CHAPTER NINETEEN: Predator and Prey

"So.."

"Hmm?"

"So.."

"So what?"

"So what happened?"

"What happened when?"

"Stop playing dumb with me Porter.."

"I’m not. Stop being vague Alice."

"Fine. If you want clear questions, I’ll go direct to the point.. what happened between you and Kennard last night?"

"Last night?"

"Yeah, last night. After you guys left the party.."

"Oh.. nothing."

"Nothing? I don’t believe you."

"I just took her home Al.."

"That’s it? No goodbye kisses or anything?"

"Nope."

"Not even a hug?"

"Negative."

"But why..? Don’t tell me you’re getting slow Porter.."

"Slow? Please. During the party.. I got to hold her hand, dance with her and grab her ass. That’s progress. I did plenty in one night Al."

"Yeah yeah.. so you were a little touchy-feely. But no kiss? That’s.. pathetic."

"It’s not. Kennard and I are semi-sorta-friends, Alice. I can’t jump in and kiss her just like that you know.."

"But you want to right?

"Of course I do."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"What do you mean?"

"You’ve got one foot in the door Porter. Why not take it into another level entirely and ask her out on a date?"

"A date? A friendly date?"

"No stupid. A date date."

"Oh.. umm.. okay.."

"Excellent. Now all you’ve got to do is ask her out.."

"Okay.."

"Good luck."

"Umm.. Al.."

"Yeah?"

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Ask people out on a date.."

"Whaaaatttt?! You’re kidding right?"

"No.."

"Oh fuck my mother..!"

———————————

Inside Bette Porter’s personal chambers, the members of F4 sat around the square mahogany dining table surrounded by food. It was ten in the morning and the four childhood friends were having their traditional Saturday brunch. From an outsider’s point of view, it looked like another typical gathering between the four – just friends enjoying each other’s company whilst sharing a good meal. What made the whole thing very peculiar was the fact that the normally rowdy and bantering teens were completely enveloped in eerie and mind-numbing silence. No one uttered a word.. but their eyes discreetly danced around the other figures sitting beside them as if they were all waiting for someone to take a stand and break the peace. It had been that way for ten uncomfortable minutes now and it wasn’t long before a brave soul finally dared to speak up..