As he stared across the restaurant at her, he quickly realized Hetty was nervous and remembered how uncomfortable she used to be in social situations. Without thinking, he jumped up and floated towards her, reminding himself each step of the way not to hug her, not to kiss her and not to touch her.

"Hey, you're here! This way." He put his hand lightly on her shoulder and it burned like fire. Ryan led Hetty to the table where several co-workers waved and greeted her warmly. She deposited her tiny purse and sunglasses onto the chair Ryan had saved for her, then headed to order a drink at the bar. Ryan followed.

"What would you like?" he asked.

"It's okay, Ryan, I'll get my own drink." Her demeanor was firm, almost harsh sounding. Ryan laughed nervously.

"Come on, just let me buy you a drink. It's no big deal." He leaned against the bar counter in a posture of confidence and gazed openly at her.

"Ryan, please." She lowered her voice. "You have to back off." There was no hint of a smile this time, no flirtation behind her words. His body felt cold.

"Okay," was all he could think to say. Ryan ordered a Corona for himself and headed to the table alone.

Hetty returned a couple minutes later with a strawberry margarita. Jason struck up a conversation from two chairs down.

"I heard you're engaged - congratulations!" Hetty shot a look at Ryan, and Ryan glared at Jason with the stare of death.

"Thank you," Hetty replied with the tiniest bit of sass behind her pleasant tone. Ryan knew that when she was angry, she became more confident.

"Is your fiancé planning to come by for karaoke tonight?" asked Tiffany. Ryan was just now noticing that Melissa, their principal, was sitting directly across from them and was now looking their direction. Fantastic.

"Nope, he's been out of town this week and won't be home until tomorrow."

"That's probably for the best," responded Jason. "He doesn't want to spend time with the likes of us crazies!"

"Crazy Walnut Grove teachers," chimed in Eddy.

"Walnut Grove!" Jason called out in a goofy sing-song voice, raising his arm above his head and pumping his fist exaggeratedly in the air. "Salud for another spectacular school year!"

Hetty snorted out a small laugh, eyebrows raised in amusement, and Ryan made a dramatic face palm.

Ryan was quiet for a while, still somewhat stricken by her earlier tone. He boyishly twirled a coaster on the table as he watched Hetty sip her pink margarita out of the corner of his eye. Finally, he spoke up to say, very softy, "Where's your ring?"

"What?" asked Hetty, with a bit of snap in her voice.

"Your engagement ring."

"It's being re-sized," she responded without pausing, sounding irritated, condescending and other tones that were completely uncharacteristic.

Two employees were setting up the microphones and sound equipment for karaoke. Ryan considered leaving, but sitting this close to Hetty was like a drug to him, and he knew very well he wouldn't be able to extract himself from this situation.

After a bit, Mariana arrived with her bright smile and carefree energy. Hetty waved her over, and they made space at the table to squeeze in another chair. Hetty attempted to slide away from Ryan, but he scooted over exaggeratedly, practically dragged Hetty in her chair towards him and then pushed in a new chair for Mariana. Hetty glared at him for the second or third time that evening.

"I will go grab a drink," exclaimed Mariana brightly.

"I'll go with you," said Hetty quickly, standing up to follow her.

"She seems pissed at you," Jason leaned in and declared, in what was supposed to be a soft voice, though it still boomed much louder than a normal person's speech.

"Can we drop it," Ryan requested dryly, without the intonation of a question.

Hetty returned a few minutes later with a blue drink. Ryan stared at her, remembering the one and only time they drank together - in Hawaii - which was Hetty's first time tasting alcohol. They had shared this exact same drink. In Ryan's current state, drunk off two beers and dizzy nostalgia, her beverage choice felt more momentous than it actually was.

"What is that?" Ryan asked her. Hetty squinted her eyes at him, and he saw them soften towards him for the first time that evening. He suspected, though didn't dare believe, that she too remembered quite well sharing a blue drink decorated with maraschino cherries and a tiny yellow umbrella, in a fancy hotel swimming pool, eight years ago.

"You don't stop, do you?" she asked quietly, looking down and trying to hide the smile forming in the corner of her lips.

"I'm trying to," Ryan said, almost too earnestly. Their eyes met.

Watching her suck down the exotic blue liquid from her straw, Ryan caught Hetty looking amused - joyful. His stomach fluttered with stubborn hope. What was her fiancé like? he wondered. Half of him supposed he must be a really good man, if she had accepted a proposal. Hetty had impeccable judgment of people, as well as high standards. She may be reserved and prone to nervousness, but she valued herself and was internally confident.

On the other hand, his brain buzzed with remnants of their past two days together. How she didn't move away when he leaned over to write in her notebook; the way she touched his arm to get his attention; the length of her eye contact. The electric energy between their limbs as they sat inches away at the piano, music swallowing them.

"Do you want something to eat?" He asked Hetty.

"Seriously?" she shot back, pretending to be indignant but barely able to hold in a laugh.

"Oh, right!" Ryan slapped his forehead with his hand, acting as though he had forgotten she'd told him to back off.

"Well, I'm starving." He ordered nachos, and soon they were both eating from the large plate. Ryan didn't know who scooted whose chair closer, but their proximity had definitely been adjusted at some point in the evening. Hetty caught him staring at her turquoise Hawaiian drink with a dazed expression and flashed him a ruthless look. He imagined her imagining what he might be thinking about and blushed.

He felt Hetty kick his foot under the table, rather hard.

"Hey! What the..." he reacted out of surprise and amusement.

Hetty pushed her drink towards him, slightly, looking up into his face.

"Hmh," he let out a chuckle and took a sip, drenching his insides in exhilarating nostalgia. The taste of coconut burned his throat with memories so sweet and so hot that he was immediately aroused.

The karaoke was getting started.

"Go put your name down," she ordered him. He liked bossy Hetty. This was a new side to her that Ryan wasn't familiar with.

"I already did," he replied calmly, smiling.

"Oh."

"Do you want another drink?"

"Mmm," she laughed, shaking her head. Ryan got up to use the restroom.

Upon returning, he saw that several of his co-workers were on the dance floor. Crooning, sexy notes of "Mariposa Traicionera" reverberated through his jittery stomach, which was on fire with irrational expectations. He half-walked, half-danced over to Hetty's chair and held out his hand for her, fully expecting her to reject it.

She shocked him by taking his hand and standing up. They glided to the dance area, laughing and almost pulling off a vibe of friends being silly together.

They were totally in sync with each other; their every movement fit together. Her hand was a precious gem in his, and he couldn't get enough of the sensation of their skin together. Ryan twirled her gently as she followed his guidance gracefully. It was a surprise to him that Hetty was comfortable dancing, or maybe she was just comfortable dancing with him.

As they continued swaying to the music, Ryan clasped his hand around hers like he had missed her for eight years. His palm on her lower back was gentle and urgent, his fingers pressing into her like he couldn't get enough.

Halfway through the song, Ryan brought her body closer to his. He lost himself in her overwhelming presence, in the scent of her hair, in the electric energy pulsing between them. Ryan could feel himself getting aroused as their bodies moved together, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His mind went blank beyond the tingling of alcohol and happiness mixed together.

When the song ended, he happened to glance over at the table where several of their colleagues still sat. He realized that many of them appeared to be staring. Hetty had evidently noticed as well, because she looked immediately nauseous. She quickly made her way to the restroom, and Ryan felt reality crashing into his stomach.

Tiffany intercepted Ryan on his way to sit down.

"Up for more dancing?" she asked eagerly. Tiffany was a beautiful girl - big bright eyes, smooth skin, long red hair now pulled into a cute pony tail. But Ryan saw right through her like cellophane.

"Uh, sure - maybe in a little bit. I'm gonna to run to the bathroom." Feeling like an asshole, he fled the scene towards the men's room, forgetting that he had literally just returned from there four minutes ago.

On her way out of the restroom, Hetty crashed into Ryan, who grabbed her gently around the waist to steady her. Hetty backed away forcefully.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked, concerned. He re-noticed for the second time today that she was wearing eye-liner. The edgier look drove him totally crazy.

"No," she replied. "We can't do this. It's not right. Please, I told you to back off, Ryan."

He felt a twinge of anger rise from his chest into his throat.

"Well, give yourself the same advice then," he snapped. It was probably the first and only time he had ever snapped at her.

"I just did!" she replied, her tone earnest.

God damn it, this girl. She didn't even try to get defensive. How could he be angry with that?

"Look," Hetty continued, lowering her voice. She was flushed and beautiful. "It's not like I feel nothing towards you, okay? But that doesn't change the fact that, until three days ago, I was in a happy, healthy relationship and head-over-heals excited to be newly engaged to my boyfriend of one-and-a-half years."

Ryan paused. "When did you get engaged?" he asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

"Less than two weeks ago," she whispered forcefully. Hetty stepped away from him and rushed off. Ryan stood motionless for several seconds, then began walking back to their table on shaky legs. He crossed paths with Melissa on the way, feeling like the biggest fool on the planet.

A tall and slender Latino man dressed all in black, including a black cowboy hat, was calling Ryan's name for his karaoke turn. Without giving it much thought, Ryan took his place at the mic. He sang "Hey, Soul Sister," by Train, taking laborious care to avoid looking Hetty's way throughout the song. Ryan sang impeccably, electrifying the entire restaurant.

He plopped back down in his seat, feeling restless and itchy and annoyed. Hetty sighed, rolling her eyes as if sitting next to him were a tremendous burden.

"You know, you can leave if you want to. You don't have to stay here," Ryan told her under his breath with a great deal of attitude.

"You want me to leave?" she retorted.

"I'm just saying - if you're so irritated with me, you don't have to stay here."

"I don't think I should drive right now. Besides, you're the one who practically dragged my chair next to yours earlier."

Not sure what to say or do, Ryan got up to order another beer - his fourth. He didn't often have more than two or three drinks these days.

As if out of spite, Hetty went back to the bar once he returned, this time bringing back a mango margarita. Ryan felt the tension between them rising unpredictably and was relieved to realize their principal had already left.

By now, they were hardly the only ones in the group who were intoxicated. Jason, Eddy, Tiffany and several others danced raucously to "Cupid Shuffle" in between karaoke performances. Ryan wondered vaguely how Hetty planned to get home. The Walnut Grove staff always looked out for each other, and he knew those who hadn't drank much would ensure the others made it home safely - including himself.

He made eye contact with Tiffany as she returned to take a sip of her margarita. "Ready to dance?" she asked him, clearly undiscouraged by his earlier rejection.

"Yeah, for sure," he replied. He stood up, and she grabbed his arm to lead him confidently to the dance floor. She moved her body in carefree and flirtatious rhythms, and Ryan found himself enjoying it. He put his hands lightly on her waist, his fingers gentle and feathery.

As the song ended, he smiled flirtatiously towards Tiffany, who sort of pressed her body briefly into him and touched his chest for an instant. Separating from Tiffany, he looked compulsively towards Hetty, who appeared to be glowering at him. He wasn't actually at all sure of her facial expression, but his alcohol-soaked brain conveniently interpreted her emotions to support the fairy tale playing erratically in his imagination.

As he slumped back down in his chair, Hetty poured her deep green eyes into his without a hint as to her emotion - no smile, no scowl - just pure, blinding, piercing green. What the fuck?

At that moment, Ryan's name came on the karaoke screen again. "Amazed," Lonestar.

Shit. He had completely forgotten that he'd put in another request earlier. Shooting an alarmed glance at Hetty, he saw her mouth part involuntarily. He was sitting close enough to see her breaths catching, moving in and out of her chest like splintering wood. His heart dropped to his feet, emotions pumping out of control through his alcohol-saturated blood.

He had sung this song to her at a school campfire event, a couple weeks before they had officially become boyfriend and girlfriend. He recalled sloppily wiping away tears with the back of his hand as he left the mic stand. The sensation of Hetty wiping away his residual tears as he sat back down next to her on an old red picnic blanket was permanently engraved in his memory.

Ryan looked at her guiltily as his name and song were announced.

"I'm sorry, I signed up... you know, before you told me... you know, the second time... to knock it off." He felt like a rambling idiot. Ryan had always tried to be so good for her.

"Go on," she urged, when he didn't move to stand up. Her face was soft again. "Please," she added. It was the third time she had said please to him tonight. They all conveyed a very different message. He was confused and realized she must be, too. Which registered, once again, as a sick sort of hope burning in his stomach.

Ryan sang, his love cascading out with every lyric and note. There was no way it wasn't already painfully obvious to Hetty that he was still madly into her. He had never been able to hide his feelings; they poured out uncontrollably like sugar from a busted bag, impossible to reign in or collect again.

Upon finishing, he tripped over the microphone chord and flew about three feet in the air, landed on his feet and kept walking, glaring over his shoulder at the inanimate object. Hetty burst into laughter.

Ryan sat down with her, unable to interpret her expression. All he knew was that she was glowing. He leaned his leg into hers under the table, pretending he wasn't aware he was doing it, and she didn't pull away. After a couple minutes, he moved his leg off hers before she yelled at him again. Breaking the contact nearly killed him.

Ryan ran through a host of ridiculous scenarios in his mind, each one ending with bringing Hetty back to his apartment. They had never had sex, and making love to her was all he could think about. But even in his drunken state, he understood quite well that such an end to the night would have been the nail in his coffin.

At 9:00pm, which felt like 2:00am, Ryan opened Mariana's passenger door for Hetty, enveloped her body in a feverish hug and stuffed his I love you deep down where it couldn't escape.