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it could make anyone feel extremely special for being the one

to have produced such an expression. Or maybe I just think

that because she’s sitting here and basically telling me that she

was maybe interested in me way before she said anything. No,

I know she was. She did say that. Kind of. “I don’t know!

There are too many good ones. Having a favorite would feel

like I was being unfaithful to the others.”

“You know that I like science fiction. I also like

fantasy and adventure. Sometimes I read true crime.

Sometimes a good murder mystery.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“How is your class going? It’s going to be done in a

few weeks, I’d imagine.”

She nods, coming back to life. Her eyes aren’t

sparkling because of the overhead light. God, I wonder if she

has any idea how freaking inspirational she is? I don’t know a

single person who loves their job like she does. I think she has

this natural flare for making people feel more alive when

they’re with her. If I told her that, she’d probably laugh at me

and ask me what the heck I was talking about. I don’t think

people who are the most alive, a burning bright light for the

rest of us stumbling around in the murky dark or that gray

sludge of evening, really know that they’re shining any

brighter than anyone else. I think they’re usually searching for

that light themselves. Like they can’t see or understand their

own.

“It’s almost over, then regular classes start up. I love

summer classes because they might be intense, but they’re also

toned down, if that makes sense. It’s a more casual