Well Cruel Summer fans, we all owe Mallory an apology, don't we? Cruel Summer's finale featured a ton of surprises, but an underrated one may be how Mallory ultimately fit into all of this drama (turns out, Kate saw her, she didn't see Kate). Whether or not we believe Mallory — for the record, I do — the important thing is that Kate does believe her new friend.

But friend? Come on, now. Anyone who saw Cruel Summer's Kate and Mallory holding hands while rollerskating could tell that there was something seriously romantic going on between them — even if neither realized it in the moment. Fortunately for any Kallory shippers out there (who likely had to defend Mallory to the entire world, let's be honest — no easy task!) Kate knew exactly what she wanted in the final few moments of Cruel Summer's first season, and that was to plant a kiss on Mallory as the two danced to Garbage's "I'm Only Happy When It Rains."

There's a sun flare. It's romantic as hell.

Yes, Kate loves Mallory in that way!!!! And while I never loved Mallory — mostly because of how much she loved to control Jeanette and Vincent in the 1993 timeline — I adore Kate, and I just want Kate to be happy. She deserves that much after everything — and Mallory makes Kate happy.

In conversation with The Dipp, Cruel Summer showrunner Tia Napolitano explains exactly how this love story came to be.