Chapter 9

Day 2. California University. West Hollywood

Bette pulled her jacket back on and stepped away from the desk where Tina was still perched. She sighed as she took a seat on the couch.

"So, we should talk" Bette laughed as she said the words they had both been repeating for the last few hours.

Tina grinned in response. She looked down at her disheveled clothes and pulled her tank top back down and ran a hand through her hair.

"Yeah"

Tina got down from the table and walked towards Bette, who visibly stiffened. Tina couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"I promise not to jump you again"

Bette blushed and relaxed, still cautious of what seemed to happen involuntarily when she got too close to the blonde. Tina sat down next to Bette and took her hand.

"I don’t know where this is going. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just know that there is something here that I have never felt before. I love Sam. I do. And I know she loves me. But it’s not the same and I know if I don’t give this a chance, I will regret it, and I don’t want that"

"Me too. And I know you have more to lose here. I know that your relationship with Sam is important and there is a commitment there. I didn’t mean to get in the way of that. But no-one has ever affected me the way you do, Tina. I don’t think I could be around you if I couldn’t touch you" Bette reached out to run her hand down Tina’s cheek.

"And Alice?"

"Alice… I meant what I said before, I was thinking about that before I ever met you. I love Alice – she’s one of my closest friends. But our relationship… isn’t… I don’t know, it just… we have fun, it’s impossible to not have fun with Al, but there isn’t anything more to it. It’s like we’re great friends who happen to sleep together sometimes… but she’s going to hate me when I tell her. And I don’t know how to do that. I don’t want to lose her friendship, I don’t want this to screw up the gang. But we’re just not right for each other."