Fleur's eyes sparkle softly in the starlight. Her hair flows from her head over the hood of his car, like still water, like silk. Josh smiles. Her eyes flicker to his. 'What?'

'What, what?' he says.

'You're staring at me,' she swats at him playfully. 'Is there something on my face?' Her hands come up and touch the skin on her cheeks, around her mouth, her eyes watching him.

'No,' he smiles, curling his fingers into hers. 'You just look beautiful like this. Under the stars. Relaxed. Being who you are.'

'What a romantic,' she coos, a smile lighting her eyes. 'It's you, you make me happy.'

Something curls in Josh's gut like a snake, and he sees the smile in her eyes wilt as she notices.

'What?' she says.

'What, what?' he asks.

'You seemed upset by that.' Her eyes flicker away, back to the stars, back to the unfathomable unknowable universe above them, back to everything obscure, the big fascination.

'I want to talk to you about something.'

'Sounds serious.'

His fingers squeeze gently between hers. 'Look at me.'

She turns her head and her eyes rest on his, slowing everything down.

'I love you so much and I am so excited about our future together.'

'You don't sound excited.'

'I got a letter.'

Her eyes flicker wider, just for a moment, just enough that he knows she's nervous. 'Is it something serious?'

'Yes.' he hesitates. 'I got a scholarship at another college.'

She stills, then rolls her head back away. 'I didn't know you applied.'

'I didn't know I'd get in.'

She stays quiet.

'It's a full scholarship.' Her eyebrows lift, then slowly, like snowflakes reaching down to earth, they settle again.

'Fleur, I-'

'You should take it.' There isn't malice in her voice, it's just a statement.

Josh sits up, leans on his elbows and looks at her. 'Fleur. I want us to be together.'

Her blue eyes flicker back to him and a small smile settles on her lips. 'I can only imagine what this must mean for you. How happy you must have been.'

'I want us to stay together, Fleur. I still want our future. We can make this work.' He sits up and turns to her, takes her hands in his and gazes into her eyes. 'I want our life, our future, our white picket fence. I want our kids, one with your eyes and one with mine. I want to watch TV with you, and talk so much that we run out of things to say. We can do this. Will you do this with me? Long distance?'

A small tear gathers at the corner of her eye and falls, like a diamond from a sky. 'Yes. Of course I will.'