"It's really sweet of you to agree to go with me, Bright."

"Hannah, I went to County high. I know the big deal that everyone makes out of the Fall Festival."

"It's such a silly, immature thing but other than prom with Topher, I've never really done these school functions. I totally understand though, being out of school that it's dumb to come back just for the Fall Festival." She was self-deprecating again.

"I'm not going back for the Fall Festival. I'm going back for you." He turned and watched her dart about her room getting ready to leave.

"I know. Thank you!" She popped up on her tip-toes and kissed him. "I'm going to go buy a dress now." She smiled. He caught her hand.

"What's wrong with the one you wore to prom? That one fit you just right in all the right places." He pulled her close to his body.

"I can't wear the same dress. But thanks for noticing." She giggled. "I'll find one that looks even better." He embraced her closely and smiled.

"Good. I can't wait to see it."

"I've gotta run though, because I have to work at six tonight and then I have an essay to rough draft. Bye Bright!" She rushed out the door and drove to the mall, leaving him in her room.

She hit quite a few stores in the search for the perfect dress. She thought it was kind of odd to need a formal dress for the so called, "Fall Festival." She had expected a hoedown and a hayride or something. At around four forty-five she found it. It was a little red dress, not too little, but little enough. It went down to just an inch or so from her knees. It was formfitting but it didn't crush her, and it was on sale!

She paid for it: rushed home, showered, got into her uniform for work, had a bite of what Nina had prepared and headed out.
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Harold, Rose, Amy and Bright were all seated at the dinner table, together for the first time in quite a while.

"So what's new? I feel like I haven't seen you or talked to either of you in a long time." Rose asked.

"Umm, well nothing much is new." Bright mumbled uncomfortably through half a mouthful of food.

"Yeah, there's not too much." Amy agreed.

"How is Hannah?" She asked Bright.

"Good, she's good." Bright sighed and replied honestly.

"Have you done anything special?"

"He's taking her to the Fall Festival at County," Amy offered almost giggling.

"Oh really," Harold replied

"Yeah, I mean, she wanted to go. Her last experience at a County High event was less than stellar with Shasta McSpastic. I figure I am her only chance at erasing that painfully awkward memory." Bright replied coolly.

"Yeah, right," Amy scoffed.

"Oh, because you have so much in your love life to be stuck-up about," he bit back.

"This isn't about me Bright, it's about you."

"This is SO about you too. What is going on with Brad? Do you even like him? Aren't you still pining after Ephram? Poor Brad, you're just leading him on. He's a fragile on Amy, you know that."

"I am not leading Brad on, Bright." She was not yelling, but she was using a sharp tone.

"Who is Brad?" Rose asked.

"He's this guy that I met at a party that Hannah and I went to a while back. He really likes me, and he's pretty nice."

"Basically you're good two-shoe type." Bright interjected cynically.

"Do you like this Brad boy, Amy?" Harold chimed in.

"I don't know. I mean, I do like him. He's really nice, very sweet and innocent. Almost to a fault,"

"But she doesn't know who she wants: Brad or Ephram. Who by the way I am picking up on Wednesday," Bright replied.

"That's the day of the Fall Festival dance, Bright."

"Yes, genius. The dance isn't till that night though. I pick Ephram up at like three or something, plenty of time."

"So, the little hoodlum is back from gallivanting all around Europe, huh? Well, Andy will be delighted to hear about that." Harold put a fork full of food in his mouth.

"I don't think he wants his Dad to know. He'll go see him when he wants to."

"Bright, the man has a right to know that his son is back in town."

"Whatever, but I am not taking the blame for telling you."

"Amy, you are not actually interested in pursuing a further relationship with that boy, are you?" Harold asked, condescendingly.

"I don't know, Dad. Does this have to be an indictment of me? Can't we just eat dinner?" The table fell silent.
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Ephram boarded a British Airways flight for the long trip home. It was a night flight and then a stay in Chicago for a day and another connection before he got to Denver. Cheap flights sucked. He leaned back a little in his seat and put on his headphones. Soon he fell asleep.
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The phone rang and Hannah picked up the cordless, while still trying to write.

"Hello?"

"Hey snoodle,"

"Bright?" She asked, confused.

"Yep, how are you muffin?"

"Bright are you doing drugs?"

"No, sweetie."

"Snoodle, muffin, sweetie? What the heck?"

"Just trying out some nicknames for you, Hannah gets kinda long sometimes."

"That's nice, but keep trying."

"Pookie? Snookums? Raggedy Anne?" He attempted.

"I meant when you weren't on the phone with me. I'm sorry, I'd love to talk, but I have to finish writing this paper."

"It's kinda late to be writing a paper, isn't it?"

"Well, it's due tomorrow and I have to finish it, no matter how late it is."

"Okay, don't bite my head off, peaches." Hannah rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry but I need to finish this. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Okay, Bright?"

"Alright, goodnight Hannah, love you." He hung up.

"Love you, too?" She questioned, realizing he was already gone. She put done the phone and finished her paper.
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Yes, it was a Monday night and Amy was sitting in a plastic chair, watching Brad bowling his second ball on the sixth frame of their second game. The only other people at the Everwood Bowl were three drunken college students on late ten, and an old tough looking couple. She wasn't quite sure why she was here.

It was kitschy and quaint just like their relationship.

"Yes!" Brad stuck up his arms and cheered. He'd gotten a spare. She smiled, idly walked past him, picked up a ball and rolled it down the lane.

If she was with Ephram, she'd have been doing something fun and interesting right now. They'd probably be at a coffeehouse or a club, instead of a bowling alley. She wondered where he was right now. What he was thinking about, how he was feeling and what he was doing.

"Amy! You got a strike!" Brad knocked her out of her daze.

She smiled. "Yeah I did! Wow." She sat down and watched him bowl. She continued to think about Ephram. She picked up her phone to call him, but realized that she couldn't. Did she really want to though? Brad was always nice to her and she was sitting here and thinking about another guy? Was Bright right? Was she leading him on? Before she could think any further than that it was her frame again.

The night ended as tamely as it began and she went up to her bed asking herself the same questions over and over again.
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