Hogarth lied against a old car, lost in though and hopelessly in love. Giant looked down at his friend, wondering why he was so quiet and dazed.
"Hogarth?" Giant asked. "You. Okay?"
"Yeah, I'm sort alright. It's just that I can't stop thinking about Deidre. She's all that's on my mind." Giant listened contently.
"Giant, do you know what love is?"
Giant shook his head. "No."
"Love is when you care about someone very much."
"Care?"
"Yes. It's also when you like someone, well, more than a friend. That's- that's what I feel about Deidre. I'm in love with her."
"In. Love?"
"Hu hun! I felt that way about her the first time I ever saw her. I just never had the courage to tell her. Ever. I'm afraid she'll feel uncomfortable around me or even not like me. Yet there there many times I that I wanted to tell her badly, but I back out every time. I know she really like me as a friend, but I don't know if she likes me more than that."
"Tell. Her," Giant advices Hogarth. Hogarth eyes widen at this.
"What?"
"Tell. Deirdre. You. Love."
Hogarth was silent as he took in this advice. Giant was right. Maybe it was time to finally tell her how she felt.
"You're right, buddy. It's about time I tell her my feelings. I just hope she accepts that I feel this way about her."
"She. Will. I. Know", Giant assured Hogarth. Hogarth nodded and stood up straight, putting on his helmet to look manly.
Deidre walked out of the house, wiping off paint from a paint brush. She looked like she worked hard on the project and had paint all over her overalls, her hair a hot mess, but she still looked pretty as ever. Just seeing Deidre again made him feel like jello, but he straightened and composed himself before saying,
"Deidre. I see you worked hard on that project there. You look like you rolled in a bucket of paint."
"And you look like you came straight from the army, General Hughes." She stood up straight and saluted Hogarth. Hogarth chucked and Giant nudged him, signaling that he should make his move. Hogarth got the message and prepared to tell the girl of his dreams how he felt.
"Ummm...Deidre?"
"Yeah, what's up?"
"There's something I have to tell you."
"Sure, go on and tell me."
Hogarth hesitated, nervous about what he was about to say.
"What's wrong, Hogarth. Is it something bad you're trying to tell me? You better spill it out right now and get over it."
"No! I-it's not nothing bad! It's about how I feel about you."
"Well, what about it?"
Hogarth tried to spill the truth out, but it was stuck to his throat like a glob of peanut butter. "Come on, come on, just say it already! It's not that hard!," he scolded himself in his mind.
Deidre putt her hands on her hips, getting impatient by Hogarth's stalling. "Hogarth Hughes, stop hesitating and tell me right-"
"I like you more than a friend!", Hogarth finally mange to spew out those words. Never had he blushed and felt so hot in the face his whole life. Deidre was frozen to the spot in disbelief at what Hogarth confession.
"You-You like me that way? Hogarth are you pulling my leg?"
"No, Deidre. I meant every word I said." Deidre stood there even more frozen. But then a warm, fluttering feeling spread through her body. A bright, tender smile spread across her face. A deep blush colored her face a deep pink. She felt light, like she was floating in mid air. "You like me."
Hogarth felt so weak that his legs felt like they were liquified. He tried to lean on a car but fell to the ground instead with a oufff, his helmet's goggles covering his face. Deidre giggled and went to help him up, lifting the goggles from his face and taking off the helmet. He gently held his hands in her, which made Hogarth's feel like jello, though he was able to stand.
"I have something to tell you, too. I Admit that I have feelings for you, also. I just didn't understand how to process it, or if I was really feeling it, but now I do know and understand that I am."
The sun was just setting in a beautiful array of pink, orange, and yellow. Deidre and Hogarth blushed, gazing into each other's eyes. They started to lean towards each other, slowly, one step at a time...then their lips touched in a warm, gentle kiss. They held it for a moment before pulling back, holding hands and smiled at each other, blushing even harder. The atmosphere around them felt warm and bubbly, and it never felt so good to Hogarth, neither than to Deidre.
Giant looked on happy for them, seeing the two confessing their love and being happy toward one another. Huck and Bucky watched contently at the two kids, seemingly happy for them, too.
Hogarth was so glad to have told Deidre that he loved her. Even better, Deidre actually felt the same way about him and loved him back, which made even more glad. He decided to wait to tell Dean or his mom until at least tomorrow. But for now, he enjoyed basking in the sunbeams of love, and, Oh! It felt so good. He was glad that Giant was here to see and encourage him in his love life.