"All right, I'll see you later, Hannah. Like next fall." Bright stuck his hand out to shake hers. A handshake? That was the best he could do? Girls never did this to him. He smiled and turned around to return to his truck.

God, he was gonna miss his chance again. He couldn't wait a whole summer.

"Wait! No, wait," He replied, turning back around to her. She lifted her gaze from the ground to his face. "I didn't come here just to say goodbye to you. Remember at first, when we first met, and you said you liked me. It was-it was really weird you know? And it wasn't you know but then we started hangin' out, and then we became friends -- and you got hot! I'm not just talking about the take-your-glasses-off-kind-of way. Oh, man, just, oh."

He couldn't wait any longer, and hurriedly took her as tightly in his arms as he could
and kissed her. This couldn't go wrong for him, could it? She wanted this earlier this year, and now he wanted it too. He only had a moment to wait for her reaction. He felt her run her hands through his hair and hang on for dear life as this all unfolded.

He pulled away, and searched her face for the response. She smiled breathlessly. "I feel sweaty."

He laughed, relieved that she was okay with it and he picked her up off the ground and kissed her again like he'd wanted to do since he saw her in that prom dress with Shasta McSpastic, and realized how he really felt about her. It was from that point simply undeniable. He'd tried, but even Amy saw through it. She wasn't some trophy girl to hang on his arm like all the others though. The reason the heat was flowing between them right now was because he actually cared about her as a person, about how he made her feel. He knew that was why she was so different than the other girls. Why he'd waited so long to do something.

He set her down, squeezed her tightly again and stepped a few inches back. She looked up. There was a dazed look in her eyes, a good one.

"Bright---," she couldn't speak. She fluttered her eyes and took a deep breath in.

"Hannah, I'm sorry I waited this long to realize."

"It's a process, you know. Everyone goes through it even with me and Topher, I mean look at us. That kid kissed like a fish and I didn't even really like him that much. I just felt bad about him liking me so much, and I kind of liked the attention so I kept him around and I suppose it was leading him on but---"

He kissed her lips again in short pecks. She felt his hand on the small of her back.

"Sorry." She replied as soon as her lips were free to speak again. "I really do have to go though, Nina's bringing me to the airport."

"Right, that whole family in Minnesota thing," he stepped back.

"Yeah," she frowned a little and looked down at the ground again. "But, you know. I'll write, and email and call. I'll even come and visit or something a few times. And I'll be back in the fall." She looked up and met his eyes.

"Sure." He replied.

"You ready to go?" Nina came down the front steps.

"Yeah," Hannah nodded pushing her glasses up. She picked up a suitcase.

"I can take her, Nina." Bright interjected.

"That would be a big help with all this moving that Jake is doing. Is that okay, Hannah?"

"Umm, yeah sure I guess." She replied.

He picked up a few of her bags and they walked to the truck and Nina returned back inside. He opened the passenger door for her and went around to the driver's side. He got in and put his hands on the wheel. There was silence and he started the engine.

A few miles farther down the road he turned on the radio because the silence was killing him. The lull of low country music carried them all the way to Denver International Airport. He drove up the ramp, paid the parking fee and turned off the car.

"Hannah, how is this gonna work?" He looked over at her, breaking the silence.

"I don't know."

"How can I be away from you for a whole summer? I finally got the nerve to tell you how I feel about you and now you have to go away. You're like the only person I talk to with Ephram gone and all."

"I know but I have to go, my Dad---"

He touched her hand and laced his fingers through hers.

"It'll be okay. You need to go back."

"Bright, I really, really like you. I want this to work."

"What if I came out to Minnesota? I'm taking my classes online anyway this summer. Then we could be together, and I could meet your family. I've heard so much about them."

"Maybe, you could visit for a while. You wouldn't want to stay the whole summer, believe me. I know my family."

"It's not about them, it's about you, Hannah."

"Bright, it's not as if I'm going to China. This, you and I that is, is like the best thing ever to happen to me, and nothing is gonna happen just because of a few months apart." She popped the door open and started to unpack her luggage from the bed of the truck.

He picked up the remaining ones and they walked inside and to the gate.

"Goodbye, Bright." She smiled setting down her bags and putting her arms around his neck to hug him. He embraced her back, sighing.

"I've never known a girl like you before Hannah. I've probably never really "known" a girl very well at all other than maybe Amy. Take care." He whispered softly in her ear.

He rested his forehead on hers and simply stood there, looking at her. He closed his eyes and slowly made his was in to kiss her. These kisses were gentle, unlike the passionate, rushed kisses he'd given her earlier and they almost floated on her lips. They were gentle, yet the heat was still there. Kisses like that made it harder for her to leave.

"Spicy," she whispered and smiled. He cocked his head, confused. "Amy told me that kissing was supposed to be like spicy salsa when I told her that my kiss with Topher was mild. Spicy," she repeated. He chuckled and a big Bright smile spread across his face.

She picked up her luggage as she heard the call for her flight. "Goodbye." She said again. She turned to board and made it to the gate. He just watched her leave. Not sure of the future.

"Hannah!" He called. She turned around. "Call me." He said in a softer voice as he made a telephone with his left thumb and pinky and held it to his ear.

She laughed and her face lit up. God he loved that smile. She turned back and boarded her plane. He stood there are the plane taxied the runway and took off from Denver International headed for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

What would happen to them separated by that many miles? Bright had never actually cared for a girl more than just her body and it was like withdrawal when he was away from her. She was like his addiction. This was a new feeling. He hoped it would last the summer.