Chapter 4 – Home/ how they met 

Tina had been laying awake the entire night, twisting and turning, repeating what her friend and her friend’s girlfriend had said. Well, girlfriend? Tina didn’t even know Bette was dating Jodie. But that didn’t matter right now, did Bette love her? Of course she knew Bette loved her, she had been so kind and nice to Tina ever since the two of them had met in their college class room. Had Bette made a move on her then? 

12 years ago 

Bette was sitting on the right side of the classroom, somewhere in the middle, next to the window looking outside. She felt the end of summer rest on her face and heard other students laughing outside. She loved this feeling. She was a bit nervous for her next class. She took film history as extra credit thinking it could help her when she entered the art world. Definitely when mixed media had become the next big thing. She would take the course with first year film students who were three years younger than her, so she wasn’t planning on making friends. 

Surprisingly the class started to fill up, which Bette hadn’t expected considering they got a classroom and not an aula. But she knew this would dial down when the weeks would progress. Bette would definitely keep attending classes, her father already didn’t like the fact his daughter was doing something with art, so the least she could do was excel. 

15 minutes after class started there was a loud knock on the door, and it immediately opened after the knock and a kind voice said: ‘Sorry, I didn’t know it would be so loud, can I come in?’ 

Their professor had just waved at the right side of the classroom where a couple places were still vacant. Bette tried to not focus on the blonde walking straight towards her, but she did. 

The blonde took the seat next to her and took her stuff. Bette couldn’t quite grasp what the great smell was that was coming from the blonde, but it reminded her of fresh cut grass, the summer feeling, sunscreen and ice cream. The smell was life bearing. The blonde kept keeping stuff out of her bag, Bette was impressed by how much had been in the blonde’s tote bag. 

Chapter 3  

Gallery 

Bette was woken up by a phone ringing, but it couldn’t be hers because she didn’t immediately recognise the sound. Soon she realized it was the sound of a live performance of Springsteens’ The River, one of the blonde’s favorite songs. 

‘T. Your phone’ Bette said half asleep half annoyed someone woke her up. Tina moved her arm from Bette, which let out an annoyed grown out of the Brunette, who was suddenly wide awake hoping her friend didn’t just hear her annoyance. 

‘Hey Baby’ Tina said, all happy. 

Bette turned towards the blonde, looking at how the blonde smiled when she talked to her boyfriend. 

‘O.. Well, you left with the car, and I knew you’d be drunk so I stayed at Bette’s. …. No, baby, I know you only drink when you’re out with friends…. No, don’t worry, I still love you.’ Tina looked at Bette smiling, shaking her head trying to say ‘hear this guy’. Bette raised her eyebrows nodding her head, but trying to stop herself from vomiting. 

‘OH No baby, I’m staying with Bette today, she needs me for something…’ Bette looked at her friend with a questioning look.  ‘It’s nothing’ Tina said quietly. 

‘Yes baby, I will…. Baby, Bette’s sitting right next to me I can’t say that’ she giggled. ‘Okay, well I’ve got to go now. Okay… Love you’

‘God he’s so strange sometimes’ Tina said to Bette. 

Bette got up and walked to the bathroom. She turned the shower on and undressed. Tina walked in and grabbed Bette’s toothbrush and started to brush her teeth. 

‘T, I have a spare in the cupboard,’ Bette said, trying to hide after the condensation on her shower glass. 

‘O grow up B, I’ve used your toothbrush ever since college’

‘You did what?’ Bette said, poking her head out of the shower. 

Tina turned around with a big grin on her face. 

‘Come on it doesn’t matter’ 

‘Yes T, it’s nasty’ Bette replied 

Tina walked towards Bette, ‘come on, it’s just as if we’d kiss. Your gay-ass would love to kiss me’ she said, winking at the brunette, who still had her head poking out of the shower. 

‘Well hurry up, stinky, I’m in the mood to go out.’ The blonde said, turning around and heading out the door. 

Chapter 2

When they arrived at Bette’s place, Tina got out quickly and practically ran to the front door. 

‘Hurry up slow pants I need to pee.’ Tina yelled to Bette. Bette slowly walked to her front door. 

‘You know I hate you’ Tina said, now standing super close to Bette. ‘I know’ Bette replied. She unlocked her door and Tina ran inside straight to the bathroom. Bette settled down on her sofa and when Tina came back she stood in front of Bette. 

‘Move’ Tina said. 

‘T, the rest of the sofa is free, and there’s another sofa right over there.’ 

‘No, you know what I mean, move so I can sit in your lap.’ 

Bette moved to the side, opening her legs so the blonde could lay between her legs and rested her head on the brunette’s chest. She then took the brunette’s hand and laid it on her head, so she could caress her. Bette smiled at the way the blonde had made herself comfortable, like she did when they were back in college sharing a dorm. 

After about half an hour Tina turned around so now her front was pressed to Bette’s front. Bette tried to stay calm and couldn’t fathom that the blonde never seemed to realize that her friend was gay and this definitely did something to her. She looked up while Bette looked down wondering why Tina had turned around. 

‘Bette’ Tina whispered. 

Tina took the remote and shut the TV down. 

Bette straightened her back knowing Tina only shut the TV down when she was saying something serious. 

‘You’re my best friend right?’ 

‘Yes’ Bette said 

‘And I am yours?’ 

Bette smiled 

‘You know that T’ 

‘Well, then..’

Tina stayed quiet. 

‘Well, then what?’ Bette asked

‘Why do we never talk about sex?’ Tina asked. 

‘We never what?” asked Bette, the blonde was so quiet she couldn’t hear what she had said. 

”We never talk about sex,” the blonde repeated, louder this time. Making it sound like something offensive. 

‘We’ve talked about sex.’ Bette said, nervously 

‘No we have never, why don’t we?’ 

     Because I don’t want to picture you sleeping with anyone Bette thought 

‘I mean, I’m your best friend, and I had no idea you were sleeping with Jodie, I don’t even know what makes you wet.’ Tina said

*Setting: the group of girls: Bette, Alice, Shane, Dana, Helena and Carmen are sitting in The Planet waiting on the couples: Jenny and Tim and Tina and Henry.*

*EVENING*

‘So Alice, when is Tasha coming back?’ Dana asked. 

The group watched Dana as she asked the question and all started nodding their heads. Knowing the subject ‘Tasha’ was off limits. 

‘DANA! I told you I didn’t want to talk about her, she left. That’s it. We’re done.’ 

Dana raised her eyebrows and took a sip of her Gin and Tonics. 

‘Yeez, fine Al. Remind me to never ask you about your life again.’ 

Before Alice could answer back Jenny and Tim walked in. 

‘Hey guys’ Tim said and sat down next to Bette to give his neighbor a kiss on the cheek. 

‘Guys, they’re at it again.’ Jenny said. 

‘What? Again?’ Carmen asked

‘Yeah, they’re in their car screaming at each other, and I don’t think they know we can hear them.’ Jenny said.

‘Well, someone has to talk to Tina about Henry. Why does she stay with him? They’re fighting constantly.’ Dana said

‘Well, she loves him, Dane.’ Alice said. 

‘Yeah, and they can be really good together as well.’ Shane added. 

‘Well, I think we have to talk to her. Bette why don’t you do it?’ Dana looked at her.

Bette could feel her irritation swell. She hated talking about Tina, when it had anything to do with Tina’s love life, knowing that she wasn’t part of it. Not alone was Tina in love with someone else, she fell in love with men. The one thing Bette couldn’t compete with. 

‘Why me?’ Bette said, trying to sound casual. 

‘Well, you guys are best friends.’

”We’re all close,” Bette replied.

‘Yeah, we are, but you two have always been like, joined to the hip or something. Where you go she is, vice versa. She’ll take it when you tell her, I don’t think she’ll want to listen if we tell her.’ 

‘Yeah, that’s true. But will she listen to her best friend that has never been in a relationship?’ Helena said. 

‘HEY’ Bette said, giving Helena a push with her elbow.’ 

‘Well Bette’ Alice laughed. 

‘Well what?’ Bette asked Alice

‘Well, you fuck. You don’t love.’ Alice said with a shy grin, looking at her friends to back her up on what she was saying.