?" she told EW. "It keeps you together for life, but you never really cross that line? Now I'm wondering, are they life partners or are they life friends?"

Their friendship will certainly be tested with this new development, but there's likely to be more twists and turns in the relationship before we get to see Gregory and Janine make a go of it as a couple (if they ever do).

Abbott Elementary airs at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays on ABC.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• Janine's sister is finally coming to Abbott Elementary — get your first look
• Melissa's denim shirt on Abbott Elementary was a deliberate reference to The Parent Trap
• Watch Abbott Elementary's Sheryl Lee Ralph 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' at Super Bowl 2023