“Alice, Gabby’s a bitch.  You’re not.  You deserve to be with someone who’s NOT a bitch and wants to be with you and won’t go hooking up with multiple other people while you look on.”

“Yea.  Maybe I’m just too fucked up for serious relationships.”  Alice said thoughtfully.

“Well, you already know what I think about your mental state.”  Bette said with a smirk.  “However, I would like to point out that in all of your relationships you weren’t the one to fuck it up.  Surprisingly, you were actually a good girlfriend to those guys and girls.  So stop feeling sorry for yourself and get off your ass.  You’re supposed to be doing work.  Or have you already forgotten that your first articles are due in at the end of the week?”

Alice gave Bette a funny look.

“It’s Tuesday.  Of all people you should know that procrastination is one of my best talents.”

“True, but I was thinking that now would be a perfect time to begin gathering some data, possibly securing an interview with a certain student-athlete.  One who happens to be the captain of the sport you are now covering.”  Bette smirked as she watched Alice grasp at last what she’d been trying to hint at.

Alice’s attitude and body language did a complete 180 as her thoughts turned to Dana Fairbanks.  Gone was the morose, dejected Alice and in her place was the crazy Alice nearly everyone at school saw her as.  Bouncing excitedly as her eyes lit up in mischief, Alice grinned at Bette.

“Thanks Porter!  You do come in handy once in a while.  I think I’ll just go take a peek at the tennis practice.  Maybe I’ll watch for a couple minutes.  Get a handle on the game and the players on our team.  Hey!  Maybe I should ask Dana to show me a couple things about tennis?  She could be, like, my private instructor!  And that way she could instruct me in private.  I hope she’s wearing one of those little tennis skirts.”  Alice dreamily imagined a sweaty, vein-popping Dana showing Alice how to swing a racket.  Of course, in Alice’s mind there would naturally be a lot of physical contact during the demonstration. 

Bette could tell where Alice’s thoughts had turned.

“Stop looking like an idiot and just go!  You’re making me sick with the faces you’re making.”  Bette said disgustingly.

Alice smiled at Bette, undisturbed by her outburst. 

“Really, thanks Bette.”  After a quick hug, Alice sprinted out the back door towards where she assumed the school tennis courts were.  In actuality, she had no idea where they were having never seen a tennis match before in her life. 

Bette watched from the window as Alice ran about 50 yards before stopping where two paths forked off towards the playing fields.  At one point there had been a sign directing which path to take for certain sports but the sign had long ago been torn down by students as a prank.  Then, with a determined nod, Bette watched Alice walk down the path leading towards the left.

“Where the hell is she going??  The tennis courts are to the RIGHT not the LEFT!!!”  Bette could only shake her head at her friend and wonder how long it would be before Alice realized she’d chosen the wrong path.  If she remembered correctly, the path Alice was on went on for several miles before coming to an end at the nearby lake.  Bette smirked.

++++++++++++++

She watched as Bette pushed open the door Alice had just ran through.  It was fortunate she had happened to come this way.  She wasn’t sure yet just how she would be able to use what she’d heard to her advantage, but she was sure it would come to her.  For now she’d just let things develop before taking action. 

***okay, so don’t worry! this isn’t going to turn into so deep, dark story simply because i very much doubt i could write one all that convincingly. LOL. anways, that last paragraph is just a lead in to some coming drama. no worries though, the story will remain silly and happy overall since i love writing crazy Alice