"She isn’t paying attention. That’s my fault." Bianca chides
herself, "I should just go and leave her alone."

`You could do that, but shouldn’t you at least try to make it right?’

"I don’t know how. I don’t want to pull her out of class. I’ll just
wait. She’ll come out when class is over." Bianca stands just
watching Maggie through the window as the rain washes over her. She
is oblivious to the cold she should be shivering in. Reflexively,
her body still shivers; her teeth still chatter, and her skin still
chills.

"Maggie?" the other girl in her group ventures.

"Yeah?" Maggie looks back up at her.

"I’m not sure, but I think…um…isn’t that your friend out there in the
rain?"

"What?" Maggie asks even though she heard her.

"That woman out there in the rain…isn’t that your friend that you
argued with earlier?" she points out the window.

"Can’t be," Maggie slowly turns her head toward the window, "She’s
smart enough not to be out in the….oh my God, Bean!" Maggie looks
out the window seeing Bianca drenched for the first time.

"I told you." The girl stated.

"I…um…I have to…" Maggie stutters grabbing her coat off the chair.

"Yeah…go…I’ll e mail you the notes." The girl offers.

"Thanks." She turns to the door, "My god, Bean…you’re going to catch
cold." She mutters to herself on her way outside.

Maggie hits the exit door and runs out toward Bianca, who by now is
off in her own world and hasn’t noticed Maggie’s absence from the
room until the other woman is right in front of her.

"Bianca Montgomery, what in the ***** are you doing out here?!?!"
Maggie scolds her friend throwing her own dry coat over her, "How
long have you been out in this rain?"

"L-long…I…not s-sure…" Bianca stutters.

"That’s too long. Come on. We need to get you dry." Maggie starts
to lead Bianca toward the building.

"No…I…have to…have to…" Bianca stops walking and looks at Maggie, "I
don’t have…anything to off-offer except…." She shivers.

"Bianca, tell me inside…come on." Maggie tries to pull her toward
the building again.

"NO! I…I’m sorry, b-but that is-isn’t enough…I only have…m-myself
to….I…Maggie, I love you…it isn’t enough…I know…but…I love you so
much…" Bianca stammers out as she pulls Maggie to her and lightly
attempts to kiss her, but her lips barely make contact because they
are shivering so much.