Follow her.

The silence hangs heavy for a moment, then Hannah stands. She doesn't look at you, but her hand moves to your arm, gripping you lightly.

"Come on," she says. "There's somewhere we can be alone."

You follow her out of the kitchen, past the living room, toward the barn. Herschel's footsteps are heavy above you—still in his room, probably drinking. You know this route. You know where the loose boards are. You know where the shadows fall.

The barn door creaks as Hannah pushes it open, and the smell of hay and dust fills the air. She leads you toward the ladder, her fingers still on your arm.

"Come up to the hayloft with me," she says, looking back at you.

Her eyes are different now. Less sad. More... hungry.

"Oh... I'd like that very much," you say.

You climb first, pulling the ladder up after you. The hayloft is warm, golden with afternoon light filtering through cracks in the wood. Dust motes dance in the air.

She follows you up, her boots quiet on the wooden floor. She's breathing a little fast. You watch her as she approaches, the plaid shirt tied at her waist, the denim shorts hugging her thighs.

"Careful up here, farm boy," she says, her voice softer now. "You'll get me all flustered."

She reaches out, her fingers brushing the buttons on your shirt. You're already hard, already thinking about what she's doing. What she's asking.

"You're not scared of me," she whispers.

And you're not. You're not scared of anything anymore.

She steps closer, her body pressing against yours. The scent of her perfume is stronger now, mixed with the smell of the barn. You can feel her chest against your arm, her breath against your neck.

"I've never felt like this," she says. "Since before Herschel. Before anything."

Her hand moves to your chest, then lower. You can feel her pulse. You feel hers. You feel yours.

The world outside doesn't exist anymore. There's only the barn, the hay, the light, and her.

You lean in. She leans in.

And when your lips meet, you know this is it. This is the moment everything changes.

The ladder creaks below you. Herschel's voice starts to fade. And Hannah's hand finds your belt, her fingers working the buckle loose.