GOING

2

    "Is everyone in this town so..."
    "Idiotic." Noah finishes Sophia's sentence, all three of them watching as the guys from the baseball team take turns hitting each other in the balls. It's been seven days since their trip to Cookout. It was about as eventful as a night in a small town could be. Wyn has discovered that Sophia's parents own the new coffee shop she's going to start working at tomorrow. It was a surprising revelation considering Wyn had expected the owners' children to be more like Lacy and less like the cool, normal people they are. Because they also happen to be her new coworkers, Sophia has insisted they see each other every day. Noah just always happens to be there, not that Wyn is complaining.
    He's so unlike anyone else she's grown up with. She accidentally walked into his "house" — the poolhouse his parents renovated so they could bribe him to move over the summer — while looking for Sophia and found his floor to ceiling bookshelf walls. The thing that impressed her the most was the randomness of the genres. They weren't organized and some were ever laid down horizontally. He had books from The Little Prince to Twilight to Michelle Obama's memoir and everything in between. And yet, he never spoke like he thought he was better than anyone even though it was clear he knew a lot about a lot of different things.
    After that it was hard to miss him. They'd be outside and he'd randomly play music that was as eclectic and random as his book collection. He'd go from playing Adele to Kings of Leon to Lil Wayne all within ten minutes. And don't get her started on the instruments scattered about his living room. She wants to sit down and listen to him play for hours, just to hear what his hands have to say. Wyn knows this is a dangerous road to go down, especially when his sister is her first ever real friend. Because of that fact she's remained cautious and aware of his presence, careful with her feelings where he's concerned.
    "Everyone here shares one brain cell. Don't know how I got so lucky." Wyn jokes, following behind Noah as he leads them deeper into the park. She woke up this morning to twenty missed calls from Sophia and one text from Noah that read: 'Be there in ten.' By the time she saw it they were already sitting in her living room being spoon fed by her mom. Then they spent another twenty minutes trying to leave, winning only when they promised her parents they'd be back.
    "Noah, are you sure that rock's over here? I only see dirt, dirt, and oh yeah — more dirt." Sophia grumbles after they've walked twenty minutes. She was promised a rock so beautiful and glittery, diamonds would be jealous. So far all they've seen are trees, fat squirrels, and damp earth.
    "It's called a geode and I never said you'd see anything. I said the area fits the proper characteristics. You're the one that wanted to come and drag Wyn along with you." Wyn blushes, not sure if that meant they weren't invited and are intruding on his alone time. Sophia won't meet her gaze, confirming her suspicions. Great, after this morning at her house she's sure he's beyond annoyed by her now.
    "Um, Soph, we can just go back—,"
    "No." Noah's hand shoots out and latches onto her forearm. They both look down at where they're connected. It feels like there's an electrical current running from him through her and back. She can feel the heat on her face deepen.
    He lets go of her arm so quickly you'd have thought he was burned. "Come on, if you two wanna see a cool rock then I'll find you one." They continue their trek once more now that Sophia has been properly promised her rock. The ghost of his touch is slowly but surely taking over her thoughts. She definitely felt that jolt of electricity where they were connected, and she can't help but wonder if he did too. Nothing worse than having a one-sided crush.
    She's never had much of a crush on anyone except for Danny Wilkerson in the sixth grade and that had only lasted the week he was in her class. Danny was the new kid in school with soft brown hair and freckles. They were paired together for a group project so she thought it would be a great idea to invite him over to her house where she'd lay her sixth-grade moves on him. She ended up kicking him out because he said her sister was hot. All in all that experience only showed her how much of a disappointment men are. Danny ended up moving three months later since his dad was getting deployed. Wyn hasn't been interested in anyone since.
    The three of them end up spending their entire morning and a good chunk of the afternoon walking through the woods. In the end they didn't find any geodes, but Noah did manage to get Sophia a bunch of glittery quartz so she stopped complaining halfway through. Wyn has been enjoying herself, rocks or not. She hasn't been this carefree in, well, ever. Even with her brother she always felt like she was walking on eggshells, especially towards the end when everything would set him off. Right now she just feels happy, no other thoughts or worries swimming in her head for once.
    "Oh shit." Sophia says after looking at her phone, "I'm supposed to be at Dakota's thirty minutes from now to babysit Annie. When the fuck did the time even pass? All we've been doing is walking around the same three trees." She grumbles to herself. Wyn gasps softly at the familiar name.
    "Dakota Miller?" She asks Sophia, knowing the answer before her friend replies.
    "Yeah, she's our cousin. You know her?" Both siblings are looking expectantly at her. She isn't ready to talk about her sister yet and she knows telling them Dakota was Scarlet's best friend would open up a can of worms she'd rather keep closed.
    "Of course, I know everyone in this town. I was just curious." Although she knows her smile is nervous, Wyn manages to play it off quite well. Sophia makes a comment about the dating pool being small which leads to her brother rolling his eyes at her, clearly exasperated. They head back to the truck after Noah says he'll drop her off.
    The relationship between Noah and Sophia is nothing like the one Wyn had with Mateo, which was more like a never ending rollercoaster that suddenly stopped mid-air. Noah obviously loves his sister, it's easy to tell from how he acts and speaks to her. Wyn doesn't know how she feels about this unwanted comparison she's made.
    "You have to feed Wyn before you take her home or else she'll never want to see us again and I cannot go another week of having no one to talk to except for you." Sophia says, pointing a finger at her brother while glaring at him.
    "Oh, no, he doesn't have to—,"
    "I'll take care of you." Those five words throw her entire universe off kilter. Between the sincere eye contact and the softness of his tone, Wyn is about two seconds from either falling in love or having the worst mental breakdown in history. She isn't too sure they're all talking about food right now.
    "Of course he will." Sophia smiles at her reassuringly before getting into the truck. Wyn is quiet the entire way to Dakota's house. She could walk the entire way with her eyes blindfolded since Scarlet and Dakota were inseparable and you'd never see one without the other. The amount of times her older sister would sneak out to go to Dakota's house and vice versa, you'd think they were physically bound to one another. Everyone expected Wyn to become jealous of their bond as she got older, but those feelings never came. She knew whatever their relationship was, it wasn't a sisterly one.
    It started when Scarlet was just starting high school. Although she had been friends with Dakota for many years at that point, their friendship hadn't changed until they went through puberty. Neither girl was all too interested in boys or looking pretty to impress them. Wyn's read countless entries where Scarlet went into detail about why every single guy their age in this town would never be good enough for either one of them. Then at some point towards the end of Scarlet's sophomore year, she stopped writing about Dakota altogether.
    Wyn remembers the two months they stopped being friends were miserable for everyone, not just the two girls. Any time Scarlet had an issue she made it a problem for everyone in her life. Not a day had gone by that she didn't complain about being lonely and bored and how none of the other girls were right. Finally both Scarlet's and Dakota's mothers got fed up with their bullshit and forced the two girls to talk it out. After that, they were even more attached to each other than ever before.
    It wasn't until a year had passed after Scarlet's death that Wyn figured out the kind of relationship they had. She had been re-reading all of Scarlet's journals — supposedly for closure but she isn't too sure that was the real reason — when she realized she had never actually heard what her sister was saying all those years ago.
    Scarlet had documented her entire relationship with Dakota and Wyn couldn't figure it out for the longest time. There are so many entries in her journal where Scarlet ranted about some guy flirting with Dakota or asking her out on a date, jealousy pouring off the pages so clearly only a blind bat wouldn't be able to tell. The time they stopped being friends happened because Scarlet kissed Dakota, who freaked out knowing something like that wouldn't have boded well for either of them in this intolerant town.
    After their talk — and some more naked sleeping — both girls decided they'd rather get hated on for their love than pretend it isn't there. They never came out, never would now, but back then all that mattered was that they were together. Their love was so special it was obvious to anyone paying attention.
    Wyn remembers the night Dakota was raped, how she'd never seen Scarlet so angry. She misunderstood her anger as that of someone whose sister was hurt, and couldn't understand why she'd almost killed the guy who did it. Looking back, she knows now that her sister was as passionate about her love for Dakota as she was about anything else she believed in. And she knew that Scarlet would have killed that pathetic excuse of a man if it hadn't been for Dakota telling her not to.
    After that horrible time in their lives, the relationship between Dakota and Scarlet changed completely. They were lovers, openly. Only, it wasn't as evident and out there as they'd imagined since no one figured it out except for Wyn — and even then it was years later. Both girls have always been openly affectionate with each other, from hand holding to kissing so whenever anyone saw them cuddled up together they thought it was normal. Those two blurred the lines before they could properly develop, allowing them to hide in plain sight.
    Once Scarlet took her own life, Dakota fell into such a depressive state she had to be hospitalized. Her family feared she'd follow her love. Wyn didn't know about anything that happened between them at the time, but she knew how much her sister meant to Dakota so she put some of Scarlet's ashes into a pendant and gifted it to her. It triggered Dakota but after she got better she called Wyn to thank her, telling her it was the most precious gift she could have ever received. Hearing her talk about Scarlet the way she did, Wyn knew then that their love would transcend realities. Wherever she was, Scarlet would feel Dakota just as Dakota felt Scarlet.
    Wyn didn't see Dakota once she was released. Even when she figured out they were dating she knew better than to seek Dakota out. A part of her felt bad, like she would only be rubbing salt into an unhealing wound. Mateo tried in the beginning but gave up once he realized it was doing more harm than good. Then he killed himself and Wyn was left as a reminder of who they were, making it painful for everyone that loved her siblings. Life really is unfair that way.
    Wyn feels the tremors in her hands worsen the closer they get to Dakota's house. She hasn't seen her in over three years, and last she heard she got married to a marine and fell pregnant shortly after. The only reason she's still in town is because her mother is helping her with the baby while her husband is shipped away to God knows where.
    "—super cute, right Wyn?" Wyn barely catches the end of Sophia's sentence. She tries hard to focus on her friend but everything is blurry and her chest is tight, so tight. Taking a deep breath hurts her but she pushes through it, knowing that any explanation right now would cause her to spiral.
    "Sorry, what was that?" Sophia gives her a concerned look but doesn't say anything about it, choosing to answer her question instead.
    "I was talking about my birthday party I'm throwing in a month. It's gonna be bubble themed and I was thinking of adding a colorful bubble bath to our pool. Wouldn't that be so cute?" Sophia's excitement pulls Wyn out of her stupor, knowing right now is not the time to go freaking out.
    "Of course. Instead of regular cake you should do cake pops, too so it fits the theme." She forces herself to smile, wanting to be supportive of her friend. It's not Sophia's fault Wyn isn't ready to talk about what's happened in the last four years. As far as Wyn's concerned, this is her fresh start. She'll do anything to keep them from finding out. It's only until the end of the summer that she has to worry about it anyway.
    "Ohmygod, yes! You have to help me plan it, you're officially my maid of honor!" Her smug smile isn't dimmed, even when Noah blankly informs her maid of honors are for weddings. Wyn laughs, caught off guard completely by her. She's never met anyone that cares so little about what others think of them. It's refreshing.
    Her slightly better mood slowly dies when they reach Dakota's house. Time has stood still here. The boards are still the same faded, pale yellow they've always been. The crack at the base of the window from where Mateo threw a rock once hasn't grown even an inch. The fake pot that holds the spare house key is still as obvious as ever. Nothing's changed. Wyn is transported back to when times were okay. She half expects Scarlet to come running out of the house barefoot with Dakota hot on her heels. She's hurting and she can't talk about it.
    Sophia is the first to jump out of the truck as soon as they come to a stop. She runs around to the front, not bothering to wait for her brother or Wyn, who's seconds away from losing it. The same scene loops in her head: Scarlet and Dakota chasing Wyn and Mateo around with a garden hose on the hottest day of the summer, mud going up their legs and sticky faces from the popsicles. She feels a scream lodged in her throat, begging to be freed. She takes a deep breath and —
    "You okay?" Noah's large calloused hand on her arm breaks the shackles of the memory. The feeling of dread and sadness doesn't disappear, though.
    "Dandy." She doesn't bother smiling, it's obvious to both of them that she's lying. Her voice is cracking and her eyes are wet and her bottom lip won't stop trembling. She's about as close to being okay as she is to becoming a millionaire overnight.
    "That night back at the diner, Laney said some pretty fucked up stuff." Panic engulfs her, fear filling her lungs at the thought of having to say anything about what Lacy probably told him. Her version of events are never the truth and this was not her story to tell.
    "Woah," he starts, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started off like that. I just meant that I didn't pay it any mind. I don't want you to feel forced to say or do anything, but I'll be here whenever you're ready. And if that's never, well that's just as fine too." Noah's sincere smile causes tears to fall. Overwhelmed with emotion, Wyn gets the sudden urge to run until her legs give out and her feet fall off.
    "Her name's Lacy." They both laugh at her comment, some of those emotions releasing their grip on Wyn's heart. Noah's phone rings loudly next to her, so she takes her chance and peeks at his screen. Relieved when his sister's name flashes on his screen, she lets out the breath she had been holding. She feels guilty immediately after because she has no right over him, Noah doesn't belong to her. She needs to get that through her head before she breaks her own heart.
    "I told her you weren't feeling well. Wanna grab some food?" His question catches her off guard since she fully expected him to want to get rid of her as soon as possible, but the idea of spending more time with him lights a fire under her. She isn't sure if it's because she hasn't hung out with anyone other than her parents in over two years or if it's because he's a tall cute guy that makes her hands shake.
    "Sure." She agrees.
    "I take it you don't want to go back to the diner?" He asks once they're back on the main road. It gets easier for her to breathe the farther away from Dakota's house they get.
    "Not particularly but there aren't many options around here so it's fine. I never did get my fries anyway." She smiles at him, praying she looks stronger than she feels. From the few summers she spent as Lacy's friend, she knows that the ginger goes on a two-week vacation to Alabama to see her grandparents at some point in the beginning of their break. Wyn hopes she's gone by now, not sure she'll be able to hold herself back from slapping Lacy should she say something.
    She perks up at the next song that plays, turning the volume up to hear over the wind from the rolled down windows. Riptide by Vance Joy was a song that she and Scarlet would blast all the time when it came on. All she has are good memories of that song, and she won't ruin those by being sad.
    Wyn sings at the top of her lungs, dancing in her seat not caring if she looks crazy. Noah looks at her with the biggest smile she's ever seen, singing and dancing along with her. They sing at each other, pretending to pass a fake microphone between each chorus. Wyn doesn't notice the tears until the song ends and they're both panting. Wiping them away quickly, she allows herself to hold this precious memory close to her heart for a few more seconds. For a moment Scarlet was just as alive as Wyn felt, singing off-key and getting half the words wrong even though she knew the song like the back of her hand.
    More songs play after that, ones she's never heard of and ones she's surprised he listens to. When Pierce the Veil by Before Today starts playing, she gasps in shock. "You know this song?" She asks him, laughing when instead of answering he sings along. Wyn doesn't know what's going to happen between them, all she knows is that if it doesn't go her way she's going to be beyond hurt.
    After a couple more songs that she surprised him by knowing, they arrive at the diner where they first met. She doesn't recognize any of the cars in the parking lot, a good sign that they won't run into anyone from her school. Half her class decided to stay in this town while the other half — with more common sense — decided to leave. She's part of the half going away to college. A lot of them come from money so she doubts she's going to run into any of them at the state school she's going to. Speaking of —
    "You're in college, right?" She asks as they walk through the front door. They find a booth in the very back, away from everyone else inside. She enjoys the privacy, especially when she realizes every single person in here is staring at them.
    "Yep," He answers after they've sat down, "Austin Peay State University. I'm gonna be a junior this upcoming year." She widens her eyes at the realization that they're going to the same college.
    "In Clarksville?" She asks, needing to make sure.
    "Yes ma'am, Clarksville Tennessee. Why, you know someone there?" A dark look crosses his features but it's gone in a second.
    "No, it's not that. I'm going to Peay in the fall, I just didn't think I'd know someone going in. I'm surprised, I thought you'd go to a fancier, bigger school." He chuckles at her comment which causes her to blush. He's incredibly smart, she was expecting Duke or something.
    "Nah, I decided to go with my friends to Peay. Don't tell my mom that though, she chooses to believe it's because their engineering program is the best in the state. I'm glad I get to see you after the summer's over." The already heated blush on her face deepens. He wants to see her after the summer is over? Wyn pinches her thigh discreetly, not wanting this to be a dream.
    "Oh — you wanna see me in the fall?"
    "Of course I do, you are going to need a tour guide after all. That and I haven't met anyone as interesting as you in, well, ever. Why, don't wanna be my friend?" Although he's teasing, there's a certain seriousness in his tone that has her shaking her head.
    "No, no, I do want to be your friend. I just didn't think you'd want a freshman following you around campus like a lost duck. I know it can be, um, embarrassing or whatever." She mumbles the last part, thinking back to the end of her eighth grade year. Mateo sat her down to tell her he didn't want her following him around when she started high school because his friends would make fun of him. He also said she'd have to take the bus even though he got rides from his friend — who was their neighbor — every day. Scarlet had said she didn't care because she wouldn't be there in the fall. Wyn thought she said that because she'd be away at college, not because she'd kill herself only three months later.
    "Why would that be embarrassing? I like talking to you, Wynona." Wyn scrunches her nose when she hears her name, hating the way it sounds coming from his lips. She hates her old lady name which is why she much prefers the nickname given to her by Scarlet. Maybe she should start thinking of other names to go by. She doesn't have a middle name so it's not like she could ask to go by that.
    "I don't think the name Wynona and cool should be in a sentence together. But either way, I'm happy I'll have a friend in the fall." Her smile feels lighter, more bright now that she can look forward to leaving with him. No, no, not with him. Just leaving. She looks forward to leaving. He's not yours, Wyn.
    "And you'll have Sophia. She isn't going to school but she is moving to Clarksville while she works during her gap year. She's still looking for a roommate if you're interested in not living in those shitty dorms." The small spark of hope she had brightens. She hasn't had anyone to get excited over leaving, especially not her parents who she feels are days away from kidnapping her or forbidding her from going. If she gets an apartment, makes that commitment, then nothing will hold her back.
    "You think she wouldn't mind?" Wyn doesn't dare let herself get overly excited but even she can't keep the smile off her face. He mirrors her happiness, the rays of the setting sun bringing out the navy flecks in his eyes.
    "Of course, my sister already loves you. It's rare she gets along with anyone so I was a little surprised to see you two together at first. But she's happy so I'm sure she'd be excited at the idea of you being her roommate. She likes to not talk about stuff that makes her sad which is probably why she hasn't brought up leaving in the fall." His words make sense, Sophia has been bright and bubbly the entire short time Wyn's known her. She feels a small sense of belonging that someone else is like her. Avoiding the pain is always easier.
    "Thank you, Noah." She isn't sure what to say next, happy to be interrupted by the waitress taking their order. So much information has been handed to her, she doesn't know where to start. She knows her scholarship will help her cover rent, so she won't have to worry about finding a job straight away. But would Sophia even want to live with her? That's a big commitment, but she doesn't want to wait to ask in case she finds someone else.
    "Stop overthinking it, just talk to my sister." Wyn appreciates his reassurance since it eases her nerves. They're interrupted again, this time by someone she was not expecting to ever speak to her again.
    "Woah, Wyn?" A raspy voice says behind her. Noah looks up first, sizing up the person she hasn't spoken to since middle school.
    "Alex?" She turns around to get a good look at him. His hair is completely buzzed, the opposite of the long locks he used to have back in high school. She isn't sure there was ever a time his hair wasn't past his shoulders now that she thinks about it.
    "Surprised you recognize me." He smiles, pointing towards his head. She smiles back awkwardly, unsure of what to say. They used to be in all of the same classes when they were younger, forcing them to become acquainted with each other. They would always pair up for group work or projects, trusting the other to do their share of work. Wyn can't count the amount of study sessions they would have in their school library, ending only when one of their parents would come pick them up. Everyone thought they were dating but neither one of them felt that way towards the other. If anything, they simply had a mutual respect for one another that was often mistaken as puppy love. Many awkward conversations later and she managed to convince her family they were just friends.
    Noah's throat clearing breaks her out of their uncomfortable staring contest. "Right, Noah this is Alex, a guy I went to school with. Alex, this is Noah, my...friend." She finishes, cringing at her own introductions. She shouldn't have paused but she doubted whether he would call himself her friend or not.
    Alex lets out a whistle, shaking Noah's hand as he says, "Damn, that's all I am now? A guy you went to highschool with?" She blushes, panicking when she notices Noah's eyes have narrowed as he looks between the two of them. She doesn't understand why Alex is acting like they were ever more than just friends, they had a whole talk about not liking each other that way! He dated Lacy and ditched Wyn in high school for God's sake, they quit being friends the moment he chose her.
    "Well considering we stopped being in the same classes and you left me for Lacy, yes I'd say you are just a guy I went to highschool with." His smile drops at her tone, tension thickening the air around them. She's looking down at the napkin on the table in front of her, wishing the ground would open and swallow her whole.
    "Right, you're right. I was an asshole back then, thinking with my dick instead of my brain. I'm, uh, sorry about that." He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, granting her an eyebrow raise from Noah. Is it just her or has this conversation completely escaped her?
    "It's...fine. I got over it pretty fast so don't worry about it." She gives him a small smile, praying he doesn't bring up anything else that happened in high school. This is not how she wants to have that conversation with Noah, if ever.
    "Ouch. Well, I was going to invite you to the bonfire at my house tomorrow night but after this conversation I doubt you'll make an appearance. The invitation is still there, anyway. You too, man." He says, nodding towards Noah. He doesn't respond in typical Noah fashion, keeping his eyes trained on Wyn.
    "Sure, I'll think about it. It was nice seeing you." She hopes her eyes are conveying what she's thinking: please leave before you let something slip.
    "Welp, I'll take that as my que to leave. It was nice seeing you, Wyn. I hope you make it." With one last smile, he walks off towards the front counter. She feels her shoulders relax, not noticing them tensing up earlier.
    "Ex-boyfriend?" Noah asks. She shakes her head quickly, wanting to bat that idea straight out of his pretty head. The waitress comes back with their food so Wyn waits for her to leave before answering.
    "No, no, no. Alex really was just a friend, we used to do all our school work together because we were in the same class every year up until high school. I don't have any ex-boyfriends." She mumbles the last part, embarrassed at her inexperience.
    "But he...left you?" He questions, turning his head to the side curiously. Wyn has no idea how to explain the complicated-ness that is being friends with Lacy. She made everything into a competition and well, after finding out she was being used for Mateo she wanted nothing to do with Lacy's little games.
    "We were together a lot, between classes and studying after school. He was a good friend, but ditched me when we got to high school in favor of dating Lacy. She wouldn't let him see me anymore, and he listened to her. We just went our separate ways. I meant it when I said I got over it fast, he was a good enough friend but we weren't all that close." She explains, biting into her fries to avoid talking anymore. It's like she can't help but word vomit anytime she's around him.
    "Hm." Is the only thing he says. They eat in comfortable silence. Her mind is racing thinking about what could be going through his own head but other than that she's relatively calm. If only she could always feel this way.
    They try to make small talk which turns out to be awfully painful for both of them. Realizing the other doesn't necessarily enjoy talking about the climate, they give up rather quickly. Noah pays the tab before she can even stand up, flustering her even more. She has to keep reminding herself that he promised Sophia he'd feed her and that's why he paid, not because this is a date.
    They walk to his truck rather slowly, Wyn enjoying the cool dusk wind. It's still hot as hell but at night the river cools them down some and it's the only time during the day that she finds pleasant enough to be outside for. It isn't until they're in his truck that he turns to her and asks her if she's going to the bonfire.
    "Uh, I wasn't really planning on it. I was never close with any of them. I don't see the point in going knowing I'd be alone." She shrugs, trying to play off the fact that she's an outcast. Wyn didn't know this is what Scarlet meant every time she told her to think before she speaks. Noah didn't need to know any of that, she could have kept it cool and mysterious with a simple, "Nah, not my scene."
    "You wouldn't be isolated and alone if Sophia and I came." He suggests, looking at her expectantly. Did he want to go? Why? She can't imagine he'd be the type to go to crazy parties, or that he'd be all too comfortable surrounded by people younger than him. Then again she's only known him for a week, it's still too soon to deem him as one thing or another.
    "Oh, well if you two want to go then you should. I'm sure you'd be a hit." She says a little too bitterly. Sophia is pretty and outgoing, she'd fit in anywhere. And Noah, well Noah is Noah. He's tall and beautiful and has a scruffy jaw and his hair sticks out everywhere from how much he runs his hands through it and his voice is so deep and he has tattoos and muscles and God, that is not fair. That is so not fair.
    "Nah, we wouldn't go without you. It's an all or nothing kinda deal." His smile melts away the bitterness because right now, that smile is all hers. He's gifted it to her and she's going to take it and hide it away where no one will find it. She'll think about it when she's sad and bask in the warmth it's granting her in that moment.
    "Okay — we should go." Her voice sounds like it doesn't belong to her but the words and the commitment are both out there now. He drives them to a park where they lose track of time talking about everything and anything they can think of. It isn't until he drops her off at her house after midnight — and waits for her to walk in — that she realizes something.
    She hasn't stopped smiling.