It is dark outside. The full moon takes its domain, as a group of college students sit and talk about the size of the moon, its grace and its luminous presence. There are five students, two women, and three men, sitting on the stairs, and chatting away, quietly.

A student says, “ Hey. It is full moon. Look. Look”

“Oh yes. Gorgeous. Its puts you in the mood for love”, says, another.

“Love. What is that?” says another.

The darkness deepens.

Silence. Long silence.

Another student breaks the stillness. “Love is understanding the person you deeply care for, even if that person cheats you, whatever cheating means.”

Again, silence.

A woman’s voice pierces the night. “ You do not know what cheating means? Cheating means betraying trust, breaking the heart of the person who loves you, even if you are not married to that person

The other woman says, “ Wait a minute. No body is cheating anybody, in a relationship based on non-ownership. In a friendly love, cheating has no place. Everything is based on trust. It is an open relationship, in which a person is with another, because they trust each other.”

All the other four nod with the exception of the student for whom cheating is simply betrayal in any relationship, and whatever name we give it. Pensive, she says nothing.

The other woman continues, “ We have long dropped the B and G words. What we have now are friendly lovers. It is much easier to deal with what you call love.” She takes a deep breadth, as if she frees herself from heavy weight.

Everybody is still.

The quiet girl looks up at the moon and says to herself that she will not cheat on her boy friend in the marines, and that to her love is total commitment in a closed relationship framed by love.

Soon the others leave.

A cloud passes, briefly darkening the sky. Still, she looks up and patiently awaits the moonlight’s return. She wonders if her marine is looking up, too.