Rachel Green as Kaitlyn 'Kate' Hurst

+++

Kate looks up from her homework covering the kitchen table when the screen door clatters shut. "You okay?" She asks, looking over her boyfriend's flushed face. "What's wrong?"

"You're leavin'?" Morgan asks, his voice weak and airy. "I thought- I thought you's gonna go to school in Knoxville."

"Did you run here?" She asks as she watches his chest heave. "Morgan, we got another year 'fore we worry about college."

"Georgia?"

"They got the best music business school in the south." She says, rubbing her eyes under her glasses.

"Georgia." His voice is on the verge of cracking. "Georgia!? You can't go to Vanderbilt or Belmont or- or University of Tennessee!?"

"Morgan," She sighs, rubbing her eyes under her glasses. "It's just Georgia."

"Just Georgia? You're actin' like this is no big deal but it is!"

"Why can't you just be happy for me?" She stands from the table. "You know I worked my ass off to get into college, Morgan. You know that! Be happy for me!"

Morgan sighs. "You're right." He rubs his face. "Georgia? Really?"

"Yeah. You can come visit me, stay in my dorm over the weekend. Snag some food from the cafeteria." She says as she runs her hands over his chest. "And when I come home, I can crash with you like I do now."

Kate has a pretty lonely home life. Her parents are divorced and she primarily lives with her dad. He's always at work or on the road so she's usually alone. Her mom lives over in Johnson City and if she's lucky, she gets to see her once a month.

With her dad gone the majority of the time, she's either spending the night with Morgan or he's with her.

"It's in a couple years." Her hands move to the sides of his face. "We have until after graduation to worry 'bout this, okay?" He looks down and nods, letting out a heavy sigh. "So, once I'm done with my homework, you wanna get drunk and go bowling?"

+++

Kate beams as she rushes to her boyfriend, leaping into his arms. She wraps her limbs around him and kisses him hard.

Morgan sets her down and sighs. These are the last few months he has with her before she moves four hours away. He's been hiding his emotions really well since she told him but as that day gets closer and closer it just gets harder.

She can see the absent smile and she cups the side of his face. "Hey, come back." She teases. "Stay with me for three more months."

He forces a smile, gently wrapping his hand around her delicate wrist. "Sorry."

"Come on, heard everyone is goin' swimmin'." Kate grabs his hand and pulls him to his baby; a light blue and white 1970 Chevy C-10.

She strips down to her white dress and kicks her heels off, throwing her light brown hair into a messy bun. Morgan smiles over at her then starts his car up, grinning at the way it idles. He shifts into drive then they're rolling down to the outskirts of town to the frequented swimming hole.

+++

Morgan's up first.

He's standing on the side of the old trail trellis in his boxers, his ball cap still on his head. He shoots his closest guy friend, Ford, an ornery look and they leap off the tracks together, everyone cheers them follows.

Kate grips her closest girlfriend's, and future college roommate, hand tightly, squealing as they jump. Taylor gasps as she resurfaces, laughing when she's splashed by Ford. Morgan reaches over and pulls his girlfriend close, kissing her in that sweet way he does.

She smiles against his lips, his fingers raking through her soaked hair. They're broken apart by obnoxious whistles and cheers. Kate rolls her eyes playfully, pulling away from him.

Ford somehow snuck his way back up to the trellis, yelling loudly as he smacks his chest before diving into the water. He fails and ends up doing a belly smack. He winces sharply as he snaps his head back to get his too long brown hair out of his face.

"You dumbass." Taylor laughs, shaking her head. "This better be the best summer ever." She tells her friends. "Me and Kay are outta here in August so-"

"Oh, we'll make it a kick ass summer." Ford says. "Don't y'all fret."

Kate looks over at Morgan who is lost in his thoughts. She sighs to herself then splashes him. He gives her an 'I can't believe you did that' look and she giggles.

"Anyone got any weed?" She asks, looking between the three in front of her.

"I do." Ford says. "At home. My folks are outta town for the weekend so y'all can crash if needed."

"Sounds real good." Taylor says, looking over at the boy she frequently hooks up with.

The four wade their way out of the river and back up to Ford's parked Bronco. Morgan and Kate hop in the back and Taylor slides into the shotgun seat. Morgan had driven to Ford's house to carpool over to the river to make it easier.

Ford drives like a bat out of hell.

Kate has her fingers tight around Morgan's hand and her eyes squeezed shut. This is worse than when he drove them to Knoxville for a concert one night. She leans her head against the door frame, feeling woozy. She wishes she could lean against the door but Ford insisted on taking them off.

He finally pulls up to his house.

Kate and Morgan follow Taylor and Ford up to the empty house. Her fingers twist with his as he sits with her on the sagging plaid couch on the front porch. He throws his arm behind her, kicking his boot clad foot over his knee peeking out from his blue jeans.

Ford comes out to the porch with two blunts and a lighter. He sits next to Taylor on the bench swing and lights one, passing the other to his best friend with the red Bic. Morgan lights up, takes in a deep drag and holds the smoke in, passing the wrap to his girl.

Kate takes a drag and tilts her head back, her body relaxing. "So what're y'all boys gonna do now that y'all've graduated?"

"I start at my dad's construction company next week." Ford breathes out a cloud of smoke.

"I'm gonna keep workin' on my music." Morgan says. "Hope it'll take off."

"It will, Morgan." Kate nods then giggles. "I'm not doin' a damn thing this summer."

"Me neither." Taylor laughs. "We've got a couple trips planned before we ship off to Georgia."

Kate is the first one to fall asleep. She's got her head on Morgan's shoulder as she closes her eyes, her hand in his. He sits there as still as a rock so he doesn't disturb her. Ford shares a look with Taylor and they excuse themselves, heading into the house.

They've hooked up before; nothing surprising. Their chemistry is off the charts but they refuse to put labels on their relationship.

Kate has always felt so comfortable under Morgan's arm. She loves him and he loves her. They haven't told each other and they've been dating for years.

A few hours pass and Morgan's starting to get stiff. He nudges her arm gently. "Hey, wake up, Katie."

She hums and stretches her long legs out, her head throbbing. "What?"

"We gotta get home." He whispers, running his fingers through her hair. "C'mon." He stands first and cracks his back then takes her hand to guide her to her feet.

Kate yawns and follows him back to his Chevy, her eyelids heavy.

+++

"This is it, huh?" Ford asks as he stands in Taylor and Kate dorm room, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Long distance is gon' be hard but we can do it." Taylor says, bumping his chin with her hooked finger.

Morgan can't meet Katie's eye line. He had pulled the plug on their relationship the night before so she doesn't feel like she's tied down during college; the best years of her life as some would say. It was pretty rough but he's here to help them move in to their dorm.

"You take care of yourself, Morgan." Kate says in a soft voice.

"You too, Katie." He forces himself to say back.

Ford wraps his heavily inked arm around his best friend's shoulders as they leave the girls in their dorm.

Kate gives Taylor a misty eyed look and they both sigh heavily. Sure they still have each other but those boys- those boys are their rocks.

Things change over time.