Liz – sorry but that’s the way it goes…but I’ll post as fast as i can!

Cfone – thanks Yeah they’re my favorite. and the 5* are making my shoulders hurt….you know supporting this swollen hea dof mine.

BVHall- oh no my sweet…I stopped at just the right time…because if I had kept going it would have been all bs..you gott know when to hold….

Janet M – Ahhh yes the storm….mwuah ha ha ha :: rubs hands together and pushes the giant red button::

Aceofhearts – no no no you can guess anytime…my aim is iventinkle (don’t ask) i flipped cause I really thought no one would get it…but I see you’ve been taking some of Jm’s “how to stay ahead of the story’ classes! oh and the padre….he’s just the man!

Lwordjunkie…my italian is horrible…i was in milan this summer and i spent 3 weeks in greece with a bunch of Italians at my hotel…I spoke spanish and we just translated til we found something in the middle together…i cheated on the chapter….babelfish.com


The song for today class is…”Close To ME” By The Get Up Kids (its a Cure cover)

Chapter 14

Love is the irresistible desire to be desired irresistibly. – Louis Ginsberg

Shane entered the bathroom and walked over to the sink. She rubbed her bottom lip with her two fingers while she tucked the thumb of her other hand into the front of her pants. She stood staring at the floor.

Tina came rushing through the front door of the planet dragging Dana with her. They were still in sweats from their spinning class and Tina was talking on her cell with Bette who was sitting in front of her. When they realized they were both talking on their phones while looking at each other, they hung up and Tina settled into a seat….well the edge of her seat at least.

Dana pulled over what was blatantly Shanes chair and sat down without bothering to say hello to Bette or Alice. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms making sure that if anyone actually paid attention to her, theyd know she was pissed.

Tina: Are you guys for real about this? Isnt that magazine nothing but paparazzi photos and gossip?

Alice: Tina its on the FRONT PAGE!

Kit and Ivan walked into the Planet arm in arm and spotted the table of frazzled women instantly. Kit made her way over while Ivan went to order their drinks.

Shane continued to stare at the floor tiles as she crossed her arms and put her chin in her hand.

Shane: Alice and I definitely need to talk about this. How do I even start that conversation? Hey Al last night was great but I dont want anyone to know because it will be a group relationship instead of just you and I……. WOAH ! DID I really just figure that out in the first try? (Shane said out loud) Shes gonna think youre playin her or that you are ashamed to be tied down by her. Get a grip Shane….***** theres too many ***** things running through my head right now….it seemed so much easier before when I just tried to fight the silence…

Shane looked up at herself in the mirror. She couldnt help but laugh at herself. Alice was right, she looked like a little kid when she was thinking hard about something. She walked over to the sink and began splashing water on her face.

Ivan approached the table and saw the three woman reading an article from the magazine at the same time. As Alice finished one page she would tare it out and hand it to Bette, who read it while Tina sat in her lap sharing. Kit was next to receive the fascinating bits of information, which led to a pile that fell in front of the obviously uninterested Dana.

Ivan: Uhm…Dana..you ok?

The three women stopped briefly to see what her problem was and when they saw her sorry excuse for a temper tantrum they went back to their investigation at hand.

Ivan: Did I miss something?

Kit: Yeah sugar…lets just say the ***** has hit the fan! Ivan pulled up a chair while Kit gave Ivan a blow by blow, all the while getting huffs and extreme eye rolls from Dana.

Dana: Look this is ridiculous….She Ditched ALL of us…well except for the extraordinary Bette Porter…and in less then 24 hours her ***** starts up again and were all supposed to drop our lives and fix it? SHE did this, not us, (Dane jammed her finger into the pile)…Why are you guys so quick to just act like nothing happened? If we meant that much to her she would have told us about Cheri instead of us finding out through the rumor mill, and she wouldnt have cut us off like we were nothing.

Everyone sat completely still staring at Dana in shock…She had never really flipped out on any of them before. The anger in her eyes told them Shane had cut her pretty deep when she refused to see Dana.

Shane exited the bathroom a little less freaked after the positive feedback she received from…herself. She walked over to Marina at the counter for another shot. She noticed that Marina was staring intently at the table she was sharing with Alice. Shane looked up to see that her table had grown severely since her escape to the bathroom.

Shane: ***** ME! I cant win can I. Man what is going on with Dana…. She must be pissed at someone…Damn, I bet shes pissed cause she knows Im in the bathroom. Hey Marina, whats going on with them?

Marina: Shane! Itz so good to see you.

Marina leaned over the counter and gave her a big hug.

Marina: I was getting so worried about you…but zhenny told me as long as the food disappear we would know you were ok.

Shane laughed.

Marina: Although I can tell my attempts to thicken you up didnt work.

Marina looked back over at the table.

Marina: I dont know Shane, Bette showed up in a panic then Tina dragged Dana in and Kit and Ivan were soon to follow….but it must be something big, because Kit said the ***** had hit the fan…and now Dana is on a tirade about someone who did all of them wrong.

Shane sunk down and buried her head in her hands on the counter.

Shane: Damn you Alice! I swear that woman drives me crazy .

A weak smile came across Shanes face as she thought about what she had just said.

Shane: Yeah she definitely drives me crazy.

She thought as she looked back at the group, who all snapped their heads down trying to pretend they werent staring at her.


Ivan: Hey guys…Shanes back from the bathroom….are you sure she doesnt know about it cause shes not looking too good.

The Group looked up to see Shane talking to Marina. She looked pale and nervous. She suddenly sunk into the counter.

Bette: No she doesnt know…she would have told me.

Alice shot Bette a look that would have told jealousy to ***** off.

Bette: What?!?! Im sorry Al but its the truth, she would have…Things have changed guys and its time we all grew up…this grade school bullshit of laying claims to who can and cant be best friends thing is getting petty. Were close…and there are things we talk about…She doesnt know.

Kit: Well then Professor Porter, What is going on in Shane 101 today? Cause she looks like her world is gonna fall apart again…and the last thing we need is…

Bette: Dont go there! Shes not gonna…

Alice: Its not gonna happen again…she swore….look, now that weve all been there…. it just…we would know what to look for now, and thats not it…I think she knows now that we can handle anything that goes on with her…I know I can…..

Alice looked up at Shane who had a pitiful attempt at a smile on her face while talking to Marina.

Alice: ***** ME! She must have told Marina! I really didnt want to tell anyone yet. I wanted her to be my little secret. Having the whole gang know is too much pressure….theyre not friends there family and its like when your boyfriend knows your whole family its like hes dating all of them…this is too much.

Tina: Al…hun you ok?

Alice: Yeah I was just thinking about….Shane.

Tina: You think she wouldnt be able to handle it if we told her?

Alice looked over at Bette. Her eyes were silently pleading with her. Bette could see that there was something there. There must be more to it, because Shane would want to know right away.

Bette: No Lets hold off until we know its true.

Alice looked over at Bette and mouthed a silent Thank you.

They all looked up at Shane who turned around at the counter. All of their heads snapped down as they pretended to be doing anything other then the task at hand.

Shane walked over to the group as they all discarded the remnants of the magazine article. Shane walked over to the table noticing the lack of eye contact. She stood there for a moment…hoping someone would say something. She reached over and yanked her jean jacket off of the back of the chair that Dana had occupied in her absence.

Dane scalded her and leaned forward ready for a verbal confrontation, but Shane turned her back before she could say anything.

Shane turned to walk away from the table.

Alice: Where are you going?

Shane: Somewhere Im wanted…

Bette: Shane…..

Shane placed her hand over Bettes. She leaned over and place a peck on Alices forehead.

Shane: No worries…its not like I wanted it to work anyway.

Dana threw both hands in the air

Dana: Whatd I say!

Shane looked at Dana…not with anger but with guilt. Dana read her face and her arms slowly sunk back to her side. She knew Shane was just trying to cut her loses based on the look on her face.

Shane turned to leave but Bette squeezed her hand.

Bette: Shane its not like that…

Shane: Maybe it should be…Im fine really, Ive got class.

Shane walked out leaving them all sitting there in silence.

Dana: So what shes saying we dont have class.

Bette smirked to herself, knowing that Shane was teaching class that evening.

Ivan: Well we were just sitting here talking about her, and whenever you guys gossip, shes the first one to say she doesnt want to get involved.

They all sat back absorbing Ivans honesty.

Alice: No there was more there….she said it wouldnt have worked…she meant us. What the ***** was that…did she just dump me before we were even a WE…and she did it in front of everyone! And what does I didnt want it to work mean?

Just then a man in his early twenties runs into the planet and talks with Marina. Marina shakes her head no and points to the table. The man hurries over out of breath.

Man: Ok which one of you is Shane McCutcheon?

Kit: Depends on who wants to know

Man: Look Ive been trying to track this woman around town all morning. Ive been trying to deliver a package to her.

Bette: What type of package.

Man: I was given specific instructions to deliver this to Ms. McCutcheon by noon…its not my fault, Ive been to five different places looking for her. I even went to the supermarket!

Alice: Howd he know we were there? Im Shane, what do you have to give me?

Man: Why couldnt you just say…

Alice: I dont know who the ***** you are you could have been serving me with papers.

Man: Here…the damn things been going off every fifteen minutes for the past hour and a half.

The man tossed a chrome briefcase on the table. All of the women (and Ivan) stared at it as if it were a bomb.

Man: Your welcome! God…

He stormed out of the Planet leaving the women speechless.

Kit: What do you think it is?

Alice: I dont know.

Alice picked it up and shook it by her ear. When she placed it back on the table Bette snatched it up. Bette grabbed her things to go and tucked the chrome briefcase under her arm.

Everyone: Hey!

Bette: Shed kill you…besides I know where she is so Ill just drop it off.

Bette turned on her heels matter-of-factly leaving them all sulking.

Dana: I dont know why yall got your hopes up….finding out something about Shane is like…

Alice : Oh ***** off Dane!